Seosamneung Royal Tombs to fully open to public in September

Hyoreung of the Seosamneung Royal Tombs in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, will soon welcome the public for the first time, as announced by the Cultural Heritage Administration's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, Wednesday. The opening marks an end to restricted access that has been in place. Following the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation of the Royal Tombs of the Joseon era in 2009, the CHA has consistently worked to maintain and preserve the royal tombs. With the Seosamneung's full

CultureAug. 23, 2023

Millennials and Gen Z travelers willing to splurge on 'experience-driven' tours: survey

Unique experiences are the factor most likely to influence the travel decisions of millennials and Gen Zs, according to a recent survey from travel and leisure online platform Klook. The Klook Travel Pulse survey, carried out in July by the market research firm Milieu, encompassed 2,400 participants from 12 countries in the Asia Pacific region, including South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, mainland China and India. The survey ind

CultureAug. 23, 2023

[Herald Interview] Ellegarden returns to Korea for first time in 15 years

When Takeshi Hosomi, the vocalist and guitarist of Japanese rock band Ellegarden, shouted, "This is one of the best days of my life," during the band's Pentaport Incheon performance earlier this month, it was evident he genuinely meant it. The band's reunion with the Korean audience on Aug. 4 at Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival 2023 was extraordinary. Tens of thousands of rock fans greeted the band with a fervor that lasted through its 80-minute performance. It's last vis

CultureAug. 23, 2023

[Herald Interview] Shin Hae-sun’s first thriller leading role is ‘ordinary’

According to Shin Hae-sun, the heroine of the 2020 hit drama “Mr. Queen” and the 2023 drama series “See You in My 19th Life,” her first-ever mystery thriller leading role in “Don’t Buy the Seller” was the most “ordinary” role she has ever played. “Soo-hyun is a character without any superpowers, a character that is colorless and odorless compared to the characters I played previously,” Shin told the Korea Herald in an interview in

FilmAug. 23, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘Don’t Buy the Seller,’ a nail-biting thriller based on real-life secondhand marketplace scam

“Don’t Buy the Seller,” a mystery thriller directed by Park Hee-gon, tells the story of Soo-hyun (Shin Hae-sun) who works at an interior design company and lives the ordinary life of an office-worker. Soo-hyun struggles to deal with her workload and nagging boss and looks to online secondhand marketplaces for some income on the side. One day, she buys a secondhand washing machine for 300,000 won ($224), but soon she figures out that she has been scammed. She immediately reports

FilmAug. 23, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim So-hyang has no room for regrets

For Kim So-hyang, the title role in the musical "Frida," was easy to resonate with. Compared to other roles that shaped her career like Marie Antoinette or Marie Curie, it was easy to find aspects of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo she could identify with. “I would say the roles of Marie Antoinette and Marie Qurie were more challenging for me, as I tried to seek common aspects with the characters,” Kim told reporters during an interview on Tuesday. “To embody Marie Antoin

PerformanceAug. 23, 2023

[Space for All] Yeongju Swimming Pool refreshes rapidly aging town

When Yeongju Swimming Pool opened in 2018, a 74-year-old resident surnamed Kim was so relieved that she could finally swim at a quality facility. “For an older person like myself, swimming is good exercise. This facility is very pleasant and cheap to learn swimming. There is a private swimming facility where I used to go, but it is old and worn out,” Kim said on May 31. Kim has lived in the North Gyeongsang Province city with some 100,000 residents since 1974 after getting married.

Arts & DesignAug. 22, 2023

Youth organization commemorates 70th anniversary of Korean Armistice Agreement

On the afternoon of Aug. 15, a special forum took place at Gonjiam Valley in Gyeonggi Province, in celebration of the 70th anniversary of signing the armistice of the Korean War. The Past 4 Present, a youth organization with students from elementary schools to universities, held the "Youth International Peace Forum & Concert," with an aim to uphold the value of peace and liberal democracy acquired through the 1950-53 Korean War. A notable highlight of this year's forum was t

PeopleAug. 22, 2023

[Reading Korea Through Books] K-dramas and movies through Japanese eyes

This year is known as the 20th anniversary of the start of the Korean Wave in Japan, which many consider to be when “Winter Sonata” first aired in Japan on NHK in April 2003. Since then, the popularity of Korean dramas and films hasn't been continuous, however. For younger generations in Japan, the Korean Wave, and in particular the ways Korean TV dramas and films are portrayed, have long been presumed something for older generations. After former President Lee Myung-bak visit

CultureAug. 22, 2023

Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul confident in successful, inclusive 2027 World Youth Day

The Archdiocese of Seoul vowed a successful and inclusive World Youth Day when Seoul hosts the event in 2027, the Roman Catholic Asian branch in South Korea said at a press conference Tuesday at the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul. On Aug. 6, Pope Francis selected Seoul as the next host city for World Youth Day, a Catholic Church initiative to unite young individuals from across the globe every three to four years. The event was introduced by Pope John Paul II in 1985. "The 2027 World Youth D

