[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Escape” (South Korea) Opened July 3 Action Directed by Lee Jong-pil North Korean soldier Gyu-nam (Lee Je-hoon) is about to be discharged after 10 years of service. Faced with no alternative other than a future of working on a farm or in a mine, he devises a plan to defect to South Korea in search of a better life. “Handsome Guys” (South Korea) Opened June 26 Comedy Directed by Nam Dong-hyup Two well-meaning carpenters and friends, Jae-pil (Lee Sung-min) and Sang-gu (Le

FilmJuly 12, 2024

[Graphic News] Suncheon garden, wetland lead tourist sites in visitor count

Suncheonman Bay National Garden and Suncheonman Wetland emerged as Korea's most visited tourist attractions last year, according to data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute. The report, which tracked visitor numbers at 2,752 leading travel destinations nationwide, revealed that these sites attracted 7,781,426 visitors in 2023. This marks a significant rise from their ninth-place ranking in 2022 when they welcomed 2,673,152 visitors.

TravelJuly 12, 2024

6 Korean language educators abroad honored

A total of six educators have been awarded for their dedication to the spread of Korean language education and localization, at a celebration event for the 22nd International Conference of Korean Educators Abroad on Thursday at Hana Global Campus in Incheon. Among the winners was Tran Thi Huong, a professor at Hanoi National University in charge of Korean language education in Vietnam. He was awarded for his contribution to the adoption of Korean as a second language in primary and secondary c

PeopleJuly 12, 2024

Kim Hong-park reflects on three decades with horn in debut album

After nearly 30 years as a horn player in South Korea and abroad, Kim Hong-park released his first album, "Schumann & Brahms," last Friday. The 42-year-old musician, who is also a professor at Seoul National University, discussed his inspiration to produce an album highlighting the instrument, which is pivotal in an orchestra due to its versatile contributions to melody, harmony, dynamic range, rhythmic support, color, texture and signaling cues. “Despite its significance a

CultureJuly 11, 2024

Lee Isaac Chung returns with American disaster film ‘Twisters’

Korean American filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung is returning with the American disaster film “Twisters,” slated for August release in local theaters. Director Chung, who won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2021 with his autobiographical family drama "Minari," has collaborated with Steven Spielberg for this movie. Spielberg is the executive producer of this standalone sequel to the 1996 movie "Twister." “Twisters” follows the story

FilmJuly 11, 2024

Korean handwriting contest opens for foreign nationals

Kyobo Book Centre will hold the 10th Kyobo Handwriting Contest with a new category for foreign nationals this year, the largest bookstore chain in Korea announced Thursday. The contest aims to promote an appreciation for the beauty of Korean handwriting and provide an opportunity for foreign residents in Korea to experience Korean culture. The application period is open from Thursday to Sept. 1, and foreign nationals living in Korea are eligible to participate. Participants can choose a sentence

BooksJuly 11, 2024

Hong Sang-soo’s ‘By the Stream’ to compete at Locarno Film Festival

South Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo's new work “By the Stream” will have its world premiere and compete at the Locarno Film Festival, Hong’s production firm Jeonwonsa Film said Thursday. The 77th Locarno Film Festival, which kicks off on Aug. 7, showcases artistic and experimental movies from around the world. Established in 1946, the festival is one of the longest film festivals in the world, taking place every August in the northeastern city of Locarno, Switzerland. It is

FilmJuly 11, 2024

Anton Hur joins International Booker Prize panel as first Korean judge

Author and acclaimed translator Anton Hur has been appointed as a judge for the prestigious International Booker Prize for next year, becoming the first Korean to serve on the panel since the prize introduced its international category in 2005. Hur joined the panel of five judges, chaired by bestselling author Max Porter, according to the Booker Prize Foundation on Wednesday. The panel includes Caleb Femi, a prize-winning poet, director and photographer, Sana Goyal, a writer and publishing direc

BooksJuly 11, 2024

NewJeans appointed honorary ambassadors for 2024 Korea Tourism

K-pop sensation NewJeans officially embarked on their role as 2024 honorary tourism ambassadors at a ceremony held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in central Seoul on Thursday. The ceremony was attended by Culture Minister Yu In-cho who appointed the five members at the event -- Danielle, Minji, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein -- as the ambassadors for Korea tourism and Visit Korea Year 2023-24 campaign. Group member Hyein could not attend the ceremony for health reasons. Taking up the ambassadorial role, the

CultureJuly 11, 2024

Long-lost royal 'Sajik Jeryeak' returns to stage after more than a century

During the Joseon era (1392-1910), the two most important ceremonies personally overseen by the king were Jongmyo Jerye, a royal ancestral memorial rite held to pay respect to the late kings and queens; and Sajik Daeje, a national rite to gods of lands and crops. This was when Jongmyo and Sajik were considered the very essence of the nation. Thus the Jongmyo Shrine housing the tablets of deceased royal ancestors is located to the left of Gyeongbokgung, the main Joseon royal palace, while the Saj

PerformanceJuly 11, 2024

Violinist Clara-Jumi Kang hopes to offer 'healing power' of music during September recital tour

