Cherishing autumn mood at Manisan

INCHEON -- Autumn is a wonderful season to go anywhere in Korea. And it’s not too late to enjoy the autumn breeze. Though the recent rains might have made an unwelcome visit, pulling some of the colorful leaves from their branches earlier than usual, colorful fall foliage still welcomed hikers on Manisan last weekend. A mountain standing a moderate 472 meters high on Incheon’s island of Ganghwado, some 60 kilometers west of Seoul, Manisan is one of the most popular places in Kore

TravelNov. 18, 2021

G-Star is back in Busan

BUSAN -- South Korea’s largest gaming convention, G-Star kicked off in Busan Wednesday, showcasing the latest games and technologies by major game-related firms from both home and abroad. Arguably the biggest exhibition held since the “living with COVID-19” scheme took effect earlier this month, G-Star put in its utmost effort to be an example of a successful offline event. G-Star 2021 is a hybrid online-offline event with the participation of leading gaming and tech firms

CultureNov. 18, 2021

Michelin Guide Seoul releases Bib Gourmand list

Ahead of the official release of Michelin Guide Seoul’s latest edition slated for Thursday, the arbiter of culinary taste issued a list of Bib Gourmand restaurants in Seoul, announcing four new additions to the existing list. The Bib Gourmand classification highlights restaurants offering “exceptionally good food at moderate prices.” The price range depends on local economic standards, according to the company. The highest price for the Bib Gourmand Seoul edition comes in at

FoodNov. 18, 2021

’Hellbound‘ director Yeon Sang-ho continues observation of humans in apocalyptic world

For director Yeon Sang-ho, 43, producing new Netflix series “Hellbound” felt like creating his own playground. “When I was creating ‘Hellbound’ as a web comic, I was expecting to reproduce the series as a video. The project shows different sides of humans in a desperate situation surrounded by extreme social chaos. I want to keep presenting my views about humanity via ‘Hellbound.’ I will continue to play around by creating unique characters and stories

FilmNov. 17, 2021

Seoul Independent Film Festival programmers recommend 17 films

Ahead of the 47th Seoul Independent Film Festival, program committee members Huh Nam-woong and Jung Ji-hye on Wednesday recommended 17 films for viewing. Ten recommended features include “Hot in Day, Cold at Night,” directed by Park Song-yeol, which depicts the story of Young-tae and his wife, Jeong-hee, who make ends meet with part-time jobs. The film is a great example of how a minimum amount of directing and acting can be effective, according to the programmers. “The Con

FilmNov. 17, 2021

Auction houses introduce rare works to keep heated art market interested

Major Korean auction houses hope to continue the successful sales they have enjoyed this year in a market buoyed by the popularity of art as an outlet for investment. Two auctions will put up works worth more than 10 billion won ($8.5 million) at the upcoming events, featuring rare pieces. Seoul Auction will put “Pumpkin” by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama on the bidding block Tuesday. The work from 1981 is a rare early work, according to the auction house. The starting price is set a

Arts & DesignNov. 17, 2021

Sumi Jo inducted into Asian Hall of Fame

Soprano Sumi Jo has been inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame, her agency SMI Entertainment announced Wednesday.　 Founded in 2004 in Seattle by the Robert Chin Foundation, the Asian Hall of Fame works to recognize Asian excellence, cultural unity and racial equity by honoring Asian contributions in national and international narratives. Jo, a celebrated soprano, is the first Korean national to be inducted to the Asian Hall of Fame. She is also the first opera and classical music artist to be i

PeopleNov. 17, 2021

Amorepacific named Mecenat Award top winner

Korea’s top cosmetics maker Amorepacific has won the top prize at this year’s Mecenat Awards, in recognition of its contribution to the arts. The Korea Mecenat Association held an awards ceremony Wednesday at the Westin Josun in central Seoul to honor local businesses and individuals who have supported the art scene. This year’s Mecenat Award was given to Amorepacific, in recognition of the Sulwha Cultural Exhibition managed by its luxury skincare brand Sulwhasoo for the p

CultureNov. 17, 2021

Tenor John Noh’s album certified multi-platinum

Tenor John Noh, who appeared on cable channel JTBC’s audition show “Phantom Singer 3,” has received multi-platinum certification from the local recording industry. More than 20,000 physical copies of Noh’s latest album, “The Classic Album: NSQG,” have sold since its release in September under Warner Music Korea. According to Noh’s agency, Credia, the local recording industry gives multi-platinum certification to albums that sell more than 20,000 physic

PerformanceNov. 17, 2021

'Squid Game' becomes most-watched Netflix show with record 1.65b hours

The South Korean sensation "Squid Game" has posted a total of 1.65 billion hours of streaming in the first four weeks of release, becoming the most-watched Netflix content of all time. Netflix on Tuesday (US time) released the global top 10 lists of films and TV shows based on hours viewed in their respective first 28 days on its platform. "Squid Game" topped the non-English popular TV show list with an aggregate 1.65 billion hours of viewing over the first four weeks follo

