Retired looters help police find stolen artifacts

South Korean police nabbed some 90 people and seized hundreds of stolen artifacts in a sweeping, nationwide investigation into the looting, forgery and smuggling of artifacts, the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency said. Not only investigators, but heritage experts and even retired looters joined hands in the search, which ran from August to October.   Looted artifacts seized by police in a recent investigation are on display at a police briefing Wednesday at the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency

Nov. 5, 2015

Get ready for total immersive K-pop

JUNGMUN, Jejudo Island -- In complete silence and inside a dark theater, light beams down from above and merges to form the image of K-pop singer G-Dragon. G-Dragon’s “Awake” hologram concert at Play K-Pop (Park Hyong-ki/The Korea Herald)Then a concert begins, with the holographic G-Dragon singing, rapping and dancing his way through hits such as “Fantastic Baby.” With large-screen displays on the side of the theater showing dynamic visual images of his dancers dancing to the rhythm, spectators

Nov. 4, 2015

Webtoons eye overseas markets

Once considered “hazardous” to the young, comics in Korea are having their moment in the sun with webtoons, or web comics, hailed as holding the potential to become the country’s next driver of hallyu, or the Korean Wave. “In the ’80s, comics were considered bad and were burnt. But now, they are being displayed at special exhibitions and events, representing Korea’s culture in the world,” Lee Chung-ho, president of the Korea Cartoonists Association, said at the 15th Cartoons Day event in Seoul o

Nov. 4, 2015

[Weekender] Interview: Redesigned space for upcycled art

A few minutes’ walk from the entrance of Gwangmyeong Cave in Gyeonggi Province stands the Gwangmyeong Upcycle Art Center, which opened in June. The Korea Herald got a look around the center’s two buildings -- one for exhibitions and one for hands-on classes and seminars -- with Suzy Kang, the executive director of Gwangmyeong City’s Cultural Regeneration Project Team, which oversees the center’s operations.“This is the first physical space in Korea devoted to the idea of upcycling,” Kang said. 

Oct. 30, 2015

‘Gain life’s wisdom from King Sejong, nature’

Whenever people find themselves in trouble, in conflict or in depression, Lee Bae-yong, the president of the Academy of Korean Studies encourages them to look to and study history.Lessons, cases and events from the past can boost one’s insight and help develop inner wisdom and solutions for the future, she says.Lee Bae-yong, president of the Academy of Korean Studies  (Academy of Korean Studies)When Lee talks about history, she is not just talking about general Korean history.She is specifically

Oct. 30, 2015

[Newsmaker] Pianist Cho, Korea's newest classical music icon

Cho Seong-jin, the winner of the Chopin piano competition, is a new classical music icon in Korea, setting recording history even before the release of his first solo album. 　The 21-year-old pianist’s upcoming album – a live recording of his performances at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Poland – was the top seller across all music genres at Kyobo Bookstore, the country’s largest book seller, as of 3 p.m. Tuesday -- a feat that no other classical musician has come ev

Oct. 27, 2015

Renowned museum directors gather for forum in Yeongwol

Yeongwol International Museum Forum, one of the biggest academic events in the field of museum, will be held in the scenic county of Yeongwol, Gangwon Province. The third edition of the forum invites leaders of public museums in 34 countries, including Japan, Vietnam, Australia, China, Ethiopia and Uganda, to share their insights on this year’s theme “National Policy and Role of Museum in Society” from Oct. 28-30. The biennial forum, which began in 2011, is expected to be held annually with incr

Oct. 26, 2015

[Weekender] Web fiction sees renaissance

It started out in the mid-’90s.Web fiction -- written works of literature available primarily or solely on the Web -- began small and intimate on online community sites when people -- amateur writers -- began uploading fan fiction of their favorite stars, romance or fantasy stories for hobbies. Some novelists, who never got a chance at publication, also used this medium under different pen names. In early 2000, Web fiction, then dubbed “Internet novel,” reached its peak, inspiring film adaptatio

Oct. 23, 2015

The best of hallyu in 2 decades

Psy, Big Bang and TVXQ are among the five acts that best represent K-pop, according to a recent survey on the nation’s best hallyu content of all time. According to the Korea Creative Content Agency, which released the poll Tuesday, the remaining two in the top five K-pop acts are Girls’ Generation and BoA; while the list for most popular Korean TV dramas and shows to-date are: “Jewel in the Palace,” “Winter Sonata,” “My Love from the Star,” “Autumn in My Heart” and reality TV show “Running Man.

Oct. 20, 2015

[Weekender] Bicycle clubs build bridges for human relations

In today’s fast-paced and competitive society, it is quite a challenge to keep in touch with people we cherish.  The rising popularity of bicycles has made bicycle clubs a potential solution for quenching our thirst for human affection by forming new relationships. Such clubs, which often offer a family-like atmosphere, come with the added benefit of staying fit and healthy at the same time. Since riding in groups requires strong teamwork at times, especially on rough routes, it is often said to

Oct. 16, 2015

[Weekender] Cycling to work in need of systematic support

As the seasons turn and fall comes into full swing, the streets are seeing more office workers commuting on bicycles. 　A recent poll conducted by job searching portal www.career.co.kr showed that 30 percent of office workers from a randomly selected pool of 440 people commuted on bicycles. The benefit of daily exercise and cost-efficiency of the man-powered vehicle were cited as the two major reasons for cycling to work. Park’s shot of a fellow cyclist returning home from work　Civil servant Park

Oct. 16, 2015

[Weekender] Peer pressure main cause of burgeoning bike thefts in Korea

As bikes become more popular, and pricey, bicycle-related crimes are also on the rise. 　 A few weeks ago, Lee Sung-jae, a 25-year-old university student, parked his bicycle on a public bike rack close to Seoul’s Wangsimni Station, safely padlocked. When he got back to the rack the next day, however, what he found was his precious bicycle completely knocked over and without the front wheel. 　 “I had to carry my bicycle without a wheel all the way back home that day,” he said.

Oct. 16, 2015

Chrysanthemum flower festivals in the offing

A string of various regional events and festivals promoting the beauty of chrysanthemum flowers will be held across the country beginning next week. Children play with chrysanthemum flowers at Sanglim Park in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)Hampyeong Grand Chrysanthemum Festival in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, will kick off the country’s first chrysanthemum event on Oct. 23, going for 17 days at the Hampyeong Expo Park.The festival, which was launched in 2004, will have various

Oct. 15, 2015

Buddha statue, circa 9th century Korea, found

A Buddha statue found at a temple site in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, on Wednesday. (Yonhap)A Buddha statue, presumed to date back to the ninth century, has been found in Korea in what archeologists say may be an important new discovery to understanding ancient Buddhist art. The gilt bronze statue, measuring over 50 centimeters in height, was discovered at a temple site in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, where a stone pagoda and other Buddhist relics had earlier been uncovered. “According to experts

Oct. 15, 2015