As South Korea prepares to “live with” COVID-19, the music industry is readying itself to bring back live in-person concerts. While large music festivals have been canceled or switched to online formats, some individual artists are already returning to physical stages. From Oct. 29-31, K-pop artist Kwon Jin-ah will hold a solo concert series titled “The Way for Us.” According to her agency Antenna Music, “The Way for Us,” named after her latest EP release

Performance Oct. 17, 2021

Have a Nice Day Festival The Have a Nice Day Festival will take place Oct. 23-24 at Samsung Hall at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. Every year since 2015, this event has offered a chance for music lovers who are unfamiliar with music festivals to enjoy music in an accessible way. This year’s festival consists of two sections, which start at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The lineup includes popular artists such as singer/songwriter Stellar Jang, rock band Soran, indie band Standing Egg, duo MeloMa

Travel Oct. 15, 2021

For top actor Kong Hyo-jin, raising awareness on environmental issues and fighting against climate change are causes that are very close to her heart. 　 “I wrote a book to talk about the environment and introduce basic measures that anyone can take to save the Earth from the climate crisis 10 years ago. Nothing has changed since then. I thought I needed a place to talk more about this issue to keep me alert about the ongoing climate crisis,” Kong said during an online press confere

Television Oct. 14, 2021

Japanese drama “Signal Special Episode” and Thai drama “I Told Sunset About You” have been invited to screen at the Seoul International Drama Awards 2021 in the International Drama of the Year category. The SDA annually invites drama series from around the world that enjoy global popularity and recognition. “Signal Special Episode” is a Japanese remake of tvN’s hit TV series, “Signal” (2016). The sci-fi crime thriller centers around several

Television Oct. 14, 2021

For megahit screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, South Korea’s second-largest mountain range and its rangers were interesting materials with which to work. “To be honest, I have never been to Jirisan National Park. I have heard and read about the mountain in history classes and novels. I felt that Jirisan was a place to visit with a dearest wish. The mountain has been there for thousands of years and I thought a lot of souls would be wandering around the forest,” Kim said in an online

Television Oct. 13, 2021

Two jazz festivals, held as either online or hybrid events last year, are scheduled to return with in-person performances. After adjusting the schedules to comply with the extended social distancing guidelines, the final lineup and dates for the annual music festival at Seoul Forest were announced in early October. The 5th Seoul Forest Jazz Festival, originally planned for Oct. 15-16, will now take place Oct. 30-31 featuring leading musicians, including violinist Danny Koo, trumpet player Damo

Performance Oct. 13, 2021

Hip-hop trio Epik High is set to drop its new single “Face ID” on Oct. 25, ahead of the release of its 10th full-length album in 2022, according to the group’s agency Hours Entertainment. “Face ID” is the group’s first new song in four months after “Rain Song,” in June. The track will be a pre-release single from the upcoming album “Epik High Is Here Part 2.” The other tracks are scheduled to be released next year. Epik High’s

Performance Oct. 13, 2021

The upcoming comedy-drama “Perhaps Love,” directed by Cho Eun-ji, revolves around a bestselling author whose life changes dramatically when he falls in love. “The cast and the crew, including myself, were always laughing while shooting. I actually got a note of warning from the sound recording director because I giggled too much even in a serious scene,” Cho said in an online press conference Tuesday. “We were able to finish our project with a lot of laughs. I am c

Film Oct. 12, 2021

Thanks to the soaring popularity of Korean culture, 26 words and phrases of Korean origin have been included in the latest update to the Oxford English Dictionary. The dictionary was first published in 1884, and the word “Korean” was first added in a 1933 supplement. Food features prominently in the recent update: Banchan are small side dishes served along with rice as part of a typical Korean meal. Bulgogi is a dish consisting of thin slices of beef or pork, which are marinated a

Culture Oct. 8, 2021

International craze aside, the Netflix original series “Squid Game” is inspiring parodies and send-ups throughout the South Korean entertainment industry. Cable channel Channel A was one of the first to air a parody of the global megahit. “The Fisherman and the City,” a show featuring five Korean TV celebrities who are obsessed with fishing, introduced its cast as if they were “Squid Game” contestants, with tags like those used in the Netflix series. &ldquo

Television Oct. 8, 2021

Public broadcaster KBS is scheduled to air a Hangeul Day special, “I Learned Korean Because of BTS,” on Saturday. The program centers around the globalization of Hangeul, the Korean writing system, fanned by the popularity of K-pop sensation BTS and its fandom, which it refers to as Army. While enjoying the band’s music, many members of Army also try to understand the meaning of the lyrics. Some fans are even commemorating Hangeul Day in their own ways, according to KBS. K

Television Oct. 8, 2021

Night of Jeonju and Heritage Story The Night of Jeonju and Heritage Story will take place Oct. 22-23 at Gyeonggijeon Shrine, Jeonju Hanok Village and Jeolla Gamyeong, the provincial government office. The annual event was postponed from September due to a COVID-19 surge. The two-day festival seeks to remember Korea’s cultural heritage and ancestors, and Jeonju is home to many Joseon-era historical sites. The festival will be held both online and offline. While admission fees vary for d

Travel Oct. 8, 2021

Once ignored and disdained by older generations, esports has now become a mainstream activity for many South Koreans. Starting with the first Starcraft Pro League in 2003, esports has long sought to be recognized as an official event in the South Korean sports industry. While South Korea is widely known as the home of esports, games, especially computer games, were long regarded as harmful for youngsters. For Korean parents wanting their children to be academically successful, games were an ev

esports Oct. 7, 2021

In celebration of its 15th anniversary, cable channel tvN is scheduled to kick off the new Saturday-Sunday drama series “Jirisan” on Oct. 23, the company announced in a press release Wednesday. The mystery thriller centers around visitors and forest rangers working in Jirisan National Park, the largest national park in Korea. Top actor Jun Ji-hyun, or Gianna Jun, plays ranger Seo Yi-gang. Her last TV project was SBS’ “Legend of the Blue Sea” in 2016. Actor Ju Ji-h

Television Oct. 7, 2021

Action film “Escape From Mogadishu” has been chosen as Korea’s entry for the best international feature category of the 94th Academy Awards, the Korean Film Council said Tuesday. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the film is based on true events involving South and North Korean diplomats in Somalia cooperating to escape the country during the 1991 civil war. “Escape From Mogadishu,” starring veteran actors Kim Yoon-seok, Jo In-sung and Huh Joon-ho, is the most-watched

Film Oct. 6, 2021