Blackpink's 10th anniversary overshadowed by fan backlash, apologies

Blackpink marked 10 years since its debut Saturday, reuniting to meet fans and go live online — but the celebration also came with repeated apologies over how the anniversary was handled. YG Entertainment first announced the event Thursday — just two days before the anniversary — saying it would hold an in-person gathering "somewhere in Seoul" for 40 paying Weverse members. The announcement did not confirm which members would attend, adding the caveat that only those "available by schedule" woul

2026-08-09 11:39:15:00

A Korean conductor's first time on a Korean podium

Cho Noori did not set out to become a conductor. She trained as a concert pianist — achieving competition wins, going to the top of her class at Dankook University, then winning the Kumho Prize, one of Korea's most competitive classical prizes. The switch came almost by accident, during a piano master's program in Germany, when a required conducting class put a baton in her hand. What she felt — that music could come from a gesture instead of her hands on the keys — reset the direction of her ca

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

Dream Festival gives 350 young dreams one stage

A girl from Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, joined her local dance troupe because she wanted to grow taller. On Thursday evening, she stood on a stage at Alpensia Resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, telling a crowd of strangers-turned-castmates that she now dreams of becoming a modern dance artist. She was one of roughly 350 children and teenagers who filled the Music Tent that night, having traveled from every corner of the country and met each other for the first time only days earl

2026-08-07 17:02:31:00

Festival of dreams

About 350 children and teenagers took the stage together Thursday at the Music Tent in Alpensia Resort, Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, for "Our Harmony," a concert held as part of the 2026 Dream Festival. The performers came from 18 local Dream Arts Troupe programs around the country — five Dream Orchestra ensembles and 13 Dream Dance Troupe groups — brought together for a three-day orchestra and dance camp running through Friday. The Dream Arts Troupe program provides free orchestra, dance and

2026-08-07 14:32:27:00

40 million tourists, new multipurpose domes among Culture Ministry's new goals

South Korea's Culture Ministry set an ambitious new target for inbound tourism in a presidential briefing Wednesday, and confirmed it is moving on a long-discussed domed arena for K-pop concerts and sports. The ministry now expects to reach its previous target of 30 million annual visitors a year earlier than its 2029 deadline, and set a new long-term target of 40 million. It expects 23 million visitors this year after arrivals rose 21 percent in the first half of 2026. The ministry's broader se

2026-08-05 17:00:17:00

For Antonio Mendez, soccer and music share the same fire

Ask Antonio Mendez to explain his country's passion for soccer and music, and he laughs at how hard the question is. "It's difficult to talk about things that are so within you," he told reporters ahead of the Korean National Symphony Orchestra's concert on Friday at the Seoul Arts Center. "For us, it's so natural." That passion, he suggested, shows up in a soccer match as much as in a piece of music. When Spain won the World Cup, he wasn't even in the country. He watched Spanish television anyw

2026-08-05 13:58:48:00

Soprano Sumi Jo awarded Maria Callas Prize

Korean soprano Sumi Jo has become the first Asian artist to receive the Premio Internazionale Maria Callas, in honor of her contributions to opera and classical music, at a ceremony in Verona, Italy on Sunday. The Maria Callas Prize was established in 2013 to honor the legendary 20th-century diva Maria Callas and is awarded to artists who have made outstanding contributions to the development of opera and classical music worldwide. The award draws on the historical legacy of the Arena di Verona,

2026-08-03 17:31:42:00

Grammy exit: 'Withdrawal of consent' vs. 'not for BTS'

BTS' announcement that it will not submit music to next year's Grammy Awards has set off a wave of reactions. The group's fandom answered on the charts. Army, as the group's fans are known, pushed "Aliens," a B-side from the group's fifth full-length album "Arirang" about being cast as outsiders and owning the label, to No. 1 on iTunes song charts in 78 regions this week, months after the album's release. Many see the group's decision as a protest against the Recording Academy's new best Asian p

2026-07-31 18:04:12:00

Korean cartoonist Sanho wins Eisner Award for 'Purgatory Funeral Cakes'

South Korean cartoonist Sanho has become the first Korean creator to win an Eisner Award, one of the comics industry's most prestigious honors. Publisher Munhakdongne announced Friday that Sanho's "Purgatory Funeral Cakes" won Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Asia at this year's Eisner Awards. The 38th Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were presented on July 24 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront during Comic-Con International in California, with winners announced across 32 categories

2026-07-31 16:35:23:00

Choi Jae-rim is building self-esteem, onstage and off

Choi Jae-rim, one of the most sought-after actors in Korean musical theater, plays 109, the self-esteem cell in "Yumi's Cells," a new musical based on the hit webtoon. The role was built from scratch for the stage, with no counterpart in the original webtoon — and it's the cell he wishes everyone had. Why wish that on everyone? Because in his own definition, self-esteem isn't just self-belief; it's belief backed by evidence. "You keep a clear, objective eye on reality while never losing faith in

2026-07-31 14:05:14:00