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In Korea, viewers are loving low-budget dating reality show over ‘Squid Game 2’
Featuring ordinary people, 'I’m Solo, Love Forever' soars to No. 1 on Netflix Korea “I’m Solo, Love Forever,” a low-budget show without a single celebrity cast member, has soared to the No. 1 spot on Netflix Korea as of Sunday, surpassing the globally popular “Squid Game 2.” The Korean dating show, a spin-off of SBS’ “I’m Solo,” presents a hyperrealistic portrayal of singles navigating the challenges of finding a partner. In this sequel, cast members who previously failed to find love on "I’m So
Jan. 5, 2025 -
In "Time to Be Strong," former K-pop stars find path to healing
Indie gem captures the healing journey of three burnt-out idols The K-pop industry's harsh toll on artists has prompted exposures of life behind the glory -- exploitative contracts, grueling training, body-shaming and psychological trauma that lingers long after the curtain falls. Korean cinema has largely skirted the issue, until "Time to Be Strong" zeroed in. Fresh from a hat trick at May's Jeonju International Film Festival -- which included the Grand Prix and Best Actor awards -- director Na
Jan. 5, 2025 -
ARKO Selection kicks off 17th performing arts season
Starting in January, six productions will kick off performances for the 17th edition of Arts Council Korea’s annual performing arts support project, ARKO Selection, featuring 31 new works this year around the Daehangno area. The project, set up to foster creative expression, supports performing arts from theater to musicals, dance, music, opera and traditional Korean arts. Leading the lineup is the musical “Unsung Hero” (Jan. 3–12 at Seokyeong Square), a martial arts fantasy set during the Imjin
Jan. 5, 2025 -
KBS drama crew flogged over UNESCO site damage
Police probe nail hammering into pavilion in Andong A KBS drama production team faces criticism as police look into unauthorized nail hammering that damaged a historic pavilion at a UNESCO-designated site. The police complaint, filed last week by a private citizen, alleges that the crew violated the law by hammering nails into Mandaeru at Byeongsanseowon, a 17th-century Confucian school in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. In a public apology, KBS said it would cooperate with the probe and work
Jan. 5, 2025 -
Director of 'Squid Game' 2 expected criticism
Reflecting on modern society, Hwang Dong-hyuk emphasizes anger should be aimed “upward” — at masterminds behind system The second season of Netflix’s global juggernaut "Squid Game" has sparked debate since its release, dividing critics and fans alike. While the show remains the talk of the town, its sequel to the groundbreaking original has faced both accolades and backlash. A week into its debut, murmurs of discontent have arisen, with detractors lamenting a perceived stagnation in storytelling
Jan. 5, 2025 -
Lee Jung-jae discusses weight of returning to 'Squid Game' set, seismic changes of Gi-hun
Actor-director says he is working on a script, with plans to develop new film as Korean-American production “Squid Game” has once again seized the world’s attention, with its highly anticipated second season sparking conversations around watercoolers worldwide. The latest installment logged 487 million hours viewed in its debut week, toppling the 448.73 million-hour benchmark set by season one's first week back in September 2021. At the heart of the saga is Lee Jung-jae, the lead whose portrayal
Jan. 5, 2025 -
Secluded retreat that screams ultra-exclusive
A Hyundai Development Company residence starts at $10,000 a night High-end residences thrive on exclusivity. Since 2011, Piet Boon House at Oak Valley -- a resort complex in Wonju, Gangwon Province, that boasts the country’s largest golf course along with ski slopes -- is a private getaway frequented by a small but steady circle of high-net-worth individuals. The upscale clientele have their every whim catered to at Piet Boon House, a three-story residence that charges them over $10,000 per nigh
Jan. 4, 2025 -
Taste of North Korean-style dumpling soup at Seosulla-gil
Tranquil stone-walled path in heart of Seoul lined with gamut of restaurants, bars and cafes Head to Seosulla-gil, a serene and idyllic stone-walled route in Jongno-gu in the heart of Seoul, where old meets new and you will see restaurants, bars and cafes next to jewelers and their workshops. While wandering around the path surrounded by lush greenery, stop by at Kaesung for a bowl of piping hot North Korean dumpling soup. As the name suggests, the restaurant serves food in the style of Kaesong
Jan. 4, 2025 -
Architecture seen in different context through video art at SeMA
When it comes to architecture, one might think only of spatial structures and building design. The exhibition at Nam-Seoul Museum of Art expands on such perceptions, offering a view that emphasizes cultural context through video art. “Frames of Architecture” shows video works created by architects or artists, each reflecting different themes relating to architecture. Among the eight featured artists, architects and collectives is New York-based architecture studio MOS Architects, whose strength
Jan. 3, 2025 -
2025 travel trends: ESG, digital detox and nocturnal tourism
Environmental, social and governance considerations, digital detoxing and nocturnal tourism are set to define global travel trends in 2025. According to the Pacific Asia Travel Association, ESG will continue to play a larger role in the global tourism market as more travelers seek to minimize their environmental impact. "Sustainable travel continues to grow, with travelers becoming more aware of their environmental footprint and actively seeking ways to reduce their carbon impact," PATA said in
Jan. 3, 2025 -
Meet future of Korean classical music
Kumho Cultural Foundation announces this year's 'rising stars' The Kumho Cultural Foundation on Friday announced the five promising musicians selected for its Kumho Rising Star Series in 2025, which presents promising talents likely to lead Korea's classical music scene. This year's edition will feature pianists Kim Song-hyeon and Sun Youl, violinists Park Sue-ye and Kim Seo-hyun, and recorder player Bang Ji-yeon. These rising stars will present their performance in the first quarter of the year
Jan. 3, 2025 -
Korea's webtoon industry surpasses W2T in market size for the first time
Webstoon Industry Survey shows illegal activities also persist The domestic webtoon industry has surpassed 2 trillion won ($1.36 billion) in market size for the first time. Meanwhile, the illegal webtoon market is estimated at 446.5 billion won, approximately 20 percent of the legitimate webtoon market. On Thursday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency published the 2024 Webtoon Industry Survey, highlighting these findings. In 2023, the webtoon indust
Jan. 3, 2025 -
MMCA records most ever foreign visitors in 2024
The number of visitors from abroad to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea marked a record-high last year, reaching 220,000, rising 36 percent from just before the pandemic in 2019. The museum that runs four venues ― to main Seoul location, at the palace Deoksugung near Seoul City Hall, Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province and Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province ― opened 20 exhibitions last year, attracting the highest number of foreign visitors since the main Seoul venue opened
Jan. 3, 2025 -
KBS reported to police for damaging UNESCO cultural heritage site
Korean Broadcasting System was reported to the police Friday following allegations of damaging a UNESCO world heritage site during a filming session. A complaint titled "KBS drama production team’s cultural heritage damage incident" was filed through the National Petition Service portal just after midnight on Friday, accusing a production team of violating the enforcement decree of the Act on Conservation and Utilization of Cultural Heritage. The complaint detailed how the team had left nail mar
Jan. 3, 2025 -
Packages and promotions
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul launches business lunches Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is offering a new midweek business lunch, available at its restaurants Jan. 6 - March 31. At Yu Yuan, the lunch set includes two appetizers, three signature dim sum dishes, and a choice of main courses such as Sichuan-style pork mapo tofu, seafood noodle soup and king crab fried rice. The set, priced at 99,000 won ($67.27) per person, can be upgraded with Yu Yuan’s signature Peking duck for an additional 35,000 won. At A
Jan. 3, 2025