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Lotte Hotels & Resorts Gimhae becomes 1st 5-star family hotel in S. Gyeongsang Province
Lotte Hotels & Resorts Gimhae earned a five-star family hotel distinction from the Korea Tourism Association on Thursday. With this achievement, it has become the first family hotel in South Gyeongsang Province to receive a five-star rating. According to the Korea Tourism Association, a family hotel is defined as a type of accommodation designed for family travelers, offering rooms with cooking facilities and additional amenities such as dining, fitness, recreational or training facilities — all
April 25, 2025 -
Girls' Generation's Soo-young to make Hollywood debut in John Wick spinoff: sources
Choi Soo-young, a member of the iconic K-pop group Girls' Generation and a rising actress, is set to make her Hollywood debut in "Ballerina," a spinoff of the John Wick film franchise, industry sources said Friday. Soo-young will play the role of Katla in "Ballerina," which is scheduled to be released in North America on June 6, according to film industry sources. The film follows the story of Eve, a ballerina trained as an assassin, who embarks on a journey to avenge her murdered father. Set in
April 25, 2025 -
Popular British American series ‘Gangs of London’ returns, with Korean flair
The popular British American crime series "Gangs of London" is back with its much-anticipated third season — and this time, it's bringing a distinctly Korean flair. "Gangs of London" follows the stories of multinational crime organizations in London who clash for power after the head of the city's largest crime family is assassinated. The first two seasons of the series garnered significant popularity, with the show having clinched multiple British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards for
April 25, 2025 -
APMA offers rare chance to explore folk, royal paintings at once
The 19th century painting “Bookshelves” depicts books, stationery and a variety of antiques that one might have found on court bookshelves back then. It will take some time to appreciate each item, many of which have their own meaning, most popularly: prosperity. The painting, which functioned as a holding screen and was created by prominent court artist Yi Taek-gyun, is on view at the Amorepacific Museum of Art as part of “Beyond Joseon Minhwa.” It is the private museum’s third exhibition highl
April 25, 2025 -
Lotus lanterns to light up weekend
The annual Lotus Lantern Parade will take place over the weekend in central Seoul around Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, ahead of Buddha’s Birthday. The Saturday-Sunday parades will start in Heunginjimun, commonly known as Dondaemun, near Dongdaemun Station on Subway Line No. 4, moving west to Jonggak Station on Subway Line No. 1 and Jogyesa to the north. The Ven. Jinwoo, the Jogye president, will lead the procession, which will carry some 100,000 lanterns of colo
April 25, 2025 -
Royal historic sites free to enter on Children’s Day
Historic sites in Seoul, from royal palaces to tombs and a shrine, will offer free admission and interactive programs for children on Children’s Day, according to the Korea Heritage Service. On May 5, children aged 12 and under and their parents will have entry fees waived, regardless of nationality, at the four Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung. Free access extends to the Jongmyo royal shrine and the royal tombs in Seoul, Gyeonggi and G
April 25, 2025 -
Join the drawing contest at MMCA's sculpture park
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea presents its first drawing contest celebrating the month of May, Korea's family month. The drawing contest will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 3 at MMCA Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province. A total of 500 contenders will be invited to the museum’s sculpture park and given two drawing themes, to discover the museum's best parts and hidden scenes. Up to 400 participants may register in advance via the museum’s website starting Friday, with
April 25, 2025 -
Going ‘home’: Contested Buddha statue to return to Japan
A 14th-century Buddhist statue will travel from here to Japan on May 10 after Korea’s Supreme Court ruled it should be returned to the Japanese temple it was smuggled from, according to Japanese media outlets. The handover will take place when the head monk from Japan’s Kannonnji temple in Tsushima, Nagasaki prefecture, visits Buseoksa in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The Korean temple, believed to be the real owner of the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, maintains the relic
April 25, 2025 -
Hwang Dong-hyuk of 'Squid Game' clinches Creator Tribute Award at Gotham Television Awards
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the mastermind behind the global phenomenon “Squid Game,” will receive the Creator Tribute at the 2025 Gotham Television Awards. The Gotham Television Awards, held annually in New York City, is an American film ceremony that honors outstanding achievements in television. The Creator Tribute category celebrates visionary artists and creators who have significantly shaped and expanded the boundaries of television. “Since ‘Squid Game’'s breakout win at The Gotham Awards fo
April 25, 2025 -
Where are tourists heading for May holidays?
Domestic travel demand in South Korea has nearly doubled compared to the same period in 2024, ahead of the golden holiday period from May 1 to 6, according to the global travel platform Trip.com. Bookings for flights, accommodations and tours on its platform surged by 189 percent on-year for the upcoming holiday period. Hotel reservations soared 354 percent, the data showed. Trip.com attributed the surge in travel activity to the possibility of a six-day break, depending on how workers use their
April 25, 2025 -
ABT marks GS Arts Center's grand opening with 'tasting menu' from contemporary to classic
The American Ballet Theatre will mark the opening of the GS Arts Center in Seoul with a sweeping program of classical and contemporary works, highlighting the company’s wide-ranging mixed repertoire and artistic versatility. ABT has brought a company of 104 members, including 70 dancers — 16 of whom are principal dancers — to Korea for this highly anticipated engagement. The lineup also includes five Korean dancers: principal dancers Seo Hee and Ahn Joo-won, soloists Han Sung-woo and Park Sun-mi
April 25, 2025 -
Korean Canadian artist Zadie Xa shortlisted for Turner Prize 2025
Korean Canadian artist Zadie Xa has been nominated for the prestigious Turner Prize this year for her presentation at Sharjah Biennial 16, the Tate announced Wednesday. Xa is among four nominees, alongside British artist Rene Matic, Iraqi artist Sami Mohammad and London-based artist Nnena Kalu. An exhibition of the nominated artists’ works will be held at the Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford, England, from September this year to February 2026 as part of the Bradford 2025 UK City of Cultur
April 25, 2025 -
More than resting place for royals
A mother of two grade schoolers, Kim Moon-sook is an enthusiastic proponent of walking tours of royal Joseon tombs, some of which sit near her neighborhood in Guri, Gyeonggi Province. “I thought, ‘It’s a burial site, so what could be out there to keep us occupied?’ But it turns out that isn’t the case,” Kim said of her recent trip to Donggureung, or the East Nine Royal Tombs, a compound of nine graves of Joseon (1392-1910) kings and queens. “The vast compound is a place to clear your head. With
April 24, 2025 -
Huh Ga-young's 'First Summer' heads to Cannes
"First Summer," director Huh Ga-young's graduation film from the Korean Academy of Film Arts, has been selected for the Cinefondation section at the upcoming 78th Cannes Film Festival, the Korean Film Council said Wednesday. The short film, which pairs veteran actor Heo Jin with Jung In-ki, follows an elderly woman who begins to chart a new path for herself after having dedicated her life solely to her family. In interviews with local media, Huh described the work as a tribute to her grandmother
April 24, 2025 -
Lim Yunchan makes BBC awards history with Chopin etudes album
Pianist Lim Yunchan swept the three most prestigious categories at the BBC Music Magazine Awards in London -- recording of the year, newcomer of the year and the instrumental award -- all for his debut studio album “Chopin: Etudes,” released last year under the Decca Classics label, according to the organizer on Thursday. It marked the first time since the award's inception in 2006 that a single album has claimed all three titles. Even more unprecedented: a first-time winner in the newcomer cate
April 24, 2025