Can SBS ‘Kick a Goal’ win public trust back?

Local broadcaster SBS announced plans to restore viewers’ trust with a complete change of the production team for its women-led soccer show, “Kick a Goal,” Monday. “We have decided the television directors and chief producer should first hold themselves accountable for the carelessness of tampering with some of the footage in the program. After conducting a thorough self-investigation, we have found that the order of the scores was changed on some of the episodes in &ls

TelevisionDec. 28, 2021

'Squid Game' creator says he's in talks with Netflix for 3rd season

The global TV sensation "Squid Game" will likely return not only with season 2 but also with season 3, its creator Hwang Dong-hyuk said Tuesday. "I'm in talks with Netflix over season 2 as well as season 3," Hwang said in an online interview with Korean broadcaster KBS. "We will come to a conclusion any time soon." It is the first time that the director-writer has hinted at the possibility of a third season of the biggest Netflix original series after he confirmed

TelevisionDec. 28, 2021

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ conquers local box office

“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Marvel‘s latest Spider-Man film has sold 4,825,696 tickets in South Korea since its release on Dec. 15, becoming the most popular film of the year. During the Christmas holiday (from Dec. 24-26), Jon Watts’ hero film sold 1,299 627 tickets, according to box office figures released by the Korean Film Council. “Spider-Man: No Way Home“ depicts the story of Spider-Man after his identity is revealed. Spider-Man (Tom Holland) asks Doc

FilmDec. 28, 2021

World class pianists gear up for concerts in Korea next year

Local performance planning agency Mast Media has announced the lineup for its upcoming concerts in the next year. A total of 18 scheduled performances featuring globetrotting artists is expected to give hope to audiences. “The Great Pianists Series” will kick off with a show from Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman, which is scheduled to take place at Lotte Concert Hall on Feb. 14 and 15. The concert will mark Zimerman’s first performance in Korea in two years. Chinese pianist

PerformanceDec. 27, 2021

[Video] 7 interesting things about Christmas in Korea!

Why are we talking about cakes, fine dust, condoms and sunglasses for Christmas? Find out why! Video by Team Konnect Kim Min-jung (minjung.kim@heraldcorp.com) Jung Ji-eun (jungje@heraldcorp.com) Choi Jeong-yoon (jychoi@heraldcorp.com) Kim Jeong-ryul (ryul@heraldcorp.com) Cho Eun-bee (honeybee@heraldcorp.com)

EntertainmentDec. 27, 2021

Im Si-wan, Ko A-sung and Son Hyun-ju to make anticipated return with drama ‘Tracer’

The largest South Korean streaming platform Wavve is scheduled to release its first 2022 original series “Tracer” on Jan. 7. The series will also get its terrestrial broadcast premiere on MBC as their new Friday-Saturday drama series following “The Red Sleeve.” Directed by Lee Seung-young, who was behind crime thriller “Missing Noir M” (2015) and “Voice Season 2” (2018), “Tracer” is an action drama about the National Tax Service&rsquo

TelevisionDec. 27, 2021

Educator explains Korean culture in new book

“Land of Squid Game” By Min Byoung-chul BCM Publishing Company 　 For many global audiences, 2021 may have been a year of discovering Korea. From Netflix’s megahit “Squid Game” to the mighty BTS, Korean cultural products have expanded their reach across the globe. Min Byoung-chul’s new book, “Land of Squid Game,” arrives at this opportune time when there appears to be growing genuine curiosity about South Korea, a country until not so long ago o

BooksDec. 27, 2021

Public anger mounts over SBS’ ‘Kick a Goal,’ despite apology

Though terrestrial network SBS admitted its carelessness and has apologized for tampering with some of the footage in its women-led soccer show, “Kick a Goal,” on Friday, public outrage over the program is not likely to cease any time soon as additional doubts about the show are being raised by netizens. On Friday, the production staff of “Kick a Goal” uploaded an apology on its official website, after its most recent episode drew accusations from an anonymous writer th

TelevisionDec. 26, 2021

Moon Se-yoon wins his 1st grand prize at KBS Entertainment Awards

Comedian Moon Se-yoon wrapped up 2021 in triumph, winning the grand prize at the KBS Entertainment Awards on Saturday. Recognized for his achievements on three TV shows -- “Godfather,” “Trot Magic” and “2 Days & 1 Night,” the 39-year-old entertainer was awarded the top prize at KBS headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul. There were four other nominees for the grand prize this year, including 2020 grand prize winner Kim Sook, singer and entertainer Kim J

TelevisionDec. 26, 2021

COVID-19 lessons pave way for cooperation between Indonesia, Korea: Indonesian charge d’affaires

   COVID-19 provided valuable lessons for future cooperation between Indonesia and South Korea in health, biopharmaceuticals, energy and technology, said Indonesian charge d’affaires Zelda Wulan Kartika at the Eurasian Economic and Cultural Forum on Wednesday. According to Kartika, by promoting strategic projects and investments in infrastructure, the food industry and the digital economy, and expanding market access through e-commerce, tourism and digital platforms, Indonesia

