The Korea Herald

Pakistan literary festivals tell a tale of cultural revival

Feb 24, 2016

LAHORE (AFP) - Pakistan's literary scene is seeing a spirited revival, with packed festivals attracting tens of thousands in a rock concert-like atmosphere that defies security threats in a growing cultural renaissance. 　Events such as the raucous Lahore Literary Festival, held over the weekend, are reclaiming the “cultural space” that has shrunk significantly in the conservative Muslim nation in recent years amid a raging Islamist insurgency.　The festivals -- platforms for all forms of cultural
London museum celebrates Charlotte Bronte‘s 200th birthday

Feb 23, 2016

LONDON (AFP) - Manuscripts, portraits and even a pair of cloth boots belonging to English author Charlotte Bronte went on display in London on Monday to celebrate the 200th anniversary of her birth.　The small exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, which runs until Aug. 14, offers glimpses into the life of the novelist who lived between 1816 and 1855 and is best known for “Jane Eyre.”　It revolves around a famous portrait by her brother Branwell Bronte with Charlotte, her sisters Emily and A
Ministry to encourage citizen participation on 'Culture Day'

Feb 22, 2016

The Korean government will offer financial and logistics support to citizen-led culture clubs and encourage more people to participate in community culture programs to sustain the government-led “Culture Day” program. 　The Culture Ministry announced Monday that it would channel some 1.8 billion won ($1.46 million) into encouraging the public to form and participate in local orchestras, ensembles and choir and art circles. This amounts to about 13 percent of the total budget for the 2016 “Culture
Jude Law leads celebs highlighting refugee plight in Calais ‘Jungle’

Feb 22, 2016

CALAIS, France (AFP) - British celebrities including Jude Law and playwright Tom Stoppard gave performances at the “Jungle” migrant camp in northern France on Sunday to draw attention to the plight of refugees facing imminent eviction. 　Law, the star of “Sherlock Holmes” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” was spotted weaving his way through the mud and makeshift shacks to the Good Chance theater, which was set up by British volunteers last year.　Around 200 residents of the camp showed up to watch th
[Foreigners Who Loved Korea 12] Chen Guofu, the bridge of the Korean Independence Movement

Feb 22, 2016

In Korea’s turbulent path toward independence and nation building, there were foreign nationals who stood steadfastly by the Korean people, although their contributions have been largely overshadowed by those of Korean patriots. The Korea Herald, in partnership with the Independence Hall of Korea, is publishing a series of articles shedding light on these foreigners, their life and legacies here. This is the eighth installment. ― Ed.　During Japanese colonial rule, China was the most important st
Damning study finds a ‘whitewashed’ Hollywood

Feb 22, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) -- In one of the most exhaustive and damning reports on diversity in Hollywood, a new study finds that the films and television produced by major media companies are "whitewashed," and that an "epidemic of invisibility" runs top to bottom through the industry for women, minorities and LGBT people. 　A study to be released Monday by the Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism offers one
Umberto Eco: from philosophy to best-sellers

Feb 21, 2016

MILAN (AFP) -- Italy’s Umberto Eco, whose death at 84 has been announced by the Italian media, leapt from being an internationally-renowned philosopher to become an author of best-selling novels.　Best known for his 1980 historical mystery novel “The Name of the Rose,” which has been translated into more than 40 languages, Eco’s fiction bears all the hallmarks of his academic work as semiologist as he explores the link between fantasy and reality.　Often called the study of signs, semiotics is a c
Young people prefer to binge-watch than wait for new episodes: poll

Feb 18, 2016

Twenty-somethings in South Korea say they would rather pull an all-nighter watching an entire season of "Signal" than wait for new episodes each week, a survey showed Thursday.Univ Tomorrow, a fashion and lifestyle magazine for college-aged students, and the Future Broadcast Research Center of the terrestrial network MBC surveyed 954 women and men in their 20s from October to November. They found that 60.5 percent prefer to watch many-hours worth of TV in one sitting than be constrained to one e
K-culture supporters group organized in Russia

Feb 18, 2016

A group of local Russians has launched an organization to introduce and support the Korean culture wave of hallyu, which has been earning widespread popularity in Russia.The newly organized "K-culture supporters" have begun full-fledged activities after a launching ceremony at a Russian hotel on Tuesday (local time) in a bid to assist cultural exchanges between South Korea and Russia while supporting the spread of hallyu.The 17-member organization includes figures representing the Russian cultur
Contemporary 'Indiana Jones' on mission to save antiquities

Feb 18, 2016

VANCOUVER (AFP) - A technology-wielding archeologist billed as a real-world “Indiana Jones” called Tuesday for an online platform that entices just about anyone to help find undiscovered treasures and defend archeological wonders.　Sarah Parcak envisions a 21st century army of citizen scientists to battle the looting and destruction of the world's antiquities.　And now, thanks to winning this year’s coveted TED Prize, her wish may just come true.　“We are at a tipping point with our cultural herita
German shorthaired pointer wins Westminster dog show

Feb 17, 2016

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- A German shorthaired pointer named CJ won “Best in Show” at the 140th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York on Tuesday, besting more than 2,700 contestants over the two-day competition. 　Westminster, which is the second longest continuously running sporting event in the United States behind the Kentucky Derby, drew entries from nearly 200 breeds and varieties and more than a dozen countries this year. 　“He was born for this,” said owner Valerie Nunes-Atkinson, from T
Stroll through royal palaces under moonlight

Feb 17, 2016

Royal palaces in Seoul to open in the evenings from March to October
Hanji culture festival opens in Sydney

Feb 16, 2016

A festival for traditional Korean paper, known as "hanji," opened in Sydney on Monday for a two-week run to introduce its beauty and attraction to Australian visitors.The "2016 Hanji Culture Festival in Sydney" opened at the Korean Cultural Center, where hanji fashion shows, workshops and other related events are being held.A Korean traditional dance was performed at the opening ceremony, with 10 Australian models appearing in a fashion show wearing 50 hanji ensembles for some 250 attendees.The
Korea's folk paintings on exhibition in Paris next month

Feb 12, 2016

An art consulting company said Friday that it will hold an exhibition in Paris next month on Korea's traditional folk paintings.HelioArt said the exhibition will show some 60 paintings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) at Adam Mickiewicz Museum in Paris from March 14-31.The exhibition will be sponsored by the culture ministries of the two countries on the occasion of their 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Abundant satire and humor are the main characteristics of th
Korean speaking contest to be held in Cuba

Feb 12, 2016

The South Korean Embassy in Mexico said Thursday it will hold a Korean speaking contest in Havana together with South Korea's Hanyang University and Cuba's Jose Marti Cultural Center.Twelve finalists, who have been selected from a preliminary test of 25 applicants, will vie for the grand prize in the contest on Saturday.Hanyang University will invite the top prize winner to South Korea for one month during the summer vacation and offer an opportunity to learn the Korean language and experience K