Pianist Cho Seong-jin to play with Simon Rattle and Berliner Philharmoniker

Rising young pianist Cho Seong-jin will be featured in the upcoming Seoul concert of Sir Simon Rattle and his Berliner Philharmoniker in the November concert in Seoul.Cho will be replacing Lang Lang, who was to join the renowned English conductor but pulled out due to injury. “Following Lang Lang’s cancellation for the tour, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon discussed possible program changes and substitutes with the presenters,” the orchestra said.  Cho Seong-jin (Kumho Asiana Cultural

Oct. 15, 2017

Intangible cultural heritage to be exhibited in Jeonju

Pansori, Arirang, traditional dancing and crafts that define Korea’s traditional culture will be on display from Oct. 26-29 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.The Festival of Korean Intangible Cultural Heritages 2017 will be held under the theme of “Generation after Generation,” according to the National Intangible Heritage Center, which is co-hosting the event with the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.“The event’s goal is for participants to recognize the value of the intangibles that our ances

Oct. 12, 2017

2017 Michelin Guide Gourmet Fair to open in Seoul

Michelin Guide Seoul will organize a gourmet fair in Seoul from Oct. 28-29, gathering together the restaurants introduced on last year’s Seoul edition of the gastronomical guide. The three-starred La Yeon of The Shilla Seoul Hotel will participate in the fair alongside 18 other restaurants, including French restaurant L’amitie, modern Italian restaurant Ristorante Eo, modern Korean restaurant Mingles, and Chef Tony Yoo -- formerly of one-starred modern Korean restaurant Twenty Four Seasons.The f

Oct. 12, 2017

Non-verbal show Nanta's theater will close due to lack of Chinese tourists

Popular non-verbal show “Nanta” will close one of its exclusive theaters in central Seoul as the number of Chinese tour groups, its main customers, plummeted due to a diplomatic feud between Seoul and Beijing over a US anti-missile system, its production company said Tuesday.PMC Production said it will close the Chungjeongno theater, one of four “Nanta” theaters in the country, at the end of this year.The theater has been heavily used by Chinese tour groups. (PMC Production)“We‘ve notified the b

Oct. 10, 2017

‘Aegyo,’ ‘maknae’: How Korean words make up the unique vocabulary of K-pop fans

Using Korean words has risen as a trend among K-pop and K-drama fans worldwide. Certain words and slang that recur frequently in Korean popular culture are being incorporated into the everyday language of fans. Such words include “oppa,” the term females use to affectionately call older males, and “aegyo,” which refers to a display of cuteness. Korean words are sometimes altered for an English-friendly spelling and pronunciation. “Kyeopta” (originally pronounced “gwiyeopda”) means “that’s cute,”

Oct. 9, 2017

Events held to celebrate 571st Hangeul Day

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a wide range of events to celebrate the 571st Hangeul Day on Monday.(Yonhap)Commemorating King Sejong’s pioneering move to create the Korean alphabet, more than 30 art and cultural organizations took part in “Hangeul Cultural Festival 2017,” featuring exhibitions, performances, conferences and contests in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square. (Yonhap)Some 50 contenders clad in traditional hanbok showed off their Hangeul competence in a writing contest, whil

Oct. 9, 2017

LA to host 44th Hallyu festival

The 44th LA Korean Festival is set to take place from Thursday through Sunday at the Seoul International Park in Los Angeles, California. The yearly free festival celebrates the ‘Korean wave’ known as Hallyu. The organizing Los Angeles Korean Festival Foundation emphasized that the event not only showcases Korean culture but also provides an arena for various cultures within LA to come together. Over 300,000 people are anticipated to come to this year’s event. During the four days, the visitors

Oct. 9, 2017

Korean rappers MCing in mother tongue

From Jay-Z and Eminem to Kendrick Lamar, the biggest names in hip-hop rap in English – naturally, given that the genre was born in the US. And as most Korean rappers cite American influence, their style inevitably reflects this, with a lot of their lyrics either being in English or using English words. But a few are resisting the temptation, writing rhymes exclusively in Korean.“If hip-hop music starts from wanting to express oneself as he or she is, I thought it was only natural that a Korean w

Oct. 8, 2017

Sex, edgy content sells in 1-person online media

“The one with the smallest buttocks has to drink, on a viewer vote.”Three men and three women dance and show off their behinds in front of the camera as part of an internet broadcast.The drinking game is followed by the gang hosting variety of risque games and conversations with none of the profanity or sexual content being edited out.The show by BJ -- broadcasting jockey -- Chulgoo is part of a growing fad for “makjang” entertainment, a Korean slang term for anything deemed to have gone “too fa

