Most Popular
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Debate rages over ‘overly fatty’ samgyeopsal
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40 flights canceled on Jeju Island due to bad weather
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[Weekender] Korean psyche untangled: Musok
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N. Korea slams US, other countries for seeking alternative to UN sanctions monitoring panel
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Pandemic left Korea more depressed than before: report
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Gov't appears to shelve punitive measures against mass walkout by doctors
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[Eye Interview] 'If you live to 100, you might as well be happy,' says 88-year-old bestselling essayist
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From fake prostitution ring to nonexistent robber, prank calls hamper police
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Missing S. Korean traveler in Paris found safe after 2 weeks
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S. Korea, China, Japan in talks to hold trilateral summit May 26-27: official
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KNSO to perform John Williams’ cinema music
The Korean National Symphony Orchestra will bring the music of a living legend, John Williams, to the stage this weekend. The concert, under the baton of conductor Anthony Gabriele, will showcase the American composer’s iconic scores for the “Indiana Jones" series,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List," the "Star Wars" series and “Harry Potter,” demonstrating the evolution of his music f
March 19, 2024
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Tripitaka Koreana texts to be digitized: CHA
The Tripitaka Koreana, the most complete collection of Buddhist texts, laws and treaties carved on 81,258 wooden printing blocks in the 13th century, will be digitized for public viewing by 2027, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. The agency will make prints of the woodblocks housed at Haeinsa, a temple in South Gyeongsang Province, on hanji, Korea’s traditional mulberry paper, and scan the pages. The public will be able to access the digital files as early as 2027. “
March 19, 2024
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Annual spring music festivals herald spring's arrival
In April and May, South Korea's classical music scene will once again come alive with two of its most prestigious annual festivals: the Korean Orchestra Festival and the Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music. The Korean Orchestra Festival, hosted at the Seoul Arts Center from April 3 to 28, will feature 23 orchestras from across the nation under the theme "The Wave," promising harmonious and captivating performances by top-notch conductors and musicians. Meanwhile, the Seoul Sp
March 19, 2024
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Seoul foundation aims for city never short of culture, art
Celebrating 20 years, the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, a key organization under the Seoul city government responsible for carrying out its cultural policies, on Friday unveiled a new vision, “A City for Artistic Souls, Seoul.” With the vision, the foundation said it is expanding programs so that the capital city is never short of cultural and artistic activities in all four seasons. To achieve this goal, the foundation said Seoul will be armed with global cultural content
March 15, 2024
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Controversy forces cancellation of Svetlana Zakharova's performances in Seoul
The upcoming performances of renowned Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova in Seoul have been canceled, according to organizer InArts Production on Friday. "We have been planning and preparing for a long time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, considering various situations. However, recently, we have decided to cancel the event due to concerns about the safety of both artists and audiences, as well as at the request of the Seoul Arts Center," the organizer said in an announcement. Th
March 15, 2024
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[Well-curated] Taste the traditional: Folk museum performances, traditional liquor tasting and PSG store
The National Folk Museum of Korea, located next to Gyeongbokgung in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, hosts a Korean folk performance every Saturday at 3 p.m. in the museum's theater. The performance is free and seating is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Gracing the stage Saturday is the Korean traditional dance "Spring, Bloom as Dance," a presentation that captures the essence of spring and a myriad of human emotions through dance, blending both newly choreographed and tra
March 15, 2024
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‘Oldboy’ with Hello Kitty hairband: The lengths Korean stars go to please fans
In South Korea's fan culture of aegyo, which emphasizes stars appeasing fans with adorable and cutesy behaviors, even the legendary "Oldboy" star is not exempt. In fact, his wholehearted embrace of this playful interaction with fans is earning him even more respect. As Choi Min-sik, globally acclaimed for his charismatic role in the 2003 film, attends audience meet-and-greet events held at local theaters as part of promotions for his latest film “Exhuma,” photos of t
March 14, 2024
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CHA helps reopen Uzbek museum in aid push
An Uzbekistan-based museum housing some of the country’s oldest archeological artifacts reopened Wednesday with the help of official development assistance from South Korea. The first-floor exhibition halls at the two-story Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand -- located at the historical site of Afrasiyab, an ancient city in Uzbekistan -- underwent a two-year renovation led by Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration. The makeover included halls featuring royal murals or wall paintings that
March 14, 2024
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[Herald Review] Two Victor Hugo stories unfold on musical stage
Two musicals based on works by French author Victor Hugo are attracting audiences in Korea: “Les Miserables” and “Notre-Dame de Paris.” Both musicals are inspired by stories written by the prominent French writer, poet, and playwright and utilize a sing-through format, where the majority, if not all, of the dialogue is sung rather than spoken. The musicals include melodies that are iconic numbers worth enjoying on a live stage. “Belle (Beautiful),” sung by Q
