K-Diaspora exhibition offers platform to discuss needs, visions for diasporic solidarity

“Everyone Knows: K-Diaspora Art Exhibition & Panel Talk,” organized by the K-Diaspora Worldwide Network, provided a platform for discussions on Korean culture and the Korean diaspora. Over 200 Korean Americans and local citizens interested in Korean culture gathered at LUME Studio in New York City from July 21-22. The nonprofit organization, K-Diaspora Worldwide Network, is led by five co-representatives: Ko Do-won, Morning Letter Cultural Foundation chair; Kim Jong-ki, Blue Tree

Aug. 3, 2023

Kakao founder Kim Beom-su appointed Korea National Opera board of directors chief

Kim Beom-su, the founder of South Korean internet juggernaut Kakao, will take charge of the sponsorship of performances for the Korea National Opera as the chief of its board of directors for the next three years, according to the Culture Ministry. Kim, who currently serves as the head of Kakao's Future Initiative Center, succeeds Seo Jeong-jin, the founder of biopharmaceutical giant Celltrion, in the non-executive role. This position has previously been held by other prominent corporate

Aug. 2, 2023

EBS doc festival to deliver spirit of the age

The 20th EBS International Documentary Festival will take place from Aug. 21 to 27, introducing 56 documentary films from 35 countries. The annual documentary festival will begin with an opening ceremony at the EBS headquarters in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, which will also be aired on EBS 1TV, the EIDF organizing committee said in a press conference Tuesday. South Korean director Jeong Da-woon’s “Poetry on Land” will open the festival. The documentary revolves around the daily

Aug. 2, 2023

National intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, performances lined up

A series of special events providing opportunities to explore and learn about Korea’s national intangible cultural heritage will take place around the country this month, the National Intangible Heritage Center and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, announced Monday. A total of 15 performances and exhibitions will take place, showcasing original forms of national intangible cultural heritage. Among the highlights is the Korean traditional musical instrument exhibition held at the Nati

Aug. 2, 2023

[Photo News] US couple donates cache of artifacts from Korea

Gary Edward Mintier and Mary Ann Mintier, who worked in Korea with the Peace Corps from 1969 to 1975, have donated 1,516 items, including modern paintings, books and photographs of Korea, to the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation. The couple worked as English teachers in Seoul and Busan during their stay in Korea. The photo above shows the Bosu-dong neighborhood of Busan in 1970. (Yonhap)

July 31, 2023

Exhibition looks at driving forces behind Hallyu

What is Hallyu and when did it begin? Although Korean dramas had been steadily gaining popularity in East Asia in the early 1990s, it was not until Dec. 17, 1998 when the term Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, was coined. On that day, Taiwanese newspaper Lianhe Wanbo ran an article titled “Korean Wave has come,” according to an exhibition at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History. The exhibition, titled “The Pop Culture We Loved and Rise of the Korean Wave,” opene

July 31, 2023

[Subway Stories] Jagalchi Station: Busan's vibrant market hub

Jagalchi Station, on Busan Metro Line No. 1, is where one can find some of the seaside city’s oldest, largest and most famous markets, including the famed Jagalchi Market. As such, the station is always bustling with tourists, all hoping to soak up the authentic Busan atmosphere and try a wide array of delectable seafood dishes and street snacks. The Gukje, Bupyeong and Jagalchi markets -- all located within a few blocks from each other -- are famous for their decades-old stores and busi

July 29, 2023

[Eye Plus] A language of percussion

For Kim Ju-ho, a student of Korean music at Seoul National University, language takes two forms -- one expressed through his vocal cords and the other through kkwaenggwari. “(Kkwaenggwari music) is another language for projecting myself,” Kim said, describing his relationship with the instrument. Kkwaenggwari is a traditional percussion instrument made of brass that is beaten with a wooden mallet. The instrument is known for its distinctive metallic clang that is used to set the rhyt

July 29, 2023

16th-century skirt with golden lion embroidery to be designated National Folklore Cultural Heritage

A Joseon-era skirt embroidered with a pair of golden lions from a 16th-century tomb is set to be designated as a National Folklore Cultural Heritage, along with nine other costume-related artifacts found in the tomb, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday. The relics were excavated from a tomb in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, from 2008 to 2009 during a housing development construction project in the area. The development project included the area of Hwajeob-ri where over 100 tom

July 28, 2023

[Well-curated] Children’s garden, modern art show and water slides at Gwanghwamun

Yongsan Children’s Garden holds exhibition ‘Gentle Light’ Since its opening on May 5, Yongsan Children’s Garden has been holding the exhibition “Gentle Light,” an interactive media art show with lighting installations. Directed and designed by studio Silo Lab, the exhibition aims to display the warmth of the house as a space, reinterpreting the warmness inside home through lights. Some 1,500 tiny, dangling lanterns mimicking traditional Korean windows called &

