International EBS festival to feature selection of well-crafted documentaries

The 21st EBS International Documentary Festival, the country's oldest documentary festival, takes place Aug. 19 to Aug. 25, when it will introduce a slew of well-made documentaries from around the world. Featuring 53 documentaries from 32 countries, this year's festival is being held under its slogan: "Bridge the Times." The slogan embodies the hope that humanity can bridge diverse values and cultures to strive for coexistence, said Kim Dong-gwan, director of EIDF, at a press

July 30, 2024

[Better Together] Office workers find life's meaning as amateur musical actors

Kim Min-ji and An Yeon-gyong -- a 28-year-old marketer and a 26-year-old career consultant, respectively -- get off work in the evening like many other workers in South Korea. But their voices and movements change completely when they step into the light-filled, floor-to-ceiling mirrors-covered studio of The Passion Musical -- a local musical group that has been around since 2014 -- in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. The pair say they are more active after the sunset. “I take an acting lesson o

July 30, 2024

Nodeul Island turns into vacation destination with arts and culture events

The Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture is offering a series of art and cultural events, including performances, exhibitions and film screenings, throughout the month of August on Nodeul Island for those seeking a vacation destination within Seoul. The foundation, a pivotal organization under the Seoul city government, tasked with implementing cultural policies, announced that Nodeul Island -- an entertainment hub located in the middle of the Han River featuring a concert hall, bookstore, loun

July 30, 2024

Veteran DJ Kim Chang-wan returns to radio

Singer-actor Kim Chang-wan, also a legendary radio DJ known for his warm, comforting messages, has returned to radio four months after stepping down from a show he had hosted for 23 years. Kim and SBS radio program producer Jung Han-sung held a press conference at the SBS headquarters to celebrate the launch of their new radio program, "6 O’clock Evening Breeze, Kim Chang-wan Ibnida" on July 22. After an emotional farewell shared during the last broadcast of his long-running morn

July 30, 2024

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha, pianist Lim Dong-hyek to perform as duo for first time

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha, a pioneer in Korean classical music, and star pianist Lim Dong-Hyek will hold a duo performance at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on Sept. 6. The recital will mark their first as a duo act. The two were previously part of a quintet performing Schubert's "Trout" Quintet in 2017. Chung chose Lim as the pianist for her fall recital tour, having recognized his talent early on and supporting him musically for many years, according to Credia, the recital&#

July 29, 2024

LSO led by Pappano to perform in Korea in 1st Asia tour

The London Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to perform at Lotte Concert Hall on Oct. 3 with Sir Antonio Pappano, who will begin his tenure as principal conductor starting with the 2024/25 season. The concert will be part of the first Asian tour by the London Symphony Orchestra with Pappano, as well as the conductor’s first visit to South Korea in six years. In his visit to the country in 2018 as the music director of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome, he performed with Korean pianist Ch

July 29, 2024

[Herald Interview] Two Korean violinists named Ji-yoon on being concertmasters overseas

One of the most anticipated concerts at the annual festival Music in PyeongChang was the PyeongChang Dream Team concert. The PyeongChang Dream Team, consisting of emerging and established musicians from world-renowned orchestras, performed Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 and Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 on Thursday at the Alpensia Concert Hall and again at PyeongChang Woljeongsa Museum on Sunday as part of the festival's outreach program. In addition

July 28, 2024

Match made in temple

Buddhist monks in South Korea are increasingly embracing a new role -- matchmaking. “To us, monks helping singles match up isn’t all that new. We launched a templestay program for singles in early 2012. It just hadn’t made headlines like today,” an official of the Korean Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare said Friday. The official at the foundation, run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, was referring to a long-running program where participants learn about tradit

July 26, 2024

[Well-curated] Seoul's specialty cafes: tailored drinks, peaceful teahouses, and iconic bingsu

A sip of poetic cocktail, coffee Near Mangwon Station, among small buildings, restaurants, and shops, a secret bar lies tucked away in the basement. Dada Lab transforms from a coffee shop by day to a cocktail bar by night, offering a full range of typical bar menu items. What sets this bar apart are the unique “Text Blending” drinks. “Text Blending” allows customers to write down any phrase or text, from which the bartender draws inspiration to create a personalized drin

July 26, 2024

K-pop industry raked in $900 million from overseas last year, data shows

With all the hype surrounding the K-pop industry, how much does it actually earn? The Korea Culture and Tourism Institute sought to answer this question with data, which revealed that the K-pop industry raked in nearly $900 million from overseas last year. In 2023, the estimated overseas sales of K-pop amounted to 1.24 trillion won ($893 million), exceeding 1 trillion won for the first time, according to the government-run organization's report on Wednesday. Compared to the previous year, K

