[Eye Interview] Seon meditation empowers you: Buddhist leader

Finding an emotional outlet in a country like South Korea, an ultra-competitive society that teaches little about coping with emotions, is tough. Left unaddressed, stress without a proper release could be feeding collective trauma, as evidenced by recent violent crimes that have alarmed the country, according to the Ven. Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Responsible for running Korea’s largest Buddhist sect with the Supreme Patriarch as the spiritual leader, Jinwoo s

CultureMay 9, 2024

Korea News Editors' Association appoints new secretary-general

Korea News Editors' Association on Thursday named Yang Ji-woon as its secretary-general. The KNEA appointed Yang to his new post at its board of directors' meeting, held at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, central Seoul. Yang joined the KNEA in 2009 and was formerly the association's strategy planning and business director. Launched in 1957, the KNEA is currently headed by Choo Seung-ho of Yonhap News TV.

PeopleMay 9, 2024

Universal Ballet marks 40th anniversary with 'Romeo and Juliet'

Universal Ballet is set to perform choreographer Kenneth MacMillan's Royal Ballet production "Romeo and Juliet" this weekend, marking the South Korean ballet company's 40th anniversary. Among many adaptations, MacMillan's rendition with Sergei S. Prokofiev’s music stands out for its faithful portrayal of Shakespeare's original tragedy. Since its Korean premiere in 1983 by the Royal Ballet, Universal Ballet has secured performance rights, staging the production

PerformanceMay 9, 2024

CJ ENM aims to maintain success by maximizing synergy between tvN, streaming platforms

CJ ENM aims to uphold its top position in prime-time viewership ratings by maximizing synergy between streaming platforms and its cable channel tvN, amid the declining use of linear TVs, the company said Wednesday. Announcing the outcomes of tvN content's performance in 2024 During a media event held at the headquarters of CJ ENM located in Sangam-dong, Seoul, on Wednesday, the company said tvN is currently taking the lead in nationwide viewership ratings logged during prime time. TvN is

TelevisionMay 9, 2024

Hilary Hahn replaces ill Son Yeol-eum in SPO Concerts

American violinist Hilary Hahn is replacing pianist Son Yeol-eum in the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra concerts scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The last-minute change was made less than 16 hours after the SPO announced Wednesday afternoon that Son's performance was canceled due to a high fever and sore throat. Hahn is in South Korea at the moment as she is preparing for a recital with pianist Andreas Haefliger, an all-Brahms program taking place at Seoul Arts Center on Saturday. With the S

CultureMay 9, 2024

Expert in archival, book pathology endorses 'hanji' UNESCO heritage listing

“As someone who has dedicated a lifetime to studying various types of paper for preservation and restoration, I definitely see the value in registering 'hanji' with UNESCO's heritage list, and I believe this is very important,” said Maria Letizia Sebastiani, an authoritative figure in the field of archival and book pathology. The former director of Italy’s National Institute of Historic Heritage Preservation and Restoration, known as ICPAL, conveyed this to a g

CultureMay 8, 2024

Disney+'s 'Uncle Samsik' explores how S. Korea was shaped: producer

Led by veteran actor Song Kang-ho, who has starred in numerous hit flicks, such as "Parasite" (2019) and "Cobweb" (2023), Disney+ original "Uncle Samsik" will aim to explore how Korea came to be what it is by exploring the fictional stories of those that lived through the 1950s and 1960s. Set in 1960s South Korea, the 16-part period drama series narrates the story of Kim San, (played by Byun Yo-han) a young government official with ambitions to put his self-devised

TelevisionMay 8, 2024

Korail unveils Buddhist temple-themed train trips

Korail Tourism Development, a subsidiary of the Korea Railroad Corp., is offering day trips to explore South Korea’s Buddhist temples on June 8. Collaborating with the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, Korail Tourism Development has prepared a total of eight train trip courses to different regions around the country and their well-known temples. Three trains will head to Banyasa and Yeongguksa in Yeongdong as well as Yonghwasa in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. While the Banyasa and

TravelMay 8, 2024

Pianist Son Yeol-eum named grand prize winner of Daewon Music Awards

The Daewon Cultural Foundation, which marks the 20th anniversary of its establishment on Wednesday, announced the winners of its 13th music prize -- pianist Son Yeol-eom, violinist Kim Bomsori and pianist Lim Yunchan. Returning after four years of a pandemic-induced hiatus, the foundation selected Son as the grand prize winner, while violinist Kim Bomsori was selected for the Daewon Music Award for performance. In February 2021, Kim, the winner of many international competitions including the

CultureMay 8, 2024

Namkoong Sun’s 'Time to Be Strong' nabs 3 prizes at Jeonju film fest

Director Ingrid Porkropek’s “The Major Tones,” director Namkoong Sun’s “Time to Be Strong” and director Gong Seon-jeong’s “Farewell” are the winners of the top prizes in the international film, Korean film and Korean short film categories, respectively, at this year's Jeonju International Film Festival. A total of 15 best films in the international competition section, the Korean competition and the Korean short film competition section

