Arts, Culture & Media

With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, East German culture disappeared practically overnight, cast aside for the newly accessible West. But today, amid dissatisfaction with the progress of German reunification, some former East Germans are taking a new look back at the past.

A new play that premiered in New York last month tells the story of a pair of cousins — one from America, the other from Haiti — negotiating a difficult relationship, while highlighting the Haitian culture and diaspora.

A new production at New York’s Metropolitan Opera sounds and looks different from anything presented at the venerable opera house before, featuring flamenco rhythms and dance.  

Training in karate was not always easy for Nobuko Oshiro, who faced bullying and harsh treatment from her instructors as one of the few women in the sport. Now at 77, she is Okinawa’s only female grandmaster and runs a renowned dojo, inspiring students from around the world.

An affluent neighborhood of Seoul is the latest stretch of National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek’s worldwide walking journey. He tells Host Carolyn Beeler about the Gangnam entertainment district, its important links to K-pop, and the hyper-competitive career paths young people have pursued to stardom.