Nam June Paik Art Center to be led by new director Park Nam-hee

The Nam June Paik Art Center in Gyeonggi Province -- the only museum in the world dedicated to the video art pioneer Paik Nam-june -- will be helmed by its newly appointed director, Park Nam-hee, for the next two years. Park was appointed to the position and began work in her role as of Tuesday, according to the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation. The position allows for consecutive terms. “I will do all my best to globally promote the Nam June Paik Art Center, a place the artist himself named a

Arts & DesignSept. 27, 2023

Immersive, digital art shows to enjoy during extended holiday

If you are looking for a place to spend some quality family time during the six-day holiday that starts this Thursday, check out the digital exhibitions in Seoul that can be enjoyed regardless of one’s age. Salvador Dali’s surrealist paintings are digitally reproduced at Walkerhill Hotel & Resorts in Seoul's Gwangjin-gu, inviting audiences to the immersive space full of the Spanish painter’s iconic images such as melting clocks. The 3,400-square-meter Theater des Lumie

Arts & DesignSept. 27, 2023

[Our Museums] Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum shows artistic essence of ceramics throughout history

GWANGJU, Gyeonggi Province -- Korea's ceramic heritage dates back 8,000 years, with a lineage of artisans refining their craft across generations. At the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, visitors have the opportunity to follow the evolution of Korean ceramics from ancient times to the present day. During the Joseon era, Gwangju emerged as an important ceramics supplier to the court as its rich soil and abundant firewood that were conducive to making high-quality cerami

CultureSept. 26, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘Carmen’ redefines iconic femme fatale as stalking victim

Breaking away from the traditional portrayal of the iconic femme fatale, Carmen, Seoul Metropolitan Theatre's theatrical rendition of the classic character meets audiences with the haunting specter of dating violence. Seoul Metropolitan Theatre Artistic Director Koh Sun-woong undertook the adaptation of “Carmen” to reevaluate the character in a new light and to deliver a powerful message: Obsession is not love. Based on Prosper Merimee's 1845 novella and Bizet's opera

PerformanceSept. 26, 2023

Orchestra composed of players with visual impairment to perform Oct. 4

The Hyegwang Blind Orchestra, composed of individuals with visual impairments, is gearing up for a special performance titled “International Music Concert with Hyegwang Blind Orchestra” on Oct. 4. The orchestra has continued its musical journey for 15 years since the Incheon Hyegwang School for the Blind established a wind instrument program for high-schoolers in 2008. Currently, the ensemble includes members from various backgrounds, such as massage therapists, teachers, rehab worke

PerformanceSept. 26, 2023

[Feature] The rise and fall of terrestrial TV dramas

For countless South Korean actors, getting a role on a local broadcaster's TV drama series was a ticket to stardom. However, this notion is rapidly becoming a thing of the past, as local TV channels like SBS, MBC and KBS now compete with a slew of streaming platforms and changed viewing habits. Weekly television program schedules, typically filled with multiple drama series up until a number of years ago, is now filled with reality shows and pilot programs. Among local braodcasters, SBS has

TelevisionSept. 26, 2023

[Herald Interview] Song Joong-ki seeks different genres over types of characters

Actor Song Joong-ki, who has wowed the audience with both commercial and critical TV success through “Reborn Rich” (2022) and “Vincenzo” (2021), chose to show his rough side this time through rookie director Kim Chang-hoon’s noir flick “Hopeless.” Song, who returned to Korea after spending time with his newborn son and British wife in Rome for nine months, said he has always been on the lookout for opportunities to try new genres and projects internation

FilmSept. 26, 2023

[Herald Interview] As a wanderer, Yoshitomo Nara does not confine himself to art

Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara has returned to Seoul, bringing with him ceramic works that are a departure from his iconic paintings of children most people here are familiar with. The artist broke the long-held perception in Seoul about his works at the exhibition “Yoshitomo Nara: Ceramic Works” at Pace Gallery in Hannam-dong, central Seoul. One might be baffled upon encountering these monochromatic ceramic works rather than his paintings of wide-eyed children, which were last displ

Arts & DesignSept. 25, 2023

[Photo News] PM Han at Dondeokjeon opening

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (second from right) and US Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg (second from left) participate in a brushwork painting performance at the opening ceremony of Dondeokjeon in Seoul on Monday. Dondeokjeon, a Western-style building at Deoksugung, opened to the public Tuesday following a six-year restoration. The building was once used as a royal guesthouse and venue for diplomatic events during the Korean Empire (1897-1910). The two-story structure, built between 1902 and

CultureSept. 25, 2023

Reconstructed Dondeokjeon hall in Deoksu Palace to open to public

Dondeokjeon, a historic Western-style building in Seoul's Deoksu Palace used as a royal guesthouse during the Korean Empire (1897-1910), will open to the public Tuesday after being reconstructed in its original shape, the Cultural Heritage Administration said. The reconstruction was part of the agency's broader plan to restore the original states of royal palaces, which were damaged during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The two-story building, known to have

CultureSept. 25, 2023

4th Global Biz Forum kicks off to discuss 'next prosperity'

