Sayuwon, a mountain garden in Daegu, launches 3-day international music festival

Sayuwon, a sprawling mountain garden in Gunwi, Daegu, is known for its centuries-old trees, contemporary architecture and meticulously designed landscapes. Starting Friday, it will host the inaugural SAYA International Music Festival for three days. Spanning approximately 495,000 square meters along the foothills of Palgongsan, the garden features 108 quince trees with an average age of more than 300 years, alongside architectural structures designed by Korean and international architects. In re

2026-09-18 11:25:54:00

Seoul Arts Center to launch new orchestra, Chang Han-na makes surprise announcement

Seoul Arts Center will launch a new orchestra next year as part of a broader strategy to strengthen South Korea’s classical music ecosystem, President and CEO Chang Han-na announced in an interview with MBC on Wednesday. Chang, the institution’s first president from an artistic background and its youngest leader, said the orchestra would be established with newly secured government funding. Its name has not yet been disclosed. “We have many outstanding musicians and talents in Korea,” Chang said

2026-09-17 14:38:48:00

[Herald Design Lounge 2026] For typographer Yu Jiwon, AI has one job: proofreading

For typographer Yu Jiwon, artificial intelligence gets exactly one job: proofreading. She keeps it away from everything else — how a project takes shape, what problem it's solving, the judgment calls she believes should remain human. She'll defend that boundary alongside Grammy-winning designer Stefan Sagmeister at Herald Design Lounge 2026 on Oct. 2, in a discussion on where design is headed in the age of AI. Yu is the director of the Institute of Typography & Culture, a writer, typography rese

2026-09-16 16:26:43:00

SPAF brings global and experimental works to Seoul this fall

The 26th Seoul International Performing Arts Festival will bring a wide range of work to Seoul stages this fall: a Han Kang novel adapted for the stage fresh off its Avignon premiere, a documentary-style piece built around the testimony of one of Korea's first openly transgender performers, and an inclusive ballet grown out of community workshops, organizers said at a press conference Tuesday. The 26th edition of the Seoul Performing Arts Festival, or SPAF, runs from Oct. 8 to 25 at major perfor

2026-09-15 17:54:42:00

What survives when ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ crosses cultures and language?

There are some inevitable hurdles to bringing the Broadway musical "Hell's Kitchen" to the Seoul stage as a Korean-language production. Rooted in Alicia Keys’ music and her semi-autobiographical story of growing up in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, the musical arrived in Seoul just two years after its Broadway opening as its first non-English-language licensed production. The Korean production, which opened July 24 at the GS Arts Center, offers an early test of what happens when a story so rooted in

2026-09-11 18:55:42:00

Kim Soo-ha had to unlearn musical theater for ‘Hell’s Kitchen’

Kim Soo-ha has spent more than a decade in musicals, from London to Seoul, appearing in productions such as “Rent,” “Hadestown” and “Aida.” In 2015, she became the first female Korean actor to make her West End debut, joining the ensemble and serving as a cover for Kim in “Miss Saigon.” Yet nothing in her career prepared her to sing and dance like Ali, the teenage lead she plays in the Korean premiere of “Hell’s Kitchen.” "Hell's Kitchen," a musical created by Alicia Keys based on her teenage ye

2026-09-09 15:06:03:00

After nine orchestra visits, this year winds down

Twice within five days this November, Korean audiences will hear Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" -- first from Simon Rattle and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, then from Teodor Currentzis and his Utopia Orchestra, in interpretations built on almost opposite philosophies. Mahler follows just as tightly: Rattle closes his two-night stand with Symphony No. 2, and Currentzis folds Symphony No. 1 into those same Nov. 17-18 concerts. It's the starkest overlap in a fall season that packs nine

2026-09-08 13:57:53:00

Nolan's 'The Odyssey' crosses 10 million admissions in Korea

Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" surpassed 10 million admissions in South Korea on Sunday, distributor Universal Pictures said, becoming the year's second release to reach the milestone. The film crossed the mark around 4 p.m. Sunday, 33 days after its Aug. 5 opening, hitting a milestone long regarded as a benchmark for blockbuster success in the country. "The Odyssey" is the second 2026 release to top 10 million admissions, after director Jang Hang-jun's "The King's Warden." It is the 10th for

2026-09-06 17:48:21:00

From tourists to temporary locals: Busan bets on longer stays for K-culture fans

A new program in Busan is inviting foreign visitors to experience Korea beyond sightseeing, pairing Korean language lessons with K-culture workshops and local tours during a five-day stay. K-Bridge International will run the program, called K-Culture Experience Village, at Busan Arpina in Haeundae-gu. Two five sessions are planned: Oct. 19-23 for 50 participants and Nov. 16-20 for 60, each backed by the Korea Tourism Organization and Busan Metropolitan City. The four-night, five-day program cost

2026-09-06 17:37:04:00

Tourist complaints in S. Korea hit record high in just 7 months

Complaints from tourists visiting South Korea have already hit an all-time high, just seven months into the year, with reckless taxi driving, poor accommodation and overcharging at stores the top gripes. From January to July, 1,753 tourism complaints were filed nationwide, already surpassing the 1,744 logged for all of 2025, the Korea Tourism Organization said, citing figures released Sunday from its Korea Tourism Data Lab. The figures are compiled from reports submitted through the Tourist Comp

2026-09-06 11:59:32:00