Lee Min-ho, Kim Go-eun partner in romance fantasy ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’

Lee Min-ho is returning to the small screen for the first time in three years through SBS’ “The King: Eternal Monarch,” which starts airing Friday night. Lee, in his first role since completing his military service in April 2019, partners with Kim Go-eun, who is also returning to the screen three years after the hugely popular “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.” Kim Eun-sook, the scriptwriter behind several major hit Korean TV dramas, including tvN’s &ldqu

TelevisionApril 16, 2020

[Newsmaker] MBC apologizes for sexist comment during election coverage

Network broadcaster MBC apologized Wednesday night for a demeaning comment about two female candidates during its general election coverage, which drew public outrage.　 The incident took place as MBC was delivering poll results in real time for a constituency in Dongjak, Seoul, where two female candidates -- Lee Soo-jin of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Na Kyung-won of the United Future Party -- were leading the pack. While covering the match between the two judges-turned-politicia

TelevisionApril 16, 2020

Culinary scene finds way out in takeaway, delivery service

As more people are staying in amid the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, restaurants are turning to takeaway and delivery services to attract customers wary of coming into contact with others while dining out. Luxury hotels are offering contactless dining suitable for customers celebrating a special day at home or for those conducting an important business meeting over a meal. Lotte Hotel Seoul in central Seoul launched meal sets that can be picked up at a drive-thru on April 6. In the fir

FoodApril 16, 2020

Notable Korean children’s book authors to be published in foreign languages this year

Last month, Baek Hee-na, a children‘s book author and renowned picture book artist, won the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s largest children’s literature prize, becoming the first Korean to do so. Many Korean children’s books, however, still have not received the global attention they deserve. “We do not concentrate much on assisting the children’s book genre yet,” a Literature Translation Institute of Korea official told The Korea H

PeopleApril 15, 2020

Marking 6th anniversary of Sewol ferry disaster with films inspired by the tragedy

Six years after the Sewol ferry sank to the dark bottom of the sea on April 16, 2014, many questions still linger and the truth remains undisclosed. The incident, which took the lives of more than 300 people, most of them high school students, is remembered as a disaster caused by the many shortcomings of our society. Movies and documentaries inspired by the tragedy or that delve into it remind us that the case is still ongoing.　 The latest such film is “Ghost Ship” by director Ki

FilmApril 15, 2020

Coronavirus threatens Hongdae indie music scene

The indie music scene in Hongdae is struggling to stay afloat as concerts and festivals are delayed or canceled amid strict social distancing. While major music labels are better able to endure long-term losses, allowing musicians to concentrate on their next albums, small labels and clubs that rent out venues to bands are suffering to the point where their very existence is under threat. “We had zero profit. What worries us the most is not now but what is about to come. Usually from la

PerformanceApril 15, 2020

Culture Ministry announces progress on financial aid for tourism sector hit by COVID-19 outbreak

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism provided an update Tuesday on the progress of efforts to assist the tourism industry as it struggles to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since February, the ministry has announced 21 different plans to assist the tourism industry. The government said it tried to reflect the industry’s needs when drawing up the support programs. The ministry said it had received 78 suggestions from the industry and that 59 were reflected in its programs. &ldqu

CultureApril 14, 2020

Jeju Island introduced to global audience via UNESCO media campaign

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Monday that it was taking part in UNESCO’s media campaign “#ShareOurHeritage.” The UNESCO campaign aims to promote world heritage to people who are unable to visit the sites due to the coronavirus pandemic. The international organization provides videos and information about world heritage sites around the world on its YouTube channel and on the website https://en.unesco.org/covid19/cultureresponse. “At this moment, 89

CultureApril 14, 2020

Lights go out at Daehangno

Daehangno, an area of Seoul that is home to numerous small theaters, has been hit hard by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak as theaters have been shut down in compliance with the government’s social distancing program. The Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System, managed by the Korea Arts Management Service affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, showed a sharp drop in ticket sales following the outbreak of the virus.   According to the data, ticket sale

PerformanceApril 14, 2020

New MMCA show on nature offers healing amid virus pandemic

In this time of strict social distancing, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea, is offering an Instagram preview of its latest exhibition, “Axis of Horizon.” A 30-minute live preview of the exhibition, guided by curator Yang Ok-kum, will be available Thursday at 4 p.m. on the museum’s Instagram channel (@mmcakorea). The full exhibition, originally scheduled to open in early April at the Seoul venue, is on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The exhibition features

Arts & DesignApril 14, 2020

Will Marvel heroes save Korean cinemas?

