Registration for free Deoksugung concert to open Monday

Registration for a free classical concert at Deoksugung, featuring a local ensemble of a violinist, cellist and pianist, starts Monday. On Nov. 27, violinist Song Ji-won, cellist Lee Kyung-jun and pianist Son Jung-bum will present three works from Czech composer Antonin Dvorak’s -- Op. 11, Op. 68/5 and Op. 90 -- in a biannual music festival at the Joseon-era (1392-1910) palace’s Seokjo Hall, a Western-style neoclassical stone building completed in 1910. The musicians come from the Ku

Nov. 15, 2024

Performances of Korean heritage to take place in Argentina

Performances of traditional Korean music and dance will take place later this month in Argentina to reciprocate a tango performance by dancers from the South American nation last year in Korea. The National Intangible Heritage Center, run by the Korea Heritage Service, will host the performance “K-Intangible Heritage Festival: Noldagasena” twice at the Central Theater of Salta and once at the National Sarmiento Cultural Center in Buenos Aires on Nov. 16, 17 and 24. “Noldagasena

Nov. 15, 2024

Uigwe gets permanent home, at last

A gallery dedicated to the Joseon-era (1392-1910) book of rites compiling royal ceremonies and protocols, called “Uigwe,” opened at the state-run National Museum of Korea on Thursday. The Oegyujanggak Uigwe Gallery, named after a royal library built on Ganghwa Island off the west coast in 1782 by King Jeongjo, represents NMK’s shift in focus from history to art, according to Director General Kim Jae-hong. “Uigwe shows how our culture achieves balance through calligraphy a

Nov. 14, 2024

[Herald Gallery] Gathering seasonal traces brings calm

The exhibition “The Gift” is being held at Gallery Unplugged in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, until Nov. 22. Four artists — An SoHyun, On YeWon, Lee SunGeun and Cho JaeYeon — present a variety of works exploring the preciousness of daily life and themes of hope. Using diverse motifs such as Google Street View, symmetry, the passage of time and fairytale-like imagery, the pieces convey warmth and solace in familiar landscapes and relationships. The exhibition spans various media, inc

Nov. 14, 2024

[Herald Gallery] Night Walk

APOproject presents “Simply a Walk,” a solo exhibition by Lee Lee MiJu, open until Nov. 2. This marks Lee's (born 1982) first solo exhibition in Korea in three years and features six representative works. Her pieces capture the instability and ambiguity of her experiences as an artist, expressed through seemingly surreal yet tranquil imagery. The exhibition also extends her large-scale solo show “Perfect Days,” currently being held in Spain, and includes the nota

Nov. 12, 2024

Korea Artist Prize becomes must-see exhibition at MMCA after renewal

Once shunned by art enthusiasts for its quality, the National Museum of Contemporary Art's annual Korea Artist Prize exhibition is now drawing noticeably bigger audiences this year as it honors four promising artists. Acknowledging the criticism the 12-year-old prize had received for its low recognition and exhibition quality, the museum decided to overhaul the process starting last year. The renewed show now includes major works from each artist’s earlier career along with new commi

Nov. 8, 2024

Jewelry exhibition pays tribute to sacrificed souls of UN veterans

Artists Bae Sun-hee and Park Sung-jin have opened an exhibition that sheds light on the souls of UN veterans of the 1950-53 Korean War and pays tribute to the soldiers with jewelry works featuring skeleton crafts with diamonds. The exhibition “Life, Death and Joy” kicked off Monday at Gallery and Cafe G-Arche in Gangnam, southern Seoul. The artists’ works at the exhibition feature eternal diamonds and blood-red ruby pieces dedicated to those who left with “youth and blue

Nov. 6, 2024

Exhibition invites children to rethink stars, light pollution

An exhibition for children has opened that invites them to take action on reducing light pollution and appreciate the stars. “Starry Starry Night!,” running through August 2026 at the National Folk Museum of Korea, explores night and darkness. Children up to elementary school age are led to study the diminishing presence of stars, which are being drowned out by artificial light, said curator Yoo Min-ji, who led the preopening tour Monday. “Of all the topics that could help rais

Nov. 4, 2024

Korean art market saw disastrous third quarter: report

The Korean art market saw a difficult third quarter, with auction sales falling a 27.2 percent on-year to 23.8 billion won ($17 million). According to a report from the Korea Art Authentication and Appraisal Institute, the market is expected to remain subdued in the long term, as it typically responds to economic trends as a lagging indicator. “The Korean art market saw the worst third quarter and what the market actually experiences seems more pessimistic,” the market report release

Nov. 3, 2024

[What to see] Autumn gallery-hopping in Seoul

A number of new art exhibitions have begun in Seoul, inviting the aesthetically inclined to take an autumn stroll to one of the city's many galleries. The following is a selection of three shows that stand out, featuring works by international artists. Galerie Eva Presenhuber’s pop-up exhibition in Seoul Based in Zurich and Vienna, Galerie Eva Presenhuber has opened a pop-up exhibition with Seoul-based P21 gallery in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, showcasing a solo exhibition by Scottish artist

