[Herald Review] Musicals that are treats for the ears, feasts for the eyes

With production companies and audiences moving past the pandemic, musicals are returning en masse. "West Side Story," the 65-year-old Stephen Sondheim-Leonard Bernstein romp, the Asian premiere of "Moulin Rouge!" and more Sondheim in the dark tale of London's murderous barber, "Sweeney Todd" are among those warming up the cold winter season. There was a time when someone who had watched a musical on Broadway would be excited to see it in South Korea, only to be

PerformanceJan. 28, 2023

Gangwon offers fun, exciting winter activities

As the temperature across the country plunged to the lowest points this winter this week, those looking for wintertime fun and thrills can expect even more fun in Gangwon Province, the mountainous province known for its abundant snowfall -- one of the reasons why Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics. Among the exciting options at Gangwon Province are lure fishing, bare-handed fishing, sledding, trekking, skiing and, for the die-hard K-drama fans, Korean drama filming l

TravelJan. 28, 2023

[Korean Flavors] Onjium updates traditional dishes using seasonal ingredients

Every Monday at Onjium, a restaurant next to Gyeongbokgung Palace where the seasonal menus are inspired by Joseon-period royal cuisine, the hallways and kitchen counters are filled with fresh vegetables and special ingredients that have been flown in from around the country. “For our seasonal winter menu, we are going to use pheasant from Goryeong in North Gyeongsang Province,” said Onjium Restaurant Head Chef Park Sung-bae. “I still visit the market every week, such as Noryang

FoodJan. 28, 2023

TXT's new album sold 1.8m copies on 1st day, highest after BTS

K-pop boy group Tomorrow X Together's latest album sold more than 1.8 million copies on the first day of its release, the group's agency said Saturday. "The Name Chapter: Temptation," the quintet's fifth EP, sold 1,868,919 copies Friday, BigHit Music said, quoting data from local album sales tracker Hanteo Chart. TXT is the second K-pop act to hit 1.8 million on an album's debut day after BTS, according to the agency. In comparison, the band's fourth EP, "

CultureJan. 28, 2023

Ajaeng concert to explore reinterpretations of court, folk music

A concert dedicated to the traditional Korean string instrument ajaeng will be held on Feb. 14, at the Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater, located in Jongno-gu. Titled “Choi Hye-rim’s Ajaeng with Yang Seung-hwan,” the 60-minute performance is part of the traditional music performance hall’s project for this year, the organizer announced in a press release last week. Ajaeng is a horizontal zither mainly played in court music and folk music. The instrument has seven string

PerformanceJan. 27, 2023

Gyeongju Daereungwon to offer free admissions from May

The Daereungwon royal tombs, a designated historic site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, will offer free admission to the public starting May, according to Gyeongju City. Located in Hwangnam-dong, a total of 23 ancient tombs from the Silla Dynasty are at the Daereungwon park, attracting more than 1 million visitors annually on average. The two most representative tombs are Hwangnam Daechong, the largest tomb in Gyeongju where the Queen's Gold Crown and Queen's Belt were discover

CultureJan. 27, 2023

EBS presents lesser-known stories of Korean dancers

Public educational TV channel EBS on Friday aired the first episode of a four-part program featuring renowned Korean dancers, the latest edition of its documentary series "Voice." The dancers in the series have different specialties, from traditional Korean dance and street dance to contemporary dance and ballet. Collaborating with the Korea Arts & Cultural Education Service, the documentary series features different professions, ranging from architects and pianists to actors and p

TelevisionJan. 27, 2023

Outdoor library to open at Gwanghwamun Square in April

Seoul City will launch an outdoor reading project at Gwanghwamun Square this spring, following the open-air library at Seoul Plaza showcased last year. Titled “Gwanghwamun Book Yard,” five open libraries and reading spaces will open on April 23 for World Book Day and run until November, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The book yard will operate at three outdoor venues around Gwanghwamun Plaza, which opened to the public in August after two years of renovation, and at

BooksJan. 27, 2023

Korea Film Archive unveils 113 videos of modern-day Korea

The Korea Film Archive on Thursday released 113 videos documenting Korean society from the early 1900s to 1950s. The videos show the daily lives of Koreans, as well as the peninsula's natural scenery and urban landscape captured through the eyes of foreigners who filmed the clips while in Korea. "The archive will be a good reference for researchers in various fields related to the history of Korea, from Christian missionaries and education, to folklore," the Korea Film Archive sai

CultureJan. 27, 2023

'Big Bet’ to return with season 2

Disney+ Korean original series “Big Bet” will return with expanded stories for its second season, set to be released on Feb. 15., the streaming service confirmed Thursday. “Big Bet,” which features movie star Choi Min-sik’s first performance in a drama series in 25 years, had the highest first-week viewing figures of any of the service’s Korean original series, according to Disney+. The first season of "Big Bet" will end on Wednesday. The noir series

TelevisionJan. 27, 2023

[Well-curated] Zodiac cocktails, pet-friendly lasagna place and surround sound cinema

