-
Korea Heritage Service challenges Seoul City following UNESCO Jongmyo warning
The Korea Heritage Service on Monday announced a series of countermeasures to protect Jongmyo, escalating its confrontation with the Seoul Metropolitan Government over high-rise redevelopment planned near the UNESCO World Heritage site. Jongmyo, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995, enshrines the ancestral tablets of kings and queens from the Joseon period (1392-1910), and remains the most important Confucian royal shrine in Korea. Its historical landscape and unobstructed sightli
Nov. 17, 2025 -
'Kokuho' director Lee Sang-il wants you to stop making it about identity
"Don't take it so seriously," Lee Sang-il says, waving off questions about what it means for a Zainichi Korean director to have made Japan's biggest film of the year. The numbers tell one story: "Kokuho" has pulled in over 12 million viewers since June, earning 17 billion yen ($110 million) and becoming 2025's singular phenomenon in Japanese cinema. The film is all but certain to dethrone "Bayside Shakedown 2" (2003) in the coming weeks to become the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film of
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Long-lost Gustav Klimt 'Christmas gift' to travel to Seoul for first time
Austrian symbolist master Gustav Klimt’s long-lost painting “Portrait of a Lady” will be shown in Seoul — for the first time outside Italy — since it was found in 2019 after having gone missing for 23 years. The missing painting was discovered in December 2019 in a black garbage bag that was tucked behind a metal panel on the exterior wall of the museum’s garden. When it was found, the incident quickly drew global attention, with some celebrating it as a "Christmas present." The identity of the
Nov. 17, 2025 -
The unexpected rise of the ajumma vest
In fashion, essentially anything can become a trend. Once thought of as a purely practical layer worn by older women on kimjang day — the annual family marathon of making huge batches of kimchi — the kimjang vest has made an unlikely leap into the style spotlight. Big-name celebrities like Jennie of Blackpink and Karina of aespa have been spotted in the vibrant vests. Kimjang vests are traditionally quilted and often decked out in bright colors and floral patterns. The recent trend has grown so
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Kim Hyang-hwa, who led gisaeng protest against Japanese rule, honored in commemorative video
Kim Hyang-hwa, who led one of the protests against Japanese colonial rule in 1919, has been featured in a multi-language video created in a project led by actress Song Hye-kyo and liberal arts professor Seo Kyoung-duk. According to Seo's Facebook page, the four-minute video was sponsored by Song and has been released with Korean and English narration. The video shows how Kim and some 30 "gisaengs" — female entertainers of the Joseon Dynasty who performed at banquettes and high-profile bars — par
Nov. 17, 2025 -
From ramyeon to chimaek, K-dramas’ real love language is food
In K-dramas, food often operates as its own kind of language — a conversational channel that runs parallel to dialogue and, at times, speaks louder than it. From late-night ramyeon to after-work chimaek (chicken and beer), food in K-dramas does more than fill screen time; it functions as a kind of on-screen tell, revealing what characters can’t articulate. K-dramas thread the country's everyday food culture into the fabric of their storytelling, using familiar touches — a shared pot of noodles,
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Godeungeo jorim, spicy-savory Korean fish stew
By Korean Food Promotion Institute Godeungeojorim is a beloved Korean comfort dish that brings together tender fish, hearty vegetables and a rich, spicy-sweet sauce. Traditionally made with mackerel, this braised dish beautifully balances the deep umami of soy sauce and gochujang with the freshness of chili peppers and green onion. Serve it steaming hot over a bowl of rice for a wholesome, flavorful meal. For a milder version, adjust the chili level or replace the spicy paste with soy sauce for
Nov. 17, 2025 -
Korean travel to Southeast Asia takes a hit amid Cambodia trafficking crisis
