Humble sundae gets haute makeover at Lee Buk Bang

Sundae, a steamed Korean blood sausage stuffed with meat, rice and vegetables, is one of the most popular street foods in Korea. But, this humble dish is elevated to haute cuisine at a sundae omakase restaurant in Mapo-gu, Seoul. At the hands of chef Choi Ji-hyung, the owner of a fine dining restaurant Lee Buk Bang, renamed to what is now in 2021, different kinds of sundae are served over a seven- to nine-course meal. As the name suggests, Lee Buk Bang offers food from "leebuk," North

FoodMay 25, 2024

[What to see] Photo exhibitions of note

For photography enthusiasts, it is time to go gallery hopping around Seoul and view works by internationally renowned photographers Richard Misrach and Candida Hofer on exhibition. An exhibition of Korean photographer Joon Choi's works featuring the Pensive Bodhisattva statue (Bangasayusang) is worth a visit for those seeking peace within themselves. Richard Misrach’s play on colors, light at Pace Gallery American photographer Richard Misrach is one of the most influential photograp

Arts & DesignMay 25, 2024

French designer Pierre Paulin's first show in Seoul collaborates with actor Lee Jung-jae

The late designer Pierre Paulin’s first solo exhibition in Seoul “Starring-Pierre Paulin” takes a cinematic theme, showing how his innovative furniture designs -- characterized by curved and sleek aesthetics -- were featured on the silver screen. The exhibition, which kicked off on May 9 at Artist Company in southern Seoul, is the result of a collaboration with Korean actor Lee Jung-jae, who was involved in curating the exhibition by selecting Paulin’s design pieces. Ar

Arts & DesignMay 24, 2024

SBS' thriller series 'Connection' deals with society's rising pain: drugs

SBS's new thriller drama series "Connection" will aim to raise awareness about drug use in Korean society by dealing with destructive effects of drugs -- a sensitive subject for terrestrial television. "Connection" is a 16-part series that narrates the story of Jang Jae-kyung (played by Ji Sung), a detective specialized in catching drug criminals, who becomes forcibly addicted to drugs by an unidentified person. The series' director, Kim Mun-kyo, said he aimed to sh

TelevisionMay 24, 2024

‘Escape’ featuring Lee Je-hoon, Koo Kyo-hwan to open in July

The action thriller “Escape” featuring Lee Je-hoon and Koo Kyo-hwan confirmed its local theatrical release for July 3. The movie will hit theaters in North America on July 5. The movie, helmed by Lee Jong-pil behind “Samjin Company” (2020), “The Man from Nowhere” (2010) and “Hindsight” (2011), revolves around two North Korean soldiers – Gyu-nam (played by Lee) who wants to defect for a better future and Hyun-sang (played by Koo) who chases af

FilmMay 24, 2024

Samulnori Ttamtti celebrates 20 year musical journey with concert

Samulnori Ttamtti, a Korean traditional music quartet composed of four individuals with disabilities, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a concert titled "Ttamtti's 20-Year Journey to Fly High." The group was formed in 2003 as part of a music therapy program for disabled individuals, bringing together Ko Tae-woog, who has a developmental disorder; Park Jun-ho, who has autism; Lee Seok-hyun, who has a brain disorder; and Cho Hyeong-gon, who has Down syndrome. All four members

PerformanceMay 24, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

The Plaza celebrates ‘Family Month’ with kids program Hanwha Resorts' The Plaza, located in Jung-gu, central Seoul, will offer a new program for children, “Happy Kid’s Moment,” through June 9. The upcoming promotion includes a one-night stay in either a deluxe room or premier suite, a coloring book and colored pencil set, paper toys and desserts from Boulangerie, the hotel's bakery and cafe. Priced from 360,000 won, the package can be reserved until June 7

CultureMay 24, 2024

[Well-curated] Explore aquatic life, Nordic art, world food

Explore Play Aquarium Bucheon Feast your eyes on colorful fish and remarkable marine life at Play Aquarium Bucheon in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Though Play Aquarium Bucheon is not as big as the country’s better-known aquariums -- Lotte Aquarium and Coex Aquarium -- it still has everything there is to satisfy young visitors by showing them exciting sea creatures up close. The aquarium greets its visitors with a wide range of fish tanks that house various fish species from around the world

CultureMay 24, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Jeju Folk Village A glimpse of what it was like living on Jeju Island in the 19th century is available at Jeju Folk Village. Visitors can check out an exhibition of “suseok,” or rocks of artistic value that are often collected, and spaces dedicated to wood and ceramic craftworks alongside paintings. Interactive experiences are available. Visitors can participate in activities like grinding grains with a millstone and play traditional games such as the board game “yutnori,&r

TravelMay 24, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Following” (South Korea) Opened May 15 Mystery Thriller Directed by Kim Se-hwi Real estate agent Gu Jeong-tae (Byun Yo-han) has a strange, if not perverse, habit of peeping into other people’s lives. Whether it is a neighbor or a client at his office, he thinks nothing is wrong with his secretive life as a voyeur. “IF” (US) Opened May 15 Family/Comedy Directed by John Krasinski A girl discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends. With her new sup