Clara-jumi Kang, a violin virtuoso, will embark on a nationwide recital tour in September with a new instrument and a program that holds a significant meaning to her. Kang is set to blend technical mastery with lyrical expression with a program consisting Tartini's "The Devil's Trill," Prokofiev's Violin Sonata No. 1, Chausson's "Poeme," and Franck's “Violin Sonata.” Regarding the program, Kang said, “I've chosen pieces that I p

CultureJuly 10, 2024

Cheerleading 'Victory' rekindles '90s nostalgia

A coming-of-age drama set in 1999, "Victory" will rekindle nostalgia and provide solace for those fatigued from the hardships of life, its director said Wednesday. The film centers on Pil-sun (portrayed by Lee Hye-ri), who creates a cheerleading group to gain access to the school's dance room. The film is set to premiere as the opening film of the 23rd New York Asian Film Festival, which runs from Friday until June 28 with Lee Hye-ri receiving the Screen International Rising Star

FilmJuly 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] Gwangju mayor strengthens city's heritage to promote it globally

A native of Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, Bang Se-hwan took the office of Gwangju mayor in 2022. Asked about the characteristics of the city, Bang, who has lived in the city his whole life, stressed its history. “Gwangju has a very beautiful nature that has been maintained throughout its 1,000-year history. The city was named ‘Gwangju’ in 940 by King Taejo of Goryeo (918-1392),” Bang said during an interview with The Korea Herald on Friday at the city hall. Gwangju in Gyeon

CultureJuly 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] 15 years on, Uangel Voice still finds way to sing anew

An all-male six-member choir walks up to the stage and takes a deep breath, as guests are all ears for a tune that will animate a ceremony marked by many handshakes and applauses. “That’s the thrill, an adrenaline rush -- the feeling of undivided attention on the stage,” said Son Ye-bin, a baritone at Uangel Voice, a choir that has been performing since April 2009. Most of their performances since then have involved charity work, either raising funds for the marginalized or rai

PerformanceJuly 10, 2024

[Herald Review] Lee Sun-kyun’s presence lights up ‘Project Silence’

Stranded on a collapsed bridge shrouded in thick fog, a father and daughter on their way to the airport, an older couple returning from a trip, two sisters who missed a flight and a tow truck driver come together to escape the catastrophic scene. But it is not the 100-car pileup or helicopter crash that happened right in front of them that are threatening their lives. It is a dozen military dogs implanted with bot chips that were mistakenly released from a transport truck on the bridge. “P

FilmJuly 10, 2024

Foreign Language Newspapers Association celebrates 9th anniversary

The Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea, a group of four Korean media outlets publishing newspapers in foreign languages in South Korea, celebrated its ninth anniversary in Seoul on Tuesday. The association comprises three English-language newspapers – The Korea Herald, The Korea Times and The JoongAng Daily – and the Chinese-language The Aju Daily. Delivering a congratulatory speech, Culture Minister Yu In-chon said the newspapers have fulfilled their mission over the d

PeopleJuly 9, 2024

Rain damages Seoul City Wall under UNESCO review

It could take more than a year to restore parts of a historic wall in Seoul that collapsed during heavy downpours earlier this week, according to an official handling the restoration efforts. On Tuesday morning, a passerby reported seeing a collapsed portion of the northern wall of Hanyangdoseong, also known as the Seoul City Wall, to the Jongno-gu office, which then relayed the discovery to the Korea Heritage Service, according to the state agency. Damage to the wall spans 30 meters, and no cas

CultureJuly 9, 2024

Future of fear shown in BIFAN Choice section

BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province -- Under the banner “Stay Strange,” Korea’s largest genre film festival, the 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, or BIFAN, kicked off Thursday, running to July 14. This year the film fest has brought 253 films from 49 countries to the Gyeonggi Province city just west of Seoul. Never the festival to shy away from trends in cinema, this year’s edition has notably opened the door to generative artificial intelligence, including 15 A

FilmJuly 9, 2024

'Revolver' to show new side of Jeon Do-yeon

Crime action film "Revolver" will unveil a new aspect of veteran actor Jeon Do-yeon that audiences have yet to see, according to the film's director, Tuesday. "Revolver" tracks the journey of Soo-young (portrayed by Jeon), a former detective who is released from prison after being convicted for crimes she did not commit. The film marks a reunion of Oh and Jeon, who worked together on critically acclaimed "The Shameless" (2015). The film earned Jeon the best act

FilmJuly 9, 2024

'Flying Apsara' from China wins top prize at Daegu musicals fest

The 18th Daegu International Musical Festival concluded its 15-day run Monday with the DIMF Awards at the Daegu Opera House. The grand prize went to the Chinese musical "Flying Apsara," which uniquely and immersively combines traditional Chinese art and modern musical elements. The Jury Award went to "Missing Link," co-produced by DIMF and the Daegu Municipal Theatre Company. Based on the infamous scientific fraud known as the "Piltdown Man" hoax, the musical creati

CultureJuly 9, 2024