TelevisionNov. 17, 2021

Suneung wishes, prayers echo at Palgongsan

DAEGU - Come November, parents who have children taking the Suneung, or college scholastic aptitude test, flock to Palgongsan. While the mountain in Daegu attracts many hikers year-round for its splendid views -- carpeted with azaleas in the spring, vibrant green leaves in the summer, colorful fall foliage and the delicate winter snowscape -- Palgongsan draws pilgrims to its Gatbawi, a seated stone Buddha at one of the mountain peaks that is believed to have the power to make wishes and prayers

CultureNov. 16, 2021

Hanbok school uniforms to be shown at V&A Museum in London

Hanbok-inspired school uniforms, created as part of a project led jointly by the Culture Ministry and the Ministry of Education, will be shown in an exhibition at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. The Culture Ministry said Tuesday that it has delivered a number of hanbok uniforms and a certificate of donation to Rosalie Kim, curator of the Korean Gallery at the V&A Museum. The samples include hanbok uniforms for boys and girls. The V&A Museum plans to hold its “Hally

CultureNov. 16, 2021

Gergiev to go onstage in Korea

As Korea gradually opens it borders to foreign artists and acts, maestro Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble are to take to the stage here. The ensemble, led by the celebrated conductor Gergiev, is to go onstage at the Lotte Concerts Hall in eastern Seoul on Nov. 24 for two performances. Gergiev, one of the most sought-after conductors in the world, has been long affiliated with the Mariinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg. The Russian maestro is credited with raising the Ma

PerformanceNov. 16, 2021

AleXa to hold first ever K-pop metaverse fan meeting

K-pop super rookie AleXa is set to hold a fan meeting on the metaverse on Nov. 21, her agency ZB Label announced Monday. The event marks the first such attempt in the K-pop industry, according to the agency. AleXa came to attention in 2016 through K-pop community website Soompi’s audition program, “Rising Legends.” AleXa appeared two year’s later on Mnet’s “Produce 48.” AleXa made her official debut in October 2019, with her first digital single &ld

PerformanceNov. 16, 2021

French Cinema Week 2021 kicks off with new releases, classics

Great news for French film fans in Korea: French Cinema Week 2021, organized by the French Embassy in Seoul and the association of Korean Buyers & Distributors of Foreign Films in Korea, kicked off Monday with screenings of 40 films. The event, running through Sunday, is being held at 14 local theaters in five different cities, including Seoul, Incheon and Daejeon. This year’s French Cinema Week is held under the theme of “Save Our Cinema.” “We hope to support the

FilmNov. 15, 2021

[Herald Interview] First KFCC president believes joining hands across sectors will boost content creation industry

Connecting multichannel network companies, tech and media industries with creators and their fans can create powerful synergy in the content business sector, according to Song Jae-yong, CEO of Treasure Hunter, one of the pioneering multichannel network companies in Korea. On Nov. 8, Song was appointed as the first president of the newly created Korea Federation of Content Creators. The KFCC’s mission is to support and develop creative Hallyu content for the global market. Some 30 busine

CultureNov. 15, 2021

Korean art expands global footprint in foreign museums

Some 25 curators and directors from overseas museums discussed how Korean art has expanded globally and how their collections were built over time at the 2021 KF Assembly for Overseas Museums on Thursday. “Contemporary Korean art has been exhibited outside Korea for decades, since the late 1950s,” said Charlotte Horlyck, lecturer in Korean art history at SOAS University of London. “Modern contemporary art from Korea continues to be strong, with some focusing on what we coul

CultureNov. 15, 2021

‘The Blue House Family’ hopes to revive Korean sitcom

While made-for-television political satires have had little success in Korea, “The Blue House Family” is ready to take a jab at the genre early next year. It so happens that 2022 is a presidential election year in Korea, and Astory, the production company behind the 10-episode sitcom, is betting that content related to politics will grab viewers’ attention. 　 “Politics and comedy go well together. Many comedians and content creators view the political scenes as a treasu

TelevisionNov. 15, 2021

US conductor wins top prize at inaugural KSO International Conducting Competition

US conductor Elias Peter Brown won the top prize at the first KSO International Conducting Competition organized by the Korean Symphony Orchestra. Brown, 26, clinched the win with his performance of Debussy’s “La Mer” (The Sea), L. 109, CD. 111 at the finals of the competition held Sunday at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. A graduate of Yale University and the Royal Academy of Music in England, he won third place at the Khachaturian International Conducting Competit

PerformanceNov. 15, 2021

'Eternals' retains No. 1 spot on S. Korea box office for 2nd week

Marvel's latest superhero film "Eternals" has topped the South Korean box office for the second consecutive week, data showed Monday. "Eternals" attracted a combined 501,000 people from Friday to Sunday, accounting for 55.9 percent of the period's total ticket sales at local theaters, according to the data from the Korean Film Council. The film topped the 2 million mark in attendance Friday, 10 days after its release on Nov. 3, bringing its total to 2.46 million as of Sunda

FilmNov. 15, 2021