Overturning lower court decision, Daejeon High Court rules 14th century statue belongs to Japanese temple

Shin Chun-soo, chief producer of OD Co., has been dealing with thyroid problems recently, a condition he described as even harder to deal with than his open-heart surgery two years ago. Shin confesses to being less and less stimulated by company. Once an extrovert, he has retreated to literature and musical books in his enduring search for inspiration. But when he talks about musicals and his upcoming projects in and outside Korea, his face lights up. Shin was originally a wannabe movie director

Bowling alley with neon lights and rock-'n-'roll February has begun, but the evenings in Seoul are still quite chilly after sundown. When it feels too early to call it a day with friends or acquaintances, a special bowling alley decorated with flashy neon lights and some rock music awaits. Only a three-minute walk from Gangnam Station's Exit No. 10, Temple Strike, a bowling alley located on the basement floor of the bustling district, opens from 11 a.m. to 5 a.m. the next mornin

Overseas Korean schools, cultural communities and organizations can apply to receive traditional cultural items through the Overseas Koreans Foundation’s website, the state-run organization announced Tuesday. Categories of items include traditional instruments, costumes and folk games. Applications will be accepted online until Feb. 21. The project’s purpose is for Koreans abroad to maintain and inherit Korean music, arts and culture. While promoting cultural exchanges between gene

Last year’s ticket sales for Korea’s performing arts scene not only returned to pre-pandemic levels but jumped 43 percent from 2019, according to data released by the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System Wednesday. The combined revenue of 14,447 musicals, theatrical plays, classical concerts and other performances came to 55.90 billion won ($45 million) in 2022, up 43 percent from pre-pandemic revenue in 2019. Compared with 2021, the figure soared by 82 percent. In ter

Arario Gallery, a leading commercial gallery in South Korea, has reopened the space after a year of hiatus, finishing its relocation to a new place in central Seoul. Looking over Changgyeonggung, the gallery is now located next to Arario Museum. Founded in 1989, the gallery is one of oldest galleries that have supported Korean artists for decades. Reopening on Feb. 1, the gallery has moved to Wondseo-dong in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, next to the landmark building of Gonggan Saok, a former archit

The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will make a concrete transformation this year through a new season that showcases its own productions, Ahn Ho-sang, the CEO of the institution, said Tuesday. “While we focused on bringing the best artists -- who I can guarantee as the best in their respective fields, to Sejong Center last year -- this year we’ll focus on providing more quality original works,” Ahn told reporters on Tuesday during a press conference. For the 2023 season

Kim Han, the Korean clarinetist who shone a spotlight on the instrument, will join the Paris Opera Orchestra as the principal clarinet this year, according to his management company Credia on Tuesday. Kim secured the position after passing an audition in January. Born in 1996, Kim debuted through the Kumho Prodigy Concert at the age of 11. He studied at Eton College and Guildhall School of Music and Drama in the UK. Since 2018, he has been playing for the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra as its

The Korea Tourism Organization predicted this year's domestic travel trend as focusing on individual travelers' aspirations to discover their interests and preferences rooted in their daily lives, summarizing the trend with the acronym, MOMENT. The travel trend forecast was announced by the Culture Ministry and KTO on Tuesday, based on an analysis of travel-related big data collected over three years. The data included travel expenses and the use of social media, as well as in-dept

As it did for everyone else, the pandemic affected violinist Esther Yoo in ways that she could have never imagined. The US-born musician did not forsee staying in South Korea for so long or anticipate what that would entail. Roughly two years in Korea and a time off from her routine of constant traveling and performing changed her “dramatically” and it turned out to be a much-needed time for her, Yoo told The Korea Herald during an interview Thursday. She rediscovered her heritage

K-pop boy group Tomorrow X Together's latest album sold more than 1.8 million copies on the first day of its release, the group's agency said Saturday. "The Name Chapter: Temptation," the quintet's fifth EP, sold 1,868,919 copies Friday, BigHit Music said, quoting data from local album sales tracker Hanteo Chart. TXT is the second K-pop act to hit 1.8 million on an album's debut day after BTS, according to the agency. In comparison, the band's fourth EP, "

The Daereungwon royal tombs, a designated historic site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, will offer free admission to the public starting May, according to Gyeongju City. Located in Hwangnam-dong, a total of 23 ancient tombs from the Silla Dynasty are at the Daereungwon park, attracting more than 1 million visitors annually on average. The two most representative tombs are Hwangnam Daechong, the largest tomb in Gyeongju where the Queen's Gold Crown and Queen's Belt were discover

The Korea Film Archive on Thursday released 113 videos documenting Korean society from the early 1900s to 1950s. The videos show the daily lives of Koreans, as well as the peninsula's natural scenery and urban landscape captured through the eyes of foreigners who filmed the clips while in Korea. "The archive will be a good reference for researchers in various fields related to the history of Korea, from Christian missionaries and education, to folklore," the Korea Film Archive sai

Cocktails inspired by 12 zodiac signs Sindang-dong in Jung-gu, Seoul, was once an enclave of shamans, with the name of the neighborhood meaning a shrine or temple dedicated to spirits. When the sun goes down, Zoosindang, a cocktail bar themed after the stories of the 12 zodiac animals, comes to life. At first glance, the place looks like an eerie shaman’s house with no entrance. Push the cat statue, who is gatekeeping the place, and you will find yourself in an otherworldly forest. The ba

The act of honoring the spirits of ancestors by offering them food and drinks during the Lunar New Year has been considered a serious tradition for centuries in South Korea. But this year, some families have decided to honor the tradition in a lighter mood, according to photos gone viral on online communities. Versatile screen This photo, uploaded by an anonymous user and shared on Instagram, shows a clever use of a wall-mounted TV screen, a staple in Korean living rooms. Instead of keeping