THE HAGUE (AFP) ― A Facebook petition supporting a Dutch Christmas character called “Black Pete” on Wednesday hit a million ‘likes,’ revealing the liberal nation’s attachment to a beloved figure the U.N. has warned may be racist. Anger over the issue has swept the Netherlands after a U.N. human rights body said it was assessing whether “Zwarte Piet,” who accompanies Saint Nicholas during a tradi...

A total of 71 artifacts reflecting the prosperity and cultural diversity of the Joseon period (1392-1910) will be displayed at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum from Friday. “In Grand Style ― Celebrations in Korean Art During The Joseon Dynasty” will be the first major U.S. exhibition to examine the legacy of the Yi dynasty ― among the world’s longest running ― that continues to resonate in Kor...

‘Congo River ? Art of Central Africa’ to feature 71 African sculptures

Korean coffee culture signals changing lifestyles through the years

Exhibitions “Jukka-Pekka Saraste Conducts Shostakovich: Masterpiece Series Ⅴ”: Noted conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste will lead the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in the performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4, Tchaikovsky’s “Voyevoda Suite” and Berlioz’s “Romeo et Juliette” at Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. Saraste, who has already worked with the SPO in 2011, is currently the artistic ...

For about 30 days every year, people can enjoy a romantic moon-lit stroll in Changdeokgung Palace. The “Moonlight Promenade” has become so popular that all available places are booked within minutes of becoming available online. There have been growing calls for an increase in the number of admissions as more people are eager to visit one of the country’s most beautiful palaces in the evening. ...

Dance “Bonnie & Clyde”: Broadway musical “Bonnie & Clyde” is being staged in Seoul for the first time. The musical features the infamous love story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the well-known American robbers who traveled the central United States during the Great Depression. The show had its Broadway premiere in 2011 and won two Tony Award nominations in 2012. “Bonnie & Clyde” runs from S...

Ven. Jaseung, the incumbent president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, was on Thursday reelected the leader of the country’s largest Buddhist group. He will begin his four-year term as the 34th chief of the order on Nov. 1 after receiving approval from the elders’ committee. The Jogye Order announced that Ven. Jaseung won 179 votes from 311 electoral college members representing more than...

Childhood memories, fast living fuel versatile designer’s creations

Some of the colorful paint on the newly restored Sungnyemun Gate in central Seoul has come off just five months after the gate’s opening to the public, allegedly due to poor execution of the traditional method of painting. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Tuesday, about 20 sections of dancheong painting on the gate are visibly damaged. Most of the damaged parts face the south...