Pianist Son Yeol-eum to perform at Myeong-dong Cathedral

Concert pianist Son Yeol-eum will hold a recital dedicated to medical staff serving on the COVID-19 front lines at the Myeong-dong Cathedral on Monday. The cathedral under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul invited Son, the joint second prize winner at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011, to perform. The concert, held in support of those hit by the pandemic, will be attended by some 150 health care workers at COVID-19 facilities. “I wish to deliver the warmest comfo

PerformanceJune 8, 2021

[Video] New public music library opens in Uijeongbu

A new public music library has opened in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, just some 25 kilometers north of Seoul, the first of its kind built by a local government. To most Koreans, Uijeongbu is synonymous with the US Army, as the city has hosted the American military since the 1950-53 Korean War. While most of the troops have now been moved to Pyeongtaek in southern Gyeonggi Province where the largest overseas US military base is located, the sound of Western pop music was long common across

PerformanceJune 8, 2021

Architecture biennale to explore impact of pandemic

The third Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism will run Sept. 16 to Oct. 31. The theme is “Crossroads, Building the Resilient City,” a reference to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 46-day event will take place at various locations around Seoul, including Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the Seoul Hall of Urbanism and Architecture, and Sewoon Plaza in Jongno, central Seoul. Exhibitions and other activities will take place at each location. Works by internationally renowned architects, suc

Arts & DesignJune 7, 2021

[Herald Interview] Relating to Shostakovich in pandemic times

Novus String Quartet, a leading chamber music act, is set for a groundbreaking project, performing the complete cycle of Shostakovich’s 15 string quartets. The chamber music act -- consisting of violinists Kim Jae-young and Kim Young-uk, violist Kim Kyu-hyun and cellist Lee Won-hae -- will perform the 15 string quartets written by the Russian musician Shostakovich (1906-1975), on four consecutive days of June 16-19 at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. “We were reckless,&rdq

PerformanceJune 7, 2021

Singers celebrate 50 years of ‘Morning Dew’

Artists across the musical spectrum, including Wendy of Red Velvet, Taeil of NCT, Leenalchi and Han Young-ae, are honoring singer Kim Min-ki with covers of his best-known song “Morning Dew” and more. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the release of “Morning Dew” that was written, composed and sung by Kim, the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation has created an 18-track album dedicated to the singer-songwriter. The iconic song has come to be closely associated with stude

PerformanceJune 7, 2021

Govt. pushes for self-rating system for online streaming releases

The culture ministry on Monday unveiled a plan to introduce a self-rating system for online video streaming service providers so they can shorten the time needed to circulate new releases. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it will propose a law revision to allow video content service providers to evaluate and classify their soon-to-be-released series and shows, based on criteria set by the state-run Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB). Currently, all motion pictures and creative wor

TelevisionJune 7, 2021

[Herald interview] ‘It’s not Koreanness that matters in our story, only Batman’

The rumors of Batman making a brief landing in Seoul, Korea, had been around for weeks, but were proven true when DC Comics officially announced “Batman: The World,” due out on Sept. 14. “Batman: The World” is an anthology comic book in which the stage is set in 14 countries, including Korea. The writers work from their respective countries, introducing local elements into the synopsis and drawings. The Korean part of the anthology is titled “Batman: Moonin,&rdquo

BooksJune 7, 2021

F9 becomes 3rd movie to top 2m admissions this year

"F9," the latest chapter in the "Fast and Furious" series, has become the third title to attract more than 2 million moviegoers in South Korea in 2021, box office data showed Monday. The action blockbuster drew 173,000 people over the Friday-Sunday period, bringing its combined total to 2.05 million, according to the data from the Korean Film Council. It is the third film released in 2021 to hit 2 million in the country, following the Disney-Pixar fantasy animated film &quo

FilmJune 7, 2021

[Herald Interview] Adoptee filmmaker shocked by reality of Korea's single moms

For filmmaker Sun Hee Engelstoft, who was born in South Korea in 1982 and sent to Denmark for adoption when she was 4 months old, it was shocking to witness the reality facing unmarried mothers in Korea. “In the West and where I grew up in Denmark, there is this idea that all Korean women just easily give away their children because there are so many adoptees,” Engelstoft said during an interview with The Korea Herald. Korea has sent more than 200,000 children abroad since the 195

FilmJune 6, 2021

[Eye Plus] Nights shine bright on Seoul’s Nodeulseom

Nodeulseom, an artificial island built a century ago, is a unique place from which to view Seoul’s nightscape over the Han River, especially in early summer. While you’re staring at reflections of the Han River at night near a dock, an art installation shaped like a giant moon may catch your attention. The 12-meter-tall installation, “Dalbitnodeul,” meaning “Nodeul Under the Moonlight,” is made up of two circular metal structures. It is a popular spot for nig

CultureJune 5, 2021

[Eye Interview] ‘I am the center of the universe when I dance’