PeopleDec. 26, 2021

K-pop artists ring in Christmas with splendid performances at SBS Music Awards

K-pop singers have gathered at local broadcaster SBS’ year-end music show, making Christmas even more special for both music fans and viewers on Saturday. Under the theme of “Welcome,” this year’s SBS Music Awards took place at the Namdong Gymnasium, in Incheon. The show was broadcast live on its main channel at 6 p.m., while a live audience was invited to the venue. SHINee’s Key, ITZY’s Yuna and Boom hosted the show. For the opening stage, a total of 25 t

PerformanceDec. 26, 2021

Tongyeong music fest marks 20th edition with diversity

The Tongyeong International Music Festival, an annual classical music gala, will take place March 25 to April 3, under the theme of “Vision in Diversity.” Marking its 20th anniversary, the annual music festival aims to contemplate diversity. The festival held in the southern coastal city of Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, will be directed by composer Chin Un-suk and feature classical to contemporary music. For the opening concert, Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska will lead t

PerformanceDec. 26, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] Completing Christmas with Korean fir tree and remembering first Korean Catholic priest

Germans started it, but it was the Americans who perfected the celebration of Christmas in the 20th century. No Christmas would be complete without a Christmas tree, and a native Korean fir, locally called “gusangnamu,” is the preferred choice of Christmas tree in homes across the US and Europe. First encountered by Father Emile Joseph Taquet (1873-1952), a French Catholic missionary, on Hallasan, the main mountain on Jeju Island, in the early 1900s, famed botanist Ernest Henry Wil

CultureDec. 25, 2021

[Photo News] Net-zero joint market in Daejeon

Social cooperative association Energyhaeyou established the third net-zero joint market in Beop-dong, Daejeon, following its previous establishments in Miho-dong and Gwanjeo-dong. The net-zero movement, or carbon-zero movement, aims to completely neutralize the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity and save the environment primarily by reducing carbon emissions.  Energyhaeyou aims to create a sustainable, safe and clean society by actively expanding its energy conversion m

CultureDec. 25, 2021

[Temple to Table] Tastes of winter breeze

Rice with seaweed fusiforme (tot) Loaded with minerals, fusiforme (tot) is a seaweed that provides diverse nutrients in winter. The fragrance and flavor of rice cooked by adding plump seasonal tot is much better than when dried tot is used. If you add chestnuts, you will experience the harmony of the familiar and the unfamiliar as the prickly textured tot and sweet chestnuts come together in your mouth. Ingredients 200 g fresh tot 5 chestnuts 1 cup rice 1 cup water 1 tbsp sesame oil Sau

FoodDec. 25, 2021

’Spider-Man’ likely to become most-watched film in theaters this year

Hollywood’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” by Jon Watts is likely to overtake director Ryoo Seung-wan’s “Escape from Mogadishu,” which sold more than 3.61 million tickets this year. Ryoo’s film, which is so far the most-watched film this year, was released with support from the Korean Theater Association. The association’s members include the top three multiplex operators: CGV, Lotte Cinema and Megabox. Earlier in June, the association decided to fo

FilmDec. 24, 2021

Developers refuse to change plans to build high-rises near UNESCO-listed royal tomb

Daebang Construction on Thursday said it would no longer seek the Cultural Heritage Administration’s approval to build a high-rise apartment complex near the UNESCO-listed royal tomb Jangneung in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. To better protect the scenery of the tomb site, the CHA had ordered a suspension of construction, and asked Daebang Construction to submit new building plans that would lower the height of the new apartments. Daebang Construction is now refusing to submit any modified

CultureDec. 24, 2021

S. Korean webtoon market jumps to top W1tr in sales in 2020

The South Korean webtoon industry saw its combined sales top 1 trillion won ($843.6 million) for the first time last year, government data showed Friday. The total sales of the local web-based comic market amounted to 1.05 trillion won in 2020, up 64.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the data by the culture ministry and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). It is the first time that the annual industrywide sales surpassed the 1 trillion-won threshold since 2017, when the ministr

CartoonDec. 24, 2021

Tracing the root of Koreans’ ‘white skin obsession’

Weeks after Korean series “Hellbound” became a massive hit on Netflix, another show -- “Single’s Inferno” -- has started a fire, possibly for all the wrong reasons. The dating reality show recently became the subject of a dispute among viewers abroad over one of its cast members’ comment on a female cast member, specifically about her “white skin color.” The controversy, appears to stem from a combination of factors including a lack of understa

TelevisionDec. 24, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Everland Winter Wishes Everland Winter Wishes started Dec. 3 and will run through March 1 at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The festival is a fantastic winter event, where tourists can enjoy various attractions like T-express, Thunder Falls, Lost Valley and Safari Ride more freely than other seasons. The beautiful lights have a golden concept this year, and create a romantic Christmas ambience. The carol songs are played all day long, with a special Christmas parade once a day at 2 p

TravelDec. 24, 2021