The second season of hit medical drama series “Hospital Playlist” got off to an auspicious start Thursday, recording the highest first-episode viewership rating in tvN history. Thursday night’s episode recorded an average viewership rating of 10 percent, according to Nielsen ratings, making it the first tvN drama series to chart double-digit ratings on day one, as it reached as high as 12.4 percent at its peak. The TV drama written by Lee Woo-jung and directed by Shin Won-ho

Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival commemorates the Great Battle of Hansan of 1592, one of the most intense naval battles in Korean history. Held from Aug. 12 to 21, the festival is sponsored by the city of Tongyeong, and managed by the Great Battle of Hansan Memorial Foundation. Visitors will be able to see a reenactment of the battle followed by other performances. A variety of hands-on experience programs will be available for visitors at Yi Sun-sin Park. Perfo

With books going digital and online buying the preferred means of purchasing books, one of the major bookstore chains in South Korea has declared bankruptcy. The Seoul Book Center, operator of the country’s third-largest offline bookstore franchise, Bandi & Luni’s, was officially declared bankrupt as of Wednesday. The Seoul Book Center failed to clear some 160 million won ($143,000) on Tuesday, according to the Korean Publishers Association and publishing companies. Bandi &

Walking along the narrow alleys of Tongeui-dong where modern and contemporary Seoul coexist in harmony, one will come upon a two-story cafe that greets visitors with colorful trees and flowers at its entrance. The first floor of Ra Cafe Gallery operates like any ordinary cafe, serving beverages and sandwiches during the day, and desserts by night. Upstairs, an unexpected trip beyond borders awaits. Ra Cafe Gallery first opened its doors in April 2012 in Buam-dong in Jongno, as part of poet Pa

The 18th Music in PyeongChang is set to kick off July 28 with performances around Gangwon Province, including the festival’s main venue, Pyeongchang Alpensia Resort’s concert hall. Under the theme “san (alive),” a total of 13 concerts will be held this year, along with two special concerts, seven touring concerts, and master classes conducted by artists participating in the festival. “The word ‘san,’ can be interpreted as ‘alive,’ or &lsq

South Korean composer Shin Dong-hoon has won the Claudio Abbado Composition Prize, a prestigious award from the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic, organizers announced on Monday. Shin, 37, is the first Asian winner and the sixth recipient of the prize, named after Italy’s legendary conductor Claudio Abbado, who also served as the artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic. The award is given to young composers with outstanding talents, but does not designate a specific date or

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is receiving donations of used musical instruments through its Instrument Donation and Sharing Campaign that started Monday and is expected to run through the end of July. With the goal of creating a society where “all citizens can learn and enjoy musical instruments,” the project coordinates the donation and repairs of the donated instruments by skilled artisans at Nakwon Musical Instrument Arcade, located in Jongno, central Seoul. Once the repai

South Korean Archbishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik, the newly appointed Vatican prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, said he will work toward arranging a visit to North Korea for Pope Francis if he is given the opportunity to do so.　 “The pope had expressed his willingness to go to North Korea,” You, 69, said at a press conference held Saturday at the Daejeon Diocese in Sejong, following the Vatican’s announcement of his appointment Friday. “If North Korea invites the

  Although the COVID-19 vaccination is speeding up in Korea, for individuals balancing the need to continue observing social distancing precautions and the desire for a real summer vacation after more than 18 months of living through a pandemic is a difficult task. Providing some solutions to the complex question of how to enjoy the long-awaited summer break in a safe manner is a list of 25 domestic destinations compiled by the Korea Tourism Organization. Classified into four categories

Local film distributors are protesting the Korean Film Council’s decision to deny art film status to “Assassins,” a documentary about Kim Jong-nam’s assassination. Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and half brother of the country’s current leader, Kim Jong-un, fell out of favor with the regime and began living in exile in 2003. Reports said Kim Jong-nam lived in Macao before his death. The film centers on the events that took

Hansan Ramie Fabric Cultural Festival Taking place in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province, the Hansan Ramie Fabric Cultural Festival continues the tradition of Hansan ramie fabric, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The three-day festival starts Friday and ends Sunday. Visitors can try weaving traditional Korean natural fabric and try on mosi clothing. Programs and events include a fashion show, designer competition and more. Further details of the festival can be found at

A new public music library has opened in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, just some 25 kilometers north of Seoul, the first of its kind built by a local government. To most Koreans, Uijeongbu is synonymous with the US Army, as the city has hosted the American military since the 1950-53 Korean War. While most of the troops have now been moved to Pyeongtaek in southern Gyeonggi Province where the largest overseas US military base is located, the sound of Western pop music was long common across

The rumors of Batman making a brief landing in Seoul, Korea, had been around for weeks, but were proven true when DC Comics officially announced “Batman: The World,” due out on Sept. 14. “Batman: The World” is an anthology comic book in which the stage is set in 14 countries, including Korea. The writers work from their respective countries, introducing local elements into the synopsis and drawings. The Korean part of the anthology is titled “Batman: Moonin,&rdquo

The National Library of Korea received more than 1,000 books on Tuesday and will send them to major libraries around the world through its International Materials Exchange Program. The library signed an agreement in 2016 with the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, the publisher of the books, to carry out and expand overseas research on Korea while promoting Korean cultural assets overseas. The National Library of Korea plans to send books donated by the foundation to 35 libraries th

Busan Port Festival The festival has been held annually since 2008 to introduce Busan Port, one of the top five ports in the world. It offers a variety of programs that that showcase Busan Port-related industries, culture and education. Part of Ocean Day celebrations, this annual festival offers opportunities to learn about Busan Port’s rich history. Related businesses, organizations and universities take part in the festival to promote the port. For more information, visit www.bfo.or.