‘Peek under Joseon woman skirt’ invites public fury

“Don’t miss the opportunity to take a peek under this Joseon beauty’s skirt,” reads the description to a parodic adaptation of “Portrait of a Beauty,” a classic masterpiece by late Joseon Kingdom artist Shin Yun-bok. In the parody installation, the portrayed woman’s skirt is replaced with a piece of clothing that could be lifted by the viewers. Below the skirt, the woman’s bare legs and underwear are realistically painted.(Instagram)Alive Museum in Seoul, where the controversial parody work was

Aug. 10, 2017

Musicals to watch out for in coming months

Foreign and local musical productions will continue to entertain fans well into the second half of the year.Among the most anticipated musicals in Seoul this year is the US production of “Sister Act,” which will open at Samsung Electronics Hall at Blue Square in Seoul on Nov. 25 and run until Jan. 21, 2018.The show is a musical adaptation of the smash-hit 1992 comedy film of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg. Its plot revolves around a singer, Delores, who unintentionally witnesses a murder

Aug. 10, 2017

[Photo News] Comic Con wraps up with fans wanting more

Comic and game fans across the country had a field day last weekend, as the international pop culture festival known as Comic Con landed in Korea for the first time.Comic Con Seoul 2017 allowed the some 40,000 fans to geek out from Friday to Sunday, featuring an extravaganza of subculture never before seen here.It presented business opportunities as well, as total of 113 companies and artists hosted various comic, movie, animation and game related content at 345 booths. Renowned actors Mads Mikk

Aug. 9, 2017

Slimy ‘liquid monsters’ captivate Korean adults

Poke it and the dents slowly disappear; stretch it, and the strings droop lazily; mold it all back together, and it returns to its original shapeless blob form, evoking a strange sort of satisfaction. Such is the quality of slime, a squishy, glue-based substance that has become a sweeping global fad of late. Online clips featuring the multicolored, dough-like form -- which comes in all sizes and can be transparent, opaque, glittery or gravelly -- have been appealing to a wide audience, free from

Aug. 9, 2017

Whitewashing? Racism rampant in Korean job market

Despite ongoing efforts to embrace multiculturalism in Korea, racism against non-whites and non-Koreans is still common here, particularly in the job market for English teachers.An advertisement looking for teachers to work at an English camp was posted on Seoul Craigslist on Tuesday. Native-speaking English teachers pose in this photo, which is not directly related to the article. (EPIK)There was one glaring problem, a phrase that clearly stated “No Black.”The employers who posted the ad could

Aug. 9, 2017

[Seoul Saunter] Hagwon, road to freedom, or serfdom?

High schooler Jini Kim’s mother couldn’t escape a heavy-hearted and guilt-ridden feeling for her daughter.A third-year student, Jini studies from dawn to dusk, day in and day out, to secure competitive scores in school and in the nationwide university entrance examination held in November. “I feel so sorry for her,” the mother told The Korea Herald in Daechi-dong in southern Seoul, a mecca of private educational academies, known as hagwon here. “Forget about play!” she lamented. “Jini has barely

Aug. 7, 2017

Paper boat challenge scheduled on Han River

A paper boat rowing race will take place between Aug. 11 and 15 at Jamsil Han River Park in Seoul. The race, as unusual as it sounds, has annually taken place since 2014. Participants are invited to build their own boats out of cardboard box and row 1 kilometer across the Han River. Photo provided by the Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentThose interested can sign up for this year’s race via Gmarket by purchasing the materials needed to build the paper boat on the day at a price of 60,000 won ($53). T

Aug. 6, 2017

[Eye Plus] In scorching heat, ice is selling like hotcakes

“The hot and the cold are both so intense, put’em together, it just makes sense!” -- “In Summer,” “Frozen” OSTWithout fail, there is one place that becomes frantically busy when the summer season strikes, and increasingly busier with the rise in temperature -- the ice factory.　At the ice factory in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, run by food company Pulmuone, blocks of ice are inspected, cut up and shipped out to retailers. 　Orders doubled the usual amount in recent days, according to production ma

Aug. 4, 2017

[Weekender] Stature of cats ‘catapults’ in Korea

In South Korea, cats had been shunned for their association with evil forebodings and bad luck. In the early 1990s, for instance, my mother did not allow me to have a cat because their cries, sounding like a newborn, would give her goosebumps.Cats don’t warm up to people as instantly as dogs do. This led some people to believe cats to be disloyal and aloof. Cats were also thought to be spiritual. When a cat stared in to the vacant air with their glowing narrow-slit pupils, the superstitious bunc

Aug. 4, 2017

[Weekender] Upscale feline products cater to delicate tastes of cats

A growing number of South Korean cat moms and dads are willing to go the extra mile to satisfy the delicate preferences of their four-legged companions. Cat owners used to make do with mass-produced pet supplies, but nowadays, a wave of custom-made feline products are allowing cats to live a life of luxury.An Instagram photo of social media feline star Ddulggae eating an Alaskan halibut snack received a flurry of comments from some of her 73,000 followers, who expressed avid interest in the prod

