South Korea and Japan plan to submit a joint application to register about 200-300 documents recording the “Joseon Tongsinsa” from 1607-1811 on the UNESCO Memory of the World list by March next year, the Busan Cultural Foundation said Monday. The updated documentary heritage list will be finalized by July or August 2017. A reenactment of Joseon Tongsinsa at a festival in Busan (Korea Tourism Organization)Joseon Tongsinsa refers to the series of diplomatic goodwill missions that the Joseon era (1

Culture Dec. 7, 2015

A figure, half-woman, half-bird, sits helplessly as if she has failed at several attempts to fly. She lacks feathers, except for the colorful few on her back.Artist Sohn Jung-hee stands behind the “Debutantes: 7 Sins” series displayed at Hakgojae Gallery in Seoul, Dec. 4.　(Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)For artist Sohn Jung-hee, the ceramic sculpture “Siren” embodies the conflict between the public and the private selves of modern people.  “It can describe an office worker, or someone like me, w

Culture Dec. 6, 2015

The Spirit of Korean Development by Sang-young Rhyu(Yonsei University Press)　There has been much debate surrounding the analysis of the economic success and political transformation of South Korea. However, the interest of this book does not lie in the tangible factors behind its development. What is puzzling to non-Koreans is the intangible factors that enabled tangible factors to work together and thereby enable development. In other words, this book offers an explanation for Korea’s miraculou

Books Dec. 3, 2015

Kim Min-jae is a veteran sports photographer who has covered many international sporting events, including the Asian Games and Olympic Games, for more than 30 years.  Photographer Kim Min-jae (Courtesy of Kim Min-jae)The experience has led him to settle in Kuwait at the invitation of Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of National Olympic Committees. Kim, who started his career with the South Korean Ministry of Sports in the 1980s, now wor

Books Dec. 3, 2015

Pucca, an animated character created by Korea’s Vooz in 2000, has shown that Korea’s characters can reach the global audience through international partnerships and merchandising deals.The wacky Chinese character earns over 300 billion won ($257.7 million) per year on average globally, thanks in part to the Disney Channel, which has been broadcasting “Pucca” short animated TV series in more than 100 countries.LIMA Korea chief Kwak Kyeong-won (LIMA)Kwak Kyeong-won, the Korean representative of th

Culture Dec. 2, 2015

An 11-year-old Hwang Sun-mi was a petite, bony girl prone to coughs, far from the kind of kid to get attention from teachers or fellow classmates at school. At her dilapidated, one-bedroom home near a U.S. army base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, she was not very important either. The second of five children in a poor family, she had to do chores around the house and look after three younger siblings as her parents toiled day and night to barely feed them. Hwang Sun-mi (Seoul International Bo

Culture Nov. 27, 2015

‘Year-end Getaway’ at Conrad Seoul Don’t miss Conrad Seoul’s specially priced “Year-end Getaway” promotion. This offer features a wonderful night at Conrad Seoul, with the best views and most spacious rooms in the city. Celebrate your New Year with a getaway vacation with family, friends and loved ones. Conrad Seoul has the most spacious rooms among all five-star hotels in Seoul and is the only hotel that features two queen beds in a twin room. This package is available through March 31 next yea

Food Nov. 27, 2015

Ride on Korail’s Oriental ExpressKorail Tourism Development is launching a package featuring the luxurious “Eastern & Oriental Express,” a train that runs on the 1,943 kilometer-long international railway.The rail ride will pass through Bangkok, Penang and Singapore, boasting a spectacular view of Southeast Asia.Trains will be departing on Dec. 25, Jan. 3 and 26 and Feb 7, 16, and 25. Visitors will depart from the Incheon International Airport via airplane and arrive at the Bangkok International

Travel Nov. 27, 2015

YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province – In the middle of nowhere surrounded by hills and fields in Cheoin-gu, the largest district in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, stands a large complex of outdoor sets with replicated royal palaces, houses and castles. The set of Hwagidogam, or the Gunpowder Weapon Center where Joseon King Gwang-hae (played by Cha Seung-won) inspected weapons before delivery in “Hwa Jung,” stands in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. (Park Hyong-ki/The Korea Herald)This was where the Korean Wave, or

Travel Nov. 25, 2015

Korea has seen rapid growth in the webtoon industry, with the number of digital comics platforms reaching nearly 30 and more than 4,000 comic artists currently working in the field as of last year, according to data by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.  Warren Kwon, CEO of Rolling Story (Rolling Story)For Warren Kwon, the chief executive of Rolling Story, it is time for webtoons to venture overseas. To do so, he teamed up with Korea’s leading webtoon artists and launched a collective

Culture Nov. 18, 2015

The way people consume entertainment content has continued to be reshaped over the past decade. Technology has enabled global consumers to upload, share and watch not only short-length videos, but also movies, documentaries and news, according to Antoine Nazaret, head of content Asia at France-based video-sharing platform Dailymotion. “Video sharing started in 2005 when short videos were really appealing, enabling them to go viral. But now, technology has enabled anyone to upload a variety of co

Television Nov. 17, 2015

Grand Hilton Seoul presents swellfish at MitsumomoJapanese restaurant Mitsumomo at the Grand Hilton Seoul will be presenting swellfish dishes until Dec. 31.Mitsumomo is offering set menus with the best quality swellfish from the clean waters of the Tongyeong Sea. The set menus include marinated swellfish skin with dropwort, swellfish sashimi, swellfish tempura, swellfish chiri or spicy swellfish stew.Swellfish is especially good for blood circulation and very effective for skin care, both for wo

Food Nov. 13, 2015