The National Theater of Korea is to open the second season of its Let’s Gugak program through its official YouTube channel, introducing the traditional performing arts of Korea to foreign audiences. The state-run theater has been running the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Academy, educating foreigners in Korea who are interested in traditional Korean culture. But to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person classes have been canceled. Instead, it has been running an onl

The Daesan Foundation will spend 180 million won ($156,385) to support translations of Korean literature, the foundation announced Monday. A total of 13 literary works, 11 novels and two poems, were chosen from 72 applications for this year’s “Korean Literature Translation, Research, and Publishing Support” program. The selected works will be translated into seven different languages: English, French, Japanese, Chinese, German, Spanish and Vietnamese. Works by well-known

Fairy tale illustrations of shadow and light are on exhibition at “Fantasy of Light and Shadow” being held at the Hangaram Arts Center Museum in southern Seoul, offering visitors an extraordinary experience. This art genre, “Kage-e,” which literally means shadow painting in Japanese, was pioneered by Japanese artist Seiji Fujishiro, who began honing the craft since 1948. The exhibition is the Kage-e master’s largest solo exhibition in Seoul, introducing some 160

From plastic surgery, K-pop fandom to chaebol marriage and women at work. Frances Cha’s debut novel “If I Had Your Face” runs the gamut of hot topics in modern Korean society. The journalist-turned-novelist, who worked as travel and culture editor for CNN in Seoul, doesn’t only lightly touch on the subjects, she dives into each topic through the story of young women characters living in the same apartment in Seoul. Although Cha does not believe that doing thorough rese

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee attended the first official G20 Culture Ministers‘ Meeting in Rome, Italy, the Ministry announced Sunday. During a two-day event held under the Italian G20 presidency, a total of 40 cultural delegations, including ministers from G20 countries and representatives of international organizations gathered at the Colosseum. The G20 Culture Ministers’ Meetings had been held in the form of a special meeting in the past, but was promoted to a

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Vacationing at home with Hawaiian shirts, ice-cold beer, Olympics live on TV offers virus-free, low-cost summer break

A goldfinch is sitting on the stem of a sunflower planted in a garden near the Danwon district office in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 29. A goldfinch eats a sunflower seed in a garden near the Danwon district office in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 29. (Photos: Yonhap)

Jirisan has long been revered by many South Koreans as one of three holy mountains alongside Geumgangsan and Hallasan. Hwaeomsa, the head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, is located at the southern foot of the mountain in South Jeolla Province. The temple is home to an array of national treasures, and visitors can also enjoy scenic views of the mountain.  Records say Yeongi, an Indian monk, established the temple in the 5th century, but the construction was not completed unti

The most famous Korean cultural festival in Latin America, K-Expo 2021 kicked off in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Thursday, according to Korean Cultural Center Brazil. The annual festival is being held online for the second consecutive year via two popular streaming services, Youtube and Twitch. A special studio in Bom Retiro, Sao Paulo, was set up for viewing the virtual event.　 The first day of the show started with a virtual tour around Seoul’s hip Ikseon-dong followed by an online fan meeti

Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas offers meals for private gatherings Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas has launched a special lunchbox “Grab & Go Surf and Turf” promotion of meals prepared by hotel chefs with top-quality ingredients for small private gatherings. The “Grab & Go Surf and Turf” includes lobster, steak, abalone, dried yellow corvine, salad and dessert. The prepared meals will be served until Sept. 30 and priced at 110,000 won for four and 180

Eumseong Pumba Festival The Eumseong Pumba Festival will take place in Eumseong-gun, North Chungcheong Province, running for four days starting Oct. 21 at Seolseong Park. The origin of the festival is connected to the songs of street singers when strolling around the marketplaces to look out for anything they could get. Performers here do not beg for food and money, but they will sing at the event. The event features various programs, including the Pumba street parade and National Pumba King

Urban Break 2021 -- Asia’s largest art fair focused on contemporary urban art -- will kick off Thursday at Coex in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul showcasing a variety of urban artworks and programs that feature VR. Some 300 artists from around the world are presenting about 25,000 creations at this year’s annual fair. Following the VIP opening Wednesday, the event will open to the general public Thursday and run through Sunday. Participating artists include a New York-based doodle a

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