South Korea-based Japanese entertainer Sayuri Fujita will be joining “The Return of Superman,” broadcaster KBS said Tuesday. The entertainer, better known as Sayuri, became a single mother by choice in November last year. Her decision to get pregnant through a sperm bank in Japan -- because it is illegal in Korea for a single woman to do so -- raised awareness of the legal issues surrounding sperm donation in Korea. Sayuri, who has spoken out about her choice on TV and also has a

A new military entertainment show “The Iron Squad,” which kicked off on Tuesday, will be the ultimate showdown to determine which branch of the armed forces is the strongest by pitting former members of different units against each other. Produced by Sky Channel and Channel A, the show is unlike many past military entertainment programs that featured celebrities experiencing military training. In the show, four former members each from six of the toughest military units -- Sea Sa

Meeting with game industry leaders for the first time since assuming office in February, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee said the government was keen on promoting the game industry. “As the Korean economy transitions to non-face-to-face and digital, the gaming industry is showing promise. Games are not only growing in an economical aspect, but are becoming a widespread cultural leisure activity for Koreans,” said Hwang on Monday in his opening remarks before a roundt

With one week remaining in the League of Legends Champions Korea Spring regular season, all but one of the six teams advancing to the playoffs starting March 31 have been decided. 2020 LoL World Championship winner DWG KIA continued their dominance in the second round to capture the No. 1 spot in the regular season and are heading directly to the second round of playoffs. The playoff format newly introduced this year places the regular season first and second place teams in the second round

Korean celebrities and K-pop stars have joined the growing chorus of support for the #StopAsianHate movement, speaking out against the shootings in Atlanta, Georgia last week that killed 8 people, six of them Asian women. Notably, Korean American singer Eric Nam, who was born and raised in Atlanta, wrote an opinion piece for Time magazine on Saturday, titled, “If you’re surprised by the anti-Asian violence in Atlanta, you haven’t been listening. It’s time to hear our vo

Producers at broadcaster KBS apologized to fans on Friday for controversial questions asked to K-pop girl group Brave Girls in a YouTube video, but stopped short of apologizing to Brave Girls. The producers of the online program “Sketchbook Without You Heeyeol” uploaded a preview of the group before their appearance on “You Heeyeol’s Sketchbook” on Friday. In the video, the four members of Brave Girls read and answered a number of questions posted on Instagram. The

The top three finalists of JTBC’s hit audition program “Sing Again” -- Lee Seung-yoon, Jeong Hong-il and Lee Mu-jin -- will meet renowned artists in the broadcaster’s new entertainment show “Famous Singer” starting April 2. “Sing Again,” which ended last month, aimed to give a second chance to singers who never gained popularity. The program was a mega success and tickets for its concert featuring the top 10 finalists sold out within minutes, wit

While some head to mega bookstore chains like Kyobo Book Center and Aladdin Store to find books, others head to smaller neighborhood nooks or unique retailers in hopes of coming across interesting titles. Unique bookstores like Seoul Book Bogo, Arc N Book and Starfield Library have attracted both tourists and Koreans alike looking to both check out books and take lasting photos of the stores’ stunning interior. However, smaller independent bookstores are vastly different from those which

A survey by the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute survey showed that Koreans are becoming more relaxed about domestic travel as the COVID-19 situation continues. KCTI conducted online survey about traveling amid the COVID-19 pandemic in May last year on 2,000 Koreans over 15 and did a follow up survey last November on the same subjects, to which 1,079 responded. The results showed that Koreans became more willing to travel in the six-month period. While only 22.8 percent responded in May t

Enjoy spring at Novotel Ambassador Doksan Novotel Ambassador Doksan offers a spring picnic package until the end of May, allowing guests to enjoy both a staycation and a picnic. The package comes with a one-night stay, a picnic set consisting of two Americanos and one sandwich, and complementary use of the fitness club with its sauna, indoor swimming pool and gym. Those reserving online with a Novotel Ambassador account will be provided with a picnic mat and two picnic chairs on a first-come,

