Korean ballet dancers from prestigious companies to perform in homecoming gala

Korean ballet dancers working abroad in prestigious international companies are set to grace their home stage, bringing a curated selection of rarely seen pieces in the country at the Korea World Dance Stars Festival this weekend. This year's festival highlights six Korean dancers, including Kang Min-ju, a first artist with the English National Ballet, making her first performance in Korea in 12 years. Joining her are An So-young from the Martha Graham Dance Company, returning after a decad

PerformanceAug. 2, 2024

Have Yangyang, Samcheok lost their charm for visitors?

The number of holidaymakers in Yangyang and Samcheok, two of the popular coastal getaway spots in Gangwon Province, has decreased this year, according to the Gangwon Provincial government. While Samcheok welcomed almost 32,000 visitors from July 1 to 24, marking an 84.1 percent decrease from last year, Yangyang beckoned 42,000 visitors during the same period, a 67.5 percent decline from 2023. Though the detailed reasons for these striking drops have yet to be analyzed, the provincial government

TravelAug. 1, 2024

Why do sequels flop?

Korean series traditionally did not produce sequels, primarily due to Korea's production structure. Unlike other countries, a series' intellectual property rights are distributed among production staff in a complex manner, which makes creating sequels challenging. However, the landscape is changing. International streaming platforms, especially Netflix, have begun introducing seasonal formats for Korean series. Following this trend, local cable channels such as tvN have also started ad

FilmAug. 1, 2024

[What to attend] Must-see musicals before summer ends

As the busy summer season unfolds for musical theaters, an array of high-quality productions beckon audiences. While many attendees might find their pockets not particularly deep, these Korean-language shows promise to offer unparalleled experiences that are worth every penny. Here are three standout musicals that should be on everyone’s radar before summer ends. "Hero": A timeless tribute to a national hero Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the musical "Hero" stands a

CultureAug. 1, 2024

'Squid Game Season 2' to be released in December, with final season coming in 2025

The second season of "Squid Game," the South Korean Netflix original series that captivated the world upon its 2021 release, will return on Dec. 26, with its third and final season set for release in 2025, according to Netflix, Thursday. "The real game will begin," said Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director of "Squid Game" who also helms the remaining two seasons, via a press release. "I am genuinely excited to bring to fruition the idea I developed by brainstorming th

TelevisionAug. 1, 2024

[Graphic News] Surge in sugar-free alcoholic beverage consumption among S. Koreans

A recent survey reveals that 7 out of 10 South Koreans have opted for sugar-free or non-alcoholic beverages while drinking. According to a Lotte Members survey on alcohol consumption trends, 71.6 percent of 2,000 adults surveyed nationwide reported having tried sugar-free soju. The primary reasons cited were “lower calories” (40.4 percent) and “healthier perception” (25.9 percent). Additionally, 76.4 percent of respondents had experience drinking non-alcoholic beer. The

FoodAug. 1, 2024

Video artist Kim Hee-cheon asks, what is horror?

New work by video artist Kim Hee-cheon, acclaimed for his insight into the contemporary technological environment and culture, articulates uncertainty to viewers with his interpretation of the experience of horror. Entering the exhibition hall at Atelier Hermes, visitors will be baffled as nothing will be visible in the dark at first and all you will hear is the sound of someone speaking. Soon after, on two screens, a story will start to unfold evolving around Chanjong, the head coach of a hig

Arts & DesignJuly 31, 2024

Georg Solti Accademia comes to Korea in search of next Park Hae-sang

The Georg Solti Accademia, a prestigious institution dedicated to nurturing the next generation of operatic talent, has finally come to Korea, a decade after the initial concept was conceived. Korean soprano Park Hae-sang, also known as Hera, participated in the Italy-based organization’s master class at The Juilliard School 10 years ago while pursuing a master's degree there after graduating from Seoul National University. Park was later invited to attend the institute's Bel C

CultureJuly 31, 2024

Taiwanese filmmaker Edward Yang gets spotlight at CGV Arthouse

CGV Arthouse is running a special exhibition and screenings highlighting Taiwanese filmmaker Edward Yang and his works from Aug. 7 to 20. CGV Arthouse theaters screen independent and art films as part of South Korean multiplex chain CGV. Celebrating the first-ever screening of his 1994 action comedy “A Confucian Confusion” in Korea, CGV Arthouse will also screen six other works by Yang -- “In Our Time” (1982), “That Day, on the Beach” (1983), “Taipei Sto

FilmJuly 31, 2024

Buddhism meets new audience

Buddhism is doing all it can to make itself more relatable and relevant. An AI chatbot that reads Buddhist scriptures and gives answers to whatever questions users enter is the latest effort by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to reach the nonreligious. The man behind this artificial technology creation is Kim Young-chan, a 26-year-old Buddhist, who landed a job as a public relations counselor for Korea’s largest Buddhist sect in June, four months after graduating from college. “I&

CultureJuly 31, 2024

[Graphic News] National Museum draws record number of foreign visitors January to June

