[Photo News] Lonely hackberry in Changwon

The popularity of an East Asian hackberry tree in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, that shot to nationwide fame following its appearance in megahit legal drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (2022) seems to have cooled off as of late. The small, quiet village of Bukbu-ri was overflowing with travelers and TV drama fans from across the country who had come to see the 500-year-old protected tree, also known as “Sodeok-dong paengnamu,” in the TV series. The sensational t

TravelAug. 30, 2024

Songpa-gu presents new guide book

Songpa-gu, a district in eastern Seoul, hopes to guide local and overseas travelers to memorable experiences with it’s restaurant guide book “Eat Local Songpa.” Home to popular dining and shopping spots such as Lotte World Mall and Songridan-gil, a street filled with trendy cafes and artsy restaurants, Songpa-gu is a go-to date spot for many Koreans. The guide book contains detailed information for a total of 183 shops, restaurants, tourist destinations and places to experience

TravelAug. 30, 2024

[Herald Interview] Hanna Kiel's 'BODY' to explore chaotic harmony in cross-cultural dance collaboration at SIDance

When choreographer Hanna Kiel begins her creative process, she doesn’t hand out steps or sequences to her dancers. Instead, she assigns tasks. The dancers interpret these assignments through movement, and then Kiel guides and shapes the final choreography. For example, she might ask the dancers to describe their most physically or mentally challenging experiences. One dancer might express the agony and frustration of rehabilitating from a back injury, while another might channel the franti

PerformanceAug. 30, 2024

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Grand Hyatt Seoul collaborates with Valrhona Grand Hyatt Seoul, located in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, is scheduled to offer a new afternoon tea promotion featuring various chocolates at Gallery, its lobby lounge cafe, from Sept. 2 to Nov. 30. The collaboration with French premium chocolate brand Valrhona offers desserts created from recipes by pastry chef Guillaume Lopvet, allowing hotel’s guests to enjoy a gastronomic journey featuring seasonal fruits and Valrhona chocolate. The main afte

TravelAug. 30, 2024

[Well-curated] French butter cake, gugak festival and Pachinko pop-up

The kouign-amann go-to Kouign-amann, a delicacy of Brittany in France meaning “butter cake,” is something like a caramelized croissant. This opulent pastry balances caramelized crust with light, moist layers with salted butter baked between, which crumble into sweet flakes upon a bite. One of the best places to try a slice is b. Patisserie at the mall complex Shinsegae Central City in Seocho-gu -- one of the three branches in South Korea operated by the San Francisco-based pastry sho

Arts & DesignAug. 30, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Alien: Romulus” (US) Opened Aug. 14 Horror/Sci-fi Directed by Fede Alvarez Set in 2142, a group of young space colonizers go out for an adventure and land in a derelict space station, only to face the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a closed-down space. “Twisters” (US) Opened Aug. 14 Action/Adventure Directed by Lee Isaac Chung Retired tornado chaser and meteorologist Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is persuaded to return to Oklah

FilmAug. 30, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

DongGang photo festival The longest-running annual festival of photography in Korea since 2002, the DongGang International Photo Festival is the go-to for photography enthusiasts and hobbyists. The festival -- held at the DongGang Museum of Photography in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province, and around the museum -- looks at the history of photography and photos by artists from Korea and overseas. The event will end Sept. 29. Admission costs 3,000 won. Go to dgphotofestival.com for more informati

TravelAug. 30, 2024

[Herald Review] Tori Kelly thrills fans, hints her love for Korean artists

American singer-songwriter Tori Kelly thrilled fans with her unrivaled charisma and voice. The 31-year-old singer held her first concert in Korea, titled "Tori Kelly Live in Seoul," at the Myunghwa Live Hall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday, as part of her world tour "Purple Skies." Initially scheduled for April 2020, the concert was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making Tuesday's gig her first performance in the country. In a written interview with The Kore

PerformanceAug. 29, 2024

Korea's cultural gems find new home in Daegu

Kansong Art Museum Daegu brings together several designated national treasures in the largest-ever show of national treasures in its collection. The museum's inaugural exhibition “Treasures of the Kansong Art Museum Daegu,” which opens Sept. 3, marks the opening of a new home for the country's oldest private museum. “It took nearly 10 years to open the museum in Daegu, and I am glad we can offer an opportunity to people outside Seoul to enjoy our collection of natio

Arts & DesignAug. 29, 2024

Sejong Summer Festival turns Gwanghwamun Square into lively dance floor

The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts’s Summer Festival kicked off Wednesday with enthusiastic cheers and vibrant dance moves filling the Gwanghwamun Square, which will remain a lively dance floor both for performers and audiences until Sunday. On Wednesday, approximately 1,000 people, including preregistered attendees and those who queued at the venue, filled the standing area, immersing themselves in the dynamic performances. Those unable to enter the square shared in the excitement

