Korea's first Culture Minister Lee O-young remembered in memorial exhibition

A special exhibition in memory of Korea’s first Culture Minister Lee O-young is being held at the National Library of Korea from Saturday through April 23. To commemorate one of the foremost intellectuals of his time, some 150 people, including current Culture Minister Park Bo-gyoon and Lee’s wife Kang In-sook, attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition on Friday. “Thank you for remembering (Lee) even after one year has passed," said Kang. Kang serves as the director

Feb. 24, 2023

NMK plans to focus more on Goguryeo exhibition

The National Museum of Korea announced plans to improve its exhibition on the period of the Goguryeo Kingdom, including a complete renovation of the current Goguryeo Room under the Permanent Exhibition Hall of Prehistory and Ancient History. The project is set to be completed by November 2024. The museum unveiled the plan for this year’s research and exhibitions in a press release Wednesday, which also includes a project on Wolji Pond in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the ancient cap

Feb. 24, 2023

[Well-curated] Jinro Toad store, Andre Brasilier art show and Danish-style sing-along for weekend

A feast for the eyes Lovers of Jinro soju and its Jinro Toad mascots will descend onto the streets of Seoul’s bustling Gangnam neighborhood. Just a two-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit No. 11, you can see the sky blue and pink Dookkeop Arcade pop-up store. Many people flock to distiller HiteJinro’s megasized iconic mascots -- blue and pink Jinro Toads -- at the store’s entrance. After a quick ID check to verify visitors are of the legal drinking age, guests can freely brow

Feb. 24, 2023

Seoul to create W1tr fund for content industry by 2024

South Korea’s content trade surplus reached $11.25 billion in 2021 and figures indicate that the sector has become a core service export. To maintain the momentum of the sector’s growth, which grew at an annual average of 9 percent from 2017-2021, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism unveiled a plan to achieve 137 trillion won ($106 billion) in exports of content by 2027, up from $12.4 billion in 2021. This goal will be achieved by supporting the overseas expansion of small an

Feb. 23, 2023

[Newsmaker] Handwritten English translation of Feb. 8 Declaration of Independence found after 104 years

A handwritten English version of the Feb. 8 Declaration of Independence, which triggered subsequent independence movements in Korea and abroad, has been discovered after 104 years, the Independence Hall of Korea said Thursday. The handwritten copy was found during an analysis of research materials which were borrowed from the Korean National Association Memorial Foundation in Los Angeles in 2019, the state run institution said. The Feb. 8 Independence Declaration was issued by some 600 Korean

Feb. 23, 2023

[Herald interview] 'Architecture is meant to be the stage, not the play'

ATHENS, Greece -- Entering the massive National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece, is like stepping into a temple – one passes through a large green plaza and walks up the marble steps with the building looming large above you. The golden Mask of Agamemnon takes pride of place, displayed in the first upright glass case that one sees upon entering the museum. From then on, it is a walk through a textbook of Greek antiquity, hall after hall lined with marble statues of gods and goddess

Feb. 21, 2023

KTO releases Hallyu-themed travel guides

The Korea Tourism Organization announced a list of 51 Hallyu-themed tourism courses on Tuesday, aimed at assisting global fans of Korean culture in visiting the country. The routes fall under six themes: K-pop, Hallyu stars, drama, variety shows, films and K-content. The full list and detailed explanation of the 51 courses can be found at Visit Korea's content lab website. Under the films category, the filming locations of last year's award-winning "Broker" in Busan are intro

Feb. 21, 2023

[Subway Stories] Seoul’s central bus terminal is high-end and glossy, but some miss humble past

With the introduction of bullet trains in the mid-2000s, the usage of intercity charter buses began to decline rapidly in South Korea. Several bus terminals across the country have gone out of business since. The Seoul Express Bus Terminal is an exception. The terminal, which opened in 1981 in what is now one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Seoul, still teems with visitors. The terminal itself is a testament to Seoul’s rapid economic growth. Starting as a bus terminal in the middl

Feb. 19, 2023

Jeonju culture center's staff uniform raises controversy over 'Japanese-style' design

A newly designed official hanbok uniform for employees at the Korea Traditional Culture Center, a foundation operated by the city of Jeonju in North Jeolla Province, has been embroiled in controversy over its design some say are similar to that of a Japanese kimono. After members of the public and the center's staffers criticized the uniform for "looking Japanese," the designer argued that the piece was designed as a hanbok based on historical research. The new uniform was unveile

Feb. 19, 2023

[Photo News] ‘I.Seoul.U’ goes down in history

“I.Seoul.U,” an installation featuring Seoul city’s eight-year-old slogan, at Nodeul Island -- a small artificial island on the Han River near Yoeuido -- is being removed on Saturday. The city government under Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced that a new slogan is needed to rebrand South Korea’s most populous city. A total of 29 “I.Seoul.U” installations are scheduled to be removed by the end of this month.

