New Koreana: more visual, story focused

Koreana, a quarterly on Korean culture and arts published by the Korea Foundation, has gone through a major editorial and design revamp this year, with a more visual and story-focused concept.

Its 2011 summer edition, its first issue with the newly-designed layout and stories, was published in late May.

The revamped edition is bigger in size so the all-color magazine can effectively mix photographs with stories.

The magazine’s title, “Koreana,” is now typed in a new font inspired by traditional Korean calligraphy.

In the latest issue, Korea’s Jeju Island and its history, food, animals, heritage and people are featured in seven different stories. With the revamped design and content, the magazine aims to bring in-depth features on Korean arts and culture with strong narratives and a visual flair.

The magazine is also preparing to revamp the contents of its ongoing, long-term columns, such as “Artisan,” which has been featuring artisans who keep and practice traditional Korean arts, and “Masterpieces,” a series of columns that introduces Korea’s national treasures and cultural properties.

Founded in 1987, Koreana currently has some 26,000 subscribers, and is distributed to libraries, universities and research centers in about 160 countries.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)