Pianist Kim Su Yeon to present painting-like music

Pianist Kim Su Yeon, the first Asian winner of the Concours Musical International de Montréal, told reporters Tuesday she hopes to broaden her repertoire as Kumho Art Hall’s artist-in-residence for 2023 and meet Korean audiences. Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation, the operator of the venue, selects a classical musician under the age of 30 in the early stages of their career as its artist-in-residence, providing the musician with a regular performance stage. From 2013 to 2022, 10 up

Dec. 28, 2022

Translation app gets restaurant menu upgrade

Naver's translation app Papago has added a service to help tourists understand Korean menus, in partnership with the Culture Ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization. The service is uses the app's image translate function. Users can take a picture of a Korean menu to translate it as normal, but tapping "select all" at the bottom brings up a "Food info" tab, with translations that have been tailored for food, and provides additional information about some of t

Dec. 28, 2022

National Palace Museum sheds light on astronomical instruments of Joseon era

How did people of the Joseon era (1392–1910) observe and understand celestial bodies? National Palace Museum of Korea's new permanent exhibition on the scientific achievements of Joseon aims to answer that question. "Scientific Achievement of the Joseon Dynasty," which opens to the public Tuesday after an extensive renovation, has on display an extensive collection of important astronomical instruments that were used to observe the sky and mark the seasons. Observation o

Dec. 26, 2022

Starbucks aficionados flock to Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market

A Starbucks neon sign hanging on the wall of an old building emits a soft green glow in the midst of street vendors offering seasonal greens and traditional herbal medicines. Young couples and office workers walk past the food stalls surrounded mostly by elderly shoppers looking for a bargain as they head toward a hidden gem in the marketplace -- a new Starbucks store within Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market that just opened last week. Dubbed “Kyungdong 1960,” the new coffee shop is a

Dec. 25, 2022

Gen Z vs Gen Z: How their enemies at work are now themselves

For millennials and Generation Z – those who were born between the early 1980s to early 2010s, respectively – clashing with their bosses at work has been popular material for television comedy in South Korea over the past few years. But recently, the skits took a new turn, with many of them poking fun at how their real enemy at work is not their bosses, but themselves. Saturday Night Live Korea’s new segment “MZ Office” – with “MZ” referring to mil

Dec. 25, 2022

Santa Claus is coming to town? Find out where

St. Nick's world-famous sled, led by Rudolph, has dashed across most of the world and is currently covering the Americas on a daring 24-hour marathon to deliver gifts to children across the world. At least that's what the official NORAD Santa Tracking website, run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, says. The military agency responsible for monitor and defense of the skies above North America has continued the tradition of providing real-time tracking system for Santa Clau

Dec. 25, 2022

[Weekender] Last chance to get into the festive mood

It’s getting colder come evenings, but the crosswalks are bustling with people taking photos. Christmas decorations and lights illuminate the streets and alleys. People flock around the seasonal attractions, enjoying the holiday spirit with friends, lovers and family. Hotels and department stores are in a fierce competition to see who puts up the best, brightest and biggest decorations. Social media is bursting with suggestions on the perfect spot to take photos of popular decorations as w

Dec. 24, 2022

[Well-curated] Christmas fun with rabbits, illuminated lanterns and leather crafts

Celebrate the New Year at the World Trade Center Seoul Looking for a unique way to celebrate the New Year? Visit Korea’s biggest digital display at Coex K-pop Square in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. As 2023 -- the Year of the Black Rabbit -- approaches, the country's largest multiplex cinema chain CGV and Korea International Trade Association are showcasing a 3-D animation video, featuring giant rabbits. Samseong-dong in Seoul, where Coex K-pop Square is located, was declared Korea’s f

Dec. 23, 2022

[Newsmaker] Even in bustling Seoul, you can find ways to spend year-end in peace and quiet

The last week of 2022 is almost here. Most popular restaurants and hotels have been booked for weeks and department stores are packed with people doing last-minute Christmas shopping. People across the country will be getting together for a family dinner or sharing wine with friends in brightly lit bars. However, if all the year-end workplace and family obligations have you tired and worn out, you might consider heading to a calm, peaceful spot where you can reflect on the past year and make pla

Dec. 23, 2022

Paris Opera Ballet to perform in Korea for first time in 30 years

The Paris Opera Ballet is set to perform in Korea for the first time in 30 years, presenting “Giselle,” as part of the LG Arts Center’s signature program “CoMPAS23.” The LG Arts Center, which reopened in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, in October after its relocation from southern Seoul, unveiled the lineup for next year on Wednesday. Contemporary Music and Performing Arts Season, or CoMPAS, is a specially curated series of eight performances by top Korean and internatio

