[Herald Interview] Behind the scenes of Jongmyo Jeryeak with singers who breathe life into royal ceremony

Just as a conductor raises the baton in a Western classical orchestra, the “jipbak,” or the person playing the “bak” -- a wooden clapper used in Korean court and ritual music -- signals the beginning of the performance. Then the “chuk,’ a green box-drum that also signals the start of a royal ceremony, is struck nine times. Dressed in navy blue uniforms, the dancers in formation move gracefully and deliberately, with precise movements. As the musicians start to

PerformanceSept. 20, 2023

Free flu vaccination program begins

South Korea has commenced this year’s flu vaccination program ahead of the winter season that offers free injections for young children and the elderly on Wednesday, according to the quarantine authorities. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said that the vaccination program will run through April 30 next year, stressing that the vaccination would dramatically reduce the chance of catching the flu. The target groups for this program are children aged six months to under 13 yea

Social AffairsSept. 20, 2023

New minister vows to revive exports, nuclear power industry

South Korea's new Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu on Wednesday vowed sincere efforts to expand exports for the country’s economic growth and to restore the ecosystem of nuclear power plants here swiftly. “We will do our best to expand exports that will revive our economy. … It’s important to expand private investment to spread export momentum. For this, the government will mobilize all resources and capabilities,” Bang said in his inaugural speech. Korea'

IndustrySept. 20, 2023

Yoon, UN chief reaffirm cooperation on NK denuclearization, human rights

  President Yoon Suk Yeol and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres fortified their commitment to fostering peace and enhancing human rights in North Korea during a meeting on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly in New York. Meeting the UN chief for the third time, Yoon said he was looking forward to continuing cooperation with the United Nations to “curb" North Korean provocations and substantially “improve the human rights situation” in the regime, accord

Foreign AffairsSept. 20, 2023

iPad or Galaxy Tab? 7th graders take their pick for digital classroom

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Wednesday that it has distributed some 70,530 electronic devices for 7th-grade students across middle schools in Seoul to help prepare students for the AI digital textbooks that will go into use starting in 2025. The devices will also provide diverse learning resources and interactive education content for students. The Education Office will also install charging stations at each school to keep students’ devices powered up and ready for use,

Social AffairsSept. 20, 2023

Merck shares digital solutions for chip industry

Merck Korea, the Korean unit of the German chemicals giant, shared the company’s solutions for the future semiconductor industry at an academic conference held by Alumninetzwerk Deutschland-Korea, Tuesday. Under the topic “Unlocking the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning in semiconductor manufacturing,” Steven Eulig, head of business development for digital solutions at Merck Electronics, delivered a speech on the company’s digital insight. While th

IndustrySept. 20, 2023

[Herald Review] Gang Dong-won in ‘Dr. Cheon’ gives viewers a welcome sense of deja vu

Actors often say they strive to show a different side of themselves in their latest films. But actor Gang Dong-won’s performance as Dr. Cheon in “Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman,” seems very familiar, as if he intended to act like he has done in the past. His comical swordsmanship and his impactful role as Dr. Cheon is reminiscent of his characters in “Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard” (2009) and “Kundo: Age of Rampant” (2014). His cunning wit is also sim

FilmSept. 20, 2023

Seventeen to drop 'Seventeenth Heaven' on Oct. 23

Boy band Seventeen is set for a grand finale to a busy year with its 11th EP "Seventeenth Heaven," its agency announced Wednesday. Pledis Entertainment said the group's next release would be "Seventeenth Heaven" on Oct. 23. The agency unveiled a poster that showed a red festival wristband with Seventeen's name and the new album title written around it. "Seventeenth Heaven" will be the group's first release since its record-setting album "FML"

K-popSept. 20, 2023

BTS' V debuts on Billboard's Hot 100 at No. 51

BTS’ V continues to thrive with his first solo album “Layover.” “Slow Dancing,” the title track of V’s album “Layover,” landed at No. 51 on Billboard’s Hot 100 dated Sept. 23. This is V’s third debut on the respective chart after his single “Christmas Tree,” an original soundtrack of the Korean drama series “Our Beloved Summer,” landed at No. 79, and “Love Me Again,” one of the tracks from a previous

K-popSept. 20, 2023

Evnne aims for the bull's-eye with debut album 'Target: ME'

Jellyfish Entertainment’s new boy group made its grand debut on Tuesday with its first mini album “Target: ME.” Evnne consists of seven members who took part in Mnet’s idol survival program “Boys Planet” but failed to make it into the final debut team. Their experience in the competitive show has nurtured them into skilled K-pop artists capable of singing and rapping live while dancing, as shown with their performance of the fast-tempo debut title track &ldquo

