[Best Brand] Hyundae Rose Garden brings world’s flower to S. Korea

Since Hyundae Rose Garden opened in 1995, the company has been striving to become a front-runner in the field of rose breeding. Aiming to produce and distribute the finest roses to South Korea, the company made technical license agreements with leading rose breeders around the world, including Harness Roses of the UK and Poulsen Roser of Denmark. Hyundae Rose Garden has been breeding and growing 600 varieties of roses for more than 25 years. Almost 400,000 to 500,000 seedlings are provided by th

CultureDec. 28, 2022

Broadcasters up the ante for 2023

Receiving unprecedented attention from international viewers, South Korean TV series are hoping to continue the winning streak with more unique and thrilling stories, the return of top movie stars to the small screen and spinoffs of beloved dramas. Cable channel tvN’s “Crash Course in Romance” is scheduled to entertain viewers starting at the beginning of 2023. Starring the Cannes-winning actress Jeon Do-yeon, who returns to a romance series after 17 years since SBS’ me

TelevisionDec. 28, 2022

Elementary school musical: Seoul schools to teach breakdancing

Breakdancing will be included in after-school classes provided by elementary and middle schools in Seoul starting next year, the city’s education authorities said Wednesday. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the Korea Breaking Federation -- the administrative body of breakdancing events and competitions in South Korea -- are slated to sign an agreement on creating breakdance classes tailored to students. The KBF will organize education courses and teaching materials while fost

Social AffairsDec. 28, 2022

Pianist Kim Su Yeon to present painting-like music

Pianist Kim Su Yeon, the first Asian winner of the Concours Musical International de Montréal, told reporters Tuesday she hopes to broaden her repertoire as Kumho Art Hall’s artist-in-residence for 2023 and meet Korean audiences. Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation, the operator of the venue, selects a classical musician under the age of 30 in the early stages of their career as its artist-in-residence, providing the musician with a regular performance stage. From 2013 to 2022, 10 up

CultureDec. 28, 2022

Translation app gets restaurant menu upgrade

Naver's translation app Papago has added a service to help tourists understand Korean menus, in partnership with the Culture Ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization. The service is uses the app's image translate function. Users can take a picture of a Korean menu to translate it as normal, but tapping "select all" at the bottom brings up a "Food info" tab, with translations that have been tailored for food, and provides additional information about some of t

TravelDec. 28, 2022

[Korean Flavors] Chef Kim Sea-kyeong reinterprets Korean food with American-style cooking

Most of Kim Sea-kyeong’s career as a chef was cooking American cuisine in the US, but one thing he dreamed of for a long time was reinterpreting Korean food -- what he calls his “soul food” -- the way he had mastered through Western recipes. “After working many years in the US with locals, I came to notice that what people aren’t familiar with is the way Korean food is enjoyed, such as side dishes, the experience can be made better through the concept of ‘bans

FoodDec. 27, 2022

Resurgence of cinema still too early to tell

This past year has been extraordinary for the film industry, finally set free from some of the constraints and anxieties of the coronavirus pandemic. A number of brilliant projects wowed and excited moviegoers, but ticket sales failed to return to pre-pandemic levels, suggesting that sluggish sales for local cinemas may linger into 2023. However, this does not diminish hope for even better films set to be released next year. Here is a recap of the South Korean film industry in 2022. Sequels br

FilmDec. 27, 2022

Viewers split over surprise ending of hit series ‘Reborn Rich’

Viewers voiced mixed responses over the ending of the latest hit series “Reborn Rich,” which was very different from the conclusion of the original web novel from which it was adapted. The last episode in the 16-part JTBC series aired Sunday, with a 26.9 percent viewership rating, according to ratings firm Nielsen Korea, Monday. The figure is the all-time second highest rating for a JTBC drama, following “The World of the Married” (2020), which was recorded at 28.4 percen

TelevisionDec. 27, 2022

Ashes are circle of life in Thai artist Korakrit Arunanondchai's paintings

Fire and ash have been at the center of Thai artist Korakrit Arunanondchai's art practice for the past 10 years. The artist’s solo exhibition at Kukje Gallery in Seoul is a place where visitors can contemplate on death and life. The gallery’s K3 space appears to be a completely different space from the rest of the gallery – the floor is made from compressed ash mixed with earth and paint, making visitors feel as if they were standing on volcanic rock. Prayer text is scul

Arts & DesignDec. 27, 2022

Content business will be game changer in S. Korea’s soft power growth: ministry

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday it would focus on maintaining the global popularity of Korea media and broadcast content with an increased budget of 190 billion won ($149.9 million) for the creative content sector next year. “Korean content is receiving an unprecedented attention from the global audience. Many say that they are watching the drama series, film or TV show, because it is from Korea," First Vice Culture Minister Chun Byong-geuk said at CJ E

