Political film ‘Kingmaker’ throws question mark on ethical dilemma

While the South Korean presidential election is less than three months away, the fact-based political drama “Kingmaker” aims to raise a question about using unjust means to achieve a goal. Set in the 1960s-70s, “Kingmaker” revolves around an opposition party politician who dreams of becoming president and his excellent strategist. It was motivated by mysterious election strategist Eom Chang-rok, who worked for former President Kim Dae-jung, who became president in 1998

FilmDec. 14, 2021

BTS, 'Squid Game' sweep Instagram hashtags across world this year

Global K-pop stars BTS and Netflix hit series Squid Game were among the most popular hashtags across the world on Instagram this year, Instagram Korea said Tuesday. “Popular contents and accounts on Instagram in 2021 reflected the most notable social and cultural phenomena of this year, such as the dance craze, K-content syndrome, and the Tokyo Olympics,“ Meta Korea’s CEO Jung Ki-hyun said in an online press conference. “Instagram will continue to allow the users to fr

CultureDec. 14, 2021

Lee Jung-jae and Oh Young-soo nominated for Golden Globes

Netflix’s South Korean megahit “Squid Game” earned three nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, which honors the best in television and films, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Monday. Korean actor Lee Jung-jae, who took on the role of debt-ridden divorcee Seong Gi-hun on the show, has been nominated for the best television actor in the drama series, along with actors Brain Cox and Jeremy Strong of HBO’s “Succession,” Billy Porter of Ne

TelevisionDec. 14, 2021

KTO predicts 2022 tourism trends with big data analysis

The Korea Tourism Organization predicted next year’s domestic travel trends with the acronym, HABIT-US, on Tuesday, the results showing a shift in travel preferences and patterns brought out by the COVID-19 pandemic. The results were based on travel-related big data analysis over the past three years, including travel expenses and use of social media, as well as in-depth interviews with industry experts. The acronym was derived from “habitus,” which refers to a person’

TravelDec. 14, 2021

‘Squid Game’ director Hwang Dong-hyuk wins Korea Image Award

“Squid Game” director Hwang Dong-hyuk, celebrated Korean soprano Sumi Jo, global video streaming platform Netflix and Tokyo Olympics gold medal archer Kim Je-deok are the winners of the 18th Korea Image Award. Director Hwang, who was behind the global Netflix sensation “Squid Game,” was awarded the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award for helping build a “stepping stone” for Korean contents to be recognized on the global stage, said Corea Image Communication Ins

CultureDec. 14, 2021

'Squid Game' earns three nominations at Golden Globes

South Korea's sensational survival drama "Squid Game" has been nominated in three categories, including the best TV drama series, at the 79th annual Golden Globe Awards. According to the nominations announced by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) on Monday (US time), the Netflix original was listed in the categories -- Best TV Series-Drama, Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series-Drama and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role on TV. "Squid Game"

TelevisionDec. 14, 2021

Translators of ‘Yi Sang: Selected Works’ receiveMLA award

A team behind the translation of “Yi Sang: Selected Works” received a literary translation award from the US-based Modern Literature Association, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea said Monday. This is the first time the award has been given for a work of Korean literature, according to LTI Korea, which sponsored the book‘s translation and publication. Jack Jung, a visiting assistant professor of English at Davidson College, Sawako Nakayasu, an assistant profes

BooksDec. 13, 2021

Korean voice actors say Netflix, Disney+ have not improved their lives

After the success of Netflix’s “Squid Game,” a local news outlet reported that the expansion of global streaming services has improved Korean voice actors’ lives as such platforms can provide more jobs. The article noted that there are more jobs for voice actors, especially after Disney+, which has a lot of animation content that needs to be dubbed into Korean, entered the Korean market this year. However, Korean voice actor Choi Jae-ho says global streaming servic

FilmDec. 13, 2021

Will Naver gain exclusive use of the term ‘webtoon’ overseas?

While Korean webtoons enjoy new heights of popularity and gain global recognition as cultural content, the local webtoon industry is concerned that the use of the term “webtoon” may become exclusive for the South Korean internet giant Naver. A type of web comic, webtoons are electronic cartoons and graphic novels that are read by scrolling down the screen, mostly on smartphones and tablet PCs. Amid the successful adaptation of webtoons to movies, drama series and games, a controve

CartoonDec. 13, 2021

Top comedian tests positive for COVID-19

Comedian Yoo Jae-suk, 49, tested positive for the coronavirus Monday, according to his entertainment agency Antenna. The company announced Monday that Yoo, who received his second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in September, received PCR tests after he was notified Saturday that he had been in close contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19. After he was found negative on Saturday, Yoo was instructed to take a second PCR test Monday, which came out positive later the same day. “Al

