South Korean journalists condemn Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law

"This is no mere criticism -- we're waging war against President Yoon Suk Yeol." These words rang out outside the Korea Press Center in central Seoul Wednesday morning, where media representatives had gathered to decry Yoon's overnight attempt to place press operations under military control as part of his extraordinary emergency martial law decree. The press conference reaffirmed the South Korean media's unequivocal opposition to the martial law decree that, though sh

Social AffairsDec. 4, 2024

Martial law turmoil unsettles South Korean entertainment schedules

Schedules of performances and interviews in South Korea have been thrown into a state of uncertainty by a sudden martial law declaration that was lifted only a few hours later. On Wednesday morning, the promotional team for the Netflix series “The Trunk” announced that the media interview with actress Seo Hyun-jin, which was originally set to take place from 11 a.m. Wednesday in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, was rescheduled to Friday. Interviews with other cast members, including

CultureDec. 4, 2024

‘Jang-making’ gets UNESCO recognition

The traditional Korean ways of making fermented pastes and sauces, known as “jang,” have been listed by UNESCO as a living heritage that needs protection. The UN body on cultural heritage officially added jang-making to its list of intangible cultural heritage at a meeting Tuesday in Asuncion, Paraguay, where a 24-country Intergovernmental Committee approved the latest listing during a six-day gathering that started Monday. “Jang-making is a legacy rooted in everyday Korean cul

CultureDec. 4, 2024

[Herald Review] ‘One Win,’ a refreshing addition to sports film genre

Director Shin Yeon-sik’s sports comedy “One Win” differs from many other sports films that lean heavily into dramatic, tear-jerking moments. The movie sets itself apart by avoiding melodrama, instead filling the narrative with humor and relatable passion as it tells the story of an underdog women’s volleyball team in South Korea. It is also the first film in the country to center on women’s volleyball. Director Shin takes a fun, light-hearted approach to the story o

FilmDec. 3, 2024

Line Cultural Foundation opens exhibition space to support visual artists in Seoul

Line Cultural Foundation, run by Line Construction, has opened exhibition space “Project Space Line” in southern Seoul to support visual artists. The inaugural exhibition “When All Scenes are in Harmony” shows new works by installation artist Park Ki-won and botanical artist Park So-hee. The exhibition, which kicked off Nov. 12, aims to bring in an imaginary courtyard-like space to the midst of the city in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, according to the foundation. The tw

Arts & DesignDec. 3, 2024

Disney+ series 'Light Shop' hopes to replicate success of 'Moving'

Hot on the heels of the massive success enjoyed by "Moving," Disney+ is back with another poignant tale by Kang Full, one of South Korea's most celebrated cartoonists. "Light Shop" tells the story of individuals who are drawn to a mysterious light shop run by Won-young (Ju Ji-hoon). The visitors are all unusual in their own way, exhibiting strange characteristics such as dirt perpetually falling from their ears, nails growing on the backs of their hands, or having water

TelevisionDec. 3, 2024

What to expect from Han Kang's Nobel week

With the awarding ceremony just one week away, Han Kang, the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature, is about to embark on a monumental week of events in Stockholm and Oslo. A series of official events -- including press conferences, lectures and readings -- will take place as part of Nobel Week, running from Friday to Dec. 12. The highlight will be Tuesday's ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall, where the Swedish Academy will present medals and diplomas to laureates in fi

BooksDec. 3, 2024

Interactive ceramics exhibit opens in Gwangju

An interactive exhibition of ceramics from the Joseon era (1392-1910) to Korea’s 1945 independence from the Japanese colonial rule is running through March 30 at the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. The exhibition “Touching Ceramics: An Immersive Experience” will enable people with disabilities to touch replicas of some 70 ceramics on view, marking the museum’s first showing geared towards accessibility. Ceramic replicas and fragments will be availab

Arts & DesignDec. 3, 2024

KTO brings global payment apps to local markets for tourists

The Korea Tourism Organization has launched a project in partnership with overseas payment services -- including WeChat Pay, Alipay and UnionPay -- to make it easier for foreign visitors to make purchases at local small businesses and traditional markets using their smartphones. According to the KTO, it has teamed up with the Korea Easy Payment Foundation to enable tourists to pay by QR code -- a method commonly used by Koreans at traditional markets and tourist sites as an alternative to cash -

TravelDec. 3, 2024

'Culinary Class Wars' season 2 seeking applications

The applications for the second season of Netflix's “Culinary Class Wars” is now open for aspiring participants, the global streaming platform announced Tuesday. The popular series, which features intense cook-offs between underdog chefs from the "black team" and star chefs from the "white team," as well as various individual challenges, made history with its first season. The show, attracting viewers from Korea and beyond, became the first Korean entertainme

TelevisionDec. 3, 2024

[Herald Gallery] An Aqueduct and a Small Boat

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, in collaboration with the China Art Museum, is presenting the exhibition "The Modern and Contemporary Ink Art of the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China" until Feb. 16, 2025. The exhibition highlights selected masterpieces and modern works of ink art from both nations, structured into four sections — two each for Korea and China. It aims to illustrate the distinct developmental paths of ink art in both cou

CultureDec. 2, 2024

Who helped bring star-studded K-drama series 'The Trunk' to life?

