If ‘Life of Pi’ isn’t a musical, why is it listed as one in Korea?

In a world overflowing with digital technology, the stage production of "Life of Pi" utilizes world-class lighting, video and stage design. Yet, what truly stuns the audience is the analog art of puppetry. The puppet-operating ensemble, though fully visible, works in perfect unison to generate the magic of breathing life into puppets that include a tiger, an elephant, a monkey, a giraffe and more. However, what is far less impressive is the attempt to distance the production from its true genre:

Lim Yunchan dazzles in Seoul, but his tour reveals Korean market under strain

Star pianist Lim Yunchan performed with the Orchestra of Fondazione Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia last week, marking the Italian ensemble’s first visit to Korea in eight years and its debut here under conductor Daniel Harding. Curiously, despite featuring one of Korea’s most celebrated musicians, the orchestra’s official tour schedule listed only a single public concert despite arriving after multiple engagements a total of nine concerts in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. This raised an inev

'The Nonsense' is a study in unsettling ironies

If the enduring popularity of the classic crime thriller through an age of diminished attention spans lies in its promise of closure — the reassurance that the world can be sorted into guilty and innocent, the satisfaction of an order restored — then "The Nonsense" might be a hard sell. Director Lee Je-hui's debut feature, which made its world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival in October, will confound those seeking tidy resolutions with its cryptic tale, one that complicates

'Endangered Love' sets Lee Chan-hyuk apart in a trend-obsessed K-pop music scene

In South Korea's highly saturated music scene, similar tunes and repetitive hooks dominate the mainstream, and a song's popularity is often measured by the size of its singer's fandom. Lee Chan-hyuk of indie pop band AKMU took a different approach. Many K-pop releases tend to place heavy emphasis on photo concepts and universe storylines. But the 29-year-old's second album "Eros," released in July, delves into the emotional void and inner turmoil that follow the loss of another person. It extend

'Hallan' takes Jeju's largely forgotten massacre to the screen

Jeju Island draws millions of tourists each year. They come for the cherry blossoms and volcanic beaches, the UNESCO-designated heritage sites and swanky honeymoon resorts. What most visitors don't know is that the island's soil holds the remains of over 30,000 people killed between 1947 and 1954 — by some estimates, roughly 10 percent of the island's population at the time. The Jeju 4.3 Incident — the term used to describe this period of violence — started as an uprising against plans to hold s

The splendor and emptiness of 'Kokuho'

Stories about artists willing to give up everything for their work— family, fortune, their very selves — have a peculiar hold on us. From "A Star is Born" (1937) and "The Red Shoes" (1948) to "Whiplash" (2014) and "The Brutalist" (2024), these tales keep drawing audiences back, perhaps because there's something inherently mesmerizing about watching people burn themselves out to shine their brightest. "Kokuho" — which translates to "national treasure," the title bestowed by the Japanese governmen

Ive kicks off Show What I Am world tour in Seoul

On a chilly Sunday afternoon, Ive kicked off the last of three concerts at KSPO Dome in Songpa-gu, Seoul, with the name of its world tour emblazoned on the screen in bold, metallic letters: "Show What I Am." As if to say "this is who we are," the members then appeared as purple-blue lighting flashed alongside rising smoke and fire. The six members lit up the stage with "Gotcha (Baddest Eros)," clad in all black and wearing glittery eye makeup. "Let's go," Ive shouted, as the group continued with

[Herald Review] From city to city, Stray Kids are 'everywhere, all over the world'

"Stray Kids everywhere, all over the world." The K-pop juggernaut's catchphrase, from their debut song "District 9," filled the sold-out Incheon Asiad Main Stadium as the clock struck 6:10 p.m. Holding red lightsticks, the group's official color, fans roared, eager to see the eight members. After performing 54 shows in 34 cities as part of their "Dominate: Celebrate" world tour, Stray Kids returned to Korea for encore shows, Saturday and Sunday evening. "Are you ready? Put your hands up!" the gr

'Just Makeup' combines viral casting, touching narratives

When “Just Makeup” debuted on Oct. 3, few expected a reality competition centered on contour palettes and eyeliner precision to become Korea's next new obsession. Yet within weeks, the Coupang Play original has become a bona fide cultural talking point. After Episodes 4 and 5 landed on Oct. 10, the series climbed to the No. 1 spot on the streamer’s chart, with viewership spiking a whopping 665 percent compared to its first week. At its core, the series is simple: 60 makeup-savvy contestants from

'Welcome to the show': Treasure kicks off 'Pulse On' tour in Seoul

"2025 Treasure concert in Seoul. Welcome to the show!" With the line that signaled the start of the night, Treasure lit up the stage for "2025-26 Treasure Tour (Pulse On)" at the KSPO Dome in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul, on a drizzling Friday. Fireworks shot from the stage as the 10 bandmates emerged from the rift, decked out in black suits and gold chains. The boy band rocked the stage with "MMM." With the lyrics "let me treasure you," the Treasure Makers — the group's fandom — responded in screa

Chung Myung-whun, La Scala orchestra show their 36-year-old, love-forged chemistry

The Filarmonica della Scala, under the direction of its incoming music director Chung Myung-whun, captivated the audience Wednesday at the Seoul Arts Center with a performance that promised an exciting new era for the renowned orchestra. The concert marked their first performance together in Korea in 17 years and their first since Chung was officially appointed to a term that begins in 2027. The evening began with Verdi’s “La Forza Del Destino” Overture, a fitting opening for an orchestra that h

Yeon Sang-ho's microbudget gamble can't find its target

Reporters sat in a Seoul screening room Wednesday, looking at the theater's screen with six faces beaming in from Toronto. It was 3 a.m. there, but director Yeon Sang-ho and his cast looked wired, having just emerged from the world premiere of "The Ugly" at the Toronto International Film Festival, where all 1,721 seats had sold out. "Park Jung-min is Toronto's Justin Bieber," Yeon joked about his lead actor's unexpected Canadian fan base. "The joy of watching these brilliant actors on a massive

aespa’s third concert not fully living up to expectations

Aespa concluded the Korean leg of its third concert series, “2025 aespa Live Tour – Synk: Aexis Line,” at KSPO Dome in Seoul on Sunday, performing a meticulously crafted 26-song setlist that ranged from new solo tracks to a medley of recent hits and their newly unveiled single. Drawing a total of 30,000 fans from around the world, the shows held Aug. 29-31 were well-organized and upgraded with live band segments and elaborate stage production. Yet, ultimately, nothing felt particularly spectacul

Season 20, Episode 1: Super Junior marks new beginning at 'Super Show 10'

Whoever said 20 is old? True classics never age. The number could truly never have been better for Super Junior as the group marked two decades in music with its "Super Show 10" world tour, which kicked off Friday at the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul. Boisterous noise and chants by E.L.F.s — the group's official fandom — filled the concert Sunday night as the K-pop sensation took the stage, celebrating its 20th anniversary. Sunday's concert was a jam-packed, nearly four-hour event. The nine member

Why 'My Daughter is a Zombie' could be summer's pleasant surprise

Korean cinema showed up fashionably late to the zombie party. But when it finally arrived with 2016’s "Train to Busan," it more than proved it could hold its own. Now we’re dealing with an even quirkier subspecies: The so-called zom-com, a hybrid genre as awkwardly constructed as its shambling subjects. From cult favorites like "Shaun of the Dead" to "Warm Bodies" and "Zombieland," this mash-up of horror and comedy has staked out real cinematic territory — one that turns blood-soaked chaos into