Simon Edelmann of Germany wins top prize at KNSO conducting competition

The second edition of the Korea National Symphony Orchestra's International Conducting Competition announced its winners Sunday, ending the five-day competition. The first prize went to German conductor Simon Edelmann, who conducted the first movement of Brahms' Symphony No. 4, the third movement of Rachmaninoff's “Symphonic Dances,” and the first movement of Debussy's “La Mer” in the final round. Edelmann currently serves as the conductor of the Vogtl

Nov. 11, 2024

Seoul Opera to present 'La Boheme' for first time

The Seoul Opera Company, celebrating its 40th anniversary next year, will present its first-ever production of Puccini’s “La Boheme” next week. Though it is the debut performance of the classic work for the Seoul Metropolitan Opera, the production will be directed by Eom Sook-jeong, who has staged around 10 versions of the opera. The cast boasts a star lineup of Korean opera singers, including top sopranos Seo Sun-young and Hwang Su-mi, the latter of whom was “shocked&rdq

Nov. 11, 2024

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Oh named for CICI award

South Korean Olympic fencing gold medalist Oh Sang-uk will receive the annual Korea Image Stepping Stone Award presented by the Corea Image Communication Institute in January next year. “Oh elevated South Korea’s global profile by winning two gold medals in the men’s individual and team sabre at the 2024 Paris Olympics,” CICI, a nonprofit promoting Korea’s image abroad, said in a statement Sunday. The Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award went to Korean American c

Nov. 11, 2024

US scholar calls Japan stance on Dokdo ‘inexcusably hypocritical’

Japan’s position on Dokdo, Korea’s easternmost islets in the East Sea that Japan claims as its own, is “inexcusably hypocritical,” according to a US academic. “Japan doesn’t want that territorial dispute (Dokdo) to go to the International Court of Justice because then China would have moral leverage,” said Walter Hatch, an emeritus professor of government at Colby College in Maine, referring to the Japan-controlled islands in the East China Sea disputed

Nov. 10, 2024

Renowned overseas musicians to make much-waited Korean debuts

In November, the Seoul Arts Center and Bucheon Arts Center are set to stage the much-anticipated debuts of overseas artists. The Seoul Arts Center, the country's leading cultural complex, will present the "2024 SAC Baroque Music Series: Theo Othime Langlois de Swarte & Justin Taylor Duo Concert" on Nov. 16, at the IBK Chamber Hall. This performance marks the highly anticipated Korean debut of two rising stars in the Baroque music world: violinist Theo Othime Langlois de Swar

Nov. 9, 2024

OD Company's musical 'The Great Gatsby' to hit West End

The musical “The Great Gatsby” is set to premiere in London’s West End next year, following its Broadway run. To mark the first anniversary of its Broadway debut, the show will begin preview performances at the London Coliseum on April 11, 2025, with an official opening on April 24, according to OD Company, the production behind “The Great Gatsby.” The production will run as a limited engagement until Sept. 7. Shin Chun-soo, CEO of OD Company, who is the driving for

Nov. 8, 2024

[Well-curated] Treats for esports fans, galleries and gingko trees at Samcheong-dong

Explore 2024 League of Legends champion's merch shop For those who are still excited about South Korea’s League of Legends team T1’s victory at the 2024 LoL World Championship Finals last week, a visit to T1 HQ Shop may swell their pride even further and give them the chance to dwell a bit longer on the miraculous story that the team has written. Located in Gangnam, southern Seoul, on the first floor of T1's headquarters -- where the T1 esports players are -- T1 HQ Shop is

Nov. 8, 2024

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo offers child-friendly package DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo, located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, is collaborating with the makers of the hit animated series “Catch! Teenieping.” The “Teenieping Adventure” package offers a one-night stay with breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Demeter, for three guests, along with an animated character-themed camera set and access to a photo booth, hotel swimming pool and fitness center. Children w

Nov. 8, 2024

Samuel Youn to offer unique performance beyond recital

The day will soon come when Korean audiences can enjoy opera arias and lieder without resorting to subtitles, bass-baritone Samuel Youn said Wednesday during an interview. This will not be due to any technological advancement, but because Youn and many other artists aspire to create pieces that can be sung in Korean, allowing Korean audiences to feel them deeply without the need for translation or subtitles. Although Youn says there aren't enough Korean art songs, also known by the german

