Pianist Cho Seong-jin to embark on nationwide recital tour

Cho Seong-jin, one of the most sought-after South Korean pianists, is set to embark on a nationwide recital tour, two years after he performed Chopin’s complete Scherzos in 2021. This time, Cho will present a recital featuring Baroque music by Handel, Brahms, Schumann and more from July 4 to 5 at the Seoul Arts Center. After the performances in the capital city, he will visit Daejeon on July 8, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on July 9 and Ulsan on July 12. The upcoming performances will be

May 26, 2023

[Well-curated] 4D naval battle, video games as art and Byhomie bag exhibition

Explore history of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-shin Two statues stand at Gwanghwamun Square representing two iconic figures of Korean history: Adm. Yi Sun-shin, a national hero who triumphed over Japanese invaders during the Imjin War (1592-1598), and King Sejong, an ingenious ruler who invented Hangeul, the Korean writing system, in 1443. Two permanent exhibitions have been set up underneath these statues, housed in the basements of Gwanghwamun Square and the Sejong Center for the Performing

May 26, 2023

Scholar urges restoring Cheong Wa Dae's historicity

Marking the first year of the full public opening of Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office and residence, on May 10, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History hosted an academic seminar on Thursday, where scholars and field experts discussed the historical meaning and significance of the space. The four-hour seminar “History of Cheong Wa Dae Space” provided a platform for presenting diverse perspectives on Cheong Wa Dae, spanning different periods in Korean history

May 25, 2023

CHA insists buildings around World Heritage Site follow UNESCO standards

The Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday that future discussions on the lifting of height restrictions near UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Jongmyo Shrine, Changdeokgung and the Joseon royal tombs, should take UNESCO's Heritage Impact Assessments into consideration. UNESCO recommends the use of a structured process called HIA to evaluate any proposed changes in the vicinity of designated heritage sites. The CHA statement was made after a local media report Monday said that S

May 24, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'Cheonmachong excavation started as practice run for larger tomb'

This year commemorates the 50th anniversary of the excavation of Cheonmachong, an ancient royal tomb from the Silla Kingdom located at the Daereungwon Tomb Complex in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The tomb, from which more than 11,000 artifacts, including numerous treasures, were unearthed, tells a story of the ancient burial customs of the Silla Kingdom. One of the seven field researchers behind the Cheonmachong excavation in 1973 was Choi Byung-hyun, a professor emeritus of history at

May 24, 2023

'Merchants of Venice' meets Korean traditional opera

William Shakespeare’s famous play "The Merchant of Venice," will be reborn as "changgeuk," a traditional Korean opera, next month, with a contemporary twist. From June 8 to 11, the National Changgeuk Company of Korea will present the first changgeuk adaption of “The Merchant of Venice,” a highly anticipated production that has brought together renowned theater creators and talented "pansori" performers. “The Changgeuk Company has made numerou

May 23, 2023

Stolen Buddhist statues, paintings to return home

Thirty-two Buddhist relics that were once stolen from temples across the country will finally return to their rightful homes, after some of which had been gone for more than three decades. The 21 Buddhist statues and 11 Buddhist paintings were put on display at the Korean Buddhism History and Culture Memorial Hall in Jongno, central Seoul, Tuesday, and a ceremony was held to celebrate their homecoming. The relics, which were taken from 14 different temples between 1988 and 2004, will go to the

May 23, 2023

Saudi Arabia seeks to attract 53,000 Korean travelers in 2023

Saudi Arabia is gearing up to welcome 53,000 Korean visitors in 2023, almost five times the 11,000 visitors recorded last year, aided by direct flight routes, stopover visas and diversified travel packages, according to the Saudi Tourism Authority on Monday. During a tourism roadshow at the Westin Josun Seoul on Monday, the STA introduced a wide range of experiences available to Korean holidaymakers in the kingdom, centered around the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle refers to three major ci

May 22, 2023

[Photo News] The art of spacing out

The annual Hangang Space-out Competition returned Sunday, with a total of 70 teams showing off their art of zoning out. On Jamsoo Bridge over Seoul's Han River, the participants – some of them dressed in costumes -- turned off their phones and sat with blank expressions, while their heart rates were checked every 15 minutes. Anyone who laughs, talks or dozes off was eliminated. A player dressed in a tuxedo took the first prize after successfully spacing out for 90 minutes. The winner

May 22, 2023

Naver Webtoon to make English version of Toon Filter

Naver Webtoon, South Korean tech giant Naver’s digital comics platform, announced that the company is scheduled to launch an English version of its recent artificial intelligence art generator Toon Filter on Monday. Toon Filter is Naver Webtoon’s AI image maker, which recreates the users’ selected photos in an art style from one of the company’s 10 beloved webtoon artists, including Lee Dong-geon of “Yumi’s Cells,” 232 of “Love Revolution,” P

May 22, 2023

[Stories of Artifacts] 18th-century fort built along meticulous records: ‘Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe’

