[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Siheung Gaetgol Festival The Siheung Gaetgol Festival is scheduled to be held from Sept. 23 to 25 at Siheung Gaetgol Eco Park in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. The three-day event offers ecological experiences at the park, which is considered to be the world’s largest ecology art playground. Various programs, including photo exhibitions, a drawing area, salt playground, trekking around the Gaetgol trail and more, are offered to visitors so they can enjoy both nature and art to their fullest

TravelSept. 16, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents ‘Autumn Holiday at JW’ package JW Marriott Hotel Seoul greets autumn with a promotion filled with autumn-themed gifts, presenting a seasonal staycation. Featuring a choice of Griffin Suite or Deluxe Room, the autumn package includes a facial serum, volumizing cream and softening lotion set by Cle de Peau Beaute, with a total value of 150,000 won. Mont Blanc desserts crafted by the JW Marriott Seoul pastry team are available for package guests to tak

FoodSept. 16, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Black Phone (US)　 Opened Sept. 7 Horror Directed by Scott Derrickson After being abducted by a child killer nicknamed "The Grabber," 13-year-old boy Finney (Mason Thames) is locked in a soundproof basement. On the wall, there is a black phone that does not work. Later, Finney hears the mysterious telephone ring and starts receiving strange calls from the killer's previous victims, who are now dead. Confidential Assignment 2: International (Korea) Opened Sept. 7 Action Directed

CultureSept. 16, 2022

China's national museum to pull out 'controversial' table of Korean history

The National Museum of China has decided to withdraw the table of Korean history from its ongoing exhibition after complaints from Korea that the table does not include the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo and Balhae, the National Museum of Korea said Thursday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that the museum will remove the controversial table from the “Auspicious Metals From the Orient: Ancient Bronzes of China, Korea and Japan” exhibition, a move that came two day

CultureSept. 15, 2022

Hallyu festival of Korean culture to take place next month

A Hallyu festival featuring all things Korean Wave will take place across Seoul next month, the Culture Ministry announced on Thursday. The “2022 Korean Culture Festival” is scheduled to kick off on Oct. 1 in areas around Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul and Jamsil Sports Complex in southern Seoul. With a theme of exploring a cultural journey of Hallyu on planet “THE-K,” the festival aims to offer a chance to experience various aspects of Korean culture, ranging from t

CultureSept. 15, 2022

Circus Caravan invites audience to contemporary circus feast

A man throws a woman in the open air and catches her with one hand. Then she carefully balances herself upside down with one hand holding his other hand. Getting a sneak peek into the performance “Enva” by Spanish artist group Amer i Africa Circ Cia, the hand-to-hand circus is sure to provoke “oohs” and “ahhs” from the audience with their compelling acrobatics. With music adding a mischievous mood to the act, the pair perform awe-inspiring acrobatics between 2

PerformanceSept. 15, 2022

Jeju ASEAN Hall opens to boost Korea-ASEAN exchanges

A new space has opened on Jeju Island for discovering the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and promoting exchanges between ASEAN and Jeju. Jeju ASEAN Hall, the first joint project undertaken by the ASEAN-Korea Centre and Jeju Island with the aim of strengthening mutual understanding and people-to-people connections, opened at the International Peace Center Jeju, Thursday. Attending the ceremony were Foreign Minister Park Jin, Jeju Gov. Oh Young-hun, ASEAN-Korea Centre Sec

CultureSept. 15, 2022

NMK to pull out ancient Korean relics from China's national museum

The National Museum of Korea made an official announcement Thursday that all 15 relics it has sent to the National Museum of China for an exhibition will be withdrawn unless a correction of facts on ancient Korean history is promptly made by the end of the day. "If China does not accept our demands, we have no other choice but to immediately stop the Korean section of the exhibition, and push ahead with an early withdrawal of our relics," the statement read. The NMC had not responded s

CultureSept. 15, 2022

[Eye interview] Understanding Korea through its classical musicians

On May 29, violinist Yang In-mo, the first ever Korean to win the Paganini International Violin Competition in 2015, won the top prize at the jean Sibelius International Violin Competition. A few days later, cellist Choi Ha-young won the first prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition held in Belgium. And two weeks after that, pianist Lim Yun-chan won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, becoming the youngest winner at age 18. Lim quickly became a household name -- even those who have

CultureSept. 15, 2022

[Photo] Paik Nam-june's masterpiece is back

Paik Nam-june’s masterpiece “The More the Better” restarted operations on Thursday, unveiling its prototype after completing its three-year restoration. The largest piece by Paik, the video tower consists of 1,003 monitors and had a test run for six months early this year. "The More the Better" was first unveiled to the public on Sept. 15, 1988. (MMCA)

