After that day, he began to see the LA riots as a critical event that split the history of Korean American society into two -- before and after the riots. Not only was the riot a turning point in which ethnic Koreans living in the US started to identify themselves as Korean Americans -- rather than Korean immigrants -- it also made Korean Americans feel the need to realize political power for th...

The Seoul Independent Film Festival will be held from Dec. 1 to Dec. 9 at CGV Art House Apgujeong in Seoul, its organizer announced on Wednesday. “This year is our 48th festival. The Seoul Independent Film Festival has a history of providing an opportunity for audiences to meet with young directors, actors and different creators. I hope that (the audiences) are excited about it,” the festival’s ...

Different from the original film, in the remake movie the two protagonists -- Yong and Mu-nee -- from different periods get to meet in the present. “I wanted them to meet. There is also a similar scene in the original movie where the role that Yoo Ji-tae played get to watch Kim Ha-neul’s character teaching as a professor,” the director said. “For our film I wanted them to take a step further and...

Elisso Virsaladze, an 80-year-old Russian pianist, is set to bring her favorite Mozart and Chopin pieces to Seoul later this month, according to Kumho Art Hall on Wednesday. On Nov. 24, she will perform Mozart’s Fantasia for Piano in C minor, K. 396, 9 Variations on “Lison dormait” for Piano in C Major, K. 264 and Rondo for Piano No. 3 in A minor, K.511 as well as Chopin’s Waltz for Piano in A m...

Italian luxury brand Gucci has announced a three-year commitment to supporting the conservation and restoration of the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Gucci President and CEO Marco Bizzarri and Cultural Heritage Administration Administrator Choi Eung-chon signed an agreement Nov. 1 on cooperating on future improvement projects of multiple sites within Gyeongbokgung, said Gucci Korea in a press release iss...

Sohn Min-soo, a professor and pianist, will join his alma mater, the New England Conservatory, as part of its piano faculty starting in fall 2023, the Boston-based music school announced last week. That means he will leave his current post at Korea National University of Arts, known as K-Arts, where the 45-year-old has been teaching pupils since March 2015. One of his students, Lim Yun-chan, at K...

Developers may soon find obtaining permission to build in historic and cultural conservation areas easier, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. At the government’s second regulatory reform strategy meeting held Wednesday, the CHA laid out plans to relax regulations concerning developments in areas designated for conservation and give greater authority to local governments in making...

A performance honoring Kim Seok-chul, master of Donghaean byeolsingut, will take place on Nov. 19, followed by a performance highlighting pansori master Park Bong-sul on Nov. 26. Admission is open to those 8 and older and is free. Reservations can be made via NIHC's website on a first-come first-served basis. All performances are scheduled to be livestreamed on Naver TV.

Han Jae-min, a 16-year-old cellist, took home first prize from the International Isang Yun Competition on Saturday at the Tongyeong Concert Hall, South Gyeongsang Province. Earlier last week, the four finalists, including three South Korean cellists -- Han Jae-min, Joeng Woo-chan, Kim Deok-yong -- and Florian Pons from France, were announced. The finalists were required to perform one concerto ...

Andaz Seoul Gangnam holds happy hour promotion Andaz Seoul Gangnam's restaurant Jogakbo presents the "Aperitivo Paradisio - Happy Hour," which offers Mediterranean-style cuisine, along with its signature bar snacks and liquor services. The happy hour operates Monday to Friday, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Complimentary snacks include the parma ham or salmon rillettes bruschetta, while Mediterra...

In the old days, Koreans were known for revering the color white. They enjoyed wearing white clothes that they thought symbolize peace. But when it came to paintings and crafts, they were all for variety. Cho Sun-hwa, a student of traditional art, is mesmerized by the use of bright, bold colors and patterns found on traditional artifacts. She sees unique beauty in Dancheong -- the traditional Ko...

The town became even more international with the inflow of foreign laborers; the South Korean government introduced a system to adopt technical trainees in 1994 from 14 countries, including the Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia. Itaewon was a convenient place for many of those workers to settle, a book on Itaewon by the Seoul Museum of History explains. According to data from the I...

The Cultural Heritage Administration has applied for the enlistment of talchum to the list of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage on March 2020. According to the UNESCO's report, the nomination file highlighted that inscription of the element will raise awareness of intangible cultural heritage in general at the local, national and international levels. South Korea currently has 21 entries on U...

Religious groups also offered messages of comfort and called out authorities in statements. The United Christian Churches of Korea, one of the biggest associations of Protestant churches, said in a statement that "we express our deepest condolences to the victims and their families in an unexpected accident in Itaewon on Saturday night. We pray for those injured will recover as soon as possible....