Aug. 4, 2017

[Weekender] Special cafe for rescued cats offers chance for adoption

As the number of cat owners in South Korea goes up, so does the number of abandoned cats. Some 250,000 cats were abandoned or lost in 2016, according to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. Only 30 percent of them were adopted by new owners. The reason for the low adoption rate is the persistent prejudice against abandoned cats. People assume that rescued cats were abandoned for negative reasons, such as mental or physical issues. Earth Cat Cafe, located near Ewha Womans University in Seoul,

Aug. 4, 2017

[Weekender] Webtoon helps readers overcome prejudice against cats

When Chae Yu-ri first encountered two abandoned kittens in 2003, her heart fluttered with joy and excitement. Chae, then 26, grew up on a farm with animals and had always wished to have a cat. She brought the sister cats to her house and named them Bbotto and Zzagoo. Cartoonist Chae Yu-ri and ZzagooTo cherish every moment with those adorable creatures, Chae started to draw them in a cartoon. Named after the kittens, “Bbo-Zza-toon” was first published on Chae’s blog in the same year. Fourteen yea

Aug. 4, 2017

Culture Ministry launches ‘blacklist’ investigation committee

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday officially launched a government-civilian joint committee to investigate the previous administration’s blacklist of cultural figures.The committee, co-headed by Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan and artist Shin Hak-chul, consists of 21 local artists and four ministry officials. Its three subcommittees are respectively charged with investigation, drawing up measures to prevent such blacklists in the future and compiling a white paper on the scanda

July 31, 2017

[Eye Plus] Kimchikan, a kimchi museum that comes to life

Nestled in the heart of Insa-dong, Kimchikan offers Koreans and tourists alike a deep dive into the world of Korea‘s most famous food.The museum is run by food company Pulmuone, which makes and sells kimchi. It has been operating since 1986, but has been at its current location since just 2015. When it moved from its previous location at Coex to Insa-dong, the museum received a major face-lift. Instead of the traditional museum style of showing kimchi-related artifacts behind glass, Kimchikan ma

July 28, 2017

New breed of fragrance brands capture scent of Korea

If someone asked you what Seoul’s Gangnam area smelled like, how would you answer?“Very woody and very glamorous,” said Kim Su-hyang, creative director of her eponymous perfume brand Soohyang. A burst of citrus for the 24/7 shopping crowds of Dongdaemun. Sharp notes of patriotic red pine for Namdaemun, South Korea’s first designated National Treasure. Florals to evoke the lilac trees that bloom every April in chic Hannam-dong. Kim Su-hyang at the flagship Soohyang store in Gangnam (Soohyang)Sooh

July 28, 2017

New literature translation award to match global sensibilities

Before the 1990s, translating Korean literature was spearheaded by the government, with local translators and professors churning out writing largely considered anachronistic, nationalistic and out of sync with Western sensitivities. Amid the country’s efforts to catapult its literature to the world stage, the Global Korean Literature Translation Award, organized by the GKL Foundation, was launched Thursday with the goal of bringing works closer to global sensibilities through enhanced cultural

July 27, 2017

[Herald Interview] Unlikely pairing of traditional instruments, contemporary dance

When Ahn Sung-soo took the helm of the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company at the end of last year, he came to the job prepared. That is, the seasoned choreographer already had in his mind the first two works he would stage.Yet, it was scarcely more than a week before the curtain would go up that Ahn decided the piece was finally complete.“It was completed just yesterday,” said Ahn at his office at Seoul Arts Center on July 19.“Music for Rites -- The Afterimages of the Rose,” the first of

July 26, 2017

Korean culture forum announces winners of visual contest

The Corea Image Communication Institute -- a nongovernmental organization dedicated to promoting Korean culture worldwide -- announced Tuesday the winners of a visual contest, titled “Korea Through the Lens,” organized on the theme of Korea’s identity and beauty. Korean calligrapher Kang Byung-in, who combines his innovative calligraphy and Korea’s traditional sceneries in the clip titled “Beautiful Korea and Hangeul” won the video category’s top prize. Nestle Korea CEO Erwan Vilfeu, who produce

July 26, 2017

[Seoul Saunter] Peekaboo with art in Pil-dong

Seoul is a vibrant megalopolis with modern high-rises crowding the city’s major arteries. Nestled among the gleaming buildings are maze-like alleys that appear to have escaped the passage of time. The Korea Herald explores the many nooks and crannies of Seoul, proclaimed the capital of Joseon in 1392, that reveal a multifaceted city. - Ed. Everyone loves Myeong-dong. But the next time you visit one of Korea’s most famous shopping districts, why not sidetrack just a little bit? From Exit No. 4 of

July 24, 2017

Naver, state agency agree to promote Korean artists overseas

The Naver Cultural Foundation said Monday it has reached an agreement with a state-run cultural agency to produce English promotional materials for new and ambitious Korean visual artists.The agreement between the foundation and the Korea Arts Management Service calls for KAMS to translate content published on Naver's Hello! Artist website into English, the foundation said. The foundation is run by South Korea's largest Internet portal, Naver. This composite image from Naver`s Hello! Artist webs

July 24, 2017