The fourth edition of The Korea Herald’s Global Business Forum kicked off Wednesday at Grand Hyatt Seoul, under the theme of “Next Prosperity." The 13-week forum, held every Wednesday, is aimed at discussing strategies for shaping the future prosperity and choices of Korea. Attendees of the forum share knowledge of the international community and overseas investment opportunities to expand business networks. Attending the kick-off ceremony, outgoing Indonesian Ambassador Gandi S

PeopleSept. 25, 2023

Benois de la Danse winner Kang Mi-sun comes back with 'Don Quixote'

This year’s Benois de la Danse winner, Kang Mi-sun, is set to perform the classic ballet “Don Quixote” at the Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater next month. Kang, a principal dancer at Universal Ballet in Seoul, clinched the top prize at the prestigious Benois de la Danse, an esteemed annual ballet competition held in Moscow. Kang is the fifth Korean national to win the prize. The upcoming performance is Kang's return to the stage with a full-length production at the

PerformanceSept. 25, 2023

[Photo News] Dondeokjeon reopens after century

Dondeokjeon, a Western-style building next to Deoksugung in central Seoul, opens to the public Tuesday after a six-year restoration. The building was once used as a royal guesthouse and venue for diplomatic events during the Korean Empire (1897-1910). The two-story structure, built between 1902 and 1903 during the reign of King Gojong to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his enthronement, was destroyed by the Japanese in the 1920s. The Japanese subsequently turned the palace into a children�

CultureSept. 25, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim Jee-woon has high hopes of Korean cinema revival through 'Cobweb'

Just like director Kim Yeol in “Cobweb,” the film's 58-year-old director, Kim Jee-won, is adamant about what he does as a filmmaker. “Amid the unprecedented crisis that Korean cinema is facing, all I ask for (regarding the release of my film) is for ‘Cobweb’ to create a momentum for the revival of the Korean cinema,” Kim told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul on Sept. 21. Kim was behind hit projects like “The Good, The Bad, The Strange&rdquo

FilmSept. 25, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘Cobweb’ sends fresh, new breeze through Korean cinema scene

Hit filmmaker Kim Jee-woon has returned with black comedy “Cobweb,” joining forces with Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho to bring a breath of fresh air to the box office where plot-missing disaster flicks and childish romantic comedy films have been dominating recently. “Cobweb” follows a fresh plot development, storyline and characters. The weighty question “What is film?” penetrates the 130-minute running time, anchoring the scenes of witty, funny and sad m

FilmSept. 25, 2023

[Book Review] 'Lee Kun-hee. Hong Ra-hee. Collection' unveils story of Lee's donated works

“Lee Kun-hee. Hong Ra-hee. Collection” By Sohn Young-ok Jaeum&Moeum Publishing Co. When the extensive works collected by late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee were donated to the public in South Korea two years ago, it was widely referred to as the “collection of the century,” and the businessman was dubbed as the “Korea’s Medici” as a patron of Korean art. In her latest book, “Lee Kun-hee. Hong Ra-hee. Collection,” journalist Sohn

BooksSept. 24, 2023

Shimcheong-ga returns as changgeuk for Chuseok

The National Changgeuk Company of Korea, which recently premiered its modern take on traditional changgeuk performances in “Jeong-nyeon” and “The Merchants of Venice,” returns with a traditional Korean pansori, “Shimcheong-ga” for the Chuseok holiday. The production is based on the classic Korean pansori and folktale of Sim Cheong, a young girl who makes a selfless sacrifice to the king of the underwater world in a desperate attempt to restore her blind father

PerformanceSept. 24, 2023

[Herald Interview] Jung Soo-jung sees ‘Cobweb’ as career turning point

In director Kim Jee-woon’s upcoming black comedy, “Cobweb,” Jung Soo-jung, also known as Krystal from K-pop girl group f(x), plays a chic and edgy rising star, Han Yu-rim, giving the role her own, almost flawless interpretation. The 28-year-old actor seamlessly reproduces a unique tone that actors would use in the 1970s, making it hard to believe that “Cobweb” is Jung's first commercial film role. Jung has previously starred in the indie film, “More Than

FilmSept. 24, 2023

[Photo News] Mudeungsan fully opens door to public after 57 years

Mudeungsan Mountain located in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, fully opened its door to the public for the first time in 57 years on Saturday. Civilian access to the top of the mountain had been restricted since 1966 as air force units were stationed in the respective location. Many visitors gathered on the day of the opening to enjoy a round-trip hike of approximately 390 meters that goes from Seoseokdae columnar joints to Inwangbong Observatory.

TravelSept. 23, 2023

From traditional to trendy, three of Seoul's top yukhoe spots

Eating raw meat may not be for everyone, and even for Koreans, it is a love-it-or-hate-it experience. But for those who love it, or who have a more adventurous palate, yukhoe, a Korean dish similar to beef tartare, is not to be missed. Yukhoe, literally "raw beef" in Korean, consists of thin slivers of high quality beef, typically lean rump, in a nutty, umami-packed marinade. It is usually served with a raw egg yolk and julienned Korean pear, while the marinade ingredients tend to va

FoodSept. 23, 2023