Celebrity monk returns to TV after uproar over his wealth, lifestyle

A star Buddhist monk, who saw his following plunge amid an uproar over what critics said was self-indulgence that betrayed the monk’s preaching, has returned as a TV show host after some three years out of the public eye. In the first episode of the weekly show “A Cafe Where Mind Finds Rest,” which aired Monday, the Ven. Haemin began the 42-minute episode by saying he “repents for not living up to the standards expected of a monk.” “Your words will be my teach

TelevisionMarch 8, 2024

Dystopian musical 'The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young' returns for 4th run

The Seoul Performing Arts Company kicks off the fourth season of its original production, "The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young," on Friday. Adapted from the novel by late writer Park Ji-ri, the play is set in a meticulously segregated society based on caste, spanning from the privileged first district, where residents have to adhere to strict standards of behavior to maintain their status, to the slum-like ninth district, where an uprising was suppressed 60 years earlier. The musical pl

PerformanceMarch 8, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Bea' challenges perspectives on life, death

In a vibrant dress, Bea (a nickname for Beatrice) dances joyfully to Madonna's "Ray of Light" and then, addressing the recently arrived Ray, implores him to write a letter on her behalf. She says, "I want to die." Ray and Bea's mother, Katherine, are taken aback, with Katherine painfully choosing to ignore the letter. The scene is part of stage drama "Bea," which kicked off its run on Feb. 17 at the LG Art Center in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul. Contrary to t

PerformanceMarch 8, 2024

‘Exhuma’ leads local box offices, more K-occult films coming later this year

“Exhuma,” directed by acclaimed "master of K-occult" Jang Jae-hyun, continues its strong performance at the box office, likely to surpass 7 million total viewers this weekend -- the third weekend since the movie’s release on Feb. 22. According to Korean Film Council data, “Exhuma” accumulated a total of 6.7 million ticket sales as of Friday. The movie, which cost 1.4 billion won ($1 million) to produce, reached the breakeven point of 3.3 million ticket sal

FilmMarch 8, 2024

Just one K-blockbuster helmed by female filmmaker in 2023: data

Of the 35 Korean blockbuster films that opened last year, just one film was directed by a female filmmaker, according to data. Korean Film Council data showed that director Yim Soon-rye of the action drama flick "The Point Men" was the only female filmmaker to have directed a movie with a budget of more than 3 billion won. Representing 2.7 percent of the 35 blockbusters, the figure is the lowest since KOFIC began gathering data in 2017. There was no female cinematographer for any Korea

FilmMarch 8, 2024

[Herald Interview] Song Joong-ki crafts his own kind of North Korean defector in 'My Name is Loh Kiwan'

Song Joong-ki, whose Netflix original film "My Name is Loh Kiwan” ranked 3rd on Netflix's non-English chart this week, said he was hesitant to play the character of North Korean defector Loh Ki-wan when he first received the script for the movie seven years ago. “I initially turned down the offer to play Loh Ki-wan seven years ago, because Ki-wan and Marie’s love affair didn't resonate with me. I told the production company that I didn’t think it was right

FilmMarch 8, 2024

[Well-curated] Unique interior decor, aviation museum and silent cafe

Decorate your space with colorful, unique props If you have recently moved into a new place, you may be looking for unique trinkets and small decorations to brighten up your space. Segment, a company that sells interior-related products from around the world, has opened an offline showroom. The two-story building, which is about a 10-minute walk from Naebang Station on Subway Line No. 7, is full of colorful interior decoration items from more than 100 domestic and foreign brands. On the building

CultureMarch 8, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Dune: Part Two” (US, Canada) Opened Feb. 28 Action/Sci-fi Directed by Denis Villeneuve In the year 10,191 on Arrakis, recently outcast heir to the throne of House Atreides Paul (Timothee Chalamet) finds a path to revenge against the emperor and, without knowing his choice could spell doom for the entire galaxy, he embarks on a holy war. “Exhuma” (South Korea) Opened Feb. 22 Mystery/Thriller Directed by Jang Jae-hyun A feng-shui expert, an undertaker and two shaman ex

FilmMarch 8, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Spring blooms at Everland A walk on trails lined with spring flowers -- 11 different types of plum blossoms -- is a sure sign that spring has arrived. At the Sky Garden in Everland, South Korea’s largest theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, a 5,000-won ticket is all it takes to enjoy the harbingers of spring. Ticket holders can also enter the nearby Hoam Museum of Art at a 50 percent discount and also save on admission to the amusement park. The trails will be open from March 15-26

TravelMarch 8, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

WE Hotel offers new spring-themed program WE Hotel, a premium health resort located in Seogwipo, southern Jeju Island, is offering a new program for the upcoming spring season from March 15 to April 15. “Walk Under Cherry Blossom” presents visitors the chance for a one-night stay in a superior room, free breakfast buffet, cherry blossom tea with the Korean honey snack yakgwa as well as a wellness program for two guests. Visitors can make their choice from a total of four wellness pro

