‘Monk’ DJ spreading Buddhism goes global

A South Korean DJ-comedian in a Buddhist monk’s robe is making strides in Korea and abroad with the backing of Korea’s largest Buddhist sect that has employed him as part of its outreach to wider audiences. Youn Sung-ho, the DJ known as the Ven. New Jean, will close the three-day Lotus Lantern Festival on Sunday, with an electronic dance music performance echoing Buddhist verses. The show is set in front of Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Sunday’

May 12, 2024

Business moguls attend concert by Helene Mercier, wife of LVMH CEO

A concert that took place Wednesday at the Lotte Concert Hall remained relatively quiet in terms of media coverage, despite its high-profile chaebol attendees and a protest opposing one of its musicians. The concert, part of the Classical Bridge International Music Festival, featured Russian violinist Vladimir Spivakov and pianist Helene Mercier, wife of Bernard Arnault, founder, chairman and CEO of LVMH. The pianist is also the mother of Frederic Arnault, CEO of LVMH Watches, who is rumored to

May 10, 2024

Ador CEO's dismissal to be decided on last day of May

Amid the ongoing dispute between Hybe and its subsidiary Ador, the latter held a board meeting on Friday and decided to convene an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on May 31. Ador also claimed that Hybe conducted an illegal audit Thursday night. Ador's Friday board meeting lasted about 10 minutes and was attended by company executives, including CEO Min Hee-jin, and the auditor appointed by Hybe. At the extraordinary general meeting scheduled for the last day of May, discussion

May 10, 2024

Lim Yunchan's debut album ranks high on major charts

Pianist Lim Yunchan’s debut album, "Chopin: Etudes" released on April 19, has dominated the top ranks of major countries' classical charts, Universal Music said Friday. Lim’s “Chopin: Etudes” achieved first place on the UK Specialist Classical Chart (weekly chart, April 26 - May 2), second place on the US Billboard Classical Chart (weekly chart, April 28 - May 4) and first place on the US Billboard Traditional Classical Albums (May 5 -May 11). His Decca a

May 10, 2024

[Well-curated] Art at the beach, vinyl cafe and animation exhibition

Enjoy art, beaches in Busan For those who plan to visit Busan this weekend and also happen to love art, Busan's largest art fair is not to be missed. The four-day art fair has returned, bringing together 129 galleries from 20 countries at Bexco. Special exhibitions such as “Herstory,” which highlights pioneering female contemporary artists in Asia and beyond are being held alongside the art fair. The participating galleries are offering works at a wide range of prices, introduc

May 10, 2024

[Eye Interview] Seon meditation empowers you: Buddhist leader

Finding an emotional outlet in a country like South Korea, an ultra-competitive society that teaches little about coping with emotions, is tough. Left unaddressed, stress without a proper release could be feeding collective trauma, as evidenced by recent violent crimes that have alarmed the country, according to the Ven. Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Responsible for running Korea’s largest Buddhist sect with the Supreme Patriarch as the spiritual leader, Jinwoo s

May 9, 2024

[K-pop’s dilemma] Can K-pop break free from ‘fandom’ model?

A longtime fan of K-pop, Lee Eun-soo, 25, has been buying albums, streaming music and purchasing K-pop merchandise, all part of what it means to be a loyal K-pop fan. Although she is still a big fan of K-pop, she is skeptical about the K-pop industry's sustainability, pointing out that agencies place too many financial demands on fans. “Fans have to pay money endlessly to show love and agencies know how to squeeze money out of them,” she said. K-pop's global success is unde

May 9, 2024

Hilary Hahn replaces ill Son Yeol-eum in SPO Concerts

American violinist Hilary Hahn is replacing pianist Son Yeol-eum in the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra concerts scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The last-minute change was made less than 16 hours after the SPO announced Wednesday afternoon that Son's performance was canceled due to a high fever and sore throat. Hahn is in South Korea at the moment as she is preparing for a recital with pianist Andreas Haefliger, an all-Brahms program taking place at Seoul Arts Center on Saturday. With the S

May 9, 2024

Expert in archival, book pathology endorses 'hanji' UNESCO heritage listing

“As someone who has dedicated a lifetime to studying various types of paper for preservation and restoration, I definitely see the value in registering 'hanji' with UNESCO's heritage list, and I believe this is very important,” said Maria Letizia Sebastiani, an authoritative figure in the field of archival and book pathology. The former director of Italy’s National Institute of Historic Heritage Preservation and Restoration, known as ICPAL, conveyed this to a g

May 8, 2024

[K-pop’s dilemma] Time, profit pressures work against originality

With its total assets reaching over 5 trillion won ($3.7 billion) last year, K-pop giant Hybe, which launched as Big Hit Entertainment in 2005, is looking to claim “large-firm” status. In 2019, Hybe acquired its first subsidiary label, Source Music, aspiring to become a global multi-label entertainment company. Today, Hybe has 11 subsidiaries under its label division, including Big Hit Music, housing the global K-pop sensation BTS; Pledis Entertainment, housing the globally renowned

