[Well-curated] Chicken on skewers, tightrope walking and moon balloon

‘Culinary Class Wars’ meets intimate yakitori Nestled in a quieter part of Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, Atari is a hidden treasure for yakitori lovers. Run by "Chicken President," a food researcher and contestant on Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars,” this intimate yakitori spot has built a loyal following thanks to its exceptional course-style dining experience. While the restaurant boasts a large sign, it doesn’t display its name, adding a touch of m

Oct. 4, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Dancing with P' explores dance's legacy after death of Pina Bausch

“Dear members of Tanztheater Wuppertal, I am Lee Kyung-sung, a theater director from South Korea.” The play “Dancing with P” opens with this letter Lee wrote in the summer of 2021 to the renowned German dance company founded by Pina Bausch (1940-2009), the legendary figure who transformed the landscape of contemporary dance. “After Pina passed away in 2009, I often saw her works performed on stage, because Tanztheater Wuppertal was still touring worldwide. While it

Oct. 3, 2024

On the shared experience of diaspora

In a world increasingly shaped by the displacement of people due to war, climate crises, and economic hardship, diaspora literature has the power to counter rising waves of hate and discrimination. This was the message shared by Jennifer Kwon Dobbs, a Korean American poet and adoptee, and Cho Hae-jin, author of "I Met Loh Ki-wan," the novel that inspired the Netflix film "My Name is Loh Ki-wan." The two writers met on Sunday during a diaspora literature event hosted by the Li

Oct. 3, 2024

Traditional music orchestra festival to bring regional flair, cross-genre collaborations

The second edition of the Korean Traditional Music Orchestra Festival is set to kick off on Oct. 15 with more audience-friendly repertoire and collaborations with performers from other genres. The festival, launched last year in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, will run through Oct. 26 at the Sejong Center’s M Theater in Seoul. During a press conference Monday, Ahn Ho-sang, CEO of the Sejong Center, Park Bum-hoon, composer and

Oct. 1, 2024

National Theater of Korea to screen recent plays from Europe

The National Theater of Korea brings recent acclaimed international drama productions to the screen in Seoul as part of its NTOK Live Plus program. From Oct. 16 to 20, three productions -- including two premieres and a rescreening of "Ibsen House" -- will be screened at the National Theater’s Daloreum Theater in Seoul. Director Rupert Goold’s "Dear England," which will be screened Oct. 15 and 19, is a critically acclaimed play that won the Best New Play and Best S

Sept. 29, 2024

'City View' shines light on urban shadows

Gazing at the gleaming glass facades of the skyscrapers in Songdo, Incheon, author Woo Sin-young wondered how they could remain so sleek and beautiful. Then, she recalled reading news about workers who were injured or lost their lives while cleaning those windows. “As I delved deeper into these articles, I felt that someone should speak out on their behalf and give a voice to their stories and narratives,” said Woo, a debut novelist whose "City View" recently won the 14th H

Sept. 27, 2024

2025 Trend Forecast: Small details, new happiness trend amid sluggish economy

After completing his annual bestselling series “Trend Korea” for the upcoming year, Seoul National University professor Kim Rando lamented that "grandeur has disappeared." Next year, Kim explained, will mark a shift from the grand to the details, with an emphasis on paying attention to small details and subtle differences. Now in its 17th year, the "Trend Korea" series forecasts consumer trends for the upcoming year through 10 key predictions, with allusion to the

Sept. 25, 2024

French writer Sylvie Germain wins 13th Pak Kyongni Prize

French writer Sylvie Germain has been named the recipient of the 13th Pak Kyongni Prize, the award’s organizers announced Wednesday. The award, an annual international literary award established in 2011 to honor the legacy of novelist Pak Kyong-ni (1926-2008), recognizes novelists worldwide who have made a significant impact on the literary landscape while preserving its intrinsic value, according to the Toji Cultural Foundation. Pak is best known for her monumental "Toji (The Land),&

Sept. 25, 2024

[Herald Interview] Korean ballet sensation Jeon Min-chul pours his heart into dancing

For Jeon Min-chul, the 20-year-old sensation who has captured the hearts of Korean ballet fans, dancing has been at the center of his world. Asked about hobbies outside of dance, he struggled to find an answer. “That’s actually the hardest question for me. I think I’ve spent all the time I could’ve used for hobbies on dancing. From high school on, it’s all I thought about. Ballet reflects the time and effort you put into it, so I didn’t have the energy for any

Sept. 24, 2024

Park Sang-young's ‘Love in the Big City’ nominated for French literary award

South Korean author Park Sang-young's "Love in the Big City" has been longlisted for the Prix Medicis etranger, one of France's major literary awards for foreign-language novels translated into French, alongside the Goncourt, Prix Femina and Renaudot. The French edition of "Love in the Big City" ("S'aimer dans la grande ville" in French) is among 14 titles nominated for the first round of this year’s prize. The novel, which follows a Korean quee

Sept. 24, 2024