TelevisionDec. 27, 2022

Fashion designer Martin Margiela returns to Seoul as artist

Fashion designer Martin Margiela of French luxury fashion house Maison Margiela is holding his first exhibition in Seoul -- and third overall -- showcasing his creativity beyond the catwalk. The self-titled exhibition that opened Friday showcases some 50 works by the designer and artist. Goo Hye-jin, director of exhibition business, and the exhibition team prepared the show for a year after she learned the designer had opened his first solo show at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris in 2021. His

Arts & DesignDec. 26, 2022

National Palace Museum sheds light on astronomical instruments of Joseon era

How did people of the Joseon era (1392–1910) observe and understand celestial bodies? National Palace Museum of Korea's new permanent exhibition on the scientific achievements of Joseon aims to answer that question. "Scientific Achievement of the Joseon Dynasty," which opens to the public Tuesday after an extensive renovation, has on display an extensive collection of important astronomical instruments that were used to observe the sky and mark the seasons. Observation o

CultureDec. 26, 2022

Actor Song Joong-ki in a relationship: agency

Actor Song Joong-ki is in a relationship, entertainment agency HighZium Studio said Monday, confirming a local media report. “Song is dating a woman," Song's agency, also a content production firm, said in an official statement. HighZium Studio added that it cannot divulge any additional information about the woman, including her age and nationality. Speculation about Song's new girlfriend erupted Monday morning when a local media outlet reported that Song is in a relations

TelevisionDec. 26, 2022

Han Seok-kyu‘s ‘Recipe for Farewell’ a local hit

Watcha’s latest drama series “Recipe for Farewell” has staked out a spot in the streaming market's fierce year-end competition with its heartwarming story. The series revolves around a middle-aged man named Chang-wook (played by Han Seok-kyu) whose wife is terminally ill. The series develops as the husband learns to cook for his sick wife. “Recipe for Farewell” remained in the No. 1 slot on the service’s viewership chart for three consecutive weeks after

TelevisionDec. 26, 2022

Seongeun Art Award shortlists 20 artists for grand prize

An exhibition of 20 artists shortlisted for the 22nd edition of the Songeun Art Award opened Wednesday at Songeun Art Space in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The works, ranging from paintings and sculptures to digital works and installations, will run through Feb. 18. Organized by the Songeun Art and Cultural Foundation, the Songeun Art Award is one of the country's most prestigious art awards. The 20 artists were selected from a pool of 503 applicants -- the largest number of shortlisted ca

Arts & DesignDec. 26, 2022

Starbucks aficionados flock to Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market

A Starbucks neon sign hanging on the wall of an old building emits a soft green glow in the midst of street vendors offering seasonal greens and traditional herbal medicines. Young couples and office workers walk past the food stalls surrounded mostly by elderly shoppers looking for a bargain as they head toward a hidden gem in the marketplace -- a new Starbucks store within Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market that just opened last week. Dubbed “Kyungdong 1960,” the new coffee shop is a

CultureDec. 25, 2022

Gen Z vs Gen Z: How their enemies at work are now themselves

For millennials and Generation Z – those who were born between the early 1980s to early 2010s, respectively – clashing with their bosses at work has been popular material for television comedy in South Korea over the past few years. But recently, the skits took a new turn, with many of them poking fun at how their real enemy at work is not their bosses, but themselves. Saturday Night Live Korea’s new segment “MZ Office” – with “MZ” referring to mil

CultureDec. 25, 2022

New SPO music director will lead opening concert with Brahms

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's incoming music director Jaap van Zweden, will lead the opening concert of 2023 with his signature repertoire, Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, at the Lotte Concert Hall, on Jan. 12 and 13. Van Zweden will lead the SPO six months earlier than originally scheduled. The Dutch conductor was scheduled to conduct regular SPO concerts in July, November and December in 2023. The Brahms' masterpiece took the German composer 21 years to complete

PerformanceDec. 25, 2022

'K-food needs to be industrialized'

With Korean food's potential economic value reaching over 100 trillion won ($78 billion), experts emphasize the need for the industrialization of Korean food more than globalization. At an academic conference titled "K-food's Industrialization" co-organized by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Korea Academic Society for the Food Service Industry Policy on Friday in Seoul, participants pointed out that the private sector must lead the industrialization of Ko

FoodDec. 25, 2022

Santa Claus is coming to town? Find out where

St. Nick's world-famous sled, led by Rudolph, has dashed across most of the world and is currently covering the Americas on a daring 24-hour marathon to deliver gifts to children across the world. At least that's what the official NORAD Santa Tracking website, run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, says. The military agency responsible for monitor and defense of the skies above North America has continued the tradition of providing real-time tracking system for Santa Clau

CultureDec. 25, 2022