When this cellist's hand stopped working, he picked up a baton instead

In 2008, a year after earning his master's degree at Juilliard, cellist Earl Lee found he could no longer play a C major scale. Focal dystonia, a neurological disorder that causes involuntary muscle contractions, took control of his left hand and brought his career as a cellist to an abrupt end. Fourteen years later, in July 2022, the 42-year-old Korean Canadian became the music director of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra in Michigan. Last month, the orchestra announced it would extend his cont

2026-10-06 14:38:42:00

Culture minister calls threats against 'The Assassin(s)' cast an attack on democracy

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young on Monday condemned a protest held outside the home of actor Yoo Hae-jin over the historical thriller "The Assassin(s)." He said he had asked police to protect the film's cast and crew and to strictly enforce the law against intimidation. "People are free to judge a film, but threatening the safety of its creators destroys democracy," Chae wrote on social media Monday. His comments came a day after about 50 members of conservative civic groups gathered near a hous

2026-10-05 17:10:48:00

Sayuwon's first music festival opens with moonlight performance of Beethoven's 'Pastoral'

DAEGU — On a Friday evening in September, the Korean National Symphony Orchestra traded the concert hall for a mountaintop in Gunwi County, Daegu. Led by Adrien Perruchon, music director of the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, the orchestra opened Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, the "Pastoral," as a half-moon hung to the audience's left. When the music softened, the sound of insects and rustling leaves drifted in from the surrounding hills. Yet the orchestra itself sounded clear and focused, rare for

2026-10-03 16:00:00:00

Ven. Jinwoo calls for Korean Buddhism to ‘enter into suffering of the world’

The Ven. Jinwoo, head of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, called Thursday for a Buddhism that moves beyond the temple walls and “enters into the suffering of the world” as he began his second four-year term. “Now, Korean Buddhism must become a Buddhism that does not remain within the temple gates, but enters into the suffering of the world, brings peace to people’s hearts, reaches out first to those in need and offers humanity a new path toward spiritual civilization,” Jinwoo said at his inau

2026-10-01 18:09:18:00

Black creators in Korea are finding one another — and a wider audience

On Sept. 20, about 25 working and aspiring Black creatives — actors, writers, models, music producers, photographers, designers and dancers — gathered at a cafe in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, to talk about the pursuit of creative work in Korea. The gathering had one purpose: to bring together Black people working in, or hoping to enter, Korea's creative industries. It also reflected a broader shift among foreign residents in Korea, with communities increasingly forming not only around nationality or

2026-09-29 18:11:28:00

Korea welcomes 15 million foreign visitors, but tourism deficit returns

Korea welcomed more than 15 million foreign nationals in the first eight months of this year, reaching the milestone about two months earlier than last year. But the country’s tourism balance swung back into the red in July as Koreans spent more during overseas trips, ending a rare four-month run of surpluses. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday, 15.05 million foreign nationals — including tourists, workers and residents — entered the country between January and Au

2026-09-28 14:14:30:00

Koo Jaha accepts Ibsen Award, the first Asian and youngest winner

Korean theater-maker Koo Jaha received the International Ibsen Award at the National Theatre in Oslo, Norway, on Saturday. He is the first Asian artist and the youngest person to win what is often regarded as the Nobel Prize of theater. Koo, 42, accepted the award and its 2.5 million Norwegian kroner ($263,000) in prize money from the Norwegian government before an audience of about 700 people. Established in 2007 in honor of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906), the award has been pres

2026-09-27 14:05:42:00

‘You’re not students’: Roberto Abbado urges young conductors to find their own voice

On the final day of a three-day conducting workshop in Seoul, Roberto Abbado had a message for the four young conductors standing before him: Stop thinking of yourselves as students. “I don’t consider you students — you are not students at all,” Abbado told them. “I’m just experience, that’s it.” It was a fitting summary of the approach Abbado, the eighth music director of the Korean National Symphony Orchestra, took at this year’s KNSO Conductor Workshop, held Sept. 14-16. Rather than trying to

2026-09-27 09:48:10:00

Seoul International Music Festival looks beyond the familiar

The Seoul International Music Festival returns this year with a program that seeks musical connections across generations while bringing together leading musicians and overlooked pieces. Running Oct. 8-16 under the theme “Bravo My Life,” the festival will feature the Korean premiere of a work by Polish composer Mieczyslaw Karlowicz (1876-1909), the Korean debut of conductor Krzysztof Urbanski and a recital by 84-year-old Finnish cellist Arto Noras. For artistic director and composer Ryu Jeajoon,

2026-09-24 16:00:00:00

Pianist Lee Jeong-woo wins George Enescu International Competition, takes home 5 special awards

Lee Jeong-woo, an 18-year-old South Korean pianist, won the piano section of the 2026 George Enescu International Competition, the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation announced Sunday. The final of the competition took place Saturday. Lee also received five special awards, including for best interpretation of Enescu’s works and the audience award. Cellist Park Sang-hyeok, 22, another foundation scholar, placed third in the cello section on Sept. 7. Established in 1958, the Enescu Competition

2026-09-20 17:41:20:00