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Nat'l Palace Museum exhibition highlights returned cultural heritage

A visitor takes a look at the Album of Paintings by Joseon-era painter Jeong Seon (1676-1759) at the National Palace Museum in Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapAbout 40 cultural heritage items retrieved from overseas collectors on displayBy Kwak Yeon-sooA lidded bowl decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay, a golden royal seal and a suit of cotton armor worn by a Korean soldier of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), are among the many other returned cultural treasures that will be on display at the National Palace Museum of Korea, starting this Thursday. Titled “Treasures of Ours Treasured by Others: Journey of Korean Cultural Heritage,” the special exhibition features some 40 cultural artifacts that had been removed from the country and have been since reclaimed via auctions and other means by the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, established in July 2012 under the Cultural Heritage Administration.“We are happy to share our accomplishments over the course of 10 years. Since 2013, the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation has supported the repatriation of 784 cul

Jul 6, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Nat'l Palace Museum exhibition highlights returned cultural heritage

Cheong Wa Dae to be transformed into cultural complex: culture minister

Culture Minister Park Bo-gyoon speaks during a press conference at the Government Complex Sejong, Monday. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and TourismBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe government will draw up plans to transform the former presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae into a historical and cultural complex accessible to all citizens, Culture Minister Park Bo-gyoon said Monday.Cheong Wa Dae was opened to the public for the first time in 74 years in May as President Yoon Suk-yeol promised to return the compound to the people and move the presidential office to another location.According to the culture ministry, Cheong Wa Dae is 3.4 times bigger than the White House. Some 600 art pieces and artifacts are stored and displayed inside buildings within the compound and there are around 50,000 trees, alongside a wide variety of wildflowers.While tourists can now visit the compound and buildings, which have remained empty since Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae-in and his staff left, the Yoon government has yet to come up with measures to preserve the site and develop programs to show Cheong Wa Dae'

Jul 4, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Cheong Wa Dae to be transformed into cultural complex: culture minister

Fully intact early Joseon-era dragon-shaped roof tile decorations excavated

Staff of the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage place a “geompa,” a hilt-shaped ornament, on top of a “chwidu,” a dragon-shaped ornamental roof tile, during a press conference at the National Palace Museum of Korea, central Seoul, Wednesday. The fully intact set of the roof tile decorations, which is believed to be for royal buildings in the early Joseon era, was excavated from the mudflats of coastal Taean, South Chungcheong Province. Yonhap By Kim RahnA dragon-shaped ornamental roof tile and a hilt-shaped ornament placed on top of it have been unearthed, the first excavation ever of a fully intact dragon-shaped roof tile decoration, according to the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, Wednesday. A “chwidu” and “geompa” on the roof of Injeong Gate at Changdeok Palace in Seoul / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration

Jun 29, 2022By Kim Rahn

Fully intact early Joseon-era dragon-shaped roof tile decorations excavated

Early Joseon-era painting of government officials' gathering unveiled

Choi Eung-chon, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, speaks during a press briefing announcing the acquisition of “Gathering of Officials at Dokseodang Study,” a rare painting from the 16th century, at the National Palace Museum of Korea, central Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapRare painting returns to KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooA painting from the 16th-century Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), titled “Gathering of Officials at Dokseodang Study,” has been unveiled for the first time after it was made approximately 490 years ago. The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) on Wednesday unveiled the painting, which had been owned by Japanese collectors since early 1900s, although how and when it had been initially taken away from Korea is unknown. It was put up for auction in the U.S. in March, which was when the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation acquired it.The painting was created to commemorate a gathering of government officials participating in the “sagadokseo,” a sabbatical leave program allowing young, talented civil servants to do full-time in

Jun 22, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Early Joseon-era painting of government officials' gathering unveiled

Seoul Fashion Week to be held fully in October for 1st time in 3 years

Models walk the stage during Seoul Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2022, held March 18, in this file photo. Yonhap South Korea's biggest biannual fashion show, Seoul Fashion Week, will be held fully in person in October, following two years of scaled-down events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday.Seoul Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023 will kick off Oct. 11 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in central Seoul for a five-day run, the city announced. As the upcoming event will be held fully in person for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, the city will also resume inviting global buyers and foreign reporters to the show. In a bid to help reinvigorate the domestic fashion industry, the city has also broadened the show's horizon to include small fashion firms with annual sales of at least 150 billion won (US$116.3 million) as participants. On the sidelines, the city will also host a series of events, although the total number of spe