Korean dance is more than just practicing techniques. It is about connecting the energy of people, according to Kim Mae-ja, master of changmu. Kim, 78, is the founder and a leading figure of changmu, contemporary dance based on traditional Korean dance. Based on tradition, she created a new school of dance which strives to embrace both tradition and innovation. She is often referred to as the Isadora Duncan of Korea. Kim’s life will be brought to the stage in the upcoming dance show &l

PerformanceJune 5, 2021

[#WeFace] [Herald Interview] Architect Kim Won’s goal is buildings that conform to nature

Although the prevailing notion is that architecture is about art, the environment has always been at the heart of architect Kim Won’s designs. Kim, 78, pursues environment-friendly values when designing buildings, paying homage to nature and to traditional Korean values. “The concept of environment-friendly tends to be used indiscriminately. But my value lies in conforming to nature. We should make the most of nature, and it is foolish to ignore such a gift. But many architects a

Arts & DesignJune 5, 2021

[Weekender] Gardening blossoms in COVID-hit Korea

For viewers of MBC’s popular reality show “I Live Alone,” K-pop boy band SHINee Key’s new hobby struck a chord with their COVID-era lifestyle. His passion of cultivating scallions and other plants at a corner of his home veranda is an illustration of a trend that has been sweeping across South Korea: home gardening. Though raising one or two plants at home may be nothing new, the pandemic has spurred people to take the hobby to the next level. Koreans are now splurging

CultureJune 5, 2021

National Library of Korea sends 1,000-plus books to libraries abroad

The National Library of Korea received more than 1,000 books on Tuesday and will send them to major libraries around the world through its International Materials Exchange Program. The library signed an agreement in 2016 with the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, the publisher of the books, to carry out and expand overseas research on Korea while promoting Korean cultural assets overseas. The National Library of Korea plans to send books donated by the foundation to 35 libraries th

BooksJune 5, 2021

Na Hong-jin’s Thai-Korean film ‘The Medium’ coming to theaters in July

Na Hong-jin, who has directed multiple South Korean thrillers and met with both commercial and critical success, is coming out with a new Thai movie in July, according to local distributor Show Box on Thursday. In September last year, the Korean film distributor announced that Na had teamed up with popular Thai filmmaker Banjong Pisanthanakun to make “The Medium,” a horror film set in rural Thailand. “The Medium” shows three months in the life of a family that has inher

FilmJune 5, 2021

Hong Sang-soo's 'In Front of Your Face' marks his 11th entry to Cannes

South Korean renowned director Hong Sang-soo will visit the Cannes Film Festival again with his 26th feature, "In Front of Your Face." According to the festival's 2021 official lineup announced Thursday, "In Front of Your Face" was listed in Cannes Premieres, a new section dedicated to works from well-established filmmakers. Hong was invited with nine other filmmakers, including Arnaud Desplechin of "Deception," Mathieu Amalric of "Hold Me Tight," Andr

FilmJune 5, 2021

S. Korea publishes book on kimchi amid Chinese claims over dish

A national promotional agency has published a book on kimchi and how it is perceived around the world amid a continued cultural feud over the traditional Korean staple. "Kimchi in the Eyes of the World," released on Tuesday, explores the culture of kimchi through stories of foreigners who have tasted the vegetable dish, how the spicy condiment is made, and what social and historical context it carries, according to the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) affiliated with th

FoodJune 5, 2021

Korean children’s book wins BolognaRagazzi Award

A Korean children’s book has won the prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award from the Bologna Children‘s Book Fair in Italy. The Korean Publishers Association announced Lee‘s win for comics in the early reader category on Tuesday. Two other Korean writers, Bamco and Park Hyun-min, won special mention in the nonfiction and debut work categories for “Rice Rice Rice” and “So Much Snow,” respectively. The BolognaRagazzi Award is awarded for originality, educatio

BooksJune 4, 2021

Classical musicians perform Korean drama music in new album

A compilation of music from Korean drama series performed by world-class musicians will be released under the Deutsch Grammophon label in July. Titled ”Shades of Love,” the album featuring well-known classical musicians such as Philipp Jundt, Daniel Hope, Richard Yongjae O’Neill and Albrecht Mayer will be released July 9, according to Universal Music Group on Friday. “The Song for My Brother” from the drama series “Crash Landing on You” was released F

PerformanceJune 4, 2021

Netflix to release special episode of 'Kingdom' series next month

A special episode of Netflix's popular original Korean series "Kingdom" will be released next month, the US streaming media service said Friday. "Kingdom: Ashin of the North" will be released July 23 as a "sidequel" to the global Korean zombie sensation "Kingdom" (2019) and "Kingdom Season 2" (2020), according to Netflix. It tells the backstory of the resurrection plant, or "saengsacho" in Korean, which causes a mysterious plague that

TelevisionJune 4, 2021