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K-variety maestro Nah Yung-suk takes Netflix leap with 'Three Idiots in Kenya'
Entertainment powerhouse producer Nah Yung-suk is making his Netflix debut with “Three Idiots in Kenya,” reuniting beloved stars from his past hits like “2 Days & 1 Night.” With the new series, Nah says he’s intentionally tapping into a gap in Netflix’s Korean unscripted lineup -- namely, the lack of easygoing, light-touch variety shows. “Three Idiots in Kenya” pairs veteran variety show fixtures, including comedian Lee Soo-geun, rapper-TV personality Eun Ji-won and Super Junior’s Kyuhyun -- on
Nov. 25, 2025 -
Tributes pour in for Lee Soon-jae, including from Yoo Yeon-seok, Taeyeon
Tributes poured in from across the theater and entertainment industry following the news of veteran actor Lee Soon-jae’s death on Tuesday. Nah Yung-suk, the star producer behind the travel reality series "Grandpas Over Flowers" (2013-2018), in which Lee appeared, expressed his sorrow at a press event for a new program. “I hadn’t seen him in the past year due to his health," said Nah. "During our travels and in private, the thing he most often told us was that he wanted to stay on stage until the
Nov. 25, 2025 -
Holiday beauty goes bold
As beauty brands unveil their 2025 holiday collections, the season is shaping up to be a full-on makeup festival. This is the time of year when a little extra shimmer feels not just fitting, but essential. If you’re looking to refresh your holiday mood board, take a cue from Blackpink’s Jisoo, whose soft yet striking holiday look pairs eyes shaded in a mysterious blend of brown and gray with rosy cheeks that bloom naturally across the cheekbones — like the flush you get from a cold-weather walk.
Nov. 25, 2025 -
Obituary: Beloved ‘grandpa’ Lee Soon-jae’s life on stage, screen
Actor Lee Soon-jae, a towering figure in Korean entertainment and one of the nation’s longest-working performers, died Tuesday. He was 91. According to his family, Lee died early on Tuesday morning. Even in advanced age, Lee had continued to work across television, film and theater, remaining active until late 2024, when health problems forced him to withdraw midway through the run of the play “Waiting for Waiting for Godot.” His final screen appearance came in the KBS series “Dog Knows Everythi
Nov. 25, 2025 -
'My last chance': Eric Lu on overcoming pressure to win Chopin Competition on second try decade later
American pianist Eric Lu returned to the 2025 Chopin Competition 10 years after taking fourth prize, a move that fits a familiar story in classical music: artists coming back to one of the world’s toughest stages, pushed by ambition, pressure and a highly competitive field. “I felt that while my career was going well, it was not at the level that I have the ambitions for,” the 27-year-old pianist told reporters Monday in Seoul. But when the final results came out, Lu’s story took a turn. Instead
Nov. 25, 2025 -
Actor Lee Soon-jae dies at 91
Veteran actor Lee Soon-jae died Tuesday at the age of 91, his family said. Lee was one of South Korea’s most prolific and respected actors, appearing in about 140 major television dramas along with numerous films and stage productions over more than six decades. Born in 1934 in Hoeryong in what is now North Korea, Lee's family moved to Seoul before the 1950-53 Korean War. Lee began acting when he attended Seoul National University, making his debut with the play "Beyond the Horizon" in 1956. One
Nov. 25, 2025 -
'Squid Game' star Heo Sung-tae used to sell TVs for LG. And it shows.
