Articles by Park Ga-young
Park Ga-young
gypark@heraldcorp.com-
[Well-curated] Jinro Toad store, Andre Brasilier art show and Danish-style sing-along for weekend
A feast for the eyes Lovers of Jinro soju and its Jinro Toad mascots will descend onto the streets of Seoul’s bustling Gangnam neighborhood. Just a two-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit No. 11, you can see the sky blue and pink Dookkeop Arcade pop-up store. Many people flock to distiller HiteJinro’s megasized iconic mascots -- blue and pink Jinro Toads -- at the store’s entrance. After a quick ID check to verify visitors are of the legal drinking age, guests can freely brow
Culture Feb. 24, 2023
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Seoul to create W1tr fund for content industry by 2024
South Korea’s content trade surplus reached $11.25 billion in 2021 and figures indicate that the sector has become a core service export. To maintain the momentum of the sector’s growth, which grew at an annual average of 9 percent from 2017-2021, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism unveiled a plan to achieve 137 trillion won ($106 billion) in exports of content by 2027, up from $12.4 billion in 2021. This goal will be achieved by supporting the overseas expansion of small an
Culture Feb. 23, 2023
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World-renowned musicians debut experimental opera in Korea
International chamber ensemble Sejong Soloists will join hands with Joyce DiDonato, one of the world's most celebrated opera singers, to perform the Asian premiere of Tod Machover’s “Overstory Overture” in Seoul on March 16. “Overstory Overture” is inspired by the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Overstory” by Richard Powers, which explores the relationship between humans and nature. Machover, known for his innovative approach to music, said in a r
Performance Feb. 22, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Tei now relishes performing old Beethoven
When Tei, a singer who is also pursuing an acting career in musicals, was offered the role of an aging Beethoven, his initial response was a firm "no." Tei was in his mid-30s at the time, and covetous of the younger Beethoven role in the show. He was eventually persuaded to take on the challenge of playing the older manifestation of the composer in “Ludwig: Beethoven the Piano” and he is now happy with the role and has grown to resonate with the role. “Up until the th
Culture Feb. 17, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Musical actor Min Woo-hyuk shows emotional Ahn Jung-geun in 'Hero'
Min Woo-hyuk, a musical actor, had been working in small theater productions for three years before scoring his first major role, as Enjolras in "Les Miserables," staged in 2015. Around the same time, he saw "Hero" and immediately knew he would like to take on the role of Ahn Jung-geun, the historic independent activist who assassinated Hirobumi Ito, Japan’s first prime minister and the first Japanese resident-general in Korea, in Harbin, China, in 1909. The 39-year-o
Culture Feb. 15, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Culture promotion agency to play more active, expanded role after pandemic
With the country moving further away from the pandemic, the Korean Culture and Information Service is going full steam ahead in its endeavor to catapult Korean culture this year further around the world. Kim Jang-ho, the head of the agency, is a veteran government official who joined the Culture Ministry in the mid-1990s when the government body realized the importance of culture and art as an industry and created a division called the Culture Industry Department. It was when the movie "Jur
Culture Feb. 14, 2023
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'Xcalibur' to be recreated with all-female cast in Japan
“Xcalibur,” a musical by the Korean musical company EMK, will be made into a Japanese version by the Takarazuka Revue, an all-female theater troupe. The Japanese production will take to the stage from July 23 to Aug. 5 at Tokyo Tatemono Brillia Hall. The Takarazuka Revue is an all-female theater troupe founded in 1913 to attract tourists to Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Daiichi Inaba will direct “Xcalibur,” featuring actress Toa Serika and Haruno Sakura in the le
Performance Feb. 13, 2023
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[Herald Review] Beethoven vs. Beethoven: two takes on the great musician’s life vie for public and critical acclaim
Currently in Seoul, eight time zones from where Ludwig van Beethoven was born and died, two musicals inspired by the musician are taking place. With the exception of the source of inspiration, the two productions are like chalk and cheese. “Ludwig: Beethoven the Piano” is a small-scale production in the off-off Broadway style, while “Beethoven: The Secret” is an extravagant production that takes place in a cavernous theater boasting 2,200 seats. The former, produced by Or
