Seoul to host first-ever First Stand Tournament this month

First Stand Tournament newly joins Riot Games' lineup of global League of Legends competitions Seoul is set to host First Stand Tournament 2025, a newly lauching international League of Legends esports competition organized by Riot Games, this month. The tournament kicks off March 10 at LoL Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and runs for six days. First Stand Tournament will join the World Championship and Mid-Season Invitational as one of the professional LoL esports' global events. Five teams represent

March 4, 2025

While in Korea, how about fortunetelling?

Modern saju cafes emerge as unique tourist experience for visitors seeking something special in Seoul Joy Bunch, a 26-year-old American artist, had a reading done by a professional fortuneteller for the first time in her life during a weeklong trip to South Korea while visiting a “saju cafe” in Seoul. “It seemed interesting, and I kind of wanted to try it. Since I was coming to Korea for a short time, I thought it would be a fun experience,” Bunch told The Korea Herald at the location in Hongdae

March 4, 2025

Artists bring attention to the unnoticed

Wael Shawky and Koen van den Broek's solo exhibitions in Seoul arouse curiosity in what we often miss in ordinary life Artists reinterpret the world around them through their own visual language — whether it be everyday objects, historical events, people, or the environment. Through this process, audiences are invited to reflect on the subjects presented and the artists’ intentions behind their expressions. Two newly opened exhibitions in Seoul, at Barakat Contemporary and Gallery Baton, present

March 2, 2025

How high can K-beauty rise?

German, French, US brands embrace Korean skincare philosophy K-beauty, known for its innovative formulations and meticulous skincare rituals, was once exclusively the domain of Korean brands. Now, an influx of companies across the globe are adopting K-beauty industry philosophies and branding methods, further solidifying Korea’s influence in the global cosmetics market. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korea’s cosmetics exports hit a record $10.2 billion in 2024. With the sprea

March 2, 2025

N. Korea's Mount Paektu to be designated as UNESCO Global Geopark

The North Korean side of Mount Paektu, an active stratovolcano on the North Korean-Chinese border, is expected to be designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark next month, sources said Sunday. UNESCO said its executive board is set to meet from April 2-17 to review 16 sites for Global Geopark designation, including Mount Paektu. The session follows the UNESCO Global Geopark Council's proposal to endorse those sites as Global Geopark networks. The executive board typically endorses Geopark designation

March 2, 2025

Royal signboard revealed to public after being lost for century

The signboard that hung on the now-gone royal Seonwonjeon Hall was unveiled to the public Thursday after the authorities brought the 19th-century historical artifact back to Gyungbokgung. The Korea Heritage Service and the government-affiliated Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation revealed the signboard at 10 a.m. at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, located inside the main Joseon-era palace. The current location of the museum — where the signboard will be

March 1, 2025

How culturally diverse do South Koreans believe their society is?

Survey shows South Koreans think Korea is halfway there A recent survey revealed that South Koreans perceive their society’s cultural diversity as just above the halfway mark on a 100-point scale, suggesting that awareness and acceptance of diverse cultural elements are still developing. According to the 2024 Cultural Diversity Survey, jointly conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute and Statistics Korea, South Koreans rated the country's

Feb. 28, 2025

They weren’t Korean, but they still gave everything for Korea’s independence

Films and drama series set during the Japanese colonial period from 1910 to 1945 often feature people from overseas who join Korea's independence movement. Are these activists for Korea's independence from overseas purely fictional characters, created for dramatic effect, or are they rooted in historical fact?

Feb. 28, 2025

Fendi collaboration with Korean artisan draws 'cultural appropriation' claims on Chinese social media

Italian luxury brand Fendi has faced accusations of "cultural appropriation" from Chinese consumers after collaborating with a Korean master artisan, Kim Eun-young, on a handbag collection. The controversy centers around Fendi’s collaboration with Kim, a master of "maedeup" or traditional Korean knotting, on its Baguette bag. The handbag, launched in November 2024 as part of Fendi’s global "Hand in Hand" campaign, incorporates Korean knotting techniques, specifically the "mangsu" pattern, tradit

Feb. 28, 2025

Spruce up your home for spring

Seoul Living Design Fair at Coex brings together 501 leading lifestyle, interior design brands from Korea and overseas Look around your home for a minute -- from your bedrooms and kitchen to the bathrooms -- is it looking a little dull now in the last days of winter? Rearranging your furniture could give your rooms a whole new vibe, or you could freshen things up by adding fresh flowers or stylish updates. With spring about to blossom, if you're seeking to refresh your home, there is no shortage

Feb. 27, 2025

Korean box office surges in Jan. driven by holiday hits

The number of moviegoers surged in January, driven by the release of several hit films and an extended Lunar New Year holiday, data showed Thursday. According to the Korea Film Council, total cinema attendance rose 46.8 percent on-year to 6.8 million, while sales increased 45.1 percent to 65.3 billion won ($45.5 million). KOFIC partly credited the growth to the success of the historical epic "Harbin," which drew 2.07 million moviegoers in January. Other Korean films, including the comedy-action

Feb. 27, 2025

[Obituary] Jeong Su-il, ex-North Korean spy turned Silk Road scholar, dies at 90

Once a deep-cover North Korean spy disguised as Lebanese national 'Muhammad Kansu,' Jeong ultimately found redemption in South Korea as a leading expert on the Silk Road Jeong Su-il, a former North Korean spy who later became a leading expert on the Silk Road in South Korea, has died at the age of 90. Once known as Lebanese national "Muhammad Kansu," the alias he used to operate covertly in South Korea, Jeong’s life spanned espionage, imprisonment and eventual redemption as a scholar of global c

Feb. 26, 2025

Leeum Museum of Art unveils newly acquired works with focus on sculpture

Along with a new permanent exhibition, the museum is showing Pierre Huyghe's first Asia exhibition 'Liminal' The Leeum Museum of Art has unveiled a permanent exhibition of its modern and contemporary art collection, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Samsung Foundation of Culture. “The newly opened exhibition focuses on sculpture. More than half of the works on display are being shown to the public for the first time,” said Kim Sung-won, deputy director of the museum. The exhibition “Leeum

Feb. 26, 2025

Webtoon's mixed Q4 results: revenue up, profits down

Leading webcomics platform sees mixed fortunes in global markets amid expansion hurdles and post-IPO cost increases Webtoon Entertainment Inc., the global arm of South Korea's webcomics platform Naver Webtoon, posted mixed financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024 during Tuesday's earnings call. The company reported revenue growth of 5.6 percent to $352.8 million while net losses widened to $102.6 million, up from $95.3 million last year. Revenue growth looks more favorable at 10.4 percen

Feb. 26, 2025

K-pop still reigns, K-food gains momentum

Global Hallyu trend report shows interest expanding beyond BTS and Blackpink to kimchi, mukbang and Buldak Ramen While K-pop and K-dramas lead the pack in popularity, Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, now encompasses food, film and more, an annual study showed Tuesday. “Global Hallyu Trends Analysis,” released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Korea Culture and Information Service, comprehensively analyzed global Hallyu trends from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 202

Feb. 25, 2025