Free admission to Buddhist temples begins Thursday

Sixty-five Buddhist temples of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, will waive admission fees to the general public from Thursday. However, temples managed by cities or provincial governments, such as the Bomunsa Temple in Incheon and the Goransa Temple in South Chungcheong Province, will continue to charge admission fees. The final decision was made on Monday through a memorandum of understanding signed between the Cultural Heritage Administration and th

May 2, 2023

[Stories of Artifacts] Beauty meets function: Goryeo celadon

The evolution of Korean ceramics reflects the evolution of society itself, having developed through three main historical periods, each with its own unique characteristics. From the humble earthenware of the Three Kingdoms period to the Goryeo era's celadon and the refined white porcelain of the Joseon era, Korean ceramics have captivated art historians and art enthusiasts alike. The late William Bowyer Honey, a renowned ceramics specialist, noted in his book, "The Ceramic Art of Chi

May 1, 2023

K-Royal Culture Festival returns with spring edition

The spring edition of the K-Royal Culture Festival offers a range of programs that can be enjoyed at Seoul's royal palaces through May 7. The biannual festival showcases a variety of cultural heritage events and artistic performances that take place across five Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung and Gyeonghuigung. Jongmyo, a royal shrine housing the ancestral tablets of Joseon kings and queens, and Sajikdan, a Joseon altar used for

April 30, 2023

Are joint couple bank accounts the best way to share dating expenses?

"Am I the one who has to pay this time?" is a question that often troubles many South Korean couples whenever they are about to pay the bill at a restaurant. Traditionally, people believed that men should pay most of the dating expenses, but such rigid gender norms no longer hold water as more couples have started to value fairness. Indeed, a staggering 83.2 percent of those with dating experiences reported having argued with their partner over “how to split bills,” accor

April 29, 2023

[Photo News] Foreign students celebrate cultural diversity

On a warm spring day, foreign exchange students at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies gathered in their traditional costumes and held up their respective country flags to introduce their cultures during the 17th Culture Expo event hosted by the Korean Language and Culture Education Institute at HUFS in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, on Friday. Students operated booths introducing regional cultures, and conducted traditional music and dance performances.

April 28, 2023

Yoon's meeting with US media giants highlights growing interest in Korean content

In a meeting that highlights a growing interest in the Korean content industry, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met major players in the US entertainment industry on Thursday before leaving Washington. Yoon attended the Global Video Content Leadership Forum, organized by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPA) held at its headquarters. The forum brought together media giants such as Paramount, Warner Brothers, Discovery, NBC, Universal, Sony Pictures, The Walt Disney Company and Net

April 28, 2023

Culture ministry signs first MOU with Smithsonian to expand cultural exchanges

South Korea's culture ministry has signed its first memorandum of understanding with the Smithsonian Institution of the United States to enhance cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two organizations, the ministry said Friday. The signing ceremony was held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC, on Thursday on the sidelines of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the US Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Part Bo-gyoon and Meroe Park,

April 28, 2023

[Well-curated] Sci-fi classics, reading outdoors and childrens' art fest

Watch sci-fi classics in CGV Arthouse Two epic sci-fi films -- “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) and “Blade Runner: The Final Cut” (1982) -- are set to entertain moviegoers at 15 CGV Arthouse branches across South Korea. Screenings of the films, which started Wednesday, will run through May 9. Celebrating the beloved American films and Warner Bros’ 100th anniversary, CGV, the country’s largest multiplex operator, is offering the opportunity to experience two sci-

April 28, 2023

Korea Opera Festival aspires to go beyond Seoul

The upcoming 14th edition of the Korea Opera Festival will feature a mix of old and new repertoires, extending beyond Seoul for the first time to include performances in Daejeon, in an effort to bring opera to different parts of the country. The Daejeon Opera, with the DCMF Orchestra, will stage Pietro Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana" and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” in one performance from June 9 to 11 at the Daejeon Art Center in Daejeon. “The fes

April 26, 2023

Naver Webtoon gears up to become global storytelling platform

SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province -- After building a webtoon creator-friendly environment and expanding business overseas, Naver Webtoon hopes to become a top global content platform by creating a new system to coexist with various creative content industries. “The PPS model was first introduced in 2013 and we have achieved outstanding performances since then. Webtoons became the major source for TV dramas, movies, music and more. Our company plans to become No. 1 storytelling platform via a ne

