Cho Min, a new YouTube sensation?

In just six days, a certain YouTube video has garnered an impressive 352,000 views and counting. It may seem like the YouTube debut of a popular TV star. However, these numbers belong to Cho Min, the daughter of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, whose life took a dramatic turn when her admission to a graduate school of medicine here was revoked after she had already graduated and passed the state medical licensing exam. Launched on May 12, her YouTube channel, "minchobae," has only on

Social AffairsMay 18, 2023

Ill-fated turtle ship replica sold for shockingly low W1.5m

An ill-fated replica of Korea's 16th century turtle-shaped warship was sold for 1.5 million won ($1,100), less than 0.1 percent of the money spent for its creation, officials at Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, said Thursday. According to Geoje, the sale of the recreated Geobukseon took place on Tuesday during the eighth round of bidding, starting from the initial bidding price of 117.5 million won in February last year. Built in 2010 with 2 billion won of taxpayers’ money, the woode

CultureMay 18, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim Woo-bin talks about right to be happy, loved

Netflix's dystopian drama “Black Knight” is actor Kim Woo-bin’s third project since he returned to acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer and ceasing all activities in 2017. It was director Jo Ui-seok who, having filmed the 2016 action flick “Master” with Kim, led the actor to star in his first-ever Netflix project. The two reportedly exchanged ideas during the planning stage for “Black Knight.” “I was thinking about

FilmMay 18, 2023

[Herald Interview] Indonesian theater director finds inspiration, hopes for future collaboration

Visiting Korea for the first time, Bambang Prihadi, chairman of the Theater Committee at the Jakarta Arts Council, said he is leaving Korea with good memories and new inspiration. Prihadi participated in the “K-Fellowship,” an annual program organized by the Korean Culture and Information Service, which invites prominent cultural figures from overseas to experience Korean culture and network with Korean counterparts. As the artistic director and actor of his own theater company, Labo

PerformanceMay 17, 2023

[Herald Review] 'The Cherry Orchard' reflects loss hidden beneath laughter

People cope differently when society rapidly changes: Some ignore the changes and fall behind while others adapt and thrive. Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard,” set at the turn of the 20th century, contrasts the fate of the declining aristocracy with that of the rising middle class. Currently running at the National Theater Company of Korea until May 28, Chekhov’s final full-length play stars actor Baik Ji-won in the lead role under the direction of NTCK artistic direct

PerformanceMay 17, 2023

Culture minister: Netflix investment both opportunity and concern

Global streaming platform Netflix's decision to invest $2.5 billion in Korea over the next four years is both an opportunity and a reason for concern, said Park Bo-gyoon, South Korea's minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism, on Tuesday. The former journalist with 40 years of experience discussed the matter with reporters during a press conference held to mark his first anniversary in the office as the minister. “We’re mulling ways to maximize the opportunities while min

CultureMay 17, 2023

Gucci holds Asia’s first cruise collection show at Seoul royal palace

One of South Korea’s most significant cultural heritage sites turned into a runway for Italian fashion house Gucci on Tuesday night. Gucci showcased its 2024 cruise collection in front of Geunjeongjeon, the main hall of Gyeongbokgung, marking the first Gucci show in South Korea. It was also Gucci’s first ever cruise collection show in Asia. The 15-minute runway show kicked off with an appearance from top model Choi So-ra, as the soundtrack from Park Chan-wook’s “Old Boy

Arts & DesignMay 17, 2023

Women-centered series go mainstream in Korean content industry

Portraying relationships between female leads -- be it friendship or rivalry -- is becoming the dominant trend for successful projects in South Korea. While 2022 TV dramas received both local and global popularity with strong, independent woman -- “Juvenile Justice,” “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” and more -- this year’s projects explore more female-centered stories with multiple female leads. Lim Ji-yeon and Song Hye-ky

TelevisionMay 17, 2023

Lotus lantern festival to return full-scale

The Lotus Lantern Festival, or Yeondeunghoe, will be held for three days starting Friday in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, celebrating Buddha's 2,567th birthday, which falls on May 27 this year. This year's festival promises to be the biggest ever, as it is the first full-scale festival since Yeondeunghoe was officially inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2020. This year marks the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that people will be abl

CultureMay 17, 2023

Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 at center of controversy

Beethoven's beloved Symphony No. 9 has found itself at the center of controversy in South Korea in recent weeks. Earlier this month, a Korean-language version of Beethoven's masterpiece was performed for the first time at the Seoul Arts Center on May 7. The performance was led by conductor Koo Ja-bom, who said the symphony was the reason he became a conductor, but that he had refrained from conducting it due to his immense reverence for the piece. Koo, who dedicated two years to transl

