The founder and chairman of Kukje Gallery, Lee Hyun-sook, was listed as one of the top 100 influential figures in the contemporary art scene by ArtReview, a British art magazine, on Thursday. Lee ranked 75th on the list of “2022 Power 100” selected based on an analysis of their recent activities and contribution to the industry. Founding the gallery in 1982, Lee has established Kukje Gallery as a “dominant player” in Seoul, now being touted as a hub for galleries seeking

Poet Kim Hye-soon has been named an “International Writer” by the Royal Society of Literature, based in London. An influential figure in the contemporary poetry scene in South Korea, Kim was included in the 12-author list announced Wednesday (local time) on RSL’s official website. The other authors on the list are Griffin Poetry Prize-winning Canadian poet Anne Carson, French novelist Maryse Conde, Zimbabwean novelist Tsitsi Damgarembga, German children’s fiction author C

The time has come to bring out the Christmas tree and deck the halls with holly. Online shopping has never been so convenient, but Christmas markets are always worth a visit if only to enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Here are two places you can purchase Christmas decorations at relatively lower prices. Namdaemun Market, a large traditional market located next to Shinsegae Department Store in central Seoul, has a wide variety of shops, vendors and wholesalers offering a seemingly endless array of g

Singer and actor Park Jin-young, who played a sweet boyfriend in the series “Yumi’s Cells,” returns as a boy seeking bloody revenge in the upcoming thriller film “Christmas Carol.” Based on the novel of the same title by Ju Won-kyu, the film revolves around Il-woo who voluntarily enters a juvenile detention center to exact revenge following the death of his twin brother, Wol-woo. Il-woo suspects his brother was murdered after a brutal confrontation with a juvenile d

An art film festival returns to Cinecube in Jongno, central Seoul, offering a chance to watch a selection of acclaimed international art films that have attracted attention globally. A total of 11 art films will be premiered at the 2022 Cinecube Art Film Premiere Festival, starting Thursday. Cinecube, which opened in 2000, has been hosting the event annually since 2009. This year’s festival comprises three sections: Cannes’ Choice, Faces of Relationship and Life by Art, Art by Life.

Jazz vocalists have teamed up with artists from different fields to launch the Green Jazz Movement. Leading the movement is Woong San, a major jazz artist in the local scene for decades, who also serves as chairman of the Korea Jazz Association. Ten other jazz vocalists -- Lee Ju-mi, Cho Jung-hee, Lee Dae-won, Park Ra-on, Kim Hyo-jung, Kim Maria, Kim Min-hee, Nam Ye-ji, You Sa-rang and Park Jae-hong -- have joined forces to highlight a number of environmental issues. The release of the campaign

Filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s Cannes-winning romance-thriller “Decision to Leave” swept major categories at this year’s Blue Dragon Film Awards, one of the most prestigious film events here. The film, nominated in 12 categories, took six trophies including best film, best director, best actor and best actress awards during the 43rd edition of the ceremony held at KBS Hall in Seoul, on Friday night. The film revolves around a detective, played by Park Hae-il, who investigates

Andaz Seoul Gangnam launches Meat & Co. Steakhouse Andaz Seoul Gangnam’s restaurant Jogakbo has newly opened Meat & Co. Steakhouse, an American-style steakhouse serving high-quality Korean beef and American steak. The signature menu items include Korean beef fillet tenderloin, grilled and flavored with hardwood charcoal at a high temperature of over 400 degrees Celsius; 28-day dry-aged Korean beef bone-in rib eye; shrimp cocktail with avocado; and caramelized onion soup with cheese

The best of Korean crafts are on show through Sunday at Changwon Exhibition Convention Center, in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. A total of 229 winning handicraft works from this year’s Korea Crafts Competition are displayed at the exhibition, as well as 90 previous winning works. This year, more than 2,012 works were submitted across six categories: wood lacquer, ceramics, metal, textiles, paper and others. Winning the top honor of the presidential award was a tea set by artist Jung

As winter arrives with a chill in the air and longer nights, you can see long lines of people hoping to grab a warm bite at street vendors that come out in force in wintertime. Unfortunately, spotting street vendors for winter snacks has become more of a challenge as a result of high inflation, the prolonging pandemic and bigger businesses such as coffee franchises and home meal kit producers having begun to offer winter snacks. However, many people still find hot snacks fresh off the street ven

