British Japanese artist Simon Fujiwara’s art seems playful and mischievous at first glance, as presented at an exhibition at Gallery Hyundai in Seoul. The recurring presence of a bear in his oeuvre piques the curiosity of viewers, leading them to question what the artist wants to tell the world -- and who the bear is. Fujiwara has brought together some 40 works of art at a solo exhibition in Seoul that opened on April 5. An identity-free cartoon bear named “Who” -- which seemin

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has selected four finalists for the Korea Artist Prize 2023, following a short hiatus last year to make improvements to the 10-year-old annual award, which had fallen under growing criticism for its quality and low recognition. The museum earlier this week announced four artists -- sound artist Kwon Byung-jun, Korean-Colombian artist Gala Porras-Kim, Lee Kang-seung whose work explores queer history, and interdisciplinary artist Jun S

South Korean novelist Han Kang of “The Vegetarian” will meet readers in the UK ahead of the publication of the English edition of the author's novel "Greek Lessons," the Korean Cultural Center in England said. Han is scheduled to attend a book talk event on Sunday at the 295-seat Purcell Room at the Southbank Center, in London. Writer and broadcaster Octavia Bright will moderate the event. The English edition of “Greek Lessons,” translated by Deborah Smith

An exhibition introducing traditional craftworks by artisans against a backdrop of pop-art designs is open at Gyeol, the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Training Center exhibition hall, in Gangnam, until Oct. 31. Titled “The Greatest Artisan’s Market,” the exhibition features some 72 craftworks by 21 National Intangible Cultural Heritage title holders and instructors. Among the highlights of the exhibition are "ipsa," an in-lay of ornamental silver or gold strin

Hop on Swiss train Imagine a quick train ride to some of the most popular sights and landmarks in Switzerland this weekend without having to leave Korea. At the Gyeongui Line Book Street in Mapo district, western Seoul, an exhibition set up inside a spacious train replica takes visitors on a taster of Switzerland's Grand Train Tour, a panoramic 1,280-kilometer route across the country. The Swiss Spring Street Festival, organized by Switzerland Tourism, showcases scenic tourist spots, from

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul launches new cocktails symbolizing iconic cities Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's speakeasy bar Charles H. is offering four new cocktail creations inspired by different cities -- London, Havana, New Orleans and Hong Kong. The reimagined menu is a collaboration between head bartender, Odd Strandbakken, and beverage creative director, Alyssa Heidt. The duo have crafted 20 distinct cocktails inspired by the world travels of Charles H. Baker Jr. Alongside each artful cocktail

Miryang Arirang Festival The 65th edition of Miryang Arirang Festival runs from May 18-21 along the Miryang riverside and at the Yeongnamnu Pavilion in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. The four-day event promotes the Miryang style of Arirang, a national folk song that was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012. The highlight of the folk festival is "Miryang River Odyssey," a musical that combines the story of Miryang Arirang and the history of Miryan

Four members of a traditional female nongak band from the 1950s will team up to bring the community band music to stage at the Seoul Namsan Gukakdang on Saturday. Inscribed on the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014, nongak translates as "farmer's music" and is a performing art derived from traditional communal rites and rustic entertainments. Different regions of the country have their variations, but nongak generally combines a percussion and wind ense

  South Korean novelist Cheon Myeong-kwan's "Whale" has been shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world along with the Nobel Prize in literature and the French Goncourt Prize. The British prize was established in 2005 to honor an author and translator equally for a single work of fiction translated into English. The novel, translated by Chi-Young Kim and published by Europa Editions on Jan. 19, was among six other

Taipei Performing Arts Center designed by Dutch firm OMA inspired by theater as center of civic life

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- One of the goals of architects in undertaking a public architecture project, such as the Taipei Performing Arts Center, is not to be wasteful. “There is a very strong obligation in public work not to be wasteful in any way -- not with the resources, not with the space in the city, not with the opportunities you create,” said David Gianotten, the managing partner at OMA, in an interview with The Korea Herald in Taipei on March 18. Gianotten and OMA founder Rem Kool

South Korean novelist Cheon Myeong-kwan's "Whale" has been shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize, one of the three most prestigious literary awards in the world. The British prize was established in 2005 to honor an author and translator equally for a single work of fiction translated into English. The novel, translated by Chi-young Kim and published by Europa Editions on Jan 19, was among six other works that made it to the shortlist, announced by the organizer on T

Youn Bum-mo, the director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has officially resigned from his post on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. “Youn expressed his desire to withdraw from the director position on April 10 during a meeting with the minister, and it was accepted. We will open recruitment in early May to appoint a new director,” an official from the ministry told The Korea Herald. Youn was inaugurated to head the stat

This article is the first in a series introducing well-known cultural artifacts from different periods in Korean history. -- Ed. Stepping into the National Museum of Korea's Silla Hall, one enters a place of serenity. Glistening under the hall's faint lights are delicate golden and gilt-bronze objects. A separate room displays a gold crown and belt from the Hwangnam Daechong Tomb in Gyeongju (present-day North Gyeongsang Province), the capital of Silla, designated National Treasures in

Two historical archives of the nation's grassroots revolutions, which are seen as having set milestones for democratization of Korea -- archives of the April 19 Revolution in 1960 and archives of the Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894 -- have been nominated as heritage documents to be inscribed on the UNESCO's Memory of the World. The archival records were recognized for their extensive and vivid portrayal of two of the most politically turbulent moments in Korean history at the 14th