With the ever-dropping number of moviegoers, three major multiplexes are holding screenings of Marvel hero movies starting Wednesday. Megabox on Monday said it will screen six of the most popular films from the Marvel series from Wednesday to April 29. “Logan” and “Deadpool” will start screening Wednesday, with “Avengers” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” to be screened starting April 23. “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: End

FilmApril 13, 2020

From AR shows to short films: The wonders of election coverage

It is not just politicians who will be battling for voters on Wednesday -- local television broadcasters are waging a battle of their own armed with new technology and high-profile experts to attract viewers to their election night coverage Wednesday. Under the slogan “A Choice to Change My Life,” state-owned broadcaster KBS will focus on providing coverage with perspectives with in-depth discussions among political pundits. Rhyu Si-min, a liberal pundit and the chairman of the Ro

TelevisionApril 13, 2020

Improvisation dance festival kicks off April 21

The 20th Seoul International Improvisation Dance Festival is to take place this month, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This year, as a precaution to prevent the spread of the virus, the festival’s performances and workshops will be held separately.  Shows will be staged April 21-26 at the Arko Arts Theater in Daehangno, central Seoul. Workshops will take place June 28-30 at the Dancers’ Career Development Center in the same area. As a safety measure, only 40 percent

PerformanceApril 13, 2020

Weekend box office hits new low

The number of weekend moviegoers continued its downside trend to hit a new low this week as the novel coronavirus scare has battered the South Korean film industry, data showed Monday. A total of 79,711 people went to cinemas on Saturday and Sunday, down from the previous record low of 80,180 tallied a week earlier, according to the data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). It is the first time that a weekend figure dropped below 80,000 since KOFIC started to compile local box office data in 2

FilmApril 13, 2020

Coming to you live from an empty concert hall

Lately, online streaming has become the norm in the performing arts scene, with more artists playing to empty concert halls while the shows are livestreamed. Kumho Art Hall Yonsei, run by the Kumho Asiana Culture Foundation, has joined in the trend, livestreaming two violinists’ performances online. Though the art hall has always streamed its recitals online, the musicians had never before played to an empty concert hall. Kim Dong-hyun, a 2020 Kumho Rising Star, performed Thursday at

PerformanceApril 12, 2020

[From the scene] Virus spurs churches to find new ways to celebrate Easter

  As the highly contagious COVID-19 continues its firm grip on the country, Christian churches found creative ways to celebrate Easter, considered a time of renewal and rebirth by the faithful. While some Protestant megachurches held their Easter services online, others convened offline to mark the special day on the Christian calendar. Saemoonan Presbyterian Church in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the oldest Presbyterian church in the country, was one of those churches that held Easter services both

CultureApril 12, 2020

[Photo News] Easter service at parking lot

Members of a Christian church attend an Easter service at a parking lot in southern Seoul on Sunday.  The service in the parking lot is part of efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.  (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

CultureApril 12, 2020

Where to watch films for free

As people continue to isolate themselves inside houses owing to the prolonged virus spread, it’s about time that even those who only watch films at cinemas have turned on televisions and downloaded mobile applications searching for movies to binge-watch on. Although online streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Watcha and Wavve, in Korea also offer amazing assortment of films, most require a small contribution of monthly subscription, which may come as a burden for some.  Here are s

FilmApril 12, 2020

[Eye Plus] Jongmyo, the oldest royal Confucian shrine still preserved

Jongmyo is a special shrine for the deceased kings and queens of Joseon. It is the oldest extant royal Confucian shrine, according to UNESCO. In Confucianism, when a person dies, the soul is believed to be separated from the body, with the soul going up to heaven and the body returning to earth. The ancestors of modern-day Koreans thought it was important to have a place for the spirit of the deceased and a place for the body. Jongmyo, located in Jongno district, central Seoul, is adjacent

CultureApril 11, 2020

Virtual travel offers escape during quarantine

While the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down vacation plans for people around the world, it cannot not stop the desire to travel. Virtual reality is stepping in as people seek new ways to go out and explore the world from the safety of their homes. Major telecommunication companies in Korea including SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus offer VR services that include travel content. As people quarantine themselves indoors, the companies saw a sharp rise in the use of VR content related to travel. SKT r

TravelApril 11, 2020