Star chef curates fine dining banquet at Sejong Center lobby
Sejong Inspiration program pushes boundaries of space, form
The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts is launching Sejong Inspiration, a new program series designed to break away from conventional theater spaces and performance formats. By transcending traditional boundaries of the stage, the initiative seeks to integrate diverse genres and expand the scope of artistic expression.
The first event under Sejong Inspiration, Heritage Banquet, celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra — Korea's first traditional music ensemble, founded in 1965 — and takes place April 17 at the Grand Theater lobby at 7:30 p.m.
Heritage Banquet will offer a multisensory experience, exploring the history and artistic vision of traditional Korean orchestral music through taste. Star chef Choi Hyun-seok, head chef at fine dining restaurant Choi Dot who is also known for appearances on Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars' and JTBC's 'Chef & My Fridge," will curate the banquet.
Inspired by the orchestra's six-decade journey, Choi has crafted a special five-course fusion Korean menu that reinterprets traditional flavors in a contemporary style. Stand-out dishes include the sujebi vongole, a fusion of hand-torn Korean noodles with Italian influences; braised short ribs inspired by Korea's traditional five-color (obangsaek) aesthetic; and a dessert inspired by "sumaksae" — a roof-end tile featuring a smiling human face, famously known as the 'Smile of Silla.'
Heritage Banquet is limited to 50 participants and runs for approximately 100 minutes. Tickets go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m. for Sejong Season subscribers and members, with sales opening to the general public on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Tickets are priced at 200,000 won ($136).
Deep dive into sound on stage, in darkness
On April 28, the Listening Stage event will invite audience members to explore the depth of sound and spatial resonance from the stage, nestled in the 70 bean bags provided.
With the theater plunged into complete darkness, attendees will recline beneath 102 overhead battens, immersing themselves in a transformative sound experience.
The event is centered around three musical pieces: Maurice Ravel's 'Bolero,' Arvo Part's 'Fur Alina' and Keith Jarrett's 'The Koln Concert.' The pieces will also be featured in the Seoul Metropolitan Ballet's upcoming May performance of Johan Inger's 'Walking Mad & Bliss.'
To enhance the auditory experience, an immersive audio system with approximately 50 speakers will be installed across the stage and ceiling, creating a 360-degree spatial sound environment.
Listening Stage runs for 90 minutes and is limited to 70 participants. Presale begins April 9 for subscribers and members, with general sales opening April 10. Tickets are priced at 30,000 won ($20).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
18 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Annual Culture Communication Forum to crown winners of sustainable K-Style contest
International gathering showcases finalists with creative takes on Korean tradition The Corea Image Communication Institute will hold its 16th annual Culture Communication Forum on Thursday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, wrapping up a monthslong global contest centered on "sustainable K-style." The event will bring together senior diplomatic and business leaders for a ceremony recognizing the competition's finalists and winners. KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung will deliver opening remarks, with congratulatory messages from Italian Ambassador Emilia Gatto and Japanese Ambassador Koichi Mizushima. EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez will join around 10 other ambassadors in attendance. Corporate attendees include Seo Jung-ho, chair of the Ambassador Hotel Group; Cho Jung-il, chair of The Hanok Heritage; and Sean Blakeley, chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea and Honorary Ambassador of Foreign Investment Promotion for Korea. Franz Hotten, president of Pernod Ricard Korea, will also attend alongside some 60 guests. The forum's centerpiece will be a live vote to determine the winners among 12 finalists, selected from entries submitted between March 20 and May 30. Participants submitted ideas for reimagining Korean cultural traditions through a sustainability lens, exploring how K-style can evolve for future generations across music, cuisine, film and fashion. Finalists will present their entries, ranging from video clips to spoken presentations in Korean, during Thursday's event. The video competition features long- and short-form categories, each with four finalists. The grand prize winner in the long-form category will receive a prize package worth 3 million won (around $2,213), including 1 million won in cash. The short-form winner will receive a 2 million won package, with 700,000 won in cash. For the Korean speech segment, contestants from the United States, Spain, China, France and Egypt will compete for the grand prize. Each will deliver a three-minute speech on sustainable K-style, with the winners determined by real-time audience voting. The top prize is valued at 3 million won, including 1.5 million won in cash. The forum begins with registration at 4:40 p.m., followed by the main program at 5 p.m. A special pansori performance by French artist Mapo Lor will round out the ceremony. Founded in 2003 and officially registered with the Foreign Ministry, CICI promotes Korea's global image through cultural exchange. Since 2010, its annual CCF has served as a global platform for dialogue among cultural and diplomatic leaders.
