[Weekender] Jeju Biennale shows the island's natural identity

JEJU CITY -- About an hour‘s flight from the South Korean capital of Seoul, Jeju Island is a popular destination for those who want to get away from the grit of the city. The ubiquitous porous basalt, covering more than 90 percent of the island, is evidence that the island was created as a result of volcanic activity. "Dolharubang," or village guardian statues carved out of porous basalt, fresh seafood, mandarin oranges and more than 368 parasitic cones are iconic symbols of t

TravelNov. 26, 2022

Looking for stars on a clear, cold night

YANGPYEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- Autumn is peak season for stargazing in Korea, as the arrival of chilly weather also brings clear skies. Some 60 kilometers east of Seoul, the small county of Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, is home to one of South Korea’s most popular observatories, Jungmisan Astronomical Observatory. After a 40- to 50-minute drive along the Han River, visitors climb the winding roads of Jungmisan and arrive at the observatory in the thick of a mountain forest. The occasion

TravelNov. 26, 2022

[Temple to Table] Cold remedy: Black trumpet mushroom

Stories of temple food ingredients told by monastics embody the culture of temples. Their communal lifestyle necessitates handling food in bulk like restaurants, but, unlike restaurants, temples depend a lot on preserving food. In spring and fall they prepare ingredients in bulk and store them to use when needed. In spring, a temple may order 300 kilograms of shiitake mushrooms, dry and store them, and use them for up to a year. Spring is the best time to prepare dried shiitake mushrooms because

FoodNov. 26, 2022

Korean ancient book, women's poetry listed on regional list of UNESCO Memory of the World

A South Korean ancient history book, traditional women's poetry and records of a massive oil spill have been added to the regional list of the UNESCO Memory of the World program. The Cultural Heritage Administration said "Samguk-yusa" (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) and two other candidates from the country were granted the status during a general meeting of the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific. The meeting was held in Andong, about 270 kilometers

Arts & DesignNov. 26, 2022

[Photo News] UNESCO-listed historic documents

South Korea's three historic documents including Samguk Yusa, a collection of folktale and historical accounts related to the Three Kingdoms era penned by Buddhist monk Il Yeon in the year 1281, were inscribed on UNESCO’s ​Memory of the World Register for the Asia-Pacific on Saturday.

CultureNov. 26, 2022

Perrotin Gallery to introduce more Korean artists globally

Perrotin Gallery will present paintings by Korean artist Shim Moon-seup in Hong Kong for the first time in December, as part of efforts to introduce more Korean artists in the global art scene, the contemporary art gallery said. “Perrotin Gallery was the first gallery that introduced Korean contemporary artist Park Seo-bo and Chung Chang-sup in Europe in 2014 and 2015. We will continue presenting Korean artists overseas as a global gallery,” Perrotin said recently. Shim’s sol

Arts & DesignNov. 25, 2022

[Herald Interview] German pianist Christopher Park on making connection with music

Anyone who is familiar with Korean surnames would assume that the German pianist Christopher Park has some Korean roots. And, indeed, he has. He was born to a German mother and a Korean American father in 1987, but it wasn’t until 2009 that he was able to make his first trip to South Korea. The opportunity came through a chance encounter of Park’s elementary school teacher and Pete Song, who runs a classical music production company, Pete Music, on a train in Germany in 2008. Upon he

CultureNov. 25, 2022

[Well-curated] High-speed thrills, cushiony pretzels and art with music

Enjoy playing racing games like Mario Kart or KartRider? At Ganghwa Luge located at Ganghwa Seaside Resort in Incheon, you can enjoy the thrill of a high-speed ride in real life. Some 50 kilometers west of Seoul, Ganghwa Luge located on the foothills of a mountain offers a spectacular view of the horizon on the West Sea. After buying tickets, make sure to pick up a safety helmet before taking the five-minute gondola ride to the starting point. Brief safety instructions are offered for first-time

CultureNov. 25, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Night Owl (Korea) Opened Nov. 23 Drama Directed by An Tae-jin Set in the Joseon era (1392-1910), Kyeong-soo (Ryu Jun-yeol) is a day-blind acupuncturist working in the palace. He is unable to see anything during daytime, but, strangely, he can see fine at night. One evening, Kyeong-soo happens to witness the death of Crown Prince Sohyeon. This death leads the prince's father, King Injo (Yoo Hae-jin), to madness. Kyeong-soo, who is used to keeping secrets, considers revealing the truth

FilmNov. 25, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Andaz Seoul Gangnam launches Meat & Co. Steakhouse Andaz Seoul Gangnam’s restaurant Jogakbo has newly opened Meat & Co. Steakhouse, an American-style steakhouse serving high-quality Korean beef and American steak. The signature menu items include Korean beef fillet tenderloin, grilled and flavored with hardwood charcoal at a high temperature of over 400 degrees Celsius; 28-day dry-aged Korean beef bone-in rib eye; shrimp cocktail with avocado; and caramelized onion soup with cheese