Nov. 2, 2024

Korean Gallery reopens at Art Institute of Chicago

The Korean Gallery at the Art Institute of Chicago is reopening Friday, US time, three times larger and showing more than its previous offering of ceramics. “The gallery will feature several themes including Buddhist Art, Celadon and Tea Culture, Symbolism in Motifs, Buncheong ware, Confucianism and White Porcelain and Treasures of Scholars,” an official from the art museum told The Korea Herald. “The new Korean Gallery will provide an opportunity for visitors to see 60 objects

Nov. 1, 2024

[Well-curated] Explore history of coffee in Korea, grab a book and savor Disney magic

Coffee, just drink? Coffee is a drink South Koreans cannot live without; it’s what they grab in the morning to wake up, in the afternoon for a quick pick-me-up and later to stay alert and work overtime. “What A Brew-tiful Day!” is a special exhibition at the National Folk Museum of Korea that sheds light on how coffee has become an intrinsic part of Korean life. “Koreans on average consume 405 cups of coffee in a year, more than twice the global average. Koreans’ se

Nov. 1, 2024

[Exclusive] MCM to open flagship store in Lotte’s metaverse next week

Luxury fashion and leather goods company MCM plans to launch its metaverse flagship store on a platform powered by Lotte Innovate as early as Nov. 7, joining global luxury brands tapping into the virtual world with a digital second life. MCM products can be purchased directly on the platform Caliverse once a market develops, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter. “Initially, we will link users interested in buying to the official MCM website. We’ll see how that pan

Oct. 31, 2024

Painter Hwang In-ran's exhibition at Art Cube 2R2 shows abyss, solitude

Painter Hwang In-ran has unveiled her solo exhibition “Abyss at Noon: Beatrice of Silence.” The new paintings feature meticulous brush strokes and repetitive, layered lines to convey the artist’s solitude and silence. Hwang's acrylic paintings at the exhibition are based on the artist's meditative imagery, some of which show images of flowers, birds and a woman. The exhibition kicked off on Oct. 24, running through Nov. 28 at the Art Cube 2R2 in Gangnam-gu, southern S

Oct. 29, 2024

Painter Hwang In-ran's exhibition at Art Cube 2R2 shows abyss, solitude

Painter Hwang In-ran has unveiled new paintings that feature meticulous brush strokes with repetitive and layered lines. Her solo exhibition “Abyss at Noon: Beatrice of Silence” reveals the artist’s solitude and silence. Hwang's acrylic paintings at the exhibition are based on the artist's meditative imagery, some of which show images of flowers, birds and a woman. The exhibition kicked off on Oct. 24, running through Nov. 28 at the Art Cube 2R2 in Gangnam-gu, souther

Oct. 29, 2024

Deoksugung exhibition to explore traditional crafts

An annual exhibition of traditional Korean crafts by select master artisans will take place from Tuesday to Nov. 10 at Deoksugung, one of the five palaces of the Joseon era (1392-1910) in Seoul. The exhibition entitled “Brilliance” will showcase 24 pieces by four artisans: Park Seon-hee, a “maedeupjang,” or decorative knots master; Ahn Yoo-jin, a “dancheongjang,” or decorative painting mater; Yoon Soon-il, a “somokjang,” or master carpenter; and Le

Oct. 28, 2024

Paris-based Cledia Fourniau's solo show explores reflection into self

Using acrylic paint and mica, Paris-based Cledia Fourniau's paintings feature poetic narratives with a glossy surface. The artist unveiled her new works at her solo exhibition at Koenig Seoul on Friday, the artist's first exhibition in South Korea. The artist’s approach to paintings lies somewhere in the space between formal, controlled and accidental practices, inviting the audience to arouse different feelings depending on each viewer’s perspectives. "That way, vie

Oct. 25, 2024

Public Design Festival to expand to improve design for public spaces

The Public Design Festival 2024 will kick off on Friday, centered in Seoul and Daejeon, focusing on how the design quality of public spaces in South Korea can evolve to better serve its citizens. The festival will foster discussions with experts and highlight examples from across the country. The third edition of the design festival, “Public Design for Embracement” held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, will expand in scale from last year including 185 public spaces, th

Oct. 23, 2024

Former MMCA director explores Korean art's rise on global stage

This year has seen a record amount of global attention given to Korean artists. This is according to Lee Ji-yoon, CEO of SUUM Project, a contemporary art curating agency. Mentioning the major events and solo exhibitions taking place across the world, the former managing director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art shed light on Korean art in the global context, focusing on how Korean artists began to assert a presence in the global art scene over the past 30 years. She was givi

Oct. 23, 2024

Korean artists shine in inaugural Gucci Cultural Month

A photo exhibition of prominent South Korean artists opened Tuesday as part of the inaugural Gucci Cultural Month, a campaign launched by the Italian fashion house to promote the diversity and creativity of Korean culture. “Dual Narratives: Honoring the Visionaries,” running for eight days through Tuesday, explores fresh angles to look at film director Park Chan-wook, pianist Cho Seong-jin, conceptual artist Kim Soo-ja and contemporary dancer Ahn Eun-me. Master photographer Kim Yong-

Oct. 23, 2024