Culture Feb. 11, 2023
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[Rising Virtuosos] Cellist Han Jae-min, now done with competition, seeks to grow as musician
Cellist Han Jae-min, during the final stage of a competition in November last year, was 12 minutes and 50 seconds into Yun I-sang's Concerto for Cello and Orchestra when the thickest C string snapped. He stopped with a smile on his face, left the stage to restring his instrument and took to the stage again, picking up where he had left off, per competition rules. This happened once again about 13 minutes after Han had resumed playing. His face a bit tenser than the first time, but still wit
Culture Feb. 11, 2023
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[Well-curated] Coffee plus stationery, acoustic concerts and folding-screen show
Have your cup of joe surrounded by unique stationery goods There are tons of Instagrammable cafes in Seoul with unique coffee and ambience, but cafe Young and Daughters stands out as one dedicated to making its own coffee culture. Bassist-turned-barista and composer-turned-coffee bean roasting manager are in charge of this cute, small cafe -- there are only three standing tables here -- located in Gongdeok, Mapo-gu, where a good mix of office workers and residents pass through everyday. The sign
Culture Feb. 10, 2023
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Cellist Yang Sung-won to head Music in Pyeongchang
Music in Pyeongchang, an annual music festival held in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, has appointed cellist Yang Sung-won as its fourth artistic director, festival organizer Gangwon Art and Culture Foundation announced Thursday. Yang will lead the 20th edition of the music festival, which will take place from July 26 to Aug. 5. Yang, a cello soloist and chamber musician who performs worldwide, has worked with renowned musicians, such as pianists Christoph Eschenbach and Pascal Devoyon, and comp
Performance Feb. 9, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Top musical producer Shin Chun-soo sets sights beyond Korea
Shin Chun-soo, chief producer of OD Co., has been dealing with thyroid problems recently, a condition he described as even harder to deal with than his open-heart surgery two years ago. Shin confesses to being less and less stimulated by company. Once an extrovert, he has retreated to literature and musical books in his enduring search for inspiration. But when he talks about musicals and his upcoming projects in and outside Korea, his face lights up. Shin was originally a wannabe movie director
Performance Feb. 3, 2023
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Performing arts boast strong ticket sales and revenue in 2022
Last year’s ticket sales for Korea’s performing arts scene not only returned to pre-pandemic levels but jumped 43 percent from 2019, according to data released by the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System Wednesday. The combined revenue of 14,447 musicals, theatrical plays, classical concerts and other performances came to 55.90 billion won ($45 million) in 2022, up 43 percent from pre-pandemic revenue in 2019. Compared with 2021, the figure soared by 82 percent. In ter
Culture Feb. 1, 2023
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[Reading Korea Through Books] Peers' admiration, big office job, house in Seoul: A dream or source of heartache?
"Tale of Department Head Kim at a Conglomerate Who Owns a House in Seoul" by first-time writer Song Hee-koo is a three-volume series about characters who work at a large conglomerate in Seoul. The last of the series hit local bookshelves in November 2021. The title may raise questions about the "ideal" image of a middle-class worker in South Korea. It would be someone who owns a house -- preferably in Seoul -- and works at a big company like Samsung, LG or SK and ultimately b
Books Feb. 1, 2023
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Sejong Center unveils new season filled with own productions
The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will make a concrete transformation this year through a new season that showcases its own productions, Ahn Ho-sang, the CEO of the institution, said Tuesday. “While we focused on bringing the best artists -- who I can guarantee as the best in their respective fields, to Sejong Center last year -- this year we’ll focus on providing more quality original works,” Ahn told reporters on Tuesday during a press conference. For the 2023 season
Culture Feb. 1, 2023
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