[Herald Interview] When traditional gugak music flows through modern poppin’ dance

“Guess what came to mind last night when I heard a song at the cafe,” poppin’ dancer Nam Hyun-joon chattered away with gugak singer Park Ae-ri as they prepared for an interview at The Korea Herald’s studio on June 29. The two had arrived together. In fact, they’ve been married already 11 years. Endless conversation, laughing and giggling filled the studio. Nam, 42, appeared in a white T-shirt and a trendy pair of sneakers while Park, two years older, wore an ivory

July 5, 2021

ACTOR AHN SUNG-KI WINS THE BRAND LAUREATE AWARDS

Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki was announced as the winner of the Brand Laureate Awards at Hotel Shilla in Seoul on Tuesday. Ahn is the first Korean to win the award, which is organized by Australia-based The World Brands Foundation. It recognizes individuals, organizations and corporations that hold high international brand value. Founded in 2005, TWBF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing brands in diverse fields. (The Brand Laureate)

June 23, 2021

Alex Drljaca tapped as new president of Robert Bosch Korea

German auto parts maker Bosch announced Tuesday it had appointed Alex Drljaca as the chief of its business operations here. Drljaca will assume the role as president of Robert Bosch Korea to supervise all business branches representing the Bosch Group in the country, the company said in a press release. The 51-year-old executive has served as the regional president of Bosch Powertrain Solutions Korea since 2018 and will continue to hold that position as well, it added. Drljaca joined Bosc

June 1, 2021

[Newsmaker] Amorepacific, Bokwang heirs divorcing after 8-month marriage

Seo Min-jeong, the eldest daughter of Amorepacific Chairman Seo Kyung-bae, and Hong Jeong-hwan, the eldest son of Bokwang Investment Chairman Hong Seok-joon, have agreed to divorce after eight months of marriage, industry sources said Friday. The news followed Amorepacific’s regulatory filing on Friday, in which the company made a change to Hong’s holdings in the firm. Previously, Suh Kyung-bae, chairman of Amorepacific Group, gifted 100,000 shares in South Korea’s major b

May 21, 2021

[Photo News] Social Media Snapshots

Participants of “Self-PR Era, SNS Marketing: Taking pictures with smartphones,” a lecture led by keith Studio CEO Keith Park, pose for a photo at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Tuesday.  New Zealand Ambassador Philip Turner, spouse of New Zealand Ambassador Hiroshi Ikeda, Mexican Ambassador Bruno Figueroa, spouse of Mexican Ambassador Veronica Gonzalez Laport, InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel General Manager Brian Harris, Ewha Womans University Professor Sohn Jie-ae, President of

May 17, 2021

J. Yoon of M.C the Max found dead at home

Singer J. Yoon of M.C the Max was found dead Thursday. According to the Seoul Mapo Police Station, J. Yoon, 39, whose legal name is Yoon Jae-woong, was found dead at his home in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. His agency, 325 E&C, called the police as it had been unable to reach Yoon. “J. Yoon left us on Thursday,” the agency said in an official statement. “Members of M.C the Max and the staff of 325 E&C are mourning his death with great grief,” the statement

May 13, 2021

Seoul suspends head of Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has suspended Kim Jong-whee, president of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture -- a Seoul City-funded nonprofit -- after he was embroiled in allegations of abuse of power. According to the SMG, Kim was suspended Tuesday, following an investigation of allegations that he had abused his authority and drank during work hours. The SMG began its investigation as reports concerning Kim were filed in December on multiple occasions. An audit committee will also

May 6, 2021

Pope sends condolences over death of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk

Pope Francis has sent a message of condolence on the death of South Korean Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, the Holy See said Thursday. "I was saddened to learn of the death of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop Emeritus of Seoul," Pope Francis said in a telegram sent to Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, incumbent Archbishop of Seoul. "I offer to you and to the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese my heartfelt condolences and the assurance of my prayers,

April 29, 2021

Life of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk was born into a Catholic household in Seoul on Dec. 2, 1931, although his registered birthday is Dec. 7. He was baptized four days after he was born and received the baptismal name Nicholas. While Cheong’s mother was pregnant with him, she dreamt of a young man calling her mother and telling her that he has become a bishop. Cheong was born and raised in his wealthy maternal grandfather’s house. His mother’s side of the family had been devout Ca

April 29, 2021

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk dies at 89

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, former Roman Catholic archbishop of Seoul, died at the age of 89 on Tuesday at 10:15 p.m., the office of the Seoul Archdiocese said. A requiem Mass for the cardinal took place at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on Wednesday in the early morning hours, celebrated by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the incumbent archbishop. “If Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan was our father, Cardinal Cheong Jin-suk was our mother,” Yeom said during the requiem Mass. Cheong cur

