[Herald Interview] Pixar animators suggest Patience, Empathy for 'Inside Out 3'

The animators of "Inside Out 2" suggested that if "Inside Out 3" were to be made, Patience and Empathy could be introduced as new emotions at Riley's brain headquarters, during an interview on Friday. The recently released "Inside Out 2" is the sequel to Pixar's hugely successful "Inside Out" (2015), which delves into the psyche of an 11-year-old girl named Riley by following the adventures of five anthropomorphized emotions: Joy, Fear, Disgust,

FilmJune 24, 2024

[Herald Review] ‘Hijacking 1971,’ honest-to-goodness action flick based on true story

When it comes to films based on true events, whether a politically charged event or life of a heroic citizen, the biggest disappointment for the audience often comes in teary moments or an overly dramatic ending. Director Kim Sung-han’s crime action film “Hijacking 1971” follows a simple plotline centering on a good-hearted pilot Tae-in (played by Ha Jung-woo) over its 100-minute-long running time. Ha’s portrayal of a former fighter jet pilot Tae-in, who was dismissed fro

FilmJune 24, 2024

[Herald Interview] Ha Jung-woo calls shooting ‘Hijacking 1971’ ‘something sublime’

South Korean actor Ha Jung-woo, the youngest actor here to have accumulated over 100 million ticket sales through 25 films he has appeared in since debuting in 2005, becomes the character he plays. From a serial killer, to a top prime-time news anchor to a taxi driver struggling to make ends meet, Ha has never shown dull acting. His acting is always full of realism, energy and wit, consistently entertaining audiences over the past two decades. In his recent action drama flick, “Hijacking

FilmJune 24, 2024

Amid high demand for Korean learning, 18 new King Sejong Institutes designated

Eighteen new King Sejong Institutes will officially open in 15 countries next year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and King Sejong Institute Foundation announced Monday. With the new additions, Korean language and culture classes will now be offered at 256 locations in 88 countries worldwide. This year, 97 institutions from 40 countries applied to be selected to host King Sejong Institutes, demonstrating enthusiasm for learning Korean and marking the highest competition ratio of 5.4

CultureJune 24, 2024

Britpop legends Suede to perform in Seoul

The band Suede, which helped create and lead the Britpop musical movement in the 1990s, will perform in Korea for the first time in eight years. Suede will perform "Suede Live in Seoul" at KBS Arena in Gangseo-gu on Aug. 23. This will be the band's first performance in Korea since they played at the 2016 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. Formed in London in 1989, Suede is recognized as a key Britpop band alongside Blur, Pulp and Oasis. Britpop, a type of alternative rock that origi

PerformanceJune 24, 2024

French musical 'Holidays' featuring Madonna's hits kicks off Daegu musical fest

DAGEU - The Daegu International Musical Festival opened its 18th edition Friday, with the Korean premiere of “Holidays,” a French jukebox musical based on Madonna's hit songs, at Daegu Opera House. “We invited ‘Holidays’ as the opening performance because Madonna is truly a legendary pop star and the musical based on her music would resonate deeply with Korean audience,” Bae Sung-hyuck, executive director of the DIMF, told reporters during a press confere

CultureJune 23, 2024

Digital platform for Korean heritage launched

An online platform for access to digitized works of art at institutions including museums and libraries has been officially launched, the National Library of Korea said Friday. The “Korean Memory” website, host to some 260,000 works -- from books to photographs to music clips -- from 122 institutions, marks the latest push by the government to make “nationally important” data available to the public. “With the advent of artificial intelligence, we need more high-qua

CultureJune 23, 2024

Lyricist pays tribute to Korean War fallen with new song cycle of elegies

Ahead of the 74th anniversary of the Korean War, a new song cycle has been published to commemorate the fallen spirits and lingering pain of the war. Hahn Myung-hee, the lyricist behind the beloved Korean art song "Bimok" (Wooden Epitaph), has compiled a series of poems inspired by the Korean War and the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas into a poignant collection titled “Thus the DMZ Speaks: A Song Cycle in Memory of the Korean War Dead.” “Bimok” (19

BooksJune 23, 2024

KNCDC's contemporary 'Jungle' to tour Paris, Italy, Austria, Kazakhstan

The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company is on an international tour with "Jungle," which premiered in October as the curtain raiser at the International Modern Dance Festival. The company is performing "Jungle" at Theatre 13 in Paris on Sunday and Monday, as part of the 2024 Korea Season organized by the Culture Ministry to coincide with the 2024 Paris Olympics, which kicks off July 26. Choreographed by Kim Sung-yong, the company's director and artistic director, &

PerformanceJune 23, 2024

Final season of "Sweet Home" to hit Netflix on July

The third and final season of "Sweet Home" is set to premiere on Netflix on July 19, bringing the popular monster horror series to a conclusion. The first season of "Sweet Home," (2020) directed by Lee Eung-bok, who helmed megahits such as "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2016) and "Mr. Sunshine" (2018), narrated the stories of residents in a rundown apartment complex named Green Home who struggled to survive as people around them transformed into m