Nov. 7, 2024

Over 1,600 flock to city of Seoul's matchmaking program

Well over 1,000 applicants have applied for the city of Seoul's matchmaking program, which will bring together 100 unmarried men and women to find their match near the Han River on Nov. 23. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 1,673 people had applied for the program as of Wednesday. Applications for the program opened Oct. 21. Those wishing to participate can throw their hats into the ring until Friday. The gender ratio of the applicants so far is about 55 percent men and 45 per

Nov. 7, 2024

Museums discuss empowering elders

The state-run National Folk Museum Korea convened an international symposium to discuss ways to help older adults engage with society as concerns over an aging population rise. The Role of Museums in An Aging Society one-day conference in Seoul on Tuesday was attended by officials from National Museums Liverpool, the National Museum of Finland and the National Museum of Singapore, as well as local academics and researchers. “Korea is anticipated to transition into an ultra-aged society by

Nov. 6, 2024

Sports ministry demands strong measures from KFA amid coach hiring irregularities

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism demanded Tuesday that the Korean Football Association take strong action following the discovery of irregularities in the process of appointing Hong Myung-bo as coach of the national soccer team. The ministry’s demand included a suspension or harsher disciplinary action against high-level officials, including Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, who has been at the helm of the football governing body since 2013. Amid concerns that the KFA might not act dec

Nov. 5, 2024

‘Jang-making’ likely to get UNESCO recognition

The traditional Korean ways of making fermented pastes and sauces, or “jang,” are all but certain to make UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, the Korea Heritage Service said Tuesday, citing a decision the same day by the UN culture and heritage body to recommend the practice for inscription. The final decision by the 12-member Evaluation Body of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will be reviewed by the 24-country

Nov. 5, 2024

[Hearld Interview] BBC Proms' David Pickard brings British institution to Korea as final project

After a decade at the helm of one of the world’s most celebrated classical music festivals, David Pickard, the artistic director of the BBC Proms, is marking his final year with a milestone: the BBC Proms’ debut in Korea, a country he first visited in 1986 with the Royal Opera Company. Introducing the Proms to Korea is part of the festival’s mission to reach audiences far beyond its London roots, according to the director. "The Proms still lives by the motto of its founder

Nov. 5, 2024

In 2nd year under van Zweden, SPO's 2025 season to focus on collaboration

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by music director Jaap van Zweden, will celebrate its 80th anniversary next year under the theme “Collaboration.” Building on the 2024 season’s focus on "Exploration" and strengthening its core repertoire during the conductor's inaugural year, the SPO’s 2025 season will broaden its scope across genres through first-time collaborations with renowned global artists and institutions. Among the 2025 season’s highlight

Nov. 4, 2024

Buddhist temple plays matchmaker for 7 couples

Seven couples were matched in the latest edition of a popular Templestay matchmaking program conducted by South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, that wrapped up on Sunday. The two-day Templestay program "Naneun Jeollo" (I Go to the Temple), for young men and women across the country, was held from Saturday to Sunday at Baekyangsa Temple in South Jeolla Province. Organized by the Jogye Order's social outreach arm, the Korean Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare, twelve men and

Nov. 4, 2024

[Herald Interview] Composer Wildhorn readies to introduce his first small theater work

Composer Frank Wildhorn, who has compiled a long list of hits in South Korea, becoming one of the most beloved composers here in the process, will make another connection with the country, with his first-ever small stage work. The 65-year-old composer is participating in “Van Gogh in Love,” produced by renowned stage designer Oh Pil-young. The show will premiere in Korea before being introduced in Spain, Germany and more. Wildhorn, who was in Korea preparing for the staging of &ldquo

Nov. 3, 2024

Explore Gwanghallu Garden for free

Namwon, a city located in the southern part of North Jeolla Province, beckons local and overseas tourists of all ages to its iconic Gwanghallu Garden with no charge for admission until Nov. 20. Gwanghallu Garden, located at the center of the city, is home to stunning architecture and a natural landscape with a lake surrounded by trees now in their autumn hues. Though a ticket costs 4,000 won ($2.90) for visitors from outside Namwon, the local government decided to open the garden for free to mak

Nov. 3, 2024

[Photo news] Rally against first couple

Nov. 2, 2024

[Photo news] LGBT festival in Incheon

Nov. 2, 2024