Lee O-young awarded highest order of cultural merit

Literary critic Lee O-young, an important figure in the Korean cultural scene, was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit Geumgwan on Friday, alongside artist Park Seo-bo. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism selected 17 recipients of the cultural order, recognizing their contribution for the development of arts. Lee and Park recieved the Geumgwan Merit, the highest honor. Lee is a critic, writer and scholar who served as Korea’s first culture minister from 1990-91. He is curre

Oct. 22, 2021

Sculptor Kim Gyoung-min’s witty works offer life lessons

  The Haeden Museum of Art in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, is running a solo exhibition of Korean sculptor Kim Gyoung-min who takes inspiration from ordinary lives and humorously reflects the moments in her sculptures. The exhibition features the theme of happiness, which is prominent thread in her artistic portfolio. Kim showcases some 50 artworks at the exhibition which runs through March 27, 2022, inside and outside of the museum. “I seek for ordinary subjects from our lives so that

Oct. 11, 2021

[Herald Design Forum 2021] Benjamin Hubert calls on people to work together for sustainability

Benjamin Hubert, founder of London-based design studio Layer, has long pondered how he can contribute to the world as a designer, creating products that satisfy consumers and that are beneficial to society at the same time. The pandemic has led him to think about the issue more deeply. “There is a lot of greenwashing that happens where it is quite difficult to understand what is truly sustainable. Designers are responsible for some of that, but it takes a group of people and a village

Oct. 7, 2021

CJ vice president headed for Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra: report

The new head of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra is likely to be a CJ vice president who led the company’s marketing strategy for the Bibigo brand. According to a report by Kookmin Ilbo Monday, the committee in charge of appointing a new head for the orchestra has decided on Sohn Eun-kyung, the executive vice-president at CJ CheilJedang. An announcement on the CEO appointment is expected soon, an SPO official told The Korea Herald. Since Kang Eun-kyung stepped down as president and CEO

Sept. 27, 2021

Pianist Paik Kun-woo, daughter refute allegations of negligence concerning actress Yun Jung-hee

Pianist Paik Kun-woo and violinist Paik Jin-hi denied claims that the two have been negligent in the care of pianist Paik’s wife, actor Yun Jung-Hee, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Pianist Paik’s agency Vincero issued a statement Thursday, written by Paik Jin-hi, the couple’s daughter, and her attorney in Paris, along with a representative from the Association Sociale et Tutelaire, which shares joint legal guardianship over Yun. The statement, written in Engli

Sept. 10, 2021

Hyundai Motor honorary chairman donates W10b to vaccine research

Hyundai Motor Group’s honorary chairman Chung Mong-koo will donate 10 billion won ($8.63 million) to build a vaccine research center in South Korea, the company announced Tuesday. “I decided to donate the money to build a vaccine research center as a means to give back to everyone who supported Hyundai Motor Group,” Chung was quoted as saying in the group’s statement.  “I’d like to contribute to helping people overcome infectious diseases as well as i

Aug. 31, 2021

SK Group chief sues YouTuber for defamation

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won filed a defamation lawsuit against a YouTube channel, saying the channel has spread false information about his private life. According to local media reports Tuesday, Chey filed a criminal complaint with the Yongsan Police Station, accusing the channel of violating slander laws. He claimed that the channel, which mainly covers the private lives of celebrities and high-profile businesspeople, aired false information about his past, relatives and his romantic r

Aug. 31, 2021

Soprano Sumi Jo's mother dies at 85

Soprano Sumi Jo’s mother passed away Sunday, after a lengthy hospitalization. Kim Mal-sun, the mother of the celebrated soprano, had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for years, according to Jo‘s agency SMI Entertainment, which announced her passing. She was 85. Jo mentioned in multiple interviews that it was her mother who made her become a celebrated soprano. Kim -- who had once dreamt of becoming a soprano herself -- was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and T

Aug. 8, 2021

[Herald Interview] When traditional gugak music flows through modern poppin’ dance

“Guess what came to mind last night when I heard a song at the cafe,” poppin’ dancer Nam Hyun-joon chattered away with gugak singer Park Ae-ri as they prepared for an interview at The Korea Herald’s studio on June 29. The two had arrived together. In fact, they’ve been married already 11 years. Endless conversation, laughing and giggling filled the studio. Nam, 42, appeared in a white T-shirt and a trendy pair of sneakers while Park, two years older, wore an ivory

July 5, 2021

ACTOR AHN SUNG-KI WINS THE BRAND LAUREATE AWARDS

Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki was announced as the winner of the Brand Laureate Awards at Hotel Shilla in Seoul on Tuesday. Ahn is the first Korean to win the award, which is organized by Australia-based The World Brands Foundation. It recognizes individuals, organizations and corporations that hold high international brand value. Founded in 2005, TWBF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing brands in diverse fields. (The Brand Laureate)

