AI-based Korean language contest takes place through October

A Korean language contest using artificial intelligence technology to measure Korean proficiency is underway with the aim of encouraging Korean language learners of foreign nationalities in South Korea. Hancom Genie-K, a subsidiary of the software company Hancom, said Friday that it is holding the Hancom Genie-K Korean Speech Contest from Aug. 28 through Oct. 4. The Korean language contest consists of an online preliminary round and an on-site final round. Hancom’s indigenous artificial

Sept. 8, 2023

Media art to illuminate cultural heritage sites

A series of Korean cultural heritage media art events using digital technology will be showcased at seven cultural heritage sites across the nation, starting Saturday. Jointly hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration and Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, the event kicks off at two sites in South Chungcheong Province — Gongsanseong in Gongju and the stone pagoda Mireuksaji in Iksan. The final event will be held at the Marisan Tumuli in Haman, South Gyeongsang Province, on Nov. 8. On

Sept. 8, 2023

Korea, Japan, China culture ministers vow youth-centered cooperation

The culture ministers of South Korea, Japan and China met at the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, on Thursday and Friday, in person for the first time in four years, where they vowed to strengthen cultural cooperation among the three Northeast Asian countries. On Friday, the three culture ministers -- South Korea's Park Bo-gyoon, Keiko Nagaoka of Japan and Hu Heping for China -- signed the Jeonju Declaration, which includes the expansion of cultural ex

Sept. 8, 2023

[Well-curated] Hop on over to high-end stationery store, Hangang dog pool and DDP new media exhibit

Point of View The Hyundai Seoul, the biggest department store in Seoul, has everything there is for anyone to spend their precious weekend. Visitors can enjoy almost 13 football fields filled with with sports facilities, contemporary retail, luxury brands, restaurants, an in-door garden and more. And of course, the department store offers a cool summer getaway with abundant air conditioning. For those who prefer to hand-write things on paper, stationery shop Point of View is one of the must-vi

Sept. 8, 2023

[Herald Interview] From his fingertips, composer and conductor Choi Jae-hyuck brings music to life

Choi Jae-hyuck, winner of the first prize in composition at the Geneva International Music Competition in 2017, is set to unveil his first organ concerto next month. Choi has been working on the piece since 2020 when he first came up with the idea to create an organ piece, after feeling captivated by the instrument. "I spent one year redoing the first page several times. After that it got easier," Choi told reporters during an interview on Tuesday. Part of the challenge stems from the

Sept. 7, 2023

13th-century mother-of-pearl lacquered box returns to Korea

An approximately 800-year-old Goryeo-era "najeonchilgi," a lacquered box with an inlaid mother-of-pearl chrysanthemum and scroll design, was repatriated to Korea from Japan in July, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced at a press conference on Wednesday. Studies indicate that the box dates back to the 13th century and represents one of fewer than 20 extant pieces of Goryeo-era lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl found worldwide. Currently, the National Museum of Korea hol

Sept. 6, 2023

[Korean History] In 1998, Korea lifts ban on Japanese pop culture

When “The First Slam Dunk,” a Japanese animated film, opened in local theaters on Jan. 4 of this year, the response was unexpected -- it was a smash hit. Moviegoers in their 30s and 40s flocked to watch the big-screen sequel to the 1990s TV series “Slam Dunk,” which aired on local TV from 1998 to 1999. “It was one of our joys (as teens) to finish school, run home, eat dinner and rush to the television to watch ‘Slam Dunk,’” Oh Jang-ho, a 37-year-ol

Sept. 6, 2023

Bugaksan hike from Cheong Wa Dae invites visitors to once-prohibited trails

A group of participants including Second Vice Culture Minister Jang Mi-ran, mountaineer Um Hong-gil and TV personality Fabian Yoon joined forces Tuesday to introduce the previously restricted hiking trails of Cheong Wa Dae and Bugaksan. The event, for which they were joined by some 20 international and domestic college students, was part of efforts by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to promote trails around the former presidential office, once a tightly restricted area accessible exc

Sept. 6, 2023

Three writers win Korean diaspora literature awards

A new literature award that aims to discover creators worldwide who write in the Korean language and examine the diaspora literature from diverse perspectives, has selected its winners, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea announced on Friday. LTI Korea has awarded three writers -- Lee Soo-jeong, Chung Chul-young and Kim Jae-dong -- for the inaugural “‘Nomo New Literature Award,” selected from a total of 111 entries received between Nov. 14, 2022 and April 30 of this y

Sept. 1, 2023

Seoul Performing Arts Festival to explore 'Borderless Questions'

