Japanese songs, films no longer a niche market as Koreans' confidence in K-culture grows and youth draw firmer line between pop culture and politics

The Jeju Tourism Organization has unveiled five destinations that are a perfect fit for holidaymakers who travel solo to South Korea’s southern Jeju Island. The tourism organization's recent data shows one out of 10 South Koreans traveling to Jeju Island to be a solo traveler and services that cater to the needs of those traveling alone are on the rise on the island. The destinations introduced by the Jeju Tourism Organization allow vacationers not only to escape the scorching summe

"To Where the Light Leads" By Baek Hee-sung Book Romance Lumiere Clerget is a disheartened architect who, despite designing beautiful homes for others, struggles to find a place he can call his own. One day, he receives a call from his real estate agent who has miraculously found him an affordable listing in Paris. The house, with its peculiar features like an unusually low staircase handrail, intrigues Lumiere. He discovers that the house belongs to Peter Waltzer, a wealthy man living

"Light and Melody" By Cho Hae-jin Munhakdongne Publishing “Light and Melody” intertwines the stories of Kwon-eun, a documentary photographer, and Seung-joon, a journalist, whose paths cross again seven years after they rekindle their bond from cherished childhood memories. Kwon-eun is left physically and emotionally scarred after an injury that cost her half of her left leg while reporting in war-torn Syria. Now unable to return, she rejects all commissions and barely scrap

Untangodo Cable Car and High1 Gureumarae Animal Farm are poised to become Jeongseon’s hit tourist attractions, beckoning holidaymakers to a small county in the southern part of Gangwon Province. At the end of July, Jeongseon-based casino and resort company Gangwon Land opened Gureumarae Animal Farm for visitors to get close to livestock and spend time with animals. Visitors can also experience the cool breeze of Gowon Forest Trail, which is located 1,340 meters above sea level. The opening

Glad Yeouido unveils new menu starring fall ingredients Glad Yeouido, a Glad Hotels and Resorts property located in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul, offers a new gastronomic journey with fall ingredients until Nov. 30. Guests can enjoy dishes featuring freshwater eel, wild ginseng, abalone and lamb chops cooked with caviar, truffle and foie gras. The food promotion is available at lunch and dinner, which is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., respectively, at the

Lantern festival in Namyangju Sandulsori Botanical Garden in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, is holding a lantern festival through the end of April next year. The botanical garden, open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., will give visitors lanterns to hold as they stroll around the compound that has a restaurant, bakery and cafe. Admission is 8,000 won for all ages except children two years old and younger. Outside food and pets are not allowed. Parking is free. For more information, visit sandulsori.co.k

Delve into charming vintage lights For vintage enthusiasts, especially those who have a keen understanding of the effects of lighting, Big Sleep Shop is a space worth checking out. Located up a brick staircase in a narrow alley, the shop specializes in vintage lighting and lamps. As you step inside, you’ll find a harmonious display of vintage lamps from various countries including France and Germany. The shop offers housewares made of glass, porcelain and plastic, and showcases lamps of al

Greek Violinist Leonidas Kavakos, who performed with the KBS Symphony Orchestra earlier this month as part of the annual Classic Revolution, is set to return to Korea next year. When he returns, it will be as the new artistic director of the classical music festival organized by the Lotte Foundation for Arts. For next year, the violinist, who is also pursuing a career as a conductor, said that he will focus the music of Bach and Shostakovich. He explained that the inspiration for the 2025 pr

The Georgia Wine Festival, showcasing exceptional wines from the country where the oldest evidence of winemaking was discovered, will take place on Sept. 24, according to Wine 21, the event organizer, Thursday. The festival, hosted by the Georgia National Wine Agency and sponsored by the Embassy of Georgia in Korea, will feature around 90 wines from 24 Georgian wineries. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a selection of top-quality Georgian wines including made of Georgian grape vari

German mystery crime writer Nele Neuhaus’ 2010 international bestseller “Snow White Must Die” is getting a fresh take as the Korean drama series “Snow White Must Die -- Black Out,” kicked off Aug. 16. The fourth installment of Neuhaus’ series set in the Taunus region near Frankfurt sold more than 3.5 million copies globally and had its German TV adaptation in 2013. Now just five episodes away from its finale, the MBC series is gaining momentum with its latest

A foundation run by the Korea Heritage Service opened a branch office in Paris to facilitate efforts to repatriate Korean cultural heritage from Europe, the third such opening overseas after Japan and the US. The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation’s Paris office, inaugurated Tuesday, will start working with the National Library of France in October to locate old Korean maps within the library, according to the foundation. “We expect about 40 maps, all dating to the Joseon-e

Going into the Chuseok holiday, many expect to gorge themselves on delicious and hearty food to celebrate the full moon before the autumn harvest. While food is an essential part of Korea's main traditional holidays, it is important to note that these savory dishes are often high in calories. In fact, most of these bite-sized delicacies contain more calories than a bowl of white rice. For those who are health-conscious, understanding the nutritional content of these beloved Chuseok foods co

Having benefited heavily from the webtoon boom that surged during the height of the pandemic, South Korea has marked webtoons as a key driver for future growth. In January, the Culture Ministry announced plans to invest approximately 4 billion won ($3 million) to boost webtoon production and commercialization. Major IT players such as Naver and Kakao also embraced webtoons as a key part of their strategic vision, with Naver listing its webtoon subsidiary on Nasdaq in June. Recent data such as co

K-pop boy group Seventeen will release its 12th EP on Oct. 14, the group's agency Pledis Entertainment said Monday. Titled "Spill the Feels," the album marks the 13-member group's first release in six months following its best-of album "17 is Right Here." Ahead of the album launch, Seventeen will kick off its "Right Here" world tour in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, from Oct. 12-13. The tour will continue in the United States, Japan and other Asian count