Naver Webtoon to make English version of Toon Filter

Naver Webtoon, South Korean tech giant Naver’s digital comics platform, announced that the company is scheduled to launch an English version of its recent artificial intelligence art generator Toon Filter on Monday. Toon Filter is Naver Webtoon’s AI image maker, which recreates the users’ selected photos in an art style from one of the company’s 10 beloved webtoon artists, including Lee Dong-geon of “Yumi’s Cells,” 232 of “Love Revolution,” P

May 22, 2023

[Stories of Artifacts] 18th-century fort built along meticulous records: ‘Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe’

When planning a new building, it is challenging to envision its potential collapse or destruction, along with the subsequent rebuilding process. However, a remarkable example of resilience can be found in the 18th-century Hwaseong fortress in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Despite enduring multiple instances of damage, the fortress, situated at the foot of the mountain Paldalsan, still proudly stands as it was built hundreds of years ago. The secret behind its enduring presence lies in its "Hw

May 22, 2023

[Herald Interview] From percussionist to maestro: Gustavo Gimeno's unique journey to conducting

When the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra returns to Korea for the first time in 20 years, it will be led by conductor Gustavo Gimeno, who has experienced a unique career of becoming a conductor from a percussionist. Gimeno, now one of the most sought-after conductors, started learning to conduct while working as the percussionist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Amsterdam. The motivation to learn conducting was to become a better musician. "I love

May 22, 2023

Daegu’s iconic musical festival kicks off ‘9 to 5’

DAEGU -- The Daegu International Musical Festival kicked off Friday, with the Korean premiere of “9 to 5,” a West End musical based on the 1980 film of the same name, at Daegu Opera House. Ahead of the performance, Bae Sung-hyuck, executive director of the DIMF, on Friday told reporters he was delighted to host the Korean premiere of “9 to 5." “Dolly Parton was phenomenal for our generation and so was the music and film '9 to 5,'” Bae said. "So i

May 21, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Are slang terms and abbreviations degrading the Korean language?

When Cha Mi-joo asked about her 14-year-old son's opinion on his school lunch, he nonchalantly shrugged and gave a one-word response, "kebake." She had to ask what he meant, because the term didn't align with her knowledge of the Korean language. It was during this exchange that she discovered a new slang term derived from the English phrase "case by case." "Kebake," which according to her son, is “used widely” by young Koreans, is a combinatio

May 21, 2023

[Rising Virtuosos] With perfectly matched instrument, violist Park seeks to touch hearts and expand musical horizon

Park Ha-yang, a Korean violist, exudes a calm and soft-spoken demeanor. Despite winning several domestic and international competitions since the age of 12, the 26-year-old confesses she isn't particularly fond of competitive environments. Although her parents initially had reservations about their only child pursuing a career in music, they had long created an environment filled with classical music by playing a dedicated radio channel throughout the day. Park's passion for music bega

May 20, 2023

Archives of Korea’s grassroots revolutions added to on UNESCO Memory of the World register

Two historical archives on Korea's historic grassroots revolutions -- the archives of the April 19 Revolution in 1960 and archives of the Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894 -- were added to UNESCO's Memory of the World register Thursday, according to the CHA. The final decision was made during UNESCO' 216th executive board meeting, which is being held in Paris from May 10 to 24. The two historical events are widely recognized for their substantial contributions to the democratizat

May 19, 2023

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Grand Hyatt Seoul offers 'Lemon Verbena Afternoon Tea' with L'Occitane Grand Hyatt Seoul offers “Chilling in Verbena Afternoon Tea”, a special seasonal menu in collaboration with French cosmetics brand L'Occitane from May 15 to July 16. It is inspired by the lemon verbena leaves from L'Occitane's Verbena line as part of the “Verbena Getaway” partnership. The menu offers delicacies such as lemon verbena mousse, a citrus grapefruit tart and a

May 19, 2023

Dance musical 'Dream High' gathers K-pop stars to continue story of hit drama

Twelve years after TV drama "Dream High," featuring Kim Soo-hyun and Bae Suzy, gained enormous popularity with the story of six high school students aspiring to be superstars, a new musical attempts to continue their story. Musical "Dream High" is based on the TV series and used some songs from the original soundtrack, but the story shows the story of the main characters 10 years later. Song Sam-song (played by Kim in the TV series) returns to Kiran Arts High School to find

May 19, 2023

[Well-curated] Nature-inspired crafts, virtual idols pop-up, artistic French dessert