FilmMay 24, 2024

Culture Ministry unveils streamlined policies to support Hallyu

South Korea boasts talented content creators, but despite the increasing demand for Korean cultural products, policy measures have proven ineffective. This was the assessment made by the Culture Ministry, which established the International Cultural Affairs and Public Relations Office in February to enhance Korea's cultural presence and influence on the global stage, ensuring that the country's cultural policies and initiatives are on par with its growing global cultural footprint. On

CultureMay 23, 2024

[Off the Pages] SF novel 'A Thousand Blues' comes alive on stage with language of theater

In April and May, the heartwarming story "A Thousand Blues," the bestselling SF novel by Cheon Seon-ran, found new life through different adaptations by two performing arts troupes -- the National Theater Company of Korea and the Seoul Performing Arts Company. First published in 2020, the story envisions a Korea of 2035, where humanoid robots are commercialized. The plot weaves two storylines. One follows Collie, a humanoid jockey, and his partner horse, Today. A researcher's mist

BooksMay 23, 2024

Lee Moon-sae to return as radio DJ after 13 yrs

Singer and legendary radio DJ Lee Moon-sae is returning to radio. MBC announced on Wednesday that Lee Moon-sae will take on the role of DJ for the new MBC FM4U radio show "Hello, This is Lee Moon-sae," marking his return to radio hosting after 13 years. "Hello, This is Lee Moon-sae" will air daily at 11 a.m. on MBC FM4U, with the first broadcast scheduled for June 3. Lee teased the upcoming radio show on his personal Instagram account with a short post saying, "Hello, th

PeopleMay 23, 2024

‘Monk DJ’ takes global stage, with caveat

A South Korean DJ-comedian in a Buddhist monk’s robe is riding growing popularity to step onto the global stage, but he is increasingly forced to deal with resurfacing complaints questioning his way of spreading the religion. Youn Sung-ho -- the comedian known as NewJeansNim, “snim” meaning monk in Korean -- stepped into the global spotlight in late April during his first overseas tour in Taiwan, where he delivered his electronic dance music performance of echoing Buddhist vers

PerformanceMay 23, 2024

‘Hijacking’ depicts in-flight emergency based on 1971 incident

Helmed by director Kim Sung-han, crime action film “Hijacking” centers on a real-life airplane hijacking incident from 1971, when two South Korean pilots were forced to redirect their plane carrying 51 passengers toward North Korea. A star-studded cast including Ha Jung-woo (“Saint Narcotics"), Yeo Jin-goo (“The Crowned Clown”), Sung Dong-il (“Reply” series) and Chae Soo-bin (“Sweet and Sour”) depicts the in-flight emergency in the movie

FilmMay 22, 2024

[Herald Interview] Universal Ballet's 'The Ballerina' peeks behind curtain

The Universal Ballet is set to present its original production, 'The Ballerina," a work that offers a glimpse into the daily lives of ballet dancers striving for a shining moment on stage. The performances will take place at the Seoul Arts Center's CJ Towol Theater from May 31 to June 1. This is the first time the production will be performed in Seoul, following its premiere in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, and subsequent regional tours in 2022 and 2023. Choreographed by artistic dire

PerformanceMay 22, 2024

Ballet Festival Korea brings diverse lineup to Seoul Arts Center

The 14th Korea Ballet Festival is set to kick off next week at the Seoul Arts Center, boasting a lineup of 12 works, including one special production, three invited pieces and eight selected through open submissions. A diverse array of ballet performances ranges from classics like "Don Quixote" and "The Barber of Seville" to reimagined literary works such as "Scent of Chrysanthemums" and "The Desolate House," alongside contemporary productions forecasting

PerformanceMay 22, 2024

Hwang Sok-yong's 'Mater 2-10' misses out on International Booker Prize

South Korean literary giant Hwang Sok-yong's missed out on the 2024 Booker International Prize after making the shortlist with "Mater 2-10." The prestigious literary award ceremony took place at the Tate Modern in London on Tuesday, where the jury announced German author Jenny Erpenbeck's "Kairos," translated by Michael Hofmann, as this year's winner. Erpenbeck's winning title tells the story of a tangled love affair during the final years of East Germany.

BooksMay 22, 2024

Cheyul CEO ties modernizing heritage to Korean luxury

The CEO of a Korean luxury handcraft brand, Cheyul, believes that modernizing traditions while keeping the spirit behind them alive is key to delivering true “Korean luxury.” “We have shipped our armchair set adorned with mother-of-pearl as far away as Africa,” CEO Lee Jeong-eun told a gallery of foreign envoys during a tour of Cheyul’s flagship in Seoul’s Sinsa-dong on Tuesday. That armchair set is one example of how the company has put mother-of-pearl to mod

Arts & DesignMay 22, 2024

NewJeans headlines Korea On Stage festival, no mention of ongoing feud

The popular K-pop girl band NewJeans of Ador, a sublabel under Hybe, kept their silence on the ongoing dispute between their CEO Min Hee-jin and the parent company, at the 2024 Visit Korea Heritage Campaign & Korea On Stage in Seoul on Tuesday. It was the group’s first appearance on the public stage since the feud erupted last month. Group member Danielle, who hosted the event, also did not mention anything about the controversy throughout the 90-minute event. The youngest member, Hy

CultureMay 22, 2024