Most Popular
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[AtoZ into Korean mind] Humor in Korea: Navigating the line between what's funny and not
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[Exclusive] Korean military set to ban iPhones over 'security' concerns
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Yoon seeks rebound, taps 5-term lawmaker as chief of staff
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Medical standoff deepens as doctors reject new med school plan, talks
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Korean, Romanian leaders discuss defense tech, nuclear energy
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[Graphic News] 77% of young Koreans still financially dependent
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[Herald Interview] Why Toss invited hackers to penetrate its system
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S. Korean envoys convene to navigate strategy amid Middle East tensions
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North Korea fires several short-range ballistic missiles into sea: JCS
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Samsung, SK hynix investors dump shares on Nvidia crash
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[Herald Interview] Choi Min-sik brings to fore charisma of shamanistic practitioners in 'Exhuma'
A veteran actor with 35 years of experience in films and TV, Choi Min-sik sought to bring to the screen the charisma of Korean practitioners of shamanistic beliefs such as geomancers, to push people to think about how our perceptions of land impact society, in "Exhuma," his first occult film. Directed by the master of K-occult, Jang Jae-hyun, "Exhuma" follows the story of a feng-shui expert, an undertaker and two shaman exorcists who try to find a new resting place for a dece
FilmFeb. 26, 2024
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[Herald Interview] 'Salome' director Kim Si-hwa adds bold twist to changgeuk with all-male act
It might have been her directional debut in changgeuk, but former choreographer Kim Si-hwa was prepared to push the boundaries with "Salome." In an interview with The Korea Herald, last week, Kim said she was aiming for a groundbreaking traditional performance. She had thought of an all-male changgeuk for a while, believing it could be appealing to the audience. Changgeuk derives from pansori, a traditional narrative singing form involving a solo singer and a percussionist that is regi
PerformanceFeb. 25, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Kim Bum-soo marks 25 years in music with new album 'Journey'
Singer Kim Bum-soo has returned with his 9th full-length studio album, "Journey," celebrating his 25th year as a singer. Although the recent landscape of the entertainment industry calls for versatility and multifaceted identities, the singer believes in dedicating himself to the role of vocalist and preserving his values as a singer. Unlike in previous albums in which Kim prioritized the singing ability, high notes and technique, Kim said that his new album is "minimal and poetic
PerformanceFeb. 22, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Kim Ji-eun dedicates 'Dear Collector' to friends, art lovers
It is art that "collects people," rather than people who collect art, says Kim Ji-eun, who holds the belief that people are connected through sharing art and their personal tastes. It took almost four years for the former anchorperson to release her 549-page book, “Dear Collector,” as her idea for the project first arose during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that period of unprecedented isolation, Kim sought to make connections with other people, she reca
Arts & DesignFeb. 20, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Moonbyul of Mamamoo pursues diversity releasing LP in time for 10th anniversary
Moonbyul of K-pop girl group Mamamoo always tries to step outside of her comfort zone to develop into a better artist. “I am fortunate to have established a character in the entertainment industry as a singer who has been active for 10 years. But to become a better artist, I hope to go beyond my limits,” said Moonbyul in a group interview in Seoul on Wednesday. That involves continuously working on enhancing her vocal and dancing skills despite being a rapper by receiving lessons. &l
K-popFeb. 20, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Theater Ganda marks 20th Anniversary with yearlong parade of original productions
In Korean, the word "ganda" means "to go." Yet, the name of this 20-year-old South Korean theater troupe also carries a dual meaning, signifying its commitment to creating compact ("gan" in Hanja) and diverse ("da" in Hanja) performances. Theatre Ganda is set to showcase a series of the company's most notable works, one after another, until early 2025, in a rare and precious moment for a theater group as it marks its 20th anniversary with a parade of
PerformanceFeb. 19, 2024
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[Herald Interview] ‘Korea needs to power up defense academia’
South Korea now should focus on fostering defense academia and young talents to become a leader in the global defense industry, says Kang Eun-ho, former chief of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. “In the past, Korea followed a catch-up strategy (in advancing its defense industry), which was a second-place strategy,” said Kang in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Feb. 5. “For the catch-up strategy, we had to succeed in over 90 or 95 tasks out of 100. I
IndustryFeb. 18, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Choi Woo-shik shows inner turmoil of killer in 'A Killer's Paradox'
South Korean actor Choi Woo-shik, known for his role in hit TV shows and movies such as "Our Beloved Summer (2021)," "Parasite (2019)," and "Train to Busan (2016)," said he tried to portray the emotional turmoil of a character faced with the ethical dilemma of condemning evil through murder, in his latest work, "A Killer's Paradox." The 8-part Netflix original crime thriller drama series, based on the webtoon of the same title, tells the story of Yi T
TelevisionFeb. 17, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Korea must have strategy to promote art globally: MMCA Director Kim Sung-hee
As the Korean cultural scene has gained in stature globally, its art scene is being recognized widely as well. With that momentum, Kim Sung-hee, director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, argues that it is time to draw up a strategy for pushing Korean art on the global scene. “Korea has a variety of art content that has accumulated for thousands of years. Now, we need a strategy at the national level to herald Korean art, turning the popularity of Korean culture