TravelMarch 8, 2024

[Drama Tour] Explore Jeju Island as shown in rom-com series 'Welcome to Samdal-ri'

Jeju Island, an 80-minute flight from Seoul, is a go-to destination for many local and overseas holidaymakers, beckoning with its unique culture and activities, from Jeju horseback riding to tangerine picking and "haenyeo," among many others. Haenyeo are women divers who harvest marine products from the seabed for a living. But, Korea’s southernmost island is looking to expand its touristic reach by promoting iconic spots featured in the popular 16-part rom-com series “Welc

TravelMarch 7, 2024

'Queen of Tears' marks Kim Su-hyun's return to screen, explores woes of married life

South Korean actors Kim Ji-won and Kim Su-hyun will be depicting the woes of a married couple coming from vastly different backgrounds in tvN's latest drama series "Queen of Tears," set to air Saturday. Scripted by star screenwriter Park Ji-eun, who wrote the scripts for hit Korean romance dramas such as "My Love from the Star" and "Crash Landing on You," the 16-part drama series follows Baek Hyun-woo (played by Kim Su-hyun), a son of a supermarket owner from t

TelevisionMarch 7, 2024

[Herald Interview] Yoon Hankyeol aims to be validated by fellow conductors

After winning the Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award at the Salzburger Festspiele in Salzburg, Austria in August 2023, conductor Yoon Hankyeol said he felt a sense of relief that he no longer needed to participate in such competitions. “Fortunately, it wasn’t the case for the Karajan competition, but more often than not, there are occasions where the performance is influenced by the judges, audience members, or those present in the room, rather than fully showcasing oneself,&

CultureMarch 7, 2024

Daesan Foundation accepting applications for translation of Korean literary works

The Daesan Foundation is accepting applications for the 2024 Korean Literature Translation, Research, and Publishing Support program. Applicants for this year’s translation grants will be accepted until 3 p.m. on May 31 through the foundation’s official website. Successful applicants will be announced in August. Applicants can select from Daesan Literary Award-winning works that have not been translated into the target language, or any other literary work that has yet to be translate

BooksMarch 7, 2024

Changgeuk 'Lear' reimagines Shakespeare with traditional Korean splendor

The National Changgeuk Company of Korea's "Lear" is set to make a comeback after two years. Affiliated with the National Theater of Korea, the company will perform the changgeuk adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy "King Lear" at the Daloreum Theater from March 29 to April 7. Changgeuk is a genre of Korean opera. It derives from pansori, a traditional narrative singing form involving a solo singer and a percussionist that is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cu

PerformanceMarch 6, 2024

Change of 'National Singing Contest' host garners mixed reactions

The news that KBS has changed the emcee of "National Singing Contest," one of the longest-running variety shows in Korea, has been met with mixed reactions from the public. First aired in 1980, "National Singing Contest" is a weekly singing competition show that takes place in cities, towns and villages around the country, featuring contestants from those areas. The contestants compete in various rounds and Korea's popular songwriters participate as judges to select the

TelevisionMarch 6, 2024

[Herald Interview] Director Celine Song, actor Yoo Teo say ‘Past Lives’ was ‘inyeon’ for them

Korean Canadian director and playwright Celine Song’s directorial debut, “Past Lives,” is finally opening in Seoul, after winning 75 awards and over 200 nominations at film festivals around the world. “I honestly cannot predict how the Korean audience will react to my movie. While ‘inyeon’ is an unusual concept abroad, the term is used in daily life here in Korea. I just hope the Korean audience will enjoy the movie with an open mind,” director Song told

FilmMarch 6, 2024

Making home your haven

Finding relief from the stress and anxieties of city living within the comfort of your home was the palpable trend at the annual Seoul Living Design Fair, which ended its five-day run at Coex in southern Seoul on Sunday. Massage chairs from Coway, a Korean company better known for its water purifiers, showed the kind of compromise sought by those who want to feel cocooned in a stylish chair, eschewing bulkier massage chairs that require more space to install. “A 5- or 10-minute massage onc

Arts & DesignMarch 6, 2024

Controversy surrounds ‘pro-Putin’ ballerina ahead of Seoul performances

Renowned Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova’s upcoming shows in Seoul have become embroiled in a pro-Putin controversy, with the Ukrainian Embassy in South Korea expressing strong opposition to her performances here. The embassy issued a press release Monday, in which it deemed Zakharova’s performances in Seoul as “unacceptable.” The press release said: "Against the background of escalating hostilities, mass murders and destruction in Ukraine, showcasing the perfor

PerformanceMarch 5, 2024

English version of Korean musical 'Marie Curie' to make historic West End debut

The English edition of the Korean musical “Marie Curie” is set to hit West End in June, making history as the first Korean original musical produced by a Korean production company to be staged there. Produced by Kang Byung-won and LIVE Corp., the English premier involves a British creative team, including director Sarah Meadows, music director Emma Fraser and choreographer Joanna Goodwin. Fraser also worked on English lyrics adaptation, while the English book adaptation and literal T

CultureMarch 5, 2024