Park Soo-hong confirms his brother ran with Park’s earnings

Longtime comedian Park Soo-hong confirmed Monday that he is in a financial dispute with his brother and sister-in-law, after rumors of the conflict circulated online over the weekend. The matter was brought to light when someone claimed in a comment to Park’s YouTube channel that his brother, who has been the entertainer‘s manager for 30 years at Park’s one-man agency, took all of his earnings for 30 years, estimated to be over 10 billion won ($8.8 million). The post also cla

TelevisionMarch 29, 2021

Park Na-rae under fire for inappropriate remarks despite apology

Despite an apology from comedian Park Na-rae for making sexually explicit remarks and gestures on a YouTube show, controversy over her appearance on the small screen continues. Park has come under fire over the past several days for making “inappropriate” remarks and gestures on CJ ENM’s web reality show “Hey Narae.” While there have been calls for terrestrial broadcaster MBC to pull Park off from its weekly entertainment shows “I Live Alone” and &

TelevisionMarch 29, 2021

Media artwork with traditional Korean themes greet arrivals at Incheon Airport

Making an impression on people who have just stepped off their planes are works of media art with traditional Korean cultural elements newly installed at the arrivals hall of Terminal 1 at Incheon Airport. Eight pieces of media art -- three works in the form of media walls, four kinetic artworks and one transparent LED display -- have been installed in the area between the arrival gates and immigration checkpoint, according to the National Palace Museum of Korea on Monday. The three media wa

CultureMarch 29, 2021

'Godzilla vs. Kong' tops weekend box office in S. Korea

The American monster film "Godzilla vs. Kong" topped the South Korean box office over the weekend, ending the three-week reign of Oscar-nominated "Minari," data showed Monday. Released Thursday, "Godzilla" garnered 285,000 viewers from Friday to Sunday to change the box office leader for the first time in three weeks, according to the data by the Korean Film Council. The fourth franchise film of Warner Bros' "MonsterVerse" series is effectively the first

FilmMarch 29, 2021

2021 FW Seoul Fashion Week delivers hope, courage in pandemic times

The 2021 fall-winter Seoul Fashion Week offered courage and hope to global audience members as the pandemic continued to present a challenge. South Korea’s largest fashion week, which kicked off March 22 and attracted thousands of views for each runway show, ended Sunday with the noon finale by Berlin-based Korean DJ Peggy Gou, which was prerecorded at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. A total of 43 designer brands showcased their collections at museums alongsid

Arts & DesignMarch 29, 2021

[Newsmaker] SBS ‘Joseon Exorcist’ writer, cast apologize for historical controversy

The writer and cast of SBS ‘Joseon Exorcist’ on Saturday released apology statements for taking part in the show that depicts Korean history inaccurately. “I sincerely apologize for the trouble my inconsiderate script has caused to viewers over the past few days,” writer Park Kye-ok said in a statement. “I should have learned from my past mistakes and presented a better story as a writer, I made viewers angry with my lack of judgment.” The apology statement

TelevisionMarch 28, 2021

[Herald Interview] South wind of Tongyeong to carry hope

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- The hosting of the 2021 Tongyeong International Music Festival may bring hope to the entire music performance scene, says the festival foundation’s new head Lee Yong-min. Lee has been appointed as CEO of the Tongyeong International Music Foundation, following the previous German CEO Florian Riem. “I have been part of this team for a long time. Not much has changed. But yes, I am learning that there are certain responsibilities tied to my post

PeopleMarch 28, 2021

Music returns to Tongyeong

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- During the last week of March, the city of Tongyeong was covered in pink, with cherry blossoms at their peak and pink banners displayed across the city for the 2021 Tongyeong International Music Festival. The annual festival kicked off Friday under the title “Changing Reality.” Last year’s festival was canceled due to COVID-19 -- the first cancellation since the festival started in 2002. Though the virus continues to spread rapidly ac

PerformanceMarch 28, 2021

[Eye Interview] Remembering Korean War heroes through photos

In the South Korean military, there is a saying among soldiers: “Our enemy is not North Korea, but the officers.” This has become somewhat of a running joke among the troops -- most of them in their early 20s serving their mandatory duty required by law -- because the officers are usually the ones who discipline young soldiers or give them extra work. That was what photographer Rami Hyun, who has taken pictures of more than 1,400 Korean War veterans across the world, used to thin

PeopleMarch 27, 2021

[Diana’s Table] Tofu kimchi

This is my version of a very popular Korean dish called tofu kimchi. We usually make this dish with simply boiled tofu and napa cabbage kimchi. While you can serve tofu with fresh kimchi, most families will stir-fry the aged kimchi with pork and vegetables in spicy gochujang sauce. Tofu kimchi makes a good pairing with makgeolli.  I have taken the traditional tofu kimchi and turned it into more of a refreshing salad. I use plain tofu together with seasoned and mashed tofu to enhance the si

