[Photo News] Pianist Cho Seong-jin and Maetro Chung Myung-whun's performance

Young Korean pianist Cho Seong-jin and Maestro Chung Myung-whun hug after a passionate accompanied performance with the German orchestra Staatskapelle Dresden on Friday at the Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul. Around 2,000 attendees rose to their feet and broke into applause when the concert was adorned with the finale Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1. (Yonhap)

CultureMarch 4, 2023

MMCA to pay tribute to the late Peter Weibel in Seoul

Conceptual artist Peter Weibel, who had pioneered media art as a theorist and curator since the 1960s, died on Wednesday. He was 78. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, which is hosting an ongoing exhibition by Weibel, announced Friday it will set up a space dedicated to the artist, allowing visitors to pay tribute to him until May 14. Weibel’s exhibition, “respectively, Peter Weibel. Art as an Act of Cognition,” that opened on Feb. 3 became the artist&

Arts & DesignMarch 3, 2023

OPL returns to Korea after 20 years, this time collaborates with cellist Han Jae-min

Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg (OPL) returns to South Korea for the first time since 2003 this time with conductor Gustavo Gimeno. On the Korea-only tour, the Spanish conductor, 47, will lead the orchestra for four performances around the country with 16-year-old Korean cellist Han Jae-min, the youngest winner of the George Enescu International Competition. For the first part of the concert, the orchestra and Han will present Dvorak Cello Concerto, Op. 104, B. 191. After the intermission

PerformanceMarch 3, 2023

12th Seoul Mediacity Biennale with theme of 'This Too, is a Map' aims to redefine diaspora

Seoul Museum of Art announced Friday that this September's Seoul Mediacity Biennale would aim to redefine the concepts of migration, diaspora and languages. Titled “This Too, is a Map,” this year's edition of the contemporary art event will be helmed by artistic director Rachael Rakes. The artistic director of the 12th biennale was selected through an open call process for the first time in an effort to embrace diversity, organizers said. The artistic director had previous

Arts & DesignMarch 3, 2023

Pianist Lim Yun-chan to make Carnegie Hall debut next year

South Korean piano sensation Lim Yun-chan will make his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York in February next year, according to his management company MOC Production on Friday. Lim, 18, will take the stage as part of Carnegie Hall’s Keyboard Virtuosos and perform Chopin’s Trois Nouvelles Etudes, 12 Etudes Op. 10 and Chopin -- 12 Etudes Op. 25 on Feb. 21, 2024. He became an instant sensation after winning the gold medal at the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition as

CultureMarch 3, 2023

K-Auction to fundraise for children affected by Turkey-Syria earthquakes

K-Auction, a major art auctioneer in South Korea, will host an online charity auction starting Saturday to help children affected by the earthquakes that killed at least 50,000 people in Turkey and northwest Syria last month. The charity auction will run through March 14 jointly with the Seoul-based nonprofit AIF Children, offering 100 works by 76 artists who have agreed to help. Between 50 to 100 percent of the profits from the auctioned item, except for some fees that will go to the artists an

Arts & DesignMarch 3, 2023

[Well-curated] Decorating tips, Apgujeong before skyscrapers and Korean celebs by Jamin

Inspiring house items for spring E-commerce platform 29CM’s curation showroom, 29 Seongsu, in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, is holding an exhibition for the spring season under the theme of “inspiring house,” introducing the living and lifestyle brands' items for garden, lounge, dining room and bathroom. Danish brands Hay and &Tradition’s signature color lamps adorn the lounge-like space on the first floor of the showroom, whereas the second floor has been turned into a b

CultureMarch 3, 2023

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul marks International Women's Day Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is set to celebrate International Women's Day with special promotions. On March 8, the first 100 female diners at the Italian restaurant Boccalino will receive a Rosso Valentino lipstick as a gift from Valentino Beauty. Female guests checking in on March 8 will receive a special card, a rose and a gift set worth 63,000 won, including cream and peeling pads from cosmetics brand L’LOVE. For inquiries,

FoodMarch 3, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Nonsan Strawberry Festival Nonsan Strawberry Festival will take place from March 8 through March 12 at various areas of Nonsan Citizen Park in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. The event promotes Nonsan strawberries, providing opportunities for tourists visiting the city to enjoy them and the beautiful surroundings in which they are grown. The five-day festival offers various hands-on activities, including strawberry jam making, strawberry picking and more. Visitors can also enjoy delicious st

TravelMarch 3, 2023

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

“Count” (South Korea) Opened Feb. 22 Comedy Directed by Kwon Hyuk-jae Former boxing Olympic medalist Si-heon (Jin Seon-kyu), who now teaches at a high school in Jinhae, North Gyeongsang Province, decides to start a boxing team after discovering talent in his student Yoon-woo, played by Sung Yoo-bin. The film is based on the real-life story of South Korean boxer Park Si-hun, who won a gold medal in the men’s light middleweight category at the 1988 Summer Olympics. “Mis

FilmMarch 3, 2023

Staatskapelle Dresden, Chung Myung-whun and Cho Seong-jin to present interplay between their history