The highly anticipated Netflix Korean original series "The Trunk," released on Friday, has quickly soared to eighth place on Netflix's global trending series chart Sunday, according to Flixpatrol. The series marks the return of one of Korea's top actors, Gong Yoo, to the small screen — but its success isn't solely due to its star-studded cast and gripping storyline. So, who played a key role in bringing "The Trunk" to life for non-Korean speaking audience

FilmDec. 2, 2024

'Access Bangkok' brings Korean network to global art fair

An international art fair jointly launched by Korean art entrepreneur Art Meets Life and digital art platform Artue kicks off Wednesday in Bangkok, Thailand, bringing together some 30 galleries based in Asia and members of the Korean art network. Access Bangkok Art Fair aims to introduce a global art fair to a country that has garnered relatively less recognition in the global art market, despite a rising number of emerging and renowned artists, according to the organizer. The fair will run from

Arts & DesignDec. 2, 2024

Baek Hee-na's 'Happy Birthday' reminds readers of life's quiet blessings

BUSAN -- Visitors to the inaugural Busan International Children’s Book Fair were treated to an exclusive first look at “Happy Birthday,” the latest picture book by Baek Hee-na, Korea’s first winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. "It’s only been a few days since I finished my latest book. I feel dazed, like a bear just waking from winter slumber -- awkward with words and unsure how to interact with people," said Baek during her keynote speech titled

BooksDec. 2, 2024

Korea Heritage Service to prepare list of heritage for UNESCO nominations

The Korea Heritage Service will prepare a list of cultural heritage it wants UNESCO to recognize starting next year, the state-run agency said Monday. The preliminary list, shared internally, would serve as a pool of heritage for the Tentative Lists maintained by UNESCO. All nominations must be on the Tentative Lists for consideration. “The reason we’re drawing up the internal list is for us to stay tuned to the latest trends in UNESCO nominations,” an agency official said. &ld

CultureDec. 2, 2024

Korail presents new train trip for Korean ‘jang’ experience

Korail Tourism Development, a subsidiary of Korea Railroad Corp., is offering a two-day train trip to experience the country’s “jang” culture, the traditional Korean methods of making fermented pastes and sauces, from Dec. 13 to 14. Developed in collaboration with the Korean Food Promotion Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, this one-time train trip will bring tourists to Damyang and Sunchang, North Jeolla Province -- two iconic locations in South

TravelDec. 2, 2024

‘Red Light, Green Light’: Doll from 'Squid Game' brings Paris to standstill

Young-hee, the towering motion-sensing doll infamous for her ruthless elimination of half the participants in Netflix's massive hit series "Squid Game," returned to menace the streets of Paris on Sunday. The animatronic doll made a less fearsome appearance this time as her goal was not to shoot players down but to select survivors for an exclusive reward: An invitation to the preview screening of the much-anticipated new season of the show. Netflix France announced Monday that a t

TelevisionDec. 2, 2024

Byeon Woo-seok of 'Lovely Runner' to join IU in romance series

Global Hallyu sensation Byeon Woo-seok is set to star alongside Lee Ji-eun, better known as singer-songwriter IU, in an upcoming romance series, Kakao Entertainment announced Monday. The series, tentatively titled "21st Century Grand Prince's Wife," is a romance drama set in an alternate version of Korea ruled by a constitutional monarchy. Lee Ji-eun will portray Seong Hee-joo, the second-oldest daughter of the nation's leading conglomerate family, who comes from commoner r

TelevisionDec. 2, 2024

Can Korea break away from apartment fixation?

Ten leading architecture and housing experts gathered at “Architecture Talk: More Than APT,” in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss ways to foster diversity in housing in Korea. Organized by The Korea Herald, "Architecture Talk" sought to expand upon the ideas and perspectives explored in the five-part article series, "More Than APT," published in The Korea Herald in November and to facilitate discussion on the issue with the public. "I am glad we could invite lead

CultureDec. 1, 2024

[From the Scene] 'More Than APT' talk event sparks fresh ideas on how to live

If asked what type of housing they hope to live in, many people might struggle to answer, especially if they have limited experience with different housing options. The Korea Herald’s “Architecture Talk: More Than APT,” held in Seoul on Wednesday, provided an opportunity to reflect on various forms of housing and the lifestyles they enable. Ten leading architects and experts explored why apartments make up more than 63 percent of all housing in Korea and introduced alternative

Arts & DesignDec. 1, 2024