Quad, Seoul’s public theater opens

The Quad, a public theater operated by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, opened in Daehagno on Wednesday, with a goal to revive the local arts scene hit by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and gentrification of the theater district. The Quad is a transformative black box theater that can accommodate as many as 258 seats and offer several types of stage settings, according to the SFAC, a Seoul-city funded nonprofit organization. It sits on the site of the former Dongsoong Art Center, w

PerformanceJuly 21, 2022

[Herald Interview] The masks of perfection, humility in Korean psyche

Everyone puts on a mask. Sometimes it is a persona of a good son, a model parent, a dependable co-worker, a trusted friend, or a combination of these. Or perhaps even all of them. But what if the mask gets stuck and you feel your life is a masquerade and a fraud? Lisa Son, professor of psychology at Barnard College of Columbia University, points out the risks of what is known as “impostor syndrome,” a feeling of constant self-doubt and perceived fraudulence, particularly in high-ac

PeopleJuly 21, 2022

[Interactive] Illegal scanlation is ruining the webtoon industry

CartoonJuly 21, 2022

Back on stage, actor Kim Seon-ho apologizes for rumors involving ex-girlfriend

Actor Kim Seon-ho on Wednesday publicly apologized over controversies involving his former girlfriend while making his first public appearance in about nine months. “I’m deeply sorry for bad news that has caused concerns to many people. I’ve looked back on my past times and reflected on my conduct,” he said while sobbing during a press conference for the play “Touching the Void.” “Many people have made efforts for this play since the spring. I’m

PerformanceJuly 20, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘Remarriage & Desires’ offers new look at society: Kim Hee-seon

Marriage, infidelity, divorce, low morals, social climbers, political and business feuds were some of the major setting and themes that captivated Korean TV viewers up until a few years ago. With their seemingly identical characters and implausible stories, such series were labeled “makjang dramas” and seen as trashy soap operas. But while Netflix’s latest presentation revolves around similar themes -- with an upper-class matchmaking company the central point of the drama --

TelevisionJuly 20, 2022

‘Hansan’ director claims film is more than just a nationalistic flick

When creating a movie about a heroic figure central to Korean history, there is always the risk of making “gukppong” content, a usually derogatory Korean term for nationalistic works. Director Kim Han-min, who is returning with a movie about the country‘s beloved Adm. Yi Sun-sin titled “Hansan: Rising Dragon,” said he aimed to create a motion picture that is more than just nationalism. “I tried to portray the genuine spirit of Yi Sun-sin in the film with s

FilmJuly 20, 2022

‘Hanbok saenghwal’ joins National Heritage list

Hanbok saenghwal -- a series of cultural practices which encompass the whole experience of making, wearing and enjoying hanbok -- made it to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Wednesday. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee decided to finalize the official name as “hanbok saenghwal” instead of its provisional title, “hanbok wearing,” announced earlier in March, considering the name to be a better rep[resen

CultureJuly 20, 2022

[Herald Review] Tales, music and light at Cheong Wa Dae evening tour

Guards slowly opened the gates to welcome visitors to Cheong Wa Dae as dusk fell. On Tuesday evening, a day before the official opening of the Cheong Wa Dae nighttime tour, a press event was held with some 50 reporters and public honorary promotion ambassadors in attendance. The 90-minute tour was led by Shim Yong-hwan, a historian, writer and professor, who gave a brief overview of the buildings and facilities. He also provided fun facts and tidbits about former presidents who worked and li

CultureJuly 20, 2022

CJ Group's Lee Mie-kyung receives special award from Int'l Emmys

South Korean entertainment giant CJ Group executive Lee Mie-kyung, widely known as Miky Lee, has received a special achievement award from the International Emmy Awards for her contribution to international television. According to the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on Tuesday (US time), Lee was named the honoree of this year's Directorate Emmy Award, given to individuals or organizations in management, programming and international relations for yearslong contribution

TelevisionJuly 20, 2022

[Herald Interview] Kim Tae-ri defends criticisms of fantasy sci-fi flick ‘Alienoid’

The first installment of the two-part film “Alienoid,” directed by Choi Dong-hoon, has received mixed reviews from local film critics since the press screening at Yongsan CGV on July 13. Some critics say that the movie bravely presents a genre unique in Korean film history, while those who criticize the film argue that it has too many characters and the story is hard to follow. Korean actor Kim Tae-ri defended the film by saying, “there is a reason why we say that the seco

FilmJuly 19, 2022

[Herald Interview] Kim Woo-bin recalls day he returned to set after recovering from cancer

