[Feature] How artists, writers inspire one another

The 1930s and the 1940s were the golden age of Korean literature and art. The two genres flourished together, even as writers and artists faced the challenges of harsh Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945), which sought to suppress Korean culture. The bleak years saw lively interaction among painters, novelists and poets who inspired each other. Some would gather at Jebi, a coffee shop in what was then Gyeongseong, now called Seoul, run by Yi Sang, the country’s representative modern writer

Arts & DesignFeb. 15, 2021

Historical comedy series 'Mr. Queen' ends with high ratings

"Mr. Queen," a historical comedic drama series that drew both popularity and controversy, has wrapped up on a strong note, with the final episode becoming the fifth most-watched drama on cable channel tvN. The series' 20th episode aired Sunday and recorded 17.4 percent in viewership, according to data by Nielson Korea. The figure marks the fifth-highest rating among tvN's drama series, following 21.7 percent by the romantic comedy "Crash Landing On You" (2019), 20.5 percent

TelevisionFeb. 15, 2021

Lunar New Year's theater attendance plunges amid pandemic

Lingering concerns over COVID-19 kept South Korean people from going to cinemas during the Lunar New Year holiday, but recently eased social distancing is expected to brighten prospects for the virus-hit film industry, box office data showed Monday. The number of moviegoers reached a total of 707,000 during the four-day lunar New Year holiday weekend that began on Thursday, according to the data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). It is just one seventh of more than 4.9 million attendees tal

PerformanceFeb. 15, 2021

MMCA takes experimental approach to art with cutting-edge technology

Korea’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is embarking on an experimental journey with a new project to show how two seemingly different fields can collaborate by intertwining contemporary art with cutting-edge technology. Taking the theme of “Multiverse,” the national museum’s new project will introduce six rising and established artists and their artworks that adopt various technologies including immersive technology, robots that substitute the kinetic cap

Arts & DesignFeb. 14, 2021

[Newsmaker] Korean celebrities divided on Clubhouse

With the rise of US social media app Clubhouse, Korean celebrities also quickly hopped on the trend to socialize with their celebrity acquaintances as well as fans. Developed by California-based startup Alpha Exploration, the buzzy app is a new type of social network based on voice. The platform allows users to start and join its unique group chat room. Creators of the room and few others that are chosen by the creators can talk freely in this conversation room, while others listen. These li

CultureFeb. 14, 2021

Spotify set for uphill battle in S. Korea

Spotify Technology SA, which opened its service in South Korea early this month, is expected to face fierce competition in the music streaming market currently dominated by local players. While the Swedish company is one of the top audio streaming services in the world, with 345 million users across 93 markets, it is up against established homegrown services in South Korea -- the sixth-largest music market in the world -- such as tech giant Kakao Corp.'s Melon, Genie Music under telecom operato

PerformanceFeb. 14, 2021

Traditional desserts appeal to the young with creative visuals

Hangwa, or traditional Korean confections, and rice cakes are essential snacks during the Korean lunar new year holiday. After a memorial service for ancestors and sharing meals with the family, traditional desserts are enjoyed with tea. While Korean desserts have been mainly relished during the traditional holidays, they are becoming more diverse and enjoying popularity among younger generation with creative visuals. “Korean desserts come in a wide variety as customers expect visual

CultureFeb. 13, 2021

[Diana’s Table] Salisbury steak Korean style or Hamburg steak

In Korea, when you go to a Western-style restaurant, you will often find Hamburg steak on the menu. This is Korean version of the Salisbury steak served with rice and vegetables. When I was a child, we went out to eat at restaurants only on very special occasions. The choice of menu was quite limited and we usually ordered either a Hamburg steak or a pork cutlet. When I grew up, my travels allowed me to taste diverse and interesting dishes from around the world. Although my taste buds may hav

FoodFeb. 13, 2021

K-pop rookies take over Japanese music charts

Despite the trade war between Korea and Japan and restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, up-and-coming K-pop acts are enjoying a strong presence in the Japanese entertainment industry, topping the local music charts. 　While hit K-pop groups such as Twice and IZ*ONE have already risen to major stardom in Japan, more K-pop groups are making their way in Japan, releasing Japanese-language albums targeted to the wider public.   　Big Hit Entertainment’s TXT, also known as Tomorrow

PerformanceFeb. 13, 2021

VR journalism seeks new ways of storytelling

In a deep, dark underground tunnel, photos of a young man appear, alongside those of his favorite music albums, films, endearing messages exchanged with his parents and video clips of him fooling around cheerfully with his friends. As one walks through the tunnel, the young man’s access card for Taean power station appears. It reads, “Name: Kim Yong-kyun; Expiration date: 2018-12-31.” Those are scenes from the last episode of season 2 of MBC’s VR documentary series, &l

