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Look inside Joseon queen’s sleeping chamber
Palace tours offering a rare glimpse inside the queen’s sleeping chamber, Gyotaejeon, at Gyeongbokgung, one of the five Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces, will be available from May 8 to July 27. On display at Gyotaejeon, restored in 1995, will be royal household items as well as replicas of two wall paintings installed last year. The original paintings are held at the National Museum of Korea. The paintings of a monkey family and a pair of tropical birds symbolize a wish for a happy and fulfilling
April 23, 2025 -
Cardinal Lazarus You speculated as possible contender for pope
In the coming days, cardinals under the age of 80 will assemble at the Vatican in Rome to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church to follow the late Pope Francis. Some say a South Korean cardinal has a shot, though much slimmer than other contenders. Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, the former bishop of Daejeon who was appointed the Vatican’s prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy in 2021, is one of the 135 cardinals who can vote in the papal election, set to take place between 15 and 20 da
April 22, 2025 -
Koreans mourn Pope Francis, look back on his Korea legacy
Acting President Han Duck-soo paid respects to Pope Francis on Tuesday, joining a faithful throng mourning the late pontiff at a memorial altar at Myeongdong Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Seoul. “Francis left a legacy of deep spiritual teaching and faith for the world’s Catholics and the Church,” Han said. “I express my deepest gratitude (to him) for showing love for the poor and marginalized.” The sentiment was widely echoed throughout the day. “I feel at a complete loss, not as a C
April 22, 2025 -
'Star Wars' events to be held across Korea in celebration of Star Wars Day
In celebration of Star Wars Day on May 4, a variety of events honoring the beloved sci-fi franchise will take place across South Korea, according to Walt Disney Co. Korea on Tuesday. Star Wars Day is observed annually on May 4 due to the date's phonetic similarity to the franchise’s all-important phrase: “May the Force be with you.” From May 1 to 6, a special exhibition will be held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul, showcasing fan collections and Lego Star Wars creations. Visitors ca
April 22, 2025 -
Religious leaders laud Pope Francis’ legacy in condolence letter
Religious leaders in South Korea praised the late Pope Francis, who died in Rome on Monday at the age of 88, for speaking out on behalf of the marginalized. The pope, who had battled a lung infection for over a month, was leader of the Catholic Church for 12 years. “Francis gave a spiritual lesson to all of us, living a life fully dedicated to faith and love,” Seoul Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick said in a statement. “Above all, he exemplified the commitment to the socially marginalized,” Arc
April 21, 2025 -
Pope Francis, remembered for consoling Sewol victims’ families, dies
Pope Francis, best remembered by Koreans for his visit to the country in August 2014, died in Rome on Monday at the age of 88. He was the first pope to visit the Asian nation since Pope Saint John Paul II traveled here in 1989. On the first day of that five-day trip from Aug. 14, 2014, Francis met with and consoled bereaved family members of the Sewol ferry disaster in April that year. He was in Korea to beatify 124 Korean Catholic martyrs in Seoul, including Paul Yun Ji-chung, and to officiate
April 21, 2025 -
Pop artist Sambypen asks what 'fine art' truly is
Stepping into a white cube, one may expect to encounter “fine art,” commonly thought to be an aesthetic and intellectual artistic creation, but PKM Gallery in Seoul is challenging the perception in collaboration with pop artist Sambypen. The word “fake” is emblazoned on paintings taken from the artist’s street graffiti practice, triggering viewers to ask, "What truly is art?" The 33-year-old’s new painting series “Wall” is part of his solo exhibition at PKM Gallery in Samcheong-dong, Seoul. The
April 21, 2025 -
Exhibition sheds light on Western-style Deoksugung buildings
A newly opened exhibition is offering a look at Western-style buildings and objects at Deoksugung, one of the five Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces in Seoul. The exhibition “Western Architecture in the Korean Empire’s Palace” explores over 110 treasured items, including royal seals, documents and beds in several halls of the palace compound. The four-part show starts with Dondeokjeon, a hall most likely built in 1902 as a venue for Joseon’s diplomatic engagements with the outside world. “The two-s
April 21, 2025 -
Catch Table offers promotions for family month of May
Restaurant reservation platform Catch Table rolled out a special event entitled "Gourmet Raffle," running Monday through next Wednesday, through which users of the Catch Table app have a chance to win a free meal for four at one of the participating restaurants. Each user can enter the raffle once a day during the event period and the winner will be notified May 1. Six restaurants are participating in the event: Mokran, a Korean-Chinese restaurant in Seoul run by star chef Lee Yeon-bok; Doryang,
April 21, 2025 -
Jongmyo main hall reopens after restoration
Jongmyo Jeonjeon, the main hall of the royal shrine of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), where ancestral tablets of its kings and queens are placed, was unveiled to the public Sunday after extensive restoration on the building since 2020. The Hwananje ceremony -- the returning of important relics to their original place -- kicked off at 2 p.m. in front of Changdeokgung in Seoul, where ancestral tablets ("sinju") had temporarily been placed. After a ceremonial march of 3.5 kilometers in Jongno-gu,
April 20, 2025 -
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 that are 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
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 -
Court upholds ruling against artist’s family over ‘fake’ painting
An appeals court upheld a ruling against the family of the late artist Chun Kyung-ja, who had sought damages from the state for declaring authentic a museum-held painting that Chun had disavowed as a fake. The Seoul Central District Court said Friday that Kim Jeong-hee, the complainant — a daughter of the late artist — did not present sufficient evidence to reverse an independent assessment secured by prosecutors in an earlier case, which found that the painting “Beautiful Woman” was by Chun. Ki
April 18, 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 Andes mountain range in the south of 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 Egy
April 18, 2025 -
Director Joung Yu-mi's 'Glasses' invited to Cannes Film Festival
Director Joung Yu-mi’s short animated film “Glasses” has been invited to compete in the short film category at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, making it the only South Korean work selected for this year’s prestigious event so far. “Glasses” will be showcased in the Critics’ Week short film competition, a parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival dedicated to highlighting emerging voices in global cinema. The 15-minute animation follows Yu-jin, who, after breaking her glasses, visits an opticia
April 18, 2025