[Herald Interview] Kim Woo-bin grew to appreciate ‘unseen’ heroes with ‘Officer Black Belt’

Through Netflix action comedy “Officer Black Belt,” Kim Woo-bin said he became appreciative of the “unseen” heroes ensuring people’s safety every day. In this coming-of-age film, Kim plays Jung-do, a young man gradually exposed to the world of martial arts officers and probation officers. He accidently bumps into a probation officer chasing after a criminal wearing an ankle monitor on the run. Before shooting began, Kim said he had no idea what the job was about. Bu

FilmSept. 20, 2024

[Herald Interview] Violinist Kavakos on masterful pairing of Bach and Shostakovich for 2025 Classic Revolution

Greek Violinist Leonidas Kavakos, who performed with the KBS Symphony Orchestra earlier this month as part of the annual Classic Revolution, is set to return to Korea next year. When he returns, it will be as the new artistic director of the classical music festival organized by the Lotte Foundation for Arts. For next year, the violinist, who is also pursuing a career as a conductor, said that he will focus the music of Bach and Shostakovich. He explained that the inspiration for the 2025 pr

CultureSept. 19, 2024

[Herald Interview] Director Yossef K. Junghan brings audience into theater experience with improvisation

When a rocket scientist with obsessive-compulsive disorder meets a woman grieving the loss of her father, their unexpected encounter blossoms into sympathy, love and shared healing as they navigate their traumas. At the heart of their journey is dance, which becomes a powerful catalyst for their connection. The two-person romantic comedy play, “Rendezvous,” written and directed by South Korean director Yossef K. Junghan, kicked off in August at the LG Arts Center in Seoul. Kim first

PerformanceSept. 17, 2024

[Herald Interview] GPE Deputy CEO urges global support for better education

Funding education is crucial in developing countries, particularly for those vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change. According to Charles North, Deputy CEO of the Global Partnership for Education, a World Bank-supported initiative focused on enhancing education in low-income nations, investing in education not only builds a future workforce but also strengthens communities' resilience and ability to recover and progress in the face of adversity, as evidenced by the experience

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] Amit Ulman’s ‘The City’ turns cult theater play into hip-hop-inspired film noir

JECHEON, North Chungcheong Province – In Amit Ulman’s “The City,” a cynical detective named Joe is visited by mysterious nightclub singer Sarah on a stormy night. Following her request to help investigate her sister’s disappearance, Joe navigates complicated and suspicious circumstances with gangs, killers and corrupt police -- as well as Sarah. While the 81-minute movie sticks to a typical film noir formula popular in the 1940s and '50s, a stylish crime flick

FilmSept. 9, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Myung-min takes cue from 'The Godfather' for 'Your Honor'

Veteran actor Kim Myung-min said he drew inspiration from the iconic American gangster film "The Godfather" while portraying the crime lord in the hit series "Your Honor." "Your Honor," an adaptation of the Israeli series "Kvodo," follows Judge Pan-ho (played by Son Hyun-joo), who seeks to cover up a murder committed by his son, and Gang-heon (played by Kim), a merciless crime lord who is determined to uncover the truth behind his son's murder. The se

TelevisionSept. 9, 2024

[Herald Interview] LG's Kate Oh's perseverance pays off with digital canvas

It takes time when you are striving to change people’s long-standing perceptions. Kate Oh, vice president of the Brand Communication Division at LG Home Entertainment Company, is starting to see progress after years of trying to redefine art with OLED TVs. LG OLED has collaborated with over 30 globally established artists since 2021, including Anish Kapoor, Barry X Ball, Damien Hirst, Sir John Akomfrah, Kevin McCoy, Kim Whan-ki and Suh Se-ok. LG OLED joined Frieze Seoul as the official hea

Arts & DesignSept. 5, 2024

[Herald Interview] Younha delivers hope to people facing new journey

Singer-songwriter Younha returned with a fairytale of comfort and encouragement. Celebrating her 20th debut anniversary this year, Younha embarked on a journey to Australia after the success of her 6th album’s main track, “Event Horizon.” While contemplating the next album, she encountered mangrove trees standing resiliently on a coastline, enduring the salty seawater. It was the moment that sparked the concept for her next album. “My agency suggested exploring stories ab

K-popSept. 5, 2024

[Herald Interview] Yerin returns as healing magician

Yerin is making a return as a soloist with vibrant energy. For her third solo mini album, the singer has embraced the concept of a magician who heals people’s wounds and brings happiness. Yerin shared her thoughts from the early stage of album planning. “Listening to the lyrics of the songs on this album, you'll notice that the tracks are arranged in a way that takes you on a journey — from a resolve to heal someone to the path toward happiness," said Yerin. Upon rece

K-popSept. 4, 2024

[Herald Interview] Classic Revolution with flair

For the upcoming Classic Revolution musical festival, five conductors will showcase the distinctive strengths and styles of their orchestras, including the KBS Symphony Orchestra, Incheon Philharmonic, Suwon Philharmonic and Gyeonggi Philharmonic. The festival, organized by the Lotte Foundation for Arts, has shifted its schedule from mid-summer to take place from Saturday to Wednesday this year. In line with this change, the festival's focus has shifted from individual composers to high

