Jimin of BTS, actor Song Da-eun suspected to be dating, again

BTS' Jimin and actor Song Da-eun are embroiled in yet another romance scandal after Song on Thursday shared videos and photos on her social media that some have interpreted to mean the two are in a relationship. The actor posted a video of a man, covered by a big emoji, walking by the sea to her Instagram. Netizens argue that the seaside spot is the same location that Jimin visited in the “(Bangtan Bomb) A Boisterous Shooting of ‘3J -- BTS’" content released on BTS&rs

May 17, 2024

Rebranded heritage agency eyes being ‘relatable’

The Korea Heritage Service officially marked its new start Friday with the agency managing national heritage reaffirming its commitment to be more “relatable.” Renaming the agency previously called the Cultural Heritage Administration, approved by the National Assembly last year, represents the largest overhaul in the agency’s history -- a change that warranted hosting an international meeting to mark the moment, according to KHS officials. “The meeting today is to announ

May 17, 2024

Is NewJeans headed for a long 'break'?

If NewJeans, the popular K-pop girl band under the music label Ador, were "given" a year and a half "break" after their Tokyo Dome concerts in Japan next month as Hybe CEO Park Ji-won promised the parents of NewJeans members, the still-new band could be critically impacted, music critics said Thursday. Three parents of NewJeans members met with Park on April 25 -- the day Ador CEO Min Hee-jin held a press conference to refute an alleged attempt to usurp the management rights

May 16, 2024

[Herald Interview] Legendary cartoonist Lee Hyun-se says curiosity propels him forward

South Korean cartoonist Lee Hyun-se, creator of one of the most successful cartoon series ever to be published in Korea, "A Daunting Team," said his curiosity to uncover untold stories is what pushes him to challenge himself, even after achieving stardom. Lee made his debut as a cartoonist in 1976. Following the success of "A Daunting Team" (1982), he has been honored with some of the most prestigious awards in the field of cartoons in Korea, including the Korea Popular Cultu

May 15, 2024

Jennie, Stray Kids's Met Gala attendance puts them on 'digital guillotine' blacklist

K-pop celebrities' attendance at the 2024 Met Gala last week has landed them in hot water, along with other celebrities who attended the event, for their silence on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since Jennie of Blackpink and the boy group Stray Kids attended the gala on May 6, some fans have been calling on the celebrities to speak publicly about the war. The names of celebrities at the fashion event were shared on social media platforms, alongside calls to boycott them by unfollowing or bl

May 14, 2024

Historic sites to offer 5 fee-free days to mark renaming of cultural heritage agency

Entrance fees to 76 historic sites in South Korea, including the popular royal palaces and shrine in Seoul and tombs across the country connected to the Joseon era (1392-1910), will be waived from Wednesday to Sunday to mark the renaming of the Cultural Heritage Administration as the Korea Heritage Service, the agency managing heritage work. The name change, which will take effect Friday and is part of larger efforts to overhaul the agency, was passed by the National Assembly in April 2023. &ldq

May 14, 2024

Pianist Baik Kun-woo releases first-ever Mozart album

South Korean pianist Paik Kun-woo kicked off his Mozart trilogy project Tuesday with the release of “Mozart: Piano Works 1." The Deutsche Grammophon album marks the first Mozart album by the 78-year-old pianist, who has an extensive discography of more than 30 albums. "Mozart's works are inherently difficult. It feels like bringing pure, natural music just as it is. After much contemplation on how to interpret it, I discovered the 'as is' music that Mozart captu

May 14, 2024

NewJeans' members' parents complained to Hybe, email shows

Embattled Ador CEO Min Hee-jin has drawn NewJeans’ members' parents into the ongoing dispute between Hybe and herself in an bid to strengthen public sentiment against the parent company, Hybe said Monday. A local media outlet, Monday, disclosed an email from the parents of NewJeans’ members sent to Hybe through Ador on April 3. Ador, one of the 11 subsidiaries of Hybe, is the music label behind NewJeans. In the email, the parents expressed their regret towards Hybe CEO Park Ji-w

May 13, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kimsooja expands Bottari philosophy with vast mirror installation

PARIS, France -- The building in the heart of Paris that once housed the Paris Chamber of Commerce and the Paris Stock Exchange was transformed into a contemporary art museum, the Pinault Collection, in 2021, with renovations by architect Tadao Ando. At the center of the building is a rotunda 29 meters across whose floor is covered a total of 418 mirrors. The mirrors are an installation entitled "To Breathe -- Constellation,” by South Korean artist Kim Soo-ja, who professionally goe

May 13, 2024

Kakao webtoon service exits from Europe

Kakao Piccoma, the overseas webtoon distributor of Kakao webtooons, said it would end its service in Europe, following an underwhelming performance in the French market. Kakao Piccoma currently distributes translated versions of Korean webtoons serialized on Kakao Page and Kakao Webtoon as well as Japanese manga series,via its digital cartoon platforms in Japan and France. The company said it is scheduled to stop its services in France in September, two years after it commenced local services th

May 13, 2024

‘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