Celebrating the 100th anniversary of renowned playwright Cha Beom-seok's birth, the National Theater Company of Korea is staging "Hwal Hwa San." Directly translated to "active volcano," the play is set in a small rural village in North Gyeongsang Province during the late 1960s. It follows the story of Jeong-sook (played by Kang Min-ji), the daughter-in-law of the Lee family. Despite their noble lineage, the family teeters on the brink of ruin due to mounting debts. Jeong

Performance June 11, 2024

BUSAN -- Despite unexpected rain and a shifting schedule, the Busan International Dance Festival wrapped up its vibrant three-day celebration Sunday, showcasing a rich tapestry of performances from around the globe in the southeastern city. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the festival offered a unique experience in seeing dancers perform on an outdoor stage next to the sea. As rain poured on Saturday, the festival’s official program at the Haeundae Beach Special Stage had to be

Performance June 10, 2024

"Shaker" By Lee Hee-young Rabbit Hole Bestselling author Lee Hee-young of "Paint," which sold over 400,000 copies, has released has released "Shaker," a time-slip fantasy. "Shaker" follows 32-year-old Na-woo, who, after a fateful encounter with a stray cat, finds himself reliving the most painful memory of his 19-year-old self. The unexpected plunge 13 years into the past sets the stage for a poignant exploration of love, friendship and consequences. Na-wo

Books June 9, 2024

"The Proposal" By Bae Myung-hoon Book House A leading voice in the Korean science fiction scene, author Bae Myung-hoon has revised his 2013 novella “The Proposal” after 11 years. In an extensive revision, the author rewrote almost every sentence, updating descriptions and expressions to align with contemporary sensibilities. The book comprises 12 intimate letters sent by the narrator, "I," who is a space-born operations officer serving in the army near Jupiter, 18

Books June 8, 2024

"Anti Sapiens" By Lee Jung-myung EunHaengNaMu Publishing Eight years ago, during the historic Baduk, also known as Go, match between Lee Se-dol and AlphaGo, developed by DeepMind Technologies, what caught Lee Jung-myung’s attention was Aja Huang, then the lead programmer at DeepMind, who physically placed AlphaGo’s moves on the board. Observing Huang, who faithfully carried out the AI's moves, Lee wondered if humanity might become like that. Set in the near future, &ld

Books June 8, 2024

Four Korean authors -- novelists Lee Seung-u and Pyun Hye-young, poet Jin Eun-young and graphic novelist Ma Yeong-shin -- will meet with French readers in Paris next week, said the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea). LTI Korea is hosting the "Invitation to Korean Literature" event in conjunction with the Paris Olympics. It will kick off with all four authors discussing Korean literature on June 12 at Librairie Le Divan in Paris. From June 13 to 15, Librairie Le Pheni

Books June 7, 2024

Even in bustling Hongdae in Mapo-gu, Seoul, you can feel a peaceful rural sensibility if you find the right place. Follow narrow and winding alleys and you will find just such a mood at a tiny shop named Kohukku Market. Named "Kohukku," which means "happiness" in Japanese, the store sells character antiques and vintage items related to Japanese animation from the '80s and' 90s. This tiny, one-room shop is filled with a variety of items from dolls, key rings, vintage

Culture June 7, 2024

When dancers who appear to be performing without rules suddenly move together in unison, each movement and step falling perfectly into beats, it creates a breathtaking effect. Choreographer Kim Sung-yong of “Init” likened this to an ink-and-wash painting, where different colors blend naturally and unpredictably. The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company is set to premiere the DMAU project, "Init," from Friday to Sunday at the National Theater of Korea's Haeoreum Gr

Performance June 5, 2024

The latest technology and ancient music came together at the "Reviving 600-year-old Korean Music with Artificial Intelligence" (direct translation) seminar Sunday, demonstrating how generative artificial intelligence can restore lost ancient music. According to the records, King Sejong (1397-1450) composed a large work of music, "Bongnaeui," which includes three scores: "Yeomillak," "Chihwapyeong" and "Chwipunghyeong." Among the three, "Yeom

Culture June 4, 2024

Im Seong-sun's crime thriller "The Consultant," translated by An Seon-jae (also known as Brother Anthony), has been shortlisted for a prestigious crime fiction award, said the book's Korean publisher, EunHaengNaMu Publishing, on Monday. The novel is among the six finalists in the Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation category at the 2024 Crime Writers' Association Dagger awards. Originally published in Korean in 2010, Im's debut novel, which won the Segye Literary

Books June 4, 2024

President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania met with the legendary South Korean singer Cho Yong-pil at the JW Marriott Hotel in Seoul on Monday. The meeting took place as Hassan visited Seoul ahead of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. During their meeting, Hassan highlighted the deep connection the singer has with Tanzania. Cho released the megahit song "Leopard of Kilimanjaro," part of his eighth album released in 1985, which has remained one of his sign

People June 3, 2024

The National Theater of Korea is set to premiere a barrier-free adaptation of "Macbeth" that intertwines Korean sign language and pansori, a traditional Korean musical storytelling. The NTOK’s in-house production is scheduled to be performed at the National Theater of Korea's Daloreum Theater in Jung-gu from June 13-16 before heading to France for a performance in July. The story brings six deaf actors playing the key characters in sign language, while four pansori singers n

Performance June 2, 2024

This summer, the National Theater of Korea will host two distinct renditions of Shakespeare's “Macbeth,” bringing both classic and contemporary flavors to the stage. The Shakespearean tragedy tells the story of the Scottish general Macbeth who, driven by a prophecy from three witches, murders the king to ascend the throne, only to spiral into madness and ruin. Helmed by renowned director Yang Jung-woong, the SEM Company's production starring veteran actors Hwang Jung-min,

Performance June 2, 2024

The Manhae Musan Foundation held the inaugural Musan Cultural Awards ceremony Friday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan, presenting prizes to three winners -- acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook in the arts category, poet Moon Tae-jun in the literature category and the Sisters of the Little Flower of Jesus in the social-cultural category. The Musan Cultural Awards was established in honor of the late poet Cho Oh-hyun, to promote his artistic spirit and dedication to mutual prosperity and harmony

Culture May 31, 2024

Far From The Norm, the hip-hop dance company led by acclaimed choreographer Botis Seva, is set to make its Korean debut with "BLKDOG," an emotionally charged hip-hop dance theater piece, at the Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province, June 22-23. Premiered in 2018 at Sadler's Wells Theater in London, "BLKDOG" won the Laurence Olivier Award for best new dance production at the 2019 Olivier Awards. This year, Seva joined Sadler's Wells Theatre as an associate artist

Performance May 31, 2024