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Museum chief talks national identity, global profile
For the National Museum of Korea, conveying the national identity of Korea is a starting point to demonstrating and informing about culture, according to the museum’s general director, Kim Jae-hong. In an interview with The Korea Herald on April 10, Kim emphasized curating exhibitions quintessentially Korean. “This year is all the more meaningful to us and the country,” Kim said, as this year marks the 80th anniversary of Korea’s independence from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule. The “Art of Early
April 19, 2025 -
Customized 3D-printed shoe affordable thanks to AI
“This is my idea. Can you bring me a different take to it?” That’s the kind of question Reebok co-founder Joe Foster says designers will increasingly ask artificial intelligence as the technology reshapes the future of fashion and footwear. In a new venture with entrepreneur Ben Weiss, Foster is backing Syntilay, a brand that just launched what it calls the world’s first commercially available AI-designed shoe— a futuristic-looking lifestyle slide, priced at $149.99 and custom-fitted using a sma
April 19, 2025 -
South Korea to help preserve Machu Picchu
South Korea will assist Peru with the preservation of Machu Picchu, an Inca-era stone citadel nestled in the eastern Andes Mountains in the South American country. The latest official development assistance project will start in 2026, with the Korea Heritage Service currently seeking interagency agreement as required by law before initiation. The state-run agency has been providing ODA to mainly countries in Asia, such as Laos and Cambodia, later expanding to Uzbekistan in 2020 and Egypt in 2023
April 18, 2025 -
Weekend picks: Bojagi, budget bites, rooftop brews
For this week, The Korea Herald offers three spots — a traditional bojagi exhibition, a beloved student malatang joint and a scenic cafe — to enjoy simple pleasures in different forms. “Bojagi, Embracing Daily Life” is the kind of exhibition sparking contemplation on everyday household items, namely the traditional Korean wrapping cloth known as “bojagi.” The exhibition at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art looks through 98 pieces, brought together by the late Huh Dong-hwa, a Korean collector who ded
April 18, 2025 -
Jongmyo procession reservations to open Friday
Online reservations for a Joseon-era (1392-1910) ancestral rite ceremony combining royal music and dance at Jongmyo shrine in central Seoul on May 4 are scheduled to open Friday. Jongmyo Daeje, the ritual, began as a royal procession to honor Joseon kings and queens. It was held five times annually before being discontinued under Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule. Korea revived the practice in 1969, having since held it every year in early May. In 2001, UNESCO added the ritual to its list of intangi
April 17, 2025 -
Religious leaders urge solidarity ahead of Easter Sunday
Religious leaders in South Korea called for solidarity ahead of Easter Sunday to confront the unprecedented challenge posed by Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 declaration of martial law that led to the former president's ouster. Seoul Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick said solidarity is slowly taking root in the face of deepening political confusion that has yet to be resolved. “What we need most now is hope and conviction, one that transcends this darkness,” Chung said in a statement. The National Counc
April 17, 2025 -
Korea Craft Week 2025 to kick off May 16
South Korea's largest annual local craft festival is returning bigger than ever next month. The Korea Craft and Design Foundation and the Culture Ministry said Thursday that the eighth annual Korea Craft Week 2025 will take place May 16-25 nationwide, with three counties and 12 provinces hosting major craft events and programs for visitors. In its eighth edition, this year's fair will run under the theme, "Living Together, Craft Together," to connect people through craft and bring happiness to e
April 16, 2025 -
Ron Mueck's hyperrealist sculptures evoke fear, compassion
Australian artist Ron Mueck’s handmade sculptures of humans are stunningly realistic. One features a mother carrying her baby in a sling almost completely hidden by her large overcoat as she carries bags of groceries -- a scene you might encounter on any street. The artist titled the sculpture “Woman with Shopping.” Mueck’s first major exhibition in South Korea opened Friday at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, where 24 of the artist’s selected sculptures and documentary
April 16, 2025 -
Yang Sung-won reflects on 50 years with cello
Unlike many musicians who celebrate the anniversary of their public debut, South Korean cellist Yang Sung-won is marking something more personal: 50 years since a life-altering performance inspired a 7-year-old to trade the piano for the cello. That moment dates back to March 10, 1975, when Hungarian American cellist Janos Starker gave a performance in Seoul — one that would set the course of Yang’s life. Years later, he became not only his student, but also his assistant, entrusted to teach in
April 16, 2025 -
ArtToken to join upcoming Art Dubai 2025
Art Token, an online non fungible token art trading platform, will join Art Dubai 2025, scheduled to take place Friday to Sunday. The trading platform will introduce four Asian artists based in Seoul, Hong Kong and Tokyo to the digital section of the art fair. Among the artists is Genesis Kai, a chiral twin and AI-infused alter ego created by Ming Shiu, who will show a meditative digital installation inspired by Korea’s traditional moon jar. Painter Oh Ji-yoon, whose works feature layers of "han
April 15, 2025 -
Step into 100 years of Disney magic
Walt Disney Archives will be opening its vault of treasures through a special docent program to share stories about the animation powerhouse's 100-year history on the sidelines of "Disney 100: The Exhibition" at the K Museum of Contemporary Art in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The special program, led by Walt Disney Archives' Exhibitions Creative Lead Kelsey Williams, runs daily at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. from April 29 to May 1. Each session lasts around an hour and a half and will be limited to 20 peo
April 15, 2025 -
Qatar Philharmonic makes resonant Korea debut with cultural fusion
The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra made its long-anticipated Korean debut over the weekend with two performances in Goyang and Seoul, meeting Korean audiences for the first time since its founding in 2008. On Sunday evening, the orchestra -- comprising 96 musicians from more than 30 countries -- took the stage at the National Theater of Korea’s Haeoreum Grand Theater. Held in celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Qatar and Korea, the concert was attended by notable gu
April 14, 2025 -
Noncompetitive, low-stress games take center stage for Korean gamers
Shifting away from the battle-heavy titles, games focused on personal growth, emotional healing and everyday life simulation are emerging as the latest trend among gamers in South Korea. At the forefront of this trend is Nexon’s Mabinogi Mobile, which launched March 27. The game is rapidly gaining traction as a standout title in the Korean gaming scene, attracting nearly 400,000 daily active users during its launch week. The number makes the game the most-played mobile massively multiplayer onli
April 14, 2025 -
Two Korean sites named UNESCO Global Geoparks
Danyang-gun in North Chungcheong Province and the east coast of North Gyeongsang Province have been added to UNESCO’s list of Global Geoparks, a designation given for their geological heritage of international significance. The entire county of Danyang-gun will now be protected, including its 43 scenic areas of geological importance such as Dodamsambong, a peak comprising three rock pillars on the Namhan River. Valleys, caves, cliffs and rocks make up the rest of the scenic sites, according to t
April 14, 2025 -
Musical on Joseon queen to be staged at royal shrine
Reservations for a musical revisiting a ceremony from the Joseon era (1392-1910) to be staged at Jongmyo from April 26-30 are now open. “The Queen’s Story” focuses on Queen Inwon — the second wife of King Sukjong (1674-1720) — observing the ancestral rite at Jongmyo, the royal shrine where the tablets of Joseon kings and queens are enshrined, following her wedding ceremony. The visit to the shrine to pay respects to royal ancestors was the only state event in which women were allowed to particip
April 14, 2025