[Weekender] Young Koreans more open to Japanese cultural products

Japanese songs playing on South Korean TV and radio stations and giant posters of Japanese anime hung outside cinemas -- unimaginable just over two decades ago -- are no longer surprising. This year marks 20 years since Korea fully opened its doors to Japanese pop culture products. Following liberation from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule in 1945, Korea had banned Japanese cultural products from reaching its shores, only gradually opening the market to Japanese cultural products in 1998. The

Sept. 21, 2024

[Well-curated] Vintage lights, soul food and films at subway station

Delve into charming vintage lights For vintage enthusiasts, especially those who have a keen understanding of the effects of lighting, Big Sleep Shop is a space worth checking out. Located up a brick staircase in a narrow alley, the shop specializes in vintage lighting and lamps. As you step inside, you’ll find a harmonious display of vintage lamps from various countries including France and Germany. The shop offers housewares made of glass, porcelain and plastic, and showcases lamps of al

Sept. 20, 2024

[Herald Interview] Violinist Kavakos on masterful pairing of Bach and Shostakovich for 2025 Classic Revolution

Greek Violinist Leonidas Kavakos, who performed with the KBS Symphony Orchestra earlier this month as part of the annual Classic Revolution, is set to return to Korea next year. When he returns, it will be as the new artistic director of the classical music festival organized by the Lotte Foundation for Arts. For next year, the violinist, who is also pursuing a career as a conductor, said that he will focus the music of Bach and Shostakovich. He explained that the inspiration for the 2025 pr

Sept. 19, 2024

Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation opens Paris office

A foundation run by the Korea Heritage Service opened a branch office in Paris to facilitate efforts to repatriate Korean cultural heritage from Europe, the third such opening overseas after Japan and the US. The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation’s Paris office, inaugurated Tuesday, will start working with the National Library of France in October to locate old Korean maps within the library, according to the foundation. “We expect about 40 maps, all dating to the Joseon-e

Sept. 18, 2024

While webtoons gain momentum overseas, in Korea demand wanes

Having benefited heavily from the webtoon boom that surged during the height of the pandemic, South Korea has marked webtoons as a key driver for future growth. In January, the Culture Ministry announced plans to invest approximately 4 billion won ($3 million) to boost webtoon production and commercialization. Major IT players such as Naver and Kakao also embraced webtoons as a key part of their strategic vision, with Naver listing its webtoon subsidiary on Nasdaq in June. Recent data such as co

Sept. 16, 2024

Seventeen to drop 'Spill the Feels,' kick off world tour next month

K-pop boy group Seventeen will release its 12th EP on Oct. 14, the group's agency Pledis Entertainment said Monday. Titled "Spill the Feels," the album marks the 13-member group's first release in six months following its best-of album "17 is Right Here." Ahead of the album launch, Seventeen will kick off its "Right Here" world tour in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, from Oct. 12-13. The tour will continue in the United States, Japan and other Asian count

Sept. 16, 2024

Gheorghiu stands her ground over 'Tosca’ tantrums

The ongoing controversy between renowned soprano Angela Gheorghiu and the organizers of Puccini's opera Tosca intensified this week after the soprano's management issued a statement claiming that an agreement had been made for no encores, a claim later denied by the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. On Wednesday, Gheorghiu’s management, Intermusica, released a statement saying, “Ms. Gheorghiu deeply regrets the circumstances that led to the incident at the Sejong Arts Center on

Sept. 13, 2024

[Well-curated] American burger, simple salt bread and open air market

True American-style hamburger in Seoul Craving an authentic American-style hamburger in Seoul? Brooklyn the Burger Joint is your go-to spot. First opened in 2010 in Seorae Maeul, Seoul's French village in Seocho-gu, this American diner-style restaurant now has nine additional locations across Seoul and two in Bundang-gu, Gyeonggi Province. Brooklyn the Burger Joint stays true to the classic, authentic taste of American-style hamburgers, focusing on high-quality ingredients. The restaurant u

Sept. 13, 2024

Explicit, provocative shows breathe new life into staid National Theater of Korea

If you attend one of the two productions currently running at the National Theater of Korea, you might be surprised by the level of sexual explicitness in the performances. At the Daloreum Theater, the National Theater’s mid-sized theater with about 500 seats, the National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s adult-only production “Madam Ong” runs through Sunday. The changgeuk, or traditional Korean opera, has long been associated with themes of lust and obscenity. At the Han

Sept. 12, 2024

SPO brings back outdoor concert featuring Jung Jae-il, Kyuhyun

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by music director Jaap van Zweden, is set to bring back its outdoor SPO Park Concert series next week. Taking place at Seoul Forest Park, the concerts will offer a repertoire beyond classical music, featuring music from megahit drama series “Squid Game” and K-pop songs, as well as a medley of children’s songs. The concert will open with the overture to Bernstein's operetta “Candide,” a lively and exhilarating piece that set

