Legendary rock stars to hold joint concert

Two South Korean rock icons, Jeon In-kwon and Boohwal, will hold a joint concert in June. The two giants of 1980s Korean rock will host "The Age of Rock" on June 15 at the KBS Arena in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The concert was originally scheduled for April, but was postponed to June. After playing with various bands in the 1970s, vocalist Jeon In-kwon formed Deulgukhwa in 1984, a band that became a cornerstone of Korean rock. Known for his unique, almost anguished vocal style, Jeon sang hits

PerformanceMay 29, 2024

Shindang-dong, Yeouido, Jeju top tourist destinations for foreigners

Shindang-dong and Yeouido in Seoul were the most popular tourist destinations for foreign visitors, along with Jeju Island, in 2023 and the first half of this year, according to a big data analysis by the Korea Tourism Organization unveiled Tuesday. Lee Mi-sook, head of the KTO's tourism data strategy team, presented the findings during a seminar in Seoul co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the KTO. "Fueled by a surge in visitors from China, Japan, and Taiwan,

TravelMay 28, 2024

'The Player' hopes to continue tvN's success streak

"The Player 2: Master of Swindlers" will be larger in scale than its first season, is set to hit screens with the goal of continuing tvN's successful track record. The cable channel appears to be on a winning streak with hit series such as "Queen of Tears" and "Marry My Husband" capturing audiences worldwide. "The Player" series, which aired in 2018 on cable movie channel OCN, is making its comeback on tvN. Actors Song Seung-heon, Lee Si-eon and Tae W

TelevisionMay 28, 2024

G-Dragon to deliver speech at 2024 Innovate Korea forum

K-pop singer G-Dragon of Big Bang will give a speech at the 2024 Innovate Korea forum, a science and technology festival jointly hosted by Herald Corporation, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the National Research Council of Science and Technology, at KAIST’s campus in Daejeon, June 3. G-Dragon will share his ideas and thoughts on the combination of K-pop and artificial intelligence during the panel discussion with KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung and Galaxy Co

CultureMay 28, 2024

Government adopts new strategy to boost national image

The South Korean government is adopting a new four-year plan aimed at enhancing Korea's perception abroad. The comprehensive plan considers the rapid advances in digital technology as well as the country's world standing, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday. The ministry will implement three major strategies with 11 key initiatives from 2024 to 2027. Central to these strategies is the integration of messages directed overseas, making Korea-related informatio

CultureMay 28, 2024

Korean shows most-viewed of Netflix's non-English titles: report

Among non-English content streamed on Netflix during the second half of 2023, Korean shows were watched the most, according to a Netflix report. "What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report" released Friday, showed that non-English content accounted for some 30 percent of all viewing on Netflix. Titles in Korean (9 percent), Spanish (7 percent) and Japanese (5 percent) captured the largest shares of viewership outside of English, respectively. Among Korean series, JTBC's romance

TelevisionMay 28, 2024

Massimodecarlo's new Seoul Studio kicks off second presentation

Italian gallery Massimodecarlo started showing the work of two European artists in the presentation, “Carsten Holler, Peter Schuyff” at the newly opened Massimodecarlo Seoul Studio in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul last week. It marks the second presentation since the space opened in late March. Among the works at the showcase is German artist Holler’s “Giant Triple Mushroom,” a sculpture consisting of one half of a fly agaric mushroom, with the remaining two quarters r

Arts & DesignMay 27, 2024

Westlife to return to Korea after 13 years

The Irish pop band Westlife will perform in South Korea for the first time in 13 years. According to Mohegan Inspire Resort on Monday, Westlife will hold "Westlife: The Hits Tour" at Incheon Inspire Arena on July 6-7. Mohegan Inspire Resort’s Inspire Arena located in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, is the first multipurpose arena in South Korea. Westlife will be the second overseas artist to perform in the venue following Maroon 5. Westlife, known for their emotional melodies and rich harm

PerformanceMay 27, 2024

National music groups to bring Korean opera 'Tcheo Yong' to Europe in June

The Korea National Opera, together with the Korean National Symphony Orchestra and the National Chorus of Korea, will embark on their first joint international tour to showcase the Korean opera “Tcheo Yong.” The three national music organizations will bring the opera to Paris, Germany and Austria in June in the form of a concert opera, featuring selected major scenes such as "A Warning : The Song of Lamentation for the Kingdom" from Act 1 and "The Song of the Buddhis

CultureMay 27, 2024

Korea, Austria hold first joint art jewelry exhibition

A joint exhibition of 675 contemporary jewelry pieces, also known as art jewelry, by Korean and Austrian artists will run from Tuesday to July 28 at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art. “Beyond Adornment,” the first contemporary jewelry exhibition the two countries have held together from planning to hosting since 1892 when diplomatic ties were established, explores works of adornment by 54 Korean artists and 57 Austrian artists. Art jewelry gained recognition in the mid-20th century as an

