Gugak welcomes autumn

Autumn is drawing near and the weather sets the stage for a harmonious indulgence in the sounds of gugak, or Korean traditional music. Major traditional music orchestras and troupes are gearing up for colorful programs this September. Taking the lead for the 2023-24 season is the National Orchestra of Korea, a traditional Korean music orchestra affiliated with the National Theater of Korea, set to grace the stage this Friday night with “Discovery” at the Haeoreum Theater. The inaugur

PerformanceAug. 30, 2023

28th Busan Film Festival unveils selection for Asian auteur, rookie directors

The 28th Busan International Film Festival announced the list of films selected for its New Currents and Jiseok competition sections, which will showcase the works of Asia’s rookie and auteur directors. The New Current competition section focuses on showing up-and-coming Asian filmmakers’ works, reserved for those making their first or second feature films. Ten works are nominated, including two from Japan, two from Korea, two from Bangladesh and one each from China, Thailand, Malays

FilmAug. 30, 2023

Gumiho becomes new symbol of beauty in Korean drama series

The “gumiho,” a shape-shifting nine-tailed fox, has solidified its position as a character that symbolizes captivating beauty, replacing one of the best-known royal concubines of the Joseon era, Jang Ok-jung , more widely known as Jang Hui-bin. Born to a middle-class family, Jang worked as a lady attendant in the palace and eventually became a consort of King Sukjong, the 19th king of Joseon. The tales of Jang, with a love triangle between the king and Queen Inhyeon, the palace intri

TelevisionAug. 30, 2023

[Space for All] Singil Middle School proves school design needn't be stuck

Sunlight streams into the school library from a small courtyard where students can sit outside with a book during breaks. The courtyard is among 19 such spaces in Singil Middle School, which opened two years ago in southwestern Seoul. As soon as the bell rang indicating a 15-minute recess, students headed to the courtyard on the second floor, where a snack vendor market sold drinks, chips and other small snacks. Other students got started on homework in another courtyard, while taking in the fre

Arts & DesignAug. 30, 2023

Seoul International Writers’ Festival to bridge language and discord through literature

A literary festival bringing together 24 Korean and international writers will take place on Nodeul Island in Seoul in September. Under the theme of “Crossing the Bridge of Language,” the 2023 Seoul International Writers’ Festival responds to the heightened isolation and discord brought about by the pandemic. The annual festival is organized by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, also known as LTI Korea. “There was an anticipation that things would return to no

BooksAug. 29, 2023

Culture Ministry’s budget next year nears W7 trillion

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s budget for next year, which was passed during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, has been set at 6.97 trillion won ($5.27 billion), a 3.5 percent increase from 2023, the ministry announced the same day. The Culture Ministry outlined its plans based on two main objectives: boosting economic vitality through K-content and tourism and ensuring fair access to culture for the public. To achieve these goals, the budget allocation includes 1.5 trillion won

CultureAug. 29, 2023

'Revenant' a ghost story about lost generation

SBS' "Revenant," an occult thriller series crafted by star screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, ended with an 11.2 percent viewership rating last month. The positive response for a terrestrial broadcaster whose ratings have plummeted in recent years is thought to be a result of the use of folklore to shed light on today's social issues. "Revenant" takes familiar characters from folklore and puts them in a modern setting, dealing with day-to-day life problems. While the story r

TelevisionAug. 29, 2023

Nodeul Island to turn into outdoor stage for 'Swan Lake' and 'The Barber of Seville'

Every Saturday and Sunday night from Oct. 14 to 22, a small island at the center of the Han River will be turned into a stage for spellbinding ballet and opera performances. Under the theme of “Timeless Classic,” the second edition of Hangang Nodeul Island Festival by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture will present one ballet and one opera, bringing together Korea’s top performers. After presenting “The Magic Flute” at the inaugural festival last year, this y

CultureAug. 29, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kang Full says popularity of ‘Moving’ still feels unreal

While the superhero action series “Moving” has made history by becoming the most watched Korean original series on Disney+ and Hulu, topping TV series charts in various countries, including Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian nations, screenwriter Kang Full confessed that the series' success doesn't yet feel real. Instead of relishing in the show's positive reviews, Kang said he spends more time worrying about viewers' reactions after new episodes ar

TelevisionAug. 29, 2023

[Herald Review] Sleepwalking husband turns idyllic newlyweds’ lives into horror in ‘Sleep’

In director Jason Yu’s “Sleep,” newlywed Soo-jin (Jung Yu-mi) finds out her husband Hyun-soo (Lee Sun-kyun) suffers from a very bad sleeping habit. Soo-jin’s loving husband becomes a completely different person at night. On top of sleepwalking, he scratches his face until it bleeds or opens the refrigerator and munches on raw meat, fish and uncooked eggs. To protect their newborn baby, Soo-jin is willing to do even crazier things to confront her fear. The 94-minute film i