April 25, 2023

Gwanghwamun's Joseon-era 'woldae' to be restored by October

The restoration project of Gwanghwamun's "woldae," an elevated stage for royal rituals and ceremonies located in front of Gyeongbokgung's main gate, will be completed by October to be opened to the public. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced partial findings from the woldae's ongoing excavation and restoration project, which started in the 1990s, at a press conference held at the National Palace Museum of Korea on Tuesday. Although the exact time of the woldae

April 25, 2023

[Stories of Artifacts] Transcending 1,400 years in time: Two pensive bodhisattva statues

"Time to lose yourself deep in wandering thought," the text at the entrance to “Room of Quiet Contemplation,” in the permanent exhibition hall at the National Museum of Korea, reminds visitors. Opened in November 2021, the exhibition attracted over 660,000 viewers during its first year, making it one of the museum's most viewed exhibitions. Inside the 439-square-meter space where the dim lights cast against red soil-covered walls create a calm, mysterious aura, sit t

April 24, 2023

Walk among Joseon royal tombs

A series of guided tour programs at the royal tombs of the Joseon era (1392-1910) will be conducted May 13 to Nov. 11, the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center announced Monday. Titled “Wangneungcheonhaeng,” meaning “A thousand ways to travel the royal tombs,” the program will offer 22 tours led by experts in the field on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. The program takes a two-month break in July and August. There are six themes under th

April 24, 2023

Seoul, Busan to host 2023 LoL World Championship

The annual League of Legends World Championship is scheduled to be held in Seoul and Busan in October. According to Riot Games Korea, a new game system will be introduced at this year’s LoL Worlds with a total of 22 teams vying for the grand prize of the Summoner’s Cup. Starting Oct. 10, eight teams -- four pairs -- are set to compete in a double elimination tournament on the Play-In Stage. The preliminaries will take place at LoL Park, the stadium for LoL Champions Korea (LCK), in J

April 24, 2023

[Herald Interview] Damrau and Teste to bring royal dramas to Korea

German opera singer Diana Damrau will returned to South Korea with a tour titled "Royal Affairs – Kings and Queens of Opera" together with her husband, French opera tenor Nicolas Teste. The program introduces a selection of arias of the most famous kings and queens in opera. “What is really interesting to see is what happens behind or under the crown. We see and feel these men and women struggle with their feelings and normal private human problems like we all do. Some co

April 23, 2023

Seoul's 'Spring Day' provides opportunities for students to experience cultural performances

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has kicked off its annual “Spring Day” program, enabling some 66,000 elementary and middle school students in Seoul to attend a free performance. The program, whose pilot program was launched in 2021, aims to provide students with opportunities to enjoy cultural performances, at the same time creating work opportunities for performing groups during the daytime. This year, the city government has expanded eligible groups to include middle school stude

April 22, 2023

[Eye Plus] Stories carved out of wood

“I am working on ‘eopgyeongdae.' Buddhist myths say that every person faces this mirror after death, before they are brought to the King of Hell,” said Kwon Da-eun, a student at the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage majoring in traditional arts and crafts. “When a deceased person confesses the wrongdoings committed during his or her life, the mirror shows how the person lived. This story is what inspired me to carve the eopgyeongdae,” she added. Wo

April 22, 2023

Traditional craft exhibition in modern setting

An exhibition introducing traditional craftworks by artisans against a backdrop of pop-art designs is open at Gyeol, the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Training Center exhibition hall, in Gangnam, until Oct. 31. Titled “The Greatest Artisan’s Market,” the exhibition features some 72 craftworks by 21 National Intangible Cultural Heritage title holders and instructors. Among the highlights of the exhibition are "ipsa," an in-lay of ornamental silver or gold strin

April 21, 2023

[Well-curated] Hop on Swiss train, play gugak instruments and pose with teddy mascot

Hop on Swiss train Imagine a quick train ride to some of the most popular sights and landmarks in Switzerland this weekend without having to leave Korea. At the Gyeongui Line Book Street in Mapo district, western Seoul, an exhibition set up inside a spacious train replica takes visitors on a taster of Switzerland's Grand Train Tour, a panoramic 1,280-kilometer route across the country. The Swiss Spring Street Festival, organized by Switzerland Tourism, showcases scenic tourist spots, from

April 21, 2023

1950s 'nongak' band to perform in Seoul

Four members of a traditional female nongak band from the 1950s will team up to bring the community band music to stage at the Seoul Namsan Gukakdang on Saturday. Inscribed on the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014, nongak translates as "farmer's music" and is a performing art derived from traditional communal rites and rustic entertainments. Different regions of the country have their variations, but nongak generally combines a percussion and wind ense

April 20, 2023