Television director Kim Tae-ho will leave terrestrial broadcasting station MBC later this year after 20 years with the company. The director joined MBC in 2001 and became widely recognized for producing one of South Korea’s longest-running and most successful variety shows, “Infinite Challenge.” After the show wrapped up in 2018, Kim continued his success with “Hang Out With Yoo,” a variety show launched in 2019. “Though I am leaving the company, I would l

Television Sept. 7, 2021

The story may be heartwarming and sweet, but its creators were driven by ferocious determination, according to Hun, co-author of the webtoon series “Navillera.” “I know it sounds weird, but I think Jimmy and I have been possessed by something to finish our webtoon ‘Navillera.’ I don’t think we can create a work with such an effort ever again,” Hun said. Written by Hun and illustrated by Jimmy, “Navillera” is a South Korean webtoon about a

Cartoon Sept. 7, 2021

After a remarkable career in the entertainment industry, artistic director of PMC Production Song Seung-whan has set his sights on a different field. Debuting as a child actor in 1965, it is no exaggeration to say Sung has been involved in almost every field of Korean culture and the entertainment business. Sung spent his adolescence acting in movies, dramas and musicals. The actor then moved to stage production, creating the legendary nonverbal drumming performance “Nanta.” Sung

Culture Sept. 6, 2021

Taking on a character that is a departure from his previous romantic lead roles does not mean he wants an image overhaul, actor Jung Hae-in says. “Shooting the six-part series ‘D.P.’ provided a chance to reflect on my emotions and I am certain that the audience will have many thoughts after watching all the episodes,” said Jung. “I am well aware of the images created through my previous dramas and I did not choose ‘D.P.’ because I wanted to change th

Television Sept. 6, 2021

Actor Koo Kyo-hwan believes he still has long way to go. While moviegoers are mesmerized by his performances in the films “Penninsula,” “Kingdom: Ashin of the North,” “Escape from Morgadishu” and the recently released Netflix original series “D.P,” Koo has yet to start feeling comfortable with fame and recognition. “I am grateful that the fans liked how I played my characters in the series, but I still feel uneasy when people refer to me a

Film Sept. 6, 2021

Traditional Korean houses, or hanok, are tightly clustered at Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul, providing a chance to travel back in time and enjoy the views of nearby Joseon palaces. Bukchon is near Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, and its inhabitants in the past included many influential families and aristocrats. While bordered by modern buildings, the neighborhood itself is like a village frozen in time. At Bukchon Traditional Culture Center, the visitors can experience

Travel Sept. 4, 2021

The ASEAN-Korea Center has organized a virtual “ASEAN Familiarization Tour” to enhance the ASEAN-Korea tourism cooperation.  The tour, which lets Korean travel journalists and social media influencers explore tourism destinations in ASEAN member states, moved online last year, when global travel restrictions began. The center produced promotional videos introducing tourism spots and resources in ASEAN countries. This year, Korean actress and entertainer So Yu-jin and millenni

Travel Sept. 4, 2021

Ulsan Onggi Festival The Ulsan Onggi Festival will take place at Oegosan Onggi Village in Ulsan from Oct. 1 to 8. The festival seeks to promote “onggi,” a traditional Korean earthenware pot, and offers visitors a chance to learn more about the pottery through various programs and hands-on experiences, including making onggi and an onggi master exhibition. The event welcomes visitors of all ages. Admission fees vary according to different programs. More information can be found at www

Travel Sept. 3, 2021

The pandemic has changed the way people communicate. While the world appears hyperconnected thanks to the internet, connectivity does not necessarily mean communication, say participants in the 2021 Culture Communication Forum. The forum kicked off Tuesday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan, central Seoul. “Cultural communication has never been more important since the outbreak of COVID-19, making the forum’s theme ‘cultural communication as a way to share core values of in

Culture Sept. 1, 2021

While vaccines are the first thing that come to mind among foreigners to Korea regarding COVID-19, masks top the list among Koreans, according to a survey conducted by the Corea Image Communication Institute and released at the Culture Communication Forum Tuesday. Half of the 432 survey participants were Koreans and the other half were foreigners who have experienced Korean culture during their stay or visit to Korea, according to CICI. Among foreigners, vaccines topped the list with 88.9 pe

Culture Aug. 31, 2021

Lithuanian director Giedre Zickyte’s “The Jump” won the Grand Prix in the global category at the 18th EBS International Documentary Festival, the broadcaster announced Tuesday. Twenty-one films vied for prizes in the three competitive categories -- Festival Choice in Global, Festival Choice in Asia and a mobile shorts competition. “The Jump” centers around a Lithuanian sailor, Simas Kudirka, who jumped from a Soviet fishing boat and swam to a US vessel in the Atla

Film Aug. 31, 2021

Broadcast Worldwide 2021 will be held Sept. 6-10 under the slogan “Content, Traveling to a New World,” the Korea Creative Content Agency said Monday. The annual event is being held online for the second consecutive year. Asia’s largest broadcasting content market, BCWW seeks to present outstanding content and insights to the broadcast industry around the world. According to KOCCA, 367 buyers and officials from 31 countries have registered for the event, including Warner Med

Television Aug. 30, 2021

Defending champion Damwon Kia took home the LCK trophy, beating T1 3-1 in the finals on Saturday evening and winning prize money of 200 million won ($171,800). Although Damwon was the clear favorite leading up to the finals, strong performances from both teams in their quarterfinals raised expectations for a competitive match. Damwon clearly dominated the game, however. Despite T1’s comeback on the third game, Damwon took down the challenger in a convincing 3-1 victory. Damwon&rsqu

More Sports Aug. 30, 2021

Public education broadcaster EBS said Tuesday that it would air a lecture series called “Great Minds,” starring acclaimed academics including American political scientist Joseph S. Nye. “Great Minds” aims to close knowledge gaps exacerbated by the extended COVID-19 and fake news in social networking services. According to the broadcaster, a total of 40 scholars will star in the 200-part lecture series. The production crew visited the scholars to film the lectures in pe

Television Aug. 27, 2021

For television director Jang Tae-yoo, seeing the chemistry between the actors in the upcoming Monday-Tuesday SBS drama “Red Sky” was a huge pleasure. “The vibe in our filming site was literally crazy. The relationship between the cast and the staff was really good and all I had to do was to make sure that the cameras worked,” the director said during an online press conference Thursday afternoon. The fantasy romance drama, an adaptation of a novel of the same title by

Television Aug. 27, 2021