"Light and Melody" By Cho Hae-jin Munhakdongne Publishing “Light and Melody” intertwines the stories of Kwon-eun, a documentary photographer, and Seung-joon, a journalist, whose paths cross again seven years after they rekindle their bond from cherished childhood memories. Kwon-eun is left physically and emotionally scarred after an injury that cost her half of her left leg while reporting in war-torn Syria. Now unable to return, she rejects all commissions and barely scrap

Books Sept. 21, 2024

The KBS' “Music Bank” overseas concert, scheduled for next month at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, has been abruptly canceled by Spanish soccer club Real Madrid, according to the "Music Bank" production team. In a statement released Thursday, the production team asked for an official apology and explanation from Real Madrid CF, expressing its deep frustration over the sudden cancellation of the Madrid concert. “We deeply regret Real Madrid's unilat

K-pop Sept. 20, 2024

The long-running ballet production "Ahn Jung-geun: A Dance in the Heaven" will be performed at the CJ Towol Theater in the Seoul Arts Center this weekend. The ballet tells the story of Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun (1879-1910), taking inspiration from Ahn’s final words before his execution in Lushun Prison, China, in March 1910. He was convicted for assassinating Ito Hirobumi, a former Japanese prime minister and the first governor-general of Korea during Japanese col

Performance Sept. 20, 2024

Park Jin-young, also known by his stage name J.Y. Park, is set to hold a solo concert, "Still JYP," to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a singer. The concert will take place at Olympic Hall in Seoul's Olympic Park from Dec. 27 to 29, according to JYP Entertainment on Friday. The singer-songwriter and entrepreneur plans to celebrate the milestone with fans who have supported him throughout his career, performing signature hits that span generations. Debuting in 1994, Park shot to

K-pop Sept. 20, 2024

German mystery crime writer Nele Neuhaus’ 2010 international bestseller “Snow White Must Die” is getting a fresh take as the Korean drama series “Snow White Must Die -- Black Out,” kicked off Aug. 16. The fourth installment of Neuhaus’ series set in the Taunus region near Frankfurt sold more than 3.5 million copies globally and had its German TV adaptation in 2013. Now just five episodes away from its finale, the MBC series is gaining momentum with its latest

Books Sept. 18, 2024

When a rocket scientist with obsessive-compulsive disorder meets a woman grieving the loss of her father, their unexpected encounter blossoms into sympathy, love and shared healing as they navigate their traumas. At the heart of their journey is dance, which becomes a powerful catalyst for their connection. The two-person romantic comedy play, “Rendezvous,” written and directed by South Korean director Yossef K. Junghan, kicked off in August at the LG Arts Center in Seoul. Kim first

Performance Sept. 17, 2024

Mira, a resident of Yeonnam-dong living with her daughter, Nahee, and her husband, Woochul, finds herself at a crossroads. Despite her past success, her reality feels bleak as she struggles to find work amid all her concerns about her daughter and financial worries. When her old washing machine breaks down, she turns to a nearby laundromat, only to discover an unexpected source of solace. Amid the hum of machines, Mira spots an olive-green diary left on a table. At first, she wasn’t partic

Books Sept. 13, 2024

True American-style hamburger in Seoul Craving an authentic American-style hamburger in Seoul? Brooklyn the Burger Joint is your go-to spot. First opened in 2010 in Seorae Maeul, Seoul's French village in Seocho-gu, this American diner-style restaurant now has nine additional locations across Seoul and two in Bundang-gu, Gyeonggi Province. Brooklyn the Burger Joint stays true to the classic, authentic taste of American-style hamburgers, focusing on high-quality ingredients. The restaurant u

Culture Sept. 13, 2024

The 2024 Seoul Street Arts Festival will take place in downtown Seoul, across Seoul Plaza, Cheonggyecheon and Mugyo-ro areas during the three-day Chuseok holiday, from Monday to Wednesday. Over 300 artists from Korea and abroad from eight countries, including Spain, Italy and Japan will participate in this outdoor celebration, showcasing 24 programs -- including street theater, dance, circus acts, traditional performances, large-scale installations and interactive art pieces. The festival will o

Performance Sept. 11, 2024

“I am a failed writer who wrote a novel about failure. (But) I hope that through this book, those who have failed can live a bit more freely. I want to tell them that it’s okay to cry loudly if it’s hard,” said Kevin Chen, or Chen Shih-hung, the award-winning Taiwanese author, during an interview with reporters in Seoul on Monday. Currently based in Berlin, he is also a columnist, translator and actor. Chen, visiting Korea for the first time, participated in a talk progra

Books Sept. 10, 2024

"This is a very uncomfortable situation for me," Fredrik Backman admitted candidly to reporters on Saturday. "When I leave here, I'll probably spend the next few days thinking, ‘I shouldn’t have said that,’ or, ‘That was a stupid answer.’ ... But I know I'm learning from these situations. One day, a moment like this will become a character in a book." The celebrated Swedish author of "A Man Called Ove" is currently visiting Ko

Books Sept. 9, 2024

Renowned authors from around the world are in Seoul for the 2024 Seoul International Writers' Festival, organized by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, which kicked off Friday. Among the distinguished guests are Argentinian author Claudia Pineiro, a 2022 International Booker Prize finalist for her novel “Elena Knows,” and Swedish novelist Fredrik Backman, best known for his global bestseller “A Man Called Ove.” Pineiro is often described as one of Argenti

Books Sept. 9, 2024

"My skin is blue, and my mother is Vietnamese. I don't know which is the bigger problem," begins Ha Seung-meen's award-winning novel “Melanin.” The coming-of-age novel follows Jae-il, a teenage boy born to a Korean father and a Vietnamese mother, as he grapples with life in a world that rejects him for his strange blue skin and his multicultural heritage. His unusual complexion becomes a marker of alienation, making him a target for ridicule and bullying from clas

Books Sept. 7, 2024

The immersive theater experience “Underground” transports audiences into an entirely new dimension of sensory storytelling -- a captivating, pitch-dark descent into the unknown. Based on acclaimed Korean science fiction author Kim Bo-young's short story “Underground” (featured in her collection “The Fifth Sense” in 2022), the Wooran Foundation’s production plunges viewers deep into a labyrinthine underground set in a dystopian future. “Undergr

Books Sept. 4, 2024

Three winners of the Nomo Literary Award were announced by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea on Monday. In the fiction category, Song Ji-young from Canada won for “Assembled Life,” which explores the linguistic, cultural and economic struggles of immigrants, likened to the challenges of assembling furniture. In the poetry category, Lee Won-jung from the US was recognized for “Telescope for Cherry Tomatoes” and four other poems, praised for the skill in poetica

Books Sept. 3, 2024