Oct. 6, 2017

Gender is new battleground in culture wars

With a wave of films, television series and art shows championing "gender fluidity" -- and catwalks awash with "gender neutral" models and clothes -- the old dividing line between the sexes is being increasingly called into question.But as the blurring of boundaries has gone from the margins to being a progressive cause, the political temperature of the debate has risen sharply.Gender fluidity has become a hot-button issue in the culture wars between liberals and conservatives, often reduced to

Oct. 6, 2017

Demand surges for Nobel winner's works in native Japan: publisher

The Japanese publisher of Nagasaki-born Kazuo Ishiguro said Friday it would republish eight of the British author's books in translation, reporting "a huge number of orders" after he won the Nobel Literature Prize.Ishiguro left Japan when he was five and moved to Britain, only returning to visit his native land as an adult three decades later.Japan had been pinning its hopes on its best-known novelist Haruki Murakami to win the Nobel Prize but eagerly claimed a link to the  British winner with J

Oct. 6, 2017

K-pop agencies move beyond music

Listening to K-pop through digital media is no longer enough for many K-pop fans, as they are now demanding contact, either direct or indirect, with the stars in real life. Catering to those needs, major Korean agencies have been establishing multimedia complexes where fans can indulge in K-pop in ways other than music.  G-Dragon appears on a promotion video of Jeju Shinhwa Wolrd (Jeju Shinhwa World)At the forefront of this new K-pop business is YG Entertainment, which is preparing to launch a t

Oct. 5, 2017

[Weekender] Hop on the subway to delve into K-pop, nature and history

With a long Chuseok holiday starting this Saturday, it’s almost certain that roads and highways will be jam-packed with honking cars. Rather than stress out sitting in crawling traffic, there is another option for a getaway: Hop on the subway, roam around Seoul and visit places you’ve never been. For your convenience, The Korea Herald has sorted Seoul attractions that are reachable by subway.K-pop hot spots  K-Live (Korea Tourism Organization)For fans of K-pop, there are spots around Seoul where

Sept. 29, 2017

[Weekender] Holiday getaway near metropolis

The long holiday is an opportune time to take leave of the mundane city life for an exciting getaway. The problem is that everyone else thinks so too, and getting transportation or accommodation for a trip can be near impossible. Majority of the Korean population is expected to move during the upcoming Chuseok holiday, which will be 10 days long including the weekends, and nobody likes being stuck in traffic for 10 hours.For those residing in Seoul, finding things to do within a stone’s throw fr

Sept. 29, 2017

[Weekender] Alone on Chuseok holiday?

Koreans this year will enjoy the longest Chuseok holiday ever, stretching from Sept. 30 until Oct. 9 for many people. And many young Koreans are opting to spend at least a portion of the mini-vacation alone, surveys show. Six out of 10 twenty-somethings said they will be spending the holiday alone, according a survey of 1,190 people conducted by part-time job listing portal site Alba Chunkuk Tuesday. The reasons behind the solo-holiday were part-time jobs at 27.2 percent and the stress of relati

Sept. 29, 2017

Oldest recorded Arirang to be on display in Seoul

“Arirang” is the most well-known and beloved folk song in Korea, and a festival next month will feature the oldest recorded version of the song dating back to the 19th century.Among the highlights of the fifth annual Seoul Arirang Festival, which will be held at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul from Oct. 13-15, will be an exhibition of 60 pieces of recording devices and cylinder recordings of various versions of “Arirang.” The phonograph, a device that uses cylinders to record and reproduce sounds, is

Sept. 27, 2017

‘Korean agencies need to adopt US business style’

When in the United States, do as the Americans do: James Minor, a music manager of the South by Southwest festival, believes that Korean agencies should adjust to how the local people do business in order to succeed in the US terrain. Having served as a general manager of the Austin-based international music festival for six years, Minor said there are major differences between the business styles of Korea and the US, with the key for those Korean agencies’ success in the US being “overcoming th

Sept. 26, 2017

[Graphic News] United States leads global music industry

　According to the IFPI Global Music Report 2016, the United States’ music industry generated $4.9 trillion in 2015, ranking top in the world. 　Japan’s music industry generated $2.63 trillion in 2015, ranking second behind the US. Meanwhile, South Korea’s music industry generated $266 billion in the same year. 　The following are the 10 largest music industries in the world, according to data from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.

Sept. 26, 2017

1,000-year-old flushing toilet found in Silla remains

Archaeological remains of a bathroom equipped with a flushing toilet used during the Silla Kingdom (57 BC to 935) have been discovered, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday.The state-run body has been conducting a dig since 2007 at the remains of Donggung and Wolji Pond in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, which was home to key government buildings of the ancient kingdom.Among the relics revealed Tuesday were toilets and a plumbing system. The toilets were tilted so that excretio

Sept. 26, 2017