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Daniil Simkin would like to 'break free' into ballet's new frontiers
It is not always easy to find yourself in the classical stories of ballet, says Daniil Simkin. Yet at the heart of these works, he sees something universally resonant — “the romantic idea of breaking free from constraints and following one’s passion.” The internationally acclaimed ballet star, a former principal dancer with American Ballet Theater and Staatsballett Berlin, is back in Seoul to perform Prince Siegfried in “Swan Lake” with Universal Ballet. The shows, scheduled for July 19 and 23 a
July 9, 2025 -
Lim Yoon-a leads genre-bending 'Pretty Crazy' from hitmaker behind 'Exit'
Never mind red flags — picture the girl next door turning into a demon at night. In "Pretty Crazy," Lim Yoon-a takes on a dual persona in this genre-blending summer entry from the team behind "Exit." "Pretty Crazy" centers on Gil-goo (Ahn Bo-hyun), who falls for Seon-ji (Lim Yoon-a), a new tenant living one floor below. But the budding romance takes a sharp turn when Gil-goo discovers that Seon-ji transforms into a demon each night. Her father soon ropes Gil-goo into the part-time job of protect
July 9, 2025 -
Pope Leo appoints Fr. Matteo Kwang-Hee Choi new auxiliary bishop of Seoul archdiocese
Pope Leo XIV appointed Fr. Matteo Kwang Hee Choi as the new auxiliary bishop of the Seoul archdiocese on Tuesday at noon, according to the Archdiocese of Seoul. The appointment comes about a year and a half after Fr. Paul Kyung Sang Lee was named the auxiliary bishop of Seoul by Pope Francis in February 2024, marking another addition to the Archdiocese's episcopal leadership. Born in 1977 in Seoul, Choi graduated from the School of Theology at the Catholic University of Korea in June 2004 and wa
July 8, 2025 -
X for borderless, frontier music: ACC rebrands its global festival
The National Asian Culture Center Foundation, based in Gwangju, has relaunched its global music event, the ACC World Music Festival, under a new name and an expanded vision as the ACC X Music Festival (ACC XMF). The newly rebranded festival is set to take place from Aug. 29 to 31. Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the ACC, the rebranding aims to redefine the festival’s identity and direction. Organizers say the change reflects a shift toward a broader, more inclusive global perspective and
July 8, 2025 -
Actor Lee Si-young reveals pregnancy via embryo with ex-husband without his consent
Actor Lee Si-young, 43, revealed that she is currently pregnant with an embryo created with her ex-husband through in vitro fertilization, despite his lack of consent. “I wanted to share this news myself to prevent misunderstandings or speculation later on,” she wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. Lee explained that she and her ex-husband had been preparing for a second child through IVF during their marriage. However, time passed without proceeding with embryo implantation and the couple began discu
July 8, 2025 -
Disney+'s ‘Low Life’ brings 1970s treasure hunt to life
One of Disney+ Korea’s most ambitious original series for 2025 is about to make its debut, backed by a star-studded cast and the creative forces behind Korean hits such as "Misaeng" and "Big Bet." Bringing together director Kang Yoon-sung — best known for Disney+’s "Big Bet" and the box office smash "The Outlaws" — and "Misaeng" creator and acclaimed webtoon writer Yoon Tae-ho, “Low Life” unfolds in 1977, following a group of individuals locked in a battle over a sunken treasure ship. The projec
July 8, 2025 -
Goryeo, Joseon relics return home
A Buddhist scripture from the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) and a rare Buddhist painting created during the early Joseon era (1392-1910) have made their way back home from Japan, the Korea Heritage Service and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation said Tuesday. "The repatriation of these cultural artifacts is particularly meaningful as we are showing it to the public for the first time just a month before the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule," Cho Eung-ch
July 8, 2025 -
Korean webtoon showcase kicks off five-nation tour with Egypt debut