Jun 20, 2022

Seoul Fashion Week to be held fully in October for 1st time in 3 years

Centuries-old artifact with thinner-than-hair engraving unveiled to public

Seen above is an ancient gilt relic, thought to be from the eighth century Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935). The gold leaf artifact, first discovered in two pieces at Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, respectively, in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in 2016, has bird and flower patterns that are 0.05 millimeters in width. Courtesy of the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural HeritageBy Kwak Yeon-sooAn ancient gilt relic with ultra-precise patterns, presumed to be from the eighth century Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), was made public for the first time on Thursday after it was unearthed in Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Silla, in November 2016.According to the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH) and the Cultural Heritage Administration, the gold leaf artifact was initially discovered as two separate pieces that were approximately 20 meters from one another, which made it difficult for archeologists to identify. Following the preservation work, they came to the conclusion that the two pieces form a single artifact.The institute announce

Jun 16, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Centuries-old artifact with thinner-than-hair engraving unveiled to public

Growing number of women making foray into football

Members of W-Kicks, a female football club at Yonsei University, cheer at a football field in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, after winning the K-WIN CUP two years in a row in this June 2021 photo. Courtesy of W-KicksSBS TV show 'Kick a Goal' helps lower barriers for female amateur playersBy Lee Yeon-wooSports shows focused on the growth of female amateur players are gaining rave reviews. Viewers, especially female ones, say that such programs ― like SBS' “Kick a Goal” featuring futsal, JTBC's “Jump Like a Witch” for basketball and MBC's “Curling Queens” for curling ― have not only provided entertainment but also removed barriers for women wishing to participate in team games that were typically considered male sports.Among the many reality sports shows, “Kick a Goal” is leading the trend. Starting as a pilot program in February 2021, it is now running for a second season since October and currently has a 7 percent viewing rate on average, recording a high of 9.5 percent on Dec. 22.The success of the program has contributed to brin

Jun 5, 2022By Lee Yeon-woo

Growing number of women making foray into football

'Jang' becomes gateway to connect with different cultures

Participants of the “one-day food tour” held under the theme of “Get to Know Korean Jang” look at mashed “meju,” or fermented soybean brick, taken out from a traditional earthenware at Korea House in central Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulFood tour invites participants on journey to traditional Korean culinary method of fermentationBy Park Han-solIt isn't an exaggeration to say that much of the standard Korean cuisine ― from soups, stews, stir-fried food, side dishes to even dipping sauces ― starts with the ingredient “meju.”A brick-shaped compressed block of soybeans that have been crushed and dried is the magic ingredient behind iconic Korean condiments known as “jang.”A combination of meju and salt water left to ferment for several months in a traditional earthenware pot can give birth to both “doenjang” (soybean paste) made with the wet mashed lumps, and “ganjang” (soy sauce) made with the remaining liquid.And if meju is instead mixed with red chili powder, rice paste, barley ma

Jun 2, 2022By Park Han-sol

'Jang' becomes gateway to connect with different cultures

Underwater photographer's 30-year journey documenting humpback whales

Underwater photographer Chang Namon, right, and a humpback whale / Courtesy of Lotte World AdventureBy Kwak Yeon-sooConsidered Korea's first underwater photographer, Chang Namon has shot a number of impressive photo series of humpback whales over nearly 30 years. The travel restrictions for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic have stopped him from visiting his favorite waters, but he has been training underwater in Goseong County, Gangwon Province, to build the strength to resume his photographic journey. “I plan to resume filming whales next February. This time, I want to film sperm whales because I feel like I've taken enough photos of humpback whales. To document them, I need to go to Sri Lanka or the Dominican Republic,” the 72-year-old photographer said during an interview with The Korea Times, Monday.Korea's first underwater photographer Chang Namon / Courtesy of Chang NamonChang's connection with humpback whales began in 1992 when he had the opportunity to film Okinawa's underwater landscapes as a photojournalist for the Joongang Ilbo daily newspaper. H

Jun 2, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Underwater photographer's 30-year journey documenting humpback whales

Yoogeum Museum sheds light on roof tiles from East Asia

Yoo Chang-jong, one of the founders of Yoogeum Museum, explains exhibits during the Korea CQ Forum at the museum in Seoul, May 21. Courtesy of CICIBy Dong Sun-hwaYoogeum Museum is the only museum in Korea dedicated to collecting and exhibiting roof tiles from different East Asian countries ― Korea, China and Japan. Founded in March 2008, it is home to some 5,000 roof tiles and other stones used to decorate the walls and floors of ancient buildings. In particular, Yoogeum Museum displays traditional Korean roof tiles collected by Japanese physician Isao Iuchi (1911-1992), one of the biggest collectors of Korean roof tiles, along with other works from the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.―A.D. 668) to the 1392-1910 Joseon era.“Each kingdom had its own distinctive roof tiles,” Yoo Chang-jong, one of the founders of Yoogeum Museum, said during the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) Korea CQ Forum that took place at the museum, May 21. The forum intends to bring together opinion leaders and promote cultural exchanges worldwide. “The Goguryeo roof tiles, for inst

May 24, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

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