Contemporary plays examine Korean diaspora

Five plays written by playwrights of Korean descent will be staged at the National Theater Company of Korea in June and July, contemplating on the identity, family and other issues related to Korean diaspora.Korean Diaspora Session, which opened last Thursday and will continue until July 23, sets the focus on those who often feel alienated.“We were curious as to how the Korean diaspora is retaining their identity as Koreans, or how they are relinquishing it, and how they are changing. I felt tha

June 4, 2017

[Weekender] Beat the heat, get sporty indoors

About a century ago, a Canadian-American teacher was struggling to find a sport his students could play during the harsh New England winter. He decided to take the activity indoors, introducing to the world what came to be known as “basketball.”In the spirit of James Naismith, a growing number of people across the world are enjoying sports that can be done within the comfort and shelter of an indoor space. Traditionally outdoor sports are now being carried out inside as well. In Korea, one of th

June 2, 2017

‘Romeo and Juliet’ retold with wit, humor and dance

The moment Mercutio makes an appearance as a drag queen, you know you are in for a different kind of treat. Director Oh Tae-suk’s interpretation of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” takes on a completely new form; one of Korean traditional madanggeuk (outdoor play and performance) that combines humor and almost musical-like dance performances.Promotion images for “Romeo and Juliet” (National Theater Company of Korea)Staged to the sound of gugak -- traditional Korean music -- the scene ope

May 30, 2017

Relishing a piece of Central Asia in heart of Seoul

Behind the bustling Dongdaemun shopping district in Seoul lie streets teeming with life, a remote replica of the Silk Road in the modern and dynamic Korea. The streets are collectively called the Central Asian street, or the Mongolian street, or the Russian street, depending on whom one asks. Their equivocal names speak of the disparate identities that have left their traces, as well as the diverse industries that throng there.Underneath Cyrillic signboards, people tinker with tools of their tra

May 29, 2017

[Eye Plus] Party for the family

Pets have become an important part of our lives, welcoming us when we return home and showering us with affection at all times, happy or sad. 　To return the unfaltering love, many people turn to lavish things, buying high-end pet food, cool toys and equipment for their pets. But pets do not want material things. They need your time.A new campaign where owners can spend quality time with their pets is gaining traction in South Korea -- the D.Pet Party organized by D.Media & Company and sponsored

May 26, 2017

Searching for inheritors of Korean cultural heritage

Korea has long boasted an abundance of beautiful scenery and rich culture. But the local tourism industry has been trying to offer something more: talented people and their stories. Since 2015, the state-run Korea Tourism Organization has selected dozens of experts in traditional arts for tourism agencies to come up with programs. This has allowed people to experience first-hand the time-tested art and culture of the 4,000-year-old country.The gurus are chosen for their expertise in their respec

May 26, 2017

3,000-year-old grave shows ancient people used fire during burial

South Korean researchers have found remnants of an ancient cave formed around 10th century BC, which suggest Bronze Age people conducted a ritual with fire before burying their dead.Scientists from Yonsei University Museum uncovered a burial site in an ancient cave in Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon Province, where they found bones of at least four people along with relics. The excavation was conducted under the authority of the Cultural Heritage Administration. Human bones recovered at a Bronze Age buri

May 23, 2017

Seoul night market lights up city with delicacies, performances

The nightscape of Seoul offers a wealth of pleasant surprises, one of which is Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market, a special weekend market being held in five locations throughout the city. The night market set up at Seoul Color Park in Yeouido encourages visitors to explore multiple facets of the metropolitan city. It consists of food trucks, handmade craft stores and unique performances. Visitors enjoy the Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market at Seoul Color Park in Yeouido on weekends. (Seoul Bamdokkaeb

May 23, 2017

Culture foundation runs visual contest on Korea

A Seoul-based cultural foundation has opened a photo and video contest about Korea, aimed at piquing interests among foreigners in the country and offering a chance for a dialogue on how to better promote the country abroad.The Corea Image Communications Institute (CICI), which is holding the contest until July 17, said on Tuesday foreigners living in Korea and Koreans who want to publicize what they think is the country's image can submit photos or videos with the themes of "true Korean identit

May 23, 2017

[Weekender] Places fading into memory

Bookstores expand their commercial horizons Bookstores were the intellectual sanctuaries for Korea’s youngsters and libertines, who burned with passion for democracy, prosperity and humanity there from the postwar years through the late 1990s. However, with the explosive rise of the internet and online media, they have fallen prey to become either ancient relics or forgotten memories of yesteryear. By and large, some of the remaining book shops are now cluttered and dusted with outdated wisdom.

