Korean diaspora literature to be discussed at LTIK seminar

A seminar that will shed light on Korea’s diaspora literature is scheduled to take place Friday, its organizer, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, said on Monday. The offline seminar, titled “2022 Korean Literature in Diaspora and Anthropogeography,” will take place at LTIK’s headquarters in southeast Seoul. Co-hosted by The International Association for Literature of Korean Residents Abroad, this seminar aims to reflect the growing interest in Korean li

CultureJuly 25, 2022

Experience royal cuisine at home

The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation are hosting an online royal palace tour program, “Gung On.” The annual “Gung On” was launched in 2020 amid the pandemic to offer wider access to palace-related content to be enjoyed at home. This year, participants will be chosen by lottery. A total of three events are available -- Dalbitgihaeng (Moonlight travel), Byeolbityahaeng (Starlight nighttime walk) and Saenggwabang. A total of 1,100

CultureJuly 25, 2022

[Herald Review] Big names light up stage at ‘Blue Spring Hip-hop Festa’

As large-scale concerts are coming back with the slow lifting of pandemic and social distancing rules across the nation, an abundant number of concertgoers filled the Jangchung Arena in Jung-gu, Seoul, Friday night as big-name R&B and hip-hop artists took the stage for “Blue Spring Hip-hop Festa.” The concert is an offshoot of the Blue Spring Festival, one of the country‘s biggest music festivals, which takes place in a different city each year. The first session took p

PerformanceJuly 25, 2022

Year after opening, National Folk Museum, Paju holds special exhibition

The National Folk Museum of Korea, Paju, a massive open storage facility in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, is marking its first anniversary with a special exhibition, “Folklore x Crafts: Simple and Neat.” the first-ever exhibition at the venue. Some 49 works by 13 contemporary craft artists bridging tradition and modernity are on display in collaboration with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. The 200 other pieces on show come from the NFMK Seoul’s collection. Two types of cr

CultureJuly 25, 2022

Streaming platforms fight for market share in Korea

Streaming platform operators, homegrown and from abroad, are seeking to expand their market share in an increasingly crowded Korean market, adopting different strategies. Netflix, which has been defending its position as the market leader since entering Korea in 2016, recently suffered a hit when its highly anticipated “Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area” was not received as well as expected by Korean viewers. To bounce back, the US-based streaming platform is strengthening i

TelevisionJuly 24, 2022

Gimbap, soul food that keeps rolling with the changes

Gimbap, the seaweed-wrapped rice roll stuffed with vegetables and other ingredients, has long been the meal-on-the-go staple in Korea. A humble roll of gimbap can vary in size and taste, depending on the filling. While all you need to do is pop a round slice in your mouth, making gimbap is a multistep process that takes effort and time, from preparing the filling to actually making the rolls. Featuring a plethora of stuffing combinations, today’s gimbap creations have come a long way

FoodJuly 23, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Hanbok represents spirit of Korean people throughout history

Clothing is an extension of our self-image. It helps define who we are. Five colors of nature -- blue, white, red, black, and yellow -- are found in traditional Korean hanbok, including wedding garments. The colors in children’s clothes bring balance with nature: blue for spring, white for fall, red for summer, black for winter and various shades of yellow representing the land. “In history books, Koreans were said to have clean clothes, to wear silk clothes and to revere white cl

CultureJuly 23, 2022

[Temple to Table] Way to live healthier: Bibimbap with eggplant

The Ven. Hongseung has worked diligently for close to 30 years to popularize temple food. Along the way she often heard criticism from people who said “temple food has lost its tradition and become fusion food because of too much emphasis on popularization.” But she disagrees. “I am not sure where the boundary between traditional food and fusion food is, but it could be a matter of ingredients. Vegetables like broccoli and paprika didn’t exist before in Korea. I use thes

FoodJuly 23, 2022

Perrotin Gallery to open second space in Seoul ahead of Frieze Seoul

Perrotin Gallery will open its second exhibition hall in Seoul, Perrotin Dosan Park, in late August, an addition to its venue in Samcheong-dong, northern Seoul, that opened in 2016. The French gallery is the first international gallery in Seoul to open a second gallery in the city. The 190-square-meter exhibition space will open in a two-story building in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The building was designed by KIAS (Kentaro Ishida Architects Studio) in collaboration with Yoki Design and K

Arts & DesignJuly 22, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘Hansan’ director wants to shed more light on already famous Adm. Yi Sun-sin

“Hansan: Rising Dragon” director Kim Han-min decided to create a trilogy about Adm. Yi Sun-sin, thinking the beloved historic figure deserves even more attention. He believes that the Joseon-era war hero holds an undying quality that is crucial for the leaders of our time. “Adm. Yi Sun-sin played a special role in Korean history and was different from other admirals like Gang Gam-chan and Eulji Mundeok. He was closer to the people and from the King’s point of view, Yi

FilmJuly 22, 2022

[Herald Interview] Korean actor Park Hae-il impressed by sentimental side of Adm. Yi Sun-sin

