Matisse was more appreciated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Seo explained, as his modern, nonchalant and stylish later works have consoled many people during a tough time. “I think that his dream of creating art like a ‘good armchair’ have won the hearts of people today,” he said. Amid growing demand, “Henri Matisse: Life and Joy” will be held again in Busan between July 9 and Oct. 31 at the Bus...

“Where did all the posts about Luna go? Have you guys all gone to Han River?” This anonymous comment on the Bitcoin section of online community DCinside captures the depressing mood of online cryptocurrency communities in recent days. The crash of Korean-made cryptocurrency terraUSD, also known as UST, and its sister token luna, has made headlines around the world as its impact was felt in the ...

A viral TikTok showing a physical altercation outside a Seoul club has sparked a debate over racism and xenophobia that some foreign nationals experience at nightlife venues in Korea. In the clip filmed and uploaded Sunday, Patrick Ramos -- an influencer also known as The Expat Pat -- is seen arguing with a bouncer outside the OWL Lounge club in Itaewon before the situation turned physical. “I ...

Han Seo-jin, played by actress Yum Jung-ah, is a woman desperate for her daughter to be accepted into Seoul National University’s School of Medicine in hopes of winning the approval of her own mother-in-law. In doing so, Han hires an elite university admissions coordinator whose cut-throat approach to education later backfires. In the show, another family learns that their daughter lied about at...

The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories -- a newly launched Korea Herald series exploring subway stations and their surrounding areas across the city. – Ed. As Ikseon-dong emerged in recent years as a dating hotspot for straight couples, concerns over gentrification grew. Some members of the LGBT community also feel that their space has been “invaded,” Chun said. Following the lifting of ...

Attention travel-starved Koreans. The cost of air travel is rising, with more upward pressure building from high jet fuel prices and soaring tourism demand. If you are fixed on an overseas vacation, don’t wait too long to book it, experts say. “Airlines are selling their flight tickets well and there is a supply shortage. We are in a situation where prices are forced to go up,” an Asiana Airlin...

After debuting with the single “Into the New World” in 2007, Girls’ Generation was soon propelled to stardom and went on to become one of the biggest acts in the K-pop industry. Written by SM Entertainment’s in-house songwriter Kenzie and her husband and lyrist Kim Jung-bae, the cheerful song’s joyful melody is accompanied by resolute lyrics. “With the unknowable future and obstacles, I won’t c...

Gyeonggi governor hopeful Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party has said that voting rights of Chinese nationals with permanent residence here should be restricted on the grounds of reciprocity. “Over 120,000 foreigners, among which are nearly 100,000 Chinese people, will have voting rights in the upcoming local election,” the politician said in a Facebook post on Thursday. “If our citizens can...

He faded out the background, which could be a familiar scene for many, and focused on the train door instead, allowing the viewer to imagine their own scenery outside the window. “The last photo features a purple sky. I took the photo when I was cycling along the river when the sky looked pretty in a mysterious way.” In the age of social media, when many creators and artists are keeping in mind...

Apple CEO Tim Cook welcomed the opening of a new Apple Store in the shopping district of Myeong-dong, central Seoul, on Saturday, “Apple Myeongdong opened its doors as our newest store in the heart of Korea. We‘re thrilled to further support our Korean customers in a space as unique and vibrant as the community it serves,” Cook tweeted Saturday. In another tweet Sunday, he congratulated K-pop g...

Should BTS perform at the inauguration ceremony for South Korea’s incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol? Some fans say just leave the group alone. After a member of Yoon’s transition team said Tuesday that a BTS performance is being discussed for the May 10 event, fans of the K-pop juggernaut flooded the committee’s website with posts opposing it. “Please do not politicize BTS,” one post uploaded on...

Working class heroes or underdog stories are a beloved topic in pop culture. Take John Lennon’s 1975 song “Working Class Hero” in which he sings “There’s room at the top they are telling you still.” The next line goes, “But first you must learn how to smile as you kill.” In the 2017 single “Mic Drop,“ BTS sings, “Who says my spoon is dirty” ”I don’t care, when I grab the mic, I have several gol...

When they asked for help, the local community stepped in, raising over 33 million won ($27,319) in March through donations sent to Koryoin Village from individuals and groups. The Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju has provided 15 flight tickets, while the Gwangju YMCA donated 2.5 million won. The list provided by the incorporated association shows it also received many small cash donations from i...

The night of March 9 marked the closet election in modern South Korean history as exit polls had predicted, defying expectations that it was a clear win for now President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol. But when results of ballot counting in the richest areas in southeastern Seoul -- Gangnam, Seocho and Songpa -- started to come in, the balance began to tip in favor of Yoon. In Gangnam and Secoho, he carri...

If you are fully vaccinated in South Korea or elsewhere and have your vaccination status registered in the country, you can now enter without quarantine on the way back. Those who are fully vaccinated abroad but have not been able to register their vaccination status in the COOV system will also be free of the seven-day long self-quarantine, which is currently required, from next month. As of W...