[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Inside Out 2” (US) Opened June 12 Animation Directed by Kelsey Mann A now-teenaged Riley sees her “mind headquarters” undergo a sudden demolition to make room for new emotions that emerge during puberty, with the addition of four new feelings to the mix: anxiety, envy, ennui and embarrassment. “Handsome Guys” (South Korea) Opened June 26 Comedy Directed by Nam Dong-hyub Jae-pil (Lee Sung-min) and his friend Sang-gu (Lee Hee-jun), two well-meaning carpenters

FilmJune 21, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Summer blooms at Morning Calm Through July 14, hydrangeas of 200 different varieties will be showcased at the Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The Secret Garden, one of the many gardens and trails at Morning Calm, touts a hydrangea field now at its peak, with elaborate installations making for a beautiful spot to take the snaps of a lifetime. Morning Calm is open year-round from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission for adults is 11,000 won with discounts for children. See more

TravelJune 21, 2024

'My name is Gabriel' to showcase top celebs switching lives with individuals abroad

"My Name is Gabriel," a new variety show, will feature top celebrities swapping lives with real people living abroad, and will provide compelling and authentic storytelling, according to the producer on Thursday. The show features comedians Park Myung-soo and Hong Jin-kyung, actors Yeom Hye-ran, Park Bo-gum and Ji Chang-wook, dancer Shin Ga-bee (Gabee), and TV personality Kim Jin-young (Dex). The seven cast members embark on quests to live under different identities from various countr

TelevisionJune 20, 2024

Seoul International Book Fair hopes to set off new voyage into better future

Early this year, novelist Kim Yeon-su received a proposal from Joo Iroo, CEO of the Seoul International Book Fair, to rewrite Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" (1726). The CEO's intention was to shed new light on Swift's message, particularly the Land of the Houyhnhnms, which Gulliver visits on his fourth journey, describing it as an orderly and peaceful society. Inspired by the Land of the Houyhnhnms, the book fair has set this year's theme as "Houyhn

BooksJune 20, 2024

Jeonju Intl. Sori Festival moved up to summer for 2024

The 23rd Jeonju International Sori Festival is set to run from Aug. 14 to 18, featuring a rich lineup of 105 performances across 78 programs of different genres including traditional Korean music, or "gugak," classical music and world music. The performances will take place at Sori Arts Center of North Jeolla Province and cities across North Jeolla Province. Opening the festival is "Pungmul Pankut," which transforms "nongak" into a theatrical performance. Nongak tra

PerformanceJune 20, 2024

SPO to present Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky with Ray Chen

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra is set to hold two performances titled "Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky with Ray Chen” next week at Lotte Concert Hall, under the baton of Vasily Petrenko, the music director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Both concerts will commence with Weber's "Euryanthe" Overture before featuring Taiwanese violinist Ray Chen who will perform Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor on June 28 and Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major,

CultureJune 20, 2024

Poetry plaque linked to freedom fighter repatriated from Japan

The Korea Heritage Service on Wednesday repatriated a poem plaque created by the father of Korean independence fighter Song Jin-woo from Japan, which ruled Korea between 1910 and 1945. The Johyeon Myogagun plaque is believed to have been made between the mid-19th century and early 20th century. On it is a poem by Song Hun, who wanted to mark the establishment of “myogak,” a hall set up next to a tomb for rituals, in Johyeon -- the old name for areas now known as Gwangdeok-ri in Jeoll

CultureJune 19, 2024

Billie Eilish to make Korean TV debut with 'The Seasons - Zico's Artist'

Global pop sensation Billie Eilish is set to make her debut appearance on Korean television this Friday by appearing as a guest on KBS music talk show "The Seasons - Zico's Artist." According to KBS, Eilish's segment was recorded at KBS headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Tuesday. "The Seasons," a successor to the popular music talk show "Yoo Hee-yeol's Sketchbook," invites popular musicians and celebrities for talks and performances. The show is now i

CultureJune 19, 2024

'Harbin' starring Hyun Bin to premiere at Toronto film fest

Korean espionage film "Harbin," starring actor Hyun Bin, has been invited to the Toronto International Film Festival in September, according to CJ ENM, Wednesday. "Harbin," praised for its usage of cinematic artistry to depict historical events, will premiere at the Gala Presentations during the 49th TIFF. The 49th TIFF will be held from Sept. 5 to Sept. 15 in Toronto, Canada. Directed by Woo Byung-ho of "Inside Men" (2015), "The Drug King" (2018) and &quo

FilmJune 19, 2024

[Latest Read] Revolutionary poems from Korea's darkest days published in English decades later

A monumental work of Korean labor literature, Park No-hae’s poetry collection “Dawn of Labor” has recently been published in English. In 1984, Park Ki-pyung, better known by his penname Park No-hae, meaning liberation of laborers in Korean, published a book of poems, “Dawn of Labor,” as a 27-year-old laborer. The book was promptly banned by the authoritarian regime. Despite the ban, about a million copies were published. Its raw, powerful depictions of laborers&rsqu

