[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Black Adam (US) Opened Oct. 19 Action Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra Khandaq, a country that used to be prosperous, is now run by Intergang, which has oppressed its people for 27 years. Meanwhile, Adrianna (Sarah Shahi) accidentally frees Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson), who was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods -- and imprisoned just as quickly -- 5,000 years ago, from his earthly tomb. He is now ready to unleash his unique form of justice in the modern world. Orphan: Fi

Oct. 21, 2022

Korean Studies scholars gather amid rising Korea Wave

International Korean Studies scholars gathered on Thursday for two-day discussion on the opportunities and challenges posed by the “once-unimaginable” global popularity of Korean culture, at a forum held in-person for the first time since the pandemic. The 11th biannual World Congress of Korean Studies kicked off at the Academy of Korea Studies headquarters in Seongnam, south of Seoul, with some 120 scholars in attendance, the host Academy of Korean Studies said. Concurrently held on

Oct. 20, 2022

[Herald Interview] Leenalchi returns with much-anticipated second project 'Mul Mit'

Leenalchi, the group that took South Korea by storm with “Tiger Is Coming” in 2020, is back with “Mul Mit” with a lot of pressure on their shoulders this time. The sensational success of “Tiger Is Coming” has kept the band busy for the past two years as the members continued to experiment with what the band could offer. But that means a lot more ears and eyes have been anticipating their new project. “We feel a lot of pressure but hope people can enjoy

Oct. 19, 2022

Korean Pavilion returns to Frankfurt Book Fair

South Korean publishers are returning to the Frankfurt Book Fair with the Korean Pavilion for the first time since 2019. The Korean Publishers Association will present 24 Korean publishing houses including the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, NE Books and Darakwon at the collective stand that was inspired by the concept of “home.” “Home was where you separated from others to protect yourself from external risks during the pandemic. This time, we wanted to look at &ldq

Oct. 18, 2022

Seoul Dance Festival will bring together dance enthusiasts

The 43rd Seoul Dance Festival is set to kick off on a one-month journey on Oct. 27, showcasing various dance genres. Titled “A Wind of Change with Seoul Dance Festival,” this year’s event consists of pre-festival events, the main festival, a dance competition and a closing ceremony. While the event will begin in earnest on Nov. 11, pre-festival events highlighting performances by dance and performing arts students will take place from Oct. 27 to 31. On Nov. 11, four seasoned da

Oct. 17, 2022

Hanbok Culture Week kicks off, promoting traditional attire as daily wear

A hanbok festival kicked off Monday in Seoul and major cities around the country. The nationwide festival is held in the third week of October each year to promote the beauty of traditional Korean attire and to spread the culture of wearing hanbok in daily life. This year, hanbok festivals will also take place in other major cities worldwide: Buenos Aires, Singapore, Seattle and Vancouver. HiKR Ground at the Korea Tourism Organization Seoul Center, a site in central Seoul that opened in July, is

Oct. 17, 2022

'The Zone: Survival Mission' wraps up with bittersweet ending

While Disney+’s star-studded unscripted show “The Zone: Survival Mission” caught local viewers’ attention, its lackluster performance elsewhere around the world cast doubt on the possibility of repeated success of Korean reality shows on global streaming platforms. With its final episode released last Wednesday, the reality show became the second most popular show on Disney+’s Korean top 10 chart, data released by streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol showed. &ldquo

Oct. 17, 2022

Haribo World opens in Insadong for 100th birthday

Globally beloved gummy brand Haribo Goldbears is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a media art exhibition in Insa-dong, central Seoul. Jointly hosted by the Haribo headquarters in Germany and Peopulley, a Korean digital media content agency, the Haribo World exhibition takes place at Annyeong Insadong's Insa Central Museum over a five-month period through Mar. 12. The iconic Haribo Goldbears product has been sold since 1922, two years after the Haribo company was established. With six

Oct. 16, 2022

Hilton Train takes off on last trip in Seoul

The Millenium Hilton Seoul, landmark hotel perched atop the city with a commanding view of Namsan, announced the final journey of its signature Hilton Train, located in the hotel's main lobby, Friday. The hotel will be closing down on Dec. 31, after the decision was made last year to sell the property to IGIS Asset Management. A special VIP event to mark the start of the final journey of the train was held Friday evening. To celebrate the train's final run on a special note, Millennium

Oct. 16, 2022

[Herald Interview] Analog photographer Area Park captures natural, personal disasters

Area Park is a stubborn photographer who still uses a huge slide film camera - Linhof Master Technika Classic - in the era of digital photography. He pursues film photography even if it means he has to be very selective and cautious when deciding to press the shutter button. Each shot costs 200,000 won - 250,000 won, taking into consideration film purchase, developing and scanning. Sometimes, he has to visit the same place again to retake photos, spending thousands of dollars. “I learned

