Two Korean films invited to Toronto film fest

Two directorial debut films of South Korean star actors Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung have been invited to this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the films' distributors here said Friday. According to Megabox Plus M, the espionage film "Hunt," written and directed by "Squid Game" star Lee, will be presented at the Gala Presentations section at the 47th TIFF slated for Sept. 8-18. Starring Lee and Jung, "Hunt" is a story about two rival in

FilmJuly 29, 2022

Unique summer getaway at BTS: In The Soop Estate

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- Surrounded by serene nature and lush forests, the iconic two-story villa featured in the second season of K-pop powerhouse Hybe‘s reality show “BTS In The Soop” is set to host two special guests for the leisurely vacation that BTS enjoyed when filming. From RM’s beanbag chair to V‘s trumpet, small details from the show are reproduced, allowing fans to relive their favorite moments. The online house-sharing platform, Airbnb, is off

TravelJuly 29, 2022

[Well-curated] Paddle on Han, watch outdoor screenings of performances and catch an exhibition at museum storage

Paddle down Han River Are you feeling exhausted or drained under the hot weather? There’s a riverside festival coming up this weekend to cool you down. “2022 Han River Festival - Summer” kicks off this Friday, offering more than 20 programs spanning the 11 riverside parks in Seoul until Aug. 15. How about hopping onto a “king canoe” and paddling through the Han River’s waterway? The 12-person canoe leaves at a dock near Seorae Island, and passes by Sebits

CultureJuly 29, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival The 24th Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival is set to be held at gym park and areas around Naeseongcheon Stream in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province. The nine-day event will start from July 30 to Aug. 7. The festival offers the opportunity to catch sweetfish, either with their bare hands or a scoop net. Visitors can also enjoy outdoor concerts, featuring artists like trot singer Jeong Dong-won, rock band Gukkasten, girl group Weeekly and more. The tourists can cook and ta

TravelJuly 29, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul launches epicurean dining service for takeout Cafe One at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul is presenting “Salad and Sandwiches to Go,” a new gourmet selection of takeout salads and sandwiches. The salad menu includes Burrata Cheese Salad and Cobb Salad. Salads are complemented by a quartet of sandwiches including the Râpé Sandwich, featuring dressed grated carrot, soft avocado and egg; the Ricotta and Chicken Sandwich, filled with grilled chicken, fre

FoodJuly 29, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Hansan: Rising Dragon (Korea) Opened July 27 War Directed by Kim Han-min In 1592, Joseon loses its capital city, Hanyang, to Japan in just 15 days after Japan invaded the country, starting a six-year war known as the Imjin War. In a series of defeats, the Korean forces are on the verge of collapse and King Sunjo flees from the capital. While the Japanese navy gathers a large-scale force around Busan, Adm. Yi Sun-sin (Park Hae-il) prepares for a battle to turn the tide of war. Minions: The

FilmJuly 29, 2022

KBS2’s ‘Listen-Up’: Fierce competition for top music producers to take over song charts

Television network KBS2’s upcoming K-pop producer battle program “Listen-Up” is set to premiere on Saturday at 10:35 p.m., with a group of local music producers competing to make new songs that can take over the top charts on music streaming services. The program will feature 10 producer teams -- Ryan Jhun, Paloalto, JungKey, Peakboy, Kim Seung-soo, Pateko, Doko, Las, AB6IX‘s Lee Dae-hwi, BIG Naughty -- while hip-hop act Dynamic Duo is set to make its emcee debut. View

TelevisionJuly 28, 2022

‘Hunt’: breathtaking gunfight, psychological warfare in lawless Korean Peninsula

Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae’s directorial debut “Hunt,” an espionage action film, offers thrilling action scenes with seemingly unending gunfire and a heart-pounding rivalry between two intelligence agents. For some moviegoers, the long-awaited reunion of top actors Lee Jung-jae – who also stars in the film -- and Jung Woo-sung is enough to hold their expectations high for the movie. Lee seemed a little nervous when he introduced himself as a director for the first ti

FilmJuly 28, 2022

‘Managing Cheong Wa Dae is a losing game’: CHA head

Two months after the Cultural Heritage Administration was delegated operational management of Cheong Wa Dae, tentatively until the end of this year, the CHA remained hesitant to speak up on issues regarding Cheong Wa Dae’s future use. At a press conference announcing the vision and upcoming plans of the CHA held Wednesday in central Seoul, the overlying theme of the statement was on upgrading systems and data-based support for preservation and use of cultural heritage in general. The e

CultureJuly 28, 2022

Exhibition of vintage furniture designs highlights timeless value

Over 100 pieces of vintage and antique design furniture are on display at an exhibition called “Our Finest 20th Century Design Collection” at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul. The collection, which embodies the essence of modernity and originality, showcases furniture from the 1920s to the 1960s -- a period considered to be the most dynamic in design history, according to the show’s organizer, the Seoul Design Foundation. The exhibition includes several rare pieces th