BooksJune 19, 2024

Olive trees, poems at Park No-hae photo exhibition

A photo exhibition titled "Beneath the Olive Tree," featuring 37 photographs by poet and photographer Park No-hae, is currently running at the Ra Cafe Gallery in Jongno, central Seoul. Best known for his 1984 collection of poems "Dawn of Labor," Park is a revolutionary-turned-poet and photographer who emerged as an icon of resistance during the repressive 1980s. The exhibition showcases photographs taken between 2005 and 2008, capturing olive trees in various locations such a

CultureJune 19, 2024

[Herald Interview] Grit and resilience bond Koreans, Jews: First Asian American rabbi

For Angela Warnick Buchdahl, a 51-year-old American of Korean and Jewish descent, the opening ceremony of the Israel Education Research Center was a rare priority, one she flew in from New York City to commemorate. Buchdahl became the first Asian American in North America to be ordained a cantor -- the person who sings and leads prayer in a synagogue -- in 1999, and later a rabbi in 2001. She is now the senior rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City -- the world’s largest synagogue by

PeopleJune 19, 2024

Golf legend Pak's complicated relationship with father turns into legal battle

World Golf Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri's father is known for having played a significant role in the golfer's career, but recent revelations involving alleged illegal activities on his part have illuminated a more complicated relationship. Pak addressed the public in Tuesday’s press conference matters related to the Seri Pak Hope Foundation filing a complaint against her father, Pak Joon-chul, who was recently accused of forging a stamp bearing the foundation's name in order to

PeopleJune 19, 2024

Musical weeks kick off with international market and festival

Musicals are at the center of attention this week as two major events bring together domestic and international musical production companies, performers, experts and investors in Seoul and Daegu. On Tuesday, the K-Musical Market, an annual event launched in 2021 to promote Korean original musicals internationally, kicked off with a forum on the latest trends in musical markets in Asia. The event serves as a platform for participants to share information on overseas expansion, local developme

CultureJune 19, 2024

Uzbek envoy to Korea passes away

Uzbek Ambassador to Korea Vitaly Fen died Tuesday in Uzbekistan, the embassy in Seoul confirmed. He was 77. Fen, a Koryoin, an ethnic Korean of the former Soviet Union, was the longest-serving top diplomat in Seoul who continued his mission as Uzbek ambassador since 1999. He was a Korea specialist, as he served his diplomatic mission for 14 years from 1999 to 2013. He began his second mission in Seoul in 2017 and continued his service until his death. Previously, he received the Order of Fidokor

Foreign AffairsJune 19, 2024

Infamy as fashion trend catalyst

In the ever-shifting realm of fashion trends, a public dispute between K-pop tastemaker Min Hee-jin and her company, Hybe, has inadvertently launched an unconventional style statement. Min, CEO of Hybe subsidiary Ador, found herself embroiled in controversy in April when Hybe filed a breach-of-trust complaint against her with police. However, it wasn't just the legal battle that captured public attention. Min's attire during her April press conference, in which she swung between a te

CultureJune 19, 2024

Netflix's 'Agents of Mystery' promises realistic mystery-solving with star-studded casts

Netflix's new mystery reality show "Agents of Mystery," featuring a star-studded cast, ranging from popular Korean comedians to top K-pop idols such as Karina of aespa, will emphasize a high level of realism in its approach to mystery-solving quests, said the producer Tuesday. "Agents of Mystery" stars singer John Park, actor Kim Do-hoon, comedians Lee Eun-ji, Lee Yong-jin and K-pop idols Lee Hye-ri of Girl's Day and Yu Ji-min, more popularly known as Karina of aesp

TelevisionJune 18, 2024

Korea aims to boost content industry to world's top 4 by 2027

Recognizing the content industry as the country’s next growth engine, South Korea on Tuesday unveiled a series of strategies to support the content industry, including opening up policy funds to global capital. For the next five years, the government plans to inject funds totaling 3.4 trillion won ($2.5 billion), which includes 2.4 trillion won for the cultural account of the Fund of Funds, which pursues both profitability and public interest, and 1 trillion won for the K-Content and Media

CultureJune 18, 2024

[Better Together] Cherishing the human-canine bond

ILSAN, Gyeonggi Province -- Hamggehagae is a club of dog shelter volunteers who have come together to care for abandoned dogs. Some are dog owners, some have no experience with dogs. Moon Seung-bae, 40, who has been leading some 300 club members since 2020, shared that the group wishes to be of even the smallest help to the dogs, which deserve to be loved and happy. “Hamggehagae has been doing different kinds of work related to abandoned dogs, ranging from building and maintaining dog shel

CultureJune 18, 2024

Korea, US museums team up to promote Joseon

The National Palace Museum of Korea has joined forces with local and US museums to raise awareness of the Joseon era (1392-1910) in a three-year renewable deal focusing on joint exhibitions and research on the topic. The Joseon Dynasty Heritage Project involves the state-run NPMK, the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum and Amorepacific Museum of Art, as well as two US museums, the Denver Art Museum and Cleveland Museum of Art. “The aim is to establish a cooperative relationship between the institutio

Arts & DesignJune 18, 2024