Ritual for gods of earth, harvest to be revived King Taejo (r. 1392-1398), the first of the Joseon kings, upon founding the new dynasty ordered built two sacred buildings on either side of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main hall where kings carried out political affairs. There was the Jongmyo Shrine to the east and…
Young artists from around the world gather in Seoul The passion of young, promising artists from around the world will be on display at a festival in Seoul. At the World Cultures 2014 celebration, scheduled to take place from December 10 to 14, people can appreciate art programs recommended by six cultural centers…
Pompeii comes to life after 2,000 years The volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79, covered Pompeii and the residents who could not escape with an almost 4-meter thick pile of ash. In the first century, the Roman Empire city was a port city near Naples with 20,000 people. However, after…
First British memorial to Korean War veterans unveiled in London Some 60 years after the Korean War (1950-1953) ended, a memorial has now been unveiled in London to remember the sacrifices of the British soldiers. The unveiling ceremony was held outside the Ministry of Defence in the Victoria Embankment Gardens near the Thames…
Gugak jazz mesmerizes Berlin audiences Joyful or sometimes plaintive, the singular tones of jazz fill the concert hall. The audience shouts, “Bravo,” as exotic sounds are made by the sad melody of the daegeum, a large bamboo flute, of the haegeum, a fiddle-like stringed instrument, and of the drums and saxophone. This…
DMZ park to become symbol of peace Participants in the DMZ World Eco-Peace Park Forum discuss future plans for the no man’s land on December 3. An academic conference was held at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) on December 3 to discuss the creation of an “eco-peace” park in the 250-kilometer…
Expats play music of Korea: ‘Gugak is wonderful’ Gugak, the broad range of traditional Korean music, is not something that, any more, is solely enjoyed by Korean ears. It is a style of classical music that can now be enjoyed and played by those with different nationalities and from different cultures. Approximately 60…
Legoland groundbreaking ceremony in Gangwon-do Construction has begun in Gangwon-do (Gangwon Province) to build a Legoland theme park, a future landmark for the province. Among the 1,000 people who attended the ceremony were Gangwon Provincial Governor Choi Moon-soon, Chuncheon City Mayor Choi Dong-yong, British Ambassador to Korea Scott Wightman, Danish Ambassador to Korea…
‘Nongak’ added to UNESCO list Exuberant sounds, dizzily swinging heads and colorful parades are a common scene associated with nongak, a form of traditional farmers’ music that has now to be inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. At the recent ninth meeting of the Committee…
The shifting of Korea’s mobile social media Closed social networks such as Naver’s Band are gaining popularity. The current population of South Korea is close to 50 million, and smartphone owners make up 74 percent of that. Among Koreans in their 20s, smartphone ownership stands at 98 percent. What are the most used…
