[Herald Interview] Shin Hae-sun’s first thriller leading role is ‘ordinary’

According to Shin Hae-sun, the heroine of the 2020 hit drama “Mr. Queen” and the 2023 drama series “See You in My 19th Life,” her first-ever mystery thriller leading role in “Don’t Buy the Seller” was the most “ordinary” role she has ever played. “Soo-hyun is a character without any superpowers, a character that is colorless and odorless compared to the characters I played previously,” Shin told the Korea Herald in an interview in

FilmAug. 23, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim So-hyang has no room for regrets

For Kim So-hyang, the title role in the musical "Frida," was easy to resonate with. Compared to other roles that shaped her career like Marie Antoinette or Marie Curie, it was easy to find aspects of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo she could identify with. “I would say the roles of Marie Antoinette and Marie Qurie were more challenging for me, as I tried to seek common aspects with the characters,” Kim told reporters during an interview on Tuesday. “To embody Marie Antoin

PerformanceAug. 23, 2023

[Herald Interview] New Kazakh envoy to Korea hopes to boost C5+Korea

Kazakhstan's new ambassador to Korea, Nurgali Arystanov, hopes to boost the C5+Korea, a diplomatic channel that engages Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan governments with Korea. Speaking to The Korea Herald, Arystanov outlined his vision to elevate C5+Korea and touched on past success stories. Arystanov hopes to realize bilateral goals through existing mechanisms such as the intergovernmental commission, regular bilateral visits, business forums and roundtable

Foreign AffairsAug. 22, 2023

[Herald Interview] Lee Jung-ha on playing his favorite webtoon character in ‘Moving’

With an unexpectedly low voice and tranquil demeanor, any trace of Kim Bong-seok -- a schoolboy character from the webtoon "Moving" -- was long gone from 25-year-old actor Lee Jung-ha. At the mention of the webtoon, however, Lee's voice reached a higher pitch, revealing his excitement over the Disney+ action fantasy series. “I was a long-time fan of webtoon creator Kang Full. It might sound like a lie, but 'Moving' was my favorite webtoon among his projects and Bon

TelevisionAug. 22, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim Nam-gil says working with director Jung Woo-sung ‘not an easy choice’

Actor Kim Nam-gil, who stars in actor Jung Woo-sung’s directorial debut film, “A Man of Reason,” said working with Jung was not “an easy choice,” despite his close friendship with one of the country’s top actors. "To be honest, I had decided to avoid doing projects with actors-turned-directors because they know acting too well and there is no way for me to escape. Jung knows about acting very well and has accumulated expertise in working with actors. That

FilmAug. 18, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'Come, see and listen': Choi Jae-rim invites audiences to his 'Phantom of the Opera'

“Listen” is the request that comes into his mind when he appears on the stage to sing his first song for “The Phantom of the Opera” as the Phantom. “The number is a song for Christine, so I’m asking her to listen,” he explained. But this request to others to get ready and "listen" also shows the 38-year-old actor's confidence, which is well-founded. Choi joined “The Phantom of the Opera” in Seoul, which began on July 14 after t

CultureAug. 18, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'Yojaya Yojaya,' Ahn Eun-me's ode to 'modern girls'

A group of 12 dancers dressed in white jeogori, or the upper piece of a hanbok, paired with black skirts move tirelessly through the practice room. The sound of gunshots can be heard as dancers mimic shooting using long plastic pipes. When the music quiets down, the dancers cast off their jeogori and put on vibrant red, yellow, green and blue skirts. Through a sequence of choreographed movements, they eventually discard the skirts as well, tossing them high into the air. The dancers then move gr

PerformanceAug. 17, 2023

[Herald Interview] Lucy aims to expand reach with pop-rock music

The band Lucy never grows tired of being experimental when it comes to their music. Even their debut in 2019 was sensational as they blended violin sounds with pop rock. “There was a lot of trial and error in the beginning. We had to come up with a way to harmonize the sound of a guitar and a violin. These two instruments have similar sounds but are difficult to mix up. After various attempts, we figured out that the order of tuning the sounds of these instruments is the key. We started to

K-popAug. 17, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim Jun-han finds acting success in synergy of life and script

Kim Jun-han, who began his acting career in 2012 in indie films, really began to draw attention in “Anarchist From Colony” in 2017. Since then, he has appeared in various hit series, such as “Hospital Playlist” and “Anna,” as well films “The King’s Letters” (2019) and “Beasts Clawing at Straws” (2020). It was the 2020 film that convinced Jung Woo-sung that Kim should star in his directorial debut, “A Man of Reason.” &l

FilmAug. 16, 2023

[Herald Interview] Bek Hyun-jin defies definition

Bek Hyun-jin's authentic portrayals of a villainous CEO in "Taxi Driver" and an oppressive executive in the film "Samjin Company English Class" might have cemented his position as a supporting actor specializing in antagonistic characters. But Bek's identity extends far beyond these roles. In his own words, he describes himself as "a single guy born in 1972 living in Yeonnam-dong," a locale renowned for its indie bands and thriving nightlife. As for his pr

