Articles by Choi Si-young
Choi Si-young
siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com-
Historic sites to offer 5 fee-free days to mark renaming of cultural heritage agency
Entrance fees to 76 historic sites in South Korea, including the popular royal palaces and shrine in Seoul and tombs across the country connected to the Joseon era (1392-1910), will be waived from Wednesday to Sunday to mark the renaming of the Cultural Heritage Administration as the Korea Heritage Service, the agency managing heritage work. The name change, which will take effect Friday and is part of larger efforts to overhaul the agency, was passed by the National Assembly in April 2023. &ldq
Culture May 14, 2024
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[Bridging Cultures] Czech Center director links ‘true culture’ to quality
In an era of instant messaging, appreciating longer forms of the arts, such as orchestral performances, has become challenging. That’s why quality matters more now than ever, because the way culture is presented determines how people explore their inner thoughts, according to Michal Emanovsky, the director of the Czech Center Seoul. “To be honest, money is a very important part of making decisions about projects,” Emanovsky said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. The
People May 13, 2024
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‘Monk’ DJ spreading Buddhism goes global
A South Korean DJ-comedian in a Buddhist monk’s robe is making strides in Korea and abroad with the backing of Korea’s largest Buddhist sect that has employed him as part of its outreach to wider audiences. Youn Sung-ho, the DJ known as the Ven. New Jean, will close the three-day Lotus Lantern Festival on Sunday, with an electronic dance music performance echoing Buddhist verses. The show is set in front of Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Sunday’
Culture May 12, 2024
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[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Spring blooms at Morning Calm Spring blooms are at their peak at the Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. From plum blossoms and royal azaleas to tulips, daffodils and forsythias, enjoy the sprawling flower beds and shows, which are part of the festivities the garden is hosting through May 26. Flea markets will be held alongside magic shows to liven up the mood three days a week throughout the festival. Admission is priced at 11,000 won for adults with discounts available f
Travel May 10, 2024
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[Eye Interview] Seon meditation empowers you: Buddhist leader
Finding an emotional outlet in a country like South Korea, an ultra-competitive society that teaches little about coping with emotions, is tough. Left unaddressed, stress without a proper release could be feeding collective trauma, as evidenced by recent violent crimes that have alarmed the country, according to the Ven. Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Responsible for running Korea’s largest Buddhist sect with the Supreme Patriarch as the spiritual leader, Jinwoo s
Culture May 9, 2024
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Homosexuality neither sin nor heresy: UMC
The US-based United Methodist Church said it does not see homosexuality as a sin or heresy, countering the accusations leveled at the global denomination by a coalition of Korean Protestant churches. “The Bible says homosexuality is a sin and consecrating gay clergy amounts to heresy,” President Jung Seo-young of the Christian Council of Korea said in a statement Saturday, made in response to the UMC decision to lift its 40-year-old ban on ordaining gay clergy Wednesday. “The U
Social Affairs May 8, 2024
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[Weekender] Korean psyche untangled: Musok
Shamanism. It resonates with Koreans -- in private. Rarely is it endorsed openly, however. Accusing someone of having acknowledged its power in any official capacity forces the person to counter the assertion, at all costs. How this plays out in real life was on vivid display last week. K-pop giant Hybe, the company behind BTS, cornered its sublabel Ador Chief Executive Min Hee-jin over plotting to take independent the lucrative subsidiary that manages popular girl group NewJeans. A shaman was i
Culture May 4, 2024
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Songzio launches Seoul flagship store
Songzio, the South Korean fashion house known for its avant-garde menswear, will open its first-ever flagship store in Seoul on Saturday. Galerie Noir marks the latest push by CEO Jay Song to cement the brand’s foothold at home and advance its international appeal. A second flagship launch is expected in Paris in August, with a third one in New York in the second half of next year. The four-story Seoul flagship, walking distance from Dosan Park in Seoul’s Gangnam-gu, is a mix of fash
Arts & Design May 3, 2024
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[Photo News] Lanterns celebrate Buddha’s Birthday
Lantern installations illuminate Songhyeon Green Plaza, next to the main palace from the Joseon era, Gyeongbokgung, in central Seoul on Thursday. The annual Buddhist Lantern Festival runs through May 15, which is the Buddha’s Birthday holiday, at Songhyeon Green Plaza, Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggye Plaza and around Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in downtown Seoul. (Yonhap)
Culture May 3, 2024
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[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Green Barley Festival, Gochang The annual Green Barley Festival will run through May 12 at Hagwon Farm in Gochang County, North Jeolla Province. “Nongak,” a traditional Korean performance art, as well as classical music and jazz will be performed on the main stage set up in the middle of the vast farmland, which sits next to fields of canola flowers. Children can take part in activities like treasure hunts. Admission, including parking, is free. For more information, visit tour.g
Travel May 3, 2024
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[Herald Interview] Mistakes turn into blessings in street performance, director says
Where to draw the line separating the audience from actors in a street performance is tricky for any director. Some are wary of seeing the script derailed by indulging too much into on-the-spot impromptu interaction with spectators. But not so for Song Jae-sung. The director oversees various shows scheduled at Gyeongbokgung this week as part of the annual Seoul festival promoting five palaces from the Joseon era (1392-1910). The nine-day K-Royal Culture Festival, now in its 10th year, kicked off
People April 28, 2024
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[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Guided Han River tours Free tours making stops at historic sites near and around the Han River will run through November. The tours will start at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily, with each tour lasting about two hours. Reservations need to be made five days in advance for individuals and a month in advance for groups, at visit-hangang.seoul.kr. Text messages will be sent when reservations are made or if a tour is canceled. Each tour requires at least three participants, as well as good weather with
Travel April 26, 2024
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Exhibition on Hangeul items to go global
An exhibition showcasing products inspired by Hangeul, the Korean writing system, will take place at Korean Cultural Centers in 10 countries, starting with the one in Canada. A collection of over 50 items spanning jewelry, ceramics and household goods will be featured at the Special Exhibition on Korean Cultural Products in Ottawa, Ontario, from April 26 to June 28. A similar exhibition will be held in Turkey in May before exhibitions open in Germany and Mexico in June. The Special Exhibition on
Arts & Design April 24, 2024
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Online platform set up for easier access to old maps of East Asia
A one-stop online platform has been launched to streamline access to thousands of old and modern maps depicting East Asia, according to a South Korean history foundation Tuesday. The East Asian Old Map Collection, a website launched by the state-run Northeast Asian History Foundation, brings together a total of 2,212 maps facilitating easier access to thousands of old maps scattered among different institutions. The maps date as far back as 1592 and users can see how various maps published later
Social Affairs April 23, 2024
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Reservations for Gyeongbokgung night tours to open April 30
Online reservations for the biannual nighttime tours of Gyeongbokgung will open on April 30 at 10 a.m. This special opportunity to take a moonlight stroll around Seoul’s main Joseon-era (1392-1910) palace will be available from May 8 to June 2, except for Mondays and Tuesdays. Tours will take place between 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. While the tours will not include guides, the palace’s gates, halls, pavilions and garden will be open to visitors. One person can buy up to four tickets at tic
Culture April 22, 2024
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