[Herald Interview] Pianist Kim Sunwook at turning point

South Korean pianist Kim Sunwook is swapping out his usual repertoire of Beethoven and Brahms for the upcoming recitals to play pieces that were formative in his youth. “For this recital, I wanted to take a break from Beethoven and Brahms, which I played numerous time in the 14 years of my career,” the 34-year-old pianist said, adding that he is facing a turning point as a musician.  Kim's history with these pieces is highlighted by a performance of Brahms’

May 12, 2022

Seoul Intl. Book Fair to open next month

This year's Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) will kick off next month to guide book lovers through the latest news and trends in the publishing industry at home and abroad, its organizers said Thursday. The SIBF 2022, the country's biggest annual book fair, is set to run from June 1-5 at the Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul under the theme of "One Small Step," according to the Korean Publishers Association. Colombia will participate in this year's event as the gue

May 12, 2022

Royal Culture Festival kicks off with modernized rites, music performances

The 2022 Royal Culture Festival’s opening performance was held at Heungnyemun Square in Gyeongbokgung, on Tuesday evening, after having gone virtual for two years due to the pandemic.　 Jointly hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palace and Tombs Center and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, the spring edition of the biannual festival is being held under the theme of “Narye and Yeonhui“ through May 22. The festival centers around royal court ritua

May 11, 2022

Korea Quiz (2) Squid Man

　Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related.    Answer: b 　 　Netflix’s megahit series “Squid Game” didn’t just happen to have the ocean creature in its name. 　In South Korea, the invertebrate makes frequent appearances at school cafeterias, pubs and on dinner tables at home as a dish loved by people of all ages. 　In recent years, people use the word to jokingly describe one’s facial f

May 11, 2022

Cheong Wa Dae hosts grand opening party

Cheong Wa Dae opened its doors to the public on Tuesday soon after Yoon Suk-yeol, a former prosecutor general, was sworn in as South Korea’s 20th president.  　The opening of the gates to Cheong Wa Dae was broadcast live as part of the presidential inauguration ceremony, bringing an end to its function as the office and residence of 12 Korean presidents, from President Syngman Rhee to President Moon Jae-in, since the establishment of the Republic of Korea in 1948. 　Jongmyo Jerye

May 10, 2022

[Photo News] Carnations for Parent’s Day

On the afternoon of Friday, just two days before Parent’s Day, a flower shop at Namdaemun Market in Jung-gu, Seoul, is crowded with people buying carnation flowers as a gift for their parents. Parents’ Day in South Korea was established in 1973, replacing the Mother‘s Day previously marked on May 8, and includes diverse public and private celebrations. In South Korea, Koreans seek to honor their parents by gifting them carnations. It is a practice in Korea for students to pr

May 7, 2022

[Photo News] Celebrating the Birth of Buddha

On the morning of Friday, two days before the anniversary of Buddha’s birth, Buddhists perfume the image of Buddha as part of a ceremony to commemorate the baby Buddha’s arrival at Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Buddhists chant prayers under colorful lanterns. Buddhists chant prayers under colorful lanterns. Officials of Jogyesa Temple put name tags under colorful lanterns as Buddhists and their families watch. Buddhists pray as they walk around the tower. Buddhists perform

May 7, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Reaching enlightenment, perfection of wisdom through Chamseon

Koreans celebrate the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, better known in Korea as Shakyamuni Buddha, on Chopail, a public holiday on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, which falls on May 8 this year. Some of life’s questions for humanity have always been “Who am I?” and “Where am I going?” In Korean Buddhism, Chamseon, which means participating in Seon meditation, the goal is to reach enlightenment. “You must know who you are first, before you know where y

May 7, 2022

[Scholars and their Spaces] Sowing the seeds of Korean Neo-Confucianism, Yi Saek and Munheonsewon

“Sitting in a well, looking at the sky and saying it is a small sky.” This great saying comes from the impressive story of how Yi Saek overpowered the Chinese who ignored him because he came from a small Korean kingdom called Goryeo and because of his poor Chinese skills. This writing shows Yi’s profound learning of Chinese literature and masterful writing as well as Korea’s neo-Confucian identity. In fact, he was such a great writer that he was tasked with reviewing

May 6, 2022

[Well-curated] For Parents’s Day, head to Yangjae Flower Market Center for freshest cut carnations

Parents’ Day in South Korea falls on May 8, a day that is usually celebrated with the family. One may have a family gathering to catch up with each other and express gratitude to their parents. To get the freshest cuts of carnations, the flowers that are typically presented to parents, head to Yangjae Flower Market Center in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, which is the largest wholesale flower market in Seoul that houses a total of 430 shops. It is located near the Yangjae Citizen Forest Stat

