Royal palaces offer glimpse of court life with special programs

Two of Seoul’s royal palaces, Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, are offering a glimpse into court life during the Joseon era with a number of hands-on programs. Programs at Gyeongbokgung, the main royal palace of the Joseon era, will be held from Friday to Nov. 15, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday. At Gyeongbokgung, Saenggwabang, a royal kitchen where snacks and desserts for the royal family were prepared, visitors can take part in a traditional tea ceremony and enjoy de

Nov. 2, 2021

[Video] Tteok-making is now National Intangible Cultural Heritage

The making of tteok, or Korean rice cakes, has been designated as the 145th National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Monday. The designation recognizes the making and sharing of Korean rice cakes as Korea‘s traditional culture and way of life. Tteok-making’s long history, a wealth of historical documents and archives about tteok, the unique regional variations and continued efforts to keep the tradition alive were some of the reasons behi

Nov. 1, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] ‘Seonbi’ tradition defines Korean value system

Educating intellectuals with knowledge, wisdom and character has long been the goal of Korean education throughout history. Korean culture and history have been profoundly shaped by various religions and philosophies, but none has had as much lasting impact as Confucianism. Confucianism before the Common Era and Neo-Confucianism after the 12th century have largely shaped the ruling class landscape of Korean kingdoms. During the Goryeo Empire, scholars who were well learned possessing good ch

Oct. 30, 2021

Peter Chung Soon-taek appointed as new Catholic archbishop for Seoul

Pope Francis appointed Bishop Peter Chung Soon-taek as the new Catholic archbishop for Seoul on Thursday. Chung, 60, was also appointed as apostolic administrator of Pyongyang. “God is truly ‘beyond.’ He acts far beyond our human thoughts, so we cannot predict or estimate his plans or thoughts in advance,” Chung said. “I ask for many people to pray for me so that I can follow the path of the wonderful former archbishops and spread pastoral care.” He was

Oct. 29, 2021

Youn Yuh-jung, Oh My Girl bag trophies at Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards

K-pop cultural icons including Oscar-winning actor Youn Yuh-jung, television director Kim Tae-ho, idol groups NCT Dream and Oh My Girl were named as the winners of the Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards on Thursday. The 12th edition of the annual awards, conferred by the Korea Creative Content Agency and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, recognized individuals’ contributions in spreading the Korean Wave. A total of 29 celebrities from diverse areas of the entertainment in

Oct. 28, 2021

[Herald Interview] North Chungcheong Province poised to become a mecca of martial arts: Lee Si-jong

Aspiring to achieve the same global recognition as K-pop and K-dramas, North Chungcheong Province, the home of traditional Korean martial arts taekkyeon, plays host to various martial arts-related programs. “At the World Martial Arts Festival in 1998, North Chungcheong Province established the World Martial Arts Mastership, successfully hosting the first and second mastership in North Chungcheong Province in 2016 and 2019, respectively. We developed martial arts into a cultural business b

Oct. 28, 2021

[Well-Curated] Spooky art fair in Pyeongtaek, candy on Jeju Island, marionettes in Seoul

Halloween is just around the corner. For anyone looking for a fun way to celebrate Halloween, a spooky art fair in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, offers art with a Halloween vibe. The fair welcomes visitors in Halloween costumes. The Halloween Art Market in Sinjang-dong, Pyeongtaek, a neighborhood near the Osan Air Base, has kicked off in three cultural spaces -- Hanchigak, Another Space 3 and Duchigak, near the Songtan Shopping Center. Some of the exhibition spaces will be turned into haunt

Oct. 28, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] Capturing personality, temperament, and inner spiritual world in portraits

Capturing the true essence of a person in pictures, portrait photography is one of the most difficult areas of photography. Long before photography arrived in the Joseon Kingdom (1393-1910), portrait artists were challenged to draw detailed portraits that included a view into the inner spiritual world of the subject. The official portraits of Yi Seong-gye, the founder of the Joseon Kingdom, tell volumes about the gifted military man who became the last ruler of the Goryeo Empire in 1392, befor

Oct. 27, 2021

Pianist Paik Kun-woo seeks correction, damages from MBC over ‘PD Note’ episode

Pianist Paik Kun-woo has filed for arbitration with the Press Arbitration Commission in a case against network broadcaster MBC over its investigative journalism program “PD Note.” The program suggested the pianist and his daughter had mistreated his wife, actor Yoon Jeong-hee, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017. In a statement issued Monday evening, the pianist said he was seeking a correction and 1.1 billion won ($943,620) in damages for himself and his daught

Oct. 26, 2021

Non-verbal show ‘Nanta’ to return after more than 20 months

Popular nonverbal show “Nanta” is scheduled to run at Myeongdong Theater, one of four “Nanta” theaters in the country, in Myeong-dong, central Seoul from Dec. 2 to 31, according to the production company, PMC Production. “Nanta,” which premiered in 1997, is one of the most popular performing arts shows in Korea for its unique storyline of comedy and drama in the kitchen. The constant striking, drumming and dancing in “Nanta” have made it a must-se