FoodNov. 25, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Ansung Smelt Festival The Ansung Smelt Festival is scheduled to run from Dec. 24 to Feb. 5, 2023 in the areas near Dume Lake in Ansung, Gyeonggi Province. Hoping to provide a memorable winter experience, the festival features various programs, including smelt fishing, ice sledding and various photo zones featuring snow flowers. Smelt fishing is only available during the weekends and on public holidays. The festival opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. daily. Admission costs 10,000 won per person

TravelNov. 25, 2022

Cultural icons win at Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards

Korean cultural icons, including Cannes-winning director Park Chan-wook, late Korean movie star Kang Soo-youn, Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho, rapper Zico, idol groups aespa and Tomorrow X Together among others, were named as the winners of the 13th edition of the Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards on Thursday. The annual awards, conferred by the Korea Creative Content Agency and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, recognized individuals who created new trends in the entertainment

CultureNov. 24, 2022

Korean comedy ‘Switch’ retells 'Prince and the Pauper’

Film director Ma Dae-yoon said he aimed to retell Mark Twain’s “The Prince and the Pauper” in his new comedy film “Switch.” “At the beginning, I thought about making a movie about a protagonist having an epiphany, like ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Then I added ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ element to it,” Ma said in a press conference at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University on Wednesday. Leading actors Kwon Sang-woo, Oh Jung-se and Lee Min-jung

FilmNov. 24, 2022

Lee Seung-gi demands disclosure of streaming revenue payment history to agency

Days after singer and actor Lee Seung-gi became embroiled in a payment dispute with his longtime agency, Lee’s legal representative demanded Hook Entertainment disclose all payments for digital streams of his songs since his debut. According to local online media outlet Dispatch on Monday, the singer has not received a single payment for his songs’ digital streams or downloads of his songs on online music platforms. The report claimed that Lee made some 9.6 billion won ($7.27 million

PerformanceNov. 24, 2022

Best of Korean crafts on show

The best of Korean crafts are on show through Sunday at Changwon Exhibition Convention Center, in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. A total of 229 winning handicraft works from this year’s Korea Crafts Competition are displayed at the exhibition, as well as 90 previous winning works. This year, more than 2,012 works were submitted across six categories: wood lacquer, ceramics, metal, textiles, paper and others. Winning the top honor of the presidential award was a tea set by artist Jung

Arts & DesignNov. 24, 2022

‘Through My Midwinter’ depicts how money influences relationship

Korean indie film “Through My Midwinter” features the harsh reality of how a young couple’s relationship can be affected as their economic status changes. “I have done manual labor for nine years. One winter -- around three years ago -- I was breaking a wall with a drill and it caused my teeth to crack. It was a difficult time for me and I had to spend a lot of money at the dentist's office,” director Oh Seong-ho said during a press conference at Lotte Cinema

FilmNov. 24, 2022

[Herald Interview] Kim Young-kwang breaks from rom-coms with 'Somebody'

The fresh makeup, neatly blow dried hair and sharp suits that have been the signature look of model-turned-actor Kim Young-kwang since his drama debut in 2008 were hard to find in his latest crime thriller “Somebody.” “I only had two or three options for how I could dress as Seong Yun-o. And even this experience was exciting for me. I enjoyed every single moment that I spent shooting ‘Somebody,’” Kim said during an interview with reporters at a cafe in Samcheo

TelevisionNov. 24, 2022

The Best Sushi Restaurants in Seoul 2022

This information is provided by CATCH TABLE. -- Ed.   1. Sushi Ren A high-end omakase restaurant with a private room to enjoy a peaceful meal with special people. It only serves the best quality of sushi that continuously attracts and satisfies its core customers. Experience the famous sushi omakase served along with the premium services by the best chefs in Seoul. Reservations can be made for Sushi Ren via CATCH TABLE     2. Sushi Kurumi A luxurious and high-end sushi omakase res

FoodNov. 24, 2022

Classical music enthusiasts the latest victims of 'piketing'

A fan of pianist Lim Yunchan took a day off from work on Nov. 16 and sat down in a PC room, hoping that the high-speed internet cafe could help her outrun the competition looking to buy tickets to a much-anticipated recital by the pianist. To prepare for the bid, she read several online posts and even signed up for a paid membership for the Seoul Art Center, where the 18-year-old pianist will take the stage on Dec. 10 for a one-time concert for about 2,400 people. As soon as the ticketing open

CultureNov. 23, 2022

Theater veteran discusses roots of Hallyu

Ahn Ho-sang, CEO of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, said Hallyu’s power comes from the artistic uniqueness of Korean people and fierce competition. Delivering a lecture titled "Korean Traditional Art and K-culture" at the Singaporean Ambassador's residence in Seoul on Tuesday, the theater veteran with almost four decades of experience, said Hallyu is not likely to die down soon as it is beginning to be recognized as a distinctive genre. "I think that the essenc

CultureNov. 23, 2022