Haman, South Gyeongsang Province, is a little-known county located some 350 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The small, quiet village was overflowing with people from around the country who had come to see this year's Nakhwa Festival on Saturday. Though the event was originally a regional festival enjoyed by only those who knew about it, the local fireworks display went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic when public broadcaster KBS featured the cultural event in its variety show “1 Nigh

Travel May 29, 2023

JINAN, North Jeolla Province -- Isolated from the bustling cities and loud car sounds, many Korean Buddhist temples allow visitors to immerse themselves in tranquil nature and find inner peace. While many Korean temples welcome both Buddhists and tourists with spacious yards covered with sand, charming ponds and the centuries old, iconic trees, Tapsa and Eunsusa in Jinan, North Jeolla Province, both have their own unique features. Tapsa Maisan, a mountain located some 25-kilometers east of J

Travel May 27, 2023

Pohang International Fire and Light Festival The Pohang International Fire and Light Festival is scheduled to be held at Hyeongsangang Sports Park from May 26-28 in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. The three-day event offers a spectacular fireworks competition, parade and a concert featuring vocalists Lee Mu-jin, HYNN and more. Teams from four countries -- South Korea, Sweden, Italy and the Philippines are taking part in the competition that takes place at 9 p.m. on May 27. More information

Travel May 26, 2023

Though no Korean drama so far this year has created an international sensation to the extent of “Squid Game” (2021), or even “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (2022) or “Reborn Rich” (2022), there are many series that are enjoying popularity overseas, especially in the Southeast Asian market. Cable channel tvN’s fantasy series “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” has landed on Amazon Prime Video's top 10 charts in 19 countries as of Tuesday, accord

Television May 24, 2023

Naver Webtoon, South Korean tech giant Naver’s digital comics platform, announced that the company is scheduled to launch an English version of its recent artificial intelligence art generator Toon Filter on Monday. Toon Filter is Naver Webtoon’s AI image maker, which recreates the users’ selected photos in an art style from one of the company’s 10 beloved webtoon artists, including Lee Dong-geon of “Yumi’s Cells,” 232 of “Love Revolution,” P

Culture May 22, 2023

TAEAN, South Chungcheong Province -- Taean-gun, a popular seaside getaway on the west coast of Korea, is quiet most of the day. But when golden hour hits, parking lots by the coast get crowded with visitors who stop to take in the stunning seaside views bathed in an explosion of colors. For many Koreans, residing in a country surrounded by three distinct seas, witnessing a coastal sunset or sunrise is not unfamiliar. Yet Taean, and its unique beaches, is considered one of the must-go sites where

Travel May 20, 2023

The League of Legends Champions Korea 2023 Summer final is scheduled to be held at Daejeon Convention Center in Daejeon. LCK announced it would close this year’s summer season at Daejeon, aiming to invite the biggest number of spectators to the city can be easily reached from around the country. LCK has been trying to host the finals in cities other than Seoul in order to offer different audience experiences. While the LCK Summer finals were held at stadiums near Seoul starting in 2015, th

esports May 19, 2023

Cable channel tvN’s smash-hit crime series “Vincenzo” will be adapted into a Japanese musical. According to Studio Dragon, the production company behind the 2021 television series, the stage musical is scheduled to premiere on Aug. 11 at AiiA 2.5 Theater in Kobe, Japan. The musical will run through Aug. 13. The show will then travel to Tokyo where it will be staged at Nippon Seinenkan Hall, starting from Aug. 18 to 21. The last shows of the musical tour will be in Osaka at Sank

Television May 19, 2023

Seek artistic tranquility in nature-inspired crafts For those with an appetite for the intersection of art and nature, Culture Station Seoul 284 in Jung-gu, Seoul is hosting the Korea Crafts and Design Foundation's exhibition, "Another Letter to Nature." Reimagining the 2022 Milan Korean Crafts Exhibition, this display blends human creativity and natural purity, showcasing over 300 works crafted from traditional and modern materials. On entry, Jang Sung's "Given (2023)&q

Culture May 19, 2023

Hansan Ramie Fabric Cultural Festival, Seocheon The 33rd edition of the Hansan Ramie Fabric Cultural Festival will be held from June 9 to 11 at Hansan Mosi Museum and Hansan Traditional Market in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province. The event seeks to continue the tradition of Hansan ramie, or “mosi,” weaving which is listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The festival offers an opportunity to experience weaving traditional Korean natural fibers and trying on m

Travel May 19, 2023

Portraying relationships between female leads -- be it friendship or rivalry -- is becoming the dominant trend for successful projects in South Korea. While 2022 TV dramas received both local and global popularity with strong, independent woman -- “Juvenile Justice,” “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” and more -- this year’s projects explore more female-centered stories with multiple female leads. Lim Ji-yeon and Song Hye-ky

Television May 17, 2023

Local streaming platform Tving confirmed that its dating reality show “EXchange” is being adapted into a Japanese remake “Love Transit.” The eight-part dating program “Love Transit” will be the released as Amazon Prime original by Amazon Prime Video -- a subscription-based video streaming service run by Amazon -- on June 15, according to a Tving official. The upcoming show follows the basic format of “EXchange,” in which a group of ex- couples coha

Television May 16, 2023

“The world compliments those who have a clear dream early on and achieve their goals by working hard. I felt that is how I should live as well,” said Kim Hye-sook, a San Francisco-based Pixar senior animator, in an online interview with The Korea Herald earlier this month. “But that is not how I became an animator,” she said. “I was just an ordinary student who loved to read comics after the class was over.” Growing up in the small county of Hongseong, South C

Film May 15, 2023

HAENAM, South Jeolla Province -- Haenam, some 400 kilometers south of Seoul, is famous for its Ttangkkeut village at the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula. The village gets crowded with visitors who wish to watch the last sunset or the first sunrise of the year. The village is especially crowded on Dec. 31. But the county’s 17.74-kilometer walking trail has recently gotten on the radar of hiking and walking enthusiasts, as it presents opportunities for memorable outdoor activities

Travel May 13, 2023

Bring along your dogs and enjoy the pet-themed exhibition "A Companion of Paws" with your furry friend. The Korea Manhwa Museum is hosting a special in-door exhibition where pet owners (and non-pet owners alike) can enjoy art projects with their beloved companions. May is known as “Family Month” in Korea, and it is filled with family-oriented events, including Children’s Day and Parent’s Day. Hoping to promote the message that pets are also precious members of t

Culture May 12, 2023