Soprano Sumi Jo has been inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame, her agency SMI Entertainment announced Wednesday.　 Founded in 2004 in Seattle by the Robert Chin Foundation, the Asian Hall of Fame works to recognize Asian excellence, cultural unity and racial equity by honoring Asian contributions in national and international narratives. Jo, a celebrated soprano, is the first Korean national to be inducted to the Asian Hall of Fame. She is also the first opera and classical music artist to be i

People Nov. 17, 2021

Korea’s top cosmetics maker Amorepacific has won the top prize at this year’s Mecenat Awards, in recognition of its contribution to the arts. The Korea Mecenat Association held an awards ceremony Wednesday at the Westin Josun in central Seoul to honor local businesses and individuals who have supported the art scene. This year’s Mecenat Award was given to Amorepacific, in recognition of the Sulwha Cultural Exhibition managed by its luxury skincare brand Sulwhasoo for the p

Culture Nov. 17, 2021

Tenor John Noh, who appeared on cable channel JTBC’s audition show “Phantom Singer 3,” has received multi-platinum certification from the local recording industry. More than 20,000 physical copies of Noh’s latest album, “The Classic Album: NSQG,” have sold since its release in September under Warner Music Korea. According to Noh’s agency, Credia, the local recording industry gives multi-platinum certification to albums that sell more than 20,000 physic

Performance Nov. 17, 2021

Hanbok-inspired school uniforms, created as part of a project led jointly by the Culture Ministry and the Ministry of Education, will be shown in an exhibition at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. The Culture Ministry said Tuesday that it has delivered a number of hanbok uniforms and a certificate of donation to Rosalie Kim, curator of the Korean Gallery at the V&A Museum. The samples include hanbok uniforms for boys and girls. The V&A Museum plans to hold its “Hally

Culture Nov. 16, 2021

As Korea gradually opens it borders to foreign artists and acts, maestro Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble are to take to the stage here. The ensemble, led by the celebrated conductor Gergiev, is to go onstage at the Lotte Concerts Hall in eastern Seoul on Nov. 24 for two performances. Gergiev, one of the most sought-after conductors in the world, has been long affiliated with the Mariinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg. The Russian maestro is credited with raising the Ma

Performance Nov. 16, 2021

US conductor Elias Peter Brown won the top prize at the first KSO International Conducting Competition organized by the Korean Symphony Orchestra. Brown, 26, clinched the win with his performance of Debussy’s “La Mer” (The Sea), L. 109, CD. 111 at the finals of the competition held Sunday at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. A graduate of Yale University and the Royal Academy of Music in England, he won third place at the Khachaturian International Conducting Competit

Performance Nov. 15, 2021

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra is to hold a concert with the winner of the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition, Bruce Liu. Liu, 24, the first prize winner of the competition which took place in Warsaw, Poland, in October, will go onstage with the Seoul-based orchestra on Nov. 27 at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, under the baton of associate conductor Wilson Ng. The Canadian pianist will perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11. Other works on the prog

Performance Nov. 14, 2021

Young musicians’ efforts to create new styles of traditional Korean music are finally bearing fruit with a new school of music winning over television audiences. While artists such as gender-bending singer Lee Hee-moon, and traditional Korean music-inspired avant-rock band Jambinai have paved the way for fusion music, Joseon pop is now breaking through with a more mainstream sound. A reference to the Joseon era (1392-1910), Joseon pop mixes traditional music, known as “gugak,&rd

Performance Nov. 14, 2021

While Korea’s recently implemented “living with COVID-19” scheme has allowed royal palaces to welcome visitors with special programs, the royal library and its grounds at Changdeokgung are to be opened to the public for a week in November. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday that it will run a guided tour of the Gyujanggak area at the royal palace of Changdeokgung in central Seoul, twice a day from Saturday to Wednesday.  Founded in 1776 inside the

Culture Nov. 13, 2021

Violinist Clara Jumi Kang will return to the stage for an encore recital of Bach’s violin works to round out a successful year. Kang, 34, is set to perform the entire cycle of the famed composer’s sonatas and partitas for solo violin at Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul on Dec. 13. In May and June, the Korean-German virtuoso went on a nationwide tour with stops in Seoul, Daegu and Daejeon and more, performing Bach’s sonatas and partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001-1006),

Performance Nov. 10, 2021

A new establishment will be built in Songhyeon-dong, central Seoul, to house the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection. According to an announcement from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday, the two institutions will sign a memorandum of understanding on the project Wednesday. The entrepreneur died in October 2020, and in April this year his family donated some 24,000 artworks and artifacts to the National Museum of

Culture Nov. 9, 2021

With many betting on the “metaverse” becoming a huge part of our lives, the National Theater of Korea has invited a German project team to stage “Ultraworld” this month, a production that delves into the ambiguities of the real and virtual worlds. “Ultraworld,” directed by Susanne Kennedy, had its premiere in January 2020 at the Volksbuhne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz theater in Berlin, Germany. According to NToK, the Volksbuhne theater has been presenting some o

Performance Nov. 9, 2021

The Korean Pacific Philharmonic Orchestra is to hold a concert at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, introducing classical music works from the 20th century. The concert, led under the baton of conductor Kang Won-ho, will present the overture from Verdi’s opera “La Forza del Destina” and Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, BB 123. Following the intermission, the orchestra will perform Reinecke’s Flute Concerto in D major, Op. 283, joined

Performance Nov. 4, 2021

With Korea relaxing COVID-19 restrictions in line with its “living with COVID-19” scheme, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are to resume a discount coupon program for travel accommodations to encourage the local tourism industry hit by the virus crisis. The Culture Ministry launched the coupon program twice last year, but had to suspend it to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus infections. Before the suspension, 520,000 coupon

Travel Nov. 4, 2021

With the local performing arts scene excited for a return to normalcy under South Korea’s “living with COVID-19” strategy, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced its winter lineup, from a Vienna Philharmonic concert to “The Nutcracker” ballet. One of the most anticipated highlights of the center’s winter schedule is a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic and maestro Riccardo Muti on Nov. 14. The prestigious orchestra will perform Mozart’s S

Performance Nov. 3, 2021