Film industry reacts against 10 p.m. curfew on cinemas

As strengthened COVID-19 measures prevent movie theaters from screening after 10 p.m. starting Saturday, the film industry has strongly opposed the move. Five relevant organizations, including the Producers Guild of Korea and Directors Guild of Korea’s board of directors, issued a joint emergency statement Thursday stating that although they support the government’s revised measures, the industry strongly requests reconsideration of the operating hours for theaters. Under the new

CultureDec. 17, 2021

Jogyesa Buddhist temple lights up Christmas lanterns

Expressing a wish for harmony and peace among different religions, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism will light up lanterns in front of the main Buddhist temple of Jogyesa in Jongno, central Seoul, to celebrate Christmas, starting at 6 p.m. on Friday. The lanterns will be illuminated through Dec. 28. “Jesus did not discriminate between those who have and those who do not, those who are learned and those who are not and broke barriers in practicing tolerance. We continue to remember this

CultureDec. 17, 2021

Kim Jong-kook puts end to steroid abuse allegation

Singer and entertainer Kim Jong-kook released his doping test results Thursday, in a bid to clear himself of suspicions of steroid use. Kim uploaded an 18-minute video on his YouTube channel on Thursday, showing clips of videos showing himself submitting to doping tests on Nov. 13 and receiving the test results on Dec. 9. The video included his message to the public and to the Canadian bodybuilder Greg Doucette, who had alleged steroid use by Kim. Kim’s doping tests were conducted by th

PeopleDec. 17, 2021

Toughened COVID measures wreak havoc on culture sector

With stricter COVID-19 social distancing measures kicking in on Saturday, 45 days after the country had adopted a plan for a gradual return to normalcy, theaters and the arts sector are bracing for a difficult year-end -- again. From Saturday through Jan. 2, movie theaters, performing arts theaters and internet cafes nationwide will have to close by 10 p.m., while restaurants, bars and cafes are to close at 9 p.m. The film industry, which had been anticipating a recovery starting in November,

CultureDec. 17, 2021

Court rules to allow construction companies continue building near royal tombs

The court ruled in favor of construction companies embroiled in a suit over construction of high-rise apartment buildings near the UNESCO-listed royal tomb Jangneung, in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday, allowing the construction to continue. On Dec. 10, a Seoul court ruled in favor of the construction companies who were fighting the Cultural Heritage Administration’s order to suspend construction. The state agency then appealed the ruling. If the CHA again appeals the court&rsquo

CultureDec. 17, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Daegwallyeong Snow Festival The Daegwallyeong Snow Festival will run from Jan. 21-30 at the area of Songcheon Stream in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. The annual festival began in 1993 and has become among the most famous winter festivals in South Korea. The event features beautiful snowy hills and enjoyable activities for both children and adults. Admission fees are yet to be announced, but various in-person programs are ready to excite winter-loving visitors. More information can be found at

TravelDec. 17, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

InterContinental Seoul pesents ‘Romantic Holiday’ Package Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Samseong-dong announced its plan to offer the Romantic Holiday Package, prepared especially for lovers in the Christmas and year-end season, until Dec. 31. A body oil and body lotion set worth 174,000 won from French haute couture beauty brand BULY 1803 is included as a Christmas gift. A complimentary bottle of Mosel Christmas wine for a year-end mood and a tin of cookies are also provid

FoodDec. 17, 2021

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Don’t Look Up (US) Opened Dec. 8 Comedy Directed by Adam McKay Astronomy graduate student Kate Dibiaski (Jennifer Lawrence) and professor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) discover a comet headed straight for Earth on a devastating collision course. However, no one cares about the news of an approaching comet that can destroy the planet. The two decide to go on a giant media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy everything. Encanto (US) Opened Nov. 24 Animati

FilmDec. 17, 2021

Jeju Island’s less discovered sides captured by photographer Cho Eui-hwan

Photographer Cho Eui-hwan has made it his mission to shed light on a lesser-known side of Jeju Island -- their fields. Some 70 photographs of fields across the island that he has captured since 2014 are on display at the Kim Bo Sung Art Center in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul. Cho’s attraction to the variety of fields on Jeju Island began in 2014 and turned into a three-year stay. Very few know that the popular tourist destination also has many fields, which play an integral role in supporti

Arts & DesignDec. 16, 2021

‘The Apartment with Two Women’ invited to Berlin film festival

Korean director Kim Se-in’s “The Apartment With Two Women” will be screened during the 2022 Berlin International Film Festival’s Panorama program in February. The panorama program is a noncompetition category of the annual film festival. This year, 13 titles will be screened in the program alongside Kim’s 140-minute film. The 72nd edition of the film festival will kick off Feb. 10. Kim’s debut feature was created through a feature film production program

