Seoul will vigorously support strengthening the South Korea-US relationship, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Wednesday during a forum held to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the two allies' bilateral ties and the foundation of The Korea Herald and Herald Business. Speaking at the forum titled "The ROK-US Alliance Plus," hosted by Herald Corp., Oh said that President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to the US last month solidified the comprehensive and future-oriented nature of the Korea-

Politics May 25, 2023

William Shakespeare’s famous play "The Merchant of Venice," will be reborn as "changgeuk," a traditional Korean opera, next month, with a contemporary twist. From June 8 to 11, the National Changgeuk Company of Korea will present the first changgeuk adaption of “The Merchant of Venice,” a highly anticipated production that has brought together renowned theater creators and talented "pansori" performers. “The Changgeuk Company has made numerou

Culture May 23, 2023

When the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra returns to Korea for the first time in 20 years, it will be led by conductor Gustavo Gimeno, who has experienced a unique career of becoming a conductor from a percussionist. Gimeno, now one of the most sought-after conductors, started learning to conduct while working as the percussionist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Amsterdam. The motivation to learn conducting was to become a better musician. "I love

Culture May 22, 2023

DAEGU -- The Daegu International Musical Festival kicked off Friday, with the Korean premiere of “9 to 5,” a West End musical based on the 1980 film of the same name, at Daegu Opera House. Ahead of the performance, Bae Sung-hyuck, executive director of the DIMF, on Friday told reporters he was delighted to host the Korean premiere of “9 to 5." “Dolly Parton was phenomenal for our generation and so was the music and film '9 to 5,'” Bae said. "So i

Culture May 21, 2023

Park Ha-yang, a Korean violist, exudes a calm and soft-spoken demeanor. Despite winning several domestic and international competitions since the age of 12, the 26-year-old confesses she isn't particularly fond of competitive environments. Although her parents initially had reservations about their only child pursuing a career in music, they had long created an environment filled with classical music by playing a dedicated radio channel throughout the day. Park's passion for music bega

Culture May 20, 2023

Twelve years after TV drama "Dream High," featuring Kim Soo-hyun and Bae Suzy, gained enormous popularity with the story of six high school students aspiring to be superstars, a new musical attempts to continue their story. Musical "Dream High" is based on the TV series and used some songs from the original soundtrack, but the story shows the story of the main characters 10 years later. Song Sam-song (played by Kim in the TV series) returns to Kiran Arts High School to find

Culture May 19, 2023

Global streaming platform Netflix's decision to invest $2.5 billion in Korea over the next four years is both an opportunity and a reason for concern, said Park Bo-gyoon, South Korea's minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism, on Tuesday. The former journalist with 40 years of experience discussed the matter with reporters during a press conference held to mark his first anniversary in the office as the minister. “We’re mulling ways to maximize the opportunities while min

Culture May 17, 2023

Beethoven's beloved Symphony No. 9 has found itself at the center of controversy in South Korea in recent weeks. Earlier this month, a Korean-language version of Beethoven's masterpiece was performed for the first time at the Seoul Arts Center on May 7. The performance was led by conductor Koo Ja-bom, who said the symphony was the reason he became a conductor, but that he had refrained from conducting it due to his immense reverence for the piece. Koo, who dedicated two years to transl

Performance May 17, 2023

Renowned French organist Olivier Latry will bring French organ music to South Korea for his first concert here in six years. While Latry has been to his wife and organist Lee Shin-young’s home country of Korea multiple times on private visits over the past several years, this trip will feature his musical talents at the forefront. For the concert next week, he has chosen music from Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt, Camille Saint-Saens, Cesar Franck and Charles-Marie Widor. In an e-mail intervie

Culture May 12, 2023

Culture May 12, 2023

Bring along your dogs and enjoy the pet-themed exhibition "A Companion of Paws" with your furry friend. The Korea Manhwa Museum is hosting a special in-door exhibition where pet owners (and non-pet owners alike) can enjoy art projects with their beloved companions. May is known as “Family Month” in Korea, and it is filled with family-oriented events, including Children’s Day and Parent’s Day. Hoping to promote the message that pets are also precious members of t

Culture May 12, 2023

Equipped with top-quality sound, Bucheon Art Center is ready to open its doors to the public on May 19, almost two decades after the initial plan for the construction of an art hall in the city of Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, was passed. “Bucheon's long-awaited dream has finally become a reality,” Bucheon Mayor Cho Yong-eek told reporters on Thursday at BAC’s concert hall. "I'm happy to announce the opening of the Bucheon Art Center, Bucheon's landmark, that

Culture May 11, 2023

Incorrect English signs have been a bugbear for public offices for a long time, but a language center in the Southeast of the country is taking aim at signs in foreign languages and characters that are difficult for the general public to understand. For example, in a public parking lot at a traditional market in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, information is provided in English in large black letters while the Korean is provided as a supplement, printed on paper and posted on the wall. To

Culture May 11, 2023

Sitting outside in a cold and windy night on an uncomfortable plastic chair for 100 minutes might be challenging, but witnessing a musical centered on King Sejong the Great with the majestic hall, Geunjeongjeon, National Treasure No. 233, as the backdrop at Gyeongbokgung truly felt like a privilege. At 7:30 p.m. on May 2, night had already fallen and the show began by illuminating a spotlight on a pansori performer who introduced the historical background of the story. As pansori singer Lee Bong

Culture May 10, 2023

Renowned American violinist Joshua Bell will make his debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra with two very special "old fashioned violin pieces" as he returns to Korea in May for the first time in five years to meet his favorite audience in the world. The 55-year-old chose Vieuxtemps’s Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor, Op. 37, a piece not frequently performed over the past 40 years, he explained in an email interview with The Korea Herald. Chausson’s Poeme for Violi

Performance May 10, 2023