TelevisionJune 22, 2024

[What to see] Explore galleries in Yongsan

Yongsan-gu in central Seoul is a place for gallery hopping. Thaddaeus Ropac, Gallery Baton and Esther Schipper's current summer exhibitions are all worth a visit. Between touring the galleries, you can pop into the cafes and restaurants of the neighborhood to cool off. Andy Warhol at Thaddaeus Ropac Thaddaeus Ropac in Hannam-dong presents a selection of American artist Andy Warhol’s portraits of German avant-garde artist Joseph Beuys, revisiting the earliest meeting of the two artis

Arts & DesignJune 22, 2024

Streaming services gradually dominate sports broadcasts amid mixed reactions from fans

Korean streaming services are increasingly securing exclusive rights to sports broadcasts to expand their viewer base. While fans acknowledge that this enhances the quality of the viewing experience, the shift from free to paid access is generating widespread criticism. Starting in May, Tving, which secured exclusive online broadcasting rights for the Korea Baseball Organization, began offering KBO-related broadcasts exclusively to its subscribers. Tving is also set to exclusively live-broadcast

TelevisionJune 22, 2024

[Drama Tour] Relaxing weekend trip to Yangju

YANGJU, Gyeonggi Province -- One popular way to create an interesting plotline in Korean drama series is by depicting the changes and growth of a lead character since their countryside move to Seoul. Ranging from “When the Camellia Blooms” (2019), a hit drama set in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, to “Welcome to Samdal-ri,” (2023) which heavily features Jeju Island, Korean dramas offer a great window of opportunity for provincial governments to promote their cities and

TravelJune 22, 2024

'Inside Out 2' tops 3m admissions in S. Korea

US studio Pixar's animated film "Inside Out 2" surpassed 3 million admissions at the South Korean box office Saturday, the film's local distributor said. The coming-of-age movie hit the milestone on its 11th day of release, seven days faster than "Inside Out" (2015), according to Walt Disney Company Korea. If the current trend continues, the sequel is expected to easily surpass the previous film, which was seen by 4.97 million people. "Inside Out 2," which

FilmJune 22, 2024

Curator showcases Indigenous perspectives

Words like “variety” and “innovative” will hopefully describe the afterthoughts on Korea’s first-ever exhibition on Native American arts, an associate curator at the Denver Art Museum who helped organize the show said. Dakota Hoska -- who holds dual citizenship from the US and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota -- said visitors to the exhibition “Cultures and Histories of Indigenous People in America” would be able to discover the talent t

Arts & DesignJune 21, 2024

Caribbean Bay opens water attractions earlier than expected

Caribbean Bay water park at Everland, South Korea’s largest theme park, announced it will fully open in June, running all its iconic water attractions three weeks earlier than expected. According to the resort division of Samsung C&T which runs Everland and Caribbean Bay, the decision was made after recognizing the recent early heat and a sharp rise in attendance. While the water park’s Adventure Pool -- a beloved attraction where the guests can enjoy the outpour of 2.4 metric to

TravelJune 21, 2024

Celebrated bartender presents unique cocktail experience on June 26

Park Hyatt Seoul, located in Gangnam, southern Seoul, looks to attract prominent cocktail lovers with a one-time guest bartender invitation event at the hotel’s premium vinyl music bar, The Timber House, on June 26. The upcoming event invites renowned bartender Choi Won-woo -- a 2019 bartender competition World Class Korea champion -- to showcase three of his special cocktails. While “miracle morning” presents pure American aloe scent with spiciness, “after sweating&rdquo

TravelJune 21, 2024

Beloved poet and nun Lee Hae-in reflects on 60 years in convent

In celebration of her 60th anniversary of entering the convent, beloved poet and nun Lee Hae-in has released a collection of short essays titled "Precious Treasures" (a direct translation of the Korean title). "Having lived in the convent for 60 years, I thought it might be forgiven now to reveal the notebooks I kept. I wanted to share my personal stories with readers,” said Lee during a press conference at the Franciscan Education Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. Havin

BooksJune 21, 2024

[Well-curated] Popular select shop, unique souvenirs and nighttime stroll at Deoksugung

Kith Seoul emerges as Seoul’s premier flagship store Seongsu-dong has become a hot spot for young locals and international tourists alike. Among the bustling streets, the newest attraction drawing crowds is Kith’s flagship store, which opened its doors on May 31. Originating from New York, Kith is both a select shop and a fashion brand. What sets Kith Seoul apart is its distinction as the only Kith flagship store worldwide occupying an entire four-story building. The ground floor

CultureJune 21, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

Rolling Hills Hotel launches Haribo-themed promotion Rolling Hills Hotel in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, collaborates once again with the fruit gummy brand Haribo to present a unique hotel experience to its guests. The promotion offers a chance to have a one-night stay in Haribo-themed room, a free gift set featuring Haribo tumbler, a reusable bag and jelly candies. It includes free access to the fitness center, swimming pool and breakfast for two guests. There is a 50-percent discount for a chi

TravelJune 21, 2024