TelevisionFeb. 12, 2021

Movies for your soul during Seollal holiday

Films that aim to refresh moviegoers who are exhausted by the pandemic are dominating the screens during the Lunar New Year holiday, widely known as Seollal. The Disney-Pixar animated film “Soul,” which opened Jan. 20 and became the first movie of 2021to reach more than 1.2 million viewers here, comforts viewers with its colorful images, its music, and its hopeful and relatable message. “Soul” follows schoolteacher Joe, who dreams of becoming a jazz musician. One day,

FilmFeb. 11, 2021

[Video] ‘Yut Nori’ a time-honored game for Lunar New Year’s holiday

Millions of people in South Korea are set to drive for hours to reunite with their families and relatives for one of the country’s biggest celebrations: Seollal. Ceremonies and rituals are traditionally held during the big holiday to pay respect to ancestors. People usually bow to an altar table with fruits, liquor, fish and meat, wishing for prosperity and health. The Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 12 of the Gregorian calendar this year, and the holiday starts Thursday and runs through S

CultureFeb. 11, 2021

Rock stars to hold 17-hour online concert

Rock musician Han Kyung-rock, a bassist in the legendary punk rock band Crying Nut, is celebrating his birthday Thursday with a 17-hour virtual concert. Han will be hosting “2021 Kyungrockjeol in the House,” which starts Thursday at noon and features 83 music acts. The lineup includes rock bands Crying Nut, No Brain, Galaxy Express, Broccoli You Too, Romantic Punch and Jannabi, along with hip-hop singer Jay Park, singer Seonwoo Jung A, Glen Matlock from the Sex Pistols, Japanese p

PerformanceFeb. 10, 2021

Wavve compensates customers 140 free movies for network failures

Local video streaming platform Wavve announced that it is providing 140 movies for free as compensation for network failures this year. Wavve, which has the highest number of users of all Korean OTTs, faced network problems on Jan. 27 that lasted over a week and prevented users from viewing much of its content. Another network failure on Jan. 29 led to adult content being shown for several seconds during the children‘s film “Pororo Movie,” further infuriating users. “W

TelevisionFeb. 10, 2021

Journaling -- more than just keeping records

Despite the prevalence of digital scheduling applications, it seems that demand for paper diaries never dies out. In fact, the pastime of decorating journals -- “dakku” in Korean -- is more popular than ever. Dakku, an abbreviation for a Korean word for decorating, refers to the use of colorful tape, memo pads, stickers and other stationery products to adorn journals. Dakku has always been popular among schoolchildren, but recently the trend has spread to those in their 20s and 30

CultureFeb. 10, 2021

Yoon Jeong-hee’s siblings speak up about neglect accusations against Yoon’s husband Paik

With pianist Paik Kun-woo and his wife Yoon Jeong-hee at the center of attention over accusations of Paik‘s neglect in the care of Yoon, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, Yoon’s siblings released an official statement Tuesday, acknowledging it was they who posted the petition on the Blue House website that accuses Paik and his daughter of neglecting Yoon. The siblings apologized for going public with family matters. “Paik kept his distance from his wife and her f

PeopleFeb. 10, 2021

'Minari' shortlisted for Oscars' two music categories

The drama film "Minari" about a Korean American immigrant family was shortlisted for two music categories in the upcoming Academy Awards, organizers said Wednesday. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) revealed shortlists for nine categories for the Oscars, including international feature, original score, original song and animated short film. In the original score section, music from the American film "Minari," composed by Emile Mosseri, was among the 15

FilmFeb. 10, 2021

KNO to present gala shows to support opera singers

The Korea National Opera will start the 2021 season with a series of gala concerts to offer opportunities to local opera singers hit by the COVID-19 pandemic to perform. Though it has been customary for the state-funded opera troupe to begin the year with full-act operas, the 2021 season will begin with five gala concerts across Korea from March to May, taking into consideration the unstable pandemic situation in different regions of the country. Also, the gala concerts can support local op

PerformanceFeb. 9, 2021

From nameless singer to audition winner: Lee Seung-yoon wins ‘Sing Again’

Lee Seung-yoon -- singer No. 30 on the JTBC audition program “Sing Again” -- was declared the winner on Monday, bringing the three-month-long competition to a close. “Sing Again,” which aired its first episode in November, captured the audience by giving a second chance to 71 singers who had released albums in the past but never attained popularity. The singers were called by their numbers instead of their names, piquing viewers’ curiosity. The six finalists -- Y

TelevisionFeb. 9, 2021

Seoul Institute of the Arts presents ‘Genoma Scenico’ with Nicola Galli

The Seoul Institute of the Arts livestreamed a dance workshop with Italian choreographer Nicola Galli on Tuesday through the school’s official YouTube channel. The workshop, streamed at 5 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m., is part of the “Crossing the Sea” project undertaken with the support of the Italian Ministry of Culture and Heritage. Its purpose is to connect the arts scenes in Italy, Asia and the Middle East. Italian choreographer Jacopo Jenna began the workshops in 2019, an

CultureFeb. 9, 2021