[Feature] Young Koreans redefine play culture at noraebang

Jang Seon, a 37-year-old real estate developer in Seoul, moved to the capital city from Busan and has lived alone for nearly a decade. Jang said loneliness crept up on him at seemingly random times throughout the day. But, after discovering his new favorite pastime of singing, he learned to embrace solitude within the four walls of a coin-operated karaoke booth, known in Korea as noraebang. The entrance to a room at “Superstar Coin Noraebang” Gangnam Station branch. (Catherine Chung / The Korea

June 4, 2018

[Photo News] Royal palace under moonlight

The beauty of Joseon-era architecture and modern skyscrapers in Seoul can be seen all at once -- if one visits major royal palaces at night this summer. On the Changgyeonggung nighttime tour, people are now allowed to stroll around the palace under the moonlight, surrounded by its beauty and nature that surrounds the palace buildings.According to the Korea Tourism Organization, Changgyeonggung is an ideal destinations for anyone who is interested in seeing Korean palaces in Seoul. Designated as

June 1, 2018

[Video] Starbucks closes 8,000 stores for racial bias training

Instead of their favorite coffee, Starbucks-goers on Franklin Avenue were welcomed by a notice reading “we’ll see you tomorrow,” footage from Brooklyn in New York City showed, on Tuesday.　Starbucks closed over 8,000 stores in the United States on Tuesday afternoon, so that 175,000 employees could undergo anti-racial bias training, in response to protests and boycotts amid allegations of racist incidents caused by staff at the coffeeshop.　The protests followed an incident at a Starbucks store in

May 30, 2018

Kim Ae-ran, Han Kang vying for German literary award

Writers Kim Ae-ran and Han Kang have been shortlisted for a literary award given by a German organization that promotes work from Asia, Africa and South America.Litprom recently commenced online voting for its Liberaturpreis prize, an annual award given to a female writer from the aforementioned continents. Its candidates consist of female writers whose works have been included in the quarterly recommendation by the organization.  The cover for ““My Palpitating Life” (Literature Translation Inst

May 29, 2018

Overseas K-pop fans get a chance to learn from pros

K-pop star-wannabes around the world will get a chance to learn from people on the scene as the government on Monday launched a program on the global phenomenon.“K-pop Academy Project” plans to deploy musicians to Korean Cultural Centers in 25 regions outside Korea, starting with one based in India. The program will run for the next eight months, running classes in singing and dancing.While the Korea Culture and Information Service has been operating singing classes for the past three years, but

May 28, 2018

[Video] Why one-chef restaurants are on the rise in Korea

As Seoul continues to evolve into an epicurean city dotted with popular eateries, customers are seeking increasingly exclusive dining experiences.Trending these days are small-scale, one-chef restaurants that often only seat three to four tables. At Rawpie Table, chef Lee Hae-chang wears multiple hats. He’s the cook, the server, the cashier, the kitchen assistant, and even the interior designer at the Italian diner that opened last November in Seoul’s Huam-dong. It’s not an easy task. In charge

May 28, 2018

[Photo News] Mime fest lights up Chuncheon

The Chuncheon International Mime Festival wrapped up its seven-day run Sunday. Over 500 artists in 52 teams from 13 countries participated in the festival this year, performing in over 100 shows on six stages throughout Chuncheon, located in Gangwon Province. The festival consists of various mime and movement-related shows featuring themes of water, fire and other elements. The closing ceremony featured a performance titled “Fire City Burning,” involving a huge bonfire and fireworks. The festiva

May 27, 2018

[Newsmaker] ‘Google thought Panmunjeom was in North Korea’

Over 300 Korea-related errors found in recent foreign media coverageWhile it is not uncommon for a foreigner to confuse South and North Korea, it appears that a number of foreign media outlets have also been dumbfounded by the complicated nature of the countries occupying the peninsula.The Korea Culture and Information Service announced Wednesday that it did an extensive study on news articles on Korea by foreign-based media published between April 2 and May 10 and found 312 errors in 253 storie

May 23, 2018

3 Korean social media influencers who open consumers’ wallets

The advent of social media provided individuals with a platform on which they could showcase their own content. Then came the birth of social media stars, who amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and fans without ever having appeared on television or film. Such online celebrities are increasingly being sought after by brands for their ability to drive huge hikes in sale.Online influencers’ fame may not be on as large a scale as celebrities on traditional media, but their ability to propel

May 23, 2018

New form of scarlet letter in Korean entertainment scene

Actor Yoo Ah-in cautions against ‘men vs. women’ debate on feminism A star of critically acclaimed film “Burning,” Yoo Ah-in recently talked about being branded “anti-feminist” by the public. He is among a growing line of Korean celebrities who -- upon being labeled “feminist,” or “anti-feminist” -- get thrown into the line of fire by the public. In a recent interview with BBC News Korea, the actor expressed concerns over feminism-related discussions in Korea degenerating into a battle of the se