Feb. 18, 2023

[Weekender] Taking the hotel experience home

Having guests over at home has become less common in Seoul over the past two decades, with restaurants and cafes on almost every neighborhood corner making it easy to dine out at any time of the day. But the COVID-19 pandemic has driven people to spend more time in their own spaces. The phenomenon has naturally led to the public's interest in home furnishing, interior design, and home-cooked meals. Capitalizing on the trend, high-end hotels are creating their own brands or working with vend

Feb. 18, 2023

[Herald Interview] Tei now relishes performing old Beethoven

When Tei, a singer who is also pursuing an acting career in musicals, was offered the role of an aging Beethoven, his initial response was a firm "no." Tei was in his mid-30s at the time, and covetous of the younger Beethoven role in the show. He was eventually persuaded to take on the challenge of playing the older manifestation of the composer in “Ludwig: Beethoven the Piano” and he is now happy with the role and has grown to resonate with the role. “Up until the th

Feb. 17, 2023

[Well-curated] Immersive media art and Korean crafts for your eyes, chewy bagels and craft beer for your taste buds

Explore Seoul's vibe with immersive media What's your image of Seoul when you think of the city? A media art exhibition “Seoul Vibe” at Gallery Gwanghwa, located near Gwanghwamun Square, offers a new interactive and immersive experience of the city we know through digital media technology. Ten different sections of the exhibition shed new light on the image of Seoul. When you first enter the space, 12 zodiac animals on the screen will greet you. Scan the barcode of the ti

Feb. 17, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Nonsan Strawberry Festival Returning in-person for the first time in four years, the Nonsan Strawberry Festival will take place from March 8 through March 12 at various areas of Nonsan Citizen Park in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. The event promotes the strawberries of Nonsan, providing opportunities for tourists visiting the city to enjoy the strawberries and the beautiful surroundings in which they are grown. The five-day festival offers various hands-on activities, including strawberry

Feb. 17, 2023

[Herald Interview] Musical actor Min Woo-hyuk shows emotional Ahn Jung-geun in 'Hero'

Min Woo-hyuk, a musical actor, had been working in small theater productions for three years before scoring his first major role, as Enjolras in "Les Miserables," staged in 2015. Around the same time, he saw "Hero" and immediately knew he would like to take on the role of Ahn Jung-geun, the historic independent activist who assassinated Hirobumi Ito, Japan’s first prime minister and the first Japanese resident-general in Korea, in Harbin, China, in 1909. The 39-year-o

Feb. 15, 2023

Korean illustrator’s drawing offers consolation to people of Turkey

Korean artists have sent messages of condolence through their creative works to those affected by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Among those, two heartwarming images, drawn by Korean illustrator Myeong Min-ho, have made the rounds on social media. The illustrations, posted on Friday on Instagram, feature a Turkish soldier and Korean Disaster Relief Team member drawn in similar kneeling positions, helping out children from different tragedies. As of Wednesday, the post has attra

Feb. 15, 2023

'Talchum' to take stage at Venice Carnival

"Talchum," a Korean mask dance performance, will make its debut Friday at the Venice Carnival in Italy, the festival's organizing committee announced through its official website. Known as one of the world's three major carnivals and the biggest festival in Italy, attracting over 3 million visitors each year, the two-week long Venice Carnival kicked off on Feb. 4, and will continue through Tuesday. Talchum is a performing art that encompasses dance, music and theater, and is

Feb. 15, 2023

[Photo News] Cultural Heritage on postage stamps

The Korea Post Headquarters has unveiled commemorative postage stamps with illustrations of four cultural heritage pieces that have been repatriated from abroad, with support from the Cultural Heritage Administration. A total of 640,000 stamps will be sold at post offices nationwide, starting Wednesday.

Feb. 15, 2023

[Herald Interview] Culture promotion agency to play more active, expanded role after pandemic

With the country moving further away from the pandemic, the Korean Culture and Information Service is going full steam ahead in its endeavor to catapult Korean culture this year further around the world. Kim Jang-ho, the head of the agency, is a veteran government official who joined the Culture Ministry in the mid-1990s when the government body realized the importance of culture and art as an industry and created a division called the Culture Industry Department. It was when the movie "Jur

Feb. 14, 2023

Book tells epic stories, illustrations of national treasures

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage has published a book on the nation's artifacts, unraveling behind-the-scenes stories that have been found in the research process, the state-run institute announced Monday. Titled "Encountering Relics," the 214-page book focuses on detailed records, images and relevant materials of a total of 13 state-designated national treasures and treasures that have been selected and studied by the institute for research and preservation pu

Feb. 14, 2023