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Keeping memory alive
Gwangju’s battle to restore historic landmark nearly over GWANGJU -- In the heart of Gwangju, a decade-long struggle to preserve a site of immense historical significance is finally nearing its conclusion. The former South Jeolla Provincial Office, a key landmark of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, was partially demolished in 2015 before protests halted its destruction. Now, after years of fierce opposition, discussions and even a fire that threatened to derail restoration efforts, the proj
March 19, 2025 -
Templestay matchmaking program to open to foreigners
Jogye Order-run program to gradually increase foreign national participation Foreign nationals will be able to take part in Korea’s signature templestay matchmaking as early as April, according to the Korean Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare, which has been running templestay programs for singles since 2012. The foundation, run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the nation’s largest Buddhist sect, will hold the two-day program April 18-19 at Ssanggyesa, a temple in Hadong, South Gyeongs
March 19, 2025 -
Rising artist Lee Mi-re's performance work to debut at MMCA
Lee's 'Home to Come' to be performed at MMCA March 28 to 30 Lee Mi-re, one of South Korea's younger, rising artists, will showcase her first-ever performance work next week, extending her artistic practice that has centered on creating viscous kinetic installations to a new artistic realm. “Home to Come” will be performed March 28 to 30 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in Seoul. The title of the performance is identical to that of the album by musician Lee Min-hwi who
March 19, 2025 -
Looking for next generation of K-style
CICI holds video contest on 'sustainable K-style' The Corea Image Communication Institute is holding contests on "sustainable K-style" as part of the 16th annual Culture Communication Forum slated for June 12. The contest aims to discover innovative and creative ideas related to K-style that could shape the next wave of Hallyu, according to the organization. The competition is open to anyone residing in Korea. Applications should include ideas related to either music, food, film, drama, webtoons
March 19, 2025 -
Valorant Champions Tour to kick off Pacific Stage in Seoul this week
Winners of VCT Pacific Stage 1 to gain spots at Masters Toronto The Valorant Champions Tour, the global esports league for the first-person shooter game Valorant, is set to kick off its Pacific league competition in Seoul this Saturday. VCT Pacific Stage 1 will take place at the S-Plex Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, the same venue that hosted the Pacific stage when the VCT international league launched in 2023. Twelve teams will compete in a single round-robin format, divided into two gr
March 19, 2025 -
Korean box office slumps in Feb. amid lack of hit films
South Korea's box office saw sluggish performance last month, with ticket sales and attendance declining sharply year-on-year, data showed Wednesday. According to the Korean Film Council, total cinema attendance dropped 52.2 percent on-year to 5.47 million, while sales plummeted more than 60 percent to 26.3 billion won ($18.1 million), largely due to the absence of major hit movies. The comedy-action "Hitman 2" and the supernatural thriller "Dark Nuns," which were released around the Lunar New Y
March 19, 2025 -
'Little toad, little toad,' Venice Biennale's Korean Pavilion to explore rebirth
2025 marks 30th anniversary of Korean Pavilion As the Korean Pavilion marks its 30th anniversary this year since its construction in the Giardini, the waterfront park that serves as the main venue of the Venice Biennale, curators, artists and architects are set to gather at the site to reflect on the past and future of the national pavilion and beyond, as Venice Biennale faces many changes. The most prestigious international art and architecture biennale takes place every year, rotating between
March 18, 2025 -
KFPI to hold hansik contest in 13 countries
Competition to focus on creating dish using Korean jang As part of South Korea's initiative to expand the reach of "hansik," or Korean cuisine, the Korean Food Promotion Institute said Tuesday it would jointly host hansik cooking contests abroad with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and in collaboration with 13 overseas diplomatic missions. For this year's edition, the competition will focus on creating a dish using Korean jang, or fermented soy-based sauces, to celebrate its
March 18, 2025 -
Bbang for your buck? Trendy bakeries sampled
Do picture-perfect bites taste as good as they look? People often look for bakeries dubbed "matjib," places recommended on the internet or social media for great-tasting food, in search of perfect baked goods. Some bakeries boast a long line of customers who would not dream of getting their baked goods and coffee from anywhere else. But are these places worth the hype and wait? Here are the results of a taste test of four popular bakeries in Seoul. Soha Salt Pond A signature item at this Ikseon
March 18, 2025 -
First, oldest in Korea, Galleries Art Fair returns in April
Number of participating galleries will be the largest this year The Galleries Art Fair, Korea’s oldest art fair, will return in April with an unprecedented number of participating galleries. The 43rd edition of the art fair — started in 1979 and is run by the Galleries Association of Korea — will kick off April 16 at Coex in southern Seoul, with 168 galleries taking part, a 12 percent increase from last year. Participating galleries rose as more galleries joined the Galleries Association of Kore
March 17, 2025 -
Hanwha Life Esports crowned 2025 First Stand Tournament champion
Relatively new comer to LoL continues its winning streak since becoming the 2025 LCK Cup champion Hanwha Life Esports rose as the victor of the inaugural First Stand Tournament held in Seoul, continuing its winning streak since becoming the 2025 champion of the League of Legends Champions Korea Cup in February. The 2025 FST, which kicked off March 10 at LoL Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is the newest addition to Riot Games' professional LoL esports global events, alongside the World Championship and
March 17, 2025 -
AI video of late actor Kim Sae-ron sparks debate
An AI-generated video featuring late actress Kim Sae-ron was released online Friday, with the uploader claiming her family was behind it. Titled “A Memorial AI Video Created by Kim Sae-ron’s Family,” the video was uploaded Friday to the YouTube channel of Kwon Young-chan, head of the Korea Celebrity Suicide Prevention Association. According to the video’s description, it was provided by Kim’s family. In the video, an AI-generated version of Kim addresses her fans. "To everyone who loved and supp
March 17, 2025 -
MBC to minimize Kim Soo-hyun's scenes from 'Good Day' amid underage dating allegations
MBC said Monday it will edit out actor Kim Soo-hyun's scenes from its variety show "Good Day" as much as possible amid an ongoing controversy over his underage dating allegations. The "Queen of Tears" star has been under intense scrutiny since March 10, when a YouTube channel first raised the allegations that he dated late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor. "We are well aware of the seriousness of the controversy and have been closely monitoring viewer responses" it said, adding it will c
March 17, 2025 -
Building the future? Despite uncertainty, some international galleries expand in Seoul
Duarte Sequeira, Esther Schipper move to expanded spaces in Hannam-dong; Massimodecarlo represents Korean artist Hejum Ba Despite the prevailing cautious atmosphere in the Korean art scene amid the country's political turmoil and economic slowdown, some international galleries are pushing ahead with proactive decisions -- expanding their spaces and choosing to represent Korean artists here. Portuguese gallery Duarte Sequeira, which opened its space in Seoul in 2022 in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul,
March 16, 2025 -
Beyond TV shows, how Korea's grassroots dance events are elevating the scene
On March 8, an annual showcase brought together around 400 dancers, including professionals and trainees, who gave 17 performances over a period of four hours at the New Millennium Grand Theater at Konkuk University in Seoul. Each performance at Feedback Stage 2025, incorporating styles ranging from hip-hop and house to jazz and contemporary, was the product of three months of intense training and dedication, highlighting South Korea’s dynamic dance scene. The night celebrated four winners: Hash
March 15, 2025