[Herald Design Forum 2019] Alex Mustonen, artist who reinvents everyday structures, materials

Alex Mustonen, co-founder of New York-based studio Snarkitecture, is a creator of unconventional objects and spaces, merging different disciplines, including art and architecture.  Mustonen and his colleagues at Snarkitecture -- Daniel Arsham and Ben Porto -- are widely known for their works that reinterpret everyday structures and materials, transforming them into something utterly new to invite visitors to engage with their surroundings.At Herald Design Forum 2019, Mustonen will talk abou

Arts & DesignOct. 7, 2019

[Herald Design Forum 2019] An alternative approach to urban rejuvenation

Instituting an urban renewal plan, especially in a top-down manner, runs the risk of disregarding the actual needs of the people living in the city, or missing the potential benefits that can be derived when the community is engaged in the redevelopment process. The London-based studio Assemble takes a bottom-up approach, setting out to reinvigorate urban areas in ways that benefit communities. Founded in 2010, Assemble boasts a diverse and award-winning body of work. Its democratic and cooperat

Arts & DesignOct. 7, 2019

[Herald Design Forum 2019] Michael Govan, director of ever-evolving museum in LA

Michael Govan is the director of the ever-evolving Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and is in charge of all its aspects, from art programming and collection, to the expanding and upgrading it.At Herald Design Forum 2019, he will discuss the groundbreaking changes that the LACMA has undertaken and his visions for the art world in the future.　 The LACMA opened to the public on Wilshire Boulevard in 1965. William Pereira designed the three buildings on its campus, Ahmanson Building, Bing Center an

Arts & DesignOct. 7, 2019

[Herald Design Forum 2019] Do we need another planet?

Do we need another planet? Ignasi Ribas is preparing for that worst-case scenario in which we really do need an alternative option. Ribas is a scientist who leads an international team of exoplanet hunters at the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia. His work focuses on exoplanet research and precise knowledge of the stars. Ribas is actively involved in instrumentation projects, both on Earth and in space, with the aim of discovering new planets similar to Earth. At Herald Design Forum 2019,

Arts & DesignOct. 7, 2019

Baroque music with French flair to grace stage in October

Two Francophone Baroque music ensembles will go onstage here this month. One of the groups, Les Arts Florissants, is a French ensemble founded in 1979 by William Christie. It is credited with efforts to revive 17th to mid-18th century European music. Christie, a conductor and harpsichordist, is often referred to as “a pioneer in the rediscovery of Baroque music” in France, introducing lesser-known French Baroque music pieces. On Oct. 17, the ensemble will present Handel’s

PerformanceOct. 7, 2019

Korea's 'Mr. Sunshine' wins top TV drama award at Busan film festival

"Mr. Sunshine," a South Korean TV drama about the country's resistance movement against Japanese colonialists, has won the top prize at the inaugural Asian Content Awards of the Busan International Film Festival.The awards were created to recognize Asia's outstanding TV and streaming series that aired within the past five years. The awards ceremony was held Sunday as part of the film festival under way in the southern port city from last Thursday to this coming Saturday. Kim Yong-

FilmOct. 7, 2019

Actors of new 'Terminator' film to visit Seoul this month

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, the leading actors of "Terminator: Dark Fate," will visit South Korea this month to promote the new American science-fiction action film ahead of its imminent release in the country, its local distributor said Monday.According to Walt Disney Company Korea, the two actors will attend an Asian press junket in Seoul on Oct. 21-22, which will attract reporters from 11 Asian countries, including Japan, Taiwan, India and Singapore. South Korea has be

FilmOct. 7, 2019

[Herald Review] Jarasum becomes island of jazz

GAPYEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- The Jarasum International Jazz Festival took place from Friday to Sunday on Jarasum in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province.The event, launched in 2004, is one of the most successful music festivals here. Hosted on a once-abandoned island, it has garnered a total of 2 million attendees over the years.  On Friday, with the sun glaring, the 16th edition of the annual festival kicked off, featuring 121 artists, 15 overseas acts and eight local acts. Gugak-inspired ja

PerformanceOct. 6, 2019

Japan-bound trips dip in Aug., demand for other regions shoots up

An increased demand on non-Japanese routes helped offset lower demand on Japanese routes in August amid trade tensions between Seoul and Tokyo, the transport ministry said Sunday.  The number of South Koreans who traveled to Japan in August plunged more than 20 percent as outbound travelers shunned Japan for alternative destinations in Europe, China and other Asian nations amid a trade row between the two Asian neighbor, according to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and T

TravelOct. 6, 2019

Ferry disaster, politics and cinema intermingle at BIFF

BUSAN -- A new film about the Sewol ferry sinking, a disaster that killed more than 300 people -- most of them children, will premiere at Asia's biggest film festival, five years after director Lee Sang-ho caused controversy with his first documentary on the topic."Diving Bell", which screened at the 2014 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), criticised then leader Park Geun-hye's administration on its handling of the sinking.In response, angry officials cut BIFF's $1.3 million fun

