Bowl-shaped sundial of Joseon Dynasty returns home

A cauldron-shaped sundial made during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty has returned home from the United States, South Korea's state heritage foundation said Tuesday. The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation said it bought the sundial, one of the Angbuilgu public clocks, at a US auction in June and brought it back to South Korea two months later. Anbuilgu was first invented during the reign of King Sejong in the 15th century in order to tell the 24 solar seasonal terms as well as the hours

Nov. 17, 2020

S. Korea's lantern lighting fest likely to be listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage

South Korea's lantern lighting festival, an event held to celebrate Buddha's birthday, is expected to be inscribed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, the government said Tuesday. The festival of lights, also called the Lotus Lantern Festival or "Yeon Deung Hoe" in Korean, was among the 25 successful applicants that were recommended by an intergovernmental assessment panel to be listed, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. The annual event, held in line with B

Nov. 17, 2020

RCEP trade pact expected to support Hallyu expansion

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism expects the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed Sunday with his counterparts from 14 partner countries, to set the stage for the expansion of Hallyu. “We expect this deal to improve the environment for the expansion of Hallyu content in member countries and also provide legal grounds for (cultural content) exporters,” Culture Minister Park Yang-woo said in a statement. Park also ad

Nov. 15, 2020

[Eye plus] A visit to Joseon-era cottage in chestnut village

  Located near Jeongbalsan, in the middle of Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, a thatch house built of chestnut wood has been preserved to give a glimpse into a traditional farm house of the late Joseon Period.  The house is thought to have been built in the 19th-century in the village in Ilsan area where members of the Danyang Yi clan settled. With an abundance of chestnut trees in the village, the house used chestnut wood as its main building material, and came to be known as Bamgasi Cho

Nov. 14, 2020

[Photo News] Camellia blossoms in the bleak season

Camellia flowers stand out splendidly in Hueree Natural Park in Seogwipo on Jeju Island.  The bright and stunning colors of camellia captivate the visitors as they walk around the park.  Camellia flowers are also referred to as the “friends of winter” in the winter days.  (Photos: Yonhap) By Lee Jae-Eun (leeje16@heraldcorp.com)

Nov. 14, 2020

Foreign correspondents rank KDCA highest in satisfaction survey

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency scored the highest satisfaction among foreign correspondents based in South Korea in a survey conducted by the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club. The SFCC, which has a registered membership of 286 correspondents from around 100 international media organizations, conducted the “Satisfaction survey on newsgathering conditions of government agencies” with the aim to address difficulties foreign journalists face in covering key gov

Nov. 12, 2020

[Video] Art expressed through glass, light and color

Red flames trickle down from a furnace while viscous glass tubes glide down a long iron rod, dancing. This harmonious dance to shape hot molten glass takes place at around 700 degrees Celsius. Next, a professional craftsperson moves the rod from the scorching hot stove, takes it out again, and cuts and stretches the glass to form different shapes. The art practice resembles a glowing beam of light from Iron Man’s artificial heart. Together, the various techniques and processes are c

Nov. 11, 2020

‘No Limits in Seoul’ aims to shatter prejudices about artists with disabilities

Korea Disability Arts and Culture Center kicked off “No Limits in Seoul,” an international art show that introduces artists with disabilities who perform to break perceptions about people with disabilities and global art groups that integrate disabled and nondisabled artists. “No Limits in Seoul,” which runs from Monday to Nov. 19 online, explores diverse performing art groups from around the world and how contemporary art can be interpreted from diverse perspectives.

Nov. 10, 2020

All things Korean Wave come together during Hallyu festival

The Culture Ministry is hosting a Hallyu festival, titled “On: Hallyu Festival,” Nov. 16-23. “This event will provide comfort to people around the world who are exhausted from COVID-19 while providing helpful opportunities to local businesses through the power of hallyu,” Culture Minister Park Yang-woo said in a statement. Most of this year’s events will take place online and the festival is organized jointly with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the K

Nov. 9, 2020

[Weekender] Millennials make hiking hip in COVID-19 times

As the foliage turns to different shades of color, those visiting the mountains for the first time this year will be surprised to see so many people, especially millennials, on the hiking trails at Seoul’s many mountains. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, hiking was seen as a leisure activity that not many millennials were excited about. Older bosses at work asking their younger colleagues to go hiking together on the weekend was one of the standard nightmares that millennials complained abou

