Ensemble Ditto to play for last time

Ensemble Ditto will perform its last season in June after a 12-year run, with its members scheduled to part ways after a final festival titled “Magic of Ditto.”　The all-male chamber ensemble was founded in 2007 in an effort to introduce classical music to a wider, younger public. Star violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill teamed up with a number of other young artists, presenting audience-friendly and innovative programs in South Korea and elsewhere in Asia.  Violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill (Credia) P

PerformanceMarch 25, 2019

Sales of K-dramas up 15% on-year at Hong Kong fair

Sales of Korean dramas and films rose around 15 percent at a major international content fair in Hong Kong last week compared with a year earlier, a South Korean government agency said Monday. A total of 25 Korean content sellers recorded a total of $16.6 million in sales during the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market held from March 18-21 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency. It was around a 15 percent increase from the $14.5

TelevisionMarch 25, 2019

BLACKPINK to drop new album, "Kill This Love," next month

K-pop girl band BLACKPINK will put out a new album, "Kill This Love," next month, its management agency said Monday. YG Entertainment released a teaser image on its official website for the upcoming EP, announcing its release set for April 5.The image shows the band's Thai member, Lisa, against a red backdrop imprinted with the album title and the release date in black text. (Yonhap)YG said the title of the album's lead track is also "Kill This Love," "a very intense song that surpasses 'Ddu-du

PerformanceMarch 25, 2019

New fall-winter looks hit Seoul runway

Seoul Fashion Week came to an end Sunday, wrapping up its official six-day run at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul.Though not one of the “big four” global fashion capitals, Seoul too sees fast-changing fashion trends. The biannual fashion festival invites international buyers, media and spectators to Seoul. Models present creations from brand Beyond Closet during the 2019 F/W Seoul Fashion Week held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul on Saturday. (Seoul Design Foundation)This ti

Arts & DesignMarch 24, 2019

Seoul hosts tours at royal palaces

Royal palaces of the Joseon era (1392-1910) will hold limited tours, with Deoksugung inviting guests to see inside its buildings and Changdeokgung holding its annual nighttime tour.From Wednesday to Sunday, and on April 2, tours of Deoksugung’s five main buildings will be held twice a day from 10 a.m. to 11:20 a.m., and 4 p.m. to 5:20 p.m., according to the Cultural Heritage Administration.Deoksugung was originally built as a home for the royal family, but became a palace after a Japanese invasi

TravelMarch 24, 2019

BLACKPINK surpasses 20 mln YouTube subscribers

South Korean girl group BLACKPINK has topped 20 million in the number of subscribers to its official YouTube channel, the first for a K-pop act. The group hit the milestone Thursday (US time) to become the first K-pop act to do so, US Billboard magazine said. The number was 20,307,402 as of Sunday morning."This week, YouTube announced that the girl group is the first K-pop act to hit 20 million subscribers on their official channel," the magazine reported. "The recent Billboard cover stars are j

PerformanceMarch 24, 2019

[Herald Interview] Meet mastermind behind the original ‘Masked Singer’

Before Fox launched “The Masked Singer” in the US this year, many South Korean viewers enjoyed watching “King of Mask Singer,” a singing competition show where masked celebrities belted out songs in front of a judge panel until their identity was discovered.The show, which first aired here in 2015, went on to become one of the biggest exports from South Korean TV, spawning shows with similar formats in many countries, including the US where the show has already been renewed for a second season.D

TelevisionMarch 22, 2019

[Weekender] Inside South Korea’s boom in preschool English books

In a country where 4 in 10 adults read less than one book written in their native language per year, an unlikely segment of the book market is thriving: English books for children. Lee Seung-a, an 8-year-old elementary student, is one contributor to this boom. A child reads an English picture book inside Mapo English Literacy Center, a public library of English books for children in central Seoul. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)Currently on a challenge to read 1,000 English books, she tries to

CultureMarch 22, 2019

[Weekender] Snapshot of English book scene in Korea

When it comes to English books, there are three types of readers in South Korea: expats, Korean elites and language learners. For retailers and distributors, the first is the most difficult consumer group to target as their tastes in books are just as diverse as their backgrounds. The most lucrative and competitive market, on the other hand, is that for young English learners, as Korean moms -- always willing to reach into their pocketbooks for their children’s education -- wake up to the power

CultureMarch 22, 2019

Exhibition shows how artists work with lies

Along the wall are framed drawings of artist Ahn Kyu-chul. The drawing series by Ahn, titled “Man Who Disappeared Into the Box,” comes with text describing how a person can disappear by using the bags presented in the drawings. Installed in a corner are suitcases made of wood -- identical to the ones shown in Ahn’s drawings. The bags from the drawings have come alive before exhibitgoers. The installation of suitcases are Ahn’s objects used to prove his fiction. Created by Ahn’s works is confusio

