Articles by Hwang Dong-hee
Hwang Dong-hee
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com-
A decade on, survivors, bereaved siblings share untold stories of Sewol ferry disaster
It has been almost a decade, but for the families of the victims, the Sewol ferry disaster is still ongoing. On April 16, 2014, the sinking of the Sewol ferry took the lives of 304, many of them high school students on a field trip to Jeju Island. The failure to rescue hundreds of people trapped in the slowly sinking ship, the live television broadcasts and the frantic chaos that ensued have left an indelible scar on the nation. Reflecting on the past decade, two official records -- “520 F
Books March 13, 2024
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Spanning over century of Korean history, Hwang Sok-yong’s 'Mater 2-10' longlisted for International Booker
South Korean literary giant Hwang Sok-yong’s “Mater 2-10” has been longlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize, the organizers of the British literary awards announced Monday. "Mater 2-10," co-translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae, and published by Scribe Publications, is among the 13 books on the longlist for one of the world's most prestigious literary awards. This is the second time Hwang has been longlisted for the award. In 2019, h
Books March 12, 2024
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Hwang Sok-yong’s 'Mater 2-10' longlisted for 2024 International Booker Prize
South Korean literary giant Hwang Sok-yong’s “Mater 2-10” has been longlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize, the organizers of the British literary awards announced Monday. "Mater 2-10," co-translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae, and published by Scribe Publications, was among the 13 books in the longlist for what is one of the world's most prestigious literary awards. This is the second time Hwang has been longlisted for the award. I
Books March 12, 2024
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[New in Korean] 'Who Did We Kill' explores consequences of deadly prank
"Who Did We Kill" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By Jeong Hai-yeon Vookda Set against the backdrop of a summer night in the mountains, "Who Did We Kill" unfolds the story of three friends whose camping prank takes a tragic turn, resulting in the accidental death of a fellow student. Gripped by fear, the trio conceals the incident, oblivious to the 30,000 won they extorted from the deceased. Fast forward nine years, and the two friends, mourning the loss of th
Books March 10, 2024
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[New in Korean] Star chef becomes president in black comedy 'Price King!!!'
"Price King!!!" By Kim Hong Munhakdongne Publishing The legendary merchant Batchi Crowder -- whose real name is Park Chi-guk -- started out as a street vendor in front of a bustling bus terminal, buying and selling all kinds of goods. He suddenly vanishes after selling off all his shares. One day, he reappears in a quaint town on the outskirts of Seoul, announcing the grand opening of King Price Mart. The confident slogan, “Anything not here? Not even in heaven!” is not a m
Books March 9, 2024
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[New in Korean] YA debut novel traps readers in underwater tunnel
"Tunnel 103" By Yoo Yi-je Changbi Publishers A peaceful day on Black Widow Spider Island, a popular tourist destination, is shattered by the sudden emergence of monstrous creatures. Desperately running away from the monsters, people find themselves trapped in an underwater tunnel. Panic ensues as seawater ominously leaks in and the tunnel's collapse is only a matter of when. The underwater tunnel is the only passage connecting the island and the mainland, but the island is infeste
Books March 9, 2024
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Dystopian musical 'The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young' returns for 4th run
The Seoul Performing Arts Company kicks off the fourth season of its original production, "The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young," on Friday. Adapted from the novel by late writer Park Ji-ri, the play is set in a meticulously segregated society based on caste, spanning from the privileged first district, where residents have to adhere to strict standards of behavior to maintain their status, to the slum-like ninth district, where an uprising was suppressed 60 years earlier. The musical pl
Performance March 8, 2024
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[Herald Review] 'Bea' challenges perspectives on life, death
In a vibrant dress, Bea (a nickname for Beatrice) dances joyfully to Madonna's "Ray of Light" and then, addressing the recently arrived Ray, implores him to write a letter on her behalf. She says, "I want to die." Ray and Bea's mother, Katherine, are taken aback, with Katherine painfully choosing to ignore the letter. The scene is part of stage drama "Bea," which kicked off its run on Feb. 17 at the LG Art Center in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul. Contrary to t
Performance March 8, 2024
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Daesan Foundation accepting applications for translation of Korean literary works
The Daesan Foundation is accepting applications for the 2024 Korean Literature Translation, Research, and Publishing Support program. Applicants for this year’s translation grants will be accepted until 3 p.m. on May 31 through the foundation’s official website. Successful applicants will be announced in August. Applicants can select from Daesan Literary Award-winning works that have not been translated into the target language, or any other literary work that has yet to be translate
Books March 7, 2024
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Changgeuk 'Lear' reimagines Shakespeare with traditional Korean splendor
The National Changgeuk Company of Korea's "Lear" is set to make a comeback after two years. Affiliated with the National Theater of Korea, the company will perform the changgeuk adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy "King Lear" at the Daloreum Theater from March 29 to April 7. Changgeuk is a genre of Korean opera. It derives from pansori, a traditional narrative singing form involving a solo singer and a percussionist that is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cu
Performance March 6, 2024
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Controversy surrounds ‘pro-Putin’ ballerina ahead of Seoul performances
Renowned Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova’s upcoming shows in Seoul have become embroiled in a pro-Putin controversy, with the Ukrainian Embassy in South Korea expressing strong opposition to her performances here. The embassy issued a press release Monday, in which it deemed Zakharova’s performances in Seoul as “unacceptable.” The press release said: "Against the background of escalating hostilities, mass murders and destruction in Ukraine, showcasing the perfor
Performance March 5, 2024
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Classic ballet ‘Swan Lake’ signals arrival of spring
The classic ballet “Swan Lake” is set to grace stages across the country this month, as South Korea’s two major ballet companies -- the Korean National Ballet and Universal Ballet -- embark on nationwide tours, presenting two different versions of the popular ballet piece. The ballet, set to Tchaikovsky’s music, tells the story of Odette, a beautiful young princess cursed by the evil sorcerer Rothbart, who condemns her to transform into a swan during the day. She encounte
Performance March 4, 2024
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Yun Heung-gil completes decades-long project, ‘Tattoo’
Acclaimed South Korean novelist Yun Heung-gil has devoted over 25 years to writing his magnum opus, an epic saga titled “Tattoo” (“Munsin” in Korean). The 82-year-old literary luminary revealed the arduous journey of completing the five-volume work during a press conference in Jung-gu, central Seoul, Tuesday, acknowledging that he "engaged in fierce battles" to a point where he thought he could die while writing. “I was worried whether I would be able to f
Books March 3, 2024
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[Well-curated] Learn Hangeul with Pinkfong, get a caricature done and treat yourself to expensive dessert
Learn Hangeul with Pinkfong If you have young children, nephews or nieces who are Pinkfong fans, head to Pinkfong Hangeul Playground at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul with them this weekend. The Pinkfong Hangeul Playground, which opened Monday, is an offline experience area, with photo zone, media zone and study zone teaching visitors Hangeul, the Korean writing system. Children can take selfies with Pinkfong characters at the photo zone and enjoy a special animation at the
Culture March 1, 2024
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Seoul Library's Global Collections bridge cultures through books
The Global Collections located on the 4th floor of the Seoul Metropolitan Library in Jung-gu introduces the history and culture of various countries through books. This collection is curated through books donated by embassies and cultural centers spanning over 60 countries. Last week, the library said it received a donation of 20 books from the Peruvian Embassy on the history and culture of Peru. The donated books will soon be made available on the shelves. The Global Collections, established in
Books Feb. 29, 2024
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