Nov. 7, 2020

[Photo News] Gaesimsa fills with vibrant colors

Leaves are painted with vibrant colors on Wednesday around Gaesimsa in Unsan, Seosan Province. The oranges, reds and yellows are becoming visible among patches of green leaves. The temple‘s colors and the surrounding flowers create a breathtakingly beautiful view amid the cold weather. People often visit the temple in the fall to enjoy walks around the temple to talk in the dazzling hues. (Photos: Yonhap) By Song Donna (donnadsong@heraldcorp.com)

Nov. 7, 2020

[Photo News] Autumnal tints in central Seoul

Late autumn has permeated Seonjeongneung, the royal burial grounds of the Joseon period, located in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul.  The burial grounds’ stunning autumn colors stand out in the midst of the surrounding urban area.  The mood of autumn conveys the beginning of winter, greeting the onset of winter according to the lunar calendar. (Photos: Yonhap) By Lee Jae Eun (leeje16@heraldcorp.com)

Nov. 7, 2020

Protestant church group NCCK apologize for Christians setting fire to Buddhist temple

The National Council of Churches in Korea on Tuesday apologized after a member set fire to Sujinsa Buddhist temple in Gyeonggi Province. “We deeply apologize for the damages done to Sujinsa Temple and all Buddhists,“ an NCCK official said in a statement. The NCCK also acknowledged that the fire at Sujinsa Temple could have done worse damage as the temple is located near a residential area. The apology was issued in response to a statement released by the Jogye Order of Korean Bud

Nov. 6, 2020

Mobile game Shining Nikki shuts down Korean server amid controversy over traditional clothing

Chinese mobile gaming firm Paper Games’ newest release, Shining Nikki, announced that it is shutting down its Korean server on Dec. 9, after controversy erupted over the identity of the clothing items featured in the game. Shining Nikki, a sequel to Nikki Up2U3: Miracle Nikki, is a dress up RPG game that opened its Korean service in Oct. 29. To celebrate, it released a set of in-game items with hanbok motives in the Korean, Chinese and Taiwan servers. Hanbok refers to traditional Korean

Nov. 6, 2020

[Video] Gliding down the facades of Seoul’s royal grounds

The coexistence of the past and present tunes Seoul into its beautiful history while serving as the nation’s economic and political hub. Glassy skyscrapers and various institutions interweave the metropolis, catering to all walks of life. At night, majestic palaces turn into splendors for visitors. The harmony has been seen for decades -- buildings nestled next to each other cuddle the city palaces Deoksugung and Gyeongbokgung. Sejongno -- dubbed the “Street of Six Ministries&rd

Nov. 3, 2020

[Photo News] Autumn covers Seoul Grand Park in colorful leaves

Autumn arrives in South Korea as the colorful leaves cover the ground Wednesday at Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. People breathe in the crisp air while strolling along the path carpeted with red leaves, with some of a yellow hue. The leaves flutter in the wind before collecting into a vibrant walkway for pedestrians. (Photos: Yonhap) By Song Donna (donnadsong@heraldcorp.com)

Oct. 31, 2020

[Photo News] Joseon DIY glass lamp attracts the public

The National Palace Museum of Korea is offering a do-it-yourself kit for making glass lamps in the style of the Joseon era. The DIY kit, which was previously distributed free of charge, has returned for sale due to the enthusiastic response from the public. During the Joseon period, the square glass lamps were used to brighten banquets held at night. The photo above displays the finished products hanging under the eaves of a royal palace. (Photos: National Palace Museum of Korea) By Lee Jae

Oct. 31, 2020

[Herald Interview] ‘Our model is to continue to invest in journalism’

Seoul will become the de facto Asian headquarters for the New York Times with the relocation of its Asia digital hub from Hong Kong to South Korea, according to Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, international president of the New York Times. The move, announced in July after China passed the new National Security Law in June that threatened the safety of reporters in Hong Kong, is expected to be completed by the middle of next year, Dunbar-Johnson said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Thursday a

Oct. 29, 2020

Culture Ministry awards recognize efforts to raise awareness about gender equality

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Wednesday recognized cultural figures, groups and content that helped raise awareness about gender equality in South Korean society. Artist Jung Jung-yeob was honored for her works spotlighting the lives and labor of Korean women, which had long been overlooked in the arts. She is best known for her painting “The First Supper,” a response to Leonardo da Vinci’s 1490s painting “The Last Supper.” In her painting, the m

Oct. 28, 2020

Income disparity in entertainment industry on the rise

The income gap among artists in the entertainment industry in Korea has widened over the past several years with the disparity among singers the most stark, surpassing that among actors and models, government figures showed. The total annual income of 63 singers in Korea – the top 1 percent of singers in Korea in terms of earnings -- recorded 217 billion won ($192.2 million) in 2018, accounting for 53 percent of the total income of singers, according to the document submitted by the Nati

Oct. 26, 2020