Arts & DesignJuly 28, 2022

Film about legendary Korean naval hero tops box office on its opening day

A homegrown historical film about a famous naval battle by Adm. Yi Sun-sin against an invading Japanese fleet in the 16th century has topped the South Korean box office on the first day of its release, data showed Thursday. "Hansan: Rising Dragon" pushed down "Minions 2" to No. 2 to debut atop the daily chart with 386,000 admissions Wednesday, according the box office tally from the Korean Film Council. The figure accounts for nearly 60 percent of the total number of tickets

FilmJuly 28, 2022

‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ creators delighted by series’ popularity

With half of its series released as of July 21, television channel ENA’s legal drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” a story about a gifted, autistic attorney, has been writing history. It topped global streaming platform Netflix’s weekly viewership chart of non-English TV shows at the second week of July. It made ENA the most-watched channel during Wednesday-Thursday’s prime time with viewership rating of 13.1 percent, the highest number in the channel’s his

TelevisionJuly 27, 2022

Incense grows in popularity with mindfulness trend

  For Sung Hyun-jeong, 32, lighting an incense stick in her room has become an evening ritual. “After having a hard day at work, I want to have me-time. The fragrant smoke that fills up my room helps relaxation and energetic flow,” said the real estate agent who has been carrying out the routine for more than five months. Incense burning has been practiced for centuries. Historians tell us that it was broadly spread on the Korean Peninsula, from the 8th to the 14th centurie

CultureJuly 27, 2022

Joseon era royal seal box comes home

A box for holding the royal seal called “borok,” estimated to be made after the 1800s, has returned home from the UK, the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation announced Wednesday. The state heritage foundation initially obtained information of the borok last year, which had been in possession of a British corporation. The British company acquired the borok via an auction and was in the process of selling it to an unknown buyer. The item was acquired on July 12, after a seri

CultureJuly 27, 2022

Met Museum’s Mesopotamian artifacts in Seoul for National Museum of Korea exhibition

An exhibition on the Mesopotamian civilization is underway at the National Museum of Korea in conjunction with the US’ Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Mesopotamia: Great Cultural Innovations, Selections from The Metropolitan Museum of Art” is the first long-term exhibition in Korea dedicated solely to the theme of Mesopotamian cultural heritage. It is also the third special world-themed exhibition to be held at the NMK following the Egypt Gallery, which operated from December 201

CultureJuly 27, 2022

'Emergency Declaration' delves into different types of humanity

In the face of disaster, different types of people cope differently. "Emergency Declaration," a new aviation disaster film released next month, tells a story that everyone living through the pandemic can relate to. The film follows a detective, played by Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho, who investigates a suspected terrorist only to find out that he has already boarded a plane. While passengers are trapped inside, those on the ground struggle to find a way to land the plane. "

FilmJuly 26, 2022

[Exclusive] Incheon airport ditches plan for global museum

Incheon Airport is considering building a 300-square-meter exhibition space within the airport, after a recent study found that plans to establish a satellite museum of one of Europe‘s top-tire museums, such as the Centre Pompidou or the Louvre, were unfeasible. In January, Incheon International Airport Corp. commissioned a study to gauge the feasibility of setting up a branch of a globally renowned museum at the airport by 2024. The study, concluded in June, found that it would not be p

Arts & DesignJuly 26, 2022

[Feature] Caught between plagiarism and 'referencing'

Though renowned South Korean singer-songwriter You Hee-yul issued multiple apologies and has stepped down from the KBS music program “You Heeyul’s Sketchbook,” a heated debate over plagiarism claims is unlikely to die down anytime soon as more claims of plagiarism by K-pop artists surface. The controversy erupted in mid-June, when a post surfaced online claiming that You’s 2021 track “A Very Private Night” felt almost identical to Japanese composer Ryuichi S

PerformanceJuly 26, 2022

“Star” dancers of Paris Opera to perform in Seoul

A group of star dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet, including Korean dancer Park Sae-eun, will take the stage on Thursday and Friday at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul, reviving the historic company’s classic and modern repertoires in a gala show. 　 The occasion will mark Park’s first performance in Korea as an étoile, or star, of the Paris Opera Ballet. The 33-year-old ballerina was named étoile last year, becoming the first Asian to hold the coveted title in the 353-y

PerformanceJuly 26, 2022

Soju comes back stronger, pricier

With rapper Jay Park’s recently-launched Won Soju becoming a phenomenal hit, soju is getting a premium makeover.  For long, the vodka-like liquor has been loved for its accessibility (a bottle costs just about $1) and versatility (think of the boilermaker known as somaek or all the other variations). But these latest renditions are far more special, aiming to create a new subgenre of soju.  Questions remain about whether the premium versions will be more than a passing fad, w

FoodJuly 26, 2022