[Architecture Talk] On our own, but together: Shared housing points to new possibilities

One might easily surmise that there are only a few types of housing in South Korea, and rightly so. The urban landscapes in the country are dominated by towering apartment blocks and low-rise multi-unit buildings called "villas." What is less well known is that new types of homes are being built that aim to break the isolation and monotony of apartments by creating shared spaces. These buildings, while still few in number and mostly hidden from sight in the densely packed city of Seoul

Nov. 21, 2024

[More than APT] Home as personal manifesto in a sea of apartments

Winston Churchill's observations on architecture suggest that we shape our buildings, thereafter, they shape us. In today's Korean society, the buildings shaping many people's lives are cookie-cutter apartment complexes, practical havens that prioritize convenience, safety and investment value over individual expression. These standardized structures have become the go-to choice for many, reflecting the priorities of a fast-paced urban lifestyle. However, there are those challen

Nov. 21, 2024

Young composers add traditional music flavor to 20-year-old game

The National Orchestra of Korea, dedicated to contemporary interpretations of traditional Korean music, is bringing back a program gaining popularity among gamers -- the soundtracks of hit games reimagined using traditional Korean instruments. Two previous collaborations with game developers were presented in the “Soso Music Concert” series, aimed at children and young people, featuring mobile games such as "Cookie Run: Kingdom" in 2021 and 2022, and "Crazyracing Kar

Nov. 20, 2024

Pianist Cho Seong-jin to tour Asia with BRSO and maestro Simon Rattle

The world-renowned Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra is returning to South Korea after six years, this time with Simon Rattle as chief conductor, for concerts featuring celebrated pianist Cho Seong-jin as soloist. Cho, who joined Rattle on his last three world tours with different orchestras, will be the sole featured artist for the German orchestra's two-week-long Asia tour, with performances in Korea, Japan and Taiwan. The Asia tour will begin Wednesday at the Lotte Concert Hall in Jams

Nov. 19, 2024

Korean content industry reaches record-high exports at $13.2 billion

The Korean content industry exports reached an all-time high of $13.2 billion (18.38 trillion won) in 2022 as Hallyu continued to expand around the world. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that revenue from the Korean content industry grew from 128 trillion won in 2020 to 151 trillion won in 2022. Exports also reached an all-time high, rising from $11.9 billion (16.57 trillion won) to $13.2 billion (18.38 trillion won) during the same period. Building on this succ

Nov. 19, 2024

[Herald Interview] Veteran creators take on new roles in 'Swing Days: Codename A'

Korean screenwriter Kim Hee-jai and American music director, producer and composer Jason Howland, both seasoned veterans in their respective fields, stepped into unfamiliar territory with "Swing Days: Codename A," a new musical set to premiere later this month. Kim, 55, a playwright with a string of successful films and dramas to her name including “Silmido” (2003), the first film in South Korea to surpass 10 million admissions, has ventured into musical production for th

Nov. 18, 2024

Pianist Lim Yunchan wins another award with Decca album

South Korean pianist Lim Yunchan has been honored with the Jeune Talent award at the Diapason d’Or de l’Annee, according to his management company MOC Production on Monday. The prestigious prize is presented annually by the French magazine Diapason to recognize outstanding classical music recordings, This achievement follows Lim's wins at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards last month, where he received the "Young Artist of the Year" title and the top prize in the pi

Nov. 18, 2024

Akamus and RIAS Chamber Choir debut as one in Korea

This year’s Hanwha Classic, a concert series dedicated to early music, will bring together two ensembles whose first collaboration in 1992 was regarded as a musical symbol of German unificaiton. The Academy for Ancient Music Berlin (Akamus) was founded in 1982 in East Berlin, and the RIAS Chamber Choir was established in 1948 within the American-occupied sector of West Berlin. In 1992, they began performing together and have since developed a close relationship, performing together and e

Nov. 17, 2024

[Well-curated] Jazz with a view, fusion burgers and riot of colors at flower fest

Jazz, dining, and river view: Mood Anchor on Sebitseom Mood Anchor on Sebitseom in Seocho-gu, Seoul, has quickly become a jazz lounge hot spot since reopening as a contemporary restaurant in September, following its earlier life as "Mood Seoul." Known for its unique blend of fine dining and live jazz, Mood Anchor offers a sweeping view of the Han River that serves as a stunning backdrop for its Thursday-to-Sunday jazz lounge evenings. On these nights, the restaurant attracts guests who

Nov. 15, 2024

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Park Hyatt Seoul unveils gastronomic journey for winter Park Hyatt Seoul presents a new dinner course menu, inspired by premium perfume brand Diptyque’s Sapin candle, at the hotel’s top floor The Lounge. Starting with The Lounge chef Jung Sang-hyup’s citrus rice cake, sliced raw yellowtail, boiled pork, flatfish rolls and mushroom-filled “sotbap” -- pot rice -- will be offered to guests. Executive pastry chef Lee Ji-myeong’s pine-flavored pavlova will be serve