FilmOct. 5, 2019

Philippine lawmakers join anti-cyberbullying campaign initiated in S. Korea

Twelve lawmakers from the House of Representatives of the Philippines signed an anti-cyberbullying pledge Wednesday at an event to raise public awareness about malicious comments and hate speech on the internet and social media. The event was part of the Sunfull Internet Peace Movement, initiated in 2007 in South Korea and led by Min Byoung-chul, a Hanyang University professor who serves as chairman of the Sunfull Foundation. Rep. Florida Robes, chairperson of the House Committee on People Parti

PeopleOct. 4, 2019

Chief of studio behind 'Parasite' wins French cinema award

The chief of the company that produced the Cannes-winning "Parasite" will be given a French cinema award in recognition of her role in promoting South Korea-French collaboration in cinema, the French Embassy here said Friday.Kwak Shin-ae, the CEO of Barunson E&A, which produced the film by director Bong Joon-ho, and Korean actress Bae Doo-na have been selected as this year's winners of the Etoile Du Cinema award, the embassy said. The embassy award annually recognizes actors and pe

FilmOct. 4, 2019

[Eye Plus] Hangeul, our proud script

Oct. 9 is the birthday of Hangeul, the writing system for the Korean language. On this national holiday, South Koreans celebrate the beauty of the over 500-year-old alphabet, invented by King Sejong the Great (1397-1450). Originally made up of 28 letters and later reduced to 24 -- 14 consonants and 10 vowels -- Hangeul is so logical and phonetic that linguists worldwide regard it as one of the most remarkable writing systems in the world. It is also easy to learn. King Sejong once said, &ld

CultureOct. 4, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Suite escape at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul presents a suite room promotion, offering a 15 percent saving on regular suite rates with a complimentary bottle of red wine. A Park Suites room, featuring separated bed room and living room areas, will be offered at a starting price of 420,750 won. Guests will have free access to the hotel’s sauna, swimming pool and fitness facilities. The deal is available for bookings made until Nov. 14 for stays until Dec. 13. Reservations are available

FoodOct. 4, 2019

[Weekender] The pink invasion

Pink is the most sought-after autumn color in South Korea right now. Do an Instagram search for #pinkmuhly and you’ll get an idea of what’s going on. There are over 300,000 posts, many showing couples, children and young women posing in picturesque gardens full of pink grass. Surreal displays of pink and purple inflorescences, floating above tall grass like soft clouds, have popped up in so many cities and towns that they are difficult to keep track of: Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Ulsan, Yeo

TravelOct. 4, 2019

[Weekender] Into the red, yellow and orange

The air is crisp and the trees are getting ready to change color. Now is the time to be outdoors. With nearly 70 percent of its territory covered by mountains, South Korea is spoiled with choices for fall getaway destinations where the scenery is a magnificent display of vibrant colors. Autumn reds and oranges have already started to emerge at some high peaks in northern parts of the country. The fall foliage is expected to be most spectacular in late October to early November. Just be

TravelOct. 4, 2019

BIFF kicks off in the aftermath of typhoon

Although Typhoon Mitga’s landfall forced organizers to cancel the inaugural ceremony, the 24th Busan International Film Festival kicked off Thursday for 10 days of festivities.Actors Jung Woo-sung and Lee Hanee hosted the opening event of the festival that will feature 303 movies from 85 countries until next Saturday, including the world premiere of 97 feature films and 23 short films. The opening film was the world premiere of “The Horse Thieves. Roads of Time” by Kazakhstan&r

FilmOct. 3, 2019

TikTok hopes to form ties with K-pop

Short-form video sharing app TikTok stresses it can be a powerful tool in promoting the ongoing K-pop trend around the world. On Thursday, TikTok officials took to the podium for at the 2019 Seoul International Music Fair held at Coex in southern Seoul to give a presentation titled “The New Kid on the New Music Block: TikTok.”The Chinese app, launched in 2016, is available in 150 countries in 75 languages, and bills itself as a music discovery app, allowing “TikTokers” (T

PerformanceOct. 3, 2019

[Herald Interview] ‘What is Korean is what is most global’

In 1965, a group of history majors from Ewha Womans University visited Sosu Seowon in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, a Confucian academy built in the 16th century during the Joseon era (1392-1910). The simple, relatively uneventful field trip ended up kicking off a series of events that saw nine of the “seowon” -- Korean neo-Confucian academies -- being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List over half a century later.“I was struck by the grace of the wooden buildings

PeopleOct. 3, 2019

Holiday on rails: cruise train Haerang

It is every couch potato's dream come true: You get to travel around the country with a friendly guide at your side, try each region’s delicacies, enjoy a performance once in a while and sleep in a comfy bed -- all while not once having to book for a ride. The catch? It comes with a rather hefty price tag. But if you are up for it, a trip aboard Korail’s Rail Cruise Haerang could be quite an experience.On a recent sunny fall day, I boarded the train at Seoul Station for a trip slated

TravelOct. 3, 2019