Period drama “Joseon Beauty Pageant” broke barriers between old and new last weekend by highlighting gugak, or traditional Korean music. The two-episode TV drama, which aired Saturday and Sunday on KBS, centered on participants of a Joseon-era beauty contest, who find love and achieve their dreams.The series was well-received by viewers, contrary to initial concerns that young viewers might find gugak too unfamiliar. Many left positive comments on social media and the broadcasting station’s webs

Television Jan. 9, 2018

Entertainment TV show “Kang’s Kitchen” has closed up the show’s titular restaurant, leaving only the director’s cut to air Tuesday. The six-episode show aired on tvN was a spinoff of the reality TV show “New Journey to the West,” produced by megahit producer Na Young-seok. Original cast members of “New Journey to the West” -- Kang Ho-dong, Lee Su-geun, Eun Ji-won, Mino and Ahn Jae-hyun -- starred in the show, excluding only Kyuhyun, who had recently enlisted in the Army.  Poster for “Kang’s Kitc

Television Jan. 8, 2018

Rising actress Ko Sung-hee is considering the lead role in the new courtroom drama series “Suits.” “The production staff offered Ko a role in ‘Suits’ and she is favorably considering it,” said Ko’s management agency Saram Entertainment Monday. (Yonhap)If Ko agrees to star in the series, she will take the role of Kim Ji-na, an extremely perceptive and intelligent legal assistant. Kim is admired by people at work, but secretly suffers from an inferiority complex.“Suits” is a remake of the popular

Television Jan. 8, 2018

Minhwan of FTIsland and Yulhee, a former member of Laboum, are to get married in 2018. Minhwan made the announcement through his social media account Thursday, by posting a lengthy letter to his fans. “(My girlfriend and I) plan on bearing the fruit of our relationship,” the post read. “After coming to the life decision of marriage, I am thankful for the congratulations that I have received from so many.”  Minhwan of FTIsland on the right and Yulhee, a former member of Laboum (Instagram)After th

Performance Jan. 5, 2018

Trouble-ridden drama series “A Korean Odyssey” is to resume airing Saturday. After dealing with major accidents in December, the drama stopped airing for about a week. The third episode, originally slated to be aired Dec. 30, was put off. Poster for “A Korean Odyssey” (tvN)During the episode which aired Dec. 24, some unedited scenes were shown. It was reported later that a member of the production staff was seriously injured after falling on the set on Dec. 23. The production company JS Pictures

Television Jan. 5, 2018

Many welcome a new year with a new diary. Sadly, buying a diary is the easy part. Filling it can be much more difficult and many fall into disuse over the course of the year. While people buy planners, journals and schedulers fully determined to use them until the year-end, they are often forgotten about when the temperature starts to climb, and are pushed into the corner of a dusty bookshelf. Some people even give up before the spring comes. (Im Eun-byel, The Korea Herald)Some “quitters” succes

Culture Jan. 5, 2018

Big Bang’s Choi Seung-hyun, better known by his stage name T.O.P, is likely to resume his mandatory military service as a public service worker in January. The Military Manpower Administration will soon send an official document to Yongsan-gu Office in Seoul, informing it that Choi will be stationed at the office as a public service worker in January.  Big Bang’s T.O.P (Yonhap)An official from the office said Thursday, “Since we haven’t received the document yet, the arrangement is not yet fixed

Social Affairs Jan. 4, 2018

Restaurant franchise mogul Baek Jong-won will star in the new reality TV show “Backstreet,” aiming to breathe life into small eateries in back alleys suffering slow business. Baek, who rose to stardom through various food-related TV shows, recently starred in “Baek Jong-won’s Food Truck,” offering his assistance to young food truck owners. He will continue in his mission in yet another show, “Backstreet,” set to air Friday night on SBS. The goal of the weekly program is to help revive five resta

Television Jan. 4, 2018

Suzy will return with her second solo EP in late January. The singer-actress’s agency JYP Entertainment announced Thursday that “Suzy’s new EP will be dropped on Jan. 29 through local music applications and websites. Some of the tracks will be prereleased a week earlier.”  Suzy (JYP Entertainment)Suzy is currently in Los Angeles shooting four music videos for the EP. Formerly a member of the now defunct group Miss A, Suzy has contributed to the soundtracks of drama series in which she also had a

Performance Jan. 4, 2018

Surging into 2018, dramas featuring returning stars and rising rookies are coming to light up viewers’ lives. Singer and actress IU will be the leading actress of upcoming tvN drama “My Ajeossi.” Lee Sun-kyun will be IU’s “ajeossi,” meaning middle aged man in Korea. The two will play a couple with a 20-year age-gap, that learns to heal each other’s old wounds. The drama will air in the first half of 2018 and Nara of K-pop act Hello Venus will be joining the cast.  IU (Yonhap)Jang Dong-gun is loo

Television Jan. 3, 2018

EXO’s Baekhyun apologized for his choice of words regarding depression. A supposed fan uploaded a clip from a conversation that she had with the singer at a fan event on Dec. 30. In the audio clip, Baekhyun could be heard saying, “I don’t know why people get depressed.”  (S.M. Entertainment)The singer was criticized for being inconsiderate of people who suffer from depression. The statement came as a shock for fans, especially since his label mate Jonghyun died by suicide last month and had suff

Performance Jan. 3, 2018

 Several drama awards ceremonies were held over the weekend, recognizing the the stars that shone in 2017. Suzy, winner of a best actress award for her role in SBS‘ “While You Are Asleep” (Yonhap)Every year, the three main television networks in Korea -- KBS, MBC and SBS – each host an awards ceremony to honor the best TV shows of the year. At MBC’s awards ceremony on Saturday, Kim Sang-joong won the grand prize for his role in “Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People.” This year, the winners were cho

Television Jan. 1, 2018

Students of Seoul National University will be able to eat a meal for less than $1 (1,075 won). The university announced Wednesday that “from next Tuesday, a 1,000 won lunch menu will be provided to its enrolled students. Previously, the 1,000 won menu was provided only at breakfast and dinner time.  Former student union leader eats the 1,000 won menu with the president of the university (Yonhap)An official from the university said that “it is a measure for the students to eat without a financial

Social Affairs Dec. 28, 2017

Local preschools and daycare centers might be banned from holding English classes under the Moon Jae-in administration. The Ministry of Education unveiled the “Early Childhood Education Renovation Plan” Wednesday, expressing concerns over the current education system for preschoolers and younger children. According to the announcement, the ministry is looking at banning English education in preschools, amid social arguments that preschoolers are stressed out from learning English and mathematics

Social Affairs Dec. 28, 2017

A branch of local bank Saemaul Financial Firm allegedly forced its female employees to resign after marriage. The head office is conducting an internal inspection on its branch at Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. Five female employees of the branch are thought to have resigned against their will.  (Yonhap)In an interview with a local news outlet, one of the former employees said, “When I started my work, I was forced to give a written promise to resign if I should get married. After reporting ab

Social Affairs Dec. 27, 2017