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Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival unveils first line up for 20th anniversary edition
The Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, one of South Korea’s premier rock festivals, has unveiled the first names on this year's lineup, which features a blend of legendary acts and rising stars from around the globe. Pulp, the iconic Britpop band often referred to as one of the "Big Four" of the genre, is the headliner of the festival, which celebrates its 20th year this year. The upcoming performance marks Pulp’s first-ever concert in Korea. Formed in 1978, the band rose to prominence in the 1990
April 30, 2025 -
Neumeier’s ‘Camellias’ to bloom again in Seoul as its ‘best version yet’
Legendary choreographer John Neumeier’s “The Lady of the Camellias,” with which ballerina Kang Sue-jin became the first Asian dancer to win the Benois de la Danse award in 1999, will take the stage at the Seoul Arts Center, May 7-11. Neumeier and Kang, artistic director of The Korean National Ballet, have come together to create “the best possible version of this ballet that we can see right now.” “Ballet is an art of life,” said Neumeier during a press conference held Tuesday at the Seoul Arts
April 30, 2025 -
'Weak Hero: Class 2' tops Netflix's non-English series chart
"Weak Hero: Class 2," a drama focusing on school violence, topped Netflix's weekly non-English series chart, the streaming giant said Wednesday. Starring Park Ji-hoon, Ryeoun and Choi Min-yeoung and based on the popular webtoon of the same name, the Korean action drama garnered 6.1 million views for the week ending Sunday. Joining it in the top 10 were five other Korean TV series: "Heavenly Ever After" at No. 5, "Resident Playbook" at No. 6, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" at No. 7 and "The Hau
April 30, 2025 -
Jeonju Intl. Film Fest kicks off 26th edition with 224 films
The Jeonju International Film Festival, South Korea's premier platform for indie and art house cinema, kicks off Wednesday featuring 224 films from 57 countries. The 26th edition of the annual festival will begin its 10-day run with an opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. at the Sori Arts Center in Jeonju, located about 190 kilometers south of Seoul. Following the ceremony, the Romanian film "Kontinental '25," directed and written by Radu Jude, will open the festival, JIFF said. The comedy-drama film d
April 30, 2025 -
Interview: The dance, the company are 'truly one of a kind,' says BNE dancer Youn Sou-jung
When Youn Sou-jung first stepped into the audition room for the Ballet Nacional de Espana, artistic director Ruben Olmo knew immediately that she was special. “I fell in love. She has her own magnificent style. She’s one of the proud dancers of our company,” said Olmo during Monday's press conference for "Afanador." And for Youn, it was her dream come true, now a member of the corps de ballet, who started dancing at the age of three. "Since I was young, it was my dream to join BNE. I used to wat
April 29, 2025 -
14th century book stripped of treasure status after theft revealed
The Korea Heritage Service on Tuesday said it is revoking all administrative decisions related to the national treasure designation of the book Daemyeongryul (The Great Ming Code), due to the illegal acquisition of the ancient text by the museum director who applied for its designation. The decision to cancel the book’s status as a national treasure comes years after a 2022 court ruling confirmed that the text had been stolen and sentenced the museum director to three years in prison. A KHS subc
April 29, 2025 -
‘Afanador,’ flamenco reinvented, comes to Seoul
When we think of flamenco, certain images spring to mind: a dancer in a vivid, ruffled dress with skirt flying outward in a whirl of motion; sharp, dramatic arm movements and hands twisting elegantly through the air; heeled shoes striking the wooden floor in a rapid-fire rhythm of castanets. But the Ballet Nacional de Espana’s "Afanador," created in high-profile collaboration with Spanish contemporary choreographer Marcos Morau, offers a stark departure from these familiar images. Premiered in 2
April 29, 2025 -
BIFF unveils vision for 30th edition
The Busan International Film Festival, having announced its transition to a competitive festival, unveiled comprehensive plans and a vision for its upcoming 30th edition during a press conference Tuesday at the Busan Cinema Center. The festival, which is set to run from Sept. 17-26 in Busan, will focus on Asian films in its inaugural competition category. Last year, the festival announced its transition to a competitive format after operating as a non-competitive event since its 1996 founding. T
April 29, 2025 -
Netflix's 'The Devil’s Plan' returns with star-packed season 2
Netflix Korea’s beloved survival competition series "The Devil’s Plan" is set to return with a second season, featuring an expanded cast and evolved gameplay. "The Devil’s Plan," which premiered in 2023, quickly ascended Netflix’s global charts, debuting at No. 3 on the streamer’s Top 10 Non-English TV Shows list during its first week. The series, known for its cerebral gameplay and high production values, features contestants from diverse professional backgrounds competing in games that test st
April 29, 2025 -
As temperatures rise, hottest pianists are coming to town
Korea’s classical music scene will be ablaze with two of its brightest pianistic stars: Cho Seong-jin, already a household name on the global stage, embarks on a major release of his monumental Ravel project.
April 29, 2025 -
Music video featuring late actor Kim Sae-ron released
A music video featuring late actor Kim Sae-ron was released Monday, offering a final glimpse of her performance before her death earlier this year. Distributor CMNIX unveiled the music video for “A World Without Pain,” an original soundtrack from the upcoming film “Guitar Man.” In the video, uploaded on the company's YouTube channel Monday, Kim plays Yoo-jin, the film’s female lead. Director Lee Sun-jung of “Guitar Man” recalled Kim’s presence on set, saying, “Kim Sae-ron brought a lot of bright
April 29, 2025 -
Filmmaker Hong Sang-soo joins Cannes jury panel
Director Hong Sang-soo has been selected as a member of the Competition jury for the 78th Cannes Film Festival, according to the festival's website Tuesday. The prolific director-screenwriter joins eight other members on the prestigious jury, which includes American actress and filmmaker Halle Berry and Indian director and screenwriter Payal Kapadia. The festival described Hong as "a staple" of the festival for many years, adding that he "is evolving while remaining faithful to his cinema, which
April 29, 2025 -
Animation 'The King of Kings' becomes highest-grossing S. Korean film in US
"The King of Kings," a South Korean animation about the life of Jesus, has become the most popular ever South Korean film in the United States in terms of revenue, data showed Monday. The animation film has posted a combined $54.51 million in ticket sales at the US box office as of last week since its release on April 11, according to data compiled by its production company, Mofac Studios. The figure broke the previous record of $53.84 million set by Oscar-winning Korean director Bong Joon-ho's
April 28, 2025 -
Six years in storage, ‘Virus’ breaks free at last
The irony wasn't lost on anyone at Monday's press conference for the romantic comedy "Virus" -- a film about a fictional pathogen that causes people to fall madly in love was itself quarantined for nearly six years, due to a real pandemic that kept people apart. "Although there were many twists and turns leading up to the release, I'm thrilled we can finally present the film," director Kang Yi-kwan told reporters at Seoul's Yongsan CGV cinema on Monday. The film, which completed production in la
April 28, 2025 -
Jeon Min-chul wins top prize at ballet's Youth America Grand Prix
South Korean dancer Jeon Min-chul won the Grand Prix title at the 2025 Youth America Grand Prix, the world's largest student ballet competition in Tampa, Florida, on Friday. Jeon competed in the senior men's division held April 21-27 and was named the overall Grand Prix winner -- the highest award given across all divisions and age groups. Jeon performed a variation from "La Esmeralda" in the finals and Albrecht’s variation from "Giselle" in the semi-finals, a piece he had recently danced with t
April 28, 2025