With Autumn leaves starting to fall and the air getting colder, you might be looking for a unique, indoor activity to spend during the upcoming weekend. With the day of giving thanks for harvest around the corner, let's begin with how we can appreciate 'ugly' vegetables and fruits before introducing some indoor activities that can enrich your craftsmanship and knowledge.   Perfect store for imperfect veggies and fruits For those who wish to do some grocery shopping and also enjoy some delec

Fairmont Ambassador Seoul presents early bird Christmas promotion The Atrium Lounge at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul offers 10 percent savings for customers who book Christmas cakes in advance through Nov. 30. This year’s selection features two cake creations: Santa Cakes crafted from chocolate mousse filled with mixed berry cream, with feuilletine added for crunchy texture; and Opera Log Cakes, crafted in the shape of a log with dark chocolate ganache, soft pastry cream and coffee aromas. Adv

Returning to Korea after about six years, Sarah Brightman, the most commercially successful soprano in the world, will take the stage with her greatest hits and personal holiday favorites to warm the hearts of Korean fans. The iconic soprano is set to perform at KBS Arena, located in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, on Dec. 3, as part of her world tour of “A Christmas Symphony,” which she kicked off last year in the US. “I am very excited to be coming back to Korea with my ‘A C

A web drama series titled "The Untold Story" set in two UNESCO heritage sites will be released Wednesday, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. Hahoe Folk Village and Yangdong Folk Village, the two largest and well-preserved Joseon-era villages, are the backdrops for the two series. Hahoe Folk Village in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province and Yangdong Folk Village in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province were registered as UNESCO’s World Heritage sites in 2010. Andong H

Suspenseful music is playing in the background when a voice is heard over a walkie-talkie saying “ready to shoot.” The sound of a gun reloading is followed by quiet footsteps. Then a pop of a gun and a thump of a body falling to the ground and a window shattering. Chaos ensues with ambulance sirens blaring and cars screeching to a halt. The main character, breathing laboriously, gets into a car and drives away. A few minutes later, an echo of an explosion and bullets flying everywher

Alien Festival at Miryang Arirang Observatory Have you ever wondered about alien species and extraterrestrial beings? A space-themed “Alien Festival” delving into scientific experiments and extraterrestrial mysteries will kick off this weekend at Miryang Arirang Observatory located in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. The two-day festival is packed with family-friendly games and programs which will stimulate imagination and curiosity. Inside the observatory, the entire second floor

An annual cultural event exploring the histories and cultures of the ASEAN countries is scheduled to kick off on Thursday, following an opening ceremony Wednesday. This year, ASEAN Week 2022, organized by the ASEAN-Korea Center, is held with the theme of “Ancient Futures -- Treasures of ASEAN Fabric” at Cociety, located in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Textiles and fabric items from ASEAN member states will be on display at the exhibition, along with introductions to their places of origin as

A Ukrainian film festival exploring the country’s history and culture will be held for the first time in Korea next week. Cinema Aid Ukraine, a film marathon, is scheduled to kick off Nov. 15 at the Korean Film Archive, located in Mapo-gu, western Seoul. The film marathon project was initiated by the Ukrainian State Film Agency in May with the Ukrainian Film Academy, the Watch Ukrainian! Association, the Ukrainian Motion Picture Association, the nongovernmental organization UkrKinoFest, th

Under the theme “Visual Music, Musical Art,” two concerts featuring an orchestra and disabled guest musicians, were held in the US last weekend. The Soliall Philharmonic Orchestra from Korea performed with eight guest musicians -- including pianist Son Eun-young, blind violinist Kim Ji-sun, blind clarinetist Lee Sang-jae and blind cellist Kim Min-joo -- first at the Davis Theater for the Performing Arts in Alabama on Saturday, and then at the Gas South Theater in Georgia on Sunday. S

Korean installation artist Yang Hae-gue was listed as one of the world’s most important contemporary artists in the “Art Compass” ranking. Yang ranked 93rd among living artists, up six places from 99th last year, according to the November issue of the German-based magazine “Capital.” The Kunstkompass, meaning “art compass” in English, has been publishing the annual list of the top 100 artists since 1970. The list analyzes more than 30,000 artists around