TelevisionDec. 13, 2021

Photographers reinterpret images of their cultural heritage

The legacy of renowned modern sculptor Kwon Jin-kyu (1922-1973) lives on today, serving as a source of inspiration for many young artists. The sculptural masterpieces were recently brought to life by fashion photographer Mok Jung-wook, who creates his own narratives through photographs. 　The exhibition “Images of Eternity: Kwon Jin Kyu × Mok Jungwook” running through Dec. 28 at PKM Gallery in Seoul presents 8 self-portraits and religious sculptures by Kwon along with a

Arts & DesignDec. 13, 2021

Audio therapy: Koreans turn to ambient music to relax, reduce stress

As the prolonged pandemic has continued to take a toll on people’s mental health, Koreans are increasingly turning to different sound genres to unwind. In Korea, Kokkiri and Mabo are two apps that are looking to tap into the market for ambient music. The apps have themes describing the user’s state of mind -- from anxiety, depression to anger and sleeplessness. There are subcategories of meditation sounds and auditory training sessions. To allow the users to keep track of the pla

PerformanceDec. 13, 2021

Alex Katz’s most recent flower paintings unveiled at Thaddaeus Ropac Seoul

Thaddaeus Ropac Seoul kicked off its second exhibition since its opening in October, unveiling recent floral paintings from American figurative artist Alex Katz who returned to the subject at the beginning of the pandemic last year. Focusing on the artist’s flower paintings, the works painted over the past two years show how the pandemic has influenced his artistic world. Among the flower paintings are “Wild Spring Flowers2,” “Peony” and “Rhododendron on O

Arts & DesignDec. 13, 2021

[Herald Interview] ‘Guerilla artist’ leaves encouraging messages all over city

Walking through the bustling streets of Seoul and encountering a rose sprouting from a piece of charcoal, one might wonder, “Is this installation art or a personal message to someone?’ The artist who made the piece says it is both. Lee Hyo-yeol, 36, better known as Yeol, considers himself a freelance advertiser by day and a guerilla artist by night. Since 2014, when he made “Flowers Bloom Through Heat,” Lee has worked on over 20 guerilla installation projects in the c

PeopleDec. 12, 2021

[Eye Plus] Old railroad in Seoul brings back old memories

A rusty railroad abandoned in Seoul brings back old memories and warm nostalgia.  Hang-dong Railroad, located in Guro-gu, Seoul, is a 4.5-kilometer track drenched with a vintage atmosphere, with traces of train stations and destination signs left here and there.  Lined with deep greenery and green barley, the 62-year-old railway is now one of the most beloved places for Seoulites to go and reflect. Beside Hang-dong Railroad, there is the Pureun Arboretum, Seoul’s first arboret

TravelDec. 11, 2021

[Photo News] Season of dried persimmons

Dried persimmons are considered a representative Korean traditional snack, one that was long favored by royalty. Because of an arduous cultivation process, dried persimmons were only available to people of high class.  People from Haman, North Gyeongsang Province, take deep pride in their dried persimmons, which are extremely chewy and sweet. The texture and sweetness are achieved by drying them in the clean wind at the apex of Yeohangsan, which stands approximately 770 meters above sea l

FoodDec. 11, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] Stiff competition in Korea to be man‘s best friend

Korea has designated three native dog breeds as Natural Monuments, with two more breeds preparing for future designations for protection. Jindo (Natural Monument No. 53), Sapsaree (Natural Monument No. 368) and Donggyeongyi (Natural Monument No. 540) are protected under the law and by the respective local governments provide ensure the preservation of Korea’s native dog breeds. One of the earliest evidence of dogs in Korea is a prehistoric rock carving showing a dog, along with wild ani

CultureDec. 11, 2021

Here are Christmas gift ideas for this year - Korean craftworks

Christmas never fails to come. While some here have small family or friend gatherings, others would prefer to fly home overseas and meet loved ones. Expressing gratitude and handing over a small present to your loved ones will be even more encouraging than ever, after years of fighting the pandemic. This year’s booming art market has spilled over to creating a variety of art items at museums or galleries, particularly for younger people whose interest in art has grown in recent years i

Arts & DesignDec. 11, 2021

[Temple to Table] Crunchy taste of the sea

Seasoned dried sea lettuce with chili pepper bugak Every year in late fall Yeongseonsa staff trim chili peppers, the last harvest of the season, and prepare a generous batch of bugak by coating them with glutinous rice paste and drying them. Whenever the temple has an event, big or small, they deep fry this bugak, mix it with chili paste (gochujang) and grain syrup and serve. If you pan-fry dried sea lettuce (parae), which has the savory taste of the sea, and mix together with bugak, it will en

FoodDec. 11, 2021

[Herald Interview] Meet Ji-Young, a Korean American ‘Sesame Street’ kid’s dream come true

Most people have a favorite show they watched growing up. Something we woke up for every morning, gave us endless topics and stories to think and talk about, and perhaps gave our parents a break while we were completely immersed in what was happening on the television. “Sesame Street” was ‘that show’ for 41-year-old Korean American Kathleen Kim. But for her, it wasn’t just a childhood TV program – it was more of a playground where she learned about the worl

EntertainmentDec. 11, 2021