The Seoul Performing Arts Festival, an annual event that brings together top performers, is coming back in October with the theme of “Borderless Questions.” From Oct. 6 to 29, this year’s edition will showcase 19 performance works spanning an eclectic array of genres -- encompassing theater, dance, multidisciplinary arts and experiential performances -- to various venues across Seoul including the National Theater of Korea, the National Jeongdong Theater of Korea, ARKO &

Sept. 1, 2023

[Photo News] "Love is in the Bin"

Sept. 1, 2023

[Well-curated] Plant hospital, Joseon-era wedding and Yongsan Family Park

Free plant health care consultation Ample sunlight, regular water and cool breeze are crucial for the growth of most plants and the continued heavy rain and hot weather that we have been having this summer make it difficult for some potted plants to thrive. Home gardeners dealing with sick or withering plants may consider booking a spot this weekend to visit a plant hospital on a weekday. Seoul city's plant general hospital is located inside the Agricultural Technology Center in Seocho-gu i

Sept. 1, 2023

Symposium looks back on 15 years of cultural heritage aid projects

Cultural heritage scholars, experts and public officials convened on Wednesday in Seoul to engage in discussions concerning the past, present and future of Korea's official development assistance (ODA) programs for cultural heritage. Organized by the Foreign Ministry and the Cultural Heritage Administration, the symposium aimed to reflect on the heritage ODA project's 15-year journey since its inception in 2009. It also served as a platform to commemorate a decade of accomplishments fo

Aug. 31, 2023

Art and culture festival for the disabled to take place at former presidential house

A culture and art festival to celebrate the achievements of disabled people will take place at the former presidential office in central Seoul starting Friday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on Thursday. Titled A+ Festival, the event will run from Sept. 1 to Sept. 15 at Cheong Wa Dae venues including Chunchugwan, the former press center for the presidential office, and the helicopter landing pad. The 15-day event will kick off with the opening ceremony on Friday, with acto

Aug. 31, 2023

Culture Ministry’s budget next year nears W7 trillion

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s budget for next year, which was passed during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, has been set at 6.97 trillion won ($5.27 billion), a 3.5 percent increase from 2023, the ministry announced the same day. The Culture Ministry outlined its plans based on two main objectives: boosting economic vitality through K-content and tourism and ensuring fair access to culture for the public. To achieve these goals, the budget allocation includes 1.5 trillion won

Aug. 29, 2023

Nodeul Island to turn into outdoor stage for 'Swan Lake' and 'The Barber of Seville'

Every Saturday and Sunday night from Oct. 14 to 22, a small island at the center of the Han River will be turned into a stage for spellbinding ballet and opera performances. Under the theme of “Timeless Classic,” the second edition of Hangang Nodeul Island Festival by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture will present one ballet and one opera, bringing together Korea’s top performers. After presenting “The Magic Flute” at the inaugural festival last year, this y

Aug. 29, 2023

[Exclusive] Korea House dining to move upmarket

Korea House in Jung-gu, central Seoul, a cultural center dedicated to promoting Korean traditional culture by holding performances and dining experiences, is to offer fine dining starting October. "We will be introducing higher-quality ingredients, including organic mushrooms and hanwoo beef, to elevate the menu," a Korea House staff told The Korea Herald Monday. Among the new dishes are gujeolpan, a traditional Korean platter featuring nine delicacies, and sinseollo, a hot pot contain

Aug. 29, 2023

[Herald Interview] Musical actor Cha Ji-yeon hopes to tell her story in first solo concert

Korean actor Cha Ji-yeon made her debut on the musical stage in 2006 as Rafiki, the wise monkey and advisor to the king, in “The Lion King." She was working as an office worker when she got the role after years of discouraging auditions and falling victim to scams in her attempt to rekindle her passion for music and performance. As a child, she had performed alongside her maternal grandfather and uncle, both esteemed masters of "pansori gosu," the skilled drummers who perfor

Aug. 28, 2023

[Eye Plus] ‘Nongak brings me joy. It is an escape from life's heaviness'

“When I started learning 'gochang nongak,' it was completely different from anything I had learned before," said Jeong Ha-rin, an amateur gochang nongak performer from Busan. “Now, gochang nongak brings me so much joy. It became an escape from life's heaviness and seriousness,” Jeong added. Gochang nongak is a type of traditional music developed by farmers in Gochang, North Jeolla Province. “My father was a member of the Korean traditional art's c

Aug. 26, 2023

Seoul’s arts foundation to support emerging artists through special program

To foster and provide support for young and emerging artists, enabling them to expand their artistic ventures and achieve sustainable economic livelihoods, the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture has launched a three-month program encompassing seminars, talk concerts and consultation sessions. Named "Artist, Life, Insight!" this event is scheduled to take place from Sept. 1 to Nov. 20 at the Seoul Artists Support Center situated in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. Themed around the converge

Aug. 25, 2023