CultureAug. 29, 2024

29th BIFF selects 12 world premiere films of emerging directors

The 29th Busan International Film Festival announced Thursday 12 selections for the “Korean Cinema Today -- Vision” section, which premieres indie films of up-and-coming independent film directors in Korea. A world premiere in this section has been regarded as a stepping stone for garnering attention in the domestic and international film industries, as the films go through official release at cinemas here or receive invitations to prestigious international film festivals. The select

FilmAug. 29, 2024

'Please find her': Man dies amid 25-year search for missing daughter

A 71-year-old man who dedicated a large part of his life to searching for his missing daughter has died, a civic group said Wednesday. Song Gil-yong, whose daughter, Song Hye-hee, went missing in 1999, died Monday in a car accident, according to the local group dedicated to finding missing people here. The head of the group, Na Ju-bong, said in a media interview that Song had been suffering from deteriorating health, even showing signs of dementia in recent years. Na described Song as "a

PeopleAug. 28, 2024

Table tennis star Shin Yu-bin lands BHC Chicken ad after Olympic snacking fame

Table tennis star and Paris Olympic double-bronze medalist Shin Yu-bin has become a favorite in the Korean food industry, landing major ad deals with top brands. The 20-year-old athlete brought home medals in mixed and women’s doubles, ending the country’s long medal drought in table tennis. Cameras caught her munching on snacks -- bananas, rice balls, and energy gels -- during breaks as the competition heated up. These endearing moments quickly went viral, adding to her charm alongs

FoodAug. 28, 2024

Blues musicians across generations to gather at blues festival

Korea's premier blues festival is set to take place in Seoul next month. The 2024 Seoul International Blues Festival, which brings together top-tier blues musicians in Korea, will be held from Sept. 20 to 22 at CKL Stage in Jung-gu, Seoul. Now in its 7th year, the festival will feature blues musicians representing every generation, from the first wave of Korean blues to millennials and Gen Z. The first day of the festival presents a special collaborative performance titled "All-Star Bl

PerformanceAug. 28, 2024

Dark side of AfreecaTV, livestreamers in Korea

With the recent news of numerous AfreecaTV livestreamers -- commonly known here as "BJs" -- being arrested for drug use and accused of engaging in group sexual activities making waves, a spotlight has been shone on their conduct. As livestreamers become increasingly successful in the entertainment market, pop-culture experts call to attention the circumstances that make livestreamers on AfreecaTV, the country’s largest one-person streaming platform, vulnerable to crime. Explosi

TelevisionAug. 28, 2024

KTO unveils award-winning tourism souvenirs

The Korea Tourism Organization announced 25 award-winning items for the 2024 Korea Tourist Souvenir Contest, each showcasing beauty and charms of Korea. The contest, held by the organization in May, received 580 applications of creative souvenirs under 300,000 won ($225). Gamseonok Original Set, a premium dessert box featuring iconic regional specialties like the dried persimmons of Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, won the top prize this year. The gold prize went to Aengganghyangcha, a medi

CultureAug. 28, 2024

Yeongyeongdang Feast to take place at Changdeokgung

A reenactment of a royal feast showing how Joseon-era (1392-1910) officials celebrated events involving kings and their families will take place Sept. 4-5 at Yeongyeongdang in Changdeokgung, one of the five Joseon-era palaces in Seoul. The Yeongyeongdang Feast was first held by the eldest son of King Sunjo to mark Queen Sunwon’s 40th birthday in 1828 at Yeongyeongdang -- a hall Crown Prince Hyomyeong, the eldest son, set up during the same or the previous year to host royal celebrations. T

Arts & DesignAug. 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha talk about what ‘Pachinko’ means to them

Apple TV+’s Korean original series “Pachinko” aired its first episode of season two on Aug. 23. The show’s main protagonists Lee Min-ho and Kim Min-ha, who played a fish broker tied to Yakuza Hansu and a sturdy, hard-working young woman from a small town Sunja, respectively, said they assimilated to their characters. The second season of the period drama chronicles the life of a Korean family spanning four generations, who moved to Japan in the early 1900s. Over the eight

TelevisionAug. 28, 2024

Jo Jung-suk says his wife Gummy gave him most confidence for 'A-List to Playlist'

Korea's beloved actor Jo Jung-suk said his wife and popular singer Park Ji-yeon, more famously known by her stage name Gummy, has been his greatest source of confidence in pursuing his dream of becoming a singer, via Netflix original "A-List to Playlist." "A-List to Playlist" will follow actor Jo Jung-suk's quest to fulfill his dream of debuting as a singer-songwriter. The eight-part series documents Jo's 100-day journey to create an album, with support from

TelevisionAug. 27, 2024

[News Analysis] Are movie tickets in Korea too expensive?

Veteran actor Choi Min-sik’s remarks on an interview show recently have sparked debate about whether movie tickets at South Korean cinemas are indeed expensive. While his comment drew mixed reactions, the country’s largest multiplex cinema chain decided to halve its ticket prices for four days. “Movie theaters have raised (ticket) prices a lot. Please lower them a bit. If you suddenly raise them like that, I wouldn’t go anywhere either (even as an actor). Do you think peo

FilmAug. 27, 2024