A Taste of Britain in Seoul Tucked away in an Euljiro alley, where old buildings, high-rise towers, and a variety of eateries coexist, there’s a cozy, inviting space that’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. Follow a small, modest sign, climb a narrow staircase, and you’ll find yourself in a warm and homey cafe. Cafe Eulji Lewis is run by Lewis, the British owner, together with his Korean wife. The red-toned wallpaper, curtains, and a collection of vintage ornam

Culture Dec. 13, 2024

Nationwide protests calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment have brought a notable change from previous demonstrations: a connection across generations through music. Recent protests have seen a wide range of music transcending generational boundaries. Shared through platforms like YouTube and X, the so-called "protest playlist" includes everything from K-pop hits beloved by younger Koreans, to traditional protest songs that were the anthems of the democratization moveme

Social Affairs Dec. 12, 2024

The 17-year veteran band Daybreak has returned with a new album that captures the past, present, and future of the band, infused with their enduring passion. The band's 3rd mini album, “Semicolon,” is its first album since their 2016 full-length 4th album, “With.” In the interim, the band had been active through collaborations with other artists and the release of singles. The title “Semicolon” reflects the punctuation mark’s role in adding to a sen

K-pop Dec. 12, 2024

Big Ocean, the world's first idol group composed of members with hearing impairments, is set to hold its first solo concert. The trio -- Chanyeon, Hyunjin and Jiseok -- announced via the group's official social media channels that they will hold the first solo concert under the banner of “Follow” on March 9, 2025, at the Toyota City Cultural Hall in Nagoya, Japan. “Follow” is also the name of Big Ocean’s first mini album. The group is preparing not only to

Performance Dec. 12, 2024

Veteran boy group Infinite, set to mark its 15th debut anniversary next year, kicked off its Asia concert tour, promising fans an even brighter future together. The six-member group held their 15th-anniversary concert “Limited Edition” from Friday to Sunday, at KSPO Dome located in Seoul Olympic Park, drawing over 30,000 spectators over three days. With a powerful live band session filling the venue, the sextet made a grand entrance, descending a massive staircase from the ceiling, a

K-pop Dec. 9, 2024

The motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol failed in the National Assembly on Saturday, as all but three of the 108 members of the ruling People’s Power Party, abstained from voting. The decision sparked widespread fury and frustration among overseas Koreans, who have directed their anger at the ruling party. “I feel profound sadness,” Sun-ju Bully-Noh, who teaches Korean at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. "I cannot understand why opinions are so divided in

Politics Dec. 7, 2024

Amid the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's emergency martial law declaration on Tuesday night, the film "12.12: The Day" has surged to the top of Netflix’s movie rankings, drawing renewed attention for its historical themes. As of Friday, "12.12: The Day" claimed the No. 1 spot among Netflix’s popular films, overtaking newer releases like "Pilot" and "Because I Hate Korea." Released over a year ago, on Nov. 22, the movie has newfound

Film Dec. 6, 2024

The Boyz have officially secured their group name after their former agency, IST Entertainment, reached a final agreement on trademark rights with their new agency, One Hundred Label. One Hundred Label announced Thursday that they had concluded negotiations with IST Entertainment, achieving a resolution. “We have set aside past grievances and had open, honest discussions, prioritizing The Boyz and their fans in reaching a resolution that benefits everyone. We sincerely thank IST Entertainm

K-pop Dec. 6, 2024

A documentary film chronicling the making of BTS leader RM's solo album was released Thursday in theaters in 110 countries, including Korea. The film "RM: Right People, Wrong Place" captures the eight-month journey behind RM’s second solo album, "Right Place, Wrong Person." It offers an intimate look at RM navigating the multiple roles of BTS' leader, solo artist and an ordinary man named Kim Nam-joon. Directed by Lee Seok-jun, the documentary also features th

Film Dec. 5, 2024

Boy group The Boyz is the latest in the long list of groups that face trademark disputes over their name. The Boyz, which recently moved to One Hundred Label after its contract with IST Entertainment ended, might not be able to use its name. On Wednesday night, One Hundred Label announced that negotiations with IST Entertainment over the trademark had broken down, citing “unreasonable negotiation conditions” from IST as the reason. “We have done our utmost to negotiate regardin

K-pop Dec. 5, 2024

As South Koreans reeled from the political drama prompted Tuesday night by President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law, various celebrities raised their voices, expressing concern over the turmoil. Actor Park Ho-san took to social media Wednesday morning after Yoon lifted the martial law, writing, “Last night felt like stepping into a time machine back to the 1980s, a time when dissent against those in power would lead to accusations of being a communist sympathizer. I couldn

Culture Dec. 4, 2024

Schedules of performances and interviews in South Korea have been thrown into a state of uncertainty by a sudden martial law declaration that was lifted only a few hours later. On Wednesday morning, the promotional team for the Netflix series “The Trunk” announced that the media interview with actress Seo Hyun-jin, which was originally set to take place from 11 a.m. Wednesday in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, was rescheduled to Friday. Interviews with other cast members, including

Culture Dec. 4, 2024

The girl group GFriend is making a highly anticipated return after four years with a special album and concert. GFriend will reunite to release a special album, "Season of Memories," on Jan. 13, commemorating the group's 10th debut anniversary. This marks their first group activity since the members' contract with Source Music ended four years ago. According to Source Music, the six-member group’s special album "Season of Memories" will drop on Jan. 13 at 6 p.

Performance Dec. 2, 2024

NCT Dream successfully wrapped up its third world tour with all seven members onstage, including Renjun who returned from hiatus. The final performance of "The Dream Show 3: Dream Scape Finale in Seoul" took place Sunday at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Throughout the three-show finale concert series, which ran from Friday to Sunday, a total of 60,000 fans attended, showcasing the group’s immense popularity. As the central stage screen opened like a massive door and the members

Performance Dec. 2, 2024

After months of speculation, (G)I-dle officially announced the renewal of their contracts with Cube Entertainment as a full unit, during the 2024 Melon Music Awards (MMA) held at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, Saturday. The group also swept five major awards at the event, including Record of the Year, Artist of the Year, KakaoBank Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Rookie of the Year. During their acceptance speech, leader Soyeon directly addressed rumors about the group’s disbandment.

K-pop Dec. 1, 2024