Actor and singer Jung Ji-hoon, also known as Rain, confirmed on Wednesday that he will play the lead role of Cha Young-min in upcoming fantasy medical drama “Ghost Doctor.” The drama is about two doctors with polar opposite backgrounds, medical skills and personalities fusing together in body and soul. Cha is a selfish and proud doctor with unparalleled medical expertise. After being involved in a series of unexpected events, he works hard as a character that enters the body of ot

Broadcasting company JTBC continued its annual one-act play TV series “JTBC Drama Festa” with “Off the Course” which aired Monday and Tuesday. JTBC Drama Festa, which kicked off in 2017, gives rookie directors and screenwriters a chance to make a debut. Similar programs include KBS’ “Drama Special” and tvN’s “Drama Stage.” Although viewership rating remained low at less than 2 percent in previous years, actors, directors and screenwri

South Korean director Erick Oh’s short animation “Opera” made the final list of nominees Monday for the Oscar for best animated short film. “It is such an incredible honor to have ‘Opera’ nominated for an Oscar!” said Oh from California. “I hope this recognition will bring a very positive impact on all the creators and audiences out there because ‘Opera’ presents a different way to view and enjoy the medium of animation.” The u

Are paper magazines dying out, or are they seeing a renaissance? The magazine market has shrunk steadily since 2012. According to the Korea Press Foundation’s “2020 Magazine Industry Market Research” report published in January, the magazine market was worth 777.5 billion won ($681 million) last year, a 24.9 percent decrease from 2017. Magazines’ average annual revenue stood at 438 million won, compared with 1.26 billion won in 2012. With the decline of the magazine mar

Original content from Kakao TV has attracted 400 million views, entertainment company Kakao M said Friday. Streaming platform Kakao TV, which was launched in September, attained 100 million net views in November and 200 million views in January. The number of views per week quadrupled to 33 million from 8.3 million in September. Popular Kakao TV original series include the webtoon-based drama “No, Thank You,” which focuses on the lives of South Korean women and their in-laws, and

Spring flowers at the royal palaces and tombs are expected to bloom starting Sunday and continue to bloom until the end of May, the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palaces and Tomb Center said Friday. The expected start date is two to seven days earlier than last year, with the yellow flowers of the blunt-lobed spice bushes at Changgyeonggung and Changdeokgung expected to start blooming Sunday and stay in bloom for two weeks. From mid-March to May, the four palaces of the Jose

The highly anticipated “Minari” isn’t the only film to watch out for as the announcement of Oscar nominations draws near. Korean director Erick Oh’s “Opera” could also be in the running for best short animation. As Oh awaits the announcement of Oscar nominations on Monday, he shared the creation story behind the film and his journey as an animation director. His unconventional film “Opera,” which won him the Minister’s Award at the 2020 Ko

Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel offers ‘Spring, Rejuvenate You’ promotion Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel, located in Songdo, Incheon, offers its “Spring, Rejuvenate You” promotion at the Feast buffet on the first floor. Dishes prepared with ingredients found in spring to help boost immunity will be the main dishes on the buffet until the end of April. The special spring cuisine includes fresh spring greens, eel perilla soup and boiled duck, among others. Lunch at Feast is a

The Korea Association of Games Industry announced on Monday that Busan will continue to host the G-Star gaming exhibition until 2028. G-star is the country’s largest gaming exhibition held annually in November featuring games and developers from around the globe. After kicking off in Seoul in 2005, it relocated to Busan in 2009 and has been held at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center ever since. Previously, K-Games decided the G-Star venue for the upcoming two years and allowed a

League of Legends as an esport is slowly but surely gaining popularity among various demographics, judging by the demographics of LoL Champions Korea fans. As one of the most popular esports leagues, the LCK is seen by fans around the world, with over half the viewers watching from abroad. According to the game’s maker Riot Games, the average number of viewers for the 2020 LCK summer season was around 166,000, which was up 74 percent from a year prior. The Korea Creative Content Agency