Korea Herald
20 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Korea celebrates first National Gugak Day, with diverse festival
'Gugak is core pillar of K-culture', says Minister Yu In-chon South Korea officially marked its first-ever National Gugak Day on June 5 with a series of cultural events designed to spotlight the continued relevance of traditional Korean music. Declared by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon during a commemorative ceremony at Gyeongbokgung, the new national day aims to bridge the past and present by raising public interest in gugak and activating the gugak-centered cultural industry. 'To promote gugak, revitalize its cultural industries, and elevate public awareness, we declare June 5 as National Gugak Day,' said the minister in his speech. 'With the enactment of the Gugak Promotion Act and the inaugural celebration today, I believe we've reached a significant milestone in the history of gugak.' He continued, 'Gugak has accompanied our lives for centuries, present at every moment of joy, sorrow and celebration. It has been preserved and developed across generations, arriving here today. Its growing global popularity as a core pillar of K-culture is thanks to the dedication of those who have quietly upheld its traditions.' Yu, now serving his second term as culture minister, also took a personal moment during the ceremony, noting that this would likely be his final official appearance before stepping down following the recent change in government. 'This may be the last time I address you at an official event like this. My heart is full of gratitude and emotion,' he said. June 5 was chosen for National Gugak Day to commemorate the first official record of yeominrak, meaning 'music enjoyed by the people,' which appeared in the Annals of King Sejong on this date in 1447. The day encapsulates the ethos of shared cultural heritage and aims to invite all citizens to appreciate and participate in Korea's traditional performing arts. To mark National Gugak Day and the broader Gugak Week running from June 5 to 30, a wide array of cultural events is taking place across the country. At Gyeongbokgung Palace's Geunjeongjeon Hall, audiences can experience a commemorative performance titled "Sound of the Heavens, Music of King Sejong (Sejongjo Hoerye-yeon)," while Gwanghwamun Square hosts the Yeominrak Grand Festival, featuring street parades of traditional nongak from six different regions, special performances, and interactive activities. Beyond Seoul, performances, educational programs, hands-on workshops, academic symposia, and conferences are being organized by regional gugak centers and cultural foundations nationwide, offering opportunities for the public to engage with Korea's traditional music heritage.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Son Suk-ku reflects on his winning streak
TV, streaming clout discusses his latest project 'Nine Puzzles,' his sharpening acumen Son Suk-ku's hit series streak is showing no signs of stopping. His latest project, "Nine Puzzles," debuted on Disney+ on May 21 and quickly soared to become the second most-watched Korean title on the platform during its premiere week, trailing only behind Disney+ Korea's record-breaking series "Moving." Meanwhile, JTBC's fantasy human drama "Heavenly Ever After," which premiered on April 19, has emerged as one of the most buzzworthy dramas of the first half of 2025. This is thanks in part to its unexpected yet touching romantic storyline between Son and 83-year-old veteran actress Kim Hye-ja. Reflecting on his career, which includes back-to-back hits from "A Killer Paradox,' (2024) 'D.P. 2,' (2023) 'Big Bet' (2022) and 'My Liberation Notes,' (2022), and his criteria for choosing projects, Son said during a press roundtable in Seoul on Thursday that he thought his instincts were sharpening with experience. 'My standard when selecting projects is that it has to be fun,' he said. 'That word might sound light, but I think creating something genuinely fun is one of the hardest things to do. But I feel like I'm slowly developing an eye for spotting that kind of thing.' He added, 'If I can summarize the premise of a script in a sentence or two to a friend or family member, like, 'Hey, this story is about this' — then I see that as a sign it has a strong foundation. But if it's hard to do that, then I see it (as having a lower chance of success)." "Nine Puzzles" stars Kim Da-mi as Yi-na, a woman haunted by the unsolved murder of her uncle, for which she was the sole witness and a prime suspect. A decade later, Detective Han-saem (Son) remains convinced of her guilt. The case takes a turn when Yi-na receives a mysterious puzzle piece, echoing one discovered at the original crime scene. The series fuses heightened, stylized visuals with a noir-inflected mystery narrative, embracing a cartoon-like aesthetic that pulls viewers into an otherworldly world. According to Son, the creative team and the cast intentionally crafted that unique atmosphere throughout the production. 'The visual aspects — especially the costumes — were largely influenced by the established world that the director had already created. We followed the mise-en-scene that was carefully crafted to fit that world,' said Son. 'If we had placed this story in a purely realistic tone, I don't think it would have had the same charm, and it might have felt less convincing,' he added. He continued, 'The design choices stemmed from the metaphor of puzzles. Since the crimes unfold through puzzle pieces, the production, from costumes to set design, was built to reflect that imagery.' As for the show's ambiguous final moment, which teases the appearance of another puzzle, Son said he did not see it as an ending meant to open up another season. 'There were no discussions about a second season,' he said. 'I didn't view the ending as a lead-in, but more as a symbol of continuity — life goes on in that world, and new crimes emerge. That puzzle could be interpreted as a copycat case, but for me, it simply represented another incident.' On the possibility of returning for season 2, Son was measured: 'I think the chances are very slim. Not just due to scheduling conflicts, but because of various other circumstances. I don't think it's likely.'