Before sitting down on his chair, Korean actor Park Hae-il took out his smartphone and started reading a poem written by Adm. Yi Sun-sin during an interview with a group of local reporters at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul on Thursday. The poem featured Adm. Yi’s concerns over the country’s future. Then the actor started talking about how impressed he was to find out that Adm. Yi, a historical war hero and the character he played in director Kim Han-min’s new film &

FilmJuly 22, 2022

Musical “Mrs. Doubtfire” to hit local theater

Musical “Mrs. Doubtfire,” based on the 1993 hit movie with the same title, will hit local theaters as the first licensed production of the Broadway show, according to its production companies, Sem Company and Studio Sunday. The Korea production will feature three actors for Daniel Hillard - versatile singer Im Chang-jung, comedian-turned actor Jung Sung-hwa and musical actor Yang Joon-mo. The plot unfolds around Daniel Hillard, a struggling, out-of-work voice actor, who is also a

PerformanceJuly 22, 2022

[Scholars and Their Spaces] Intellectual journey beyond anthropocentrism

In 1762, Hong Dae-yong (1731-1783), at the age of 32, built the first private astronomical observatory, Nongsugak, in his hometown of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and installed Honcheonui, which can measure the location of celestial bodies. Hong, who was eventually known as the “Copernicus of Joseon,” was the first Joseon scholar to argue that the Earth rotates. He was the first Silhak scholar of Joseon to study practical materials, but his claim was rejected by the mainstr

CultureJuly 22, 2022

[Well-curated] Beat the heat with street art show, gelato and slick photo shoot

You may have limited experience with graffiti or street art in Seoul -- that can be attributed to the masses of apartment blocks across the city. But Urban Break 2022 offers a unique opportunity to meet graffiti artists and enjoy street art over the weekend at Coex in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The art fair, in its third edition, was the first show in the country dedicated to street art, a relatively unfamiliar art genre here. Some 3,000 works by 450 artists will be on display at Coex through

TravelJuly 22, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Taebaek Sunflower Festival The 18th edition of Taebaek Sunflower Festival is scheduled to run from July 22 to Aug. 7 at Guwau Village in Taebaek, Gangwon Province. Presenting colorful wildflowers and seemingly endless fields of sunflowers, known to be the largest sunflower patch in South Korea, the festival welcomes flower lovers of all ages. The array of 300 species of wildflowers and sunflowers make for stunning Instagram photos. The festival offers hands-on programs to entertain visitors,

TravelJuly 22, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

　Alienoid 　(Korea) 　Opened July 20 　Action 　Directed by Choi Dong-hoon Guard (Kim Woo-bin) is an alien in charge of managing alien prisoners confined in mortal human brains on present-day Earth. His main job is to arrest prison breakers with his robotic colleague Thunder. One day, an alien prison-breaker runs away to the year 1390, late in the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). While carrying out his duty in the past, Guard comes across a baby girl and Thunder brings her to the present time. 　Elv

FilmJuly 22, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Four Seasons Seoul holds mud crab promotion Yu Yuan, a Cantonese restaurant located in Four Seasons Seoul, is presenting a mud crab promotion starting July 26, just in time for Busan’s blue crab season. The restaurant’s crabs are selected by the head chef Koo Kwok Fai, who created the new crab menu using Yu Yuan’s unique Cantonese cooking method. Guests can choose from a number of sauces -- chili, black pepper and white pepper -- which are used during cooking process. Man

FoodJuly 22, 2022

[Weekender] Vacationing with pets: What you need to know

Seven-year-old Mango the poodle is a beloved companion to Lee He-yong, 40, who brings his dog everywhere, even when he goes hiking. For his summer vacation early this month, Lee went to Meong Beach, situated on the East Sea coast, which allows people to come with their dogs. “It was my second time visiting the beach with my dog. In general, many beaches do not allow dogs because people complain about it. But Meong Beach has a lifeguard and is equipped with things that you may need for d

TravelJuly 22, 2022

[Herald Interview] Director explains why ‘Remarriage & Desires’ eschews erotic scenes

While they enjoy increasing popularity worldwide, one of the few criticisms that Netflix‘s Korean originals face from viewers is that they often include too many“ unnecessary ”erotic scenes that do not relate to the stories or are seemingly only used to be provocative. But despite its themes of love, marriage and infidelity, “Remarriage & Desires” director Kim Jung-min decided to resist the temptation. Directors Kim Jin-min of “My Name” (2021) an

TelevisionJuly 21, 2022

Cheong Wa Dae, K-cultural products at the center of Culture Ministry‘s presidential briefing

The former presidential office site Cheong Wa Dae will be transformed into a cultural complex, while a fund worth 4.8 trillion won ($3.66 billion) aimed at supporting Korean content will be set up. In the first policy briefing to President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday, Culture Minister Park Bo-gyoon outlined the ministry’s priorities, including converting Cheng Wa Dae into a cultural landmark and measures to support the country’s cultural industry. With the principle of preserving

CultureJuly 21, 2022