Arts & DesignFeb. 14, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Ji Pyeong-kwon’s gugak crossover resonates in ballet ‘Korea Emotion’
In a poignant duet of daegeum and pansori, vocalist Kwon Song-hee, a member of the alternative pop band Leenalchi, sings achingly. An orchestral blend of Western classical string instruments, daegeum and pansori plays out in a strangely harmonious manner with waltz-like rhythms that brighten the mood. Against this backdrop of crossover music, two ballet dancers gracefully move under the silvery moonlight. Acclaimed ballerina Kang Mi-sun, a principal dancer at Universal Ballet, earned the title o
PerformanceFeb. 13, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Kim Ho-young performs as Angel in 'Rent' for final time
When musical actor Kim Ho-young was named the best supporting actor at the 8th Korean Musical Awards last month for his role as Angel in the musical “Rent,” he came to the stage for his acceptance speech with a mysterious bag. Instead of simply calling out the names of people to whom he was thankful, Kim selected two names from the bag to receive his gratitude on behalf of everyone he wished to acknowledge, transforming the moment into a vibrant celebration with his trademark wit a
CultureFeb. 13, 2024
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[Herald Interview] 'A Shop for Killers' an action drama with stories to tell
“A Shop for Killers” might appear to be an action drama, but the 8-part series is about the story of a lonely girl growing up, the choices various characters make and their consequences, which should give strength to the audience in enduring hardships, according to director Lee Kwon and the actor who portrayed the girl, Kim Hye-jun. Disney+ original "A Shop for Killers" narrates the story of Jung Ji-an (played by Kim Hye-jun), who is targeted by a slew of killers after her
TelevisionFeb. 12, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Jeong Sun-ah reflects on return to stage after becoming a mom
Musical actor Jeong Sun-ah burst into tears as she was declared the best lead actor at the Korean Musical Awards on Jan. 15 for her performance in “If/then.” The award came after a turbulent two years for the actor, who recently became a mom, and harbored doubts over whether she could return to the stage. "Even as I get older, (and as I became a mom), I wanted to prove that with effort, it's possible to (improve),” Jeong, 39, told reporters during an interview on Jan.
CultureFeb. 8, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Cho Jung-eun portrays Fantine for last time
Cho Jung-eun, one of South Korea’s leading musical theater actors, said that her performance this year as Fantine in “Les Miserables” is likely to be the last time she plays the role. The 44-year-old actor has taken on the role three times since the show's Korean premier in 2013. After her second appearance in 2015, Cho is currently performing her third and final act as Fantine. “'Les Miserables' is not frequently performed, so I think this season, which is
CultureFeb. 8, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Lee Sang-nam 'dares to die' to survive as an artist
For its first exhibition of the year, Perrotin Seoul is presenting a solo exhibition of Lee Sang-nam, an artist who, with roots in conceptual minimalism, has developed his art in different ways throughout his 40-year career. Lee, 70, moved to New York in 1981 to explore his own art in the global art scene after graduating from Korea’s prestigious art school Hongik University. The city's vibrant art scene shocked the artist who had stuck with conceptual minimalism up until then. In New
Arts & DesignFeb. 6, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Director Hirokazu Koreeda hopes to work again with Korean actors
Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda said he wishes to collaborate with Korean actors again, mentioning the names of new rising stars here during an interview with Korean media in Seoul on Monday. Koreeda, 61, was in Seoul over the weekend to meet with the local audience and talk about his latest film “Monster.” “Monster,” which opened in November, attracted 500,000 moviegoers here, the second-highest number for a Japanese non-animated film after 20002's “Even I
FilmFeb. 6, 2024
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[Herald Interview] 'LTNS' draws portrait of modern Koreans via infidelity, broken marriages
Directors Lim Dae-hyung and Jeon Go-woon said they wanted to draw a portrait of modern people by portraying broken marriages in their six-part black comedy "LTNS." Short for "Long Time No Sex," the drama series follows the story of Woo-jin (played by Esom) and Samuel (played by Ahn Jae-hong), a sexless couple who have been married for five years, who chase down unfaithful couples to extort money from them. The drama series delivers sexually explicit scenes and dialogue -- s
TelevisionFeb. 6, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Adriana Tomeu's dream unfolds on the stage of 'Il Tenore'
Since Dec. 19, Adriana Tomeu, hailing from the US, has been taking the stage as Madame Becker in the musical “Il Tenore,” or the tenor in English. The musical about a medical student with a passion for classical singing set in 1920s Korea during the Japanese occupation had its world premiere in Seoul. "Il Tenore" marks Tomeu's return to the professional musical stage after almost a decade -- she had chosen a career in science over the musical theater career she had bee
CultureFeb. 5, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Ahn Jae-hong, Esom capture realism in modern romance via 'LTNS'
South Korean actors Ahn Jae-hong and Lee So-young, better known as Esom, said they attempted to capture realism, portraying romance of the modern couples living through the contemporary age, in their latest work "LTNS." Korean streaming platform Tving's six-part comedy drama series "LTNS," which is short for "Long Time No Sex," centers around the story of Woo-jin (played by Esom) and Samuel (played by Ahn) -- a sexless, married couple -- as they chase unfaithfu
TelevisionFeb. 2, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Guggenheim Museum puts Korean experimental art on global art stage
Experimental art in Korea from the 1960s to 1970s has received little attention compared to other Korean art genres despite its unique place in Korean art history. Setting the art genre in the global context for international audiences was a recent exhibition at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York co-organized with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. The exhibition “Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s-1970s” ended its four-month run at the Gug
Arts & DesignJan. 31, 2024