[Herald Interview] 'Age is not a limit,' says young cast of changgeuk 'Lear'

Among Shakespeare's tragedies, "King Lear" stands out for its portrayal of one of the oldest protagonists. Betrayed by his daughters, losing his kingdom, his sanity, and ultimately his life, the stage is filled with the anguished cries of a monarch in his twilight years. In a groundbreaking departure from convention, young "changgeuk" performers took the lead roles in the sold-out production of "Lear" by the National Changgeuk Company, affiliated with the Natio

PerformanceApril 2, 2024

Art Busan to focus on local, global markets

Art Busan 2024, the largest annual art fair in Busan, will return in May, strengthening its exhibition program and locality amid a sluggish art market. The art fair also plans to tap into the global art market to expand its brand overseas. “It is a shame that the art market is assessed on its commercial aspects, although it is understandable. We will continue to do what Art Busan can do with our own programs,” said Jeong Seok-ho, managing director for Art Busan, at a press conference

Arts & DesignApril 2, 2024

Joseon palaces offer something extra

Starting this month, three palaces from the Joseon era in Seoul will add something extra to their tours: a venue to taste “royal desserts” and audio guides. Gyeongbokgung will open up Saenggwabang, the kitchen where desserts and refreshments for the Joseon royal household were prepared. Seven snack options, including “juak” -- fried rice cake -- and therapeutic herbal tea prepared according to a recipe written by the king’s doctors in 1607 will be offered to visitor

CultureApril 2, 2024

Van Zweden's ‘maestro’ Hiddink named SPO ambassador

For conductor Jaap van Zweden, football manager Guus Hiddink is his "maestro," the artistic director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra said during a press conference at Seoul City Hall on Monday. On the same day, Hiddink, the first person ever to be given honorary South Korean citizenship, became the SPO’s first ambassador. In this honorary position, Hiddink will accompany the orchestra on its international tours, promote both the city and the orchestra, and participate in othe

CultureApril 2, 2024

K-content streaming service Kocowa to launch services in Europe, Oceania

Kocowa, a streaming platform operated by Wavve Americas, which distributes Korean content to overseas audiences, said it has started offering its services in 39 countries in Europe and Oceania on Monday. Previously, Kocowa was available in some 30 countries in North and South America, including the US, Canada and Brazil. England, Ireland, Spain and Portugal, as well as Australia and New Zealand, are some of the countries where Kocowa became available Monday. In Europe and Oceania, Kocowa is only

FilmApril 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Legoland Korea Resort determined to bring more happiness, spread more joy to families

A smile on their children's faces may be what all parents want most. Lee Soon-kyu, Legoland Korea Resort's divisional director and a father of two boys, wants to bring something more to young visitors at Legoland Korea Resort. “Regardless of their age, race, cultural background or whether they are disabled, all children who come to Legoland Korea Resort deserve to feel happy. This place is designed to be a cozy and comfortable place for everyone,” Lee told The Korea Heral

TravelApril 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Director Ahn Gooc-jin brings his mistrust of the internet to big screen

It took director Ahn Gooc-jin nine years to return to the big screen after his award-winning “Alice In Earnestland.” Just like the previous film, Ahn's latest work, “Troll Factory,” criticizes aspects of modern-day Korea through satire. “Troll Factory,” a film adaptation of the eponymous 2015 novel by Chang Kang-myoung, reorganizes the story into a completely new structure. Unlike in the novel, the movie focuses on the character of Yim Sang-jin (Son Suk-k

FilmApril 1, 2024

KTO marks Visit Korea Year campaign with pop-up event

Marking the Visit Korea Year 2023-24 campaign, the Korea Tourism Organization is hosting a new pop-up event “Korea Express Road” at HiKR Ground tourism center in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, from Tuesday to April 15. The exhibition looks at popular Korean pop culture like K-pop and Korean dramas and also presents a glimpse of traditional Korean culture as well. While the first floor presents 3-D video content on Korean tourism, the second floor of the five-story building features displa

TravelApril 1, 2024

[Latest Read] Park So-young takes readers to ‘Snowglobe’ where privacy is new currency

Set in a dystopian world where fame and popularity have become the most crucial means of survival, the first installment of the gripping young adult duology “Snowglobe” by Park So-young recently hit bookshelves worldwide. The English edition translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort, and published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, made the New York Times Young Adult bestseller list in the third week of March. The novel is slated for release in over 10 la

BooksApril 1, 2024

Application filed to have ‘hanji’ preserved by UNESCO

South Korea has made a bid to add “hanji,” or traditional Korean mulberry paper, to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. “Traditional knowledge and skills associated with the production of hanji and related cultural practices in the Republic of Korea will undergo an evaluation procedure,” the Cultural Heritage Administration said in a statement Monday, referring to the submission the previous day to the UN culture body. The Republic of Korea is the formal nam

