Royal palaces, tombs, shrine offer free admission during Lunar New Year holidays

Royal drawings to be handed out during Gyeongbokgung event on Tuesday-Thursday Korea’s Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces, tombs and shrine will be open to the public for free from Saturday to Thursday. Free admission applies to the four palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung -- and Jongmyo shrine, all in Seoul, as well as the Joseon royal tombs spread across 18 different sites in the capital and Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces. Drawings that celebrate the New Year wi

Jan. 21, 2025

Modern updates on tradition among top gift options for Seollal

Start the new year off right with just the right gifts As Seollal or the Lunar New Year approaches, a variety of gift sets are being introduced, catering to diverse tastes and preferences. Exchanging gifts during Seollal is a tradition rooted in honoring family, expressing gratitude and wishing for prosperity in the year ahead. It reflects the Korean Confucian values of filial piety and respect for elders, as well as the importance of family bonds. From hotel collection meals to perennial favori

Jan. 21, 2025

Director Park Chan-wook completes filming long-awaited 'No Other Choice'

Award-winning director Park Chan-wook has recently completed filming his latest movie, "No Other Choice," distributor CJ ENM said Tuesday. The film began filming last August and is aimed for release later this year. "I started writing the script for this movie almost 17 years ago. I feel deeply emotional as I've finally finished filming the project I've wanted to make the most for so long," the company quoted Park as saying. "I will dedicate myself to the final stages of production to create a f

Jan. 21, 2025

Cho Seong-jin enters Ravel’s world and brings it to audiences

Celebrated pianist shares lifelong connection to Ravel's music, reflects on 10 years since Chopin win With 'Ravel: Complete Piano Works,' Cho embarks on three-hour recital Celebrated pianist Cho Seong-jin vividly recalls his first encounter with French composer Maurice Ravel, even though it was nearly 20 years ago. “I was in the fifth grade in elementary school when I first learned Ravel’s music. I performed ‘Alborada Del Gracioso’ ('The Jester's Aubade') at a recital at Kumho Art Hall. Prior t

Jan. 20, 2025

Seoul Museum of Art to open two more museums this year

Seoul Museum of Art will expand its scale and scope, opening two more venues this year -- Photography Seoul Museum of Art and Seo-Seoul Museum of Art -- while continuing to strengthen international ties with a focus on the Middle East as well as Eastern and Northern Europe. “This year will be one of the busiest years for the city museum,” said Choi Eun-ju, director of Seoul Museum of Art, at a press conference on Monday. “Photography Seoul Museum of Art will open in the first half of the year in

Jan. 20, 2025

At 'Mickey17' preview, death on repeat in outer space

Robert Pattinson visits Seoul as disposable space worker in Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho's latest "How did I survive that?" asks a frost-covered Mickey (Robert Pattinson), lying mangled in an icy pit. His supposed friend, played by Steven Yeun, approaches with an unsettling grin, only to ask with morbid fascination: "What does it feel like to die?" The chilling scene, unveiled Monday at Seoul's Yongsan CGV in a first-look preview of Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey17," suggests something more grotesque than

Jan. 20, 2025

Ryu Si-heon dreams of wider recognition for double bass, solo success

19-year-old wins 2024 Bottesini International Double Bass Competition Ryu Si-heon, a 19-year-old double bassist, fell ill for nearly a month after winning two prizes, including first prize, at the Giovanni Bottesini International Double Bass Competition, held in Crema, Italy, in October. His condition worsened into a severe case of otitis media, eventually requiring a visit to an emergency room. His win was a historic milestone -- he was the first Korean and first Asian to claim the prestigious

Jan. 20, 2025

National Museum of Korea eyes lasting legacy, overseas outreach

Exhibitions at home and abroad to showcase Korean history and culture Exhibitions reaffirming the National Museum of Korea as the country’s preeminent cultural institution will take place throughout the year as it prepares to expand its international outreach, the state-run museum said Monday. In the press conference outlining the museum’s plans for the year, Kim Jae-hong, the museum’s director general, explained the timing of the exhibitions as the country marks the 80th anniversary of liberati

Jan. 20, 2025

'Swan Lake' to Ibsen: LG Arts Center reveals 2025 season

Season package tickets go on sale Tuesday LG Arts Center has unveiled a 2025 season lineup that celebrates the center's 25th anniversary. The lineup includes iconic dance works by legendary contemporary artists such as Matthew Bourne and Pina Bausch, collaborations between Korea’s leading pianists and world-renowned orchestras, and new theater productions that build on the success of last year’s Korean adaptation of "The Cherry Orchard." Matthew Bourne, Royal Ballet gala and Pina Bausch Matthew

Jan. 20, 2025

A walk through the roots of traditional crafts

Explore Korea's cultural heritage at 'Craft Journey: All Over the Place, Everywhere' The traditional crafts of artisans often reflect the customs and stories of the people who kept their rich heritage alive for future generations by creating highly detailed works such as jewelry, pottery and textiles. Placing value on traditional art forms and how they have become a pivotal aspect of South Korea's cultural heritage, an exhibition entitled "Craft Journey: All Over the Place, Everywhere," organize

Jan. 20, 2025

[Herald Gallery] Over there, Days-241261

The group exhibition Sublime Simulacra, curated by Andy St. Louis, is on view at Lehmann Maupin Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, until March 15. The exhibition features artists Kim Yun-shin (born 1935), Kim Chang-euk (1920–1997), Soun Hong (born 1959) and Scott Kahn (born 1946), who explore the potential of landscape painting through diverse visual languages such as organic abstraction and realism. The artists reexamine nature and reality, reconstructing the relationship between reality and representa

Jan. 20, 2025

Edward Lee reflects on his culinary journey from Netflix show to reconnecting with Korea

Star chef of 'Culinary Class Wars' embraces his busiest moment yet For Korean-American chef Edward Lee, being the runner-up on Netflix’s hit cooking competition show “Culinary Class Wars” was yet another defining moment in his illustrious career. Now, he says, he’s living his long-harbored dream of exploring Korea more deeply, rediscovering himself and reconnecting with his Korean heritage in recent months. Based in Washington, D.C., Lee now travels to Korea almost every month. His visits are pa

Jan. 20, 2025

Korean cinema tests AI waters

From AI-restored classic to virtual actors, industry ventures into machine learning technology The AI revolution that's been shaking up Hollywood for the past few years has made its way to South Korean shores. From remastering classics to creating productions entirely through generative AI, the local film industry is starting to test out using AI tools for experimental projects. This week brings a remastered version of "Leafie, a Hen into the Wild." The 2011 animated feature gets new life throug

Jan. 19, 2025

Stolen from Japan, Buddha statue to be returned

Japanese temple to retake 14th century relic in May after prolonged legal fight A 14th-century Buddhist statue that Korea’s Supreme Court ruled should be returned to the Japanese temple that held it before it was smuggled into Korea will be sent to Japan in May. The Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva was taken from Kannonji, a temple in Tsushima, Nagasaki prefecture, in October 2012. In December of that year, police caught the nine smugglers trafficking it and alerted Buseoksa, the Ko

Jan. 19, 2025

Winter's tales: Stories that bloom in the cold

From Swedish vampires to Japanese letters, these stories show how winter makes the perfect canvas for exploring love, loss and memory In cinema, winter isn't just a backdrop -- it's a character itself, shaping emotional landscapes as much as it shapes physical ones. As the freezing cold tightens its grip, here are three films that use snow-covered settings as vital elements in their storytelling, each exploring complex human emotions against a pristine white canvas. 'Let the Right One In' (2008)

Jan. 18, 2025