Two months after President Moon Jae-in said South Korea should consider banning dog meat consumption, the government is to officially launch a consultative body to discuss the matter. 　 Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum held a meeting Thursday and announced the decision to launch a consultative body to discuss dog meat consumption. The body, consisting of representatives of concerned groups, experts and government officials, will hold discussions from December to April.　   “The controv

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2021

The Democratic Party of Korea’s Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday pledged to increase support for small and medium-sized businesses, vowing to boost the pandemic-hit economy with “government-led investment” should he be elected president. On Wednesday, Lee announced his vision for small and medium-sized businesses at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business in Yeouido, western Seoul. As a factory worker-turned-politician, Lee has positioned himself as a labor-friendly figu

Politics Nov. 24, 2021

Ruling Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday pledged to create more than 2 million jobs through the country’s “digital transition.” Lee, a former Gyeonggi Province governor, announced his plans for the digital transition at the party’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Although Lee had shared election pledges on social media on multiple occasions, it was his first official announcement through his election campaign committee. “As technolo

Politics Nov. 23, 2021

Traditional Korean music-inspired band Leenalchi, which rose to stardom last year with its song “Tiger Is Coming,” is to hold an extended reality concert online. The concert, “Sugungga: Catch the Rabbit,” will be released on local mobile streaming platform Kakao TV on Nov. 30. Extended reality is an umbrella term that covers virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. 　 The XR concert will revive scenes from the band’s album “Sugungga,” a

Performance Nov. 20, 2021

Ahead of the official release of Michelin Guide Seoul’s latest edition slated for Thursday, the arbiter of culinary taste issued a list of Bib Gourmand restaurants in Seoul, announcing four new additions to the existing list. The Bib Gourmand classification highlights restaurants offering “exceptionally good food at moderate prices.” The price range depends on local economic standards, according to the company. The highest price for the Bib Gourmand Seoul edition comes in at

Food Nov. 18, 2021

Soprano Sumi Jo has been inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame, her agency SMI Entertainment announced Wednesday.　 Founded in 2004 in Seattle by the Robert Chin Foundation, the Asian Hall of Fame works to recognize Asian excellence, cultural unity and racial equity by honoring Asian contributions in national and international narratives. Jo, a celebrated soprano, is the first Korean national to be inducted to the Asian Hall of Fame. She is also the first opera and classical music artist to be i

People Nov. 17, 2021

Korea’s top cosmetics maker Amorepacific has won the top prize at this year’s Mecenat Awards, in recognition of its contribution to the arts. The Korea Mecenat Association held an awards ceremony Wednesday at the Westin Josun in central Seoul to honor local businesses and individuals who have supported the art scene. This year’s Mecenat Award was given to Amorepacific, in recognition of the Sulwha Cultural Exhibition managed by its luxury skincare brand Sulwhasoo for the p

Culture Nov. 17, 2021

Tenor John Noh, who appeared on cable channel JTBC’s audition show “Phantom Singer 3,” has received multi-platinum certification from the local recording industry. More than 20,000 physical copies of Noh’s latest album, “The Classic Album: NSQG,” have sold since its release in September under Warner Music Korea. According to Noh’s agency, Credia, the local recording industry gives multi-platinum certification to albums that sell more than 20,000 physic

Performance Nov. 17, 2021

Hanbok-inspired school uniforms, created as part of a project led jointly by the Culture Ministry and the Ministry of Education, will be shown in an exhibition at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. The Culture Ministry said Tuesday that it has delivered a number of hanbok uniforms and a certificate of donation to Rosalie Kim, curator of the Korean Gallery at the V&A Museum. The samples include hanbok uniforms for boys and girls. The V&A Museum plans to hold its “Hally

Culture Nov. 16, 2021

As Korea gradually opens it borders to foreign artists and acts, maestro Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble are to take to the stage here. The ensemble, led by the celebrated conductor Gergiev, is to go onstage at the Lotte Concerts Hall in eastern Seoul on Nov. 24 for two performances. Gergiev, one of the most sought-after conductors in the world, has been long affiliated with the Mariinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg. The Russian maestro is credited with raising the Ma

Performance Nov. 16, 2021

US conductor Elias Peter Brown won the top prize at the first KSO International Conducting Competition organized by the Korean Symphony Orchestra. Brown, 26, clinched the win with his performance of Debussy’s “La Mer” (The Sea), L. 109, CD. 111 at the finals of the competition held Sunday at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. A graduate of Yale University and the Royal Academy of Music in England, he won third place at the Khachaturian International Conducting Competit

Performance Nov. 15, 2021

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra is to hold a concert with the winner of the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition, Bruce Liu. Liu, 24, the first prize winner of the competition which took place in Warsaw, Poland, in October, will go onstage with the Seoul-based orchestra on Nov. 27 at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, under the baton of associate conductor Wilson Ng. The Canadian pianist will perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11. Other works on the prog

Performance Nov. 14, 2021

Young musicians’ efforts to create new styles of traditional Korean music are finally bearing fruit with a new school of music winning over television audiences. While artists such as gender-bending singer Lee Hee-moon, and traditional Korean music-inspired avant-rock band Jambinai have paved the way for fusion music, Joseon pop is now breaking through with a more mainstream sound. A reference to the Joseon era (1392-1910), Joseon pop mixes traditional music, known as “gugak,&rd

Performance Nov. 14, 2021

While Korea’s recently implemented “living with COVID-19” scheme has allowed royal palaces to welcome visitors with special programs, the royal library and its grounds at Changdeokgung are to be opened to the public for a week in November. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday that it will run a guided tour of the Gyujanggak area at the royal palace of Changdeokgung in central Seoul, twice a day from Saturday to Wednesday.  Founded in 1776 inside the

Culture Nov. 13, 2021

Violinist Clara Jumi Kang will return to the stage for an encore recital of Bach’s violin works to round out a successful year. Kang, 34, is set to perform the entire cycle of the famed composer’s sonatas and partitas for solo violin at Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul on Dec. 13. In May and June, the Korean-German virtuoso went on a nationwide tour with stops in Seoul, Daegu and Daejeon and more, performing Bach’s sonatas and partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001-1006),

Performance Nov. 10, 2021