COVID-19 has changed many aspects of our daily lives, and one of the industries most heavily affected is the hospitality industry. With government policies changing weekly as the number of coronavirus cases fluctuates, hotels are keeping a close eye on the situation. In the midst of this crisis, Kang Ah-hyun, commercial director of Millennium Hilton Seoul, is attempting to find an opportunity in tough times. As the hotel’s commercial director, Kang is responsible for the hotel’s re

Travel Sept. 5, 2020

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism released standard contracts for esports on Thursday, addressing last year‘s online petition that requested action for fair contracts between players and organizations. Although South Korea has been hailed as the birthplace of esports with the Starcraft league established in 1999, there has been few mechanisms to protect esports players from unfair contracts.  The case of Kanavi, the current jungler for LPL’s JD Gaming, last year bro

More Sports Sept. 4, 2020

With only the finals on Saturday remaining for League of Legends Champions Korea Summer before the World Championships, Riot Games announced the winners of the LCK Awards on Thursday. The LCK Awards was launched this spring in order to commend players and coaching staff that showed an outstanding performance during the season. The six awards are All-LCK Team, Young Player, Best Coach, Regular Season MVP, Player Of the Split and Finals MVP. Player Of the Split went to Gen. G’s Bdd

More Sports Sept. 4, 2020

‘Starry Starry Night’ Package at Seoul Dragon City Hotel-plex Hotel Seoul Dragon City offers the Starry Starry Night package for couples hoping to spend a romantic staycation. The package includes a one-night stay, Fantini Gran Cuvee Bianco Swarovski (Italian sparkling wine) with a crystal embedded on the bottle and dessert as room service. Only 10,000 bottles of this particular wine are produced each year. The package starts at 236,500 won for the Grand Mercure Ambassador Hotel

Food Sept. 4, 2020

Virtual K-pop group K/DA released the group’s new single, “The Baddest,” on Aug. 28, with the first EP to be released later this year. K/DA debuted at the opening of the 2018 League of Legends World Championship finals in Incheon, when four artists performed with their characters through hologram representations. K/DA consists of four female LoL characters -- Ahri, Kai’Sa, Evelynn and Akali -- who are each voiced by different artists. The group name derives from a stati

Performance Sept. 1, 2020

Seoul Gangnam Police Station said it has started an internal investigation into popular social media page Travelholic on Sunday, a day after its CEO Jo Jun-ki allegedly uploaded illegal porn to its Instagram account. Travelholic, a company that introduces travel destinations and tourist attractions via social media platforms, uploaded a post introducing a sheep farm in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, to its Instagram account with over 1.2 million followers at around 6 p.m. Saturday. However, on

Culture Aug. 30, 2020

Riot Games Korea on Friday announced the 10 preferred bidders for negotiating for LoL Champions Korea franchises next year, along with five teams that have the next priority, should negotiations with any of the 10 teams fail. The 10 preferred bidders included nine current LCK teams and hyFresh Blade in the Challengers Korea league. The nine current LCK teams selected as preferred bidders in the LCK franchise negotiations are Afreeca Freecs, Damwon Gaming, DRX, Gen. G, T1, Team Dynamics, Sandbo

More Sports Aug. 30, 2020

Stay at Mayfield Hotel with Asiana Airlines mileage Mayfield Hotel Seoul is offering a chance for guests to use their Asiana Airlines mileage while COVID-19 precludes international travel. Guests can reserve rooms at the hotel with Asiana mileage until Sept. 16 for stays before the end of the year, excluding blackout days (Sept. 30 through Oct. 3, Oct. 31 and Dec. 24-26). Guests interested in using mileage will have to call the hotel for a reservation number and present personal identificatio

Food Aug. 28, 2020

The postseason for 2020 League of Legends Champions Korea Summer season kicked off with Afreeca Freecs playing against T1 in a best-of-3 series on Wednesday and resulted in a major upset where Afreeca won 2-1. Many analysts had predicted victory for T1, as it won both rounds against Afreeca in the regular season. T1 was the fourth place team of the regular season and the nine-time LCK Champions while Afreeca Freecs was the fifth place team. There were many key points leading up to the Wednes

More Sports Aug. 27, 2020

As COVID-19 brings many changes to the culture industry, international leaders in cultural communication came together online Wednesday and Thursday to discuss changing delivery methods for cultural content in the COVID-19 era at the 11th Cultural Communications Forum. Due to the spread of COVID-19, international scholars invited to the forum joined remotely through videoconference. The Corea Image Communication Institute organized the forum jointly with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tou

Culture Aug. 27, 2020

Chinese viewers remained unappeased and continued to demand an apology after the producers of the MBC program “Hangout With Yoo” posted a statement Monday about a comment that singer Lee Hyo-ri made on Saturday’s episode. The problem arose when Lee suggested Mao as the name of her character in “Hangout With Yoo.” “Let’s make a Chinese to be more global. How about Mao?” said Lee on Saturday’s episode. Lee’s statement infuriated man

Television Aug. 25, 2020

People riding subways will want to keep a close eye on the destination information screens on subway trains and at stations for the next few weeks: The Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival kicked off Monday, bringing short films to commuters through Sept. 18. The official slogan for this year’s festival, now in its 11th year, is “90 seconds, enjoy the subway!” “I hope many people using the subways can enjoy arts and culture by watching the super-short films,&

Film Aug. 24, 2020

As major regions in League of Legends hold on to their seats with summer playoffs starting, many Korean players can be found in teams outside the LCK, hoping to qualify for the LoL World Championship starting in September at Shanghai. Korean players in North America particularly expressed hopes for LCK teams at Worlds and the determination to face them on the big stage. Of six teams in contention for three spots at Worlds in North America’s LCS, four teams have a Korean player in their

More Sports Aug. 22, 2020

A boy falling in love at first sight on a rainy day, a chance meeting as a teacher and a student a few days later and a romantic bike ride in the countryside seem too cliche for a Korean romance drama in a year when a series featuring a husband and wife cheating on each other was a huge hit. Yet MBC’s new romance drama, “When I Was Most Beautiful,” does just that, presenting a romance drama reminiscent of those from the 1990s and early 2000s. “When I Was Most Beautiful

Television Aug. 22, 2020

The Korean Methodist Church put Rev. Lee Dong-hwan of Glory Jeil Church on trial Friday for giving a blessing to sexual minorities during a queer festival in August 2019. The case marks the first time a person is being tried by the Korean Methodist Church for supporting homosexuality. The church doctrine states “Violating laws regarding drugs and performing activities supporting or agreeing with gambling or homosexuality” are punishable. Lee participated in a queer festival in Inc

Culture Aug. 21, 2020