The Educational Broadcasting System is finally taking action to protect its copyrights over the popular character Pengsoo, after numerous infringements since the beloved penguin debuted last year. The broadcasting company announced Friday that it had signed a contract with the MIJU Law Firm, which specializes in intellectual property rights infringement issues online. “EBS and MIJU Law Firm already investigated both online and offline cases of copyright infringement of Pengsoo. We are

Television March 13, 2020

The winner of TV Chosun’s hit talent audition show “Mr. Trot” will be announced Saturday, after the broadcaster failed to name the winner on its Thursday’s episode, citing an unprecedented number of text message votes from viewers. “Mr. Trot” was to announce the winner at the end of Thursday’s episode, aggregating the scores by the panel of judges and text message voting from viewers after the final round of competition. However, as the show neared t

Television March 13, 2020

When Park Jin-ryoung, a Daegu resident, saw people waiting in line for hours to buy a face mask -- a must-have survival item in the city, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of COVID-19 cases in South Korea -- her thoughts went to people in need. So she took out her sewing machine. She visited offline and online stores to buy the materials she needed to make 120 fabric face masks: elastic braids, wire cords, filters and fabric. Park and her two daughters -- whose elementary school graduatio

Culture March 12, 2020

Video art pioneer Paik Nam-june’s retrospective exhibition will open Friday at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the second stop of the exhibition’s international tour. Titled “The Future is Now,” the show will feature more than 200 works by the artist, including those in the museum’s collection. The exhibition will run through Aug. 23. The major retrospective exhibition of Paik is on a two-year international tour, starting at the Tate Modern i

Arts & Design March 11, 2020

With the spread of COVID-19 continuing for more than 50 days, museums and galleries have begun to seek ways to provide cultural experiences for people who are isolating themselves at home and minimizing social activities. The National Museum of Korea, which is temporarily closed due to the spread of the new coronavirus, said Monday that it would stream its special exhibition, “10,000 Years of Design - Man, Matter, Metamorphosis” at 7 p.m. on Friday through Naver TV, at https://tv.

Arts & Design March 10, 2020

Chung Min-su, who has three bichon frise dogs at home, began to worry about the possibility of her pets catching COVID-19 after hearing news last week that a dog had tested positive for the new coronavirus in Hong Kong. The outbreak has now affected more than 7,000 people in South Korea. “I am more cautious when I am with my dogs in an enclosed space with other people, like in an elevator,” Chung said. “When I walk my dogs outside, they sniff around everywhere, and I freak ou

Culture March 9, 2020

“The Aesthetic Consciousness of Korean Modern Art” By Lee Joo-young Misulmunhwa Visual Arts Publication Though we may come across some Korean modern and contemporary artworks, not many realize the philosophies and backgrounds embedded in the artworks. The book “The Aesthetic Consciousness of Korean Modern Art,” written in Korean and published in February, digs into the common characteristics of Korea’s modern and contemporary artworks. Lee Joo-young, the head

Books March 8, 2020

Many art galleries and museums here have shut down or postponed exhibitions due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and more people are in self-imposed isolation as part of social distancing to prevent the spread of the respiratory illness. But, there is still a chance to alleviate negative emotions that result from the prolonged crisis and refresh your mind: browsing works of art from the collection of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea from the comfort of your home. Established

Arts & Design March 5, 2020

A 32-year-old librarian in Gumi-dong, Gyeonggi Province, who is expecting a baby in May, has not left her house for four days. Her daughter, 4, has been home all day since her day care center shut down due to the COVID-19 outbreak. “I am pregnant so I am very cautious about the ongoing situation, and there is no place for my first child to play these days. ... It is really stressful for me and my daughter,” the woman said. “Over the past four days, a 15-minute walk to the groc

Culture March 3, 2020

In early January, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) announced that it would hold an archival exhibition of Paik Nam-june, a Korean-born avant-garde artist and pioneer of video art. The date of the exhibition, which the museum said would be the largest of its kind, however, has yet to be set. The announcement came as Paik Nam-june, who died in 2006, has come to the spotlight recently with a retrospective exhibition embarking on a tour of renowned museums in the

Arts & Design March 1, 2020

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Arario Gallery said Friday it will unveil artworks through an online exhibition. Most art galleries in Korea have shut down temporarily due to rising virus infections across the country.  Arario Gallery, a major commercial contemporary art gallery here, will showcase more than 20 works initially planned for Art Basel Hong Kong, the biggest international art fair in Asia, which was canceled earlier this month due to the virus outbreak. The online showcase

Arts & Design Feb. 28, 2020

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has selected Yang Hae-gue as its seventh artist for the MMCA Hyundai Motor Series, the museum announced on Wednesday. The MMCA Hyundai Motor Series, sponsored by the Hyundai Motor Company, aims to introduce the current state of Korean contemporary art. The project selects a promising artist every year who has established their own aesthetic world and provide opportunities to construct their own unique art platform.  Yang is con

Arts & Design Feb. 26, 2020

The National Museum of Korea held a symposium last week at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery to introduce the religious implication embedded in Korean Buddhist artifacts, the national museum said Tuesday. The symposium -- held from Thursday to Friday at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, known as the Smithsonian’s Asian art museum -- coincided with the exhibition “Sacred Dedication: A Korean Buddhist Masterpiece,” jointly organized by the Freer Gallery, Sackler Ga

Culture Feb. 25, 2020

Next month’s Seoul Fashion Week is to be canceled amid a serial cancellation of events, as worries over the novel coronavirus spread escalate in Korea. “We have internally decided to cancel the 2020 fall-winter Seoul Fashion Week and will notify the concerned parties of the decision in a few days,” said an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Government in charge of the biannual fashion week. “However, we will seek ways to support and help designers in Korea by hosting

Arts & Design Feb. 24, 2020

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) announced Monday it will temporarily close its four venues in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as the number of infections have spiked in the past few days. The announcement came after the government raised the virus alert level to the “highest” on Sunday. “A few days from now are a very important moment,” President Moon Jae-in said. MMCA Seoul will close starting Tuesday. The three ot

Arts & Design Feb. 24, 2020