Seek artistic tranquility in nature-inspired crafts For those with an appetite for the intersection of art and nature, Culture Station Seoul 284 in Jung-gu, Seoul is hosting the Korea Crafts and Design Foundation's exhibition, "Another Letter to Nature." Reimagining the 2022 Milan Korean Crafts Exhibition, this display blends human creativity and natural purity, showcasing over 300 works crafted from traditional and modern materials. On entry, Jang Sung's "Given (2023)&q

May 19, 2023

Ill-fated turtle ship replica sold for shockingly low W1.5m

An ill-fated replica of Korea's 16th century turtle-shaped warship was sold for 1.5 million won ($1,100), less than 0.1 percent of the money spent for its creation, officials at Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, said Thursday. According to Geoje, the sale of the recreated Geobukseon took place on Tuesday during the eighth round of bidding, starting from the initial bidding price of 117.5 million won in February last year. Built in 2010 with 2 billion won of taxpayers’ money, the woode

May 18, 2023

Culture minister: Netflix investment both opportunity and concern

Global streaming platform Netflix's decision to invest $2.5 billion in Korea over the next four years is both an opportunity and a reason for concern, said Park Bo-gyoon, South Korea's minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism, on Tuesday. The former journalist with 40 years of experience discussed the matter with reporters during a press conference held to mark his first anniversary in the office as the minister. “We’re mulling ways to maximize the opportunities while min

May 17, 2023

Lotus lantern festival to return full-scale

The Lotus Lantern Festival, or Yeondeunghoe, will be held for three days starting Friday in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, celebrating Buddha's 2,567th birthday, which falls on May 27 this year. This year's festival promises to be the biggest ever, as it is the first full-scale festival since Yeondeunghoe was officially inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2020. This year marks the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that people will be abl

May 17, 2023

[Stories of Artifacts] The bell tolls for truth: Gyeongju's Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok

Historical artifacts often prompt us to ponder our scientific progress: Some objects made a thousand years ago just cannot be reproduced even with today's advanced technology. The Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok at Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, is one such artifact -- how it was produced still remains largely unknown. The Sacred Bell, designated National Treasure No. 29 in 1962, is the largest extant bell in Korea, although not the oldest. The oldest known K

May 15, 2023

Korean Film Archive's online exhibition distills century-old narratives into key moments

The Korean Film Archive, in partnership with the Korean Movie Database, has curated an online film exhibition titled "A Hundred Years Back: Outsiders' View of Korea." Running from May 3 to 13, the exhibition offers an intimate look into the cultural fabric, daily life and urban evolution of Korea across the first half of the 20th century. The exhibition features six silent films curated from a larger set of 113 videos released earlier this year. These six films have been bookmarke

May 13, 2023

[Herald Interview] Organist Olivier Latry to proudly present French organ music

Renowned French organist Olivier Latry will bring French organ music to South Korea for his first concert here in six years. While Latry has been to his wife and organist Lee Shin-young’s home country of Korea multiple times on private visits over the past several years, this trip will feature his musical talents at the forefront. For the concert next week, he has chosen music from Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt, Camille Saint-Saens, Cesar Franck and Charles-Marie Widor. In an e-mail intervie

May 12, 2023

[Photo news] Napoleon in Seoul

May 12, 2023

[Well-curated] Exhibition with your dog, traditional designs and coffee in the rain

Bring along your dogs and enjoy the pet-themed exhibition "A Companion of Paws" with your furry friend. The Korea Manhwa Museum is hosting a special in-door exhibition where pet owners (and non-pet owners alike) can enjoy art projects with their beloved companions. May is known as “Family Month” in Korea, and it is filled with family-oriented events, including Children’s Day and Parent’s Day. Hoping to promote the message that pets are also precious members of t

May 12, 2023

With top-quality sound, Bucheon Art Center is ready for music

Equipped with top-quality sound, Bucheon Art Center is ready to open its doors to the public on May 19, almost two decades after the initial plan for the construction of an art hall in the city of Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, was passed. “Bucheon's long-awaited dream has finally become a reality,” Bucheon Mayor Cho Yong-eek told reporters on Thursday at BAC’s concert hall. "I'm happy to announce the opening of the Bucheon Art Center, Bucheon's landmark, that

May 11, 2023

Gaya Tumuli recommended for UNESCO listing

The Gaya Tumuli, seven tomb clusters of Korea's ancient Gaya Kingdom (42-562), have been recommend for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday. The decision was made during a meeting of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, a cultural heritage evaluation advisory organization under UNESCO, according to the CHA. The World Heritage Committee's final decision will be made during its 45th session, scheduled to be held

May 11, 2023