Director Alex Olle's production of “Norma,” which premiered to open the 2016 season at the Royal Opera House in London, is set to be staged at the Seoul Arts Center from Oct. 26-29. “I am happy to conduct one of the true masterpieces of Italian operas. Bellini’s (composition) is very demanding technically. ... It is a difficult piece to cast. Without exceptional singers, it's better not to perform," said conductor Roberto Abbado during a press conference Mo

Performance Oct. 16, 2023

Seoul's Daehangno district was brimming with visitors on Sunday for the opening of "2023 Welcome Daehakro," the largest domestic performance tourism festival in the country. The festivities began with a vibrant opening show on the main street, which was closed to traffic for the event. The opening show featured a festive parade of performances from musicals, dance, taekwondo demonstrations and marching bands. As part of the festival, fringe performances will continue throughout Oc

Performance Oct. 16, 2023

The issue of women forced into Japanese military sex slavery during World War II, known euphemistically as comfort women, has become a much politicized issue in Korea. The passing of a comfort woman, 91, in May, whose identity is being kept confidential at the request of her bereaved family, leaves only nine registered survivors of Japanese military sex slavery registered with the government. A new book titled "New Ways of Solidarity with Korean Comfort Women: Comfort Women and What Remains

Books Oct. 16, 2023

"And the Witch Went into the Forest" By Sanho Goble/Dulnyouk In Sanho’s latest graphic novel, readers are transported into a world where witches grapple with the looming threats of an environmental crisis and climate change. Once known as shamans or mystics, these witches wield powers that resonate with nature and wild animals. They can make plants grow on barren lands or even sleep underwater. But with a loss of natural habitats and dying species, the witches are also sufferin

Books Oct. 15, 2023

"Only One Person" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By Choi Jin-Young Hankyoreh Publishing This year’s winner of the prestigious Yi Sang Literary Award, Choi Jin-young, returns with a full-length novel after two years. The story revolves around the tallest and the longest-living tree on Earth that can save only one person in danger of dying by borrowing just one leaf from the tree. The protagonist, 16-year-old Mok-hwa, is destined to become a “lifespan mediator&

Books Oct. 14, 2023

"On Suffering" By Bora Chung Dasan Books Where does human suffering come from? Can we ever be completely free from it? Is a life without suffering a path to salvation? These thought-provoking questions lie at the heart of Bora Chung's latest full-length novel, “On Suffering.” Chung delves into the abstract theme of pain within the intriguing framework of science fiction. The novel may be a turning point in Chung's literary career as it is the first thriller by the

Books Oct. 14, 2023

Bantam Books has inked a deal with Korean author Jang Se-ah to bring her debut novel, "Runaway," to English-speaking readers, an official at Barbara J. Zitwer Agency, a New York-based literary agency, told The Korea Herald on Thursday. Bantam Books is the Random House subsidiary renowned for the publication of George R. R. Martin's epic "A Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series, the basis of HBO hit series "Game of Thrones," "Runaway" hit Korean bookshe

Books Oct. 13, 2023

Take a journey through time to the streets of Jeong-dong this weekend, where Jeongdong Culture Night will be held Friday and Saturday at Deoksugung Palace and the Jeong-dong area in Jung-gu, central Seoul. During its heyday, the Jeong-dong area was the epicenter of burgeoning new trends. Cultural sites will remain open late into the evening during the two-day festival, featuring performances, guided historical tours, a stamp tour along the stonewall walkway, street performances, busking, nightti

Culture Oct. 13, 2023

In opera, tradition often takes center stage. But director Alex Olle of La Fura dels Baus boldly reshapes timeless classics with realism, breathing fresh life into operatic experience while challenging the boundaries of tradition. The opera “Norma,” which premiered as the opening production of the 2016 season at the Royal Opera House in the UK, is set to be staged at the Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 26-29. "I wanted to come to Korea for at least a week to meet the actors and help t

Performance Oct. 12, 2023

The Monte-Carlo Ballet Company, led by the artistic director and choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot, is set to present “Romeo and Juliet” at the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu from Friday to Sunday. This is the Monaco-based ballet company’s first performance in Korea since their 2019 rendition of “Cinderella.” Maillot reimagines Shakespeare’s literary masterpiece through the flashbacks experienced by the distraught Friar Laurence as he reflects on how the t

Performance Oct. 11, 2023

The Seoul Performing Arts Festival, celebrating its 23rd year, kicks off Friday and runs until Oct. 29 in various venues across Seoul, including the National Theater of Korea, the National Jeongdong Theater of Korea, the ARKO & Daehakro Arts Theater and Yohangza Theater. Nineteen Korean and international productions are set to deliver messages that transcend the boundaries of art and technology, as well as those between nations and regions. "We will introduce works that challenge conven

Performance Oct. 6, 2023

Every Saturday in October, the "Art in Series" presents a variety of themed events such as a plant market, book market, farmer's market and mask dance workshops, in the outdoor plaza in front of the National Theater of Korea's Haeoreum Grand Theater. This Saturday's event, "Art in Garden," is a plant market where visitors can browse through a variety of flowers, rare plants and gardening supplies. Gardening classes will provide tips and insights into growing an

Culture Oct. 6, 2023

Mirinae Lee's genre-defying debut novel, inspired by her great aunt who defected from North Korea, weaves eight dark yet spellbinding chapters spanning the eight different lives of the main character, Mrs. Mook, who begins her saga by declaring that she was born Japanese (under occupation), lived as a North Korean and is now dying as a South Korean. Lee's "8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster," published by Harper, the fiction imprint of HarperCollins, hit the shelves in the Un

Books Oct. 5, 2023

When King Sejong the Great promulgated Hangeul in 1446 -- after creating the writing system in 1443 -- the announcement was accompanied by the publication of "Hunminjeongeum Haerye," a book written by the king and eight scholars involved in the creation of Hangeul that explains the creation of Hangeul and the principles behind its letters and the writing system. The book was written in Hanja, or Chinese characters. Later, during King Sejo's reign, "Hunminjeongeum Haerye&quo

Culture Oct. 5, 2023

If you've ever wanted to juggle, spin plates or soar through the air like a circus sensation, then the "Circus Playground" workshop was the place to be last weekend. As part of LG Arts Center Seoul's fall season education programs, the one-day workshop, co-organized by the circus education experts at "Jumpers," provided an exciting experience for beginners of all ages, including the young-at-heart adults. The morning session catered to adventure-seeking adults, whil

Performance Sept. 27, 2023