Dec. 22, 2022

KOCCA expands budget to take nation's content industry to global stage

The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) plans to provide active assistance against a highly competitive global content market industry in 2023, with an increased budget plan of 623.8 billion won ($485.1 million) for next year. Although yet to be confirmed by the government, the expected budget is a 14 percent increase from 2022. KOCCA President Jo Hyun-rae announced that the budget will not only be used in strengthening the competitiveness of Korean content in the global intellectual propert

Dec. 21, 2022

Choreographer Ahn Eun-me redefines dance in media art

Today, dance is not solely an art to be enjoyed on stage or through videos. The movements of dancers can be a source of many different online media, said choreographer and contemporary dancer Ahn Eun-me. A one-day exhibition presenting seven media art pieces in Ahn’s six-month project, “Eun Me Pong Festival,” was held at Insa-dong, central Seoul, on Friday. “We wanted to celebrate and have an offline exhibition to have them all in one place,” said Ahn. The celebrate

Dec. 20, 2022

[Photo News] Gimjang volunteers

Honorary members of the Korea Herald’s Global Biz Forum gathered to volunteer for a gimjang kimchi-making event, on Tuesday, at Kim Il-do's barbecue restaurant in Mapo-gu, Seoul. All kimchi made at the event will be delivered to the Gongdeok-dong Community Service Center to help support the elderly in the local community.

Dec. 20, 2022

Address book showing foreign buyers of Korean cultural relics donated to Korea

Three significant historical materials that can help trace the whereabouts of Korean cultural heritage located abroad have been donated to Korea. The donation was made by 97-year-old American collector Robert Mattielli. Among the donated materials is an address book showing foreign clients kept by Samuel W. Lee & Co., an antique art shop in Seoul in operation from the Japanese colonial period through Korean War. Also included are 58 business cards that Mattielli has kept of various art deale

Dec. 20, 2022

[Herald Review] Last Joseon royal banquet brought back to life

The year 1902 was a turbulent time for the Korean Empire. King Gojong declared a change of name for the country from Joseon to Daehan Empire, or Korean Empire, in 1897, in what would turn out to be a futile effort to protect the country's sovereignty against foreign powers. Emperor Gojong oversaw partial modernization and westernization of the country but the Daehan Empire was weak among the world’s great powers. Hoping to consolidate the imperial rule and dignity through a demonstrat

Dec. 19, 2022

Creative content industry grows 7% in first half, KOCCA report

South Korea's creative content sales rose 7 percent in the first half of the year amid overseas expansion and eased COVID-19 curbs, the Korea Creative Content Agency said Monday. The combined sales by 11 sectors of the creative content industry, including film, music, webtoon and more, came to a total of 66.9 trillion won ($50.8 billion) in the first half of the year, compared with 62.5 trillion won in the same period a year earlier, according to data compiled by the agency. Sales from mo

Dec. 19, 2022

[Feature] How Christmas evolved into a day for merrymaking in Korea

When Christmas nears, cities are decorated with sparkling lights and Christmas trees are set up everywhere. Young people get excited as they plan where to go on Christmas Eve with friends and lovers. They search for holiday spots where they can take photos for their social media accounts, to show that they are enjoying the holiday spirit. Considering the origin of Christmas – a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus – some may wonder about when South Koreans began celebr

Dec. 17, 2022

Culture Ministry recommends Korea's must-see spots

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization have unveiled the 100 Must-visit Tourist Spots in Korea list for the years 2023 to 2024. The list is updated every two years, with the aim to introduce and promote Korea's tourism to both Koreans and foreigners. The latest list includes a total of 61 cultural attractions and 39 natural attractions. By region, 24 destinations are located in the greater Seoul area, 10 in Gangwon Province, 13 in Chungcheong provinces, 1

Dec. 17, 2022

National Folk Museum holds exhibition 'Year of the Rabbit'

In celebration of the upcoming “Year of the Rabbit,” the National Folk Museum of Korea is hosting a special exhibition on rabbits. "Here Comes a Rabbit" exhibition interprets the folkloric symbolism of rabbits through some 70 collections of rabbit-themed art pieces and books. The exhibition explains how rabbits inspired old proverbs, traditional folktales and novels. The fourth of the 12 animals in the zodiac, the rabbit is often depicted in Korean folktales and proverbs a

Dec. 16, 2022

[Well-curated] Art, sledding and space shows this weekend

If you can't make it to New York to see American figurative artist Alex Katz’s eight-decade retrospective at Guggenheim Museum, you have a chance to view some of the artist’s works in Seoul at the exhibition “Reflection” at Espace Louis Vuitton Seoul. The exhibition is the third presentation of the renowned artist’s works at the exhibition space located on the fourth floor of Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul, the French luxury brand’s flagship store in Gangnam-gu, s

Dec. 16, 2022