The number of foreign visitors to the National Museum of Korea hit a record high of 94,951 in the first half of this year, museum officials said. The figure represents a 34.5 percent increase from 70,585 a year ago and a 55.6 percent rise from prepandemic levels in 2019, they said. They expect the annual number of foreign visitors to reach 200,000 this year if the current trend continues. The museum attributes the rise to its efforts to diversify exhibition content, aligning with growing globa

TravelJuly 31, 2024

The next ‘Frozen’? Expectations for ‘Heartsping: Teenieping of Love’ soar with high reservation rate

The ticket reservation rate for “Heartsping: Teenieping of Love,” the film prequel to South Korean hit animation series “Catch! Teenieping,” has recorded 95 percent well before its opening at theaters on Aug. 7, according to ShowBox, the film’s distributor. The record is raising anticipation on whether the Korean animated film will become the next “Frozen,” a 2019 hit Disney animated film that saw the presales of tickets top 1.1 million -- the first anim

FilmJuly 30, 2024

International EBS festival to feature selection of well-crafted documentaries

The 21st EBS International Documentary Festival, the country's oldest documentary festival, takes place Aug. 19 to Aug. 25, when it will introduce a slew of well-made documentaries from around the world. Featuring 53 documentaries from 32 countries, this year's festival is being held under its slogan: "Bridge the Times." The slogan embodies the hope that humanity can bridge diverse values and cultures to strive for coexistence, said Kim Dong-gwan, director of EIDF, at a press

CultureJuly 30, 2024

[Better Together] Office workers find life's meaning as amateur musical actors

Kim Min-ji and An Yeon-gyong -- a 28-year-old marketer and a 26-year-old career consultant, respectively -- get off work in the evening like many other workers in South Korea. But their voices and movements change completely when they step into the light-filled, floor-to-ceiling mirrors-covered studio of The Passion Musical -- a local musical group that has been around since 2014 -- in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. The pair say they are more active after the sunset. “I take an acting lesson o

CultureJuly 30, 2024

Nodeul Island turns into vacation destination with arts and culture events

The Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture is offering a series of art and cultural events, including performances, exhibitions and film screenings, throughout the month of August on Nodeul Island for those seeking a vacation destination within Seoul. The foundation, a pivotal organization under the Seoul city government, tasked with implementing cultural policies, announced that Nodeul Island -- an entertainment hub located in the middle of the Han River featuring a concert hall, bookstore, loun

CultureJuly 30, 2024

[Photo News] British Embassy Seoul hosts reception for Tottenham Hotspur

British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks (right) and Executive Director of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club Donna-Maria Cullen pose for a photo on Tuesday, holding a statuette of the Club's historic cockerel presented to the ambassador during a breakfast reception at the ambassador's residence. The English football club is on a week-long preseason tour of Korea, playing two matches in the Coupang Play Series -- against Team K-League on Wednesday and FC Bayern on Saturday. (Courtesy of t

PeopleJuly 30, 2024

Veteran DJ Kim Chang-wan returns to radio

Singer-actor Kim Chang-wan, also a legendary radio DJ known for his warm, comforting messages, has returned to radio four months after stepping down from a show he had hosted for 23 years. Kim and SBS radio program producer Jung Han-sung held a press conference at the SBS headquarters to celebrate the launch of their new radio program, "6 O’clock Evening Breeze, Kim Chang-wan Ibnida" on July 22. After an emotional farewell shared during the last broadcast of his long-running morn

CultureJuly 30, 2024

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha, pianist Lim Dong-hyek to perform as duo for first time

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha, a pioneer in Korean classical music, and star pianist Lim Dong-Hyek will hold a duo performance at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on Sept. 6. The recital will mark their first as a duo act. The two were previously part of a quintet performing Schubert's "Trout" Quintet in 2017. Chung chose Lim as the pianist for her fall recital tour, having recognized his talent early on and supporting him musically for many years, according to Credia, the recital&#

CultureJuly 29, 2024

'Planet B' to shed light on recruitment process for K-pop survival show

CJ ENM announced on Monday that it will launch a new Mnet program called "Planet B," which will, for the first time, show how K-pop survival program participants are recruited. The producers behind Mnet K-pop idol survival programs such as the "I-LAND" series, which led to the creation of K-pop groups Enhypen and Izna; "Girls Planet 999: The Girls Saga," which resulted in Kep1er; and "Boys Planet," which created Zerobaseone, will be responsible for produci

TelevisionJuly 29, 2024

LSO led by Pappano to perform in Korea in 1st Asia tour

The London Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to perform at Lotte Concert Hall on Oct. 3 with Sir Antonio Pappano, who will begin his tenure as principal conductor starting with the 2024/25 season. The concert will be part of the first Asian tour by the London Symphony Orchestra with Pappano, as well as the conductor’s first visit to South Korea in six years. In his visit to the country in 2018 as the music director of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome, he performed with Korean pianist Ch

CultureJuly 29, 2024