[Herald Interview] Jung Sung-hwa on challenge of playing Quasimodo

Jung Sung-hwa, a comedian-turned-musical actor, has been synonymous with the character of Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun in the hit musical “Hero,” which was also adapted into a film in 2022. He is also remembered by many for memorable roles like Jean Valjean in the musical “Les Miserable” or Daniel Hillard in “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Taking the role of Quasimodo in “Notre-Dame de Paris,” the 20-year veteran of musicals hopes people can forget

CultureMarch 13, 2024

[Herald Interview] Med school expansion won’t solve health care shortage: WMA president

The South Korean government’s decision to add 2,000 new spots in medical school admissions is not a solution to alleviate the immediate needs of medically underserved or specialty areas, according to Dr. Lujain Al-Qodmani, the president of the World Medical Association. In an exclusive written interview with The Korea Herald, the WMA head said the government’s decision overlooked the complexities of medical education and health care delivery and risks unintended consequences. Al-Qodm

Social AffairsMarch 12, 2024

[Herald Interview] Indiana looks to expand Korean ties in chips, AI

The state of Indiana has risen as one of the hottest investment destinations in the US for South Korean companies as of late, with Samsung SDI leading the pack by committing billions of dollars for joint battery plants there. Indiana is now hoping to expand the scope of collaboration with Korean players in the sectors of semiconductors and artificial intelligence. “There’s a lot of alignment when we talk about semiconductors. Purdue University was one of the first universities to hav

IndustryMarch 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] Pianist Lang Lang celebrates French music, female composers in latest album

In bringing to life a long-envisioned French project, celebrated pianist Lang Lang stumbled upon a wealth of intriguing discoveries, spanning from the works of five female French composers to even the world of Taekwondo, a Korean martial art. He said he wanted to do a French project for a long time, but it wasn't until he encountered Saint-Saens' Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22, “which is underrated despite its excellence,” that he decided to mak

CultureMarch 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] Crypto.com eyes expansion into Korea

Cryptocurrency exchange operator Crypto.com hopes to expand its footing here by launching an exchange app for Korea in the first half of this year, said Eric Anziani, president and chief operating officer at the Singapore-based crypto trading platform. After more than two and a half years of working to build a foundation in Korea, Crypto.com is ready for full competition on the market. The company operates in 90 countries around the world and has more than 80 million global users. “We are

IndustryMarch 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] Factorial Energy, Hyundai Motor step forward in EV battery development

Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s third-largest carmaker, is getting closer to testing the production of electric vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries in collaboration with Factorial Energy, a US-based solid-state battery developer. Factorial Energy announced in October last year that it delivered the first A-samples of its 100+ amp-hours Factorial Electrolyte System Technology solid-state battery cells to one of its auto partners without disclosing the name of the original equipmen

MobilityMarch 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] Song Joong-ki crafts his own kind of North Korean defector in 'My Name is Loh Kiwan'

Song Joong-ki, whose Netflix original film "My Name is Loh Kiwan” ranked 3rd on Netflix's non-English chart this week, said he was hesitant to play the character of North Korean defector Loh Ki-wan when he first received the script for the movie seven years ago. “I initially turned down the offer to play Loh Ki-wan seven years ago, because Ki-wan and Marie’s love affair didn't resonate with me. I told the production company that I didn’t think it was right

FilmMarch 8, 2024

[Herald Interview] Yoon Hankyeol aims to be validated by fellow conductors

After winning the Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award at the Salzburger Festspiele in Salzburg, Austria in August 2023, conductor Yoon Hankyeol said he felt a sense of relief that he no longer needed to participate in such competitions. “Fortunately, it wasn’t the case for the Karajan competition, but more often than not, there are occasions where the performance is influenced by the judges, audience members, or those present in the room, rather than fully showcasing oneself,&

CultureMarch 7, 2024

[Herald Interview] Director Celine Song, actor Yoo Teo say ‘Past Lives’ was ‘inyeon’ for them

Korean Canadian director and playwright Celine Song’s directorial debut, “Past Lives,” is finally opening in Seoul, after winning 75 awards and over 200 nominations at film festivals around the world. “I honestly cannot predict how the Korean audience will react to my movie. While ‘inyeon’ is an unusual concept abroad, the term is used in daily life here in Korea. I just hope the Korean audience will enjoy the movie with an open mind,” director Song told

FilmMarch 6, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'K-occult master' Jang Jae-hyun explores 'invisible' concepts in 'Exhuma'

Director of "Exhuma," a supernatural mystery thriller that became the quickest film to attract 1 million theater-goers so far this year, aimed to discuss "invisible" concepts through the movie, such as religion and belief, at a time when addressing such topics is increasingly shunned. "While engaging in society, there was nowhere else but the church to discuss intangible concepts like love, loyalty and righteousness," said Jang, during an interview held with reporte

FilmMarch 4, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Mary & George' will resonate with global audience: actors

Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine and Tony Curran said their latest period drama "Mary & George" will connect with global audiences by exploring social constraints and the theme of human greed in 17th-century England. The 7-part historical drama series narrates the story of Mary Villiers, an ambitious, minor member of the gentry who is determined to rise to power by grooming her second son George Villiers to become the favorite of King James I. Set during the Jacobean era in Engla

TelevisionMarch 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Rival heir to Kim Ju-ae unlikely to appear: unification minister

Another heir emerging for North Korea besides Kim Jong-un's publicly promoted preteen daughter Ju-ae is unlikely because it would spark confusion within the isolated totalitarian society, according to South Korea's unification minister. During an exclusive 90-minute interview with The Korea Herald on Feb. 23, Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho underscored the "considerable internal instability" brewing within North Korea, a situation catalyzing the early debut of Ju-ae as candi

North KoreaFeb. 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Heading toward 20th anniversary, Novus String Quartet continues to stay current

Nine years ago this month, the Novus String Quartet was featured in The Korea Herald’s “Up and Coming” series. Nearly a decade later, they continue to evolve. “At that time, we were just making the transition from the mixed life of a student and a performer into a professional performer. Now we are professional performers who also pursue teaching careers,” violinist Kim Jae-young, the leader of the quartet, told The Korea Herald during an interview on Monday. Kim an

CultureFeb. 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Go-eun aimed to perfect portrayal of Korean shamans in 'Exhuma'

South Korean actor Kim Go-eun said she aimed to perfect her performance of a Korean traditional shaman in "Exhuma," an occult flick directed by Jang Jae-hyun. Jang popularized the occult genre in Korea with hit occult mystery movies such as "The Priest" and "Svaha: The Sixth Finger." "Exhuma" unfolds as a group of exorcists, an undertaker and a feng shui specialist relocate a tomb. In the movie, Kim plays the role of Hwa-rim, a young shaman who is assign

FilmFeb. 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] Choi Min-sik brings to fore charisma of shamanistic practitioners in 'Exhuma'

A veteran actor with 35 years of experience in films and TV, Choi Min-sik sought to bring to the screen the charisma of Korean practitioners of shamanistic beliefs such as geomancers, to push people to think about how our perceptions of land impact society, in "Exhuma," his first occult film. Directed by the master of K-occult, Jang Jae-hyun, "Exhuma" follows the story of a feng-shui expert, an undertaker and two shaman exorcists who try to find a new resting place for a dece

FilmFeb. 26, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Salome' director Kim Si-hwa adds bold twist to changgeuk with all-male act

It might have been her directional debut in changgeuk, but former choreographer Kim Si-hwa was prepared to push the boundaries with "Salome." In an interview with The Korea Herald, last week, Kim said she was aiming for a groundbreaking traditional performance. She had thought of an all-male changgeuk for a while, believing it could be appealing to the audience. Changgeuk derives from pansori, a traditional narrative singing form involving a solo singer and a percussionist that is regi

PerformanceFeb. 25, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Bum-soo marks 25 years in music with new album 'Journey'

Singer Kim Bum-soo has returned with his 9th full-length studio album, "Journey," celebrating his 25th year as a singer. Although the recent landscape of the entertainment industry calls for versatility and multifaceted identities, the singer believes in dedicating himself to the role of vocalist and preserving his values as a singer. Unlike in previous albums in which Kim prioritized the singing ability, high notes and technique, Kim said that his new album is "minimal and poetic

PerformanceFeb. 22, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Ji-eun dedicates 'Dear Collector' to friends, art lovers

It is art that "collects people," rather than people who collect art, says Kim Ji-eun, who holds the belief that people are connected through sharing art and their personal tastes. It took almost four years for the former anchorperson to release her 549-page book, “Dear Collector,” as her idea for the project first arose during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that period of unprecedented isolation, Kim sought to make connections with other people, she reca

Arts & DesignFeb. 20, 2024

[Herald Interview] Moonbyul of Mamamoo pursues diversity releasing LP in time for 10th anniversary

Moonbyul of K-pop girl group Mamamoo always tries to step outside of her comfort zone to develop into a better artist. “I am fortunate to have established a character in the entertainment industry as a singer who has been active for 10 years. But to become a better artist, I hope to go beyond my limits,” said Moonbyul in a group interview in Seoul on Wednesday. That involves continuously working on enhancing her vocal and dancing skills despite being a rapper by receiving lessons. &l

K-popFeb. 20, 2024

[Herald Interview] Theater Ganda marks 20th Anniversary with yearlong parade of original productions

In Korean, the word "ganda" means "to go." Yet, the name of this 20-year-old South Korean theater troupe also carries a dual meaning, signifying its commitment to creating compact ("gan" in Hanja) and diverse ("da" in Hanja) performances. Theatre Ganda is set to showcase a series of the company's most notable works, one after another, until early 2025, in a rare and precious moment for a theater group as it marks its 20th anniversary with a parade of

PerformanceFeb. 19, 2024