Korean traditional culture, K-pop presented to leaders’ spouses

First Lady Kim Yoon-ok offered the spouses of global leaders currently in Seoul for the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit a chance to appreciate both Korean traditional culture and K-pop at an official luncheon held in Cheong Wa Dae, on Tuesday.Kim, a strong advocate of the globalization of hansik, or Korean cuisine, hosted a luncheon at Sangchunjae, meaning “a house used during spring.” Sangchujae, built in 1983 to serve VIP guests, is the only traditional-style building at the Blue House complex.

March 27, 2012

Culture Minister vows to diversify international cultural exchanges

Korea will shift the focus of cultural exchange from developed countries to Third World countries, said Choe Kwang-shik, minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Tuesday. Choe announced plans to enhance international cooperation and exchanges in culture, sports and tourism and promote cultural welfare at a media briefing at the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit media center at COEX, Samseong-dong, Tuesday. The basic plans for Korean cultural policy include finding creativity in tradition, promotion

March 27, 2012

Media center showcases traditional and pop culture

Among the side programs running during the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit, promotional booths organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Presidential Council for Nation Branding are noteworthy. The Culture Ministry’s Korea Culture & Tourism booth is set up at the Media Center at COEX in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, from March 25-28, and offers summit participants and the general public a glimpse into Korea’s traditional and contemporary culture. The nation’s representative

March 25, 2012

Wax museum spurs sticky situation in Iraq

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) ― An exhibit of wax statues depicting some of Shiite Muslims’ most beloved clerics, aimed at paying tribute to this Iraqi holy city’s contributions to culture, has been dipped in controversy as some Sunnis decry the figures as heretical.The wax sculptures are due to be displayed at a museum in Najaf, but even before the exhibit opens, some Sunni Muslims ― rarely shy about highlighting their religious differences with Shiites ― are denouncing them as a violation of Islamic law. E

March 22, 2012

U.K. experts find 7th-century teen buried in her bed

LONDON (AP) ― Archaeologists excavating near Cambridge have stumbled upon a rare and mysterious find: The skeleton of a 7th-century teenager buried in an ornamental bed along with a gold-and-garnet cross, an iron knife and a purse full of glass beads.Experts say the grave is an example of an unusual Anglo-Saxon funerary practice of which very little is known. Just over a dozen of these “bed burials’’ have been found in Britain, and it’s one of only two in which a pectoral cross ― meant to be wor

March 19, 2012

Indian Cultural Center shows India’s diversity

Indian Cultural Center chief says day during Yeosu Expo will be designated India DayThis is the seventh article of the series introducing cultural centers of different countries in Seoul. ― Ed. Some aspects of Indian culture like the cuisine or yoga have already permeated into the South Korean society. Banu Prakash, director of Indian Cultural Center, however, asserted that there is much more to the Indian culture which is very heterogeneous. “People from Korea or India who moved to the U.S., fo

March 18, 2012

S. Korea opens first cultural center in Mexico

South Korea opened its first Korean Cultural Center in Mexico Tuesday, hoping it will serve as a bridge between the two different cultures.The Korean Cultural Center opened in Mexico City for the first time Tuesday. (Yonhap Photo)The three-story building located in the center of Mexico City features

March 14, 2012

Belgian director to head Asian Arts Theater

Frie Leysen, a renowned artistic director in the international theater scene, was named to lead the Asian Arts Theater, a major venue for Asian arts currently under construction in Gwangju, the Ministry of Culture said on Monday.Vice Culture Minister Kim Yong-hwan presented a letter of appointment to Leysen at his office in Seoul. Leysen is the first foreign director to head a major art venue in Korea, the ministry said. The 61-year-old director will lead the AAT for three years.“I think it is a

March 12, 2012

New Sejong head to foster public participation in arts

Activist-turned-CEO  calls hallyu a product  of cultural imperialismSejong Center for the Performing Arts, with three major concert halls, two art galleries and nine art companies under one roof, has long been touted as one of the most prestigious art venues in Seoul. Bagh In-bae, new president of SCPA, wants to turn the center that has been pursuing high-level, professional arts for many years into a venue where the public can freely express their “cultural desire.”“A new era in the country’s a

March 12, 2012

Artist Heizer’s big rock rolls to California

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Rock stars are a common enough sight in Los Angeles but it’s not often when a rock is the star.Los Angeles residents are coming out to catch a glimpse of a massive boulder that arrived at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art before dawn Saturday, after lumbering across Southern California for the past week and a half.It will become the centerpiece of acclaimed earth artist Michael Heizer’s latest creation, “Levitated Mass.”“The sheer size of it is just impressive. The size of

March 12, 2012

Czech Info Center to bring modern arts, literary works

This is the sixth of the series introducing cultural centers of different countries in Seoul. ― Ed. Czech culture is quite well known in Korea, at least more than one might think. From classical music to a number of Korean musical productions with music composed by Czech musicians, the presence of Czech culture has been quite strong for years.“Music is fairly well known here. Dvorjak, Smetana … classical music has very good positioning in Korea. But with (other type of) Czech arts, it is a bit

March 11, 2012

Stone cold curling

Slowly spreading in Korea, curling is a sport for allOn a Sunday afternoon inside the Taeneung ice rink in Seoul, a group of boys stands in line on the ice wearing rubber-soled shoes.Nine-year-old Yang Ji-min squats with one hand on the ice and the other clutching a broom and inches forward, sliding on his left foot with the other leg stretched out behind. He is practicing the basic skills of curling, a Winter Olympic event still quite new to Korea.One by one, the other students follow suit. Som

March 9, 2012

Korean traditional culture to highlight Seoul summit

Hallyu stars join PR campaigns, cultural eventsKorean traditional arts are the highlight of cultural events planned for the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Summit slated for March 26-27.“Foreigners still don’t really know the difference among cultures of China, Japan and Korea. I hope this upcoming event will help them to understand the uniqueness of Korean traditional culture,” Sohn Jin-chaek, general director at the National Theater Company of Korea, told The Korea Herald on Thursday.Sohn is in charge of c

March 8, 2012