Most Popular
-
1
Opposition-led Assembly unilaterally passes bill to probe Marine's death
-
2
Golden chance to liquidate babies’ gold rings?
-
3
Inflation eases in April, continues bumpy ride
-
4
Seoul to more than double military drones by 2026 to counter NK threats
-
5
Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to N. Korea in March: White House
-
6
Seoul alerts overseas missions to NK terror threats
-
7
Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry
-
8
Over 60% of S. Koreans support W100m childbirth incentive: survey
-
9
‘Inside Out 2’ adds four new emotions, explores teenage life
-
10
Questions raised over fair promotion of RM, NewJeans
-
UNESCO most likely to list 'nongak' as intangible cultural heritage
Nongak, traditional Korean music performed by farmers, and North Korean versions of the traditional Korean folk song "Arirang" are most likely to be added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, the government said Wednesday. The body that deliberates on new additions has categorized South Korea's "Nongak, community band music, dance and rituals" and six North Korean variations of "Arirang" as recommended for inscription, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. The final d
Oct. 29, 2014
-
‘War Horse’ to hit local cinemas
The National Theater in London’s international smash-hit production “War Horse” will be screened at local cinemas next month. A rebroadcast in cinemas of the West End production will open on Nov. 8 at select Megabox cinemas, mostly in Seoul, the local cinema chain said Tuesday. Featuring a life-sized puppet horse, the production was an instant sensation when it was first performed in 2007. The original production never came to Korea. Indicative of the high level of interest among theatergoers he
Oct. 28, 2014
-
Polish, Israeli presidents to open Jewish museum
WARSAW (AFP) ― Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski and Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin will on Tuesday inaugurate a Warsaw museum chronicling the vibrant 1,000-year history of Poland’s Jewish community, all but wiped out during the Holocaust.Built on the site of the former Warsaw ghetto, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews will be “a game changer” for Polish-Jewish relations, the country’s chief rabbi Michael Schudrich told AFP.“That does not mean the relations were bad, but it me
Oct. 28, 2014
-
Korean folktale webtoon launched for foreigners
The King Sejong Institute Foundation, a government entity promoting Korean language and culture overseas, has produced a webtoon series to help foreigners better understand Korean traditional culture, in five languages. Twenty-four folktales, including “Kyunwoo and Jiknyo” and “The Sun and the Moon,” will be published as a weekly webtoon series ― digital cartoons regularly released through portal sites ― on the foundation’s website in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. The King Sej
Oct. 27, 2014
-
Forum urges preservation and diversity of scripts
Participants at the World Script Symposia 2014, a festival of arts and scripts, adopted a declaration to promote the diversity and preservation of different writing systems on Oct. 26. “Scripts constitute a key part of the endeavor to protect and restore cultural diversity worldwide,” says the “World Script Seoul Declaration.” “All scripts have their own unique value, there can be no superior or inferior script. Therefore, preserving diversity is an important symbol demonstrating that human righ
Oct. 27, 2014
-
J.K. Rowling announces new ‘Harry Potter’ backstory tale
It’s no Halloween trick: There’s more witchcraft and wizardry in store for “Harry Potter” fans, who can expect a new tale from author J.K. Rowling on Oct. 31. In an announcement posted to Pottermore.com, Rowling reveals that she has penned a new 1,700-word story that will offer “revealing first-person” thoughts about former Hogwarts professor Dolores Umbridge. Imelda Staunton (right) played Dolores Umbridge in the “Harry Potter” movies. (Warner Bros.)Umbridge is a fitting character for a Hallow
Oct. 26, 2014
-
Calendar
Classical musicThe Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra: Maestro Mariss Jansons will conduct his Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in two concerts at Seoul Arts Center. On Nov. 18, the world-renowned orchestra will perform Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures At An Exhibition” (arr. Ravel). The program for the next day consists of Strauss’ “Don Juan” and “Der Rosenkavalier Suite (The Knight of the Rose)” and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. Tickets run from 60,000 w
Oct. 24, 2014
-
[Herald Interview] Deriving 21st-century questions from classic masterpiece
Continuing on the Shakespeare theme after the much-hailed production earlier this month of Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette,” the Korea National Opera is presenting another Shakespeare play-turned-opera ― Giuseppe Verdi’s “Otello.” For the production, which will be staged next month at Seoul Arts Center, the state-run company has brought in British stage director Stephen Lawless, who in previous works has displayed a balance between traditional and nontraditional approaches to the classic opera reper
Oct. 23, 2014
-
Poet Ko Un wins Italy’s NordSud award
Renowned South Korean poet Ko Un has been chosen to receive an Italian award for literature, a local publisher affiliated with the poet said Wednesday.Ko will receive the literature award from the 2014 NordSud International Prize for Literature and Science at an Italian university Friday, according to Changbi Publishers that printed many of his poems.“The decision was made with unilateral consent from all jury members,” a Changbi official said. “We heard renowned Italian poet Elio Pecora emphasi
Oct. 22, 2014
-
Homeless kids take snapshots of lives, dreams
PHILADELOPHIA ― The photograph that 6-year-old Logan Reed snapped near the place he once lived as a homeless child conveys not a thousand words, as the saying goes, but one plain desire.“My hope is to have friends,” says a quote printed beneath his photo, on a greeting card bearing an image of two young girls holding hands at a playground. His words convey a bittersweet longing against a sanguine snapshot taken by a boy with a fetching, toothless smile.“Maybe because we moved around so much,” sa
Oct. 22, 2014
-
Grandparents raising grandkids describe joy
ORLANDO, Florida ― Teresa Apgar once envisioned her senior years as a time of globe-trotting travel and a busy social life. Instead, she’s chauffeuring an 8-year-old to taekwondo, learning about attention-deficit disorder and supervising math homework.“Look, I’m 58. My husband is 67. This is not where we’d planned on being at this stage in life,” the DeLand, Florida, resident said. “Everything in our lives revolves around the school schedule. It’s not like you can just dash off to Vegas.”Like 2.