Oct. 15, 2022

[Reading Korea through books] Contemplating death: observations from hospital beds offer what death means to Koreans

Death might be the only thing that comes to everyone indiscriminately, but discussing it has long been considered taboo in South Korea. “I wouldn't dare talk about death with my parents, let alone imagine their death,” would probably be the train of thought in most Korean people's minds. Perhaps the sudden deaths brought on by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and a growing number of discussions on what is considered a "dignified death" allow us to contemplate the i

Oct. 15, 2022

Halloween is coming and so are spooky adventures

YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- When roaming through the alleys of Itaewon and Hongdae are not enough to quench your thirst for gory adventures this Halloween, Everland Resort’s "Blood City" might just do the trick. The country's largest outdoor theme park Everland, which began its annual Halloween festival in 2010, came up with its own horror adventure zone named the "Blood City" in 2017. With most pandemic restrictions lifted this fall, the park's Halloween fes

Oct. 15, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Innovative visualization of sounds in Hunminjeongeum

Among the many wonders of Korean history is the invention of Hangeul in 1443, which is responsible for Korea's very high literacy rate and the large vocabulary. "I pity my illiterate people who must endure difficulty and injustice because they lack literacy," wrote King Sejong the Great in his introduction to the Hunminjeongeum in 1443. Koreans celebrate the birth of their script on the Hangeul Day holiday on Oct. 9 each year. Before the promulgation of Hangeul, Korean spoken words and

Oct. 15, 2022

[Temple to Table] Pounded shiitake mushroom stew

Taking pleasure in cooking, Ven. Kyungwoon calls herself a “food practitioner.” This is because making food the proper Buddhist way with good ingredients and sharing it with many is to practice the Buddha’s teaching that “Food is good medicine.” Its purpose is also to spread the spirit embodied in temple food, based on the belief that “What we eat creates our body and mind.” Eight years ago, Ven. Kyungwoon fell ill when she was about to finish her junior

Oct. 15, 2022

LG Arts Center reopens with LSO concert featuring pianist Cho Seong-jin

Moving to western Seoul after 22 years in the affluent Gangnam district, LG Arts Center made a grand reopening on Thursday at its new Magok venue with a special concert by the London Symphony Orchestra, led by Simon Rattle, with Korean pianist Cho Seong-jin. Cho, the first Korean to win first prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2015, took the stage with the maestro and orchestra for the audience who filled the 1,335-seat multipurpose LG Signature Hall to perform Ra

Oct. 14, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Sheraton Grand Incheon launches 'Sheraton Pocha' promotion Sheraton Grand Incheon is launching a special promotion with Korean alcoholic beverages at Bb, the hotel's lobby dining bar. Starting Friday, different drink options will be served with various Korean late-night eats, such as savory seafood pancakes and gochujang octopus. Some 28 drink options are available, including traditional Korean cocktails, makgeolli, soju, wine and beer. The promotion runs through Dec. 31 from 6 p.

Oct. 14, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Orphan: First Kill (US)　 Opened Oct. 12 Horror Directed by William Brent Bell A psychopath (Isabelle Fuhrman) hiding an enormous secret successfully escapes from an Estonian psychiatric facility and travels to America by impersonating Esther, the missing daughter of a wealthy family. Esther’s mom (Julia Stiles) becomes suspicious and she fights "Esther" to protect her family. Life is Beautiful (Korea) Opened Sept. 28 Drama Directed by Choi Kook-hee Housewife Se-yeon (Yum Jung-a

Oct. 14, 2022

Seoul opens space dedicated to K-pop dance covers

Dance cover videos, created by fans to imitate idols’ moves on stage and in music videos, have been an essential part of global K-pop fandom culture. On platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, one can easily find short clips where amateur dancers from both here and abroad replicate the choreography with incredible attention to details. These videos are often shot in places such as on the street or in a public park. Recently, one particular locale in Seoul has risen a

Oct. 14, 2022

Mosu, Gaon achieve three Michelin stars

Korean restaurant Gaon by chef Kim Byoung-jin, kept its three Michelin stars, the highest accolade by Michelin, while restaurant Mosu by chef Anh Sung joined the prestigious three-star list this year. The announcements were made as part of the release of Michelin Guide Seoul’s seventh edition Thursday during a ceremony at the Vista Walkerhill Seoul hotel, in eastern Seoul. "I'm very happy for the chefs of Michelin guide 2023 who are being rewarded for their courage, passion and e

Oct. 13, 2022

Soon Ent gathers content creators for Everland Halloween event

Global multi-channel network Soon Ent held its "World Creators’ Halloween” event with Everland, South Korea’s largest outdoor amusement park, on Saturday. Around 300 content creators, including WonJung and Kazakhstan influencer Homa, who has 48.3 million and 45.2 million followers on TikTok, respectively, were present during the event. During the event, the creative producers created their own content in places like Halloween-themed photo zones and tuned visitors into the

Oct. 12, 2022