PerformanceMay 17, 2023

Hoam Museum of Art reopens with abstract master Kim Whan-ki retrospective

Korea’s contemporary art master Kim Whan-ki (1913-1974) is well known for dense dot paintings that fill the entire canvas and his signature blue color. Following extensive renovations, the Hoam Museum of Art in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, reopens Thursday with a large-scale retrospective of the artist. The museum, run by Samsung Foundation of Culture and the Leeum Museum of Art, is reopening after an 18-month renovation. Such a retrospective of Kim's 40-year career is rare, although

Arts & DesignMay 17, 2023

LTI Korea to host symposium on current, future landscape of AI literature translation

Amid the increasing use of AI translation and arising legal and ethical concerns, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea is set to host a symposium on AI translation that will explore the present and future state of this technology. The symposium, titled “The Current State of AI Translation and the Future of Literature Translation,” will take place at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul on May 26. “The most important aspect to consider was to be inclusive and involve

BooksMay 16, 2023

BIFF leadership comes under fire after executive director, chairperson resign

Busan International Film Festival, Asia’s largest, has come under fire for a string of leadership changes that has exposed internal differences over how the festival should be run. BIFF Executive Director Huh Mun-young and BIFF Chairperson Lee Yong-kwan submitted their resignations in the space of a week, following the appointment of Cho Jong-guk as head of operations on May 9. Huh, who had been appointed to lead the festival in March 2021, turned in his resignation on Thursday, less than

FilmMay 16, 2023

‘EXchange’ to be made into Japanese Amazon Prime original

Local streaming platform Tving confirmed that its dating reality show “EXchange” is being adapted into a Japanese remake “Love Transit.” The eight-part dating program “Love Transit” will be the released as Amazon Prime original by Amazon Prime Video -- a subscription-based video streaming service run by Amazon -- on June 15, according to a Tving official. The upcoming show follows the basic format of “EXchange,” in which a group of ex- couples coha

TelevisionMay 16, 2023

Focus New York 2023 kicks off this week with some 40 galleries

Seoul-based gallery Kocoon d‘Art will participate in Focus New York 2023, scheduled from Thursday to Sunday, at Chelsea Industrial in New York City. The fair is part of New York Art Week which features two global art fairs, TEFAF New York Art Fair and Frieze New York. Focus New York 2023 will include some 40 galleries including Kocoon d‘Art, which will present Korean artists Choi Wool-ga, Kim Hong-nyun and Hong Purume at the fair. The paintings will include Choi’s "Brook

Arts & DesignMay 16, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim Hye-sook stresses passion as key to being good animator

“The world compliments those who have a clear dream early on and achieve their goals by working hard. I felt that is how I should live as well,” said Kim Hye-sook, a San Francisco-based Pixar senior animator, in an online interview with The Korea Herald earlier this month. “But that is not how I became an animator,” she said. “I was just an ordinary student who loved to read comics after the class was over.” Growing up in the small county of Hongseong, South C

FilmMay 15, 2023

[Stories of Artifacts] The bell tolls for truth: Gyeongju's Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok

Historical artifacts often prompt us to ponder our scientific progress: Some objects made a thousand years ago just cannot be reproduced even with today's advanced technology. The Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok at Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, is one such artifact -- how it was produced still remains largely unknown. The Sacred Bell, designated National Treasure No. 29 in 1962, is the largest extant bell in Korea, although not the oldest. The oldest known K

CultureMay 15, 2023

Five Korean films head to this year’s Cannes Film Festival

Five Korean films have been invited to this year’s Cannes International Film Festival, which kicks off in the French resort town on Tuesday. Kim Chang-hoon’s “Hopeless,” Kim Jee-woon’s “Cobweb,” Hong Sang-soo’s “In Our Day,” Kim Tae-gon’s “Project Silence” and Jason Yu’s “Sleep” will be shown at the festival. No South Korean film has been selected to compete for the main prize, the Palme d’Or, a

FilmMay 15, 2023

What to see in galleries in Seoul: international galleries bring together prominent artists

Several leading galleries internationally that have locations here are showing a variety of exhibitions in May not only for collectors but also for the general audience. While Korea's art market has slowed down this year, exhibitions where the public can appreciate first-rate contemporary art continue to multiply. Three top galleries operating internationally – Thaddaeus Ropac, Perrotin and Lehmann Maupin -- have kicked off new exhibitions in Seoul. Austrian gallery Thaddaeus Ropac

Arts & DesignMay 15, 2023

[Herald Review] 'Slava's Snowshow' brings delightful snowy magic to stage

Entering the concert hall, the audience was immediately captivated by the sight of white confetti scattered and piled on the floor. “Slava’s Snowshow” running at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul until May 21, has transformed a corner of Magok-dong in the middle of May. The mime show created and staged by Russian performance artist and clown Slava Polunin has toured over 100 cities around the world since its premiere in Russia in 1993. In Korea, the Russian troupe last pe

PerformanceMay 14, 2023