Performers showcase traditional Korean music at the Jongmyo Shrine. (Julie Jackson/The Korea Herald)An annual series of performances of traditional music in Seoul’s royal palaces will reopen next month, offering free gugak and pansori concerts against palatial backdrops. This year’s performances will be held simultaneously at the Changdeokgung Palace, Deoksugung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine from Sept. 5 to Oct. 11. Each venue will vary in its themes and hold a total of 34 performances, and unlike i

Culture Aug. 26, 2015

The King Sejong Institute Foundation’s seventh annual World Korean Educators Conference kicked off Monday, inviting 180 guests committed to the teaching of Korean from 43 countries for a three-day exchange conference in Seoul. With 90 institutions across the world, the King Sejong Institute is dedicated to establishing educational institutions where citizens of all ages can attend to learn the Korean language. Invited as a guest to this year’s conference is Korean teacher Stepanka Horakova from

Culture Aug. 25, 2015

Latvian-born Israeli cellist Mischa Maisky (Courtesy of Hideki Shiozawa)Following the unforgettable performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic -- under the reign of Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel and conductor Ivan Fischer -- and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s four-day homage to Beethoven in the spring, the next lineup of classical music performances this coming fall has much to live up to.Below are some of the most anticipated performances over the coming months. Kim Sun-wook and Isa

Performance Aug. 20, 2015

A scene from the contemporary dance production of, “Ohna II,” which will be staged as part of the upcoming 2015 Silk Road for Performing Arts cultural dance festival. (Lim AMC)Conceptually bridging the cross-cultural influences of the East and the West along the ancient Silk Road, this year’s Festival Silk Road for Performing Arts will be kicking off its festivities on Sept. 3. Slated to be held as part of the ongoing Silk Road Gyeongju 2015 -- the nearly two-month long Eurasia cultural arts fes

Performance Aug. 19, 2015

Interior view of one of the Citadines Haeundae Busan‘s one-bedroom premier suites. (Ascott Limited Group)Citadines, a global brand of well-appointed serviced apartments, officially launched its first “apart’hotel” in Korea over the weekend, smack dab in the heart of Haeundae, the country’s most popular beachside hot spot.Now accepting reservations, the 468-room Citadines Haeundae offers safe and comfortable accommodations for both tourists and business travelers, whether it be for a short weeken

Travel Aug. 17, 2015

From the cultural staples of Korean folk music and historical soap operas, to love-triangle-plagued TV dramas and the heavily choreographed, modern hodgepodge of K-pop, the nation’s entertainment industry has seen a paradigm shift in its international prominence over the past few decades. Following a number of game-changing TV dramas and musical acts such as KBS’ “Winter Sonata” and first generation K-pop idols BoA and H.O.T., overseas interest in the nation’s entertainment content has shot up,

Aug. 16, 2015

In the aftermath of the recent media frenzy and public shock of discovering former Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Park Hyun-jung’s alleged mistreatment of her subordinates, new CEO Choe Heung-sik has taken the reigns of the SPO since July 1. Choe, 62, is a former banking executive and former head of Hana Financial Group -- the country’s fourth-largest financial group. After more than a month in office, Choe spoke to members of the media about his plans for the future of the Seoul Phil, emphasi

Performance Aug. 11, 2015

  A scene from the Stuttgart Ballet company‘s performance of “Bite” (K-Ballet World)Inviting 32 dance teams from eight countries, this year’s K-Ballet World festival is gearing up to take center stage Aug. 15-28, highlighting both contemporary and classic dance movements. “The theme that we try to uphold every year with the K-Ballet World is to introduce Korean ballet to the world and world ballet to Korea,” said Kim In-sook, head of the Korea Ballet Association, during a press conference held i

Performance July 30, 2015

Exterior view of the Kensington Jeju Hotel in Seogwipo, Jejudo Island. (Kensington Jeju Hotel)Nestled right in the mix of Jejudo Island’s most luxurious resorts -- Lotte, Shilla and the Hyatt -- is the newly established Kensington Jeju Hotel on the picturesque coast of Seogwipo. The nautical themed resort meets all the standards and quality services of its neighboring brands, however, with the property being relatively smaller, Kensington guests can bask in all its 4-star bliss in a more intimat

Travel July 29, 2015

A scene from this year‘s Ansan M Valley Rock Festival, held from July 24 - 26 at the Daebu Sea Breeze Theme Park in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. (CJ E&M)Despite hordes of unrelenting mosquitoes descending on a crowd sweating bullets in the steaming humidity and losing shoes traipsing through the damp mud, this year’s Ansan M Rock Festival concluded its festivities on a high note, inviting American rock gods, the Foo Fighters. With more than two decades as rock and roll music icons, the Foo Fighters

Performance July 27, 2015

A scene from the new musical “Arirang,” an adaptation of Korean novelist Jo Jung-rae’s eponymous 12-volume novel, which is at the LG Arts Center in Seoul until Sept. 5. (Seensee Company)Beyond the tale of budding young love and the painstaking struggles of a village and its people, the musical “Arirang” is an emotional roller-coaster of artistic beauty, unrelenting sorrow and the glimmering of hope. From the painful-to-watch scenes depicting the rape of women by Japanese soldiers, to the brutal

Performance July 23, 2015

President Park Geun-hye nominated Lee Seong-ho, chief judge of the Seoul Central District Court, as new head of the nation’s human rights watchdog, her office said Monday.Lee Seong-ho (Yonhap)Lee, 57, replaces Hyun Byeong-chul whose term ends next month. The nominee is required to go through a parliamentary hearing, but does not require the legislature’s approval. A native of Yeongdong, North Chungcheong Province, Lee served as a judge for about 30 years, handling high-profile trials including t

Politics July 20, 2015