Sounds of jazz to warm cool autumn

The 22nd edition of the Jarasum Jazz Festival, South Korea's largest annual jazz festival that started in 2004, is being held Friday to Sunday on Jara Island and in the surrounding town in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province. This year, a total of 41 acts from 17 countries are performing at the event. The lineup includes Bill Frisell Trio, Ibrahim Maalouf, Mathias Eick Quintet, Wolfgang Muthspiel Trio and Hungarian Focus artists Dresch Quartet, to name a few. The festival will also feature performan

Oct. 17, 2025

Plan for next year, shop and craft, hit a riverside gym

Feeling ambitious? Ready to get a head start on 2026? Head over to Mushroom Paper Farm, where you can assemble your very own planner. Or, if you're in the mood to shop for new kitchenware, browse and make your own ceramic pieces at Nightfruti. Finally, the weather can't be an excuse for skipping your workout. Hangang Outdoor Gym Oksu has you covered, literally, with the latest gym equipment and an unparalleled view of the Han River. As the year winds down, stationery lovers face the annual ritua

Oct. 17, 2025

Packages and promotions

Grand Hyatt Seoul launches limited-edition Honeycomb Delight Cake Grand Hyatt Seoul unveils its signature dessert, the Honeycomb Delight Cake, at its premium bakery, The Deli. Made with freshly harvested Namsan Honey from the hotel’s Urban Bee Project, the cake reflects the hotel’s commitment to sustainability and urban biodiversity. The cake features a delicate honey yogurt mousse, golden honey jelly and apricot compote, all inspired by the natural sweetness of city-grown honey. Designed to res

Oct. 17, 2025

[Exclusive] MBC considers making more staff permanent workers following weathercaster reform

Public broadcaster MBC, one of South Korea’s leading TV networks, said it is reviewing converting non-regular staff in other departments into full-time employees, following its recent decision to make all weathercaster positions permanent starting 2026. An MBC insider, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the company is positively reviewing the conversions, but the scope of any broader conversion will hinge on the outcome of labor inspections and other legal

Oct. 16, 2025

G-Dragon, Lee Byung-hun, Kim Hae-sook among six honored with Order of Cultural Merit

Six leading figures in Korean entertainment — actors Kim Hae-sook, Jung Dong-hwan and Lee Byung-hun; voice actor Bae Han-seong; late comedian Jeon Yoo-sung; and K-pop icon G-Dragon — have been selected to receive the Order of Cultural Merit, the nation’s highest honor for contributions to popular culture and the arts. The Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is the most prestigious government ceremony recognizing achievements in drama,

Oct. 15, 2025

Seoul hails trend-setting status as Design Week kicks off at DDP

The 12th edition of Seoul Design Week kicked off Wednesday at the iconic Dongdaemun Design Plaza, joined by more than 100 designers and designer brands. Held under the theme “Design, Designer, Design Life,” this year's event collaborated with Musinsa, South Korea’s leading online fashion retailer, to recruit and select the participating designer brands as well as market the fair. Seoul Design Week's main event, DDP Design Fair, presents a theme pavilion featuring ordinary objects that reflect th

Oct. 15, 2025

Intangible Heritage Festival in Jeonju aims to reach across generations, borders

The 2025 Intangible Heritage Festival will bring Korea’s cultural legacy to life from Oct. 23 to 26 at the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Organized by the Korea Heritage Service and the National Intangible Heritage Center, the festival seeks to blend traditional and modern elements, uniting generations, regions and even global audiences. The festival kicks off with an opening ceremony at 5 p.m., Oct. 23, followed by a show titled "The Beginning of Intangibl

Oct. 15, 2025

Will Korea’s new gaming decree facilitate control over overseas game companies?

Starting Oct. 23, overseas game developers meeting certain conditions in South Korea must appoint a domestic representative, as the government seeks to level the regulatory playing field and improve consumer protection. Experts and domestic gaming companies question the efficacy of the new decree. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on Tuesday that the amendment to the Game Industry Promotion Act, which mandates overseas game companies to appoint a domestic representative, was

Oct. 14, 2025

Chae pledges stronger oversight of entertainment agencies, copyright

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young on Tuesday proposed viewing the cultural industry as a sector for investment rather than assistance. “We must nurture culture as a future growth industry worth over 300 trillion won ($210 billion),” Chae said, speaking at the parliamentary audit by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. The Lee Jae Myung administration earlier outlined a plan to create a 300 trillion won culture market by 2030, compared with an estimated 206 trillion won in

Oct. 14, 2025

Return of Korea's first classic listening room, Renaissance

Renaissance, Re:naissance is more than just a place to enjoy classical LPs — it’s a modern reimagining of Korea’s first classical music listening room, founded during one of the nation’s darkest periods. At the height of the Korean War, as Seoul fell and Busan became the provisional capital, the nearby city of Daegu swelled with refugees, artists and displaced citizens. Among them was the late Park Yong-chan, chair of Shinheung Construction, who fled his hometown carrying just a few precious pos

Oct. 14, 2025

British Council Korea’s new director accelerates UK-Korea cultural exchange

Since taking the post of director of the British Council Korea on Aug. 11, Sarah Deverall has been keeping a full schedule, including two major art and architecture events where prominent British cultural figures were in the spotlight. UK artist Antony Gormley had a major exhibition in collaboration with White Cube and Thaddaeus Ropac during Frieze Seoul in early September, while UK architect Thomas Heatherwick helmed the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism that opened in late September

Oct. 13, 2025

Lightweight outerwear takes center stage in fall fashion trends

Transitioning from record-breaking summer heat to brisker fall temperatures, consumers are turning to lightweight outerwear, driving the demand for windbreakers and lightweight puffer jackets. According to the industry, fashion retailers are responding swiftly to the shift in weather and consumer behavior, introducing transitional pieces suited for cool mornings and evenings while remaining breathable during warmer afternoons. The shift is particularly evident in online fashion marketplaces. Kre

Oct. 13, 2025

Old Seoul Station opens hidden hallway in centennial exhibition

Tucked away in a back corner of the former Seoul Station, a flight of stairs leads to a weathered green wooden door. Beyond it, a neon archway glows, opening into "Platform 4" — a hidden area of the 100-year-old building that had long been closed to the public. This long-abandoned train platform has been reopened as part of a special exhibition that opened on Sept. 30 to commemorate Seoul Station's centennial, under the theme “Seoul Station’s Past, Present and Future.” “It was really cool to see

Oct. 13, 2025

Korean YouTuber claims she was discriminated against at a New York McDonald’s

A Korean YouTuber who said she has lived in the US for more than six years as a permanent resident claimed she was racially discriminated against by staff at a McDonald’s in New York. Her Instagram post on Wednesday quickly went viral, garnering over 11.12 million views as of Sunday morning. In a video titled “Ordering McD in the US be like…,” she described the incident that occurred at a local McDonald’s in the US. “After moving to a small town in New York, where Asians make up less than 5 perc

Oct. 12, 2025

Hong Ra-hee, RM make list of most influential figures in Korean art market

The inaugural Korea Art Market Power 20 named the honorary director of Leeum Museum of Art, Hong Ra-hee, BTS' RM and artist Suh Do-ho among the list of 20 movers and shakers in the Korean art market Sunday. The Power 20 was released as part of the Korea Art Market Report 2025 compiled by the Paradise Cultural Foundation and the Seoul National University Business School, and features artists, collectors, museum directors, gallerists, critics and cultural influencers. The list was selected based o

Oct. 12, 2025