Star pianists Cho Seong-jin, Lim Yun-chan to return to Carnegie Hall next year

Two of South Korea’s best-known pianists, Cho Jeong-jin and Lim Yun-chan are to return to Carnegie Hall next year. As part of Carnegie Hall’s Great Artists series, Cho, the first prize winner of the 2015 International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland, will celebrate the 150th birthday of Ravel by performing the composer’s complete solo piano works on Feb. 5, 2025. It will mark the pianist’s fourth performance at the hall since his debut there in 2022, stepping

Feb. 16, 2024

[Well-curated] LP cafe, Pinkfong Baby Shark pop-up store and action painting studio

A cup of coffee and music If you find yourself walking the Namsan trail to enjoy the last few weeks of winter, you may come across a small, serene cafe full of music and the aroma of coffee. With the motto "All you need is music and more coffee," Illuso Coffee has a selection of LP albums, turntables and music-related props. The cafe is located in a narrow building, so the space is not large, but if you climb the narrow stairs, there is seating space available up to the third floor. T

Feb. 16, 2024

Heritage agency-run school to help Egypt’s cultural preservation efforts

The Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, run by the Cultural Heritage Administration, plans to help Egypt preserve its cultural heritage, starting by digitizing records as part of a five-year project the school started last year. Through December, KNUCH will finish setting up a center within the Manial Palace Museum in Cairo that will keep digital replicas of key pieces of cultural heritage currently housed in six state-run institutions in the Egyptian capital. The antiquities to be d

Feb. 13, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Ho-young performs as Angel in 'Rent' for final time

When musical actor Kim Ho-young was named the best supporting actor at the 8th Korean Musical Awards last month for his role as Angel in the musical “Rent,” he came to the stage for his acceptance speech with a mysterious bag. Instead of simply calling out the names of people to whom he was thankful, Kim selected two names from the bag to receive his gratitude on behalf of everyone he wished to acknowledge, transforming the moment into a vibrant celebration with his trademark wit a

Feb. 13, 2024

Paju attractions open during Lunar New Year holiday

Paju, a city some 40 kilometers northwest of Seoul, looks to attract visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday when many stores, restaurants and travel spots are closed. Tourist sites located near the banks of the Imjin River in Paju, including the Imjingak Peace Gondola, DMZ LIVE Experience Hall and Dokgae Bridge, will be open without any schedule changes. The gondolas will be free for those aged 80 or older. From Feb. 10 to 11, visitors can experience Korean traditional games for free. The Na

Feb. 10, 2024

Govt. mandates 'holdback period' for govt.-funded films

The culture ministry has recently mandated films receiving government funding must wait a certain period after their silver screen debut before becoming available on IPTVs and streaming platforms. The so-called holdback period was specified as a condition for new Korean films receiving government funding in a public notice posted on Jan. 31 for the funding program, ministry officials said Friday. Details of the holdback period have yet to be disclosed. However, officials said the ministry intend

Feb. 9, 2024

[Well-curated] Traditional New Year festivities, clean cup of espresso and writing in solitude

New Year's festival at Namsangol Hanok Village Step into the heart of Korean culture at the Namsangol Hanok Village’s New Year’s festival, a vibrant celebration that takes place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday to Sunday. Throughout the weekend, visitors can engage in a variety of traditional Korean games. Start with a fortune-telling session using yut, a traditional board game played, offering a glimpse into the fortunes for the year. Visitor can write their wishes on the wish tree. A

Feb. 9, 2024

[Herald Interview] Jeong Sun-ah reflects on return to stage after becoming a mom

Musical actor Jeong Sun-ah burst into tears as she was declared the best lead actor at the Korean Musical Awards on Jan. 15 for her performance in “If/then.” The award came after a turbulent two years for the actor, who recently became a mom, and harbored doubts over whether she could return to the stage. "Even as I get older, (and as I became a mom), I wanted to prove that with effort, it's possible to (improve),” Jeong, 39, told reporters during an interview on Jan.

Feb. 8, 2024

Concerts that will provide perfect sound for transitioning to spring

From Studio Ghibli's enchanting melodies to the Polish musical spirit embodied by Chopin's compositions, a series of captivating concerts will provide the perfect soundtrack to accompany the transition from the winter chill to spring warmth. On Feb. 14, two concerts will take place -- “one like an elaborate oil painting hung on a large wall, the other one like a modest watercolor decorating a corner of a room.” It was pianist Elizabeth Bright who made this analogy of an orc

Feb. 8, 2024

[Herald Interview] Cho Jung-eun portrays Fantine for last time

Cho Jung-eun, one of South Korea’s leading musical theater actors, said that her performance this year as Fantine in “Les Miserables” is likely to be the last time she plays the role. The 44-year-old actor has taken on the role three times since the show's Korean premier in 2013. After her second appearance in 2015, Cho is currently performing her third and final act as Fantine. “'Les Miserables' is not frequently performed, so I think this season, which is