K-popSept. 20, 2023

SK Pharmteco takes over US contract drugmaker CBM

SK Pharmteco, a global contract development and manufacturing organization under Korean conglomerate SK Group, said Wednesday that it has acquired the Center for Breakthrough Medicines, a US cell and gene therapy firm. The Korean firm exercised its right to acquire a controlling stake in CBM to obtain the management right of the Philadelphia-based cell and gene therapy CDMO, offering pre-clinical to commercial phase therapies. The right was given when SK Pharmteco made its capital investment i

IndustrySept. 20, 2023

Samsung SDI certified 100% 'Zero Waste to Landfill' at home

South Korea’s leading battery maker Samsung SDI said Wednesday it has achieved the highest certification of "Platinum" from UL Solutions’ Zero Waste to Landfill program for all six facilities at home. UL Solutions, a global leader in applied safety science, tested the company’s landfill diversion levels according to its ZWTL program, classifying them into 100 percent "Platinum," 99 to 95 percent "Gold," and 94 to 90 percent "Silver" ratin

IndustrySept. 20, 2023

[Photo News] You are what you eat

Shinsegae Food, the food business arm of South Korean retail giant Shinsegae Group, said Wednesday it has launched plant-based alternative food brand "You are What you Eat." The brand will introduce a range of new plant-based products, such as vegan cheese, vegan sauce and oat milk developed with Shinsegae Food's original food technologies. As the brand's first products, three plant-based ready-made meals, including kimchi-topped rice, rigatoni ragu and lasagna Bolognese, hav

IndustrySept. 20, 2023

Netflix Korea to bring Western flavor with ‘Song of the Bandits’

Global streamer Netflix is scheduled to present a Korean interpretation of popular Westerns with its upcoming period action drama “Song of the Bandits.” With about 70 percent of land covered by mountainous regions, not many Korean films and dramas are in the Western genre, which are typically set in dusty towns and desert-like wilderness. “The series will present a new style of Korean period drama. ‘Song of the Bandits’ adds Asia’s cultural and historical el

TelevisionSept. 20, 2023

Tourism businesses eye bilingual marriage immigrants at job fair

Seoul City is organizing a job fair for marriage-based immigrants this week, as part of its efforts to help their integration into Korean society and unlock a pool of bilingual potential workers, officials said Wednesday. The event, to be held at Seoul Women's Plaza on Thursday, aims to link local businesses to foreign nationals who are married to Korean nationals and proficient in more than one language. Among the participating businesses, some 15, such as those related to medical tours an

Social AffairsSept. 20, 2023

[Photo News] Jongga kimchi pop-up in London

South Korean food giant Daesang said Wednesday it will be operating a pop-up store in London, England, from Saturday to Oct. 8, following the increase in demand for Europeans to consume kimchi. In the pop-up, various international dishes paired with Daesang's flagship Jongga kimchi products, such as kimchi tacos, will be sold, and, in the sidelines, an exhibition showcasing kimchi's fermentation process will be presented. According to Daesang, domestic exports of kimchi to Europe h

IndustrySept. 20, 2023

[Contribution] Priced for perfection?

By Steve Brice In financial markets, there is an inherent tug-of-war between themes/stories and valuations. We are seeing one play out in the equity markets right before our eyes, in the semiconductor industry. This reminds me of my formative investment years of the late 1990s. While we should not blindly follow historical examples, this comparison is something for investors to bear in mind when it comes to making financial decisions and sizing investment positions. Let me start with a caveat.

IndustrySept. 20, 2023

Mayfield Hotel Seoul teams up with Philip Colbert for wine fair

Mayfield Hotel Seoul, near Gimpo International Airport, has invited British artist Philip Colbert as a special guest to take part in live drawing performances at this year's Dionysus wine fair on Saturday and Sunday. The 18th edition of the fair coincides with the hotel's 20th-anniversary celebration. The event takes place at the hotel's Bell Tower Garden from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., showcasing a wide range of wines, from light and everyday varietals to cult and natural wines. Expert g

FoodSept. 20, 2023

Lamborghini driver suspect sent to prosecutors over parking dispute in Gangnam

A 30-year-old man accused of threatening a driver with a knife over a parking dispute last week was referred to prosecutors for further investigation, police said Wednesday. The suspect, identified only by his surname Hong, was formally arrested last Wednesday for allegedly revealing to the driver a sashimi knife, tucked in his waist, following a dispute after the suspect parked his Lamborghini at a road in Seoul's Gangnam district on Sept. 11. His driver's license was revoked at the t

Social AffairsSept. 20, 2023

[Korea Quiz] Truth about gimbap

In the United States, Trader Joe's frozen packaged gimbap is making a splash, fueling more interest in Korean cuisine. On its home turf in South Korea, the idea of freezing seaweed rice rolls seems far from appetizing, as gimbap is readily available in convenience stores, street food stalls and anywhere there is demand for on-the-go meals. To many Koreans, the rice roll wrapped in a thin layer of seaweed with pickled radish and a variety of ingredients inside is synonymous with picnics.

hashtag KoaeaSept. 20, 2023