South Korean online streaming service provider Tving is scheduled to premiere an extended reality music show called “Webtoon Singer” in February. “Webtoon Singer” is set to present K-pop artists’ performances, combining hit webtoons with extended reality, or XR, technology. XR is an umbrella term encompassing virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. The computing technology can merge physical and virtual worlds, bringing digital elements to the viewers.

As the temperature across the country plunged to the lowest points this winter this week, those looking for wintertime fun and thrills can expect even more fun in Gangwon Province, the mountainous province known for its abundant snowfall -- one of the reasons why Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics. Among the exciting options at Gangwon Province are lure fishing, bare-handed fishing, sledding, trekking, skiing and, for the die-hard K-drama fans, Korean drama filming l

Public educational TV channel EBS on Friday aired the first episode of a four-part program featuring renowned Korean dancers, the latest edition of its documentary series "Voice." The dancers in the series have different specialties, from traditional Korean dance and street dance to contemporary dance and ballet. Collaborating with the Korea Arts & Cultural Education Service, the documentary series features different professions, ranging from architects and pianists to actors and p

Disney+ Korean original series “Big Bet” will return with expanded stories for its second season, set to be released on Feb. 15., the streaming service confirmed Thursday. “Big Bet,” which features movie star Choi Min-sik’s first performance in a drama series in 25 years, had the highest first-week viewing figures of any of the service’s Korean original series, according to Disney+. The first season of "Big Bet" will end on Wednesday. The noir series

Full Moon Festival, Samcheok The highland city of Samcheok, Gangwon Province, is set to celebrate its annual Full Moon Festival, known as “Jeongwol Daeboreum.” Jeongwol Daeboreum is a traditional holiday marking the first full moon of the Lunar New Year. The festival will be held Feb. 3-5 at areas near Samcheok Beach and Expo Square in the city. The three-day event offers a singing competition, stage performances and other traditional Korean folk games, including tug-of-war. The most

Though his new character Do-han in the upcoming crime thriller series “Decoy” seems a departure from his previous roles, Jang Keun-suk is certain that he will not disappoint his fans, who have been waiting a long time for his return. “Time flies. Even I didn’t expect it would be so long before my next project. But I can assure you that ‘Decoy’ was the series, which makes the last five years not in vain. Whenever I visited the on-site shooting location, discuss

“1인치 정도 되는 장벽을 뛰어 넘으면 여러분들이 훨씬 더 많은 영화를 즐길 수 있습니다.” 영화 '기생충'으로 2020년 골든 글로브를 거머쥔 봉준호 감독이 수상 소감으로 한 말이다. 1년 뒤 '오징어 게임'은 이 1인치 장벽을 가뿐히 뛰어넘으며, 넷플릭스 상 압도적 세계 점유율을 기록했고, 골든 글로브, 에미상, 백상예술대상 등 국내외 시상식을 휩쓸었다. 이를 기점으로 예전에는 내수용이라고 생각되던 수많은 한국 드라마가 입소문을 타고 해외 시청자들에게 소비되며 한글 컨텐츠를 다양한 언어로 번역하는 것은 세계 OTT 플랫폼들에게 중요한 과제가 되었다. 하지만, 일부 시청자들은 번역된 자막이 한국어 대사의 의미와 뉘앙스를 제대로 담아내지 못하고 있다고 여전히 불만을 표현하고 있다. '오징어 게임'이 한참 인기일 때 미국 코미디언 겸 인플루언서 영미 마이어(Youngmi Mayer)는 자신의 소셜 미디어에 &l

Well before the “Squid Game” craze in 2021, global streaming platform Netflix enjoyed the first mover’s advantage here when it released all episodes of the megahit “Kingdom” series at one time in 2019, spurring a new trend in the Korean content industry. Binge-watching quickly caught on in Korea -- where viewers were used to getting daily or weekly releases of new episodes -- with streaming platforms offering must-watch content with unique and powerful stories. With

JEJU ISLAND -- Before three-wheeled electric cars and its natural and unkempt landscape raised its profile as a go-to tourist destination, Udo -- a small resort island just east of Jeju Island -- had been dismissed as a place to stay for only a few hours. Most visitors would cycle around the island along the splendid coastline, enjoying a panoramic view of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, then take a ferry back to Jeju to continue their travels. But Hundertwasser Park, a natural art park and resort nam

Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival The second edition of the Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival will run through March 5 at Italian Village and Petite France in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The event allows visitors to experience a bit of overseas travel via the flea market lined with European antiques, traditional Italian houses and more. The splendid lighting aside, the festival hosts various cultural programs, including music box performances, a puppet show, a circus w

When he took his first step on Korean soil in 1996 to study in here, Abhishek Gupta, more widely known as Lucky, could not have imagined himself staying for more than 25 years. “Back in the day, many of my friends went to English-speaking countries like the UK, the US or Canada to study abroad. I wondered why my parents sent me to Korea,” Lucky said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. “But any 19-year-old loves to travel outside, don’t they? I was one of them,

Hanok-themed Cafe Onion in Jongno If you’re looking for a place to rest while strolling through Bukchon Hanok Village, a cluster of old-style Korean houses, pay a visit to a hanok-themed cafe for delicious desserts in a unique traditional setting. If you walk toward the Hyundai Building for two to three minutes from Anguk Station Exit No. 2 or 3 on Subway Line No. 3, you can see wooden doors supporting a traditional tiled roof -- called “giwa” -- signaling the entrance to Cafe

Daegwallyeong Snow Festival, Pyeongchang The Daegwallyeong Snow Festival will run from Jan. 20-29 in the area around Songcheon Stream in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. The annual festival began in 1993, and has become among the most famous winter festivals in South Korea. The event features beautiful snowy hills and enjoyable activities for both children and adults. Admission fees for the snowgloo park and snow sledding cost 8,000 won and 10,000 won, respectively. Online reservations can be made

Jeon Do-yeon shared a mixed bag of emotions about her long-anticipated return to a romance series in “Crash Course in Romance.” “It has been a very long time to read a script with bright stories. I was simply drawn to the series’ bright, positive energy,” Jeon said during an online press conference Monday. “My character revealed some of the sides that I had forgotten for a long time.” The Cannes-winning actor shared that she felt pressure and questioned

The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project which consists of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language and the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of its language within the league of world languages. – Ed. Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho made headlines by using his acceptance speech at the 2020 Golden Glo

With its latest episode recording 11.7 percent viewership, terrestrial broadcaster MBC’s “I Live Alone” topped the viewership ratings among all Friday reality TV shows for 30 consecutive weeks. The Friday night unscripted show caught the viewers’ attention across the globe with the realistic depiction of the everyday life of its hosts and other guest celebrities, both in and outside of their homes. According to the Gallup Korea poll on the best Korean TV shows, “I L

Celebrate Year of the Rabbit with NewJeans' rabbit-shaped cake Hop into the Year of the Rabbit at pop-up store "OMG! NU+JEANS" near Dosan Park in Gangnam-gu for a sweet pick-me-up and all things NewJeans. The pop-up is a collaboration between dessert brand Nudake and the K-pop group and runs through Jan. 21. The signature item is the rabbit-shaped “OMG! NU+JEANS” cake that comes in five different colors -- white, yellow, pink, blue and green. You also won't be abl

Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival, Cheongyang The Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival runs from Jan. 1 to Feb. 12 at the Alps Village in Cheongyang-gun, South Chungcheong Province. The festival offers various activities, including sledding, bobsledding, ice fishing, a zip line course, horseback riding, bare-handed fishing and more. Visitors who do not wish to participate in the hands-on experiences can also enjoy the ice fountain, ice artwork and ice cave. The festival is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m

Top star Jang Keun-suk is returning to the small screen for the first time in five years in Coupang Play’s new crime thriller “Decoy” set to start airing on Jan. 27. The upcoming project is the 35-year-old actor's first for a streaming service original series since his discharge from the military in May 2020. His most recent TV series include SBS’ “Switch” in 2018 and “The Royal Gambler” (2016). The 12-part series centers around the man behind

Cannes-winning director Park Chan-wook, Emmy-winning actor Lee Jung-jae, “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” star Park Eun-bin and Korean American movie star Don Lee, better known as Ma Dong-seok in Korea, were among the 10 cultural icons announced as recipients of the 2023 Visionary Awards on Tuesday. The third edition of the annual awards, presented by South Korean media and entertainment giant CJ ENM, recognizes individuals who have raised the country’s profile in the entertainment