Star chef curates fine dining banquet at Sejong Center lobby

The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts is launching Sejong Inspiration, a new program series designed to break away from conventional theater spaces and performance formats. By transcending traditional boundaries of the stage, the initiative seeks to integrate diverse genres and expand the scope of artistic expression. The first event under Sejong Inspiration, Heritage Banquet, celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra — Korea’s first traditional music en

March 31, 2025

Weekly open-air market with live music at Namsan

Themed markets at National Theater of Korea in April, May The National Theater of Korea will be hosting its outdoor cultural festival, “Art in Series,” every Saturday from April 5 to May 24 at the plaza in front of Haeoreum Grand Theater, at the foot of Seoul's Namsan. This year's edition of the weekly festival will feature an open-air market with a different theme each week — crafts, flowers, seasonal produce and coffee — while live music adds to the festival's vibrant atmosphere. The festival

March 30, 2025

Interview: Astrid Lindgren nominee Ko Jung-wook pioneers disability representation in children’s literature

Last fall was a surreal time for children's book author Ko Jung-wook. Amid the whirlwind of his writing and lecture schedule, his nomination for the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in October gave him a rare opportunity to reflect on his long and prolific career -- a journey spanning over three decades and resulting in over 350 published books. "I can certainly say I've written a lot, truly a lot," Ko said in an interview with The Korea Herald in March. "Looking back, I realize I've p

March 29, 2025

South Korea ready to assist Myanmar, Thailand in earthquake relief efforts

South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul expressed the country's readiness to assist those affected by the earthquake that struck Myanmar and neighboring Thailand. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been impacted by the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand," Cho said via social media on Friday. He further added, "We sincerely hope for the swift rescue of the victims." Earlier on Saturday, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar, followed by an aftershock measuri

March 29, 2025

Breakdancing, parkour at Sydney Opera House’s forecourt in April

Two Korean street art groups, Letitle and A-Run Crew, will transform the Sydney Opera House’s forecourt into a stage for street dance, breakdancing and parkour. The event marks the first of its kind at the iconic Western Broadwalk, offering audiences a chance to experience contemporary Korean street performances outdoors. Letitle will present “Purpose,” a 30-minute performance specially choreographed as a dance “conversation” with the Opera House building and its forecourt. Five performers will

March 26, 2025

Korean picture books 'Borders,' 'Mo Story' win Prix Sorcieres in France

Two Korean picture books have won the 2025 Prix Sorcieres, one of France’s most prestigious awards for children’s and young adult literature. The French edition of the Korean picture book "Borders" (direct translation of the Korean title) has won the award in the Nonfiction category. Written by Gudol and illustrated by Haerang, the book explores the concept of borders -- the human-made boundaries that "can appear, disappear and change suddenly." Titled "Qu'est-ce qu'une frontiere?" in French, th

March 26, 2025

Royal ritual performance to tour Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong

The National Gugak Center is set to embark on a tour across Asia this year, with performances of Jongmyo Jeryeak planned for Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong. Jongmyo Jeryeak is a royal ceremonial performance that combines song, music and dance. It was originally performed during ancestral rites at Jongmyo shrine, where the tablets of Joseon kings and queens are enshrined, honoring the eternal repose of royal ancestors. The music was originally composed in 1447 during the reign of King Sejong for

March 25, 2025

'Past Lives' director Celine Song’s 'Endlings' gets Korean premiere in May

Before director Celine Song captivated audiences with "Past Lives," the Oscar-nominated film that explored love, fate and the immigrant experience, she made her playwright debut with "Endlings" in 2019 at the American Repertory Theater. Now, one of her most personal works is set to make its Korean premiere at Doosan Art Center’s Space111, May 20-June 7. Directed by Lee Rae-eun, the production will also travel to Daejeon and Jeju in June. The title "Endlings" refers to the last surviving member o

March 25, 2025

Goncourt-winning author Jean-Baptiste Andrea speaks about writing, recognition and resistance

For writer Jean-Baptiste Andrea, winning literary awards -- including the prestigious Goncourt Prize in 2023 -- felt like finally becoming "visible." "I've wanted to be a writer since I was 9 years old. But we live in a world that doesn't exactly encourage anyone to become a novelist. I was lucky to succeed, but before that, I was invisible. Because until we gain recognition, we are, in a sense, transparent," said Andrea at a press conference held at the French Embassy in Seoul on Monday. The wi

March 24, 2025

2025 LTI Korea Award application open to Korean literature, film, webtoon translators

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea is calling for submissions to the 2025 LTI Korea Award for Aspiring Translators, aimed at discovering emerging talent in translating Korean literary and cultural content. This year’s award will be held across two categories -- literature and film/webtoon. The literature category is open to translations in nine languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Indonesian. The film category covers four languages --

March 24, 2025