CultureAug. 16, 2023

[Herald Interview] Jung Woo-sung finds directorial identity with ‘A Man of Reason’

Veteran actor Jung Woo-sung’s first project as director was a journey in search of his identity as a director, the actor-turned-director told The Korea Herald in an interview on Thursday. “After the press screening, many told me that ‘A Man of Reason’ is very Jung Woo-sung-like. But I never reminded myself to make a movie that’s like me during the shooting. It was rather a process of finding out what being myself means both as a director and an actor, which I really

FilmAug. 13, 2023

[Herald Interview] Yoo Hae-jin calls ‘Honey Sweet’ an adult version of ‘The Cloudburst’

Actor Yoo Hae-jin, who took his first-ever romantic comedy lead in “Honey Sweet,” a delightful rom-com that tells the love story of a couple in midlife, called his film an adult version of Korea’s timeless classic short story “The Cloudburst” (“Sonagi”). “Just like other actors, I prioritize the storyline of the film. I found the screenplay of ‘Honey Sweet’ very entertaining. I got the feeling that the story is like an adult version of

FilmAug. 13, 2023

[Herald Interview] Gugak musicians to revive memories of plaza in 'Gwang Gwang, Goeng Goeng'

What does a plaza or a square mean to you? A simple question yet when posed against the backdrop of Seoul’s iconic Gwanghwamun Square, it takes on a new dimension. This expansive space that stands before the majestic Gyeongbokgung Palace in the heart of the city, resonates with a tapestry of history, both past and ongoing. Exploring the theme of "gwangjang," plaza or square in Korean, “Gwang Gwang, Goeng Goeng,” one of the 12 productions presented by the Sejong Center

PerformanceAug. 11, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘Empowering women goes beyond representation’

Achieving diversity and inclusion within a company goes beyond merely increasing the quantity and presence of female employees, said Tanuj Kapilashrami, the head of human resources at Standard Chartered Bank. In a country that often ranks near the bottom of global gender equality indices, SC Bank Korea has achieved approximately 30 percent representation of senior female leaders. “In Korea, we've made great progress. I'm incredibly proud of the fact that 30 percent of our senio

IndustryAug. 10, 2023

[Herald Interview] Hospitals need to turn to sustainable future

Hospitals should not just be institutions treating people, but also important members of the community committed to building a sustainable future, the director of Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital said. “Domestic medical institutions are not very interested in ESG management yet. However, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital has decided to take the lead in ESG management,” Yoo Jae-doo told The Korea Herald. The hospital aims to minimize emissions during treatment, have a saf

Social AffairsAug. 10, 2023

[Herald Interview] Director Um Tae-hwa explores Koreans' ‘love and hate’ of apartments in ‘Concrete Utopia’

Director Um Tae-hwa, who has returned with dystopian thriller “Concrete Utopia” seven years after “Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned,” which led to him receiving the best new director award at Korea's Grand Bell Awards that year, has delved into Koreans' “love and hate” of apartments in this new film. “The reason I was focused on the apartment was that because I was also born and raised in that space. As I delved into what 'apartment'

FilmAug. 9, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘D.P. 2’ had to complete unfinished story: Jung Hae-in, Han Jun-hee

Hoping to live up to the viewers’ love for the first season of “D.P.” and high expectations for the next installment, director Han Jun-hee decided at the end of 2021 to return with a second season. The director had never expected to make a second season while shooting the original series, which was released in August 2021. And the unplanned season 2 made Han think hard about the story he wished to share with the audience in “D.P. 2.” “I needed to know why I wo

TelevisionAug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] Actor Ju Ji-hoon couldn’t ask for more working with favorite team in ‘Ransomed’

For Ju Ji-hoon, his latest action comedy, “Ransomed,” means something different compared to his previous works because it was a project with two of his favorite colleagues, director Kim Seong-hun and actor Ha Jung-woo. Ju and Kim have worked together on the global hit Netflix series “Kingdom” and with Ha on another megahit film, “Along with the Gods.” “For the first time in my acting career, I decided to star in ‘Ransomed’ without even readin

FilmAug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] What becomes of ‘Privacy’ under constant surveillance

Indian film star Rajshri Deshpande had a rough time getting to Korea for the world premiere of “Privacy” at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival earlier this summer. “It was chaos,” she said. Her flight from Delhi had been delayed six hours, meaning she would land at Incheon Airport just as she should be at the festival’s opening ceremony. The film’s director, Sudeep Kanwal, was doing everything he could. “I was holding ground,” he sai

FilmAug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] Singaporean chef cooks up Japanese European cuisine with Korean flair

Popular chefs today often venture beyond their home turf, organizing pop-ups and tasting events in foreign cities to connect with new diners and seek future business opportunities. However, Singaporean chef Javier Low, 31, is taking a boldly different approach Javier arrived in Seoul on Sunday with a team of five from his restaurant Iru Den, known for its exquisite modern Japanese French cuisine. Javier's primary motive for the trip was to connect with Korean diners and learn from their fee

FoodAug. 5, 2023