TravelSept. 15, 2022

RM donates W100m to protect Korean cultural heritages overseas

RM, leader of K-pop boy band BTS, donated 100 million won ($71,700) for the second year in a row to preserve and restore Korean cultural heritage overseas, the Cultural Heritage Administration and Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation announced Thursday. The K-pop superstar, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, recently made the donation to the OKCHF, asking that the money be used to promote the beauty of Korean paintings throughout the world, the foundation said. Last September, the singer a

CultureSept. 15, 2022

Festival on intangible heritage takes off in Jeonju

A series of events and programs centered around Korea's intangible cultural heritage is to be showcased this fall, both online and at different locations in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The National Intangible Heritage Center held a press conference at the Korea House in central Seoul on Wednesday, to announce the upcoming events mapped out for September and October. Marking its 10th anniversary next year, the center will bring together successful and popular features showcased at this

CultureSept. 15, 2022

[Herald Interview] Ha Jung-woo breaks silence after two-year break with ‘Narco-Saints’

After meeting with a group of local reporters at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, actor Ha Jung-woo, 44, wished to deliver an apology for violating the Narcotics Control Act and his illegal use of propofol in 2019. Though the court decided Ha does not seem to have a dependence on the drug or have visited the local hospital only to receive propofol injections, it said in a ruling in September 2021 that the actor colluded with his doctor to fabricate his medical records to cover up illicit

TelevisionSept. 15, 2022

[Herald Design Forum] Architect Vincent Callebaut seeks symbiosis between humans, nature

Paris-based Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut has pushed the boundaries of architecture as an ecological architect. He has advocated eco-responsible architecture and taking inspiration from all living things, employing shapes and structures found in ecosystems, also known as biomimicry. “Dealing with ecological and social issues is not an option in an architectural project. This is the basis of our professional commitment. Our role is to imagine eco-responsible lifestyles and then to de

Arts & DesignSept. 14, 2022

Bursting with local flavor, “Mrs. Doubtfire” hits the spot

The previews of the musical adaptation of “Mrs. Doubtfire” opened on Broadway at an unfortunate time -- on March 9, 2020 -- right as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in New York. 　Like most theaters and productions around the world, it only ran three performances before going on an uncertain hiatus. 　The previews returned in October last year, but had to close again in January. In May, the show was closed again, just one month after reopening, due to the spread of the omicron vibran

PerformanceSept. 14, 2022

‘Life is Beautiful,’ a long-awaited Korean jukebox musical film

  It is no secret that Korean moviegoers have a soft spot for musical films. From “Mamma Mia” (2008) to “Les Miserables” (2012) and “La La Land,” (2016), many Hollywood musical films have found great success in Korea. Yet, memorable Korean musical films that appeal to local audiences have been conspicuously absent. This is why there has been a lot of hype in Korean online communities around Korea’s first jukebox musical film “Life is Bea

FilmSept. 14, 2022

BICOF seeks to entertain comics, webtoon lovers with returned offline festival

Bucheon International Comics Festival is scheduled to kick off its four-day event from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at the Korea Manhwa Museum in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. The festival returned after a two-year break as South Korea removed its major COVID-19 social distancing restrictions earlier this year. The theme of this year’s festival is “Another universe,” highlighting the ideas from fantasy and imagination. Dividing the world into real and virtual, offline and online, digital

CartoonSept. 14, 2022

Lee Jung-jae's girlfriend is a rich heiress

Actor Lee Jung-Jae’s win of the Emmy award for his role in Netflix-original series “Squid Game” on Monday created a buzz worldwide but there was someone else who shared the limelight with him -- his longtime girlfriend Lim Se-ryung. Sporting a white Dior dress, she hit the red carpet hand-in-hand with the actor in Los Angeles. Lim, 45, is by no means just a celebrity’s girlfriend. She is the vice chairman of Daesang Group, one of the largest food conglomerates in South Ko

FilmSept. 14, 2022

National Museum of China wipes out ancient history of Korea at exhibition

Korea's two ancient kingdoms of Goguryeo and Balhae are missing in a chronological table of ancient Korean history currently on display at a National Museum of China exhibition, but any correction seems unlikely. The exhibition, titled “Auspicious Metals From the Orient: Ancient Bronzes of China, Korea and Japan,” is jointly organized by the national museums of the three countries to celebrate trilateral relationships and commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties bet

CultureSept. 14, 2022

Royal Culture Festival to kick off Oct. 1

The fall edition of the Royal Culture Festival will run from Oct. 1 to 9, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Tuesday. Jointly hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palace and Tombs Center and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, the festival has attracted 3.8 million visitors since its launch in 2015. The fall edition is scheduled to take place at Seoul's four royal palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung -- as well as Jo

CultureSept. 13, 2022