S. Korea box office tops 15m admissions in June

South Korea's box office reported 15 million admissions for June, marking the largest monthly tally for over two years, data showed Monday. A total of 15.5 million people went to theaters last month, up 6.3 percent from 14.6 million a month earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korean Film Council. It is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that the monthly audience numbers topped the 10 million level for two straight months. And the June figure marked the highest since 16.84 mill

FilmJuly 4, 2022

[Herald Interview] K-Arts President Kim Dae-jin hails role of devoted teachers

Kim Dae-jin, 58, took the reins of the Korea National University of Arts, known as K-Arts, only 10 months ago, but his history with the school goes back to 1994, when he became a professor two years after the school opened. K-Arts, the country’s top arts school, was founded in 1992 with a mission to provide high-quality education so that students would not have to go abroad seeking great teachers and top-class training. Fast forward to 2022, the school is seeing the fruits of its labor

PerformanceJuly 4, 2022

Music in PyeongChang opens with masks in focus

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- The 19th edition of Music in Pyeongchang, an orchestral event in Gangwon Province, finally kicked off Saturday with an opening concert that mixes modern and classical music pieces. The first half of the opening concert began with Frederic Rzewski’s “To The Earth,” performed by percussionist Matthew Ernster. The percussion session that accompanied a poem recitation was followed by George Crumb’s “Voice of the Whale” for Th

PerformanceJuly 3, 2022

‘Broker’ wins top prize at Munich International Film Festival

“Broker,” the first Korean-language film project by Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda, on Sunday won the top award at the 39th Munich International Film Festival. According to the festival organizer, the ARRI award, established in 2008, is given to the filmmakers of the best international film in the CineMasters competition section. An independent three-member jury decides who shall receive the award, worth 50,000 euros ($52,000). Kore-eda’s “Broker” centers

FilmJuly 3, 2022

What to see in Samcheong-dong galleries this week

If you want to see new art this week, visit the galleries of Samcheong-dong, a cozy and renowned neighborhood in central Seoul next to the main palace Gyeongbokgung. New works by conceptual artist Olafur Eliasson, who plays with light and color, are on display at PKM Gallery. The gallery has a restaurant where one can grab some coffee or a meal before or after enjoying works. Right next to PKM Gallery is Barakat Contemporary, where the first solo exhibition by Berlin-based Nevin Aladag, who ha

Arts & DesignJuly 3, 2022

Sequels in cinemas bolster streaming popularity of original films

With three sequels -- “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Roundup” and “The Witch: Part 2. The Other One” -- currently bringing back moviegoers to local theaters, the original movies that preceded these second installments are also grabbing viewers’ attention. Hollywood blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick,” which opened here June 22, has sold more than 3 million tickets locally in under two weeks, according to Lotte Entertainment. The original Tom Crui

FilmJuly 3, 2022

Creative myeongnan dishes to try in Busan

BUSAN -- Busan is one of the cities to head to if you are looking to feast on fresh seafood, but the city also has great know-how about preserving seafood to be enjoyed later. Myeongnan, or pollack roe, is a popular side dish that is often also called “bap doduk,” meaning rice thief. Bap doduk is a moniker used for side dishes that have you eating more rice than usual because the combination is so tasty. While there is a misconception that myeongnan originates from Japan’s me

FoodJuly 2, 2022

[Holly’s Korean Kitchen] Gamja bokkeum, Korean panfried potato

If you visit a Korean home for a home-cooked meal, you’ll be amazed at the variety of delicious Korean side dishes served along with the main course. This Korean potato stir-fry (gamja bokkeum) is one that you’ll see pretty often, and it is one dish that I adore. Gamja bokkeum is a simple Korean stir-fried or panfried potato side dish, or banchan. It’s a gluten-free side dish and perfect for vegetarians and vegans. You can stir-fry the potato alone or with other vegetable

FoodJuly 2, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Getbol, the Korean tidal flats and sustainable seafood dining

Twice a day, the West Sea tides rise and drain the Korean tidal flats, called getbol, along the western coast of Korea. The slow draining and replenishing of the getbol, as the seawater comes under the influence of the moon, breathes oxygen-rich life into the muddy and sandy West Sea coast, creating a variety of getbol wetlands rich with the aquatic and amphibious creatures that live in them. The getbol are a complex muddy and sandy environment submerged in the water at high tide and exposed a

CultureJuly 2, 2022

[Scholars and their spaces] ‘If you are not progressing, you are regressing’

A monument to a scholar that stands in the center of Sejong city, South Korea’s administrative capital, is inscribed with a long letter to King Hyojong. The letter, considered to be the most notable appeal of its kind, was unprecedented at the time. More than 20,000 characters long, it contains a complete development plan for national reform proposed by Yi Yu-tae (1607-1684), a prominent scholar of the Giho school of Neo-Confucianism in the middle Joseon period. Upon reading the letter,

