The Korea Herald

'Kartrider' still young and racing full-throttle

Sept 3, 2015

Once beloved and called Korea’s representative online multiplayer racing game, “Kartrider” seeks to further go full throttle with enhanced user interfaces and a few new surprises to regain the former glory of its nascent years.It has been 11 years since the country’s first racing game with cute characters was launched and created a stir and loyal fan base.Kartrider’s main character Dao (Nexon Korea)Cho Jae-yun, Nexon Korea’s point man in charge of Kartrider, said it owes a debt of gratitude to t
[Herald Interview] 'More cartoons, stories to be told online'

Sept 2, 2015

Renowned political cartoonist forecasts end of print, increasing demand for quality content
'New media technology will spur culture'

Sept 2, 2015

The culture community should not see new media technology as a threat but an opportunity that can help many people to gain greater access to information and interest in culture, said participants at the Culture Communication Forum 2015 in Seoul.Under the theme of "Cultural Combustion in the Smart Age," some 20 delegates from G20 economies, including Korea, participated in the forum hosted by the Corea Image Communication Institute to discuss about social media technology and its effects on cultu
Asia Culture Center to open this week

Sept 1, 2015

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that it would partially open the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju to the public this Friday. A nighttime view of the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, which is slated for partial opening this week. (Yonhap)The complex’s facilities such as the ACC Archive & Research, ACC Creation, ACC Theatre and ACC Children centers will hold cultural programs everyday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. They will also invite people to tour the facilities three times a day. Th
We need maestro Chung: SPO members

Sept 1, 2015

Members of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra on Tuesday voiced their unflinching support for conductor Chung Myung-whun in an apparent plea to retain him as their music director.The rare collective action came only a few days after Chung revealed his intention not to renew his contract with the Korean orchestra, which expires at the end of this year.Conductor Chung Myung-whun (Credia)“We, the members of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, believe in maestro Chung Myung-whun and his abilities to fur
Soprano Sumi Jo drops first K-pop album

Aug 27, 2015

Legendary Korean soprano Sumi Jo released her first K-pop album in her 30-year career on Thursday, a record label said.The album titled "Geu.Ri.Da.," in Korean, has Jo's reinterpretation of seven of her favorite domestic songs from the 90s such as Lee So-ra's "The wind blows," Yang Hee-eun's "Love on its solitude" and Chung Hoon-hi's "At a Flower Garden," Decca Records, a leading label for classical music, said in a release. The label is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.For the album, the s
'Korean Wave' expo opens in Shanghai

Aug 27, 2015

South Korea opened a three-day exhibition of the "Korean Wave" of pop culture and products on Thursday in the Chinese city of Shanghai. More than 100 Korean firms came up with their products to attract Chinese middle class consumers, whose disposable income is growing, by capitalizing on the rising popularity of Korean TV dramas and pop music.The exhibition in Shanghai is also aimed at commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's colonial rule, organizers
Gov't to host Korean music festival in London

Aug 27, 2015

South Korea will host a Korean music festival in London next month to enhance the global interest in Korean music initially sparked by the popularity of K-pop, the government said Thursday.The second edition of the "K-Music Festival" will be held from Sept. 1-30 in several performance halls in downtown London featuring a rich lineup of Korean traditional and contemporary musicians, said the Korean Cultural Center UK, which is hosting the event.The roster includes Su:m, a traditional Korean music
Gov't starts 'one-plus-one' service for show ticket buyers

Aug 27, 2015

The government launched a program Thursday to provide an additional ticket to people who purchase tickets to certain shows to help revive the country's performing arts industry hit by the MERS outbreak, officials said.Last month, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the program that would provide the "one-plus-one" service to those who buy tickets for certain shows worth 50,000 won ($42) or less. The government spent 30 billion won in supplementary budget for this program.The fi
‘Music in palace’ performance series returns next month

Aug 26, 2015

Performers showcase traditional Korean music at the Jongmyo Shrine. (Julie Jackson/The Korea Herald)An annual series of performances of traditional music in Seoul’s royal palaces will reopen next month, offering free gugak and pansori concerts against palatial backdrops. This year’s performances will be held simultaneously at the Changdeokgung Palace, Deoksugung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine from Sept. 5 to Oct. 11. Each venue will vary in its themes and hold a total of 34 performances, and unlike i
Run on clouds at Sheraton D Cube City Hotel

Aug 26, 2015

On the 28th floor of Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel in Guro-gu, southwest Seoul, there is nothing much to see from the window of its fitness center but a panoramic view of the area that includes apartment complexes near Shindorim Station.But after a hearty meal at the hotel’s signature Feast buffet restaurant serving a variety of Asian cuisines ranging from Korean and Chinese to Japanese and Thai, visitors will feel the urge to burn some calories at its 24-hour gym.Once you press the start but
[Herald Interview] Prague-native Korean teacher talks proliferation of Korean studies

Aug 25, 2015

The King Sejong Institute Foundation’s seventh annual World Korean Educators Conference kicked off Monday, inviting 180 guests committed to the teaching of Korean from 43 countries for a three-day exchange conference in Seoul. With 90 institutions across the world, the King Sejong Institute is dedicated to establishing educational institutions where citizens of all ages can attend to learn the Korean language. Invited as a guest to this year’s conference is Korean teacher Stepanka Horakova from
S. Korea to hold 'hallyu' expo in China

Aug 25, 2015

South Korea will hold an exposition in China to further promote the popularity of its culture there, riding on the recent successes of Korean TV shows in the world's second-largest economy, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday.The Korea Brand & Entertainment Expo will run from Thursday to Saturday at Intex Shanghai, an exhibition center in China's eastern port city, the ministry said in a statement.The expo is significant because South Korea and China signed a free trade agre
Workout with professional trainers at JW Marriott Seoul

Aug 19, 2015

It’s hot, it’s humid and you find yourself too tired after work to even head out to the gym and run a few laps on a treadmill to refresh your mind and body.When lacking self-motivation and self-esteem in the summer, maybe it is time to try exercising with a professional to guide and push you, and help you regain your confidence.Working out with a personal trainer is obviously more expensive than doing it yourself at a fitness center in your neighborhood. But trainers can not only provide health
Korea to establish cultural facilities in central Seoul

Aug 18, 2015

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday that it would create multipurpose cultural centers in Seoul in an effort to rediscover Korea’s traditional arts and culture and spur the development of Korean content.In partnership with Hanjin Group, the government will build a high-tech facility called “K-Experience” next to Gyeongbokgung Palace to allow tourists to experience the country’s traditional and modern arts and culture.The center, which will be built by 2017 on the former site