If you followed the original "Squid Game" phenomenon a few years back, you could not Jang Deok-su, Player No. 101, the hulking gangster who terrorized fellow contestants with sociopathic calculation — a man who would orchestrate a riot just to thin the herd, who would ditch allies the moment they stopped being useful. The role made Heo Sung-tae the face of villainy, one that seemed to emerge fully formed from some primal casting instinct. But there is something curious about the man beyond the N
Nov. 24, 2025 -
Charlize Theron spotted in Hongdae
"Mad Max: Fury Road" star Charlize Theron was spotted in the streets of Hongdae, the capital's mecca of youth culture, known as a hub for fashion, food, music and culture. On Sunday, photos and videos under the title, "Seeing a Hollywood actress in real life," began circulating online. In the video, Theron can be seen with a girl who appears to be her daughter. The actor greets fans with a smile and gladly agrees to taking a photo when asked. Although Theron has not revealed any official plans i
Nov. 24, 2025 -
Everland ushers in early holiday season with Christmas Fantasy festival
Everland's annual winter program launches Friday, bringing festive parades, themed performances and seasonal attractions to its Christmas Fantasy festival through Dec. 31. The park’s main Christmas parade — a 30-minute procession featuring Santa, Rudolph and dancers moving to holiday classics — returns with updated floats sporting trees, sleighs and cakes. Nighttime programming includes a new “K-Pop Demon Hunters Sing-along Fireworks Show,” created in collaboration with Netflix. Family-friendly
Nov. 24, 2025 -
Korean dictionary manuscripts, Naebang-gasa in bid for UNESCO listing
The Korea Heritage Service has submitted nomination dossiers for the Manuscripts of the Modern Korean Language Dictionaries and Naebang-gasa: Songs of the Inner Chambers to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, the agency said Monday. The applications were delivered to the UNESCO Memory of the World Secretariat on Friday. Both documentary heritage items were endorsed as Korea’s official candidates on Sept. 19 by the Korean National Committee for the Memory of the World. The records will under
Nov. 24, 2025 -
Suryeonhoe, uniforms, yaja: Cultural code behind K-school dramas
The hallways of adolescence have always been fertile ground for storytelling. Teen dramas are produced almost everywhere, but Korea injects its own cultural DNA into the genre. In K-school dramas, settings like yaja (night study sessions) and suryeonhoe (school retreats) often double as narrative engines. For international viewers, these unfamiliar rituals can feel opaque, but in Korea, they’re key dramatic accelerators. Suryeonhoe, or school retreats, are a cornerstone of Korean adolescence --
Nov. 24, 2025 -
Musinsa launches new platform for K-culture products
Fashion platform Musinsa has launched K-Konnect, a new service dedicated to K-pop and K-culture merchandise, including artist collaborations, fashion items, albums and event tickets, the company said Monday. Rolled out in November, K-Konnect brings together products created in collaboration with K-pop artists, influencers and global celebrities under a single, fandom-focused category. The name reflects Musinsa’s aim to “connect” Korea’s trend-driven culture with fans worldwide. The launch builds
Nov. 24, 2025 -
Bora Chung scares again with ghostly ‘Midnight Timetable’ that haunts, questions society
Bora Chung, whose “Cursed Bunny” became an international sensation after landing on the International Booker shortlist, is ready to give readers another fright with a new collection of ghost stories. While the 2022 Booker spotlight led to a flurry of renewed interest in her earlier work, Chung’s latest collection, “Midnight Timetable,” offers entirely new stories. Published in Korean shortly after the nomination, the book has now been released in the US, UK and Australia, with rights sold to mor
Nov. 24, 2025 -
After ‘Gat,’ Yunbyul Ballet Company brings holiday cheer with ‘Black & White’
For those seeking a festive night of dance and fresh new works, the upcoming ballet gala "Black & White" promises both, says Yun Byul, artistic director of Yunbyul Ballet Company. Co-produced by the Mapo Art Center and the ballet company as its 2025 year-end celebration, the gala invites audiences to enjoy a night of dance with the festive spirit of a holiday party on Dec. 10 and 11. The program features eight works — from classical pieces such as "Swan Lake" and "Don Quixote" to four original c
Nov. 24, 2025 -
Joan Jonas unveils first Korean museum exhibition at Nam June Paik Art Center
American artist Joan Jonas, a seminal figure who fuses video, performance and drawing into a new visual language, has opened her first museum exhibition in Korea at the Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The exhibition, “Joan Jonas: The More-than-Human World,” opened Thursday at the museum — the world’s only institution dedicated to the late Korean artist Nam June Paik. Jonas received the eighth Nam June Paik Prize last year, and the exhibition is presented as part of the pri
Nov. 23, 2025