Articles by Song Seung-hyun
Song Seung-hyun
ssh@heraldcorp.com-
Cha In-pyo hopes to overcome slump with Netflix comedy film ‘What Happened to Mr. Cha?’
Cha In-pyo is an actor who enjoyed immense popularity in the 1990s. Now living on his past glory, Cha hopes to make a comeback but no one is willing to cast him. This description is true both for the 53-year-old South Korean actor and the fictional character of the same name in the upcoming Netflix production “What Happened to Mr. Cha?” “Instead of creating a completely fictional character, I wanted to use Cha’s existing image. I thought that it would make it easier fo
Film Dec. 28, 2020
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Double whammy: Forced to cancel, Airbnb guests denied full refunds
One of the most popular travel destinations for South Koreans in 2020 was Jeju Island, known for its wide-open spaces and natural surroundings, as an alternative to overseas travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Jeju Tourism Association, the number of visitors to Jeju Island dropped to around 500,000 in February and March, but soon began to rebound in April. Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk said in an interview with the local daily Chosun Ilbo in June that Jeju Island was on
Travel Dec. 27, 2020
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CHA to release short film on palace guard inspection ceremony
A short film on the inspection of guards at a Joseon royal palace will be released on Dec. 31, featuring several well-known actors. “Cheobjong- Palace Guard Inspection Ceremony” is a 20-minute film produced jointly by the Cultural Heritage Administration and Korea Cultural Heritage. Actor Tae In-ho, who has played several supporting roles in hit Korean dramas, including “Descendants of the Sun” and “Misaeng,” and K-pop idol-turned-actor Park So-jin are a c
Culture Dec. 27, 2020
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[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week
Josee (Korea) Opened Dec. 10 Romance, Drama Directed by Kim Jong-kwan University student Young-seok (Nam Joo-hyuk) bumps into Josee (Han Ji-min), who uses a wheelchair, and falls in love. Young-seok finds out that Josee lives with her grandmother and barely leaves her house. As he develops feelings toward her, Yeong-seok approaches her slowly and also attempts to show her the real world. Good Neighbor (Korea) Opened Nov. 25 Drama Directed by Lee Hwan-kyung Agent Dae-kwon (Jung Woo) is tas
Film Dec. 25, 2020
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New second vice culture minister, CHA head named
Career bureaucrat Kim Jung-bae was appointed to be the new second vice minister at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday, as part of a reshuffle of vice ministerial posts. Kim Hyun-mo was named new head of the Cultural Heritage Administration. The new second vice minister replaces Choi Yoon-hee, a former swimming star who was appointed to the post last year in December. Born in 1966, Second Vice Minister Kim graduated Pohang High School in North Gyeongsang Province and studie
Culture Dec. 23, 2020
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Arirang from Mexico wins Arirang video contest
The Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation on Tuesday announced Maria Eugenia Olsen Aguilar’s “Anniquin Arirang” as the winner of its “Arirang”-themed video contest. The contest -- held jointly by the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation -- called for short videos featuring diverse versions of the Korean folk song “Arirang.” “(Through the competition) we discovered that our national intangible cultural heritag
Culture Dec. 23, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Moon Joon-yong, President Moon’s son, criticized for receiving artist relief fund
Criticism is rising over President Moon Jae-in’s son Moon Joon-yong, who was selected as a recipient of 14 million won ($12,600) in relief funding for artists who have been hit by the pandemic. The fund is operated by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, under the Seoul Metropolitan Government. On Dec. 17, Moon Joon-yong’s solo exhibition kicked off at Keumsan Gallery in Seoul, reportedly with the city funding received earlier in the year. The exhibition runs until Wednesday.
Arts & Design Dec. 22, 2020
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'Minari' captures US critics’ heart
“Minari” is showing that winning two awards from the Boston Society of Film Critics was only the start of its journey to capture the hearts of critic groups across the US. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association on Monday announced that Youn Yuh-jung had won for best supporting actress for playing Soon-ja, an elderly woman who comes to America to live with son Jacob’s family, in “Minari.” The movie revolves around the story of a first-generation South K
Film Dec. 21, 2020
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Online shopping at National Museum of Korea yields surprise finds
On Monday, a tweet about a traditional Korean painting-inspired calendar sold on the National Museum of Korea’s website went viral. “The calendar is so pretty and the garden painting on it becomes more and more complete by flipping through each month. It is like enjoying a different piece of art every month,” the Twitter post said, accompanied by a few pictures of the calendar. Designed based on paintings of Aechun Shin Myeong-yeon, a literati painter of the Joseon era, &ldq
Culture Dec. 19, 2020
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Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho praises 'Minari'
Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho on Friday praised “Minari” in his talk with the film’s director Lee Isaac Chung, held during Variety’s inaugural FYC Fest. “I think it takes a lot of courage to shoot a film about yourself or your family, since it’s autobiographical,” Bong was quoted as saying in Variety. “But what I appreciated more about this film is that it doesn’t wallow in nostalgia. It follows the perspective of multiple characters
Film Dec. 18, 2020
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State cultural institutions in Seoul to remain closed
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Friday that its affiliated institutions in Seoul-- museums, art galleries, libraries and performance venues -- will remain closed due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in the capital area. The shutdown of state-run cultural institutions began on Dec. 8 and was set to end Friday. The facilities, including the National Museum of Korea, the National Folk Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Library of K
Culture Dec. 18, 2020
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Spotify to launch in Korea in first half of 2021
The world’s largest music streaming platform Spotify on Friday announced that it would officially launch its service in South Korea in the first half of 2021. “We are excited about our upcoming launch in South Korea, a market recognized as an epicenter for music, culture and tech innovation,” Alex Norstrom, chief freemium business officer of Spotify, said in a statement. According to Spotify, South Korea -- the sixth-largest music market globally -- is an important market
Performance Dec. 18, 2020
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South Korea’s lotus lantern lighting festival inscribed as UNESCO world heritage
Yeondeunghoe, a lantern lighting festival in South Korea, was inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural assets on Wednesday. The final decision on the lantern festival’s listing was made during the 15th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which runs Monday to Saturday. The meetings are being held virtually due to the global pandemic. “Unfortunately, we could not celebrate the listing on site together with K
Culture Dec. 17, 2020
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CICI announces 2021 award winners
The top six contestants on TV Chosun’s hit talent audition show “Mr. Trot” will be honored by the Corea Image Communication Institute for their contributions to building a positive image of South Korea at home and overseas. The other winners at CICI’s 2021 award ceremony are the Generation Equality Forum’s Ambassador and Secretary-General Delphine O and Korean content creator Pinkfong’s song “Baby Shark.” The institute’s 17th annual award
Culture Dec. 16, 2020
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Will ‘Minari’ make it to Oscars?
Veteran actor Youn Yuh-jung and her movie “Minari,” directed by Lee Isaac Chung, appear set for smooth sailing to the 2021 Academy Awards. Local movie distributor Pan Cinema announced Monday that Youn won an award for best supporting actress from the Boston Society of Film Critics for her role in “Minari.” Composer Emile Mosseri also won an award for best original score for his music in Lee’s movie. Since the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Ja
Film Dec. 15, 2020
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