CultureAug. 22, 2023

Two Seoul palaces to open nighttime tours, programs this fall

As the anticipation of the autumn season builds, two of Seoul's royal palaces are gearing up to welcome visitors for their annual nighttime tours. The Cultural Heritage Administration's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center has unveiled the schedule for evening palace expeditions, which will take place throughout September and October. This year, the CHA has transformed the reservation process for guided tours from a first-come, first-served online booking system to a lottery-based approach t

CultureAug. 22, 2023

[Herald Interview] Lee Jung-ha on playing his favorite webtoon character in ‘Moving’

With an unexpectedly low voice and tranquil demeanor, any trace of Kim Bong-seok -- a schoolboy character from the webtoon "Moving" -- was long gone from 25-year-old actor Lee Jung-ha. At the mention of the webtoon, however, Lee's voice reached a higher pitch, revealing his excitement over the Disney+ action fantasy series. “I was a long-time fan of webtoon creator Kang Full. It might sound like a lie, but 'Moving' was my favorite webtoon among his projects and Bon

TelevisionAug. 22, 2023

Gang Dong-won returns as comical exorcist in ‘Dr. Cheon and The Lost Talisman’

Forget about Gang Dong-won as a serious seminary student Choi in “The Priests” (2015), who supports exorcism with Father Kim. In September, Gang returns with another occult flick titled “Dr. Cheon and The Lost Talisman” -- this time as a comical, fraud-committing exorcist. Directed by Kim Seong-sik, the film tells the story of fake exorcist Dr. Cheon (Gang) and his encounter with a strong demon. Heo Jun-ho, Lee Dong-hwi, Lee Som and Kim Jong-su also star. “It was a

FilmAug. 22, 2023

Musical 'Frida' paints empowering story of Frida Kahlo

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is well-recognized for expressing pain through her art. Based on her life, the musical "Frida" sings of her experiences, painting her story just as vividly as her painting "Viva La Vida" (1954), meaning "Long Live Life" in Spanish. Premiered in March 2022, the original production by the EMK Musical Company follows the life of Kahlo. The 110-minute show takes on the form of “The Last Night Show,” where Kahlo appears as a guest a

PerformanceAug. 21, 2023

[Space for All] Seosomun Shrine History Museum revives dead place, invites all

Architecture brings life to a deserted place. And in the case of the 21,000-square-meter park in Seodaemun-gu, northwestern Seoul, it rejuvenated one that had been neglected. The public park had been taken over by homeless people, who drifted in day and night from Seoul Station, about 10 minutes' walk away, until it was remodeled and Seosomun Shrine History Museum was built in the underground space there in 2019. Other people had avoided the park, created in 1973, because of the atmosph

Arts & DesignAug. 21, 2023

Classical music concerts to take place at Cheong Wa Dae in Sept.

The 2023 Blue House Concert will take place on Sept. 9 and 10 at the heliport of the former presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Monday. Cheong Wa Dae, the former residence and office site of South Korean presidents, opened its doors to the public after President Yoon Suk Yeol decided to move his office to the buildings of the Defense Ministry in Yongsan, Seoul, in May 2022. With Cheong Wa Dae as the backdrop in the early autumn season

PerformanceAug. 21, 2023

Think pink: ‘Barbiecore’ sweeps local fashion scene

Who knew that so many different shades of pink could become so fashionable again? The pink trend, sparked by Valentino’s “Pink PP” concept in in its 2022 fall-winter Milan show, has become a mainstay in global fashion scene. Boosted by Greta Gerwig’s recent film “Barbie,” which has been riding on an enormous marketing budget, the pink-based “Barbiecore” trend is not going away anytime soon. Barbiecore is a 1980s retro fashion trend based on what Ba

CultureAug. 21, 2023

Korea tourism festival to be held in Frankfurt

Stories of Korean culture and tourism are set to captivate Germany at a major outdoor festival held in Frankfurt this weekend, in commemoration of the 140 years of diplomatic bond between the two nations, the Korea Tourism Organization announced Monday. Kicking off on Friday, the three-day festival will unfold at the Rossmarkt Square in Frankfurt. The festival is held in connection to the renowned Museum Embankment Festival, also known as Museumsufer Fest, an annual celebration of art and cultur

TravelAug. 21, 2023

Prolific actors ready to compete at Chuseok box office

Another peak time for box office competition, besides the summer holidays and Lunar New Year is Chuseok, the Korean version of Thanksgiving. As this year’s Chuseok will be an extended holiday over the weekend from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, even more moviegoers are expected to hit the cinema. Prolific actors like Song Kang-ho, Ha Jung-woo and Gang Dong-won will compete at the Chuseok box office with their respective much-awaited films completed before the pandemic, raising anticipations among mov

FilmAug. 21, 2023

Traditional liquors win hearts of millennials, Gen Z

South Koreans are known for their unmatched love for alcohol, whether soju, beer, or both at the same time. But among younger drinkers, a different type of liquor is trending -- traditional Korean liquor. "Makgeolli (unfiltered rice wine) and other traditional liquor used to have an outdated image," said Park Ja-hye, a 31-year-old office worker in Seoul. "But now those liquors are sold in cans and bottles with modern and beautiful labels. They are now a popular gift," she add

FoodAug. 21, 2023