June 23, 2021

Alex Drljaca tapped as new president of Robert Bosch Korea

German auto parts maker Bosch announced Tuesday it had appointed Alex Drljaca as the chief of its business operations here. Drljaca will assume the role as president of Robert Bosch Korea to supervise all business branches representing the Bosch Group in the country, the company said in a press release. The 51-year-old executive has served as the regional president of Bosch Powertrain Solutions Korea since 2018 and will continue to hold that position as well, it added. Drljaca joined Bosc

June 1, 2021

[Newsmaker] Amorepacific, Bokwang heirs divorcing after 8-month marriage

Seo Min-jeong, the eldest daughter of Amorepacific Chairman Seo Kyung-bae, and Hong Jeong-hwan, the eldest son of Bokwang Investment Chairman Hong Seok-joon, have agreed to divorce after eight months of marriage, industry sources said Friday. The news followed Amorepacific’s regulatory filing on Friday, in which the company made a change to Hong’s holdings in the firm. Previously, Suh Kyung-bae, chairman of Amorepacific Group, gifted 100,000 shares in South Korea’s major b

May 21, 2021

[Photo News] Social Media Snapshots

Participants of “Self-PR Era, SNS Marketing: Taking pictures with smartphones,” a lecture led by keith Studio CEO Keith Park, pose for a photo at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Tuesday.  New Zealand Ambassador Philip Turner, spouse of New Zealand Ambassador Hiroshi Ikeda, Mexican Ambassador Bruno Figueroa, spouse of Mexican Ambassador Veronica Gonzalez Laport, InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel General Manager Brian Harris, Ewha Womans University Professor Sohn Jie-ae, President of

May 17, 2021

J. Yoon of M.C the Max found dead at home

Singer J. Yoon of M.C the Max was found dead Thursday. According to the Seoul Mapo Police Station, J. Yoon, 39, whose legal name is Yoon Jae-woong, was found dead at his home in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. His agency, 325 E&C, called the police as it had been unable to reach Yoon. “J. Yoon left us on Thursday,” the agency said in an official statement. “Members of M.C the Max and the staff of 325 E&C are mourning his death with great grief,” the statement

May 13, 2021

Seoul suspends head of Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has suspended Kim Jong-whee, president of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture -- a Seoul City-funded nonprofit -- after he was embroiled in allegations of abuse of power. According to the SMG, Kim was suspended Tuesday, following an investigation of allegations that he had abused his authority and drank during work hours. The SMG began its investigation as reports concerning Kim were filed in December on multiple occasions. An audit committee will also

May 6, 2021

Pope sends condolences over death of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk

Pope Francis has sent a message of condolence on the death of South Korean Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, the Holy See said Thursday. "I was saddened to learn of the death of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop Emeritus of Seoul," Pope Francis said in a telegram sent to Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, incumbent Archbishop of Seoul. "I offer to you and to the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese my heartfelt condolences and the assurance of my prayers,

April 29, 2021

Life of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk was born into a Catholic household in Seoul on Dec. 2, 1931, although his registered birthday is Dec. 7. He was baptized four days after he was born and received the baptismal name Nicholas. While Cheong’s mother was pregnant with him, she dreamt of a young man calling her mother and telling her that he has become a bishop. Cheong was born and raised in his wealthy maternal grandfather’s house. His mother’s side of the family had been devout Ca

April 29, 2021

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk dies at 89

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, former Roman Catholic archbishop of Seoul, died at the age of 89 on Tuesday at 10:15 p.m., the office of the Seoul Archdiocese said. A requiem Mass for the cardinal took place at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on Wednesday in the early morning hours, celebrated by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the incumbent archbishop. “If Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan was our father, Cardinal Cheong Jin-suk was our mother,” Yeom said during the requiem Mass. Cheong cur

April 28, 2021

[From the Scene] Catholics mourn passing of Korea’s second cardinal

After Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk died Tuesday night at the age of 89, Roman Catholics gathered at the Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul on Wednesday to pay their respects to South Korea’s second cardinal. There was a long line of people waiting. The late cardinal was in a glass coffin before the altar in the cathedral, where attendance at a requiem Mass held in Wednesday’s early morning hours was limited to 80 people out of concern about COVID-19. The crowd was much sma

April 28, 2021

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk dies

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, former Catholic archbishop of Seoul, died Tuesday, Catholic officials said. He was 89. Cheong passed away at 10:15 p.m. while at a hospital for treatment, according to the officials. Born in 1931, he entered the priesthood in 1961 after his graduation from the Catholic University of Korea. He served as the archbishop of Seoul for 14 years starting in May 1998, when he was appointed to the post after Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan stepped down. Cheong was ordained a

April 28, 2021