'The Penthouse 3’ apologizes again for using news footage of earthquake, building collapse

Producers of the hit South Korean drama “The Penthouse 3: War in Life” apologized again for including inappropriate scenes in an episode the previous week. The apology was featured at the beginning of the latest episode of the drama, which aired Friday. “In our Sept. 3 episode of ‘The Penthouse 3: War in Life,’ a few scenes inappropriately included news footage of a building collapse in Gwangju and the earthquake in Pohang,” the statement read. “We a

TelevisionSept. 12, 2021

Seoul International Book Fair ends with hopes for new chapter post-pandemic

Seoul International Book Fair 2021, the oldest and largest book publishing trade festival in South Korea, successfully ended its five-day-run Sunday afternoon. Hosted by the Korean Publishers Association, the festival kicked off Sept. 5 at S Factory in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, an area filled with brunch cafes and small ateliers of independent artists that is widely known as a gathering place for people in their 20s and 30s. The fair was held online last year. This year it operated under strict pa

BooksSept. 12, 2021

[Weekender] Dead poets’ salons

 In celebration of National Reading Month in September, some 8,700 book festivals and related programs are planned to promote the classics and new works to the public, according to the Culture Ministry.Adults read an average of 10 books per year while school-age children read an average of 41 books a year, Culture Ministry data from early 2020 showed. Culture critics attribute this significant drop in reading after the teenage years to “reading fatigue” stemming from pressure t

TravelSept. 11, 2021

[Eye Plus] A look into the past

The National Folk Museum of Korea invites sightseers to view its open storage space in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, that contains everyday items from times past, allowing them to revel in nostalgia.  The museum has made a tweak to its preservation paradigm. Thanks to such changes, the remains of the past have shed light on the lives of Koreans’ ancestors and expanded public understanding of the historical timeline.  The antiquities used to be stored underground, but became availabl

CultureSept. 11, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] The Baekje Empire of East Asia distilled in gilt-bronze incense burner

During Korea‘s tumultuous history, the Baekje Empire had a significant presence in East Asia for about 700 years starting about two thousand years ago. Korean civilization which is one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, had profound spiritual and philosophical foundations in Dohak, or Taoism, and Buddhism during the Baekje period. The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, which was excavated at an ancient temple site in Buyeo County in South Chungcheong Province in 199

CultureSept. 11, 2021

Concept Korea to roll out fashion film during New York Fashion Week

Concept Korea NYFW S/S 2022 will be held online as part of programs scheduled for New York Fashion Week, introducing three Korean fashion brands to help promote their brand names. The three fashion brands -- EENK, Ul:kin and NOHANT -- will showcase their 2022 spring/summer collection through a digital fashion film which will be unveiled on the New York Fashion Week’s official website at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Thursday, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency. The content

Arts & DesignSept. 11, 2021

[Photo News] Swallowtail Butterflies Welcome Autumn

Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies but they have been becoming harder to spot since the destruction of nature that accompanied industrial development in the 20th century. On the morning of Sept. 9, a swallowtail butterfly is seen sitting on a Lycoris radiata in full bloom at Heungguksa, a temple in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. Usually, Lycoris radiata bloom in early September, welcoming fall with a bright touch of red. Swallowtail butterflies feed on nectar from the flow

CultureSept. 11, 2021

Incheon Airport pins hope on bid for world-renowned museum

Incheon Airport has pinned its hopes on a bid to set up a globally renowned museum at the airport by 2024. If the plan is realized, the airport will allocate two sites for the museum, including Terminal 2, which is currently undergoing an expansion. “We have requested to commission research to gauge feasibility, including budget and possible sites to see which museum would be most suitable for the airport. The research is expected to be completed by early next year,” an Incheon I

Arts & DesignSept. 11, 2021

‘Nego King’ wins top prize at Korean content fair

YouTube show “Nego King” won the grand prize Thursday at Broadcast Worldwide 2021, a Korea Creative Content Agency fair held to recognize outstanding new media content and bring South Korean content to the international market. The video show centers on TV personality and singer Hwang Kwang-hee and his efforts to negotiate the prices of franchise companies, including Lotte Department Store, BBQ and GS25. Widely acclaimed for Hwang’s lively performance and for the active com

CultureSept. 10, 2021

Pianist Paik Kun-woo, daughter refute allegations of negligence concerning actress Yun Jung-hee

Pianist Paik Kun-woo and violinist Paik Jin-hi denied claims that the two have been negligent in the care of pianist Paik’s wife, actor Yun Jung-Hee, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Pianist Paik’s agency Vincero issued a statement Thursday, written by Paik Jin-hi, the couple’s daughter, and her attorney in Paris, along with a representative from the Association Sociale et Tutelaire, which shares joint legal guardianship over Yun. The statement, written in Engli

