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National Folk Museum of Korea eyes fresh start
The National Folk Museum of Korea will be the country’s premiere institution showcasing world culture when it reopens in Sejong in 2031. The national project to set up a complex of state-run museums in Sejong — a de facto administrative capital two hours from Seoul — will help reshape the identity of the museum that had heavily focused on promoting Korean culture, according to Jang Sang-hoon, the NFMK director general. “We have time to prepare ourselves to practice what will work,” Jang said at
April 8, 2025 -
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra to perform in Korea for first time
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra to take stage at National Theater of Korea on Sunday The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra is set to perform in South Korea for the first time on Sunday at the Haeoreum Grand Theater of the National Theater of Korea, bringing an evening full of passion to Seoul. The orchestra's first-ever performance in Korea is expected to serve as a cultural bridge and foster stronger artistic exchange and mutual understanding between the two countries. The event is hosted by the Goyang
April 7, 2025 -
Overseas, image most associated with Korea is still K-pop: survey
Favorable perception of Korean culture and products rises, but excessive commercialization, North Korea concerns have negative impact, according to survey For the eighth consecutive year, K-pop has been named the most prominent image associated with South Korea according to a global survey. The 2025 Global Hallyu Survey, released Monday by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, showed 17.8 percent of respondents said K-pop was t
April 7, 2025 -
KFPI to hold 3 seminars on hansik this year
Seminars to explore 'jang'-making, Korean diaspora and evolution of Korean food and North Chungcheong Province cuisine As "hansik," or Korean food, is winning over palates around the world, the Korea Food Promotion Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs are jointly holding three academic seminars this year to explore the diverse flavors and charms of hansik. The first seminar, taking place May 23 at the Hansik Space Eeum in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, will shed light on
April 7, 2025 -
Kansong Art Museum unfolds hidden stories of fan art
The Kansong Art Museum in Seoul is set to launch its spring exhibition, "The Fan: My Companion Sharing the Moonlit Breeze," running April 9 to May 25. This marks the third installment of a three-year exhibition series focusing on the development of the museum’s highly-acclaimed Kansong Collection. For the first time, the exhibition will unveil intriguing stories hidden within fan paintings and inscriptions, offering a glimpse into the rich cultural history of Korea. The exhibition will showcase
April 6, 2025 -
Gallery Hyundai's 55 years of history on view
As Korea's leading commercial art space, Gallery Hyundai's 55th anniversary exhibition reflects on its history through the works of artists it has represented over the decades Behind the Korean art scene’s growth are pioneering galleries that supported artists and consistently served collectors -- and one of those is Gallery Hyundai, founded in Seoul's Insa-dong neighborhood 55 years ago. The leading gallery is now located in Samcheong-dong, led by Do Hyung-teh, president of the gallery and son
April 3, 2025 -
Studio Ghibli stays silent on AI-generated art controversy
Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio behind “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle,” has declined to comment on the rising controversy over AI-generated artwork mimicking its signature style. When asked by The Korea Herald on Wednesday about its stance on the issue and possible legal action against ChatGPT's AI-generated images, a Studio Ghibli spokesperson responded by phone, saying, “We are not making any comments. This is the same for Japan and the rest of the world.” AI-generated
April 3, 2025 -
Where stationery is a lifestyle
Inventario 2025 fair curates tools of everyday life as art The bustling halls of Coex in Seoul are alive with the sounds of the soft scratch of pens on paper this weekend as 29CM, the e-commerce platform known for its curated lifestyle products, hosts its first-ever offline stationery fair, Inventario: 2025. The event, which runs through Sunday, reflects a significant shift in the stationery market -- moving beyond traditional office supplies to embrace products that reflect personal tastes and
April 3, 2025 -
Jongmyo royal court music online reservations to open
Online reservations for a Joseon-era (1392-1910) ritual performance of music, singing and dancing at the royal shrine Jongmyo in central Seoul will open Monday, according to the Korea Heritage Service. Jongmyo Jeryeak, the ceremonial performance, used to be held at ancestral rites at the shrine, where the tablets of Joseon kings and queens are enshrined. Jongmyo Jeryeak was the first intangible cultural heritage nationally recognized in 1964. It also made the UNESCO’s Representative List of Inta
April 3, 2025 -
Dive into Peru's beauty through 'A Sombre Aspect'
Peruvian photographer and artist Roberto Huarcaya brings South American country's mystical landscapes to Seoul Step into the untamed beauty of nature and the diverse landscapes of Peru through the photo exhibition "A Sombre Aspect" by renowned Peruvian photographer and artist Roberto Huarcaya. The Peruvian Embassy in Seoul and the Korea Foundation Gallery are jointly hosting the photography exhibition at the KF Gallery in Jung-gu, central Seoul, to offer visitors a visual narrative of the South
April 3, 2025 -
Lee Mi-re installation more than visually intense
Rising Korean artist's inaugural preformance at MMCA depicts desire and the debris it leaves behind Lee Mi-re rose to global prominence with visually intense installations created with silicone, ceramics, fabrics, chains, oil and other materials reminiscent of human organs or bodies. The kinetic installations dripped liquid, spluttered and whirred, overwhelming its viewers. After her recent solo exhibition “Open Wound” at the Tate Modern in London, she unveiled her first-ever performance at the
April 2, 2025 -
Yoon ruling prompts palace, museum closures over safety worries
Safety concerns have prompted major palaces, museums and tourist spots near the Constitutional Court in central Seoul to close Friday when a verdict will either oust or reinstate President Yoon Suk Yeol, impeached over his martial law declaration in December. Four of the five Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces — Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung — and state-run museums such as the National Palace Museum of Korea and National Folk Museum of Korea have announced closures, sa
April 2, 2025 -
Journey through decades of crafts, designs at Korea Craft & Design Foundation Gallery
KCDF marks 25th anniversary with an exhibition entitled 'The Obvious Journey, 25 years' Marking the 25th anniversary of its establishment, the Korea Craft and Design Foundation is hosting an exhibition titled "The Obvious Journey, 25 years," showcasing the organization's decadeslong work in crafts and design. Allowing visitors to walk down memory lane, the exhibition will highlight the KCDF's 25-year journey through four themes. The first zone, "Laying the Foundation for Everyday Culture," explo
April 2, 2025 -
Rediscovering landscape painter Jeong Seon as 'magician of colors'
Co-organized by the Leeum Museum of Art and the Kansong Art Museum, 'Gyeomjae Jeong Seon' at the Hoam Museum of Art is the first major retrospective on the full spectrum of the Joseon master painter's art Landscape paintings by Jeong Seon, a master painter of the Joseon era (1392–1910), collectively known as “Jingyeong landscape” paintings, or “true-view landscape” paintings, are considered the pinnacle of Joseon art. Also known by his penname, Gyeomjae, the painter's true-view landscape paintin
April 1, 2025 -
Music copyright group mandates 'no AI use' for new songs
The Korea Music Copyright Association recently implemented a procedure for registering a new song, requiring songwriters to verify that they did not use artificial intelligence, reaffirming its stance that AI-generated music cannot be copyrighted. The new measure, which went into effect on March 24, mandates songwriters to confirm they have 100 percent contributed to writing the song without using AI. The KMCA confirmed that the criteria for not using AI does refer to "0 percent contribution." "
April 1, 2025