Local streaming service Wavve announced Friday that has launched a special Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival section, offering online screenings of the films that are being screened at this year’s film festival. The 27th edition of BIFAN, which kicked off Thursday, mainly focuses on Korean and international horror, thriller, mystery and fantasy films. Wavve subscribers can enjoy the same program as at BIFAN, including films in the international competition, Korean competition,

Semiwon Lotus Cultural Festival The Semiwon Lotus Cultural Festival will begin Saturday and run through Aug. 15 at Semiwon Garden in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The festival presents beautiful lotus flowers, which flourish in the summer season. Visitors can enjoy the white- and red-colored lotus, various water flowers and a special type of water lily, which is only raised in Semiwon Garden. The festival will be open everyday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets cost 5,000 won for adults and 3,000 wo

Netflix Korea on Thursday revealed the additional cast members joining the second season of South Korean phenomenon “Squid Game.” Actors Park Gyu-young, Kang Ae-sim, Jo Yu-ri, formerly of disbanded IZ*ONE, Choi Seung-hyun -- also known as Big Bang member T.O.P. -- are among eight more to be confirmed for the cast of “Squid Game 2.” Though the cast may seem unfamiliar to some viewers, many of them have made a name for themselves in other Netflix Korean originals. Park, 2

A number of smash hit Korean dramas that enjoyed both local and global popularity are scheduled to return for second seasons this summer, gunning to shoot past a sophmore slump. Global streaming service Netflix confirmed that the military series “D.P.” (2021) will return for a second season on July 28. Short for “Deserter Pursuit,” the series presents the lives of Pvt. Jun-ho (played by Jung Hae-in) and Cpl. Ho-yeol (played by Koo Kyo-hwan). The show reveals the reasons w

DONGHAE, Gangwon Province -- Before “hocance” -- a one- or two-night luxury hotel stay -- took hold, many Koreans made their summer getaways at valleys. Air-conditioning and megasize swimming pools are no match for the cool wind blowing through the valley and soothing sounds of the bubbling stream. Mureunggyegok, or Mureung Valley, is known as a paradise -- lying between Dutasan and Cheongoksan -- where the gods used to live in Korean folklore. A light stroll from the entrance leads

Korean Folk Village Evening Festival, Yongin The Korean Folk Village Evening Festival is held on Fridays, weekends and public holidays to showcase the unique charm of hanok, a traditional Korean house, at the Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Featuring multimedia performances, a night parade, a haunted house walk-through experience and special photo zones, the festival will entertain visitors through a wide range of programs. The festival, which started April 7, will run through

Netflix’s UK original documentary, “King of Clones,” sets off on the jaw-dropping tale of South Korean veterinarian Hwang Woo-suk at a research center in a desert in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Watching a scene where the scientist stands in front of the portraits of key Emirati leaders, the viewers can sense that Hwang is a man with a long, complex story. Directed by Singaporean filmmaker Aditya Thayi, the 85-minute documentary, “King of Clones,” features one o

Disney+’s “The Zone: Survival Mission,” has scaled up the set pieces for its second series. Using escape room-style games, the first season of “The Zone: Survival Mission” threw a star-studded cast of Yu Jae-seok, Lee Kwang-soo and Kwon Yuri into catastrophic situations such as a zombie apocalypse, water shortage, gambling addiction and more, for four hours. In an interview with local reporters at a cafe in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, directors Cho Hyo-jin and Kim Don

The Korean Film Council emphasized the significance of Korea-ASEAN cooperation in the film industry, while promising to restructure itself to better support and promote Korean films as a state-funded entity. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism openly lambasted KOFIC on June 15 over its lax management, particularly the organization’s mishandled budget of 2.4 billion won ($1.86 million) over the last five years which was aimed at creating the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Film Organizati

Cable channel Genie TV will kick off the summer with its highly anticipated eight-part suspense thriller series “Lies Hidden in My Garden.” Director Jung Ji-hyun and the star-studded cast did not hide their excitement for the series during a press conference at Stanford Hotel Seoul in Mapo-gu, Seoul on Monday. “Our drama does not have a lot of sensational, shocking scenes to surprise and thrill viewers like many existing thriller projects. However, our show has a mysterious aur

South Korea’s southern island of Jeju beckons with trek on a hidden trail through Geomunoreum, a UNESCO world natural heritage site. Geomunoreum International Trekking, an event taking place Thursday through Monday, will be held around Geomunoreum, a volcanic cone northeast of Hallasan, South Korea’s tallest mountain. The five-day event offers a rare opportunity to explore Yongam-gil, a restricted zone. Yongam-gil, meaning “lava path” in Korean, is a 6-kilometer walking p

SAMCHEOK, Gangwon Province -- When temperatures across the country start to soar, people start taking summer refuge along nearby river banks or in department stores, where powerful air conditioning offers cool respite for heat exhaustion. Some people may joke that they wish they could sit inside their refrigerators at home. Samcheok, Gangwon Province, might just grant such a wish and offer a much bigger space than a mere refrigerator. Though often overshadowed by the region's famous mountai

Disney+, the flagship streaming service of US media giant Walt Disney Co., announced the release of its new action hero series “Moving” in early August. With a star-studded lineup of actors, ranging from top stars Zo In-sung, Han Hyo-joo, go-to actors Ryu Seung-ryong, Kim Sung-kyun to veteran actors Cha Tae-hyun, Kim Hee-won and rising star Go Youn-jung, “Moving” is one of the most anticipated series of the year. Based on the webtoon of the same title by renowned webtoon

Global streamer Netflix will renew its teen romance series “XO, Kitty,” with expanded stories for the second season. Netflix confirmed the launch of its second season through a press release on Thursday. “XO, Kitty,” a sequel series of the “To All The Boys” franchise, presents the heart-racing journey of Kitty Song Covey (played by Anna Cathcart), who sets off on an adventure of romance in South Korea to meet her long distance boyfriend Dae (played by Choi Min

Pocheon Herb Island’s Lavender Festival The Lavender Festival, which started on April 22, will run through July 1 at Herb Island in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. Botanical garden Herb Island seeks to mesmerize its visitors not only with the purple-colored fields, but also with the aromatic scent of lavender. Aside from flowery photo zones, the festival offers various programs, including natural soap and cosmetics making, herb foot bath experience and more. Admission fees vary by age and prog