Virtuoso pianist Son Yeol-eum is stepping down as the host of MBC’s classical music program “TV Art Show.” Terrestrial broadcaster MBC announced that Son, who has been hosting the show since 2018, will be leaving “TV Art Show,” seeking to spend more time on her career and overseas performances. Though many viewers were surprised when the much sought-after pianist who performs around the world joined the show, she became the longest-serving host of “TV Art S

Terrestrial broadcaster MBC is set to present a new audition program “Blockbuster: Genius Brick Battle,” a South Korean adaptation of the global hit series “Lego Masters.” The original show, created by British production company Tuesday’s Child Television and the Lego Group in 2017, features Lego artists competing against each other to wow judges with splendid Lego buildings. According to the broadcaster, television celebrity Ro Hong-chul will star as the host of

For Lee Ju-myoung, 30, playing the role of high school student Ji Seung-wan in “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” was meaningful in many ways. “Performing my role aside, I was able to learn various tips for improving myself as an actor off-camera as well. I still have many things to learn as an actor,” Lee said during an interview with The Korea Herald at a cafe in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, on Thursday. “Participating in the series with actors Kim Tae-ri and Nam Ju-hyuk, who

Lotus Lantern Festival The Lotus Lantern Festival, known as Yeon Deung Hoe, is set to start on April 29 and run through May 1 at various places in Seoul, including the streets of Jongno, along the stream Cheonggyecheon and at temples Bongeunsa and Jogyesa. The lighting of the lanterns conveys wishes for peace and happiness. Various programs are offered during the three-day festival free of charge. The lantern parade, which starts at Dongdaemun Gate in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, and proceeds t

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will appear in an upcoming episode of the tvN talk show “You Quiz on the Block” set to air April 20. Yoon is making his first TV show appearance in almost four months after showing up on several programs, including SBS’ reality show “Master in the House,” TV Chosun’s “Gourmet Mukbang Trip” and KBS’ “Problem Child in House,” as a presidential hopeful. According to the cable channel, the episode fea

While webtoon-based drama series such as Netflix’s “Hellbound” and “All of Us Are Dead” drew viewers’ attention and brought global success to content creators, web novels are poised to become the next major source for other multimedia content. A web novel is a written work available primarily on the internet. Global streaming platform Disney+ produced its Korean original series by adapting Naver Series’ famous web novel “Sixth Sense Kiss.”

It only took the first episode of Tving’s new reality show “Seoul Check-In” to make a major impact for the local streaming service. After a successful pilot run in January, “Seoul Check-In” set new records at Tving with the first episode released Friday. According to Tving, “Seoul Check-In” contributed the most to its increase in paid subscribers and unique visitors in the three days following its release. “The number of unique visitors who wat

With HBO Max set to add to the competition provided by global platforms in the second half of the year, local streaming services are looking to original series to give them a unique selling point. Korean service Watcha began to stake out a position in the streaming market with new romance series “Semantic Error.” Adapted from an R-rated web novel of the same title, “Semantic Error” revolves around a gay couple on campus. The adaptation is a PG series that aims to pres

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday named Park Bo-gyoon to become his administration‘s first minister of culture, sports and tourism. Park, a former journalist and vice president of the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, was the president of Korea News Editors’ Association in 2011. After he joined the People’s Power Party in July 2021, Park played a role as a special adviser in the party’s election committee and election headquarters. In March, Park became the special advis

Kim Se-jeong, 25, has already had success as an actor, with KBS’ “School 2017” (2017), “I Wanna Hear Your Song” (2019) and OCN’s “The Uncanny Counter” (2020-21), but her latest project “Business Proposal” could be the best so far. “I don’t know how things will change in the future, but ‘Business Proposal’ is definitely my all-time favorite drama so far. From storylines to the synergy between the actors and staf

Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival The Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival has returned after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival, which started on March 25, is scheduled to run through April 16 at various sites in Gyeongju, including Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, the park of royal tombs, or also known as Daereungwon, and more. Celebrating the return of in-person festivities, visitors can try their hands at various activities like “plogging” under cherry blossom tre

Star TV director Kim Tae-ho, 46, is all confidence in presenting his upcoming reality show “Seoul Check-In,” the first project that Kim directed after leaving terrestrial broadcaster MBC in 2021. “Lee Hyo-ri is an amazing source for producing a show. Everything about her becomes a story when the camera is shooting her. I believe Lee’s straightforward gestures and frank attitude are the charms that electrify viewers,” director Kim said in an online press conference

Top actor So Ji-sub is set to return to the small screen in MBC medical-thriller “Doctor Lawyer,” premiering May 27. His last drama series, “My Secret Terrius” was back in 2018. In 2020, he married TV celebrity Jo Eun-jung. Helmed by Lee Yong-suk, the TV director behind SBS hit historical dramas “Iljimae” (2008) and “Daepungsu” (2013), “Doctor Lawyer” is one of the most anticipated MBC series in the first half of the year for its sta

More Olympic medalists and sports icons are showing up on television, starring in a variety of shows. Though many retired athletes have returned as broadcast commentators or coaching staff in the past, sports stars today are making small-screen appearances in a wide range of shows, from sports-related shows to comedy and reality TV. Cable channel MBN’s sports show “Back to the Ground,” which aired its first episode on Tuesday, centers around retired baseball players who form

TvN coming-of-age romance drama “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” came to an end Sunday, landing top ratings for its time slot. Featuring the strong friendship of teen fencers Na Hee-do (played by Kim Tae-ri) and Ko Yu-rim (Bona) along with high school friends Ji Seung-wan (Lee Ju-myoung) and Moon Ji-woong (Choi Hyun-wook), “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” caught drama fans’ hearts with stories of teenagers pursuing their dreams. Viewers shared their thoughts about the series in