March 13, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Jung Sung-hwa on challenge of playing Quasimodo
Jung Sung-hwa, a comedian-turned-musical actor, has been synonymous with the character of Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun in the hit musical “Hero,” which was also adapted into a film in 2022. He is also remembered by many for memorable roles like Jean Valjean in the musical “Les Miserable” or Daniel Hillard in “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Taking the role of Quasimodo in “Notre-Dame de Paris,” the 20-year veteran of musicals hopes people can forget
March 13, 2024
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New Mecenat Association Chair Yoon Young-dal stresses arts in corporate culture
“Mecenat is about strengthening the roots of businesses,” according to Yoon Young-dal, the new chairperson of Korea Mecenat Association, on Tuesday. Mecenat, derived from the name of Gaius Maecenas, a politician of ancient Rome who promoted the creative activities of artists and contributed to the revival of Roman art, refers to patronage or sponsorship of the arts, culture or education by individuals, businesses or organizations. The 30-year-old organization with 215 member companie
March 12, 2024
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'The Best Sopranos' concert highlights Maria Callas' life through familiar tunes
A tribute to American and Greek soprano Maria Callas took place Monday at Lotte Concert Hall. The concert, titled “The Best Sopranos” brought together five sopranos, whom the artistic director Ha Man-taek of the concert and CEO of Korea ARTS Group, said “are the best sopranos to me, even though they are so far less-well known to the world.” The sopranos -- Park Mi-ja, Kim Ra-hee, Shin Eun-hye, Lee Yun-jeong and Veronica Yoo -- were joined by two tenors Ha and Son Ji-hoon
March 12, 2024
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History foundation highlights ‘objective perspective’
A South Korean state-run foundation launched to set the record straight on shared histories with neighbors said it will work on instilling an “objective and future-oriented” perspective on history. At a press conference Tuesday, Park Ji-hang, president of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, said such efforts will potentially help the country win over the international community when its vital national interests are at stake. Park did not elaborate on the specifics. “We are
March 12, 2024
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Korea National Opera to perform Korean premiere of Britten's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
The Korea National Opera will bring Benjamin Britten's opera "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to the stage next month, marking the Korean premiere of the production. In a production meeting held Monday at the Seoul Arts Center, the KNO introduced the work, the production team and the cast of the opera with a libretto adapted from William Shakespeare's play. Britten's opera premiered in 1960 at the Aldeburgh Festival in England. The story revolves around the adventures o
March 12, 2024
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Heritage agency renamed ahead of May revamp
South Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration will be renamed the Korea Heritage Service effective May 17, a CHA official said Monday. The name change, part of larger efforts to overhaul the agency, was passed by the National Assembly in April 2023. “The change from ‘administration’ to ‘service’ is meant to show we want to get closer to the people and have them feel the same as well when they think of us,” a senior CHA official said of the decision. Oth
March 11, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Pianist Lang Lang celebrates French music, female composers in latest album
In bringing to life a long-envisioned French project, celebrated pianist Lang Lang stumbled upon a wealth of intriguing discoveries, spanning from the works of five female French composers to even the world of Taekwondo, a Korean martial art. He said he wanted to do a French project for a long time, but it wasn't until he encountered Saint-Saens' Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22, “which is underrated despite its excellence,” that he decided to mak
March 11, 2024
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TikTok-Universal Music Group dispute: an opportunity for rookies?
Universal Music Group, one of the largest global music publishing companies, has pulled music created by its artists and songwriters from TikTok beginning February, as their licensing agreement had expired. This move comes in an effort by UMG to help its artists and songwriters attain fair compensation from TikTok. “TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay. Today, as an indication of how l
March 10, 2024
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[Well-curated] Unique interior decor, aviation museum and silent cafe
Decorate your space with colorful, unique props If you have recently moved into a new place, you may be looking for unique trinkets and small decorations to brighten up your space. Segment, a company that sells interior-related products from around the world, has opened an offline showroom. The two-story building, which is about a 10-minute walk from Naebang Station on Subway Line No. 7, is full of colorful interior decoration items from more than 100 domestic and foreign brands. On the building
March 8, 2024
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[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages
WE Hotel offers new spring-themed program WE Hotel, a premium health resort located in Seogwipo, southern Jeju Island, is offering a new program for the upcoming spring season from March 15 to April 15. “Walk Under Cherry Blossom” presents visitors the chance for a one-night stay in a superior room, free breakfast buffet, cherry blossom tea with the Korean honey snack yakgwa as well as a wellness program for two guests. Visitors can make their choice from a total of four wellness pro
March 8, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Yoon Hankyeol aims to be validated by fellow conductors
After winning the Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award at the Salzburger Festspiele in Salzburg, Austria in August 2023, conductor Yoon Hankyeol said he felt a sense of relief that he no longer needed to participate in such competitions. “Fortunately, it wasn’t the case for the Karajan competition, but more often than not, there are occasions where the performance is influenced by the judges, audience members, or those present in the room, rather than fully showcasing oneself,&
March 7, 2024