S. Korean series 'Squid Game' tops US chart on Netflix

Netflix's original Korean series "Squid Game" ranked first on the US top 10 TV show list of the video streaming platform, a chart has showed, becoming the first Korean drama to reach the milestone. The thriller, featuring South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae, made it to the top on the US chart, as of Tuesday, according to streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol. The previous record was "Sweet Home," the 10-episode Netflix Korean original that ranked third on the US chart last year.

FilmSept. 22, 2021

Body profile pictures: Worth it or not?

After COVID-19 emerged last year, taking body profile photos quickly became a new trend. “My company started working from home and we couldn’t have hoesik (nighttime drinking gatherings). So I thought it was a great opportunity for me to work out more and eat healthier for a body profile photo,” said Han Ji-sung, 28. He added that the studio where he had his photos taken was fully booked for a month in June last year, reflecting the popularity of body profile shots. About a y

CultureSept. 22, 2021

Seoul Fashion Week to be staged virtually, again

The 2022 spring-summer Seoul Fashion Week will take place virtually starting Oct. 7, with top Korean designers presenting their collections at historic landmarks across Seoul. A total of 37 fashion brands -- 26 established designer brands for the Seoul Collection shows and 11 rookie designer brands for the Generation Next shows -- will be showcasing their new lineup in the upcoming fashion week. Participating brands include LIE and BMUET(TE) whose collections were showcased during the recent

Arts & DesignSept. 22, 2021

Presidential hopefuls star in TV reality shows

With the upcoming presidential election set for March, presidential hopefuls are going on reality TV programs to show their more personal sides in an attempt to woo voters. Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, a major presidential contender from the People’s Power Party, starred in an episode of SBS’ reality show “Master in the House” which aired on Sunday, giving the show hosts a tour of his home and cooking for them. “I asked (the hosts) to come to cook

TelevisionSept. 22, 2021

Avant-garde artist Kim Ku-lim shows Yin and Yang series at Gana Art Center

Kim Ku-lim, Korea’s first generation avant-garde artist, has been expanding the boundaries of Korean experimental art since the 1960s. His Yin and Yang series that includes 20 of his new works are being shown at the Gana Art Center in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. Kim’s solo exhibition “Yin and Yang” shows a series of artworks that he has worked on since the late 1980s with the theme of “opposition and unison of things.” After realizing that the harmony of di

Arts & DesignSept. 21, 2021

Interactive play for 1-person walks to hit Seoullo 7017

The National Theater Company of Korea is to present a virtual, contactless theater performance for one-person audiences, expanding its stage to the Seoullo 7017 walkway in central Seoul. The contactless interactive theater performance “Coffee and Soporific” is to run from Sept. 24 to Oct. 3 at Seoullo 7017, an overpass-turned-sky garden at the heart of Seoul. Inspired by New York’s iconic High Line, the 1,024-meter-long park opened in 2017, complete with pedestrian paths th

PerformanceSept. 21, 2021

[Photo News] Natural Week Exhibition introduces eco-friendly lifestyle

The 20th annual 2021 Natural Week Exhibition is being held from Wednesday to Friday in Seoul at Coex.  Since the COVID-19 outbreak last year, people have started to pay more attention to healthy lifestyles and self-care than before. Reflecting such interest, the exhibition was planned with three main themes in mind: eco-friendly, organic and fermentation. 　 In the exhibition, there are booths that allow visitors to learn about organic farming processes and purchase organic products from a

FoodSept. 21, 2021

Houses recreated as installations pose questions about happiness

When installation artist Chen Dai-goang traveled to various Asian countries, the buildings there seemed to show how politics, economics and culture of the industrial era had been imprinted on them. Chen collected and took photographs of the architecture and reproduced them as installation works which are on display at the outdoor space at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province, the museum’s fourth venue in the country. The i

Arts & DesignSept. 21, 2021

[Photo News] Blooming buckwheat flowers in Bongpyeong

Unlike other flowers that bloom in spring, the buckwheat flower blooms in September. Bongpyeong-myeon in Gangwon Province is well-known for the buckwheat flower. Inspired by breathtaking views of fields covered by a carpet of buckwheat flowers, Korean novelist Lee Hyo-seok who lived in the area wrote the bestselling novel “When the Buckwheat Flowers Bloom.” Before the outbreak of COVID-19, Bongpyeong held a buckwheat flower festival each year in commemoration of the author. Althoug

TravelSept. 20, 2021

Two webtoons to catch up on before watching drama series during Chuseok holiday

A growing number of popular Korean webtoons are being turned into drama series, moving their creative storylines and strong fanbases to a new medium. For those who have not seen the original webtoons, the Chuseok holiday can be the time to catch up on some reading before watching the two highly anticipated drama series soon to be launched. “Yumi’s Cells,” written and drawn by Lee Dong-gun, is a popular webtoon with a whopping 512 episodes. After the last episode was presen