May 22, 2018

[Video] Koreans flock to temples to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday

Brightly colored lanterns hang in the air at Jogyesa Temple in central Seoul. Seoul citizens flocked to the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday, a national holiday here that falls on May 22.People joined their hands in prayer, wishing for good fortune and blessings in the future, along with family members’ health and peace on the peninsula.Thousands of Buddhist followers and citizens attended the morning ceremony, according to Jogyesa Temple. Childre

May 22, 2018

From Faust to ‘Flashdance,’ Daegu musical fest to run the gamut

Czech musical “Mephisto” will headline the annual Daegu International Musical Festival this year, which this time features a lineup of 24 musicals from around the world. The 12th DIMF will be held from June 22 to July 9 at major theaters across the city. The opening ceremony will be at 9:50 p.m. at Daegu Opera House, just after the curtain-raiser “Mephisto” makes its first performance at the same venue.The hit musical from Czechoslovakia is an interpretation of the classic “Doctor Faustus” by Go

May 17, 2018

[Photo News] Temples don resplendent colors for upcoming ‘Buddha’s Birthday‘

Buddhist temples in Korea were seen adorned with countless colorful lanterns on Wednesday, in preparation for the countdown to the Buddha’s Birthday early next week.The Buddhist belief says lanterns are lights of wisdom that drive out darkness, anguish and ignorance.Vibrantly colored lotus-lanterns can offer an exquisite sight to both Koreans and foreigners. On this day, visitors to the Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul, were busy taking photographs to capture the exotic scene. Jogyesa Temple i

May 17, 2018

Government apologizes for blacklists, vows changes

Following last week’s report on two past administrations’ blacklisting of cultural figures, the Culture Ministry on Wednesday issued the Moon Jae-in administration’s first official apology over the matter. It also pledged to modify the current system to ensure that such blacklisting would not reoccur.In a press conference announcing “Culture Vision 2030” -- the government’s plans for the culture sector through 2030 -- Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-hwan officially apologized on

May 16, 2018

‘Rose Day’ brings attention to symbolic meaning of rose colors, bouquet size

Flowers have been a symbolic agent for the expression of love through time and space. For Koreans who have attributed special meanings to the 14th day of each month, May presents “Rose Day,” when lovers are encouraged to convey the contents of their hearts in a bouquet of roses.(Yonhap)Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) on this day urged the general population to alleviate overcast sentiments in the local flower market by gifting roses to a special someone.To help consumers make

May 14, 2018

[Eye Plus] Ever-changing liberation village HBC

Up the long escalators from the depths of Noksapyeong Station, along the barbed wire-topped walls of the aged US Yongsan Garrison and left at the kimchi pots; HBC unfolds from beneath the gaze of Namsan Tower. At one time a shooting field for the Japanese Army during colonial rule, the area became a refuge for those returning after Japan's 1945 expulsion with nowhere to return to, forming Haebangchon: “Liberation Village.” Over the years it’s seen shifts in populations and industries time and ag

May 11, 2018

Enjoy beer and music at N Seoul Tower

For craft beer lovers, N Seoul Tower will be the place to visit next week.CJ Foodville announced Thursday that it will host the Beer Week & Music Festival at N Seoul Tower on Namsan from May 14 to 20.  (123RF)Beer specialists will hold special classes during the week. Beer tasting programs will also be held in front of the tower starting on May 18, along with indie band performances from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.A pairing service to recommend the right beer for your meal will also be provided throughout

May 10, 2018

Samulnori festival to be held in US

A state-run Korean culture center in New York is organizing samulnori music festivals on the East Coast, commemorating the center’s 40th anniversary.Korean Traditional Music Festival 2018 will be held in May across major East Coast cities, including New York, Englewood, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. It is hosted by Korean Cultural Center New York.Samulnori, which means “playing with four objects,” is a reimagined version of pungmul, a traditional performance involving music, dancing and singing.

May 9, 2018

Seoul city govt. launches upgraded version of foreigners-only tour pass

An upgraded version of the foreigners-only Seoul tour pass is now available for travelers visiting the city, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday.The Discover Seoul Pass comes with a variety of discount benefits or complimentary offers for key tourist hotspots that have newly been added, the city government said.New attractions that require no entry fees include the National Museum of Korea, Seoul Battleship Park, Namsangol Hanok Village, the 63 Square Observatory and its aquarium, a

May 9, 2018

Blacklist committee calls for independent body on subsidies

The committee investigating the blacklist of cultural figures during past administrations on Tuesday announced that 8,931 individuals and 342 groups were unlawfully penalized during the time, and recommended the government establish an independent committee on subsidizing cultural figures. The joint government-civilian committee -- co-headed by Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan and artist Shin Hak-chul -- released its findings during a press conference in Seoul. The committee, launched last July to

May 8, 2018