FilmAug. 29, 2023

‘Cobweb,’ an ensemble comedy about obsessive filmmaker, picky actors in 1970s

“Cobweb,” director Kim Jee-woon’s first feature film in 13 years, brings to the big screen an unprecedented ensemble comedy portraying a delusional filmmaker and picky, unsupportive actors set in the 1970s, the director told reporters Tuesday. Starring veteran actor Song Kang-ho, “Cobweb” revolves around the struggles of film director Kim Yeol (Song) when the industry languished due to government censorship in 1970s. Obsessed by a delusion that his work -- also titl

FilmAug. 29, 2023

[Exclusive] Korea House dining to move upmarket

Korea House in Jung-gu, central Seoul, a cultural center dedicated to promoting Korean traditional culture by holding performances and dining experiences, is to offer fine dining starting October. "We will be introducing higher-quality ingredients, including organic mushrooms and hanwoo beef, to elevate the menu," a Korea House staff told The Korea Herald Monday. Among the new dishes are gujeolpan, a traditional Korean platter featuring nine delicacies, and sinseollo, a hot pot contain

CultureAug. 29, 2023

[Space for All] Unobtrusive observatory allows the surroundings to shine

CHUNCHEON, Gangwon Province -- Approaching the observatory located across the street from the statue of the Maiden of Soyanggang on the Soyang River, one is struck by its height. The four-story structure is 20.4 meters tall. If you had come expecting something taller – you would not have been wrong to expect something of a greater height since observatories are typically tall structures or situated at some height – you might wonder if you were at the right place. Completed in March 2

Arts & DesignAug. 29, 2023

Wonju city sues production company over title of horror film ‘Chiaksan’

The city government of Wonju in Gangwon Province said Monday that it would file a lawsuit to stop the release of “Chiaksan,” a horror film that is slated to open Sept. 16. Wonju city said it would ask the court to ban the film from being released and further sue for any damages that the film might cause the city and its residents. Directed by Kim Seon-woong and starring Yoon Kyun-sang, “Chiaksan” is set in 1980 and follows a ghost story in which pieces of a dismembered bo

FilmAug. 29, 2023

Two global streamers to release shows for Chuseok

Global streamers Netflix and Disney+ will each release a new action series in time for the upcoming Korean Thanksgiving holiday, known as Chuseok, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1. Netflix recently confirmed that its period action drama, “Song of the Bandits,” will premiere on Sept. 22, a week before the Chuseok holidays. Set during the Japanese colonial period in 1920, the series revolves around a group of bandits, who are fighting to survive in the lawless Gando region during tur

TelevisionAug. 28, 2023

Seoul International Dance Festival explores death and aging through movement

The 26th Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance), organized by the Seoul Section of the International Dance Council CID-UNESCO, is set to kick off this Friday. A total of 23 dance troupes (196 dancers) from nine countries including Korea will showcase 26 works across Seoul until Sept. 17. As the curtains rise, the theme that will also carry over into the next year is “death and aging,” aiming to explore the profound dynamics of mortality and the human life cycle through the medi

PerformanceAug. 28, 2023

[Herald Interview] Musical actor Cha Ji-yeon hopes to tell her story in first solo concert

Korean actor Cha Ji-yeon made her debut on the musical stage in 2006 as Rafiki, the wise monkey and advisor to the king, in “The Lion King." She was working as an office worker when she got the role after years of discouraging auditions and falling victim to scams in her attempt to rekindle her passion for music and performance. As a child, she had performed alongside her maternal grandfather and uncle, both esteemed masters of "pansori gosu," the skilled drummers who perfor

CultureAug. 28, 2023

Actor Jung Yu-mi says director Bong recommended joining the cast of ‘Sleep’

Actor Jung Yu-mi said it was director Bong Joon-ho who recommended she join the cast of “Sleep,” a mystery thriller by rookie director Jason Yu. Yu worked with Bong as an assistant for “Okja" (2017). “Director Bong said a person he knows well wrote a scenario and that he hoped I would take a look at it,” Jung told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul on Aug. 22. She appreciated the succinct and straightforward story. "There were no unnecessary things

FilmAug. 28, 2023

[Herald Design Forum 2023] African architect Diébédo Francis Kéré values communal approach in architecture

When it comes to building a public space, the Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Diébédo Francis Kéré does not consider people as “passive receivers,” but as owners of the building. “In public buildings in Africa, it is often the case that no one feels responsible for the building. Things are broken, and no one takes (the time) to fix it. You have the feeling it’s owned by the government -- but who is the government? It will be different if peo

Arts & DesignAug. 27, 2023

[Herald Interview] Proud Korean Peggy Gou aims to make 'timeless' music

Peggy Gou is a superstar DJ doing tours around the world year-round. Her shows are always sold out across mostly European cities. Gou’s latest single “(It goes like) Nanana” has been on the UK top 10 singles chart for 10 straight weeks, and topped the charts in the Netherlands and Belgium over the summer. Although she may not be as widely known as BTS in her home country, Gou is a proud South Korean, born and bred in Incheon. “When people see other Asian performers and as

PeopleAug. 27, 2023