Cocktails inspired by 12 zodiac signs Sindang-dong in Jung-gu, Seoul, was once an enclave of shamans, with the name of the neighborhood meaning a shrine or temple dedicated to spirits. When the sun goes down, Zoosindang, a cocktail bar themed after the stories of the 12 zodiac animals, comes to life. At first glance, the place looks like an eerie shaman’s house with no entrance. Push the cat statue, who is gatekeeping the place, and you will find yourself in an otherworldly forest. The ba

CultureJan. 27, 2023

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

“Someday or One Day” (Taiwan) Opened Jan. 25 Drama Directed by Hwang Cheonin Based on an adaptation of a 2019 TV series of the same name, this film revolves around a woman who is depressed after her boyfriend dies in a plane incident. Struggling to get over him, she receives a mysterious tape one day that allows her to travel back in time. She dreams of meeting her boyfriend once again and questions whether she will be able to change his destiny. “The Point Men” (So

FilmJan. 27, 2023

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents seasonal delicacies JW Marriott Hotel Seoul's buffet restaurant, Flavors, presents a series of gourmet journeys through Feb. 28. The restaurant serves a buffet of seasonal seafood dishes in Western, Chinese, Korean and Japanese styles, including scallops and pen shells, clam stew, deep-fried oysters, braised rockfish, tuna tataki and seafood soup. The dessert selection features 10 creations made with seasonal strawberries. The Lounge at the hotel’s eig

FoodJan. 27, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Full Moon Festival, Samcheok The highland city of Samcheok, Gangwon Province, is set to celebrate its annual Full Moon Festival, known as “Jeongwol Daeboreum.” Jeongwol Daeboreum is a traditional holiday marking the first full moon of the Lunar New Year. The festival will be held Feb. 3-5 at areas near Samcheok Beach and Expo Square in the city. The three-day event offers a singing competition, stage performances and other traditional Korean folk games, including tug-of-war. The most

TravelJan. 27, 2023

Jang Keun-suk feels ready for his long-anticipated comeback

Though his new character Do-han in the upcoming crime thriller series “Decoy” seems a departure from his previous roles, Jang Keun-suk is certain that he will not disappoint his fans, who have been waiting a long time for his return. “Time flies. Even I didn’t expect it would be so long before my next project. But I can assure you that ‘Decoy’ was the series, which makes the last five years not in vain. Whenever I visited the on-site shooting location, discuss

TelevisionJan. 26, 2023

[Herald Interview] Darkly riveting tale of alien survival on Earth to be released in English

The English-language edition of sci-fi novel “Walking Practice,” by Korean author Dolki Min, is scheduled to get a worldwide release on March 14 by HarperVia, an international fiction imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. The Korean edition hit local shelves in February 2022, while the English translation was in progress. Though "Walking Practice" seems to have followed a typical route -- a local release followed by overseas release of the translated edition -- rights to the

BooksJan. 26, 2023

Herald photographer wins three best photo awards in national news photo contest

Herald Corp. staff photographer Park Hae-mook was awarded three consecutive grand prizes in the monthly news photo contest by the Korea Press Photographer’s Association on Thursday. The association announced the winners of the 238th, 239th and 240th monthly news photo contest. Park won for best portrait in October, November and December. The works by Park are “Korean dance harmonized with nature,” “Joseon era seonbi’s ‘hanryangmu’ as danced by millennial

PeopleJan. 26, 2023

[Herald Interview] Park Min-joon’s art blurs reality, fiction

The two paintings by Sapierre featured in the novel “Two of Flags" are on show at Gallery Hyundai's exhibition of works by Park Min-joon, a fiction come to life. The novel, written by Park, tells the story of painter Sapierre who wanted to bring to life the figures in his paintings. His ambition and deathly efforts result in two paintings from which a boy named Ain springs out. The boy, asleep for 600 years, finally opens his eyes. The story refers to the fictional artist’s

Arts & DesignJan. 26, 2023

What a roll of gimbap could mean

If you’re a fan of Korean dramas, you would be no stranger to gimbap. The seaweed rice roll, usually filled with various ingredients, are akin to sandwiches in the West. It is easy to get, inexpensive and good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is the ultimate meal on the go. Recently in K-dramas, this versatile dish has taken on different meanings. In Netflix’s hit drama “The Glory,” protagonist Moon Dong-eun, played by actor Song Hye-kyo, eats gimbap whenever she can

TelevisionJan. 25, 2023

Cannes-winning ‘Decision to Leave’ fails to get Oscar nod

Cannes-winning romance-thriller “Decision to Leave” by South Korea’s renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook failed to become one of the five nominees in the best international feature film category at the 95th Academy Awards, surprising both critics and global fans, with some even saying that it was Oscars that “missed a chance.” “Argentina 1985” (Argentina), “All Quiet On The Western Front” (Germany), “Close” (Belgium), “The Qui

FilmJan. 25, 2023