The Staatskapelle Dresden, one of the world's oldest orchestras, joins forces with celebrated Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun for six performances, four of which will feature Korean pianist Cho Seong-jin, showcasing the enduring relationship between the passage of time and musical excellence. The 475-year-old orchestra, founded as a royal court ensemble in 1548, has worked with many renowned conductors, as well as internationally celebrated instrumentalists and composers. Previous directo

CultureMarch 2, 2023

‘Devil’s Deal’ tops local box office, sets new attendance record

Director Lee Won-tae’s first crime noir flick in four years, “The Devil’s Deal,” has topped the local box office Thursday, setting a new attendance record, according to the Korea Film Council. Data showed “The Devil’s Deal,” which opened on Wednesday, saw a total of 188,827 moviegoers on its first day. As of Thursday, the number of movie theater admissions came to 192,623. The figures represent the highest attendance compared to other films that have ope

FilmMarch 2, 2023

Playing with irony, Lee Won-woo's dad jokes are turned into art

When life doesn't turn out the way you expect, you might actually end up laughing about it all, having been pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Lee Won-woo is an artist who captures this sentiment in his work, playing with irony and poking fun at life with his art in a lighthearted and humorous way. “I think I enjoy seeking out the funny aspects of things,” Lee said, gesturing as if digging into something with his index finger while talking with reporters Tuesday at the PKM

Arts & DesignMarch 2, 2023

Gucci’s love affair with historical places leads to show at Gyeongbokgung

Italian luxury brand Gucci will finally stage its first-ever major runway show in Seoul in May after “Gucci Cosmogonie Collection Seoul,” scheduled to take place at Gyeongbokgung on Nov. 1, was canceled following the crowd crush tragedy in Itaewon on Oct. 29. The Cultural Heritage Administration’s committee of royal palaces, tombs and other heritage sites said it has granted conditional approval for Gucci to hold a fashion show near Gyeongbokgung's Geunjeongjeon Hall fro

Arts & DesignMarch 1, 2023

Popular webtoon 'Surgeon Elise' to be adpated into Japanese animated series

South Korean content company Kidari Studio’s beloved webtoon “Surgeon Elise” is being adapted into a Japanese animated series. “Surgeon Elise,” originally adapted from author Yuin’s 2015 web novel of a same title, was released as a webtoon series via Kakao Entertainment, a content subsidiary of the South Korean IT giant Kakao, in 2017. The series came to an end with a total of 143 episodes in February 2021. The romance fantasy revolves around Elise, a wicked e

BooksMarch 1, 2023

Media artist Kim Hee-cheon wins 20th Hermes Foundation Missulsang

Media artist Kim Hee-cheon has won the 20th Hermes Foundation Missulsang, Hermes Korea announced Monday. The foundation awards a rising Korean artist every two years to support their artistic career, offering a solo exhibition at the nonprofit Atelier Hermes gallery in Seoul located at the building of the luxury brand’s flagship store. “Kim Hee-cheon’s work deals with some of the most challenging and urgent questions of our age of digital domination, especially the questions of

Arts & DesignMarch 1, 2023

Luxury megabrands recruit K-pop icons

Blackpink member Jisoo graces the cover of Vogue France’s March issue, the first K-pop musician to do so. "Jisoo is a new generation pop culture icon,” the French magazine proclaimed. The 28-year-old girl group member is shown wearing a black ribbed linen dress with a floral motif from Dior. She has been Dior’s global ambassador since March 2021. On Monday, Vogue France Editor-in-Chief Eugenie Trochu shared a screenshot of the magazine’s crashed website in an Insta

Arts & DesignFeb. 28, 2023

COVID-19 restriction lifted, TV travel shows take to road

South Korean broadcasters are set to flood the airwaves with programs filmed abroad as they resume long-suspended plans for shootings overseas. With the easing of travel restrictions and reopening of international routes, broadcasters have been filming in exotic locations hoping to entertain viewers who have longed to see far-flung places beyond their doorsteps. Monopoly-themed travel show Cable channel ENA and YouTube channel Teo are scheduled to release the show “Blue Marble World Tour

TelevisionFeb. 28, 2023

[Newsmaker] Colonial-era place of torture now monument to sacrifice

Tiny was hardly even the word for it. The solitary confinement inside the buildings of Seodaemun Jail was barely wide enough for an average-sized man to enter, and would have been just long enough for one to lie down. On one side of the windowless cell was a small hole, which turned out to be possibly among the most depraved versions of a toilet. Built in 1908 near the end of the Joseon era, this notorious jail was a place where many Korean independence fighters were locked up, tortured and exec

TravelFeb. 28, 2023

Wind quintet Les Vents Francais returns to South Korea

Les Vents Francais, a French wind quintet, return to South Korea, bringing along with them their music which is full of colors and a sense of humor, Paul Meyer, clarinetist and founder of the ensemble, said in an email interview last week. “In German romanticism and Russian music, expressions are direct, especially in those of anguish. French music treats the same thing (with a) certain modesty. The taste of French modesty is closer to politeness or humor,” Meyer said. On Wednesday,

PerformanceFeb. 28, 2023