CultureApril 1, 2024

Actor Nam Il-woo dies at 86

Actor Nam Il-woo, who starred in the film franchise "Along with the Gods" and the 2005 psychological thriller "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance," died Sunday at the age of 86, a management agency official said. Nam died of natural causes, according to the official from the agency representing his wife and fellow actor Kim Yong-rim. Nam debuted as a voice actor for public broadcaster KBS in 1958 before debuting again as a TV actor for the same broadcaster in 1964. He starred in num

PeopleMarch 31, 2024

Art Basel Hong Kong Director says fair outperformed other years in caliber, diversity, and integration with city

HONG KONG - Angelle Siyang-Le, the Director of Art Basel Hong Kong, marking her second year in the position, witnessed a remarkable return to full-scale operations post-pandemic this year. Art Basel Hong Kong, which ran from Thursday to Saturday, said it welcomed over 75,000 visitors from around the world across its VIP and public days, with participating galleries reaching 242, up from last year's 177. Although this falls short of the 2023 attendance of 86,000, the director of Art Basel Ho

CultureMarch 31, 2024

Two vastly different 'Romeo and Juliet' ballets take to stage in May

In May, Seoul will host two different ballet productions of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, "Romeo and Juliet." Universal Ballet's "Romeo and Juliet" choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan will grace the stage of the Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater from May 10 to May 12. The production, for which Universal Ballet acquired the performance rights in Korea in 2012, will return to the stage after its last performances in 2016 and 2012. On May 10 at 7:30 p.m. an

PerformanceMarch 31, 2024

Herald's new CEO and publisher

The Korea Herald announced Monday the appointment of Choi Jin-young as its publisher, as its parent firm, Herald Corp, undergoes a change of leadership. Choi, who has been serving as CEO of The Korea Herald since 2021, assumed the roles of Herald Corp. CEO and publisher of the 71-year-old media group’s two major publications, The Korea Herald and Herald Business. He succeeded Jeon Chang-hyeop, who served the roles for three years from 2021 and has been named advisor to the company. Choi&

PeopleMarch 31, 2024

This year's Busan film fest to proceed without festival director

Asia’s largest film festival, the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), will proceed with the post of festival director yet to be filled. In a statement released Friday night, the BIFF said that there were “no qualified candidates” despite its continued search for someone to lead the festival. In February, the festival organizers began another search for the post of festival director, accepting applications through March 19. The post has been vacant since May last year. &ld

FilmMarch 31, 2024

Han So-hee, Ryu Joon-yeol part ways 2 weeks after going public with relationship

South Korean actors Han So-hee and Ryu Joon-yeol have decided to “go their own ways” after two tumultuous weeks surrounding the stars’ admissions of dating and accusations of impropriety in Ryu dating Han so soon after his breakup from his longtime partner, singer and actor Hyeri. Ryu and Han’s breakup surfaced Saturday night when Han uploaded a 2001 photo of Nicole Kidman that had been taken by paparazzi as she walked out of the court following her divorce from Tom Cruis

FilmMarch 31, 2024

Tongyeong Int'l Music Festival continues to embody diversity

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- The Tongyeong International Music Festival commenced Friday with its artistic director Chin Unsuk saying she’s hoping to provide a beautiful moment that will remain forever with an underlying theme of diversity. "We always strive to present as many diverse elements as possible to the audience within this short period,” she said. “For the past two years of the festival, I have often thought that this moment, when we share this beaut

CultureMarch 31, 2024

Jongno’s famous rice cakes with modern twist, old tricks

Tteok, glutinous rice cake that is enjoyed as a sweet dessert or filling snack, dates back to even before the Three Kingdoms period, when people made the rice cakes by pounding grain flour. Nowadays, this distinctive rice cake is enjoyed by many people for its chewy texture and the panoply of fillings, from fruit to beans and even butter that blend well with its mild flavor as well as its aesthetics. Thanks to the popularity of tteok among young dessert lovers and foreign travelers, tteok is eve

FoodMarch 30, 2024

Korean-French collaboration brings modern Korean poetry to France

A collection of 100 representative works of modern Korean poetry has been translated and published in France through a collaboration between the Society of Korean Poets and the Society of French Poets (La Societe des Poetes Francais, SPF). Titled "Anthology of Contemporary Korean Poets" ("Anthologie des Poetes Coreens Contemporains" in French) the book includes works by 100 modern Korean poets such as Han Yong-un, Jeong Ji-yong, Baek Seok and Yun Dong-ju with translations by

BooksMarch 30, 2024

[What to see] Galleries in Samcheong-dong in full bloom

Spring has come to Samcheongdong, where the cherry blossoms are just about to bloom. This is a perfect time to stroll around the neighborhood of galleries: Kukje Gallery, Hakgojae Gallery and Barakat Contemporary, to name but a few, which are all located within close walking distance of each other. Pioneering 89-year-old sculptor with chainsaw at Kukje Gallery Korean sculptor Kim Yun-shin has grabbed recognition at home and abroad at the age of 89. Kim has been working on "Add Two Add One,

Arts & DesignMarch 30, 2024