Gucci to fund Gyeongbokgung’s conservation projects for three years

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 issued by its PR agency. "Beauty is a constant source of inspiration for Gucci, but it also needs co

Nov. 9, 2022

Pianist Sohn Min-soo to join New England Conservatory

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-Arts became the youngest winner in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition’s history i

Nov. 9, 2022

CHA seeks to lower barriers on heritage location development

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 decisions. Among the measures aimed at improving cultural heritage regulations are relaxing reg

Nov. 9, 2022

Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick recieves archiepiscopal pallium

A ceremony of investiture of a metropolitan archbishop with the pallium, a symbol of a special relationship with the pope, took place on Monday for the first time in South Korea. Peter Chung Soon-taick, the Archbishop of Seoul, received the archiepiscopal pallium from Apostolic Nuncio to South Korea Alfred Xuereb during a mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul. The pallium is a symbol of the metropolitan archbishop’s jurisdiction in his own diocese and in the other dioceses of his ecclesi

Nov. 8, 2022

Traditional sounds to fill autumn in Jeonju

A series of traditional Korean music performances will take place every Saturday until Nov. 26 at the National Intangible Heritage Center's Grand Performance Stage in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Titled "Myeongin Homage," the performance series is being held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the master musicians who dedicated their lives to Korean traditional sounds. Each master's successor will perform some of the best known pieces, while talks between performances w

Nov. 8, 2022

16-year-old cellist Han Jae-min takes first prize from Isang Yun Competition

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 with the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra led by Venezuelan conductor Christian Vasquez. Han performed Is

Nov. 6, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

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 Mediterranean hummus will be served with crispy cooked squid, teppan chicken flat bread, and truffle fr

Nov. 5, 2022

Red bean dishes to soothe the soul

Autumn is in full swing, with chilly mornings and evenings, prompting people to seek nourishing food that rejuvenates and warms the body in preparation for the fast-approaching winter season. Red beans, or pat in Korean, are a popular ingredient that Koreans think of when picturing warm comfort staples. On Dongji, the day with the shortest daylight hours, Koreans traditionally eat patjuk, or red beans porridge. According to Korean folklore, the long night on Dongji awakens evil spirits and the r

Nov. 5, 2022

[Eye Plus] Splendid Dancheong, the beauty of Korean art

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 Korean decorative coloring on wooden buildings and artifacts for the purpose of style. A fourth-year stu

Nov. 5, 2022

[Herald Interview] Singapore's Grand Park City Hall manager foresees more automation in hotel operations

Grand Park City Hall, the flagship property of Park Hotel Group located at the heart of Singapore just a few minutes from the Central Business District, opened in 2018 after a full renovation. The hotel was one of the first hotels in Singapore to launch a mobile application that offers a seamless check-in process using facial recognition before the pandemic hit. "Travel and tourism was one of the worst-hit industries, and we are still recovering from the effects even though borders have reo

Nov. 5, 2022

'Music can also help us mourn'

Following the deadly crowd crush that occurred during Halloween celebrations, President Yoon Suk-yeol announced a weeklong national mourning period through Saturday. In response, concerts, festivals and various events have been canceled, while sports events took place as scheduled, albeit in a somewhat subdued manner. Some Korean musicians have offered a reason for why music -- especially pop music -- is halted in times of grief and mourning. "In the eyes of state institutions, art must be

Nov. 3, 2022

What Itaewon means to foreigners

Itaewon has long been a neighborhood where people can experience and enjoy a variety of international cultures. International visitors and foreign residents could feel at home in the community, while many Koreans would visit in search of an international vibe. “I don’t feel homesick very often, but when I do, there is usually something I can feel comfort in there. In Itaewon, I am just one of hundreds of foreigners and no one will pay particular attention to me. So it feels a bit

Nov. 1, 2022

UNESCO heritage list expected to add Korean mask dance drama

Talchum, the traditional Korean mask dance, has been recommended by the UNESCO Evaluation Body to be inscribed into the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, according to a nomination review report from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee. Of the 46 applications received, the body has recommended 31, including talchum. The final decision for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity will be made at the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Commi

Nov. 1, 2022

Religious organizations grieve and offer condolences after Halloween tragedy

Religious communities in the country expressed sadness and condolences over the tragic crowd surge that occurred in Seoul’s Itaewon district on Saturday night. On Monday, religious leaders visited the memorial space to pay respect to the victims of the stampede that took 154 lives. Ten monks from the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism visited the memorial space near an exit of Itaewon Subway Station and chanted a Buddhist prayer. Peter Chung Soon-taick, the archbishop of Seoul, led a group of

Oct. 31, 2022

Exhibition shares 10 years of research on Joseon state rituals

A special exhibition at the National Museum of Korea will shed light on Oegyujanggak Uigwe, the records of state rituals at the royal depository annex, which were returned to South Korea from the National Library of France in 2011. Starting Tuesday, the exhibition “Pinnacle of Propriety: The Uigwe, Records of the State Rites of the Joseon Dynasty” will demonstrate the results of the past 10 years of research on Uigwe, which was inscribed into UNESCO's Memory of the World Registe

Oct. 31, 2022

Celebrities and stars express condolences over Itaewon tragedy

Celebrities have expressed their condolences to the victims and their families over the recent tragedy at Itaewon on Sunday. Soccer star Son Heung-min uploaded a photo in black-and-white expressing his condolences over the deaths in Itaewon after a match in Bournemouth, England. “All my thoughts are with you all back home in Korea. I am heartbroken to be reading this news... I want you to all know I am thinking of you and sending all of my strength from here,” Son wrote on his Instag

Oct. 30, 2022

Festivals, parties canceled in aftermath of Itaewon tragedy

A series of cultural events and concerts scheduled for the remaining Halloween weekend and into early November have been canceled following Saturday’s deadly crowd crush in Itaewon. The Culture Ministry announced that the first two sessions of the four-part classical concert series scheduled to be held at Cheong Wa Dae’s Yeongbingwan on Tuesday and Friday have been canceled. A Gucci fashion show expected to be held with some 500 guests visiting from in and outside the country on Tues

Oct. 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] Yang In-mo’s journey to his own violin concerto

Yang In-mo, the winner of this year’s International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, never thought he would be competing in a competition again. After all, he had already taken home the top prize from the prestigious Paganini Competition in 2015, at the age of 19, which was the first time the jury awarded that prize since 2006. Last December, the violinist decided to take part in the competition held in Helsinki in a desperate search for a change and a more active career and he surprise

Oct. 29, 2022

Endless temptations of sweet and spicy in Singapore

SINGAPORE -- Traveling takes courage, especially when it comes to trying out new food in a foreign country. Although basic ingredients such as meat or vegetables in popular dishes are universal, the differences in seasoning and the resulting aroma of each dish can take a traveler by surprise. But in Singapore, those with even the most fastidious tastes have nothing to fear. Known as a melting pot of Asia for its mix of history, culture and arts, Singapore's food options also delight epicure

Oct. 29, 2022

[Temple to Table] Fried lotus roots and nuts in omija sauce

Ven. Kyungwoon spends most of her time in Seosan interacting with Buddhists over temple food, but she heads to Seoul once a week to teach at Hyangjeok Segye, the official culinary institute for Korean temple food. While teaching the recipes, she often cites the Buddha’s teachings from the sutras as well, to let her students know about the spirit embodied in temple food. To do that, she has to spend more time preparing for class. However, she does not mind. “The mindset one has before

Oct. 29, 2022