Year of the Tiger: Why tigers have a special place in Koreans’ hearts

After winning the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished children’s book in 2020 with “When You Trap a Tiger,” author Tae Keller said the book was inspired by a folktale that her Korean grandmother used to tell her. The Korean folktale she was referring to was “The Sun and the Moon” that centers on two siblings and a tiger. Keller’s storybook also includes a tiger from a Korean folklore which appeared at a grandmother’s house to find something t

Jan. 2, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Daegeum: Korean bamboo flute hits all the right notes

The large bamboo flute called daegeum, used in traditional Korean music, is uniquely capable of producing a wide range of listening experiences from a single ancient woodwind instrument. Daegeum, a one-of-a-kind woodwind instrument indigenous to Korea, is made from double-groove bamboo, which is an anomaly in bamboo but perfect for making daegeum flutes with thick walls. Because a daegeum is made from natural bamboo, no two instruments are alike. Double-groove bamboo is unlike regular bamboo

Jan. 1, 2022

‘Tidal flat harvesting’ joins National Heritage list

Five months since the official designation of Korea’s “gaetbeol,” or tidal flats, as a UNESCO world heritage, “tidal flat harvesting” has made its way onto the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the Cultural Heritage Administration said. Four tidal flat areas spanning Seocheon in South Chungcheong Province, Gochang in North Jeolla Province, Sinan, Boseong and Suncheon in South Jeolla Province, were collectively inscribed on the World Heritage List in July

Dec. 31, 2021

Religious groups release New Year messages about change

Religious groups in Korea have sent out their New Year messages this week, calling on people to make changes in 2022. The United Churches of Korea, one of the biggest Protestant church associations in South Korea, said Monday in a statement, “The Korean churches must once again restore the purity of the gospel and be reborn as a community that pursues the value of Jesus’ disciple.” The UCCK’s message said that the world’s view and evaluation of churches have becom

Dec. 29, 2021

[Video] What’s the first thing Koreans do on New Year’s day?

2022 is just around the corner! Do you want to know what’s the first thing Koreans do on New Year’s day and how Korean Gen Z wish “Happy New Year”? Don’t worry we got your back. (و ˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و Here are some trendy Korean phrases you can say to your friends in Korea! By Team Konnect Kim Min-jung (minjung.kim@heraldcorp.com) Jung Ji-eun (jungje@heraldcorp.com) Choi Jeong-yoon (jychoi@heraldcorp.com) Kim Jeong-ryul (ryul@heraldcorp.com)

Dec. 29, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] Completing Christmas with Korean fir tree and remembering first Korean Catholic priest

Germans started it, but it was the Americans who perfected the celebration of Christmas in the 20th century. No Christmas would be complete without a Christmas tree, and a native Korean fir, locally called “gusangnamu,” is the preferred choice of Christmas tree in homes across the US and Europe. First encountered by Father Emile Joseph Taquet (1873-1952), a French Catholic missionary, on Hallasan, the main mountain on Jeju Island, in the early 1900s, famed botanist Ernest Henry Wil

Dec. 25, 2021

[Photo News] Net-zero joint market in Daejeon

Social cooperative association Energyhaeyou established the third net-zero joint market in Beop-dong, Daejeon, following its previous establishments in Miho-dong and Gwanjeo-dong. The net-zero movement, or carbon-zero movement, aims to completely neutralize the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity and save the environment primarily by reducing carbon emissions.  Energyhaeyou aims to create a sustainable, safe and clean society by actively expanding its energy conversion m

Dec. 25, 2021

Developers refuse to change plans to build high-rises near UNESCO-listed royal tomb

Daebang Construction on Thursday said it would no longer seek the Cultural Heritage Administration’s approval to build a high-rise apartment complex near the UNESCO-listed royal tomb Jangneung in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. To better protect the scenery of the tomb site, the CHA had ordered a suspension of construction, and asked Daebang Construction to submit new building plans that would lower the height of the new apartments. Daebang Construction is now refusing to submit any modified

Dec. 24, 2021

[Well-curated] Immersive art, nine-tailed fox musical and red teddy bear for Christmas weekend

Arte Museum Gangneung, the largest immersive media art museum in Gangwon Province, opened on Thursday with the theme “Eternal Nature,” presenting 10 media art displays that feature impactful visuals, sensuous sounds and fragrances offering an immersive art experience. The 4,600-square-meter museum is located in Gangneung and is the third immersive museum founded by d’strict, following Art Museum Jeju, which opened in September 2020, and Arte Museum Yeosu, which opened in Augu

Dec. 23, 2021

Christmas market kicks off at DDP

From Thursday, a Christmas market will be set up at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza until the end of the year to celebrate the festive season. Under the theme “The Christmas airport - Travel to Santa’s world,” a total of 40 stalls will be in operation from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m, at Allim Hall 2, located within the plaza. The 2021 Seoul Christmas Market at DDP displays and sells a variety of holiday-related products, including light ornaments and other home decor, as well as accessori

Dec. 22, 2021

What do you know about ‘aegyo’?