Oct. 25, 2021

Three Taegeukgi designated national treasures

Three Taegeukgi, the national flag of Korea, have been officially designated as national treasures, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Monday. Among some 20 Taegeukgi which are registered as state-designated cultural assets, O. N. Denny’s Taegeukgi, the Taegeukgi with Kim Gu’s Writings and Signature and the Jingwansa Taegeukgi stood out for their historical value, especially the time and meaning of their production. The Denny Taegeukgi, housed at the National Museum

Oct. 25, 2021

Relics found in Insa-dong confirmed to be oldest extant metal types

Some of the metal type blocks found in Insa-dong, central Seoul in June have been confirmed to be Gapinja, the oldest extant metal types from the Joseon era, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Friday. The National Palace Museum of Korea is to hold a special exhibition, “Encounter With the Brilliant Scientific Technology of Joseon Dynasty,” from Nov. 3, showcasing the metal type blocks to the public for the first time. In June, the Sudo Research Institute of Cult

Oct. 22, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] Korea’s metal printing press was head and shoulders above the rest

When French diplomat Victor Collin de Plancy (1853-1924) was posted in Joseon Korea, he collected many unique treasures, including rare ancient Korean books. He returned to France with the treasures he found in Korea, including a 1377 Jikji book printed with movable metal type, and a beautiful wife named Lee Shim, a former royal palace dancer he had spotted performing for Emperor Gojong. Lee, who moved to France with Collin de Plancy in 1893 and accompanied him to Africa the following year, la

Oct. 16, 2021

Real-life 'Squid Game' canceled over COVID concerns, refunds issued

A hotel in Gangwon Province that organized an event based on Netflix’s megahit “Squid Game,” on Friday started issuing refunds to more than 1,100 participants, after the games got canceled by city authorities over COVID concerns. St. John’s Hotel in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Thursday announced they would refund those enrolled in the event, called “Saint Game,” which would have been held on Oct. 24 at the hotel’s outdoor pine tree forest. Players

Oct. 15, 2021

[Well-Curated] Time for some antique, art hunting

Nicknamed “house of treasures,” Ace Four House in the Euljiro neighborhood is frequented by people on the hunt for unique antiques as well as casual visitors browsing the exotic items on display. The owner of Ace Four House, Kim Ji-yeon, who studied fashion communication in Seoul and Europe, was an avid collector of European antiques even before she opened the shop. “Before the pandemic hit, I would travel to the outskirts of cities in Europe where they have rare antique art

Oct. 14, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] Hangeul alphabet, the most scientific writing system

The Korean language has evolved over the millennia amassing an extensive lexicon. The Korean language is comprised of words indigenous to Korean people, original Korean characters, Hanja-rooted words, and foreign words which have taken root in modern Korean culture. Currently, the Korean online dictionary has more than 1.1 million words, the largest number of all languages. For reference, the total number of words in English is about half that. No wonder, the US State Department, which rates

Oct. 9, 2021

More Korean words make it into Oxford English Dictionary

Thanks to the soaring popularity of Korean culture, 26 words and phrases of Korean origin have been included in the latest update to the Oxford English Dictionary. The dictionary was first published in 1884, and the word “Korean” was first added in a 1933 supplement. Food features prominently in the recent update: Banchan are small side dishes served along with rice as part of a typical Korean meal. Bulgogi is a dish consisting of thin slices of beef or pork, which are marinated a

Oct. 8, 2021

[Well-Curated] Arrival of fall calls for quiet, long walks

Autumn is here. And the best way to enjoy the glorious colors of trees and scent of pine while learning about Korean history is to visit forest trails inside Joseon royal tomb compounds which will stay open through Nov. 30. For those who want to enjoy trails in the city, there are two trails in Seoul — a trail at royal tombs Taeneung and Gangneung and a trail at Mount Cheonjang near Euineung. The trail between Taeneung and Gangneung is around 1,800 meters long and the trail near Euineu

Oct. 7, 2021

Princess Deokon font to commemorate Hangeul Day

To celebrate Hangeul Day, the newly created Princess Deokon Font, will be released free of charge on Friday, according to the National Hangeul Museum. The font is based on Princess Deokon’s handwritten Hangeul translation of “Jagyeongjeonki,” a book originally written by King Sunjo in Chinese characters. Princess Deokon (1822-1844) was the last princess of Joseon and the youngest daughter of King Sunjo -- the 23rd king of Joseon -- and Queen Sunwon. It is said that Queen Su

Oct. 6, 2021

CHA head responds to controversy over apartments near UNESCO-listed royal tomb in Gimpo in parliamentary hearing

Kim Hyun-mo, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, answered lawmakers‘ questions about the controversy surrounding apartments near an UNESCO-listed royal tomb in Gimpo during the parliamentary inspection Tuesday. The Joseon-era royal tomb Jangneung in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, houses the parents of King Injo, the 16th ruler of Joseon, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, along with several other Joseon royal tombs around the country. According to the CHA, it

Oct. 5, 2021