Nov. 15, 2024

[What to attend] Three musicals boasting unique music styles

A quality musical production begins with great music. Often, the songs can feel similar across different shows. However, "Lizzie," "Zorro: Actor-Musician" and "Gwanghwamun Love Song" stand out for their distinctive musical styles, offering audiences a refreshing experience. 'Lizzie': Feel the rock vibe “Lizzie” is inspired by the true story of Lizzie Borden, accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother with an ax in the late summ

Nov. 14, 2024

[Herald Gallery] Gathering seasonal traces brings calm

The exhibition “The Gift” is being held at Gallery Unplugged in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, until Nov. 22. Four artists — An SoHyun, On YeWon, Lee SunGeun and Cho JaeYeon — present a variety of works exploring the preciousness of daily life and themes of hope. Using diverse motifs such as Google Street View, symmetry, the passage of time and fairytale-like imagery, the pieces convey warmth and solace in familiar landscapes and relationships. The exhibition spans various media, in

Nov. 14, 2024

25 cultural, civic groups blast blacklist creator's SPO appointment

Civic and cultural groups have opposed the recent appointment of Cho Yoon-sun as a nonexecutive director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, pointing to her involvement in a blacklist of cultural figures. On Wednesday, an alliance of 25 organizations -- including the Screen Actors Guild of Korea, the Association of Korean Independent Film and Video and Writers Association of Korea -- released a statement condemning Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon for approving Cho’s appointment and demanding its w

Nov. 13, 2024

GS Caltex wins Grand Prize of Mecenat Awards

GS Caltex, a South Korean energy and chemicals company, received the Grand Prize at the 2024 Mecenat Awards for promoting regional culture with its multipurpose cultural and arts space in South Jeolla Province. GS Caltex has been operating GS Caltex Yeulmaru for 12 years. Designed by the architect Dominique Perrault, Yeulmaru has hosted over 1,800 performances, along with 2,300 exhibitions and educational programs, attracting approximately 1.33 million visitors as of mid-2024. Additionally, the

Nov. 13, 2024

Activist calls for ban on Chinese game over hanbok dispute

A Chinese game company that abruptly ended services in South Korea four years ago amid a controversy over its presentation of hanbok, has announced the launch of a sequel, stirring calls from an activist for the game to be banned here. Seo Kyoung-duk, professor of general education at Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul, a self-styled promoter of Korean culture and history, on Wednesday called for the South Korean government to block the game “Infinity Nikki” from entering the

Nov. 13, 2024

[Herald Gallery] Night Walk

APOproject presents “Simply a Walk,” a solo exhibition by Lee Lee MiJu, open until Nov. 2. This marks Lee's (born 1982) first solo exhibition in Korea in three years and features six representative works. Her pieces capture the instability and ambiguity of her experiences as an artist, expressed through seemingly surreal yet tranquil imagery. The exhibition also extends her large-scale solo show “Perfect Days,” currently being held in Spain, and includes the nota

Nov. 12, 2024

[Rising virtuosos] From Pororo to Paganini: 13-year-old violinist Lee Hyeon-jeong’s journey to the world stage

It all began with a Maxim Vengerov recital: A little girl in the audience, who, like most kids her age enjoyed singing tunes from the Pororo cartoon series, found herself suddenly drawn to the world of classical music. For most Korean children born around 2010, growing up meant loving Pororo the Little Penguin, affectionately nicknamed "President Po" for the power he wielded over the pre-kindergarten set. As they got older, many of these kids would move on to other music genres, often

Nov. 12, 2024

Violinist Sarah Chang to embark on recital tour

Violinist Sarah Chang will come to Korea in December, making her long-awaited return to the recital stage after five years. Now approaching her 35th debut anniversary, Chang will tour 13 cities across Korea -- Seoul, Seongnam, Ulsan, Goyang, Iksan, Cheongju, Incheon, Daegu, Gyeongju, Pyeongtaek, Busan, Gwangju and Gangneung. The tour will kick off on Dec. 10 in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and wrap up Dec. 29 in Seoul. The tour program is centered on works by Brahms and Prokofiev. She will perfo

Nov. 12, 2024

Simon Edelmann of Germany wins top prize at KNSO conducting competition

The second edition of the Korea National Symphony Orchestra's International Conducting Competition announced its winners Sunday, ending the five-day competition. The first prize went to German conductor Simon Edelmann, who conducted the first movement of Brahms' Symphony No. 4, the third movement of Rachmaninoff's “Symphonic Dances,” and the first movement of Debussy's “La Mer” in the final round. Edelmann currently serves as the conductor of the Vogtl

Nov. 11, 2024

Seoul Opera to present 'La Boheme' for first time

The Seoul Opera Company, celebrating its 40th anniversary next year, will present its first-ever production of Puccini’s “La Boheme” next week. Though it is the debut performance of the classic work for the Seoul Metropolitan Opera, the production will be directed by Eom Sook-jeong, who has staged around 10 versions of the opera. The cast boasts a star lineup of Korean opera singers, including top sopranos Seo Sun-young and Hwang Su-mi, the latter of whom was “shocked&rdq

Nov. 11, 2024