A historical site and numerous cultural relics thought to date back to the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) have been found at a construction site in Sinyeong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration and a private association commissioned to conduct a preliminary survey of the site on Monday. An architectural history survey was launched in December at the site, which had been used as a parking lot and was in the process of being developed into an apartment complex. The

Culture March 20, 2023

The Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music, a highly anticipated annual event led by violinist Kang Dong-suk, is set to return bigger this May with the theme, "The More, The Merrier!," featuring larger ensembles than in previous years. Going beyond traditional small chamber music ensembles, this year’s festival will offer a variety of sextets, septets and octets, according to the festival's organizers on Monday. The festival will commence April 26 at the Sejong Center for th

Performance March 20, 2023

South Korean pianist Cho Seong-Jin’s latest album, The Handel Project, has topped Billboard's Traditional Classical Albums weekly chart this week, according to the US magazine’s chart. The Handel Project, released on February 3, is a collection of three suites from Handel's first collection of Suites de pièces pour le clavecin, which are some of Cho's favorite pieces of music. The album also features Brahms's Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, a pie

Culture March 17, 2023

Some 30 years ago, the Korea National University of Arts, known as K-Arts, was established with a goal to provide top quality education so that Korean students would not have to go abroad to study the arts. It was a goal in which not many believed back them. After the opening of the music school in 1993, the theater, film, dance, art and traditional arts schools were introduced one after another. Now, K-Arts operates under 26 different departments across six schools -- the Schools of Music, Dram

Culture March 17, 2023

A family day out at Children’s Grand Park Located in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Children’s Grand Park is the perfect destination for a fun family day out. The park houses an amusement park which offers a wide range of family-friendly attractions and activities that are suitable for children of all ages. The park features thrilling rides for older children, who should not miss the opportunity to try out the Wave Swinger and the Drop Tower. In particular, the Family Coaster is wildly popular

Culture March 17, 2023

Just three days after the news of the death of the cartoonist of the original "Black Rubber Shoes" broke, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced a series of measures to prevent similar tragedies. On Wednesday, the ministry announced that it plans to include specific provisions concerning secondary works in the standard contract for the comics field. Secondary works are creative works created by modifying, adapting or producing videos from the original. Under the plan, th

Culture March 15, 2023

It was an impulsive decision to start recording Mozart's piano sonatas, as the opportunity only presented itself due to the availability of time and place. However, as Son Yeol-eum began recording at the Tongyeong Concert Hall in January, she felt as though she had returned home and she decided to finish the complete collection of Mozart’s 18 sonatas. The pianist's ninth album, "Yeol Eum Son: Mozart Complete Piano Sonatas," is being released Friday. Even though it felt

Performance March 14, 2023

Four top classical musicians, including recent international competition winners Yang In-mo and Choi Ha-young, will showcase their virtuosity and harmony as a duo. Yang In-mo, 28, the double winner of two prestigious competitions, and Kim Da-sol, also with an impressive track record, join forces to perform Webern’s Four Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 7, Brahms’ Sonata for Violin and Piano in G Major, Op. 78, Furrer’s Lied for Violin and Piano (1993) and Beethoven’s Sona

Performance March 14, 2023

Sergei Rachmaninoff's music holds a special place in the hearts of many Koreans, with his Piano Concerto No. 2 consistently ranking among the top five classical music pieces in surveys conducted by KBS Classic FM in 1982, 2009, 2016 and 2021. The Piano Concerto No. 3 has become more familiar for Korean audiences after Korean pianist Lim Yun-chan's captivating performance during the final of the 2022 Van Cliburn International Competition. The video of his performance on YouTube has garn

Culture March 9, 2023

Music director, composer and instrumentalist Jung Jae-il gained international recognition with his musical work for critically acclaimed films and TV dramas such as “Okja” (2017), “Parasite” (2019) and “Squid Game" (2021). In Korea, the 41-year-old has been making his mark on the industry for 25 years since his debut at 17. Jung is currently working with movie director Bong Joon-ho for his next film ‘Mickey 17.’ He recently had the opportunity to wo

Performance March 8, 2023

The musical “The Phantom of the Opera” will kick off in Busan in March, a significant event on many levels. Not only is it the third Korean production of the iconic musical that took the local musical industry by storm with its debut in 2001, it is returning to Korea after 13 years. Danny Sihn, CEO and producer of S&CO, told reporters during a press conference on Monday that the latest production is focused on preserving the original vision of the 35-year-old musical created by l

Culture March 6, 2023

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, with its incoming music director Jaap van Zweden, will perform a special concert in April for those in need. On April 7, "A Very Special Concert" will take place at Ewha Womans University with guest violinist Kong Min-bae, an 18-year-old violinist who was diagnosed with high-functioning autism at the age of 5. He first learned to play the piano as part of his treatment. At 10 years old, Kong started to take violin lessons. During a press conference i

Performance March 6, 2023

Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg (OPL) returns to South Korea for the first time since 2003 this time with conductor Gustavo Gimeno. On the Korea-only tour, the Spanish conductor, 47, will lead the orchestra for four performances around the country with 16-year-old Korean cellist Han Jae-min, the youngest winner of the George Enescu International Competition. For the first part of the concert, the orchestra and Han will present Dvorak Cello Concerto, Op. 104, B. 191. After the intermission

Performance March 3, 2023

South Korean piano sensation Lim Yun-chan will make his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York in February next year, according to his management company MOC Production on Friday. Lim, 18, will take the stage as part of Carnegie Hall’s Keyboard Virtuosos and perform Chopin’s Trois Nouvelles Etudes, 12 Etudes Op. 10 and Chopin -- 12 Etudes Op. 25 on Feb. 21, 2024. He became an instant sensation after winning the gold medal at the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition as

Culture March 3, 2023

The Staatskapelle Dresden, one of the world's oldest orchestras, joins forces with celebrated Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun for six performances, four of which will feature Korean pianist Cho Seong-jin, showcasing the enduring relationship between the passage of time and musical excellence. The 475-year-old orchestra, founded as a royal court ensemble in 1548, has worked with many renowned conductors, as well as internationally celebrated instrumentalists and composers. Previous directo

Culture March 2, 2023