K-pop girl group ITZY has debuted in Japan with a digital album containing its hit songs and opened an official Japanese website, the group's label said Wednesday. The album "WHAT'z ITZY," was released through Warner Music Japan at midnight Tuesday, carrying the tracks "Dalla Dalla," "Icy," "Wannabe," "Not Shy" and "Mafia in the Morning," according to JYP Entertainment. "We plan to share news on (the group's) Japan debut in stage

While vaccines are the first thing that come to mind among foreigners to Korea regarding COVID-19, masks top the list among Koreans, according to a survey conducted by the Corea Image Communication Institute and released at the Culture Communication Forum Tuesday. Half of the 432 survey participants were Koreans and the other half were foreigners who have experienced Korean culture during their stay or visit to Korea, according to CICI. Among foreigners, vaccines topped the list with 88.9 pe

The government has earmarked 5.8 billion won ($5 million) in next year’s budget for managing and exhibiting artworks donated by the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee. A total of 3.3 billion won has been allocated toward research personnel, equipment and facilities as well as establishing a database to manage the artworks, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday. Another 2.5 billion won will be used to organize a special exhibition slated to take place at the National

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has launched a project with art institutes in Asia to promote art globally, such as online virtual reality programs and a Korean art website in English, so audiences can enjoy them from the comfort of their own homes during the pandemic lockdown. A subscription-based online streaming service, “Watch and Chill,” was jointly launched with the M+ West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum in Tha

The annual Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival will be held virtually for the second consecutive year on Oct. 9 and 10, its organizers said Sunday. The festival's 16th edition will feature '90s top artists such as Lee Seung-hwan and Yoon Sang, and other popular acts including 10cm, Daybreak and Leenalchi, according to the organizing committee. The names of participating artists from other countries will be revealed at a later date. As one of South Korea's biggest music events, the Incheon Pentapo

　The South Korean government is to abolish the controversial “shutdown law,” lifting the curfew that blocks access to online games by underage users late at night 10 years after the law came into force. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced the decision Wednesday, saying they will scrap the shutdown law out of respect for the rights of youths and encourage education at home. Underage gamers will be protected from ex

A family of water pheasants rest in Wupo swamp, located in South Gyeongsang Province. In the middle of the swamp full of lotus leaves, an adult pheasant swims with ducklings. The swamp is the biggest of its kind in the nation, and is well-known as the habitat of more than 300 types of plants and animals.  The water pheasants live near lakes or freshwater swamps, and insects are their main diet. They are known as a polyandrous species, generally reproducing from March to July. Photos: (Y

Archbishop Lazarus You Heung-sik, the new Vatican prefect, will celebrate a Mass on Saturday to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Korea’s first Roman Catholic priest. The Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican commemorates Andrew Kim Tae-gon, who died in 1846, and will be the first Korean-language Mass at the basilica in six years. The last one was in March 2015, when Korean bishops visited the Vatican to reciprocate Pope Francis’ five-day visit to South Korea i

　Soon after South Korea’s tidal flats were inscribed onto UNESCO’s world heritage list in July as “Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats,” the Cultural Heritage Administration announced its plan to submit an additional list of tidal flats for UNESCO to review in 2025. 　While the Culture Ministry’s romanization guidelines recommend the spelling “gaetbeol,” UNESCO’s spelling is consistent with past usage by heritage experts, according to the CHA. 　But the l

Disgraced former K-pop superstar Park Yoo-chun has been embroiled in a dispute over a double contract with his new agency. The singer and actor, who was also a member of K-pop group JYJ, announced his official retirement from show business after he was convicted of drug charges in 2019. Since last year, however, he has resumed his entertainment career, dropping a new album and holding fan meetings overseas. Recielo, which signed an exclusive contract with Park in January for his career resump

As the sweltering summer days continue, the South Korean broadcast, cinema and music industries are turning to horror to send a chill down audiences’ spines. Mystery horror show “Da Vinci Note,” which digs into mysteries and supernatural phenomena followed by scientific explanations on tvN, premiered on Aug. 7. The first episode recorded 2.87 percent viewership, according to Nielsen Korea. It was the second-highest rated program on cable Saturday. Terrestrial broadcaster MB

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The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs appointed Yim Kyeong-sook as the sixth president of the Korean Food Promotion Institute on Friday, the institute announced. Yim has served as a professor at Suwon University’s food and nutrition department since 1992. She earned her bachelor’s degree in 1980 from Seoul National University’s department of food and nutrition. She went on to earn a master’s degree and a doctorate at the same school. Yim will continue in