Arts & DesignMarch 21, 2019

2019 F/W Seoul Fashion Week: International buyers discuss e-commerce

As a part of the 2019 F/W Seoul Fashion Week, the Seoul Design Foundation arranged a mentoring session Thursday, allowing international buyers to discuss the future of e-commerce. Five buyers who visited the fashion event -- Danny Stienen, a buyer from Antonioli (online concept store based in Milan), Constanza Lombardi and Thibaud Etcheberry from Browns (boutique concept store based in London), Nichole Spellman and Michal Kurtis, buyers from Barney’s New York (American department store chain) --

Arts & DesignMarch 21, 2019

[Eye Plus] The history beneath our feet

History is closer to people’s lives than in the musty pages of old books. In the ultra-modern metropolis of Seoul, there is a place where a step into the lower ground of a high-rise office building can pull one into the city’s past, dating back to the 16th century. It is Gongpyeong Historic Site Museum, a 3,817-square-meter space in the underground floor of Centropolis office building in Gongpyeong-dong, central Seoul -- the biggest historic site unearthed in Seoul to date.  (Park Hyun-koo/The K

CultureMarch 21, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Captain Marvel (US)Opened March 6Action, Adventure, Sci-fiDirected by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck Vers (Bree Larson), a warrior from a powerful alien race called the Kree, struggles to control her emotions and powers, trained by her commander Yon-Rogg (Jude Law). A botched rescue mission lands her on Earth, and after a narrow escape from the hostile Skrull, with which her race is at war, she embarks on a journey to find the life she’s missed on Earth, along with her true identity as Carol Danvers.

FilmMarch 21, 2019

A family getaway at Haeundae, Busan

Although not a traditional resort town, Busan has the ABCs of a quick weekend getaway: the accommodations, the beach, and celebrated tourist attractions that are accessible by public transportation.The great thing about Busan is that it is big enough to have something for everyone -- from 24-hour bars and super clubs to scenic walking trails. One major attraction is the beach at Haeundae, one of the most popular sites in the city of 4 million. Located in the southeast part of the city, it has on

TravelMarch 21, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Everland Tulip Festival Everland hosts its Tulip Festival to mark the onset of spring, running until April 28.The themed garden features sculptures and paths adorned with beautiful spring flowers, with one of the photo zones featuring the 26-meter-tall Flower Magic Tower. As night falls, the unique LED Musical Rose Garden can be enjoyed, where LED roses are lit in various colors, accompanied with dynamic background music.Refer to the official website -- www.everland.com -- for more information i

TravelMarch 21, 2019

Fire-fueled eats at Soot

Fire fuels the food at Soot -- a newly minted fine casual gastropub near Seoul’s Garosugil that had its soft opening earlier this month. Owner and chef Choi Hyo-ui and creative director Lee Jae-hoon teamed up to open a casual hangout specializing in grilled and roasted fare with a gourmet attitude. Choi, 28, who studied at Le Cordon Bleu Sydney and racked up experience at restaurants while there, relies on both a grill and an oven to create flavorful dishes like their crackly crisp pork belly an

FoodMarch 21, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Packages and promotions

‘Under the Sea’ dining at JW Marriott DongdaemunJW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul’s all-day dining restaurant Tavolo 24 presents the Seafood Market promotion. For the promotion, the buffet station will introduce various seafood dishes, including chili crab, butter-fried shrimp and sashimi of fresh abalone, sea squirt, sea pineapple, octopus and shellfish.The promotion will start Saturday and continue until April 30. The buffet is priced at 98,000 won per person for weekend brunch and dinner. F

FoodMarch 21, 2019

Exhibition ‘DMZ’ brings border closer, allows for reflection

The exhibition “DMZ,” dedicated to introducing works of art and projects looking into the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas, will be held at Culture Station Seoul 284, starting Thursday.“It is meaningful to hold such an exhibition here in this train station-turned exhibition space, which originally was the railway station of Gyeongui Line that used to stretch between here and (the North Korean city of) Sinuiju,” officials from Culture Station Seoul 284 said at a press conference held Wed

Arts & DesignMarch 20, 2019

France shares ‘Provencal cuisine,’ promotes sustainable dining

The French Embassy in Korea will look to promote French gastronomy through the works of two chefs from its Provencal region, to be demonstrated at the annual Gout de France/Good France celebration Thursday.Since 2014, French Embassies across the globe have been organizing the event in their respective residing nations under the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.  From left: French Ambassador to Korea Fabien Penone and chefs Fanny Rey and Guillaume Sourrieu speak at

PeopleMarch 20, 2019

Zachary Levi ‘grateful’ to be off MCU and onto ‘Shazam!’

Having your character killed off without uttering a single line may be an actor’s worst nightmare, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Zachari Levi, the lead man for the upcoming superhero film “Shazam!” “We didn’t really have that much to do (in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’) I felt like the warriors three in that franchise weren’t exactly used to the fullest of their capabilities,” Levi said in a press conference held in Seoul on Tuesday, about playing the role of Fandral in Marvel Cinematic

FilmMarch 20, 2019