French Embassy starts off year with cultural outreach

The French Embassy in Seoul kicked off its signature book recital event Saturday, heralding a number of cultural activities scheduled for this year for the local audience. The second edition of the annual Rendez-vous a Seoul mainly involves having visitors recite anything written in French, from books to periodicals. It is an occasion for advancing the traditions that value reading and sharing, according to an embassy official. “The French government first started this program eight years

Jan. 29, 2024

Bond with Ethiopia lives on in Chuncheon

CHUNCHEON, Gangwon Province -- Chuncheon is one of South Korea’s most sought-after tourist destinations, where travelers can enjoy extensive mountain ridges, breathtaking views of the Soyang River, stylish cafes and the bold neon signs of restaurants. What may surprise some visitors to the area is the signage of an unfamiliar street name which reads “Ethiopia-gil,” meaning "Ethiopia Road" in Korean, in Geunhwa-dong, central Chuncheon. Streets in South Korea are typica

Jan. 27, 2024

Govt. to cover costs of preserving cultural property at construction sites

Starting next year, the Cultural Heritage Administration will cover the costs of preserving buried cultural property found during construction projects, according to a revised bill that passed the National Assembly on Thursday. Until now, the CHA has managed such buried cultural properties under certain conditions, such as when a construction project has had to be completely called off due to the discovery of important pieces of cultural heritage. In that case, the government and local authoriti

Jan. 26, 2024

Red plum blossoms at Hwaeomsa named natural monument

The red plum blossoms at Hwaeomsa, a temple on the slopes of Jirisan in South Jeolla Province, have been designated as a natural monument, Hwaeomsa said Thursday. Hwaeomsa is one of the 25 head temples run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. The temple is recognized as a cultural heritage site, as it is already home to two other natural monuments -- a winter-flowering cherry tree (natural monument No. 38) and wild plum blossoms (natural monument No. 485) -- as well as five national treasures

Jan. 26, 2024

[Well-curated] Test out guitars, explore old photos and drink coffee on airplane

Explore guitars at Guitarnet Showroom While enjoying a weekend stroll through Apgujeong, visit the Guitarnet Showroom, where you can feast your eyes on an array of colorful guitars. Just a 5 to 7-minute walk from Apgujeongrodeo Station's Exit No. 6 on the Suin-Bundang Line, the oval-shaped, dark gray store cannot be missed after making a right turn at the Hana Bank. Insa-dong’s Nagwon Instrument Arcade, also known as the Nagwon Music Mall, is widely considered to be a musicians&#

Jan. 26, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

Grand Hyatt Seoul presents American prime beef promotion Grand Hyatt Seoul’s Steak House has launched new promotions to taste top-rated American prime beef, starting from Monday. Collaborating with the US Meat Export Federation, the top-rated American beef is dry-aged with Bourbon whiskey flavor and roasted in a charcoal oven. The restaurant offers porterhouse, T-bone and L-bone steaks with a glass of wine to bring up the flavor for the whole table. The steaks are offered with a price of

Jan. 26, 2024

Composer Chin Unsuk receives prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Prize

South Korean composer Chin Unsuk was awarded this year's International Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, a prestigious award that honors a composer, performer or musicologist who has made a distinguished contribution to the world of music, according to the Tongyeong International Music Festival, Thursday. Chin is the first Asian and fifth woman to receive the main prize since it was first given in 1974. Chin has shown new paths in contemporary music and has captivated a broad audience, annou

Jan. 25, 2024

Plans to bolster webtoon industry lead to jump in shares of webtoon firms

Shares of South Korean webtoon platforms soared Wednesday following the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's announcement a day earlier to aggressively ramp up support for the growth of the nation's webtoon industry. Shares of Korean webtoon and web novel platform Mr. Blue closed at 2,865 won ($2.14), a 29.93 percent jump from the previous trading day. Shares of Korean webtoon platform KidariStudio closed at 6,510 won, showing a 4.49 percent increase from Tuesday, while shares of

Jan. 24, 2024

National Museum of Korea to ramp up outreach for 2024

Bringing some of the finest artworks to those less privileged or living in remote areas is a goal the National Museum of Korea intends to pursue this year, among other priorities, the state-run institution said Wednesday. “Last year, our museums, including us and all the 13 spread across the country, set a milestone, breaking through the 10-million mark in annual attendance,” said Yoon Sung-yong, director general of the NMK, during a press conference on Wednesday. The museum will bui

Jan. 24, 2024

[Herald Interview] After dream come true in 'Les Miserables,' Lumina begins real journey

On Tuesday evening, the 112th performance of the third run of the musical “Les Miserables” took place at Blue Square in Seoul. During the intermission, a couple in seats in the 10th row discussed whether Eponine was biracial, while two other women in the same row, seemingly in their 50s, praised her singing. Eponine is a character from Victor Hugo's 1862 novel "Les Miserables." Despite being the daughter of the unscrupulous Thenardiers, she assists her friend Marius, w

