A comprehensive cultural event highlighting Korean pop, cuisine, fashion, martial arts and more will kick off in Istanbul in August. Aimed at forging closer ties between Korea and Turkey, the Istanbul-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2013, which will be held Aug. 31-Sept. 22 at various spots in Istanbul, is designed to help open up a 21st-century “cultural Silk Road.”A total of 50 countries including 15 European and 18 Asian ones will participate in the promotion of their cultures. “We wanted the wor

May 23, 2013

Korean people should not approach multiculturalism as an ideology or theoretically, but accept it naturally as society has already become multicultural, according to Yook Sang-hyo, director of the 2010 movie “Banga Banga,” which comically depicts life for foreign migrant workers and social discrimination in Korea. “We should not be distracted by some cultural and social logic of multiculturalism. It’s real. Korean society has become multicultural. It’s time to accept it naturally,” said Yook dur

May 22, 2013

As Korean society becomes culturally diversified, multiculturalism has emerged as a popular topic in the mass media. Starting with 2007’s SBS TV drama “Golden Bride,” which featured a Vietnamese woman married to a Korean man, more TV dramas, movies and entertainment shows followed featuring different facets of multiculturalism in Korea. Multiculturalism was a major theme in recent box-office hits such as “Wandeuki” (English title “Punch”) in 2011 and “Banga Banga” (“He’s on Duty”) in 2010, as we

May 22, 2013

According to hyangga, or folk songs from the Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57-A.D. 935), Cheo Yong was a man who came from nowhere and married a Silla woman. One day, when he returned home at night, he found “four legs” in his bed, obvious proof of his wife’s infidelity. But instead of becoming infuriated, he sang a song and stepped back. The wife’s lover, described as the god of misfortune, later apologized and promised never to return, praising Cheo Yong’s generosity. In 1987, dramatist Kim Eui-kyoung a

May 22, 2013

It is always good to see young artists pouring out their passion on stage. If they are extremely talented, the pleasure doubles. The fifth “DITTO Festival,” featuring young and talented musicians performing the most intimate form of classical music, chamber music, will be held June 9-30 at the Seoul Arts Center and LG Arts Center. This year, the legendary German composer J.S. Bach will be highlighted at the hands of the main members of the Ditto Ensemble ― violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill, violin

May 21, 2013

The National Assembly Budget Office on Sunday admitted that the “Globalization of Hansik” program had failed and needed major revision, dealing a blow to the pet project of former first lady Kim Yoon-ok, who dreamed that “all people around the globe would enjoy Korean cuisine.”The project launched by the Lee Myung-bak administration in 2009 included a bold plan to open a top tier restaurant in Manhattan and the publication of cookbooks in several languages.  However, NABO said that though some 2

May 19, 2013

Pop music“Seoul Jazz Festival 2013”: The annual Seoul Jazz Festival is a two-day concert event featuring many jazz and jazz-inspired acts from all across the world. This year’s festival will feature more than 25 local and international headliners the Ramsey Lewis Electric Band with special guest Philip Bailey, Mika, Damien Rice, Kings of Convenience, the Parov Stellar Band, the Roy Hargrove Quintet and many more. Bands from the local jazz scene include Chung Won-young, La Ventana with 10cm, and

May 16, 2013

BERLIN (AFP) ― The opening this month of the first life-sized Barbie Dreamhouse in Europe may be the fantasy of many a little girl, but Berlin feminists are mobilising against what they call a sexist icon.With her ironed-straight blond tresses, doe-like baby blue eyes, blinding smile and super-human measurements, the mistress of the giant Barbie mansion has become a lightning rod ahead of the May 16 inauguration.Just a few steps from Alexanderplatz, the main shopping district of east Berlin, the

May 15, 2013

Hallyu, or the spread of Korean pop culture, has resulted in people around the world wanting to know more about Korea, its language and culture. However, there is a dearth of relevant programs to meet their needs, a government survey showed Wednesday. International institutions, such as the King Sejong Institute, can contribute to becoming a bridge and stepping stone for the promotion of Korean language and Korean culture, experts suggested at a global forum held on Tuesday, a day before the 616

May 15, 2013

The Seoul International Media Art Biennale, the biggest celebration and showcase of media art in Korea, aims to strengthen its identity as a leading international media art event while bringing fresh change to the upcoming event next year with the appointment of artist, art critic and movie director Park Chan-kyong as new artistic director for the 8th media art biennale in 2014. Park, also well-known as the younger brother of filmmaker Park Chan-wook, is the first artist to be appointed to lead

May 14, 2013

The Seoul Arts Center will screen filmed performances at theaters, cinemas, schools and elsewhere to allow wider public access to high culture, SAC president Ko Hak-chan said Tuesday. Modeled after the “Met On Screen” program, which films internationally-acclaimed Metropolitan Opera performances for international distribution, “SAC On Screen” aims to enhance the brand image of one of the nation’s finest arts centers. “I believe there are people willing to see more arts performances but are deter

May 14, 2013

The Hangeul Museum will open adjacent to the National Museum in Seoul next year to boost public awareness of, and conduct research into, the alphabet often referred to as “scientific” and easy to learn. The construction of the 11,322 square-meter museum in Yongsan, which began in 2011 with a 32.6 billion won budget, is now 76 percent complete. The first floor of the museum, a building with three stories above ground and one underground, will have an archive and a lecture room alongside a cafeter

May 13, 2013

North Korea’s historic monuments and sites of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) in Gaeseong have been recommended for UNESCO World Heritage Site listing by a UNESCO affiliate. The recommendation moves the ancient capital city’s relics, on a tentative list since 2000, a step closer to being acknowledged as a place worth international attention and preservation. The final decision on the listing will be made at a UNESCO congress in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on June 16-27.  Those sites included in the reco

May 13, 2013

With Korean pop culture commanding a significant fanbase in Southeast Asian countries, efforts are being made to introduce a more diverse range of Korean culture.One such effort is the Korea Festival which aims to introduce Korean music, dance performances and art exhibitions to Southeast Asian countries. Organized by the Korea Foundation, a state-run organization that promotes Korean studies and culture aboard, the Korea Festival will take place in Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam

May 12, 2013