FilmMay 8, 2024

‘Moving,’ ‘12.12: The Day’ win top prizes at 60th Baeksang Arts Awards

“12.12: The Day,” also known as “Seoul’s Spring” in Korean, and Disney+ sci-fi fantasy series “Moving” won the top honors at the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards on Tuesday. Prolific actor Hwang Jung-min, who played the head of the Defense Security Command Chun Doo-gwang in “12.12: The Day,” also snatched the best actor award in the film category. He had been likened to the “Leonardo DiCaprio of Baeksang” for a long streak of missing out

FilmMay 7, 2024

Local filmmakers criticize ‘The Roundup: Punishment’ monopoly of screens

While ticket sales of the latest crime action franchise “The Roundup: Punishment” continue to climb toward the 10 million mark, filmmakers criticized the film’s monopoly of screens, occupying over 80 percent of all screens in Korea. The film is the fourth installment about hot-blooded detective Ma Seok-do (Ma Dong-seok), who this time is on a mission to nab the head of an illegal casino cartel. With no clear rivals in cinemas following its April 24 opening, the movie quickly ga

FilmMay 7, 2024

Norman Foster's largest exhibition in Asia highlights sustainability in architecture

Pritzker Prize-winning English architect Norman Foster is one of the leading figures in architecture of the past few decades. Those who are familiar with modern architectural landmarks such as the HSBC Building in Hong Kong would also be familiar with his practice's work innovating architecture with technology. The largest exhibition of Foster's works in Asia currently being held in Seoul is focused on his team’s commitment to sustainability, a goal that has been at the heart of

Arts & DesignMay 7, 2024

'Super Rich in Korea' will leave viewers appreciating Korea more: producers

Netflix's original series "Super Rich in Korea" will allow viewers to appreciate South Korea more by showcasing the lifestyles of ultra-wealthy individuals who chose to relocate to Korea out of their love for the country, the show's producers said Tuesday. "Super Rich in Korea" is a six-part reality show that explores the extravagant lives of super-rich foreign nationals living in Korea. The show stars five cast members -- Kim Anna, a member of the Pakistani nobil

TelevisionMay 7, 2024

Korean American author wins 2024 Pulitzer Prize for biography

A nonfiction book by a renowned Korean American author won this year's Pulitzer Prize in the biography category Monday, according to Columbia University, which administers the prestigious annual award. "Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom" by Ilyon Woo was announced as the winner of the prize. The book is based on the story of a young enslaved couple that made their escape together from Georgia to the free states of the North in 1848. Woo holds a BA

BooksMay 7, 2024

'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart

South Korean hit romance drama series "Queen of Tears," riding high on the strong reception from its international fanbase, is continuing its strong streaming performance, according to entertainment giant CJ ENM on Thursday. "Queen of Tears" claimed the second spot in Netflix's non-English-language TV list during the last week of April, rising one position from the previous week. The rankings are calculated by dividing the total hours viewed by the total runtime. It wa

TelevisionMay 6, 2024

S.Korea and Italy to dedicate 2024 and 2025 to enhancing cultural exchanges

ROME, Italy -- South Korea and Italy will commemorate the 140th anniversary of their diplomatic relations by enhancing cultural exchanges throughout 2024 and 2025. The year of cultural exchange was first announced in November during Italian President Sergio Mattarella's state visit to South Korea. The initiative officially began Saturday with a performance of Korean traditional dance in Rome. The National Gugak Center’s Dance Theater and Folk Music Group presented a specially prepared

CultureMay 6, 2024

Korail Tourism Development recommends springtime rail bike trips

Korail Tourism Development, a subsidiary of the Korea Railroad Corp., has unveiled four iconic rail bike spots for domestic travelers. With green leaves dancing to the rhythm of the gentle breeze and spring now in full swing, hopping on a rail bike is one of the most popular ways to immerse yourself in the country’s beautiful nature and spring vibes. The highland county of Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, welcomes visitors with a splendid mountain range that can easily be spotted from practica

TravelMay 6, 2024

Special footage of 'The Acolyte' featuring Lee Jung-jae unveiled ahead of series' release in June

Special footage mainly starring actor Lee Jung-jae from the new "Star Wars" series "The Acolyte" was unveiled in celebration of Star Wars Day, which takes place every May 4 as a play on the famous phrase "May the Force be with you." In the special footage released on YouTube, Lee -- dressed in traditional Jedi Master apparel with a hairstyle reminiscent of the venerable Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn -- delivers a thrilling action performance and discusses behind-the-sc

TelevisionMay 6, 2024

Doggy patrol team on the move to protect their cities

Hodu, a three-year-old female Pomeranian, was the talk of the town last week in the nation’s capital as Seoul citizens expressed their affection for a member of the Dog Patrol Program that provides civilian patrol activities across the city. "I'm not so cold-hearted as to enjoy such a sight by myself," wrote Seongdong-gu chief Chung Won-oh on his X account, as he shared the photos and videos of Hodu. The dog and her owner recently joined Seoul's patrol program that of

CultureMay 5, 2024