CultureJuly 2, 2022

From Haenam to Ganghwado, Seohaerang Trail opens

A new walking trail that stretches along the west coast -- Seohaeranggil, or Seohaerang Trail -- has opened to the public, just in time for the start of the summer holiday season. At 1,800 kilometers, Seohaeranggil is currently the longest walking trail in the country. It begins at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula at Haenam, South Jeolla Province, and reaches up north all the way to Ganghwado, an island on the west coast about an hour away from Seoul. The trail forms the third section

TravelJuly 2, 2022

Girl group aespa to attend UN meeting on sustainable development

  　South Korean girl group aespa will attend the U.N. High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development next week, its agency said Friday. 　 　The band will attend the opening session of the forum, to be held at the U.N. headquarters in New York at 9 a.m. on Tuesday (U.S. time), SM Entertainment said. 　 　During the meeting, the quartet will deliver a speech on the subject of “Next generation to the next level” and perform its hit song “Next Level.” 　 　The annual

PerformanceJuly 2, 2022

BTS' J-Hope tops iTunes charts in 84 countries

J-Hope, a rapper and dancer of K-pop supergroup BTS, topped the iTunes music charts in 84 countries with his first official solo single “More” on Saturday. 　 Released on Friday, J-Hope‘s new EP ranked No. 1 on iTunes Top Songs charts in the United States, Canada, Spain, France and other countries. 　 The music video of “More” topped 10 million views on video streaming platform YouTube in about 10 hours after the EP’s release. 　 “More” is an old-scho

PerformanceJuly 2, 2022

[Herald Interview] Jun Jong-seo understands varied responses to Korean remake of ‘Money Heist’

Jun Jong-seo, who plays the role of a gang member known by the codename “Tokyo,” said she agrees with widely differing reviews about Netflix’s latest Korean original series “Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area.” “I believe there are both strengths and weaknesses to the original and remake of ‘Money Heist.’ Even I found some aspects, featured in the original series, were better than our project,” the 27-year-old actor said in an o

TelevisionJuly 1, 2022

Jeong Da-hye wins Loewe Foundation Craft Prize with basket woven with horsehair

Jeong Da-hye became the first South Korean artist to win the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, for “A Time of Sincerity,” a basket created from woven horsehair. The awards ceremony was held at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art in Jongno, central Seoul, on Thursday. Made using a 500-year-old Korean hat-making technique that had long been considered a lost art, Jeong’s piece won the prize in a unanimous decision by the panel of judges. “‘A Time of Sincerity’ exuded

CultureJuly 1, 2022

37 Koreans awarded at int'l classical music competitions in H1

A total of 37 South Korean nationals have won prizes at 25 international classical music competitions held in the first half of this year, a local cultural foundation said Friday. Twelve Korean pianists were awarded at 13 contests, and seven violinists won medals at nine competitions during the January-June period, according to Kumho Cultural Foundation. In competitions for viola and cello, four and six Koreans, respectively, reached a podium, while four wind instrument players and four artists

PerformanceJuly 1, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul launches ‘Summer Perfection’ package JW Marriott Hotel Seoul greets summer with a cobalt-blue color-inspired package, in collaboration with skincare brand Swiss Perfection. All package guests are offered a 15ml bottle of Cellular Soothing Facial Lotion presented in an elegant blue carry pouch, including a mirror. Guests choosing the Griffin Suite will receive an additional 30ml bottle of Cellular Essential Vitamin Cream. Two bottles of Wine Cruiser Bluebe

FoodJuly 1, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival The Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival is set to take place at Donam Tourist Complex in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Aug. 5-14. The festival commemorates the Great Battle of Hansan of 1592, the best-known naval battle in Korean history. Visitors can observe a reenactment of the battle and experience hands-on programs at Yi Sun-sin Waterpark, organized by the city and Great Battle of Hansan Memorial Foundation. Admission is free. People of all ages are

TravelJuly 1, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Decision to Leave (Korea) Opened June 29 Romance Directed by Park Chan-wook Hae-jun (Park Hae-il) is a hardworking detective who carries everything he needs in a specially tailored suit with extra pockets. One day, he looks into a suspicious death that occurred on a mountain. Hae-jun comes to suspect the dead man’s wife, the mysterious Seo-rae (Tang Wei), is involved in the crime. As he investigates Seo-rae, the detective becomes drawn to her. Top Gun: Maverick (US) Opened June 22

FilmJuly 1, 2022

[Well-curated] Pop-up store for Disney fans, stylish cocktails and exhibition on memories

As the hot, humid days of Korea‘s rainy season are well underway, how about enjoying a weekend at a pop-up store? An ID card is all you need to enjoy your favorite Disney shows in cool comfort. A 5-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit No. 9 on Subway Line No. 2, following the main road to the university, the blue-colored store cannot be missed. Disney+’s special pop-up store will be showing attendees a variety of shows exclusively offered by the streaming platform. They

CultureJuly 1, 2022