May 19, 2017

[Weekender] Old things worth holding on to

“Every memory of looking out the back door/ I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor/ It’s hard to say it/ time to say it/ Goodbye, goodbye,” sings the band Nickelback in its 2005 single “Photograph.”The song was popular in the US and UK, but more than a decade after its release, a disinterested millennial might say to the group’s lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, “What on Earth is a photo album?”Living in 2017, most people would have to think hard to recollect when he or she last held a p

May 19, 2017

International cultural forum holds visual contest

An international cultural forum in Seoul in late summer will assemble the world’s creative opinion leaders to discuss and promote Korean culture, while also inviting foreigners in Korea to take part in a visual contest. The Culture Communication Forum, organized by the Corea Image Communications Institute, will be held on Aug. 29 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, inviting five influential figures from the media, culture and arts sectors. Unlike previous forums, where foreign opinion leaders spent severa

May 16, 2017

Dig suggests human sacrifices during Silla Kingdom

An archaeological dig by the state-run Cultural Heritage Administration has found the bones of two people under ancient palace walls, suggesting that the Silla Kingdom (57 BC to 935) actually had a culture of human sacrifices.The remains of a 166-centimeter tall man and a 159-centimeter person of unspecified gender were found under the west walls of Wolseong Palace in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, according to the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage under the CHA.Aut

May 16, 2017

Daegu to host musical ensembles from ‘Spamalot’ to ‘Polita’

Korea’s hottest city, Daegu, will heat up even more next month as this year’s annual Daegu International Musical Festival will be the most diverse one in its 11 year history, featuring 26 musicals from nine countries across the world including Korea.The 11th DIMF will be held from June 23 to July 10 in major theaters across the metropolitan area. “If the past 10 years had been a period of laying the foundation for the DIMF, the next 10 will be the time when it takes a leap toward becoming a glob

May 16, 2017

[Seoul Saunter] Sharosugil, where exotic eateries rub shoulders with traditional marketplace

Guarding the entrance of Seoul National University, located at the foot of the city’s southwestern mountains, is a monument that looks like a triangle with a pronged pole to its right. Created by rearranging the Korean letters in the school’s name, the sculpture resembles the letters for the sound “sha,” which is why a newly bustling alleyway near the university has come to be called “Sharosugil.”　The street, located behind the large boulevard that stretches in front of Seoul National University

May 15, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Icheon Ceramic Festival Icheon Ceramic Festival introduces visitors to celadon, white porcelain, buncheongware and other premium Korean ceramics along with various hands-on programs.This includes uncovering ceramics and painting on ceramics, the most popular programs. The area is also well-known for hot springs that Joseon kings often visited.The festival is held in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and runs yntuk Sunday.Admission and all programs are free of charge. Visit www.ceramic.or.kr for informa

May 12, 2017

[Eye Plus] Children tell us what happiness is

When flowers are in full bloom, trees are green and spring is in the air, children show us happiness comes from little things. On one sunny day of early May that is the beginning of spring, family theme park Seoul Children’s Grand Park, located in the Gwangjin district of eastern Seoul, was full of children having fun with their parents. Many of them looked happy and laughed out loud, simply running on the grass or smelling the scents of flowers. Some screamed out of excitement on a ride rotatin

May 5, 2017

[Eye] ‘Arirang’ travels the world

After the Iron Curtain fell in 1991, Koreans were free to travel to formerly forbidden countries such as China.The following year, 29-year-old Jin Yong-sun traveled to China looking for traces of “Arirang” in the foreign land.There it was. Deep within the vast continent were remnants of the Korean folk song carried by Koreans relocated there throughout history. Joyful and beautiful, yet there is a hint of longing and tragedy in the unofficial national anthem of Korea.“Tracking down the history (

May 5, 2017