TelevisionSept. 19, 2021

Lisa's 'Lalisa' tops global YouTube music chart

The debut solo release “Lalisa” from K-pop girl group Blackpink member Lisa was ranked No. 1 on global YouTube music charts in its first week, the singer‘s agency YG Entertainment said Sunday. “Lalisa” was the highest-ranked song on YouTube‘s music chart for the week starting Sept. 10 -- its release date -- with 216 million views, pushing out “Raattan Lambiyan” by Tankshik Bagchi, Jubin Nautiyal & Asees Kaur from the top spot. Its music vide

PerformanceSept. 19, 2021

Timeline Index lists Jikji as oldest printed book with metal types on civic group's campaign

Not-for-profit civic organization Voluntary Agency Network of Korea said Sunday its campaign to petition a website to recognize Jikji Simche Yojeol as the oldest book with movable metal type in the world has borne fruit. Timeline Index, a Netherlands-based project to collect and disclose information about historic assets, has recently recognized the Buddhist doctrinal book as the oldest book printed using movable metal type, upon VANK’s request for correction, according to VANK. Printed

CultureSept. 19, 2021

[Eye Plus] A warm breeze heralds the start of autumn

The weather seems to be getting cooler a little late this year. Hot air still arrives at the peak of the day, and air conditioning is still running on high in most of Seoul’s packed buildings. But rest assured, Chuseok, the traditional Korean harvest holiday, is less than a week away. This is when the temperature drops and we say a sure goodbye to summer. On the outskirts of the capital city, nature is already colored in shades of autumn. Some 60 kilometers west of Seoul on Incheon&rsq

CultureSept. 18, 2021

Be our guest: Favorite Chuseok dishes explained

Chuseok, the traditional fall harvest holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar, is an occasion when family members get together to give thanks for the past year while wishing good fortune for the remainder of the year over a special meal. The festive mood of Chuseok remains the same today, but social customs deeply embedded in the holiday have changed. Just a few decades ago, men in the kitchen during Chuseok, or any time of the year, was a rarity. But today

FoodSept. 18, 2021

[Visual History of Korea] Cheomseongdae observatory: A witness to 1,400 years of celestial phenomena

Reading the celestial skies and understanding mandates of heaven has always been the exclusive domain of kings and emperors. When Queen Seondeok of Silla became the first female ruler in Korean history, not everyone welcomed her. In fact, her 15-year reign was riddled with rebellions and wars which undermined her rule. Queen Seondeok’s father, King Jinpyeong was the last of the Seonggol, the top aristocratic rank in Silla’s caste system. King Jinpyeong, who held the longest reign

CultureSept. 18, 2021

BIFF plans to go back to normal

The 26th Busan International Film Festival will return nearly to how it previously operated before the pandemic. The festival is set to be held from Oct. 6 to 15 in Korea’s second city, Busan. Last year, the BIFF organizer had to scale down and hold the fest without large crowd-gathering events such as the opening and closing ceremonies, outdoor greetings and open talk sessions. Each film was also screened only once at the Busan Cinema Center. “This year we are screening all 100 p

FilmSept. 18, 2021

[Well-Curated] Too much time, not much to do over the Chuseok holiday?

For those who want to get into the Chuseok holiday spirit, the National Folk Museum of Korea is offering diverse events, which started Tuesday and will run until Sept. 26. In the lobby of the National Folk Museum of Korea, there is a special photo zone decorated with a Chuseok theme. Since some families cannot spend the holiday together due to COVID-19, the museum has also placed “banbogi” postcards in the lobby so visitors can write to their families. Banbogi refers to the tradit

CultureSept. 18, 2021

MBC’s ‘The Wild Idol’ aims to open up new horizons for survival audition shows

MBC’s long-awaited survival audition program, “The Wild Idol,” will meet viewers for the first time on Friday at 8:10 p.m. “The Wild Idol” presents a series of harsh battles in which a total of 45 male idol applicants face extreme challenges to make it to their debut stage. Through various missions, the contestants are tested and evaluated on their physical strength, skills, and other hidden potentials while out in the wild. Unlike typical idol audition shows th

TelevisionSept. 17, 2021

Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism kicks off across Seoul

The Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism began Thursday under the theme of “Crossroads, Building the Resilient City,” exploring how the pandemic has transformed and impacted living spaces. 　The third edition of the biennale encompasses five conflicting themes -- “Above/Below,” “Heritage/Modern,” “Craft/Digital,” “Natural/Artificial” and “Safe/Risk” -- focusing on how cities can become more resilient. The 2021 event

Arts & DesignSept. 17, 2021

DMZ Docs wraps up with message of peace

The 13th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival wrapped up after an eight-day run on Thursday at Megabox Baekseok branch in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. “Though I am thankful and satisfied with the safe ending of the festival, I wish more people were able to enjoy and learn about the outstanding works from many documentary directors,” festival director Jung Sang-jin said during the closing ceremony. “Since we are slowly entering the era of living with COVID-19, the organiz

CultureSept. 17, 2021