The Boston Symphony Orchestra is set to perform the much anticipated US premiere of award-winning composer Chin Un-suk’s Violin Concerto No. 2 “Shards of Silence” at Boston’s Symphony Hall on Thursday. Led by its music director and conductor Andris Nelsons, the BSO will perform “Shards of Silence” with violin soloist Leonidas Kavakos. Thursday’s program also includes US composer Charles Ives’ “The Unanswered Question” and French compos

Performance March 2, 2022

Actor Seo Yea-ji is to return to the small screen in tvN’s new series “Eve” with veteran actors Park Byung-eun, Yoo Sun and Lee Sang-yeop. Taking the role of Lee Ra-el, the mastermind behind a ferocious revenge plan for her dead father, Seo, 31, will be back in the public eye for the first time in almost a year. The actor went off the grid last year as controversies surrounding her surfaced one after another. Seo was accused of allegedly checking staffers’ phones regul

Television March 1, 2022

Japanese Korean singer and TV celebrity Kangnam, 34, has become a naturalized Korean citizen, he announced in a live broadcast on YouTube. In the live broadcast on Saturday, Kangnam said he completed his final naturalization interview on Friday, and opened the letter notifying him that he had passed the exam, live on camera. This was the singer’s third attempt at the naturalization exam, after declaring he intended to give up his Japanese citizenship in 2019. In the video, the singer a

Television Feb. 28, 2022

Lee Jung-jae took home the best actor award at Screen Actors Guild Awards for his performance in Netflix’s global hit “Squid Game” on Monday. Lee was named the winner of the outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series award for playing debt-ridden divorcee Seong Gi-hun. Billy Crudup of Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” as well as Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin of HBO’s “Succession” were also nominated for the award.

Film Feb. 28, 2022

Youn Bum-mo, former director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea, has been appointed to carry on at his post at the MMCA, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Friday. Youn’s second three-year term starts Friday and runs until 2025, according to the announcement. With an attempt to promote Korean arts in the global scene, Youn has been working with various domestic and global projects. During his previous term, the director published “K

Arts & Design Feb. 25, 2022

Jin Seon-kyu and Jun Jong-seo have been confirmed as lead actors in the upcoming Tving original series “Bargain.” The local streaming service announced Thursday that its upcoming series will be available in the second half of the year, but an official release date is yet to be revealed. The series, which revolves around a middle-aged man and a young woman encountering an unexpected natural disaster while bargaining the price for sex, is an adaptation of a 14-minute short film of t

Television Feb. 25, 2022

Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival The 1st Pinocchio and the Little Prince Starlight Festival will run through March 13 at Italian Village and Petite France in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The event allows visitors to experience a bit of overseas travel via the flea market lined with European antiques, traditional Italian houses and more. The splendid lighting aside, the festival allows various cultural programs, including music box performances, puppet show, a circus with mimes,

Travel Feb. 25, 2022

Top actor Kim Hye-soo will make her Netflix debut Friday in yet another legal drama, “Juvenile Justice,” following the 2020 SBS’ courtroom drama series “Hyena.” “Before ‘Juvenile Justice,’ I thought I continued to have an interest in juvenile delinquency. After studying real cases, learning from the juvenile court judges and taking the role of Sim Eun-seok, a judge who despises juvenile offenders, I learned that my interest was only the tip of the

Television Feb. 23, 2022

Among the many Korean high school students who starred in the latest Netflix zombie thriller “All of Us Are Dead,” Park Mi-jin (played by Lee Eun-saem) is arguably the most mesmerizing character, especially to foreign audiences, who were unfamiliar with the Korean curse word “ssibal” until they watched the series. With the 12-part project topping Netflix’s streaming chart around the globe, the Korean swear words have intrigued many viewers. From online posts to h

Film Feb. 22, 2022

Top comedian Yoo Jae-suk is facing backlash in China after remarks made on the latest episode of MBC’s hit variety show “Hangout with Yoo.” Yoo’s Chinese fan club Yooniverse announced Monday evening that the group has decided to disband and end its operation. According to a post on the fan club’s official Weibo channel, the fan club plans to stop its operation because Yoo and the fans’ “directions are different.” No details were offered for the

Television Feb. 22, 2022

Chinese movie star Fan Bingbing will make her first Korean drama appearance in JTBC’s new series “Insider.” According to local cable channel JTBC, the shooting of Fan’s segments in the series was recently completed. The broadcaster did not say whether the actor is making a cameo or appearing in a minor supporting role. “Though the actor has joined ‘Insider,’ detailed information about Fan Bingbing’s role is yet to be revealed, as it is closely r

Television Feb. 21, 2022

Global streaming service Netflix, which launched in South Korea in 2015, has been enjoying the first-mover’s advantage, with its megahit “Kingdom” series, which debuted in 2019, among its successes. Looking to strengthen its foothold in the country, Netflix is scheduled to release long-awaited top actor Kim Hye-soo’s streaming debut “Juvenile Justice” on Friday. But Netflix rivals Disney+ and Apple TV+ are close on its heels, seeking to challenge Netflix&rsq

Film Feb. 20, 2022

Hueree Plum Blossom Festival The Hueree Plum Blossom Festival is scheduled to kick off Feb. 18 and run through March 20 at Hueree Natural Park on Jeju Island. The park, near Hallasan, offers a chance to stroll, relax and enjoy the breeze of early Spring. The annual festival highlights Jeju Island’s splendid scenery and its plum blossoms with photo zones. For children, there is horse riding and a small parade of Jeju black pigs as well. The event is open to people of all ages, and

Travel Feb. 18, 2022

The upcoming JTBC drama “Thirty-Nine” may look like a typical romance, but for director Kim Sang-ho, it is much more meaningful. “Many people in South Korea believe the age of 39 a little special. I think 39 is a bit too early to have something special accomplished, but too late to start something new. The drama mainly presents a trio of best friends and their romance on the brink of turning 40, but it is more about how their lives develop with lovers, families and relatives,

Television Feb. 16, 2022

Global expectations for and interest in Korean content, specifically Korean Netflix originals, look set to endure, with series -- such as “My Name,” “Hellbound,” “The Silent Sea” and “All of Us Are Dead” -- all having followed Squid Game's lead to enter the platform's global top 10. According to the global streaming service Netflix, its latest zombie thriller “All of Us Are Dead” retained the No. 1 slot on the service’s weekly v

Film Feb. 16, 2022