Celebrated Korean soprano Jo Sumi took the stage on Sunday to celebrate the 15th anniversary of a charity concert program at The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. On Sunday, Jo along with the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Metropolitan Junior Chorus, haeguem player Nary, tenor Jang Joo-hoon and crossover tenor Chris Young performed for a special audience of 2,500 at the invitation-only concert. Among those invited were multicultural families, the underprivileged and the disabled.

As a teenager, Chun Byong-geuk, the first vice minister of culture, sports and tourism, would watch Western movies and listen to classical music as well as trot, which was heavily influenced by Japanese music. Now he, 58, still loves going to classical music concerts but finds himself enjoying more K-dramas and movies. Chun said it is not just because he feels obliged, but because he is genuinely intrigued by the unique storylines and riveting characters. Chun, appointed in May, oversees culture

How would "seonbi," Confucian scholars during the Joseon era (1392-1910), have fun, if they lived today? As a response to his curiosity, Hwang Tae-in, 35, created “sansunoleum,” a reinterpretation of “hanryangmu.” The word "hanryang" has had different meanings throughout history, ranging from those who retired from public office to those trying for a military position, but today the word is used to refer to unemployed or carefree people. The hanryangmu

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents Sweet Memories Afternoon Tea Set The Lounge at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul celebrates the arrival of seasonal winter strawberries with the Sweet Memories Afternoon Tea Set, available from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28. This season’s tea set features a variety of unique JW Marriott Hotel Seoul desserts crafted by the hotel’s pastry team from strawberries, plus a selection of savory items. Served on a two-tier silver tray by Greggio, the tea set features five strawberr

A Korea gallery utilizing immersive video content has opened at the National Museum Bangkok. The exhibition, titled "A New Encounter: Immersive Gallery of Korean Art," presents Korean cultural heritage reinterpreted by the latest digital media technology. The exhibition is organized jointly by the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum Bangkok. Also on display are two sculptures of Buddha from the two countries that, while hailing from different eras, share rich and long hist

The Korea Tourism Organization has prepared a number of tour products based on the Netflix show, "Korea No.1." "Korea No.1," which premiered last Monday is an eight-episode series featuring a trio of well-known personalities traveling around Korea to meet masters of traditional crafts and apprentice under them. Entertainers Yu Jae-seok and Lee Kwang-soo and volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung are the hosts of the show. The KTO has chosen three themes from the Neflix show -- tradit

Hoiana Resort & Golf, a beachfront resort in Vietnam, has announced the launch of Hoiana Residences in central Vietnam. To meet the increased travel demand after the prolonged pandemic, Hoiana Residences, a a five-star accommodation, began with a visionary plan to provide a luxurious experience with a touch of home. Hoiana Residences has 270 fully furnished residences that feature contemporary living areas and spacious private terraces overlooking lush gardens and stunning sunsets over the E

  MADRID -- A decade ago, the Korean wave in Spain was almost solely about K-pop, but now it is virtually K-everything, the chief of a state-run cultural institution in Madrid said. “Because of the growing interest in Korean culture here, the Korean Cultural Center in Spain is making efforts to introduce new genres of Korean culture, such as games, magic, children's plays and fashion to the Spanish people,” said Oh Ji-hoon, director of the Korean Cultural Center of Madrid in a r

Along a darkened hallway, delicately aligned celadon pottery glowing in their unique jade hues lead to the National Museum of Korea's permanent celadon ware exhibition. In the newly renovated room, which opened on Nov. 23, NMK presents some 250 pieces of celadon ware of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), including 12 National Treasures and 12 Treasures. The new celadon room marks the completion of the renovations of the museum's ceramic galleries, following the renovation of buncheong ware

The Talchum, a traditional form of Korean mask dance drama, was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list Wednesday. The decision was made at the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Rabat, Morocco, which runs through Saturday. The Cultural Heritage Administration applied for the listing of talchum in March 2020. Upon hearing the announcement, Choi Eung-chon, head of the CHA, expressed special gratitude

The live recording album of pianist Lim Yun-chan and the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra became a "platinum-selling" album within hours of its release, Universal Music announced Wednesday. “Beethoven, Isang Yun, Barber” sold more than 10,000 copies upon its release Monday, a testimony to Lim’s skyrocketing popularity. A platinum-seller had been expected as presales of the album had reached nearly 10,000, according to an official at Universal Music on Wednesday. In Korea,

Pianist Kim Su Yeon has been selected as Kumho Art Hall’s artist-in-residence, according to the Kumho Cultural Foundation, the operator of the venue, on Tuesday. As the artist-in-residence, Kim will present four performances under the theme “Melodies: Paintings and Music” throughout next year. Kim’s first concert will take place on Jan. 5 at the venue’s New Year’s concert “Sketch.” She will return with “Blending” on April 27 and &ldqu

The steps that 18-year-old pianist Lim Yun-chan are taking after his sensational win at the 17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June are perhaps far from the expectations of many. Instead of releasing his own album, his first work post-competition is a collaboration with the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra. He has also refused to play what he performed at the competition during his upcoming Seoul recital on Dec. 10. During a press conference on Monday, Lim shared the unique thought pr

A growing number of YouTubers who create recap videos summarizing mostly movies and dramas are enjoying popularity among viewers who appreciate their convenience. YouTuber Go Mong Tube, who started his channel back in 2016, is a prominent player in the field. His channel, which mainly recaps Korean movies and dramas, has more than 600 videos and over 2.14 million subscribers. One of the most popular videos on his channel is the Indian hero movie “Krrish” that has racked up more than

South Korea's three historic documents including Samguk Yusa, a collection of folktale and historical accounts related to the Three Kingdoms era penned by Buddhist monk Il Yeon in the year 1281, were inscribed on UNESCO’s ​Memory of the World Register for the Asia-Pacific on Saturday.