July 24, 2024

Late Park Bo-ram's music to be re-released on 10th debut anniversary

The music of the late Park Bo-ram will be re-released at the request of her family and colleagues, on her 10th debut anniversary. Xanadu Entertainment, Park's agency, announced it is re-releasing popular tracks by Park, including "As Time Goes," on Aug. 7, her debut date. Park performed "As Time Goes" during the finals of the 2010 Mnet audition program "Superstar K2" which was broadcast live. It was also the last song she recorded while preparing for her 10th-a

July 24, 2024

First licensed Chinese musical attracts Korean audience with resonating story

The first-ever licensed musical from China, "The Butterfly on the Bund 1939," premiered Saturday at TOM Theater in Daehangno, marking a milestone for Chinese production companies and fulfilling the collaborative aspirations of the two countries' creators. The musical, a joint effort between Shanghai-based Focustage and Seoul-based Never Ending Play, revolves around two women living in turbulent 1939 Shanghai. “I think the script and music of ‘The Butterfly on the Bun

July 23, 2024

Korea Heritage Service to extend key independence activist’s tomb

The Korea Heritage Service will expand the tomb of Lee Dong-nyeong, a historic site in central Seoul that the government says needs a makeover to show proper respect for the Korean independence fighter. Lee’s family has long requested the expansion of the site at Hyochang Park in Yongsan-gu where Lee’s comrades are also buried. They argue the former independence activist deserves more space, given his role in the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in its fight against Ja

July 22, 2024

Asia premier of Amir Reza Koohestani's 'Blind Runner' unveils at Sejong Center

On the stage of the S Theater at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, two actors stand on a simple stage set. Their conversation in Persian may sound unfamiliar to many here but as the play evolves, the premiere of “Blind Runner,” by Iranian playwright and director Amir Reza Koohestani, captivates the audience with unconventional directing techniques, such as using a live camera feed on a screen, and actors running through the stage. Although “Blind Runner” was

July 20, 2024

[Well-curated] Mountain retreat, flower studio and Pixar pop-up

Discover true self through nature at Romyzian Garden When life feels dull and everyday routines become tiring and noisy, Romyzian Garden may offer a place of peace and comfort through nature. Located on the serene slopes of Garisan, a mountain in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, the unique garden is a 100,000 square meter sanctuary for healing and reflection. Romyzian Garden was lovingly created by a husband (Zian) for his wife (Romy), taking ten years to complete. Every tree and stone in the garden

July 19, 2024

Cattle bones found near Jongmyo

A pile of cattle bones presumed to date back to the Joseon era (1392-1910) has been discovered at an area near Jongmyo -- a special shrine for the deceased kings and queens of Joseon -- in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, according to a research institute Wednesday. A Han Ul Research Institute of Cultural Heritage official explained that this is not the first time that the organization has found cattle bones within Hanyangdoseong -- also known as the Seoul City Wall -- area, but that the bones found in

July 17, 2024

Orchestra offers unique concerts to attract younger audience

The Korea National Symphony Orchestra is broadening its reach by sending young members of the Korea National Symphony Orchestra to perform in innovative spaces. KNSO's new quartet consisting of violinists Kim Jeong, Kim A-hyun, violist Yoon Jee-hyun and cellist Choi Jung-woo took the stage Saturday at Concino Concrete, a popular place for listening to vinyl music in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The quartet, still unnamed, performed Czech composer Bedrich Smetana’s String Quartet No. 1 i

July 16, 2024

'K-story & Comics in America' to hold interactive events for general public

"K-story & Comics in America" will hold its first public interactive event in the US this month. "K-story & Comics in America" is an annual business-to-business event organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to help Korean content companies export their works to the overseas market. This year's "K-story & Comics in America" will feature the first-ever business-to-consumer event, inviting the publ

July 16, 2024

Baritone Li Zihao wins top prize at 1st Sumi Jo International Singing Competition

Chinese baritone Li Zihao, 22, was announced as the overall winner of the inaugural Sumi Jo International Singing Competition, launched by renowned South Korean soprano Sumi Jo. Out of the 500 participants aged 18-32, 24 vocalists advanced to the main competition that took place for a week at the Chateau de la Ferte-Imbault in France's Loire Valley. The winners announced Saturday also included Romanian tenor George Ionut Virban, 29, and Korean tenor Lee Ki-up, 31. First place awards a prize

July 15, 2024

[Herald Interview] Bass Youn Kwang-chul to show career highlight in vocal master series

Since his debut at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1993, renowned bass singer Youn Kwang-chul has performed over 150 times at the Bayreuth Festival and been awarded the title of "Kammersanger,” which is given to distinguished singers of opera and classical music in German-speaking countries. Even with a mountain of achievements and awards, the past 30 years as a bass singer feel like the blink of an eye, Youn told reporters during an interview last week. “Thirty years was just three

July 15, 2024