ULLEUNGDO, North Gyeongsang Province -- On Oct. 19, more than 100 eager individuals embarked on a journey, hoping to set their feet on the Dokdo islets, South Korea's easternmost outpost, just days before Dokdo Day on Oct. 25. The sense of anticipation and yearning to reach the remote and symbolic islets was palpable. For many, this opportunity to visit Dokdo was a rare and cherished one, and the journey itself was a testament to their determination. One of the groups on that boat, guided b

Culture Oct. 24, 2023

The Hic Et Nunc! music festival, which strives to focus on subtly changing trends in the classical music world, is set for its sixth edition next month. From Nov. 9-22, Hic Et Nunc!, a Latin phrase that means "here and now," will present six main programs with its organizer Sejong Soloists, featuring emerging Korean musicians as well as acclaimed international musicians like tenor Ian Bostridge and saxophonist Steven banks. Presenting the festival's goal of nonconformity and bound

Culture Oct. 22, 2023

Klaus Makela, a fast-rising Finnish conductor and cellist, will finally meet the Korean audiences after two pandemic-induced cancellations. "I was truly sad and felt sorry. However, because of the sadness I had felt through the pandemic, the expectation for the upcoming performance in Korea doubled," Makela said in an email interview this week. At 27, Makela is chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic, which last performed in Korea 27 years ago. The orchestra will perform on Oct. 28

Performance Oct. 18, 2023

The second installment of the Blue House Concert series will take place Nov. 5 in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-US alliance at Chunchugwan. Chunchugwan served as the media center for the former presidential house Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul. The free concert will begin at 3 p.m. with American violinist Gil Shaham taking the stage with Korean pianist Shin Chang-yong to perform Mozart's Rondo in C major and Faure’s Violin Sonata No.1. Shin will also perfo

Culture Oct. 18, 2023

SEJONG-- Yu In-chon's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue the legacy of strengthening copyrights he started in his first tenure as culture minister during the Lee Myung-bak administration. Yu, 72, made the remarks at his first address to hundreds of ministry employees during his inauguration ceremony that took place at Government Complex Sejong on Monday. “With the continually evolving landscape, there is a need to amend the copyright law related to adapting to n

Culture Oct. 16, 2023

Korean bass baritone Samuel Youn made his international debut 25 years ago when he took the stage in “Faust.” The year of 1998 was an unforgettable year. Youn won the Treviso Toti dal Monte, a renowned singing competition, not long before his wife was due to give birth to their first child. He was then given a chance to take the stage in Charles Gounod’s opera, “Faust.” From there, he had the opportunity to participate in an audition for the Cologne Opera. For 2

Culture Oct. 13, 2023

Take a journey through time to the streets of Jeong-dong this weekend, where Jeongdong Culture Night will be held Friday and Saturday at Deoksugung Palace and the Jeong-dong area in Jung-gu, central Seoul. During its heyday, the Jeong-dong area was the epicenter of burgeoning new trends. Cultural sites will remain open late into the evening during the two-day festival, featuring performances, guided historical tours, a stamp tour along the stonewall walkway, street performances, busking, nightti

Culture Oct. 13, 2023

Controversy over the former presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, emerged once again with a lawmaker pointing out a change in regulations for its use during a parliamentary audit. Lee Byung-hoon, a lawmaker of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the government, alleging that it has failed to fulfill its promise to return Cheong Wa Dae to the people, as the presidential office continues to use the facilities without restrictions. Lee further pointed out that the Ministry of Cultu

Culture Oct. 11, 2023

The Daegu International Opera Festival, marking its 20th anniversary this year, kicked off with Richard Strauss’ “Salome" last week, a modern interpretation by opera director Michael Struminger. Through Nov. 10, the festival is set to offer four more productions including Strauss’ “Elektra,” and three Verdi operas at the Daegu Opera House. Bulgaria's Sofia Opera and Ballet, together with Daegu Opera House, will put on the Korean premiere of “Elektr

Culture Oct. 10, 2023

The annual Performing Arts Market in Seoul, this year together with Journey to Korean Music, will offer a platform where local performing artists can present their productions to potential overseas buyers. Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Arts Council Korea and Korea Arts Management Support Center, the 19th edition of PAMS will take place Oct. 11-14 at various venues including the National Theater of Korea, JCC Art Center and Namsan Gugakdang. This year, PAMS joins for

Culture Oct. 7, 2023

How long does it take to create a dictionary? The first comprehensive German dictionary, compiled by the Brothers Grimm in 1838, took more than 120 years to complete. In 1911, during the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula, the quest to create the first-ever Korean dictionary began. The dictionary was published in 1947, two years after Korea's liberation in 1945. Another quest to create an extensive and comprehensive Korean dictionary called "Gyeoremal-Keunsajeon” has bee

Culture Oct. 7, 2023

Semyon Bychkov, a Soviet-born conductor who denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is set to make his Korean debut in October, leading the Czech Philharmonic for an all-Dvorak program. The program -- Dvorak’s "Carnival Overture," Op.92, Piano Concerto in G minor, Op.33, and Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op.70 -- is more of a practical choice as it includes pieces that are being performed during their regular season in Prague, where they will perform Dvorak’s three symphoni

Performance Sept. 30, 2023

When Korean conductor Sung Shi-yeon took the stage at the Seoul Arts Center on Tuesday night to lead the Korean Symphony Orchestra, she chose some pieces that are unfamiliar to the public. Despite the risk of losing members of the audience, who tend to be less enthusiastic about such modern or unfamiliar pieces, Sung introduced Fazil Say’s "Water (Su) for piano and orchestra, Op.45" for the first time in Korea. With the piece and Carl Nielsen’s "Helios Overture, Op.17,

Culture Sept. 20, 2023

At this moment in history, a period of constant change, where "social" plays a key role and where news and information quickly become outdated, understanding and anticipating the public's taste is a complicated task. Speaking at the Herald Design Forum on Tuesday at the Shilla Seoul, Francesco Scianni, a member of Project Group SRL, a group that specializes in style consultancy and trends research, and the owner of the brand Lebelleforme and Fashion & Design Lab, said a new

Arts & Design Sept. 19, 2023

Italian architect and designer Cristina Celestino, delivering a presentation titled “Intertwining Beauty and Sustainability: From Color to Materiality” at the Herald Design Forum 2023 at the Shilla Seoul on Tuesday, discussed how the design and planning of spaces stem from the relationships established in the design process. These relationships involve engagement with local history and culture, and a collaborative partnership with skilled local artisans, she told the audience. Cele

Arts & Design Sept. 19, 2023