Arts & DesignMay 27, 2024

'Handsome Guys' to depict Hollywood occult vibe

South Korean comedy occult flick "Handsome Guys," starring veteran actors Lee Hee-jun and Lee Sung-min, will set itself apart from recent occult box office hit "Exhuma" by incorporating a Hollywood occult vibe, alongside a narrative rife with comedic scenes, said the director, Monday. "Handsome Guys" tells the story of Jae-pil (played by Lee Sung-min) and Sang-gu (played by Lee Hee-jun), two friends who decide to move to a new house in a rural area. In there, they d

FilmMay 27, 2024

Saudi contemporary art biennale showcases changes afoot in the country

DIRIYAH, Saudi Arabia - New history is being made in the historic site of Diriyah, home to the first Saudi Kingdom established in 1446, as the city on the northwestern outskirts of the Saudi capital Riyadh turns into a vibrant nexus of contemporary art every two years. Launched in 2021, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale is a sprouting of Vision 2030, a comprehensive plan to prepare Saudi Arabia for the challenges of the post-fossil fuel age. While the bold plan, announced in April 2016, is mos

Arts & DesignMay 27, 2024

Free Pansori workshop seeks foreign participants

A free pansori workshop invites foreign residents in Seoul to immerse themselves in the traditional Korean art of the narrative singing art. Titled the 2024 Ojakgyo Bridge Project: Today’s Small Pansori Class, it is part of Seoul Municipal City’s initiative to support the discovery and succession of traditional culture and organized by the World Pansori Association. In addition to providing educational value, the project aims to foster cultural exchange and deeper understanding of Ko

CultureMay 27, 2024

[Music in drama] Delve into destined love story with touching melodies

Romance with a divine being is always intriguing, yet never simple or safe -- at least in Korean dramas. "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," aired through tvN from December 2016 to January 2017, is a series that reinterprets beings from Korean folklore into a modern, touching love story. The male protagonist, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), an immortal being that can be roughly translated as a goblin, is a general wrongfully killed a thousand years ago, who now longs for rest. He meets Ji Eun-t

TelevisionMay 27, 2024

HiKR Ground to turn into Faker Temple

HiKR Ground, a promotional hall for Korean tourism located in Jung-gu, central Seoul, is to turn into a shrine to the living esports legend Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok from May 29 to June 16. Faker was crowned the first ever inductee to the Hall of Legends with his mastery of League of Legends, numerous contributions to the sport and by inspiring millions of esports fans across the globe. Hall of Legends is the League of Legends hall of fame that was introduced by Riot Games, the company

TravelMay 27, 2024

[Herald Review] ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ expands gripping universe of ‘Mad Max’ franchise

The hit action blockbuster "Mad Max" franchise has returned after nine years. This time, instead of releasing a sequel to 2015's “Mad Max: Fury Road,” director George Miller decided to create a prequel to that film with a young Furiosa (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) narrating her 18-year-long vengeful journey back home to find warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) in “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” What’s unique about this grand-scale movie is the universe desig

FilmMay 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'The 8 Show' questions capitalism's class system

The director and one of the actors of Netflix's original series, "The 8 Show," sought to criticize capitalism today while asking how far creators should go in the pursuit of entertainment. Based on popular webtoons "Money Game" and "Pie Game," "The 8 Show" follows the stories of eight contestants in dire financial straits as they strive to earn money in a mysterious reality variety show. The participants are trapped on separate floors in an eight-st

TelevisionMay 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] ‘Imagination’ key to acting, says Gang Dong-won

In his 21-year acting career, actor Gang Dong-won has played many different types of characters, hardly any of them overlapping. While his previous roles have been somewhat witty, easygoing characters with boyish charm, “The Plot,” his latest film, portrays the actor at his coldest. With no smile on his face, Gang plays Yeong-il, the mastermind of contract killings that appear to be accidents. Many of his scenes involve tight shots showing his dry and sharp eyes. He also has few line

FilmMay 27, 2024

[Africa Forum] Traditional Korean, African dances celebrate ties

Traditional Korean and African dances by both the Little Angels and TAGG marked the Africa Day 2024 Korea Business Forum on Thursday, with a side event introducing African food and craft. Twenty-three members of the Little Angles opened the celebrations with “buchaechum,” or fan dance, followed by the singing of “A Beautiful Country,” a Korean song, at the forum cohosted by Herald Media Group and the African Group of Ambassadors at the Swiss Grand Hotel Convention Center

PerformanceMay 26, 2024

[Drama Tour] Bucheon Lake Botanic Park, perfect weekend getaway for families

BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province -- Star director Yeon Sang-ho is cementing his legacy as the country’s leading genre content creator with a string of hits such as the zombie films “Train to Busan” (2016), “Peninsula” (2020) and the fantasy horror series “Hellbound” (2021). As the director heavily focuses on presenting monsters causing havoc in our world, many of the filming locations in Yeon’s projects have a gloomy atmosphere, traces of destruction and

TravelMay 25, 2024