The inclusion of “aegyo” among 26 Korean words and phrases added to the Oxford English Dictionary in October brought renewed attention to the word. According to the OED, aegyo is used to describe the “charm and cuteness, especially of a sort considered characteristic of Korean popular culture.” It means behavior regarded as cute, charming or adorable as well. The word is commonly used in association with adorable babies or cute pets. Traditionally, aegyo is associa

Dec. 21, 2021

[Herald Interview] Top musical producer hopes to work with BTS’ V to create global hit

During the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent social distancing measures, musical producer Eom Hong-hyeon may well have been depressed. The CEO of EMK Musical Company, although previously upbeat and outgoing, recalled spending many of his days in despair. This wasn’t without good reason. Just before the pandemic hit, Eom had been planning to launch an office in the US, having been left frustrated and disappointed after meeting renowned musical producers in the

Dec. 20, 2021

[Herald Interview] SAMG vice president says IP holders will be final winners of future metaverse market

At the entrance of Korean content company SAMG Entertainment’s office in Gangnam, characters from the animation “Miniforce” greet visitors. In a company meeting room, a group of toys from various animations catches the eye. But SAMG Entertainment Vice President Choi Jae-won explains that it is not just a toymaker. The Korean animation company started producing toys along with the animations after realizing the value of IP content back in 2016. Since then it has been proving

Dec. 19, 2021

[Eye Interview] Celebrity photographer MJ Kim trains lens on everyday people

Photographer MJ Kim’s life has been a wild roller-coaster ride. From studying film in London to landing a job with singer Paul McCartney, a partnership that would last more than 10 years, to taking photos of everyday people and making an award-winning short film, Kim, 49, has done it all. With irrepressible optimism and enthusiasm. A soft bossa nova tune plays in Kim’s studio, his “man cave,” in the hipster neighborhood of Seongsu-dong in Seoul. The white walls of the ro

Dec. 19, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, founding father of America’s first Koreatown

Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (1878-1938), one of the most prominent and respected leaders of modern Korea, was an epitome of an “intellectual in action” in 20th century Korea. Dosan, the pen name of Ahn Chang-ho, means a mountain rising out of the ocean. It is also the Korean name for the island of Hawaii rising out of the Pacific Ocean, which Dosan saw from his ship on his first trip to the US in 1902. Ahn and his wife, Lee Hye-Ryeon, immigrated to the US in October 1902 as citizens of the

Dec. 18, 2021

[Weekender] Working remotely? Why not from Jeju?

JEJU ISLAND -- When Hong’s company, a marketing consultancy based in Seoul, announced a return to remote working early December, the 31-year-old decided to escape the confines of his studio apartment. After getting permission from his boss, he packed up and left for Jeju, with his laptop in tow. “I had Zoom meetings and phone calls with my boss and other business partners whenever necessary,” Hong told The Korea Herald at a beachside vacation home on the western coastal vil

Dec. 18, 2021

Film industry reacts against 10 p.m. curfew on cinemas

As strengthened COVID-19 measures prevent movie theaters from screening after 10 p.m. starting Saturday, the film industry has strongly opposed the move. Five relevant organizations, including the Producers Guild of Korea and Directors Guild of Korea’s board of directors, issued a joint emergency statement Thursday stating that although they support the government’s revised measures, the industry strongly requests reconsideration of the operating hours for theaters. Under the new

Dec. 17, 2021

Jogyesa Buddhist temple lights up Christmas lanterns

Expressing a wish for harmony and peace among different religions, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism will light up lanterns in front of the main Buddhist temple of Jogyesa in Jongno, central Seoul, to celebrate Christmas, starting at 6 p.m. on Friday. The lanterns will be illuminated through Dec. 28. “Jesus did not discriminate between those who have and those who do not, those who are learned and those who are not and broke barriers in practicing tolerance. We continue to remember this

Dec. 17, 2021

Toughened COVID measures wreak havoc on culture sector

With stricter COVID-19 social distancing measures kicking in on Saturday, 45 days after the country had adopted a plan for a gradual return to normalcy, theaters and the arts sector are bracing for a difficult year-end -- again. From Saturday through Jan. 2, movie theaters, performing arts theaters and internet cafes nationwide will have to close by 10 p.m., while restaurants, bars and cafes are to close at 9 p.m. The film industry, which had been anticipating a recovery starting in November,

Dec. 17, 2021

Court rules to allow construction companies continue building near royal tombs

The court ruled in favor of construction companies embroiled in a suit over construction of high-rise apartment buildings near the UNESCO-listed royal tomb Jangneung, in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday, allowing the construction to continue. On Dec. 10, a Seoul court ruled in favor of the construction companies who were fighting the Cultural Heritage Administration’s order to suspend construction. The state agency then appealed the ruling. If the CHA again appeals the court&rsquo

Dec. 17, 2021