Oct. 22, 2014
-
Activist dives in dumpsters across U.S. to raise awareness of food waste
CLEVELAND ― Rob Greenfield is standing barefoot and shirtless in a dumpster when he finds the strawberries.He’s ravenous after bicycling more than 60 miles, so he stops rummaging through bags and boxes to open the container of strawberries and pop one into his mouth. He seems not to notice the stench of rotten food wafting up into the Ohio night, or the grime lining the rim of the dumpster. But then again, it’s nighttime and he’s hungry.“Oh, gosh, there’s not even a moldy one in this box,” he sa
Oct. 22, 2014
-
What do jeans mean to you?
Many people are probably familiar with the history of blue jeans ― how denim pants moved from work clothes for California gold miners in the 19th century to a must-have item for rebellious youngsters in the 1950s and ’60s to street wear that can be found in almost everybody’s wardrobe. An exhibition that opened in Seoul last week offers a rare glimpse into how the garment became part of the Korean wardrobe and how Korean wearers came to love its individuality and intimacy. “Jeans have become a u
Oct. 20, 2014
-
[Weekender] Orchestras for all
When the different notes and timbres of as many as 100 instruments combine into a glorious harmony, it is not only those in the audience who feel moved. The musicians and the conductor too feel overwhelmed with the sense of belonging and pride, as well as the spiritual richness of the classical music. This is what the people interviewed by The Korea Herald all said when asked what was it about playing in orchestras that they loved so much. “I have been running my own business. Looking back at al
Oct. 17, 2014
-
Calendar
FestivalTen Million Chrysanthemum Festival: Iksan, North Jeolla Province, invites visitors to one of the biggest chrysanthemum festivals in Korea. At the festival, arrangements of more than 120,000 flowers will be exhibited in a 35,000-square-meter garden in Iksan Central Park and Iksan Jewelry Museum from Oct. 24 to Nov. 2. Crafts and culinary programs will offer a chance to make bracelets and paper crafts and to cook pancakes and cookies using chrysanthemums. For more information, call (063) 8
Oct. 17, 2014
-
London pays homage to Sherlock Holmes
LONDON (AFP) ― Sherlock Holmes never existed but his fictional address of 221B Baker Street still receives a steady flow of letters addressed to the famously intuitive detective.The latest tribute comes in the form of a Museum of London exhibition opening Thursday entitled “The Man Who Never Lives and Will Never Die” and billed as the biggest in 60 years.Part and parcel of London’s literary universe, Holmes was created in 1886 by the author Arthur Conan Doyle and has lived on in television serie
Oct. 17, 2014
-
Church officials struggle to assist mental patients
David Mandani heard voices telling him to kill himself. He was paranoid. He saw things others didn’t.He was spiraling out of control.Mandani was hospitalized but ran away. Family members found him in a park and asked police for help. He was put in an ambulance, tied down and taken to a psychiatric lockdown facility where he spent several weeks strapped to his bed. His condition was diagnosed as schizophrenia.Medication and counseling helped clear up the voices and irrational beliefs. Still, he r
Oct. 15, 2014
-
[Herald Review] ‘Frankenstein’ goes beyond throw-away questions
Should mankind be allowed to create life artificially? Why, in the first place, do we need to create life? These themes are explored in a new play directed by Korean playwright Cho Kwang-hwa at Seoul Arts Center ― “Frankenstein.”Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel has been retold and adapted in various forms, including films, stage musicals, theater plays and even children’s books. The classic Gothic tale of a creature that is innocent at heart, but grotesque in form has moved many around the world. In Ko
Oct. 14, 2014
-
Spider-Man may swing over Beijing in new theme park
BEIJING (AP) ― Spider-Man could soon swing over Beijing, chasing Optimus Prime and despicable minions through a $3.3 billion Universal theme park aimed at capitalizing on China’s rising middle class and growing demand for all things animated. China has been a major booster of animated movies such as “Transformers: Age of Extinction” ― which was partly filmed in China ― and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Brand is becoming more important to Chinese market as its middle class pours cash into entertain
Oct. 14, 2014
-
A guide to musical theater in fall, winter
Seoul’s musical theaters, scattered across the city, are offering a wide spectrum of shows this season. From a gay-themed show getting its first off-Broadway run in Korea to a set of original Korean works based on gugak, traditional Korean music, here’s a look into some of the most anticipated musicals of the fall-winter season. ‘Marie Antoinette’ The EMK Musical Company, which started the European musical boom in Seoul, is presenting in November its most ambitious production this year ― “Marie
Oct. 13, 2014