Kim Woo-bin recalled the day he returned to the set for the upcoming film “Alienoid,” directed by Choi Dong-hoon, during an interview with local reporters Monday. It was the first movie he worked on after being diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer in 2017. “I was working on the movie ‘Wiretap’ with Choi Dong-hoon when I was diagnosed with the disease and the project was halted. So, if I were to return, I thought I had to do Choi Dong-hoon’s movie,” K

FilmJuly 19, 2022

Chung Myung-whun returns as pianist with chamber music ensemble

Conductor Chung Myung-whun will return to the stage as a pianist with a chamber music ensemble as part of a nationwide tour this fall. He will be joined by four other musicians: Violinist Kim Su-yoen, a concertmaster at Konzerthausorchester Berlin; violist Kim Sara, who joined the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra as a principal viola from the 2019-20 season, cellist Song Young-hoon and double bassist Sung Min-je. Kim Su-yoen, Song and Sung have previously performed with Chung on the stage. The pi

PerformanceJuly 19, 2022

[Herald Interview] Rising conductor Kim Eun Sun to make Korean debut

Conductor Kim Eun Sun started her role as music director of the San Francisco Opera last August, becoming the first woman ever to lead the opera company, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. The descriptors first female and sometimes first Asian also follow as she makes history throughout her career. Those labels don’t register while she’s in rehearsals and concerts, she said. But it is when she’s outside those rehearsal rooms and concert halls that she real

PerformanceJuly 19, 2022

World Heritage Festival in Jeju accepting applicants for expedition teams

The 2022 World Heritage Festival in Jeju Island, named “CONNECT- Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes,” which seeks to promote the importance of Jeju’s UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites through the story of the volcanic island’s birth, will return as an on-site program after a break last year. Jointly organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the festival will be held Oct. 1-16 at major World Natural Heritage locatio

CultureJuly 19, 2022

Blackpink’s Jennie to make acting debut in HBO drama ‘The Idol’

Jennie of popular K-pop girl group Blackpink will make her acting debut in the upcoming HBO drama series “The Idol,“ according to her label YG Entertainment on Tuesday. Co-produced by Canadian singer Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage name The Weeknd, Sam Levison and Reza Fahim, the series is set against the backdrop of the music industry in Los Angeles. The story revolves around a self-help guru and cult leader who develops a complicated yet romantic relationship with an up-

TelevisionJuly 19, 2022

Experimental Film and Video festival explores cinematic conventions

A total of 34 films are in the running for awards at the Seoul International Experimental Film and Video Festival (EXiS), which kicked off last Thursday. This year, 12 films were selected for the Korean Competition Section and 22 films for the International Competition Section from more than 1,400 submissions from 72 countries. Among the films premiering at EXiS are “Night Scene Charminar” by Gautam Valluri, which features a sleepwalker roaming around a night market in Old Hyderab

FilmJuly 18, 2022

Seoul Tourism Organization aims to attract 28 million foreign tourists by 2026

With expanded global tourism infrastructure and distinctive travel themes, Seoul looks to become a landmark city like Paris and London, according to Kil Ki-yon, head of the Seoul Tourism Organization. The STO announced its “endemic tourism” initiative, a strategy to promote tourism in the latter half of the year, during a press conference on Monday in Seoul. The organization will work together with Seoul Metropolitan Government to achieve its goal of attracting an average of 28 mi

CultureJuly 18, 2022

Tooniverse to air hit Nickelodeon animated series

Tooniverse, a leading South Korean animation channel and an affiliate of South Korea’s entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM, will air Nickelodeon series starting in August. Titled “Nickelodeon Time,” Tooniverse will present hit American animated series daily from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The animated comedy series “SpongeBob SquarePants” is set to air at 5 p.m. on weekdays and 5:30 p.m. on weekends. The show, featuring a square yellow sponge character, ha

TelevisionJuly 18, 2022

Busan Biennale 2022 unveils artists expanding theme of port city‘s history

Busan Biennale 2022 has unveiled the list of participating artists in the upcoming biennale scheduled for September, whose works embodying the turbulent history of the southern port city will be on display across the city. The 65-day biennale, under the theme of ”We, on the Rising Wave,“ will be held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan, Pier 1 of Busan Port, the island of Yeongdo and Choryang, a village set up by war refugees during the Korean War (1950-1953) and Koreans who r

Arts & DesignJuly 18, 2022

Research on Gyeongbokgung’s rear garden to be conducted at Cheong Wa Dae

A study of Gyeongbokgung’s rear garden -- the site of Cheong Wa Dae -- will be conducted more than two months after the former presidential office was opened to the public. The Korea Association for Architectural History, which won the bid to conduct the research, has 120 days to report its findings, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday. Historical records show that the area functioned as part of the rear garden of Gyeongbokgung, the main royal palace during the Jo

CultureJuly 18, 2022