For South Korea, the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, the first-ever Winter Games the country hosted, spotlighted a decadeslong push to raise Korea’s global profile as a nation that is as much invested in giving back to the international community as it is in advancing its interests. The PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation looks to build on that legacy as it searches for its role in empowering youth, after the two-week Winter Youth Olympics kicked off Friday in Gangwon Province. Korea is the firs

"The Great Gatsby," a musical production by South Korean producer Shin Chun-soo, will open at the Broadway Theatre in New York in March. After the one-month pre-Broadway run from Oct. 12 to Nov. 12 last year at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, Shin’s company, the OD Company, decided to bring the musical, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel of the same title, to Broadway. The preview will run from March 29 before it officially kicks off on April 25. Jer

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the annual K-Royal Culture Festival will offer more convenient access to visitors. For the first time, foreign nationals will be able to buy tickets themselves online via a designated link for the annual event involving the five main palaces in Seoul connected with the Joseon era (1392-1910), according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday. The CHA is also planning to sell 10,000 all-pass tickets, up from the previous 1,000. The all-pass ticket offer

A private university in Chile has opened a space dedicated to learning about Korea, bringing the tally of such spaces worldwide to 34, the Culture Ministry said Friday. The state-run National Library of Korea provided the materials for the space. “Window on Korea,” as the space is officially named, at la Universidad Central de Chile has some 1,607 books about Korea. The university is the only institution offering a master’s degree in Korean Studies in all of Central and South A

The Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games kicked off Friday evening with a grand opening ceremony at the Gangneung Oval, some 160 kilometers east of Seoul, and PyeongChang Dome in Gangwon Province. A total of 1,802 athletes aged between 15 and 18 from 78 National Olympic Committees, including 102 South Koreans, are taking part in the Fourth Winter Youth Olympic Games, according to the Organizing Committee of the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024. Gangwon 2024 also marks the first Asian

Han Jae-min, who won first prizes at the Isangyun Competition in 2022 and George Enescu International Competition in 2021, will present one of his most anticipated programs this year as the artist-in-residence at Lotte Concert Hall. The 18-year-old cellist, the youngest musician to be named Lotte's artist-in-residence, will take the stage at least twice this year, in the Solo Cello Recital on March 27 and Trio Recital on Oct. 30. Labeling the March 27 concert as one of the most anticipated

Butter in Gangnam At a glance, the shop looks like a toy store, making passersby wonder how it manages to pay rent in this prime retail area, less than a five-minute walk from bustling Gangnam Station. But it doesn’t take long to figure out that the shop, Butter, stays afloat selling household goods. Almost every item on the shelves or hanging on the walls features characters including those from children’s movies such as animated comedy “Minions.” From stationery and hom

Kolon Hotel offers Lanco-themed rooms Kolon Hotel, located in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, has unveiled its new Lanco-themed rooms. Collaborating with Spain-based baby toys company Lanco, the rooms feature yellow pillow covers, cushions, a door mat, towels and cups, all inspired by Lanco’s yellow rubber duck. A total of six Lanco-themed rooms are available, each accommodating a maximum of four guests. The rooms come with a beam projector and screen. The hotel also has a miniature z

53-year-old Korean Culture and Information Service to fold

South Korean animation director Joung Yu-mi's short animated film, "Circle," has been invited to compete in the short film category at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, according to industry sources Tuesday. With a running time of some seven minutes, "Circle" metaphorically explores the barriers created by societal perceptions. The short animated film narrates the story of a girl drawing a circle. People gather one by one in the circle, and after the space bec

The year 2023 was characterized by visits from world-class orchestras and the realization of numerous previously postponed concerts. While there will be fewer such performances this year, South Korea's classical music scene is anticipated to maintain its vibrancy with competition among top domestic orchestras and star performers. Two of the four leading South Korean orchestras now have new artistic directors -- Jaap van Zweden for the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and Kim Sun-wook for the

Nighttime tours will be available from as early as April this year at Changgyeonggung, one of the five royal palaces in Seoul connected with the Joseon era (1392-1910), the Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday. The program, already available in the three other agency-run palaces including the main palace Gyeongbokgung, is most likely to take place April 27 through May 5. Gyeonghuigung is under supervision by the Seoul city government. During that period, the CHA also holds its annual K-R

For the late Choi Young-do, a prolific antiquities collector, earthenware represented “radiating warmth and charm.” Choi is one of 114 donors recognized Thursday as the National Museum of Korea unveiled its renovated donor galleries, showcasing 1,671 pieces ranging from pottery and craft to paintings and relief, following a two-year overhaul. “Pottery in particular was of interest to my father and he made it his mission to ‘protect what’s rightfully Korea’s,&r

Filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho stands out as one of the most adept creators in the content industry, adapting swiftly to its ever-evolving landscape and working across platforms. Having gained attention through his early independent animations with unique themes and techniques, Yeon's big break came when the 2012 debut animation, "The King of Pigs," was screened at the Directors' Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival. Since then, he has taken on the roles of directing and wri

Expect to see more “mobile museums” around the country as containers equipped to allow visitors to not only see artifacts but to feel what it is like touring cultural heritage sites will be stationed at more schools and other institutions from March to November. The Cultural Heritage Administration will operate more mobile museums where underprivileged students, people with disabilities and seniors can have immersive cultural experiences, the state agency said Friday, in an effort to