FilmDec. 16, 2021

From 'Squid Game' to BTS, 2021 is most memorable year for Korean culture

From the dramas "Squid Game" and "Hellbound" to superband BTS, South Korean pop culture drew fans from all over the world throughout 2021, raising hopes about what is in store in the coming year. "Squid Game," a dystopian Korean drama series, has become the most-watched Netflix content of all time with more than 1.65 billion hours of viewing in the first four weeks after its release in September. The nine-part series is about contestants competing in deadly Korean

CultureDec. 16, 2021

'Spider-Man' sets opening-day record since pandemic

"Spider-Man: No Way Home," Marvel's latest Spider-Man series film, has set the best opening-day record at the South Korean box office since the new coronavirus broke out, data showed Thursday. The blockbuster garnered about 635,000 viewers upon its debut Wednesday, accounting for 96.9 percent of the tickets sold on the day, according to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). It marked the largest first-day score for a film since the COVID-19 pandemic started early last year, outnumbering t

FilmDec. 16, 2021

‘Squid Game’ racking up US award nominations

“Squid Game” is racking up nominations at US TV awards, as it continues to write new Korean TV history. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Monday announced the nomination of Netflix’s South Korean megahit in three categories at 79th Golden Globes -- actors Lee Jung-jae in best television actor in the drama series, Oh Young-soo in best supporting actor and “Squid Game” in the best drama series. “Squid Game” also earned three nominations at 27th

TelevisionDec. 15, 2021

KOCCA seeks to become effective communication channel for content industry

The Korea Creative Content Agency seeks to become an effective channel for the content related stakeholders in creating and developing projects aimed at local and overseas markets. “Just a few years ago, the local market and audience were the prime target for the content creators. But, after Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ became a global phenomenon, a number of aspiring directors have started to prioritize the global market,” said KOCCA President Jo Hyun-rae at a press co

CultureDec. 15, 2021

Musical ‘Frankenstein’ a hit among foreigners. What do they like about it?

On the first Saturday of December, it was another full house for the musical “Frankenstein” at Shinhan Card Hall, a space dedicated to musicals within Blue Square. In its fourth run, the Korean original musical written, composed and produced by Korean creators, has attracted roughly 500,000 people since its 2014 premiere. Among the theatergoers that day were several foreigners with limited understanding of Korean -- a newly dispatched US soldier and several English teachers, on

PerformanceDec. 15, 2021

Local broadcasters unveil lineups for year-end music festivals

With the end of the year fast approaching, broadcasters are preparing to hold their annual year-end music festivals, featuring star-studded lineups of artists and hosts. The final list of performers for the state-run KBS’ “Song Festival” shows 20 groups and artists, including Red Velvet, Enhypen, Aespa, Lee Mu-jin, Seventeen, Sunmi, Nu’est, Kang Daniel, Astro, Brave Girls, NCT U, Kim Woo-seok, StayC and Ive. Under the theme of “With K-Culture,” performances

TelevisionDec. 15, 2021

‘Squid Game,’ ‘Parasite’ music director Jung Jae-il wins Chanel Next Prize

Music director Jung Jae-il of Netflix’s hit series “Squid Game” and Oscar-winning “Parasite“ was named as one of the 10 winners of the 2021 Chanel Next Prize, the high-end fashion house announced. On Tuesday, Chanel announced its newly-established international award winners who have supported innovations in art and culture. Jung was recognized for opening up a new genre that fuses traditional Korean music with the sounds of western instruments, the French Luxury b

PerformanceDec. 15, 2021

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei unveils vast range of works in Seoul for first time

A large snake created with life vests is hung from the ceiling of an exhibition hall at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, as if crawling toward the audience. The 140 life vests were once worn by refugees who crossed the ocean from Africa and the Middle East and managed to reach the Greek island of Lesbos, in 2016. Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei connected the life vests of adults and children collected on the island to create “Life Vest Snake,” which i

Arts & DesignDec. 14, 2021

Yoo Jae-suk’s COVID-19 diagnosis to change year-end plans for local television

The COVID-19 pandemic is once again standing in the way of the local broadcasting industry, with a long list of TV shows featuring top Korean comedian Yoo Jae-suk being canceled Tuesday, after he tested positive for coronavirus. Yoo will not be participating in both local broadcaster SBS’ hit TV show “Running Man” and the annual SBS Entertainment Awards this Saturday, which Yoo has been attending for the past 11 years. “The original six members will film “Running

TelevisionDec. 14, 2021

Netflix’s 'D.P.' to return with season 2

Netflix on Tuesday confirmed the return of its Korean original series “D.P.” with a second season. Short for “Deserter Pursuit,” the series presents the life of Pvt. Jun-ho (played by Jung Hae-in) and Cpl. Ho-yeol (played by Koo Kyo-hwan) and reveals the reasons that some soldiers try to escape the army. The series, helmed by “Coinlocker Girl” and “Hit-and-Run Squad” director Han Jun-hee, is an adaptation of a webtoon of the same title by Kim B

FilmDec. 14, 2021