Jan. 24, 2024

Apple Music Classical launches in Korea

Apple Music’s app exclusively for classical music launched in Korea on Wednesday with the endorsement of South Korean star pianists Lim Yun-chan, Cho Seong-jin, Son Yeol-eum and more. South Korean musicians who collaborate with Apple Music Classical expressed their expectations for the new platform. Son said, "I believe it will be a valuable platform that significantly contributes to classical music becoming not just the music of past eras but our music today." "Streaming pr

Jan. 24, 2024

[Rising Virtuosos] 'Nerd' pianist Kim Jun-hyung unveils artistic vision at Kumho

It was early morning when Munich-based pianist Kim Jun-hyung received a phone call from Kumho Art Hall at Yonsei University. Over the phone, the second-prize winner of the 2022 ARD International Music Competition’s piano category was invited to be Kumho Art Hall’s artist-in-residence for 2024. Kim, a night owl who goes to sleep at 4 or 5 in the morning, couldn’t fall back to sleep. As the artist-in-residence, he would be given a chance to design his own program for four concert

Jan. 23, 2024

PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation touts campaign to empower youth

For South Korea, the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, the first-ever Winter Games the country hosted, spotlighted a decadeslong push to raise Korea’s global profile as a nation that is as much invested in giving back to the international community as it is in advancing its interests. The PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation looks to build on that legacy as it searches for its role in empowering youth, after the two-week Winter Youth Olympics kicked off Friday in Gangwon Province. Korea is the firs

Jan. 23, 2024

Producer Shin Chun-soo’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ to open on Broadway in March

"The Great Gatsby," a musical production by South Korean producer Shin Chun-soo, will open at the Broadway Theatre in New York in March. After the one-month pre-Broadway run from Oct. 12 to Nov. 12 last year at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, Shin’s company, the OD Company, decided to bring the musical, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel of the same title, to Broadway. The preview will run from March 29 before it officially kicks off on April 25. Jer

Jan. 22, 2024

Royal palace festival to offer better access for anniversary

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the annual K-Royal Culture Festival will offer more convenient access to visitors. For the first time, foreign nationals will be able to buy tickets themselves online via a designated link for the annual event involving the five main palaces in Seoul connected with the Joseon era (1392-1910), according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday. The CHA is also planning to sell 10,000 all-pass tickets, up from the previous 1,000. The all-pass ticket offer

Jan. 22, 2024

Chile university opens space dedicated to Korea

A private university in Chile has opened a space dedicated to learning about Korea, bringing the tally of such spaces worldwide to 34, the Culture Ministry said Friday. The state-run National Library of Korea provided the materials for the space. “Window on Korea,” as the space is officially named, at la Universidad Central de Chile has some 1,607 books about Korea. The university is the only institution offering a master’s degree in Korean Studies in all of Central and South A

Jan. 21, 2024

Winter Youth Olympics kicks off in Gangwon

The Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games kicked off Friday evening with a grand opening ceremony at the Gangneung Oval, some 160 kilometers east of Seoul, and PyeongChang Dome in Gangwon Province. A total of 1,802 athletes aged between 15 and 18 from 78 National Olympic Committees, including 102 South Koreans, are taking part in the Fourth Winter Youth Olympic Games, according to the Organizing Committee of the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024. Gangwon 2024 also marks the first Asian

Jan. 19, 2024

Cellist Han Jae-min to present most anticipated program as Lotte Concert Hall's artist-in-residence

Han Jae-min, who won first prizes at the Isangyun Competition in 2022 and George Enescu International Competition in 2021, will present one of his most anticipated programs this year as the artist-in-residence at Lotte Concert Hall. The 18-year-old cellist, the youngest musician to be named Lotte's artist-in-residence, will take the stage at least twice this year, in the Solo Cello Recital on March 27 and Trio Recital on Oct. 30. Labeling the March 27 concert as one of the most anticipated

Jan. 19, 2024

[Well-curated] Cute goods, hotteok in special sauce and paintings of old Paris

Butter in Gangnam At a glance, the shop looks like a toy store, making passersby wonder how it manages to pay rent in this prime retail area, less than a five-minute walk from bustling Gangnam Station. But it doesn’t take long to figure out that the shop, Butter, stays afloat selling household goods. Almost every item on the shelves or hanging on the walls features characters including those from children’s movies such as animated comedy “Minions.” From stationery and hom

Jan. 19, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

Kolon Hotel offers Lanco-themed rooms Kolon Hotel, located in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, has unveiled its new Lanco-themed rooms. Collaborating with Spain-based baby toys company Lanco, the rooms feature yellow pillow covers, cushions, a door mat, towels and cups, all inspired by Lanco’s yellow rubber duck. A total of six Lanco-themed rooms are available, each accommodating a maximum of four guests. The rooms come with a beam projector and screen. The hotel also has a miniature z

Jan. 19, 2024