When planning a new building, it is challenging to envision its potential collapse or destruction, along with the subsequent rebuilding process. However, a remarkable example of resilience can be found in the 18th-century Hwaseong fortress in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Despite enduring multiple instances of damage, the fortress, situated at the foot of the mountain Paldalsan, still proudly stands as it was built hundreds of years ago. The secret behind its enduring presence lies in its "Hw

May 22, 2023

[Herald Interview] From percussionist to maestro: Gustavo Gimeno's unique journey to conducting

When the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra returns to Korea for the first time in 20 years, it will be led by conductor Gustavo Gimeno, who has experienced a unique career of becoming a conductor from a percussionist. Gimeno, now one of the most sought-after conductors, started learning to conduct while working as the percussionist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Amsterdam. The motivation to learn conducting was to become a better musician. "I love

May 22, 2023

Daegu’s iconic musical festival kicks off ‘9 to 5’

DAEGU -- The Daegu International Musical Festival kicked off Friday, with the Korean premiere of “9 to 5,” a West End musical based on the 1980 film of the same name, at Daegu Opera House. Ahead of the performance, Bae Sung-hyuck, executive director of the DIMF, on Friday told reporters he was delighted to host the Korean premiere of “9 to 5." “Dolly Parton was phenomenal for our generation and so was the music and film '9 to 5,'” Bae said. "So i

May 21, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Are slang terms and abbreviations degrading the Korean language?

When Cha Mi-joo asked about her 14-year-old son's opinion on his school lunch, he nonchalantly shrugged and gave a one-word response, "kebake." She had to ask what he meant, because the term didn't align with her knowledge of the Korean language. It was during this exchange that she discovered a new slang term derived from the English phrase "case by case." "Kebake," which according to her son, is “used widely” by young Koreans, is a combinatio

May 21, 2023

[Rising Virtuosos] With perfectly matched instrument, violist Park seeks to touch hearts and expand musical horizon

Park Ha-yang, a Korean violist, exudes a calm and soft-spoken demeanor. Despite winning several domestic and international competitions since the age of 12, the 26-year-old confesses she isn't particularly fond of competitive environments. Although her parents initially had reservations about their only child pursuing a career in music, they had long created an environment filled with classical music by playing a dedicated radio channel throughout the day. Park's passion for music bega

May 20, 2023

Archives of Korea’s grassroots revolutions added to on UNESCO Memory of the World register

Two historical archives on Korea's historic grassroots revolutions -- the archives of the April 19 Revolution in 1960 and archives of the Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894 -- were added to UNESCO's Memory of the World register Thursday, according to the CHA. The final decision was made during UNESCO' 216th executive board meeting, which is being held in Paris from May 10 to 24. The two historical events are widely recognized for their substantial contributions to the democratizat

May 19, 2023

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Grand Hyatt Seoul offers 'Lemon Verbena Afternoon Tea' with L'Occitane Grand Hyatt Seoul offers “Chilling in Verbena Afternoon Tea”, a special seasonal menu in collaboration with French cosmetics brand L'Occitane from May 15 to July 16. It is inspired by the lemon verbena leaves from L'Occitane's Verbena line as part of the “Verbena Getaway” partnership. The menu offers delicacies such as lemon verbena mousse, a citrus grapefruit tart and a

May 19, 2023

Dance musical 'Dream High' gathers K-pop stars to continue story of hit drama

Twelve years after TV drama "Dream High," featuring Kim Soo-hyun and Bae Suzy, gained enormous popularity with the story of six high school students aspiring to be superstars, a new musical attempts to continue their story. Musical "Dream High" is based on the TV series and used some songs from the original soundtrack, but the story shows the story of the main characters 10 years later. Song Sam-song (played by Kim in the TV series) returns to Kiran Arts High School to find

May 19, 2023

[Well-curated] Nature-inspired crafts, virtual idols pop-up, artistic French dessert

Seek artistic tranquility in nature-inspired crafts For those with an appetite for the intersection of art and nature, Culture Station Seoul 284 in Jung-gu, Seoul is hosting the Korea Crafts and Design Foundation's exhibition, "Another Letter to Nature." Reimagining the 2022 Milan Korean Crafts Exhibition, this display blends human creativity and natural purity, showcasing over 300 works crafted from traditional and modern materials. On entry, Jang Sung's "Given (2023)&q

May 19, 2023

Ill-fated turtle ship replica sold for shockingly low W1.5m

An ill-fated replica of Korea's 16th century turtle-shaped warship was sold for 1.5 million won ($1,100), less than 0.1 percent of the money spent for its creation, officials at Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, said Thursday. According to Geoje, the sale of the recreated Geobukseon took place on Tuesday during the eighth round of bidding, starting from the initial bidding price of 117.5 million won in February last year. Built in 2010 with 2 billion won of taxpayers’ money, the woode

May 18, 2023