Sept. 11, 2024

Old Korean Legation building named US historic place

The US listed the Old Korean Legation in Washington as a historic place eligible for federal tax breaks for preservation Monday, the first time a Korean government-owned building has received such recognition for historical significance. In a statement Wednesday, the Korea Heritage Service, the agency that filed a request for the designation in March, said the National Park Service added the building to the National Register of Historic Places -- the US government’s list of buildings, site

Sept. 11, 2024

2024 BICOF to kick off focused on international exchanges in comics

The Bucheon International Comics Festival, one of the largest comics events in the nation, is slated to commence its four-day run from Oct. 3 to Oct. 6, with this year's festival placing a special emphasis on fostering international exchanges in comics. The 2024 BICOF will kick off with an opening ceremony at 4 p.m., Oct, 3, at Korea Manhwa Museum in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. The ceremony will include the Bucheon Comics Awards, an event which annually honors popular Korean comics. Accordi

Sept. 10, 2024

Cho Seong-jin, Lim Yunchan to play with world-renowned orchestras this winter in Korea

Before the year's end, world-renowned orchestras will come to South Korea and collaborate with two of the country’s most sought-after pianists: Cho Seong-jin and Lim Yunchan. Cho will take the stage with the Vienna Philharmonic from Austria in October and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra from Germany in November. The Vienna Philharmonic is to visit the country for a fourth consecutive year, this time under the baton of Andris Nelsons. The orchestra will hold concerts at the Seo

Sept. 10, 2024

So many epic performances, so few places to hold them

While K-pop continues its phenomenal growth and more people attend live performances than ever before, one issue remains unchanged from a decade ago -- the chronic shortage of concert venues. "Finding a venue is like finding a needle in a haystack," said an official from a music festival organizing agency. The official added that many performances that were originally scheduled for December to target the year-end are being pushed to January due to the shortage of venues. Another indust

Sept. 9, 2024

Chin Unsuk, Lim Yunchan recordings shortlisted for Gramophone Awards

The recordings of South Korean composer Chin Unsuk and pianist Lim Yunchan have been shortlisted for the 2024 Gramophone Classical Music Awards. Their albums were among a total of 33 recordings in the 11 categories -- three per category -- shortlisted for the award. In the piano category, Lim’s two albums have made the shortlist: "Liszt: Transcendental Etudes" and his debut album "Chopin: Etudes." "The Liszt Transcendental Etudes" contains Lim’s semifi

Sept. 9, 2024

Diva Gheorghiu's encore interruption diminishes the magic of 'Tosca'

A well-executed production featuring top opera singers ended on a sour note. On Sunday, the audience at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul erupted in applause and cheers after tenor Kim Jae-hyung's powerful rendition of the iconic aria "E lucevan le stelle" (When the stars were brightly shining) in Puccini's "Tosca," produced by the Seoul Opera Company. Kim, also known as Alfred Kim, was onstage for his second performance as Cavaradossi, Tosca's

Sept. 9, 2024

Family of late K-pop star Jonghyun launches counseling program for young artists

The family of the late SHINee member Jonghyun has launched a psychological counseling project aimed at supporting young artists through the foundation established in his memory. On Saturday, the Shiny Foundation introduced its latest initiative, Youth Meetup, to promote the mental well-being of young artists. The announcement was made via the foundation’s official social media accounts. In a video accompanying the launch, Jonghyun’s older sister Kim So-dam, who also serves as a direc

Sept. 8, 2024

Seongsu-dong to host first-ever World Webtoon Festival

South Korea is set to host its first-ever global webtoon festival and awards ceremony, highlighting the country's leading role in the growing global popularity of webtoons, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on Sunday. The 2024 World Webtoon Festival will run from Sept. 26 to 29 at various venues across Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. The festival will kick off with the 2024 World Webtoon Awards on the opening day at S-Factory in Seongsu-dong, a retail, event and cultu

Sept. 8, 2024

[What to attend] 'The Golden Chaos Club,' 'Hadestown,' 'Yujin and Yujin'

Though many want to spend more time outdoors as the summer heat subsides this month, be sure not to miss these musical productions that are closing soon. "The Golden Chaos Club" offers a fun and entertaining experience, while "Hadestown" captivates audiences of all ages with its powerful music. "Yujin and Yujin" explores the healing process and offers hope for those facing trauma. The Golden Chaos Club: A fun show on forbidden things "The Golden Chaos Club

Sept. 7, 2024

Leading summer festival BBC Proms to arrive in Korea this winter

The Korean edition of BBC Proms, a leading summer festival that takes place in London, is set to launch in Korea this winter. From Dec. 2 to 8, BBC Proms Korea, organized by Lotte Foundation for Arts, will offer a total of eight programs, featuring top domestic and overseas artists. The festival will kick off with a concert by BBC Scotland Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) under the baton of conductor Ryan Wigglesworth, a British composer, conductor and pianist, and a collaboration with cellist Han J

Sept. 6, 2024