Korean travelers are pulling back from Southeast Asia amid growing reports of scams and kidnappings in Cambodia. In October, the number of travelers flying from South Korea to Southeast Asian countries dropped sharply, with Cambodia seeing the steepest fall. According to passenger statistics released Sunday by Incheon International Airport Corporation, departures to Southeast Asia declined by 7.25 percent from the previous month (to 784,962 travelers). Cambodia alone saw a 15.4 percent drop, fro
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Seoul Auction aims to revive market with first-ever 'Evening Sale'
Seoul Auction will hold its largest auction block in 17 years as a breakthrough for the sluggish art market. The two-day auction from Nov. 24 to 25 will feature artworks valued at 29 billion won ($20 million) in total. The first auction event, “Evening Sale: Eternal Emotion,” on Nov. 24 will put 26 masterpieces by modern and contemporary artists up for sale, with combined starting prices totaling 27 billion won. It is the first time Seoul Auction has held a dedicated auction for masterpieces. “A
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Busan’s Bupyeong Kkangtong Market offers regional flavors, new twists on classics
BUSAN — In the narrow alleys of Bupyeong Kkangtong Market in Jung-gu, Busan, fluorescent lights hum above metal stalls, steam clouds rise from simmering pots and the scent of frying batter mingles with the salty ocean breeze. For decades, this market — known affectionately as “Kkangtong,” meaning “tin can” — has been a gathering point for locals and travelers hungry for both flavor and nostalgia. A market born from history The curious nickname dates back to the 1950-1953 Korean War, when America
Nov. 15, 2025 -
'Hallan' takes Jeju's largely forgotten massacre to the screen
Jeju Island draws millions of tourists each year. They come for the cherry blossoms and volcanic beaches, the UNESCO-designated heritage sites and swanky honeymoon resorts. What most visitors don't know is that the island's soil holds the remains of over 30,000 people killed between 1947 and 1954 — by some estimates, roughly 10 percent of the island's population at the time. The Jeju 4.3 Incident — the term used to describe this period of violence — started as an uprising against plans to hold s
Nov. 15, 2025 -
Faith in the age of Gen Z: South Korea's religions turn to avatars, acoustics and pop culture
A young Buddhist nun, Catholic priest and Protestant pastor recently appeared on tvN's popular variety show "You Quiz on the Block." Between laughter, filming social media challenges and dancing to the viral "KPop Demon Hunters" song “Soda Pop,” they spoke about how hard it is to avoid K-pop. Their cheerful appearance contrasted sharply with an earlier episode, in which senior clerics discussed doctrine and inter-religious dialogue in hushed tones. More young South Koreans are identifying as ath
Nov. 15, 2025 -
The splendor and emptiness of 'Kokuho'
Stories about artists willing to give up everything for their work— family, fortune, their very selves — have a peculiar hold on us. From "A Star is Born" (1937) and "The Red Shoes" (1948) to "Whiplash" (2014) and "The Brutalist" (2024), these tales keep drawing audiences back, perhaps because there's something inherently mesmerizing about watching people burn themselves out to shine their brightest. "Kokuho" — which translates to "national treasure," the title bestowed by the Japanese governmen
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Lee Kun-hee collection makes Smithsonian debut after US govt. shutdown delay
The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington opens its doors Saturday to unveil a landmark exhibition of Korean masterworks collected by the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee. The show is starting one week behind schedule after a US federal government shutdown temporarily closed the museum. "Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared" marks the first time the collections of the late Samsung chairman have traveled outside Korea. It features about 200 objects spanning fro
Nov. 14, 2025 -
Festivals, sights across Korea
The Nowon Moonlight Walk runs daily through Nov. 16 along a 2-kilometer stretch of Danghyeon Stream in Nowon-gu, Seoul. This year's theme, “Moon for All,” explores how the universal symbol of the moon connects individual stories to collective light. The outdoor gallery features more than 30 illuminated artworks and media installations by 18 artist teams from Korea, the Netherlands and Taiwan. Highlights include hanji lanterns, light sculptures, nightly guided Moonlight Tours (7:30-8:30 p.m.), we
Nov. 14, 2025