Feb. 8, 2024

Easing financial burden, supporting K-culture among top priorities for Culture Ministry

Alleviating the financial burden of people's cultural and leisure activities, bolstering the creation of globally competitive cultural and artistic work and attracting 20 million inbound tourists are among the Culture Ministry’s policy priorities for 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday. In addition, the ministry said it will supply a total of 17.4 trillion won ($13.07 billion) in policy financing this year, up 120 percent from 2023, to boost investment

Feb. 6, 2024

Goryeo reliquary to return to Korea in loan deal with US museum

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston will loan to South Korea a 14th-century Buddhist reliquary, following a deal reached Monday that marks a dramatic shift in the US museum’s position on the artifact over the last 15 years. A day of negotiations at the museum resulted in the Museum of Fine Arts donating the remains of Buddhist masters found after cremation, called “sarira,” while placing on loan the reliquary from the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) containing the sarira, according to th

Feb. 6, 2024

New Culture Ministry office takes over promotion of Korea from abolished KOCIS

The Culture Ministry launched Tuesday an office charged with promoting Korea overseas, taking over the duties of the affiliated agency for the last 53 years. The International Cultural Affairs and Public Relations Office will report to the first vice minister, and the two bureaus under the office will each be responsible for cultural affairs and public relations on the international stage. “Interagency efforts and coordinating policy on culture, sports and tourism are important to expandin

Feb. 6, 2024

With 'Breath,' soprano Park Hye-sang wants to say 'embrace your life while you live'

Park Hye-sang, the first Asian soprano to be signed by Deutsche Grammophon, on Friday released her second album, a project that has engaged her for more than two years. Park learned free diving for the album jacket -- she took photos underwater, symbolizing the theme of "breath." She also went on a pilgrimage to Santiago, Spain last year, walking every day for 25 days. "There wasn't a single day that I did not think about this album in the last 2 1/2 years. The album includ

Feb. 5, 2024

[Herald Interview] Adriana Tomeu's dream unfolds on the stage of 'Il Tenore'

Since Dec. 19, Adriana Tomeu, hailing from the US, has been taking the stage as Madame Becker in the musical “Il Tenore,” or the tenor in English. The musical about a medical student with a passion for classical singing set in 1920s Korea during the Japanese occupation had its world premiere in Seoul. "Il Tenore" marks Tomeu's return to the professional musical stage after almost a decade -- she had chosen a career in science over the musical theater career she had bee

Feb. 5, 2024

Conductor Hong Seok-won to lead Busan Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor Hong Seok-won has been appointed as the next artistic director of the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra, according to the Busan city government last week. Hong, who is currently the artistic director of the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra, will begin his two-year term on July 1. He succeeds Choi Soo-yeol, whose term expired in December after six years. Hong previously led the Busan City Symphony Orchestra as a guest conductor in 2020 and 2023. Hong, a graduate of Seoul National University and th

Feb. 5, 2024

Claims reliquary was stolen will be reviewed if evidence given: museum

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston said it would review any claims of theft if such evidence is presented concerning a Buddhist reliquary that South Korea is looking to repatriate, ahead of talks over the issue Monday morning in the US. Karen Frascona, the museum’s marketing and communications director, told The Korea Herald that “there is nothing in its history to indicate theft, looting or coercive transfer.” Negotiations over the Buddhist relic from the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392

Feb. 4, 2024

1-year prison term sought for 'Squid Game' actor O Yeong-su on sexual abuse charges

Prosecutors on Friday sought a one-year prison sentence for O Yeong-su, the winner of a 2022 Golden Globe award for his role in "Squid Game," on charges of sexually harassing a woman in 2017. The 79-year-old O was indicted in November 2022 over allegations that he hugged a woman and kissed her on the cheek against her will between August and September in 2017 during his two-month tour to a regional area for a performance. In a hearing at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court

Feb. 2, 2024

[Photo News] Winter Youth Olympics concludes with celebration of athletic feats

The fourth Winter Youth Olympics concluded in eastern South Korea on Thursday with a celebration of the feats accomplished by teenage athletes over the past two weeks. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. Thursday under the theme, "Shine Again" at the open plaza in front of Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung. A highlight video of the 14-day competition was shown on the main screen, and rapper Lee Young-ji and dancing group 1Million performed for the athletes and spectators. The two-w

Feb. 2, 2024

[Well-curated] Tribute to Fu Bao, travel back to '70s Seoul and quiet haven in city

Enjoy Everland’s Bao Haus For precious few chances left to make a special memory with Fu Bao, the first panda to be born in Korea, pay a visit to Bao Haus. Everland -- South Korea’s largest theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province -- opened Bao Haus, a Fu Bao-themed exhibition, on Jan. 20, ahead of the scheduled departure of Korea's favorite panda in April. Fu Bao is due to return to her ancestral home China. The indoor exhibition is located at the center of Everland, presenting

Feb. 2, 2024