May 8, 2024

Illit lands first Billboard 200 entry amid originality controversy

K-pop rookie group Illit seems to have skirted the controversy surrounding its originality, successfully landing on the Billboard 200 chart with its first EP “Super Real Me” on Tuesday. The group had been facing criticism that its concept was similar to that of the popular girl band NewJeans, which is housed under the same Hybe umbrella. According to Belift Lab, Illit ranked 93rd on the Billboard 200, less than a month after it debuted in 91st place on the Hot 100 chart with its titl

May 8, 2024

'Ador CEO unlikely to avoid dismissal,' entertainment law expert

Ador CEO Min Hee-jin is likely to be removed by Hybe at the extraordinary meeting with shareholders sometime between May 27 and 30, an industry source said Thursday. Min revealed Tuesday her plan to hold a board meeting Friday with the parent company to discuss the agenda for a shareholders meeting. Hybe will most likely sack Min for the alleged breach of trust at the extraordinary meeting with evidence it has yet to disclose. “While it is difficult to speculate on the allegation of Min&rs

May 8, 2024

Pianist Son Yeol-eum named grand prize winner of Daewon Music Awards

The Daewon Cultural Foundation, which marks the 20th anniversary of its establishment on Wednesday, announced the winners of its 13th music prize -- pianist Son Yeol-eom, violinist Kim Bomsori and pianist Lim Yunchan. Returning after four years of a pandemic-induced hiatus, the foundation selected Son as the grand prize winner, while violinist Kim Bomsori was selected for the Daewon Music Award for performance. In February 2021, Kim, the winner of many international competitions including the

May 8, 2024

[K-pop's dilemma] Is Hybe-Ador conflict a case of growing pains?

The feud between K-pop powerhouse Hybe and Min Hee-jin, the CEO of its subsidiary Ador, is probably one of the most controversial cases in the world of K-pop to have grabbed attention not only at home but also abroad in recent years. As music critics continue to discuss the latest developments, it is still not certain what sparked the very public fight between the influential music producers. Yet, most experts agree that there are more fundamental issues at play and that the K-pop industry is go

May 7, 2024

S.Korea and Italy to dedicate 2024 and 2025 to enhancing cultural exchanges

ROME, Italy -- South Korea and Italy will commemorate the 140th anniversary of their diplomatic relations by enhancing cultural exchanges throughout 2024 and 2025. The year of cultural exchange was first announced in November during Italian President Sergio Mattarella's state visit to South Korea. The initiative officially began Saturday with a performance of Korean traditional dance in Rome. The National Gugak Center’s Dance Theater and Folk Music Group presented a specially prepared

May 6, 2024

Doggy patrol team on the move to protect their cities

Hodu, a three-year-old female Pomeranian, was the talk of the town last week in the nation’s capital as Seoul citizens expressed their affection for a member of the Dog Patrol Program that provides civilian patrol activities across the city. "I'm not so cold-hearted as to enjoy such a sight by myself," wrote Seongdong-gu chief Chung Won-oh on his X account, as he shared the photos and videos of Hodu. The dog and her owner recently joined Seoul's patrol program that of

May 5, 2024

[Weekender] Korean psyche untangled: Musok

Shamanism. It resonates with Koreans -- in private. Rarely is it endorsed openly, however. Accusing someone of having acknowledged its power in any official capacity forces the person to counter the assertion, at all costs. How this plays out in real life was on vivid display last week. K-pop giant Hybe, the company behind BTS, cornered its sublabel Ador Chief Executive Min Hee-jin over plotting to take independent the lucrative subsidiary that manages popular girl group NewJeans. A shaman was i

May 4, 2024

Korea Season 'breaks' off in Paris with powerful dance performances

PARIS -- In the Chatelet Theatre in Paris on Thursday, two dance groups joined forces for a performance to officially kick off Korea Season 2024, an annual program organized by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange. Titled "Urban Pulse Uprising," South Korea's 1Million and the French Pockemon Crew showcased a performance encompassing various street dance genres, including K-pop, hip-hop and breakdancing for the audience that packed the 1,600-seat theater. The p

May 3, 2024

[Photo News] Lanterns celebrate Buddha’s Birthday

Lantern installations illuminate Songhyeon Green Plaza, next to the main palace from the Joseon era, Gyeongbokgung, in central Seoul on Thursday. The annual Buddhist Lantern Festival runs through May 15, which is the Buddha’s Birthday holiday, at Songhyeon Green Plaza, Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggye Plaza and around Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)

May 3, 2024

[Well-curated] Reptiles, Hangeul-theme cafe and circus on Nodeul Island

Explore world of reptiles Gecko's Republic, located right around the corner from Mangwon Station on Subway Line No. 6, is a mini reptile zoo housing a wide range of unique reptile species, including chameleons, turtles and lizards. The two-story building is an inviting spot not only for reptile enthusiasts but also for those looking to raise reptiles themselves. Unlike some other reptile cafes that allow visitors to feed turtles and watch the lizards, Gecko’s Republic looks after som

May 3, 2024