Inside Riot Games' long bet on Korea's cultural heritage

One of the largest corporate supporters of Korean cultural heritage preservation is not a museum or a cultural institution, but an American video game company. Since launching its Korean operations in 2011, League of Legends developer Riot Games has made cultural heritage preservation a centerpiece of its corporate social responsibility program. The company's initiative has spanned the repatriation of cultural artifacts, conservation projects and collaborations that bring traditional Korean cult

2026-07-16 14:27:48:00

Meet Korea's John Wick: The many lives of So Ji-sub from 'Agent Kim Reactivated'

South Korea has its own John Wick now, and his name is So Ji-sub. Channeling a lethal, grieving man determined to save his daughter and exact revenge, the 48-year-old actor has emerged as a global sensation with "Agent Kim Reactivated," winning over audiences with his mix of paternal intensity and rugged appeal. But who is the man behind Kim, the relentless former operative at the heart of the hit? The name So Ji-sub may be new to viewers who only recently started streaming Korean shows, but So

2026-07-15 17:55:44:00

Park Eun-bin returns in movie-turned-K-drama 'Spooky In Love'

A hit South Korean feature film is turning into a K-drama, with Park Eun-bin -- one of the local industry's most bankable stars -- leading the charge. "Spooky in Love," starring Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong, reimagines the hit 2011 romantic comedy "Spellbound" as a 12-episode drama series, expanding the original supernatural love story for the television format. The series follows Yeo-ri (Park), a chaebol heiress cursed with the ability to see ghosts, who finds herself falling for headstrong pr

2026-07-15 13:56:31:00

Korea’s MSI reign continues as Hanwha Life Esports claims 2026 crown

The victors of the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational were Hanwha Life Esports, who claimed the tournament title for the first time in the 8-year-old team’s history. The Korean esports organization defeated China’s Bilibili Gaming 3-2 in a best-of-five grand final that lasted roughly six and a half hours on Sunday at the Daejeon Convention Center. The victory marks the fifth time a Korean team has lifted the MSI trophy. T1 had back-to-back victories in 2016 and 2017, Gen.G did the same in 2024 and 202

2026-07-13 13:46:14:00

Hanwha Life Esports wins 2026 MSI title after marathon five-game final

Hanwha Life Esports claimed the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational title on Sunday, defeating China's Bilibili Gaming in a five-game final in Daejeon, South Korea. The best-of-five series lasted roughly six and a half hours, with Hanwha Life prevailing in the decisive fifth game to lift the trophy. The final was held at the Daejeon Convention Center in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, where all 6,400 seats prepared for the championship match were sold out. MSI is the second-most prestigious international tourname

2026-07-12 20:58:33:00

Banks are creating K-dramas now — and viewers are tuning in

Banks in South Korea are turning to K-dramas and reality shows as a new way to reach younger consumers, and the unconventional marketing strategy has drawn millions of views online. KB Kookmin Bank recently launched a four-part K-drama series on its official YouTube channel titled "K-Industry Begins" (translated). The series stars Kim Nam-gil ("The Fiery Priest," "Trigger") as Kim Young-jin, a deputy general manager at the bank who travels to help businesses and individuals navigate financial ch

2026-07-12 14:12:16:00

Four military officials referred over heatstroke death

Four military officials have been referred to prosecutors without detention Saturday over the death of a private who died of heatstroke during an army-organized marathon last year. The Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Unit said that it had referred the four officials, including the division commander, on charges including professional negligence resulting in death. Investigators allege the officials failed to put adequate safety measures in place while orga

2026-07-11 15:28:31:00

Three killed in Incheon overpass crash

Three people were killed in a crash on an Incheon overpass Friday morning. According to the Incheon Seobu Police Station, the crash occurred at around 6 a.m. Saturday when a Kia K5 traveling on the Wanggil Overpass in Geomdan-gu, Incheon, crossed the center line and slammed head-on into an oncoming passenger car. The force of the collision sent the oncoming vehicle into the second lane, where it struck another passenger car. The K5's driver, a man in his 20s, and his passenger, a man in his 40s,

2026-07-11 13:43:41:00

[Photo News] Studio Ghibli in Jeju

Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio, has opened its first-ever official original exhibition in South Korea on Jeju Island on Saturday. Titled "Studio Ghibli Exhibition in Jeju," the exhibition is being held at Jeju Donghwa Village and features scenes and installations inspired by some of the studio's best-known films, including "Spirited Away," "My Neighbor Totoro," "Castle in the Sky" and "Howl's Moving Castle." Rather than simply displaying the studio's works, the exhibition

2026-07-11 13:16:22:00

[Photo News] Traffic resumes beneath Seosomun overpass after collapse

Traffic beneath Seoul's Seosomun overpass fully resumed Saturday following the completion of the structure's demolition, 46 days after part of the overpass collapsed during demolition work, killing three workers. The collapse occurred on May 26 when a section of the overpass, which was being dismantled, gave way and crushed a vehicle used in the demolition operation. The three victims were men, two in their 60s and one in his 50s. In the aftermath of the accident, the Ministry of Land, Infrastru

2026-07-11 12:01:18:00