April 28, 2021

[From the Scene] Catholics mourn passing of Korea’s second cardinal

After Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk died Tuesday night at the age of 89, Roman Catholics gathered at the Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul on Wednesday to pay their respects to South Korea’s second cardinal. There was a long line of people waiting. The late cardinal was in a glass coffin before the altar in the cathedral, where attendance at a requiem Mass held in Wednesday’s early morning hours was limited to 80 people out of concern about COVID-19. The crowd was much sma

April 28, 2021

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk dies

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, former Catholic archbishop of Seoul, died Tuesday, Catholic officials said. He was 89. Cheong passed away at 10:15 p.m. while at a hospital for treatment, according to the officials. Born in 1931, he entered the priesthood in 1961 after his graduation from the Catholic University of Korea. He served as the archbishop of Seoul for 14 years starting in May 1998, when he was appointed to the post after Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan stepped down. Cheong was ordained a

April 28, 2021

[Video] ‘Let’s be someone nature welcomes’

Hiking has become one of the most popular outdoor activities in South Korea. But with the increasing number of hikers, a critical environmental problem arises: litter. While some ill-mannered hikers do not clean up after themselves, one group is trying to change the careless practice of leaving trash and garbage behind after a hike. These people call themselves Clean Hikers. Kim Kang-eun, who identifies herself as a hiking artist, is the founder of Clean Hikers.  “As a mountain l

April 23, 2021

Korean Cultural Center Shanghai beset by internal dispute

The Korean Culture and Information Service is to look into a dispute among its staff at the Korean Cultural Center Shanghai, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The Culture Ministry said on Thursday that two employees at the center had reported the head of the Shanghai center to the Korean Culture and Information Service for using abusive language and demanding a resignation, among other claims. Some 10 days after the reports were filed, the head requested the Korean Cul

April 9, 2021

[Newsmaker] Comedian Park Soo-hong to sue brother, sister-in-law

Comedian Park Soo-hong plans to take legal action against his brother and sister-in-law, following a financial dispute over his earnings. Park will file suit against his brother and sister-in-law for alleged embezzlement on Monday, Park’s lawyer Noh Jong-eon said Saturday. “Park and his brother established an entertainment company, agreeing to share the earnings 7 to 3. The agency’s earnings all came from Park,” the announcement read. “Park’s brother an

April 4, 2021

[Eye Interview] ‘All I did was get sick but suddenly I was turned into someone who had done a terrible thing’

On March 22, 2020, Soh Chang-rok was diagnosed with COVID-19. Henceforth, he would be known as “Seongbuk-gu #13” to the public. That Soh was a professor at Korea University and a human rights expert with years of experience at the UN did not mean anything. He was just the 13th confirmed case of COVID-19 in Seongbuk-gu. In the early days of the pandemic, authorities routinely posted information on confirmed patients, including their sex, age, the district where they lived as well as

April 2, 2021

New CEOs take over at Korea Herald, Herald Corp.

The Korea Herald announced Wednesday the appointment of Choi Jin-young as The Korea Herald CEO and Jeon Chang-hyeop as the Herald Corp. CEO and publisher. Choi was a two-term mayor of Namwon, North Jeolla Province, and previously served as the president of Woolim Holdings. He is a graduate of Kyung Hee University. As The Korea Herald CEO, Choi is expected to focus on expanding digital content and strengthening The Korea Herald brand.  Herald Corp. also promoted Jeon Chang-hyeop, seni

March 31, 2021

[Herald Interview] South wind of Tongyeong to carry hope

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- The hosting of the 2021 Tongyeong International Music Festival may bring hope to the entire music performance scene, says the festival foundation’s new head Lee Yong-min. Lee has been appointed as CEO of the Tongyeong International Music Foundation, following the previous German CEO Florian Riem. “I have been part of this team for a long time. Not much has changed. But yes, I am learning that there are certain responsibilities tied to my post

March 28, 2021

[Eye Interview] Remembering Korean War heroes through photos

In the South Korean military, there is a saying among soldiers: “Our enemy is not North Korea, but the officers.” This has become somewhat of a running joke among the troops -- most of them in their early 20s serving their mandatory duty required by law -- because the officers are usually the ones who discipline young soldiers or give them extra work. That was what photographer Rami Hyun, who has taken pictures of more than 1,400 Korean War veterans across the world, used to thin

March 27, 2021

K-pop artists voice support for #StopAsianHate

Korean celebrities and K-pop stars have joined the growing chorus of support for the #StopAsianHate movement, speaking out against the shootings in Atlanta, Georgia last week that killed 8 people, six of them Asian women. Notably, Korean American singer Eric Nam, who was born and raised in Atlanta, wrote an opinion piece for Time magazine on Saturday, titled, “If you’re surprised by the anti-Asian violence in Atlanta, you haven’t been listening. It’s time to hear our vo

March 22, 2021