May 6, 2022

Learn cultural heritage at Saturday workshops

In hopes of promoting intangible cultural heritage to the public, the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, is holding special workshops onsite every Saturday until November. The program is divided into three sections -- outdoor folklore games, traditional handicraft workshops, and intangible heritage in everyday life. Visitors can learn traditional games, including arrow-throwing “tuho,” traditional board game “yutnori,” “jegichagi

May 5, 2022

Dine like a king at Gyeongbokgung starlight tour

Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon royal palace, will host its spring season starlight tour from May 18 to 29. Organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, the tour takes visitors through the northern area of Gyeongbokgung, where they can enjoy a dining experience, watch a traditional music performance and go for a stroll under the stars by the moonlit palace. Tours will be held twice a day starting at 6:40 p.m. an

May 4, 2022

Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute makes splash at World Forestry Congress

The Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute is participating in the 15th World Forestry Congress, which runs at Seoul’s Coex for five days until Friday. The institute’s chairperson Ryu Kwang-soo said, “I hope the World Forestry Congress will serve as an opportunity to directly or indirectly experience the arboretum and garden cultures designed by the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute.” At the conference the institute will have exhibition booths of its arboretum, botan

May 3, 2022

Legoland ready to open, but historical artifacts nearby ‘neglected’

 After 11 years of numerous obstacles and criticisms, the Lego blocks are finally stacked and Legoland Korea Resort is ready to open on Children’s Day. However, historical artifacts found near the site and the surrounding areas -- the source of opposition to the theme park in Chungcheon, Gangwon Province -- remain neglected inside plastic greenhouses. As Legoland Korea Resort’s Thursday grand opening nears, the amusement park is under fire once again for dragging its feet wit

May 3, 2022

Museums hold special exhibitions for Children’s Day

Four national museums across Seoul will be holding exhibitions and events to mark Children’s Day on May 5 and the family month of May. This year marks the centennial of Children’s Day, established in 1922 by Bang Jeong-hwan, a children’s rights activist and a pioneering children’s literature writer. The National Museum of Korea will hold an activity-based exhibition titled “The Child in All of Us” from Tuesday, at the Special Exhibition Gallery of the Childr

May 2, 2022

[Photo News] Lotus Lantern Parade lights up Seoul

The Lotus Lantern Parade, one of the highlights of Yeondeunghoe, illuminates Seoul’s Jongno district Saturday evening.  Starting at Heunginjimun, the parade proceeded to Jogyesa, a Buddhist temple in central Seoul. This year marked the first Yeondeunghoe after its UNESCO listing in December 2020.  More than 35,000 faithfuls participated in this year’s parade, according to the Yeondeunghoe Preservation Committee. By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)

May 1, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Korean bullfight tradition turns into hanwoo sports and sport betting

Cattle have long been an important part of Korean culture as members of the workforce, as Korea has traditionally been an agrarian society.　 Only well-to-do families owned cattle. Owning a cow or bull back then is equivalent to owning a tractor these days.　 Cattle has been widely seen as liquid assets, as rural Korean families often sold cattle to cover their children’s university education costs.　 Before modern commercial feed became available, feeding cooked meals to “hanwoo&rdq

April 30, 2022

[Well-curated] Catch Berlin film fest winner, street performances this weekend

Have you ever wondered what makes award-winning movies so special? Then try watching director Hong Sang-soo’s 27th feature, “The Novelist’s Film,” in theaters this weekend. The 92-minute long black-and-white film, which was shot in March last year, won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at Berlin International Film Festival in February. Hong’s movie follows female novelist Jun-hee (Lee Hye-young) who goes to a bookstore run by an old friend with whom she has fallen

April 29, 2022

Lotus lantern festival lights up after two-year break

In celebration of Buddha’s 2,566th birthday which falls on May 8 this year, major Buddhist temples and the Cheonggye Stream area in central Seoul have been lit up with thousands of lotus lanterns. Although the official Yeondeunghoe, the lantern lighting festival, will be held for three days starting Friday, the festive mood will continue on with most lanterns staying lit through May 10. In December 2020, Yeondeunghoe was officially inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific

April 29, 2022

Street performances throughout Seoul

Spring offers the perfect weather for enjoying street performances. Taking advantage of the warm sunshine and to support street performers, the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture has organized a festival dedicated to various street arts ranging from puppet shows to a percussions concert. 　From April 23 to May 22, events take place every weekend from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at different places. For this weekend’s edition, Seoul Forest will be the center stage for nine performances. 　“

April 28, 2022