A touring exhibition spotlighting Korean webtoons has set up shop in Egypt's capital, as the first of five planned stops through October. The "K-Comics World" exhibition opened July 1 at the Korean Cultural Center in Cairo’s Dokki district, the Korea Creative Content Agency said Monday. The Cairo leg centers on "Hellbound," the 2019-20 webtoon by Choi Gyu-seok and filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho. The title shot to global fame with a Netflix adaptation, directed by Yeon, in 2021, vaulting to the streamer’
July 8, 2025 -
Hit webtoon 'S Line' turned into drama series, exploring world with visible sexual connections
What would happen to society if red lines visibly shot out of people's heads, linking everyone who had had sex with each other? That provocative question lies at the heart of "S Line," a genre-blending new series from Korean streaming service Wavve adapted from the hit webtoon of the same name. While the popular original webtoon explored the ripple effects of this surreal phenomenon — delving into themes of infidelity, religion, celebrity culture, sexual violence and homosexuality in a world whe
July 8, 2025 -
'Nikola Tesla' triumphs as DIMF closes 18-day celebration of musical theater
The 19th Daegu International Musical Festival, Korea’s leading global musical theater event, concluded its 18-day run Monday with awards recognizing outstanding productions and talents from both Korea and abroad. The grand prize was awarded to Hungarian production "Nikola Tesla: Infinite Energy," which tells the story of the 19th-century inventor using modern stage technology. The award for original musical went to "Shakespiece," a Korean production developed through DIMF’s support program, whic
July 8, 2025 -
Reprising role decades later: 'Little Monk' 34 years on
What does it feel like to return to a role you first played three decades ago? For Ji Chun-seong, it is a mix of responsibility, pressure and deep honor. In 1991, Ji was 25 when he played the career-defining role of the young temple apprentice Do-nyeom in “A Little Monk,” directed by Park Won-geun. Now, at 59, he returns to the stage as the same character — now aged by both the years and the memory of a life lived in the shadow of that performance. The story picks up right where it left off. “Ba
July 8, 2025 -
Award-winning Korean short films set to screen at Paris cinematheque
Four award-winning Korean short films from the 41st Busan International Short Film Festival will screen at the prestigious Cinematheque Francaise in Paris, festival officials announced Monday. Scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m., local time, the special program marks the third consecutive year the festival has been invited to present its selections at the renowned Paris venue. The screening will take place in the Cinematheque’s Jean Epstein room, named after the French avant-garde cinema pioneer. Lea
July 7, 2025 -
Japan provides 3D data of returned Bodhisattva statue to Buseoksa
Just two months after a 14th-century Korean Buddhist statue, previously stolen from a Japanese temple and brought to Korea, was returned to Japan in May, a temple on Tsushima Island has sent 3D data on the statue to Buseoksa Temple in Korea. The Ven. Wonwoo, the chief monk of Buseoksa, confirmed to The Korea Herald that Setsuryo Tanaka, the chief priest of Kannon Temple in Japan's Tsushima, Nagasaki prefecture, visited the Korean temple with a USB containing the 3D scan data. "He visited the tem
July 7, 2025 -
We’re seeing AI-enhanced workflows, not replacement: Storytek CEO Sten-Kristian Saluveer
BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province -- The 29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival opened Thursday with a bold statement on cinema's future, selecting as its opening film "About a Hero" -- a hybrid documentary by Piotr Winiewicz featuring an AI-generated screenplay trained on Werner Herzog's complete filmography. The festival's commitment to exploring artificial intelligence runs deep, with 11 AI films among its 217-title program and a three-day conference dedicated to examining how the techno
July 6, 2025 -
Design Miami to be held at Seoul's DDP in September
As South Korea's dynamic design scene steps into the global spotlight, Design Miami is coming to Seoul in September, marking the design fair's first-ever exhibition in Asia. The Seoul Design Foundation is teaming up with the world-renowned design fair to host an exhibition titled "Illuminated: A Spotlight on Korean Design" at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, central Seoul -- a landmark designed by Zaha Hadid -- from Sept. 1 to Sept. 14. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Design M
July 6, 2025