Though the resurgence of coronavirus infections and the spread of the omicron variant have been threatening the industry, next year‘s lineup of classical music performances is already being announced, packed with concerts previously delayed due to the pandemic as well as big names returning to Korea after several years. The concert schedule announced by classical music production company Vincero comprises 15 performances between March 17 and Dec. 8. While most of the concerts are schedu

For most of the cast and staff of Netflix’s “The Silent Sea,” they jumped at the chance to join the production of the sci-fi thriller series, quickly overcoming any hesitancy.  “I think I was a little reluctant about starring in a Korean space-related project. Even after receiving the scenario, I was uncertain about the moon exploration series. But my attitude completely changed after watching the director‘s short film ‘The Silent Sea,’” B

The inclusion of “aegyo” among 26 Korean words and phrases added to the Oxford English Dictionary in October brought renewed attention to the word. According to the OED, aegyo is used to describe the “charm and cuteness, especially of a sort considered characteristic of Korean popular culture.” It means behavior regarded as cute, charming or adorable as well. The word is commonly used in association with adorable babies or cute pets. Traditionally, aegyo is associa

Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind the superband BTS, has released an official teaser for “7 Fates: CHAKHO,” an upcoming original webtoon collaboration among BTS members, Hybe and Naver Webtoon. The one-minute video, starring RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, talks about fate -- the central theme of the upcoming webtoon. In the teaser clip, the members are seen reaching toward a ball of light as a dramatic instrumental song plays in the background. Drawn from the tiger

JTBC drama series “Snowdrop” has come under fire for alleged distortions of history after having aired just two episodes. 　 “Snowdrop” centers around the romance between a North Korean spy and South Korean university student during the 1987 presidential election. An online petition was posted to the Cheong Wa Dae website on Sunday demanding a halt to the broadcasting of the drama. “The broadcaster previously faced controversy after releasing the (drama) synopsis

Daegwallyeong Snow Festival The Daegwallyeong Snow Festival will run from Jan. 21-30 at the area of 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 are yet to be announced, but various in-person programs are ready to excite winter-loving visitors. More information can be found at

“Squid Game” is racking up nominations at US TV awards, as it continues to write new Korean TV history. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Monday announced the nomination of Netflix’s South Korean megahit in three categories at 79th Golden Globes -- actors Lee Jung-jae in best television actor in the drama series, Oh Young-soo in best supporting actor and “Squid Game” in the best drama series. “Squid Game” also earned three nominations at 27th

The Korea Creative Content Agency seeks to become an effective channel for the content related stakeholders in creating and developing projects aimed at local and overseas markets. “Just a few years ago, the local market and audience were the prime target for the content creators. But, after Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ became a global phenomenon, a number of aspiring directors have started to prioritize the global market,” said KOCCA President Jo Hyun-rae at a press co

The COVID-19 pandemic is once again standing in the way of the local broadcasting industry, with a long list of TV shows featuring top Korean comedian Yoo Jae-suk being canceled Tuesday, after he tested positive for coronavirus. Yoo will not be participating in both local broadcaster SBS’ hit TV show “Running Man” and the annual SBS Entertainment Awards this Saturday, which Yoo has been attending for the past 11 years. “The original six members will film “Running

Netflix on Tuesday confirmed the return of its Korean original series “D.P.” with a second season. Short for “Deserter Pursuit,” the series presents the life of Pvt. Jun-ho (played by Jung Hae-in) and Cpl. Ho-yeol (played by Koo Kyo-hwan) and reveals the reasons that some soldiers try to escape the army. The series, helmed by “Coinlocker Girl” and “Hit-and-Run Squad” director Han Jun-hee, is an adaptation of a webtoon of the same title by Kim B

Netflix’s South Korean megahit “Squid Game” earned three nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, which honors the best in television and films, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Monday. Korean actor Lee Jung-jae, who took on the role of debt-ridden divorcee Seong Gi-hun on the show, has been nominated for the best television actor in the drama series, along with actors Brain Cox and Jeremy Strong of HBO’s “Succession,” Billy Porter of Ne

“Squid Game” director Hwang Dong-hyuk, celebrated Korean soprano Sumi Jo, global video streaming platform Netflix and Tokyo Olympics gold medal archer Kim Je-deok are the winners of the 18th Korea Image Award. Director Hwang, who was behind the global Netflix sensation “Squid Game,” was awarded the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award for helping build a “stepping stone” for Korean contents to be recognized on the global stage, said Corea Image Communication Ins

While Korean webtoons enjoy new heights of popularity and gain global recognition as cultural content, the local webtoon industry is concerned that the use of the term “webtoon” may become exclusive for the South Korean internet giant Naver. A type of web comic, webtoons are electronic cartoons and graphic novels that are read by scrolling down the screen, mostly on smartphones and tablet PCs. Amid the successful adaptation of webtoons to movies, drama series and games, a controve

Comedian Yoo Jae-suk, 49, tested positive for the coronavirus Monday, according to his entertainment agency Antenna. The company announced Monday that Yoo, who received his second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in September, received PCR tests after he was notified Saturday that he had been in close contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19. After he was found negative on Saturday, Yoo was instructed to take a second PCR test Monday, which came out positive later the same day. “Al

Busan Fireworks Festival The Busan Fireworks Festival is scheduled to run from Dec. 24-31 in areas around Gwangalli Beach in Busan. The annual festival, which usually takes place in the fall, features high-tech laser light shows and a myriad of colorful fireworks. While most people flock to the beach for a closer view of the fireworks, some people choose to enjoy the festival from nearby mountain Hwangyeongsan, the island Dongbaekseom and Igidae Coastal Park for a scenic view of the beach. U

After a winter with closed ski slopes, social distancing guidelines and mask mandates, Gangwon Province, South Korea’s winter wonderland, has started to come back to life with the arrival of a chill in the air. Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with concerns about the omicron variant rising each day, winter sports fans are flocking to popular ski resorts. The Vivaldi Park resort, about 60 kilometers east of Seoul in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, was among the many ski resorts that open

Local cable channel JTBC’s 2019 hit series “Be Melodramatic” will be adapted into a webtoon, media content company BY4M Webtoon Studio said Thursday, unveiling drawings of characters from the TV drama. Romantic comedy “Be Melodramatic” centers around the trio of girlfriends -- a scriptwriter, a film director and a marketing manager -- in the entertainment industry. The story revolves around three characters in their 30s facing challenges and struggles with their

Top television director Kim Tae-ho said that the upcoming Netflix reality program “The Hungry and the Hairy” was never meant to be a Netflix show. “When I finished producing the project group Ssak 3 on MBC’s variety program ‘Hang Out With Yoo,’ I received many calls from Hong-chul saying how hilarious Rain is and how they are spending time together riding motorcycles. I became curious about this odd couple and wanted to follow this duo with my camera,”

Korean content creators including TV director Na Young-seok, Naver Webtoon CEO Kim Jun-koo, production company Bidangil Pictures CEO Kim Su-jin and animation characters Loopy and Pinkfong were winners at the Korea Contents Awards on Wednesday. The 13th edition of the annual awards, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency, recognizes contributions to developing and promoting Korean contents. A total of 50 individuals across seven categor

Drama fans and moviegoers often recall well-known scenes with the accompanying songs, like Aladdin and Jasmine singing “A Whole New World” while riding a magic carpet. Now comics fans are being offered webtoons accompanied by songs from major artists. Top Korean singers, including Baek Z-young, Gummy, K.Will and Kim Jong-kook who have made hit songs for drama soundtracks, are now creating songs for webtoons. Gummy, a veteran artist who has participated in multiple drama soundtrack