Korean religious groups offer condolences, aid after Nepal-Tibet floods

South Korea's major religious communities have expressed condolences and announced emergency relief plans after devastating floods and landslides struck the Himalayan border region between Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Wednesday. The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul and the National Council of Churches in Korea all issued statements on Thursday and Friday, offering prayers for the dead and the swift rescue of survivors. The disaster, centered

2026-08-28 12:51:46:00

South Korea's ticket scalping crackdown: What changes on Friday

South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Friday began enforcing sweeping anti-scalping regulations that expose ticket resellers to administrative penalties of up to 50 times their total sales and introduce cash rewards for tipsters who report violations. The enforcement decrees, which are amendments to the Performance Act Enforcement Decree and the National Sports Promotion Act Enforcement Decree, took effect Friday, six months after the parent statutes were revised in February.

2026-08-28 11:57:10:00

Pianist Kim Saehyun looks beyond virtuosity after Long-Thibaud win

For 19-year-old pianist Kim Saehyun, the year since his Long-Thibaud Competition victory has been a period of rapid expansion, both in music and beyond it. In 2025, at 17, he won the competition in Paris by unanimous decision, sweeping the audience, press jury and Paris prizes as well. About a month later, he performed at a peace concert marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day at the Arc de Triomphe. Since then, he has toured internationally while pursuing bachelor's and master's d

2026-08-25 15:06:48:00

Changgeuk festival returns with diverse world of music theater

The World Traditional Opera Festival returns for a second season on Sept. 3, bringing together six domestic productions and two international troupes for a 24-day run at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul. The festival, themed "Music Drama Odyssey," opens with the National Changgeuk Company's "Rabbit's Eight Sufferings" and its barrier-free music drama "Mr. Ong," and runs through Sept. 26. This year's lineup expands the festival's domestic reach, featuring original works from the Namwon-base

2026-08-24 13:52:19:00

From Sumi Jo to Kim Koo: Commemorative medals capture culture, history

Soprano Sumi Jo joined a list of Korean cultural and sporting icons — among them BTS, Son Heung-min, Faker, Seventeen and An Se-young — honored with commemorative medals by the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation (KOMSCO), which last week released a medal marking the 40th anniversary of her debut on the world stage. Her portrait appears on the medal's face, while the reverse depicts her performance in the title role of Gilda in the opera "Rigoletto," the performance that launched her

2026-08-23 17:11:40:00

Sopranist Samuel Marino gives Handel a Korean myth

When Samuel Marino read the Korean folk tale of Princess Bari — a royal daughter abandoned at birth who years later crosses into the underworld to save the parents who cast her out — he thought of Handel. "The connection between Handel and Bari is simply this: being left behind," Marino said in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Aug. 14, hours before his first rehearsal for an upcoming concert. "Handel wrote so many operas about characters like that — abandoned. So when I read the st

2026-08-20 10:35:30:00

Has Hallyu peaked? After 30 years, Korea’s cultural wave faces a reckoning

The Korean Wave, or Hallyu, is usually dated to 1997, when Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired the Korean drama "What is Love" (1991-92), an unlikely hit that is often credited as the phenomenon's starting point. Almost three decades later, the industry that emerged from it has become one of Korea’s most closely watched exports, with dramas, K-pop, webtoons and games driving revenue growth and global success, and spilling over into related industries such as tourism, beauty, food and fashion. T

2026-08-15 16:00:00:00

Singer Lee So-eun debuts as script writer for family musical 'Battery Mommy'

Singer-turned-lawyer Lee So-eun will make her debut as a scriptwriter with "Battery Mommy," a sequel to the hit production "Battery Daddy," set to premiere in January 2027. The musical, produced by NHN Link, continues the storyline of its predecessor, this time centering on the role of mothers within a family. The production combines fantasy and realistic elements and is built around themes of courage and family love. Lee, who debuted as a singer in 1997 before becoming a lawyer, wrote the scrip

2026-08-14 15:17:08:00

Baby Shark Boy returns as K-pop singer

The child performer featured in YouTube's most-viewed video of all time, known as Baby Shark Boy in Korea, is set to make his K-pop debut on Aug. 20, according to The Pinkfong Company. The global family entertainment company behind Pinkfong and Baby Shark announced Monday that "Baby Shark Boy" will release his first digital single, "WAVE," a Korean-language track with lyrics he co-wrote himself, featuring Joohoney of K-pop group Monsta X. Baby Shark Boy, whose real name is Park Geon-roung, 17,

2026-08-10 15:18:45:00

Korea Football Association's 'sex bribery' scandal spreads through int'l football community

Controversy over the Korea Football Association's alleged sexual bribery of foreign referees has spread beyond South Korea's borders just a day after the KFA issued a public apology over the growing furor. The Japan Football Association confirmed Sunday it is investigating four Japanese referees who are allegedly among the recipients. Kyodo News reported Sunday that the JFA is looking into the four officials and intends to disclose its findings once the inquiry is complete. The allegations trace

2026-08-09 18:02:24:00