Tomas Saraceno, an Argentinian contemporary artist who is behind the launch of a fuel-free air balloon, stressed sustainability during a Q&A session at the Herald Design Forum on Thursday. Saraceno launched a project, titled “Fly with Aerocene Pacha,” an air balloon powered only by the sun and air, forgoing helium or fossil fuels, as a way of exploring environmentally friendly flight. The project was exhibited as part of “Connect BTS,” a global public art project i

　 The annual Herald Design Forum kicked off Thursday morning, marking its 10th edition by envisioning how design could change the world in the coming decade. 　 Under the slogan “Another 10 Years,” the largest design forum in Asia brought together prominent designers, architects, artists, curators and directors. The event was held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 1,400 participants livestreaming the sessions. In compliance with the government&rsquo

Coffee districts in Seoul are moving beyond the old aesthetics and have turned into highly Instagrammable spots. Quirky yet trendy cafes in old settings have infused fresh energy and unbelievable ambiance into these areas. These districts have since placed themselves as the latest “it” spots among the younger generation. A case in point is Yeonnam-dong. The majority of the cafes, restaurants and old vintage shops are nestled in narrow alleyways, allowing visitors to easily stumble

  The Korea Tourism Organization is receiving applications to join K-Friends, its online team of online supporters. With in-person marketing almost impossible these days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the KTO hopes to attract tourists to Korea through contactless promotions, according to the KTO. Application is open to foreign nationals with more than 100 social media followers. The organization hopes to gather 10,000 supporters this year, 50,000 by 2023, and 100,000 by 2025. The parti

Show marking 30th anniversary of Korea-Russia diplomatic ties highlights Seredin-Sabatin’s eyewitness account of Empress Myeongseong’s assassination

Gyeongbokgung’s main throne hall Geunjeongjeon will be open to the public from Oct. 26 to Nov. 7. Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday that it is organizing two group tours daily from Monday to Saturday, except Tuesdays when the palace is closed. Each group will consist of 10 people. Geunjeongjeon, National Treasure No. 223, is the main throne hall of the Joseon era palace. Originally built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung’s main throne hall was destroyed by fire during the Japanes

With the government having eased its social distancing guidelines from Level 2 to Level 1 in a three-tier system on Oct. 12, the Royal Culture Festival successfully completed eight days of offline events from Oct. 10-18 at four palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung -- as well as the royal shrine Jongmyo. Of the 12 performances, exhibitions and hands-on experiences at the palaces, the highlight was a musical based on a Korean folktale in which the young heroine

One of the five grand palaces built during the 1392-1897 Joseon dynasty, Gyeonghuigung Palace, which means “Palace of Joy and Light,” is the least well-known and smallest of the palaces in Seoul. But the historic significance of the palace located west of the main palace of Gyeongbokgung equals that of its better known counterparts.  The palace, which was built during the reign of Gwanghaegun, the 15th king of Joseon, was completed in 1620 and served as a secondary palace for

S.M. Entertainment, friends, fans and family commemorated the first anniversary of death of Sulli, whose real name was Choi Jin-ri, on Wednesday. S.M. Entertainment posted on Sulli’s official Facebook page a photo of Sulli on Wednesday with the caption, “We remember your smile.” Actress Kim Sun-a, who was a close friend of Sulli and who took custody of Sulli’s cat after her death, posted a photo of herself visiting Sulli’s grave on Wednesday. “Not a day no

The Korea Creative Content Agency and CJ ENM will host “KCON:TACT season 2,” an online affair that will kick off Thursday and continue through Oct. 25. The shows can be viewed at the Mnet K-pop and KCON official YouTube channel by purchasing a membership. “I hope ‘KCON:TACT season 2’ sets an example for promoting stellar K-contents like games, webtoons, characters among others to the international audience,” said Park Seung-ryong, head of KOCCA’s overs

Geunjeongjeon -- the main throne hall of Gyeongbokgung from the Joseon era (1392-1910) -- is worth around 3.29 billion won ($2.87 million), less than the average price of an apartment in Gangnam-gu, a district of Seoul known for its sky-high real estate prices. Three other halls in the palace, which are designated as national treasures, were valuated at less than 2 billion won each, according to a document submitted by the Cultural Heritage Administration at the request of Rep. Kim Seung-su o

The Russia-Korea Arts and Culture Society (KORACS) and The Gorchakov Fund on Thursday jointly held a seminar to mark the 30th anniversary of the two countries’ cultural exchanges and discussed their future relationship. “Following the first forum which was held in 2017 in Seoul, this year’s event was supposed to be held at Moscow. But due to the virus pandemic, it had to take place in virtual space via video conference to connect Moscow and Seoul. I would like to express speci

At nighttime, Euljiro 4-ga in Seoul, long a home to craftsmen and hardware shops, takes on a wholly different look from the day. Walking the streets in the area during the day, you can see a variety of small shops selling ironware, wood, tool supplies and household goods such as lighting and tiles, as well as craftsmen with decades of experience. The streets ring with the roar of machines, and various tools and tiles wait for customers. When night falls and the metal and acrylic shops pull

South Koreans are getting more chances to enjoy a crystal-clear sky, a respite from the gloomy indoor-centered lifestyle sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic.  In particular, the autumn sky viewed from Namsan, Jung-gu, Seoul is stunningly bright and blue. As the country ushers in fall, the dazzling blue sky tends to stand out with its vivid colors.  (Photos: Yonhap) By Lee Jae-eun (leeje16@heraldcorp.com)

Pink muhly covers a local park near Pohang City Hall in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on Wednesday. Like its name, the pink muhly grass has grown into its bright pink color with hints of green. The grass will keep the color until November, when cold weather hits. (Photos: Yonhap) By Song Donna (donnadsong@heraldcorp.com)