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Kumho Art Hall unveils programs for 2026, with baritone Kim Tae-han at forefront
Kumho Art Hall has announced the 2026 lineup for its flagship Beautiful Thursday concert series, a year-round program of Thursday evening recitals that mixes rising talents with internationally celebrated masters. This season, the spotlight falls on 24-year-old baritone Kim Tae-han. Named artist-in-residence, he is the first vocalist to hold the post since the residency program began in 2013. The 2023 winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition curates a four-part arc titled “Persona,” tracing the
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Kim Dae-jung’s Nobel medal and 1987 protester’s bloodstained clothes recognized as heritage
South Korea will formally preserve two of its most powerful symbols of democracy — the late President Kim Dae-jung’s Nobel Peace Prize and the bloodstained clothes of student protester Lee Han-yeol — as part of the nation’s first-ever “preliminary cultural heritage.” The Korea Heritage Service announced Wednesday that the two items, representing Korea’s struggles and triumphs in modern history, are among 10 selected for the new designation, which was created to protect significant cultural items
Nov. 12, 2025 -
In cycle of demolition, what remains of Korea's modern architecture?
Redevelopment and reconstruction have long defined the rhythm of urban life in South Korea, spurred by rapid industrial growth and the demands of capitalism. Little space has been left to reflect on how the legacy of Korea’s modern architecture is preserved or remembered. Kimm Jong-soung and Kim Chung-up are considered pioneering modern Korean architects, along with Kim Soo-guen, but few would be able to answer with examples of what these architects built. A culture of archiving modern architect
Nov. 12, 2025 -
‘Reply 1988’ child actor who played Jin-joo shares update from gifted education center
Kim Seol, who captured viewers’ hearts as the adorable baby Jin-joo in tvN’s hit drama “Reply 1988,” recently showed off a certificate of completion from a local gifted education center. Kim — now 14 years old — posted an Instagram update on Monday of herself smiling brightly in her school uniform while holding a certificate next to her presumed teacher at a completion ceremony. The picture quickly spread across online communities and social media. Kim made her acting debut at age 3 in the 2014
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Gayageum artist Kim Do-yeon on K-pop and gugak: 'True fusion comes from deep understanding, not decoration'
When K-pop artists sprinkle bits of traditional Korean instrumentation or melodies into their music, audiences often call it “fusion.” But for Kim Do-yeon, a 34-year-old gayageum player and vocalist leading a jazz quintet in New York, the term feels outdated. “Fusion and crossover were meaningful once, but we’ve gone beyond that,” Kim said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Oct. 21. “Today, music is fluid. Genres interact all the time — but real harmony only happens when artists truly unde
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Myongji Medical Foundation Chair Lee Wang-jun to head International Hospital Federation
Dr. Lee Wang-jun, chair and CEO of Myongji Medical Foundation, has been elected as the next International Hospital Federation president, becoming the second Korean to lead the 95-year-old global organization, the Korea Hospital Association said Wednesday. The announcement was made Tuesday during the 48th World Hospital Congress held Nov. 10-13 in Geneva, Switzerland. Lee will serve a two-year term from 2027 to 2029, following his participation in the federation’s six-year executive leadership cy
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Why do audiences linger at 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical'?