July 28, 2023

Heritage agency to implement climate crisis management system

In the face of climate change that has led to more frequent and powerful typhoons, extreme rains and termite propagation, the Cultural Heritage Administration has established a comprehensive plan for safeguarding the nation's cultural and natural heritage. The plan, announced Wednesday, aims for a systematic response to the challenges posed by climate change. As of Friday, at least 65 heritage sites were damaged by torrential rains this summer, according to the CHA. Between 2002 and 2021, a

July 26, 2023

South Korean art market more volatile than global market: report

South Korea's art auction market almost halved in the first half of this year, demonstrating greater volatility compared to the global art market, a report from the Korea Art Authentication and Appraisal Research Center showed Monday. The total amount of winning bids at South Korean auction houses Seoul Auction, K-auction and Myart Auction amounted to 61.3 billion won ($47.9 million) in the first half of 2023, a 47 percent decline from the same period of the preceding year, even though th

July 25, 2023

Vice culture minister aims to foster tourism through sports events

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Second Vice Minister Jang Mi-ran expressed her determination to make Korea an appealing destination for foreigners and to create a safer and more enjoyable tourism environment for domestic travelers. Jang, who established herself as one of the world's top female weightlifters, winning four consecutive world titles at the World Weightlifting Championships, also mentioned her hopes to combine her expertise in sports with tourism. During a mee

July 25, 2023

Seoul Summer Beach 2023 water festival kicks off in Gwanghwamun Square

Seoul Summer Beach 2023, part of government-planned water festivals installed throughout Seoul, kicked off Friday in Gwanghwamun Square and run through Aug. 13. The festival features various attractions, including Korea-themed splash pads, a 20-meter-long waterslide, and an air bounce house surrounded by 600 years of history. All attractions are available free of charge. Splash pads will run for 50-minute sessions from 10 a.m. to 9:50 p.m., with 10-minute breaks between each session. The watersl

July 25, 2023

Global meeting on intangible cultural heritage to explore sustainable livelihoods in digital era

A global meeting dedicated to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage will be held at the Westin Josun Seoul in central Seoul, from Tuesday. The two-day event titled, "Unleashing the Power of Living Heritage for Sustainable Development and Peace," jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Culture Heritage Administration, commemorates the 20-year anniversary of the implementation of the UNESCO "Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultur

July 24, 2023

Revamped musical presents challenges faced by Joseon firefighters

"Myeolhwagun," a musical which initially premiered in 2021 about Joseon's first-ever fire service department during King Sejo's reign, has returned with vibrant enhancements. The original 90-minute musical has been transformed into a 135-minute piece. The revamped musical's director Woo Jin-ha emphasized how he delved deeper into detailed depictions of how Joseon firefighters bravely fought to extinguish mass fires at a press conference held at the Uniplex Theater in Jon

July 23, 2023

Series of music, theater festivals to fill the summer

This summer the stage is set for a series of thrilling arts festivals, starting with the Miryang Summer Performing Arts Festival on Friday. As the season unfolds, various other festivals will return every week through the end of August. The 23rd edition of the Miryang Summer Performing Arts Festival will run until July 29 at Miryang Aria and other venues in the small city located in South Gyeongsang Province. The city has a population of about 100,000, but it will temporarily become the nation

July 21, 2023

[Photo News] K-beauty summer sale kicks off

The Korea Summer Beauty Sale, a beauty and cosmetics event designed to attract overseas travelers and showcase the best of Korea's beauty industry, kicked off on July 20. The event continues until Aug. 20 with various promotions and discounts on Korean beauty products as well as hands-on programs.

July 21, 2023

[Well-curated] Stay cool inside with underground art space, trampolines and comics

Explore art and architecture at Songeun Art Space Songeun Art Space is located in a building designed by world-renowned Swiss architecture firm, Herzog & de Meuron, in Cheongdam-dong, an affluent neighborhood in southern Seoul. Opened in 2021, visiting the building that houses Songeun Art and Cultural Foundation offers a chance to check out the architects’ first-ever project in South Korea, as well as an exhibition of an emerging media artist Kwon Hye-won. The geometric 11-story buildi

July 21, 2023

Cartoonists say govt. order for ‘Black Rubber Shoes’ is not enough

A group of comics and cartoon artists raised concerns Thursday over the government’s recent corrective order aimed at handling the “Black Rubber Shoes” incident, saying that it lacks any power to hold the publisher responsible. The Artist Lee Yoo-young Incident Task Force said Thursday through a statement they “welcome the corrective order as it confirms the ‘Black Rubber Shoes’ contract was unfair.” However, the group is worried that the order lacks va

July 20, 2023