CultureSept. 4, 2024

[Herald Interview] An unwanted guest, chaos and solace in 'The Frog'

The director of Netflix's original thriller "The Frog" said he aimed to offer solace to viewers by sharing the stories of those who encounter sudden calamities and suffer deep isolation, their plight ignored by those around them. "The Frog" is an 8-part mystery thriller centered on Young-ha (Kim Yun-seok), who operates a pension in the woods. Seeking a quiet life away from the world, Young-ha's peace is shattered by the arrival of a mysterious guest, Sung-ah (Go Min

TelevisionSept. 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] Onew of SHINee steps outside comfort zone

For Onew, who debuted as a member of the legendary K-pop boy group SHINee in 2008 at 18, buying tickets for public transportation while on a trip was something he had never done by himself until recently. “I’ve never traveled by myself before visiting Vienna a few months ago. It was the first time that I made reservations for accommodations and bought train tickets by myself. That’s when it hit me that I was just a frog in the well knowing nothing of the ocean. I wanted to expl

K-popSept. 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] Abel Quartet to thrill with complete cycle of Mendelssohn string quartets

The Abel Quartet, like many musicians around the world, faced a pivotal moment at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The members, who were based in Vienna, Austria, returned to their home country, South Korea, for a performance, only to find themselves unable to go back to Vienna due to the lockdown there. The quartet found itself in a unique position: the small ensemble was just the right size to take to the stage at a time when many orchestral performances were canceled and many quartets had

CultureSept. 2, 2024

[Herald Interview] Paraguay eyes nuclear power for future energy: minister

Paraguay is committed to diversifying energy and one sector that the country is looking into in the near future is nuclear energy, said Javier Gimenez, Paraguay's minister of industry and commerce, in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul, stressing that the Latin American country is seeking investments from South Korean companies in its energy sector. “Korea is a specialist in nuclear energy,” said Gimenez, pointing to nuclear energy as a promising area for South Korea th

Foreign AffairsAug. 30, 2024

[Herald Interview] Hanna Kiel's 'BODY' to explore chaotic harmony in cross-cultural dance collaboration at SIDance

When choreographer Hanna Kiel begins her creative process, she doesn’t hand out steps or sequences to her dancers. Instead, she assigns tasks. The dancers interpret these assignments through movement, and then Kiel guides and shapes the final choreography. For example, she might ask the dancers to describe their most physically or mentally challenging experiences. One dancer might express the agony and frustration of rehabilitating from a back injury, while another might channel the franti

PerformanceAug. 30, 2024

[Herald Interview] Hwaseong, Korea's newest special city, aims to become sustainable metropolitan hub

As Hwaseong Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun reaches the midpoint of his term, he reflects on both the progress he has made and his ambitious plans for the city's future. "On Jan. 1, 2025, Hwaseong is set to debut as South Korea's fifth special city officially, ‘Hwaseong Special City,’" Jeong told The Korea Herald. "We are fully preparing to make it more livable, work-friendly, and enjoyable." Achieving special city status requires surpassing a population of 1 mi

Social AffairsAug. 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha talk about what ‘Pachinko’ means to them

Apple TV+’s Korean original series “Pachinko” aired its first episode of season two on Aug. 23. The show’s main protagonists Lee Min-ho and Kim Min-ha, who played a fish broker tied to Yakuza Hansu and a sturdy, hard-working young woman from a small town Sunja, respectively, said they assimilated to their characters. The second season of the period drama chronicles the life of a Korean family spanning four generations, who moved to Japan in the early 1900s. Over the eight

TelevisionAug. 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Korean art history on view at Venice

Marking the 30th anniversary of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the history of the pavilion is being presented at Palazzo Malta-Ordine di Malta, a few minutes walk from the Giardini Garden, one of the main venues of the Venice Biennale. Entitled “Every Island is a Mountain,” the exhibition at Palazzo Malta-Ordine di Malta brings together 36 artists who have participated in the prestigious biennale over the last three decades, as well as archival material on the Korean Pav

Arts & DesignAug. 26, 2024

[Herald Interview] ‘Korea needs more disabled in Cabinet posts’

While South Korea’s infrastructure for people with disabilities has significantly improved in the past decades, the government still needs to appoint more of them to key posts in the administration, a former member of the US National Council on Disability said. Pak Dong-woo, known to people around him as Joe Pak, who served as the first Korean American member of the NCD under US President Barack Obama's administration from 2009 to 2013, highlighted the importance of such inclusivity w

PoliticsAug. 26, 2024

[Herald Interview] YouTube star seeks reach in creator economy

For Ddoddunam, a creator who runs an eponymous YouTube channel, his first career in marketing was something he entered by accident, but which, in hindsight, readied him for a more fulfilling life as a creator. “I never thought I would end up as a marketer in the credit card business, fresh out of college. I was thinking more retail,” said the video creator, who shares travel tips with about 512,000 subscribers on his channel. The 37-year-old quit Shinhan Card in April after nine year

PeopleAug. 26, 2024