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is set to return to Blue Square in Seoul for the first time in three years this winter, bringing back its extravagant flair and high-octane theatricality. “To me, is what a musical truly is,” new cast member Lee Seok-hoon said of the production during a press conference on Monday. Cha Yun-hae, also new to the production, said, “Some shows are visually spectacular, others have beautiful storytelling, and some are driven by exceptional music. ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’
Nov. 11, 2025 -
Romance classic 'A Werewolf Boy' gets Philippine remake
The 2012 Korean melodrama "A Werewolf Boy" is getting a Philippine remake, with production now underway through a joint partnership between Viva Films, Studio Viva, and CJ ENM. Filipino actors Rabin Angeles and Angela Muji will head the film in their first lead roles on the big screen. Angeles will play the feral boy originally played by Song Joong-ki, while Muji will step into Park Bo-young's role as Sun-yi. Veteran actress Lorna Tolentino will round out the cast. Director Crisanto B. Aquino, k
Nov. 11, 2025 -
Seoul, Paris finalizing state visit by President Macron to mark 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year
"The 140th anniversary is more than a cultural celebration," French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux told reporters Tuesday at the French Embassy in Seoul. "It encompasses every dimension of the two countries' relationship -- political, military, economic, scientific and cultural." Tuesday's press conference marked the official launch of programming for 2026, when Korea and France will commemorate 140 years of diplomatic ties since the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation was signe
Nov. 11, 2025 -
'Squid Game' star Lee You-mi finds power in fragility in 'As You Stood By'
Learning life’s toughest lessons often begins with empathy — the ability to inhabit someone else’s pain. Few professions demand a level of emotional surrender quite like acting. In the new Netflix Korean psychological thriller "As You Stood By," Lee You-mi embodies that challenge, portraying a terrified wife trapped in an abusive marriage — a role she says made her stronger and helped her grow in a healthy way. The series follows Hee-soo (Lee) and Eun-soo (Jeon So-nee), two close friends who con
Nov. 11, 2025 -
Samsung Foundation receives top prize at Mecenat Awards
Samsung Foundation of Culture has been awarded the Grand Prize at the 2025 Mecenat Awards, hosted by the Korea Mecenat Association, marking the foundation’s second win in the awards' 26-year history. The Samsung Foundation of Culture, founded in 1965, was recognized for its contribution to broadening Korea’s cultural landscape and enhancing the global presence of Korean arts. In addition to operating the Leeum Museum of Art and the Hoam Museum of Art, the foundation has been supporting Korean ar
Nov. 11, 2025 -
Korea recovers 600-year-old cargo ship in underwater excavation
A 600-year-old tax ship has resurfaced off Korea’s west coast. South Korean archaeologists have recovered the full remains of a Joseon-era (1392-1910) cargo vessel, shedding light on how a premodern kingdom managed national taxation, logistics and sea-based infrastructure with surprising complexity. Announced by the National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage on Monday, the 15th-century vessel — named Mado 4 by researchers — was raised from the seabed in October following nearly a decade of
Nov. 10, 2025 -
Othoniel’s poetic journey across Avignon connects art, history and the infinite
Korea Herald correspondent AVIGNON, France — Upon entering Calvet Museum in Avignon, France, a stainless-steel lotus installation can immediately be spotted resting quietly in the courtyard. Stepping closer, you might begin to contemplate infinity as you find yourself endlessly reflected in the mirrored beads alongside reflections of the beads themselves and the surrounding landscape. “You see yourself thousands of times, and you see the piece also reflected by itself,” French artist Jean-Michel
Nov. 10, 2025 -
Ven. Pomnyun won’t 'answer' thousands of questions
The Ven. Pomnyun walked onstage to a rock beat Friday afternoon, moments after the singer Maya energized the opening of Youth Festa. Before hundreds of young people, he launched into his signature live dialogue — often mislabeled as an “instant Q&A.” “I cannot trust my senses because I’m disabled. I kind of realized that I have to live differently from those without a disability, but I don’t know what to do next,” a person in the audience posed. “I’m struggling in my relationship with my mother.
Nov. 10, 2025 -
Asian Prince gets lost in 'Love Barista'
The room erupted in laughter when Lee Kwang-soo admitted he'd only just spoken the film's Korean title "Prince Alone" — a playful nod to his nickname "Asian Prince" — out loud for the first time. "I don't know, it's just embarrassing," he said at Monday's press conference at CGV Yongsan, visibly squirming at his own discomfort. "Saying 'Hello, I'm Lee Kwang-soo from "Prince Alone"' feels awkward coming out of my mouth." Director Kim Sung-hoon immediately seized the opening. "Well, you know, I'm
Nov. 10, 2025