The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre wrapped up its four-day performance of “One Dance,” or “Ilmu” in Korean, at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from Thursday to Sunday. Directed by Jung Ku-ho, the iconic performance presents a modern reinterpretation of a traditional dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, a royal ceremonial performance encompassing singing, music and dance that took place during the royal ancestral rites at Jongmyo Shrine. Jung, a fashion designer-turned-

Performance May 29, 2023

Eight Korean dance groups have been invited by the American dance company the Bang Group to perform in New York next month. Titled “All of Seoul,” the event will be held at Arts on Site Studio 3R, in Manhattan, on June 15-16. The Bang Group, established in 1995, is a contemporary theatrical dance troupe. The company is hosting a performance series for the first time this year, and has invited Korean dancers for a program dedicated to Korean contemporary dance. On June 15, Unplugged B

Performance May 28, 2023

Bae Myung-hoon, author of the bestselling novel “Tower,” has been at the vanguard of the science fiction genre in Korea for the past decade amid its growing popularity. Bae’s latest collection of stories, “Future Past Tense,” published by Book House, recently hit bookstore shelves. The author expressed confidence that the collection would become his most representative work yet. “It was like compiling the best songs for an album. I’ve gathered the best o

Books May 27, 2023

“The Fox” By Bora Chung Potion Bora Chung, author of “Cursed Bunny,” a 2022 Booker Prize International finalist, has finally released her unpublished debut work, “The Fox.” Despite winning the prize in the mobile category of the 2008 Digital Literature Awards, which was discontinued in 2012, the book never made it to print. Now published by Potion, a genre literature imprint of Itta Publishing, the novel is a reinterpretation of the tale of a nine-tailed fox,

Books May 27, 2023

“Marigold Mind Laundry” By Yun Jung-eun Book Romance Essayist Yun Jung-eun has returned with a full-length novel for the first time in 11 years. Since its release on March 6, the fantasy novel has consistently ranked among the top 5 on the nation's bestseller lists. The story unfolds in a peculiar laundromat that mysteriously appeared on a hill in the middle of the night. Ji-eun, an enigmatic woman with a pale complexion and long, curly, black hair, serves hot tea to visitors at

Books May 26, 2023

“Project V” By Park Seo-lyeon Safehouse Inc. Award-winning novelist Park Seo-lyeon of “Kang Ju-ryong, the Woman in the Air” presents a fresh take on a narrative set in a futuristic Korea of 2037, where a giant robot is the new hot trend. As countries are embroiled in a race to develop these colossal machines, Korea also develops a giant robot named V and a nationwide audition is held to select the inaugural pilot. An exhilarating story unfurls, revolving around Woo-ram, a

Books May 26, 2023

Explore history of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-shin Two statues stand at Gwanghwamun Square representing two iconic figures of Korean history: Adm. Yi Sun-shin, a national hero who triumphed over Japanese invaders during the Imjin War (1592-1598), and King Sejong, an ingenious ruler who invented Hangeul, the Korean writing system, in 1443. Two permanent exhibitions have been set up underneath these statues, housed in the basements of Gwanghwamun Square and the Sejong Center for the Performing

Culture May 26, 2023

Sweden's Gothenburg Opera Dance Company will meet Korean audiences for the first time by performing “Kites“ and “SAABA“ at the LG Arts Center Seoul, on Friday and Saturday. The leading contemporary dance company in Europe is composed of 38 dancers from over 20 countries, and has been actively collaborating with international choreographers to stage challenging and innovative performances. Katrin Hall, artistic director of the company since 2016, said the participatio

Performance May 25, 2023

A series of ballet performances from classics to new creative works inspired by Korean literature and hit Spanish TV drama series “Money Heist” are set to be staged next month. Under the theme of “Face the Times in Ballet,” the 13th edition of Ballet Festival Korea will showcase 11 productions by both established and emerging dancers at the Seoul Arts Center from June 8-25, the organizing committee announced during a press conference on Tuesday. The Universal Ballet is sc

Performance May 24, 2023

Actor Lee Soon-jae, celebrating the 68th year of his acting career this year, is set to make his return as King Lear in William Shakespeare’s tragic play “King Lear.” The production, which sold out during its premiere in 2021, is scheduled for performances at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, from June 1-18. Lee will play the role of King Lear, an aged king whose plan to step down from the throne and divide his kingdom equally among his three daughters ends tragically. &

Performance May 23, 2023

For bestselling author Lee Jung-myung, also known as J. M. Lee, writing is part of his everyday routine. Like an office worker, Lee commutes to his small studio in Seoul and works from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. adhering to a typical work schedule. The journalist-turned-author has described himself as “an office worker who writes” rather than a novelist. He conducts research, writes his stories and edits drafts during these working hours. “I have grown accustomed to working in this manne

Books May 21, 2023

The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre has been invited to perform “Ilmu,” or “One Dance,” at New York’s Lincoln Center from July 20-22. The performance will be featured as part of “Korean Arts Week,” one of the highlights of the Lincoln Center’s annual summer festival “Summer for the City” celebrating visual art, music, dance, theater and culture. Premiered in May 2022, the production is directed by creative director Jung Ku-ho, in colla

Performance May 21, 2023

Visiting Korea for the first time, Bambang Prihadi, chairman of the Theater Committee at the Jakarta Arts Council, said he is leaving Korea with good memories and new inspiration. Prihadi participated in the “K-Fellowship,” an annual program organized by the Korean Culture and Information Service, which invites prominent cultural figures from overseas to experience Korean culture and network with Korean counterparts. As the artistic director and actor of his own theater company, Labo

Performance May 17, 2023

People cope differently when society rapidly changes: Some ignore the changes and fall behind while others adapt and thrive. Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard,” set at the turn of the 20th century, contrasts the fate of the declining aristocracy with that of the rising middle class. Currently running at the National Theater Company of Korea until May 28, Chekhov’s final full-length play stars actor Baik Ji-won in the lead role under the direction of NTCK artistic direct

Performance May 17, 2023

Amid the increasing use of AI translation and arising legal and ethical concerns, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea is set to host a symposium on AI translation that will explore the present and future state of this technology. The symposium, titled “The Current State of AI Translation and the Future of Literature Translation,” will take place at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul on May 26. “The most important aspect to consider was to be inclusive and involve

Books May 16, 2023