FoodMarch 27, 2021

Installation artist Lee Seul-gi wins Korea Artist Prize 2020

Installation artist Lee Seul-gi has won the Korea Artist Prize 2020, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea announced Thursday. Inspired by traditional craft and folk art, Lee is known for her exploration of the relationship between humans and nature transcending boundaries. For her new work “Dong Dong Dari Gori” on show at the Korea Artist Prize 2020 exhibition at MMCA Seoul, she collaborated with master artisans such as Korean quilters in Tongyeong, South Gyeon

Arts & DesignMarch 27, 2021

Wavve to invest W1tr in original content by 2025

Largest South Korean over-the-top platform Wavve on Friday announced that it will proceed with investing 1 trillion won ($885 million) in original content through 2025. Wavve is a joint venture between SK Telecom and terrestrial broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS and the biggest local OTT platform. “Through investment in original content, we hope to expand the partnership between broadcasters, production companies and intellectual property holders. We will also work to discover smaller-size

TelevisionMarch 26, 2021

Watcha movies hit CGV screens

Streaming platform Watcha will have screens dedicated to showing Watcha movies at 14 CGV theaters around the nation starting April 1. Eleven Watcha movies will be shown throughout April. “Little Joe” (2019) and “Swallow” (2019) will be available in all 14 theaters while “House of Hummingbird,” “Microhabitat,” “Bleak Night,” “Moving On,” “Worst Woman” and “Cheer Up Mr. Lee” will be shown for two wee

FilmMarch 26, 2021

[Newsmaker] SBS cancels ‘Joseon Exorcist’ after historical controversy

Broadcaster SBS announced it will cancel “Joseon Exorcist” after the drama faced controversy over historical inaccuracies in just two episodes. “Joseon Exorcist,” about zombies appearing in the Joseon era, was criticized by many Koreans for using Chinese-style costumes and props, especially at a time when Chinese claims to kimchi and hanbok in recent months have angered the public here. Although the production team -- Crave Works, YG Studioplex and Lotte Cultureworks --

TelevisionMarch 26, 2021

Tongyeong music fest opens after year off amid pandemic

The Tongyeong International Music Festival (TIMF), an annual classical music gala, kicked off on Friday, a year after the annual event was canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The 2021 festival will run through April 4 in Tongyeong, on the southern coast, presenting 23 classical concerts and performances under the theme "Changing Reality." Organizers canceled last year's event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there has been no let-up in new virus cases, they decided

CultureMarch 26, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Hwadam Botanic Garden　 Hwadam Botanic Garden is to open its doors for the 2021 season Friday. The eco-friendly arboretum located at Konjiam Resort in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, about an hour’s drive from central Seoul, is spread across 65,265 square meters, featuring 17 gardens with different themes. This year, the park will receive visitors who first make reservations online to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 pandemic. Hwadam Botanic Garden will remain open until late November.

TravelMarch 26, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Grand Deli presents Cherry Blossom Cake Grand Deli, on the first floor of Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Samseong-dong, is now offering its Cherry Blossom Cake. The pink and white Cherry Blossom Cake is decorated with dozens of elegant cherry blossom petals made from butter cream handcrafted by the hotel’s pastry chef, Eric Kalaboke. The cake sheet contains beta carotene-packed, highly antioxidizing carrots as the main ingredient. Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A once it

FoodMarch 26, 2021

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Box (Korea) Opened March 24 Drama Directed by Yang Jung-woong Aspiring musician Ji-hoon (Chanyeol) has a fear of performing in front of the public. He can sing only when he wears a box. One day, Ji-hoon meets once-popular producer Min-Soo (Jo Dal-hwan), and the two men sign a contract to hold 10 performances together.  The Mauritanian (US) Opened March 17 Drama Directed by Kevin Macdonald Attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley) dec

FilmMarch 26, 2021

SBS drama ‘Joseon Exorcist’ takes beating over historical inaccuracies

Despite apologies by broadcaster SBS and the production companies involved over what viewers criticize as historical inaccuracies and distortions in the TV series “Joseon Exorcist” on Wednesday, public anger continues unabated. As of Thursday, over 156,500 people had signed a petition on the Blue House website asking for the cancellation of all future ”‘Joseon Exorcist” episodes. The period drama sparked controversy immediately after the first episode aired Monday

TelevisionMarch 25, 2021

NEW ID launches seven new Korean channels on Samsung TV Plus

NEW ID, a digital platform business subsidiary of movie distributor Next Entertainment World, announced on Wednesday that it has launched seven additional channels on Samsung TV Plus for viewers in Korea. Samsung TV Plus is a free OTT platform pre-installed on Samsung’s Smart TV operating systems. The platform is available in 12 different countries, and this year Samsung aims to double the number of countries the service is available. Different from OTT platforms like Netflix that provi

TelevisionMarch 24, 2021