PeopleSept. 10, 2021

King Sejong Literacy Prize goes to organizations in Guatemala, India, South Africa

Three organizations -- one from Guatemala, one from India and one from South Africa -- received the 32nd UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize for promoting literacy in developing countries. UNESCO awarded the prize to Limitless Horizons Ixil in Guatemala, the National Institute of Open Schooling in India and the Puku Children’s Literature Foundation in South Africa, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Limitless Horizons Ixil is a nongovernmental organization that su

CultureSept. 10, 2021

DMZ Docs brings message of peace, coexistence

The 13th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival kicked off Thursday at Megabox Paju Bookcity in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, with a tearful story from director Yang Yong-hi. “Aiming to promote peace, coexistence and life as a key message, DMZ Docs has slowly become the largest festival of its kind in Asia, promoting promising projects and documentaries to a wider audience,” festival director Jung Sang-jin said during the opening ceremony. The festival returned to in-person scre

FilmSept. 10, 2021

Metallica’s latest release includes YB cover of ‘Sad but True’

Legendary heavy metal band Metallica released a new album on music streaming platforms Friday, featuring a cover song by South Korean rock band YB. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band’s 1991 megahit “The Black Album,” 53 acts from around the world covered their favorite songs from the album for a new one titled “The Metallica Blacklist.” YB, led by singer Yoon Do-hyun, covered Metallica’s “Sad but True.” The recording took place in Feb

PerformanceSept. 10, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Park Hyatt Busan presents ‘2021 Chuseok Gift Sets’ In celebration of the Chuseok holiday, Park Hyatt Busan is offering an array of Chuseok gifts. They include a selection of meat and lobster by the chef of Park Hyatt Busan, a stewed abalone set, a danji set for enjoying tea or other refreshments, as well as restaurant gift certificates that can be used within the hotel. The gift sets are available until Sept. 17, and gift certificates until Sept. 26. The Chuseok gift sets can be pur

FoodSept. 10, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Suwon Culture Night Suwon Culture Night will take place in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, from Oct. 15-17. Held at Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and Hwaseong Temporary Palace, the areas are decorated with media art installations, titled “eight nights.” Every corner of the fortress offers a historical and cultural experience to visitors. Admission fees vary by program. Updated information can be found on www.swcf.or.kr.  Jeonju International Sori Festival The Jeonju International Sori Fe

TravelSept. 10, 2021

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (US) Opened Sept. 1 Action Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) has been ruling the world of darkness for centuries with the power of Ten Rings, which grants immortality and great power to the user. Wenwu’s son Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) was trained as an assassin as a kid under him, but he later chooses to live a normal life. One day, Sang-Chi is attacked and realizes there is a fate that he has to accept. CODA (US) Opened Aug. 31

FilmSept. 10, 2021

[Well-Curated] In-person festivals return, focusing on pandemic’s impact

Some 1,039 works by 421 artists, collectives and companies from more than 50 countries are on show at the 2021 Gwangju Design Biennale, which opened Sept. 1. The 61-day biennale aims to show designs that reflect differences in gender, race, ideology and culture and how to embrace the differences by exploring the beauty of each one. An example is Dutch designer Inge Kuipers’ “Tea-Set Touch,” a teapot and cups designed for people with arthritis. Running through Oct. 31, the b

CultureSept. 10, 2021

First esports championship pitting Korea, Japan and China to take place in Seoul

Teams from South Korea, Japan and China are set to clash at Esports Championships East Asia 2021. The three-day event organized by the e-Sports Association and Korea Creative Content Agency will kick off Friday with live online matches for five games -- League of Legends, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Clash Royale, PES 2021 Season Update and Dungeon Fighter. ECEA 2021 will be accompanied by the Game Culture Festival, which is to offer various programs for esports fans.  There wil

esportsSept. 9, 2021

Yeon Sang-ho’s ‘Hellbound’ to be screened at BFI London Film Festival

Director Yeon Sang-ho’s Netflix original series “Hellbound” will be screened at the 65th BFI London Film Festival, which will be held from Oct. 6 to 17, according to Netflix on Thursday. The festival in London will screen the first three episodes. “Hellbound,” which is based on the popular webtoon of the same title, features the story of supernatural events in which random people suddenly receive a text saying they will be sent to hell. Amid the chaos, the New Tru

FilmSept. 9, 2021

Crime thriller drama returns as webtoon after five years

Cable channel tvN’s 2016 hit drama series “Signal” will be adapted into a webtoon, media content company BY4M announced through its public relations agency Wednesday, unveiling drawings of characters and well-known scenes from the drama. “Signal” is a time slip mystery-thriller centered around investigators from the past and future who communicate via a special walkie-talkie to solve crimes. The walkie-talkie transports its users to past crime scenes and offers in

CartoonSept. 8, 2021