Between fear, fascination: Lee Jin-joon explores memory in age of AI

Being in between always comes with a sense of unease. Sometimes it feels like going through a dark tunnel and telling yourself, “Hang in there, light will come.” Media artist Lee Jin-joon regards the times we are living in as such a state: People are experiencing the overwhelming technology of artificial intelligence. After this period, the artist said, we will enter an era of the post-AI where the AI is deeply integrated into society as a foundational infrastructure. “What terrifies me is not l

Oct. 20, 2025

Ancient Silla commander’s remains, gilt-bronze crown fragments unveiled

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — For the first time, remains of a male military commander from the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 935), along with fragments from his gilt-bronze crown, body armor and helmet have been found in a significant breakthrough in the study of the ancient Korean kingdom. The artifacts were discovered in the first outer coffin tomb, dating back to the 4th and 5th centuries, beneath a royal burial mound in Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju. The excavation, led by the Korea Heritage Se

Oct. 20, 2025

W Korea apologizes after breast cancer charity event draws backlash as ‘celebrity party’

Charity galas are meant to blend glamour with goodwill. But when the spotlight shifts too much toward spectacle and the funds raised fall short, public criticism often follows. That is what happened to W Korea. On Sunday, the magazine issued a public apology after its annual breast cancer awareness campaign, Love Your W, was criticized for feeling more like a celebrity party than a charity event, especially given the modest amount it raised. The company apologized four days after Wednesday's eve

Oct. 20, 2025

Seoul becomes capital of webtoons, heart of K-content this week

Jamsil-gu in southeastern Seoul has transformed into a playground for webtoon lovers this week. The 2025 World Webtoon Festival kicked off Sunday across Lotte Town, a vast complex connecting Lotte World, Lotte World Tower, Lotte World Mall and Lotte Hotel World. The event brings together creators, platforms and fans from around the world for a four-day celebration of imagination, innovation and the ever-expanding influence of webtoons. The festival, cohosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports an

Oct. 19, 2025

Largest collection of stone rubbings donated to National Museum of Korea

More than a thousand stone rubbings — created and collected over 40 years by the Ven. Heungseon, a master of the art of stone rubbing, or takbon in Korean — have found a new home at the National Museum of Korea. The donation is Korea's largest in scale, showing the evolution of Korea’s epigraphic culture spanning from the Three Kingdoms (57 BC-AD 668) to Joseon era (1392-1910), according to NMK. "By overcoming the inaccuracies and fragmentary nature of earlier rubbings, he systemically surveyed

Oct. 19, 2025

National Museum of Korea tops 5m visitors for the first time in 80 years

Worldwide, only five museums attract over 5 million visitors a year. Now, South Korea’s National Museum of Korea joins the ranks of the Louvre in Paris, the Vatican Museums, the British Museum, and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, having welcomed 5,016,382 visitors as of Wednesday. The Seoul-based museum announced Friday that its annual visitor count has surpassed 5 million for the first time since its founding 80 years ago. Between Jan. 1 and Wednesday, the museum recorded a 69.7 percent

Oct. 17, 2025

Sounds of jazz to warm cool autumn

The 22nd edition of the Jarasum Jazz Festival, South Korea's largest annual jazz festival that started in 2004, is being held Friday to Sunday on Jara Island and in the surrounding town in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province. This year, a total of 41 acts from 17 countries are performing at the event. The lineup includes Bill Frisell Trio, Ibrahim Maalouf, Mathias Eick Quintet, Wolfgang Muthspiel Trio and Hungarian Focus artists Dresch Quartet, to name a few. The festival will also feature performan

Oct. 17, 2025

[Exclusive] MBC considers making more staff permanent workers following weathercaster reform

Public broadcaster MBC, one of South Korea’s leading TV networks, said it is reviewing converting non-regular staff in other departments into full-time employees, following its recent decision to make all weathercaster positions permanent starting 2026. An MBC insider, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the company is positively reviewing the conversions, but the scope of any broader conversion will hinge on the outcome of labor inspections and other legal

Oct. 16, 2025

G-Dragon, Lee Byung-hun, Kim Hae-sook among six honored with Order of Cultural Merit

Six leading figures in Korean entertainment — actors Kim Hae-sook, Jung Dong-hwan and Lee Byung-hun; voice actor Bae Han-seong; late comedian Jeon Yoo-sung; and K-pop icon G-Dragon — have been selected to receive the Order of Cultural Merit, the nation’s highest honor for contributions to popular culture and the arts. The Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is the most prestigious government ceremony recognizing achievements in drama,

Oct. 15, 2025

Seoul hails trend-setting status as Design Week kicks off at DDP

The 12th edition of Seoul Design Week kicked off Wednesday at the iconic Dongdaemun Design Plaza, joined by more than 100 designers and designer brands. Held under the theme “Design, Designer, Design Life,” this year's event collaborated with Musinsa, South Korea’s leading online fashion retailer, to recruit and select the participating designer brands as well as market the fair. Seoul Design Week's main event, DDP Design Fair, presents a theme pavilion featuring ordinary objects that reflect th

Oct. 15, 2025

Intangible Heritage Festival in Jeonju aims to reach across generations, borders

The 2025 Intangible Heritage Festival will bring Korea’s cultural legacy to life from Oct. 23 to 26 at the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Organized by the Korea Heritage Service and the National Intangible Heritage Center, the festival seeks to blend traditional and modern elements, uniting generations, regions and even global audiences. The festival kicks off with an opening ceremony at 5 p.m., Oct. 23, followed by a show titled "The Beginning of Intangibl

Oct. 15, 2025

Will Korea’s new gaming decree facilitate control over overseas game companies?

Starting Oct. 23, overseas game developers meeting certain conditions in South Korea must appoint a domestic representative, as the government seeks to level the regulatory playing field and improve consumer protection. Experts and domestic gaming companies question the efficacy of the new decree. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on Tuesday that the amendment to the Game Industry Promotion Act, which mandates overseas game companies to appoint a domestic representative, was

Oct. 14, 2025

Chae pledges stronger oversight of entertainment agencies, copyright

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young on Tuesday proposed viewing the cultural industry as a sector for investment rather than assistance. “We must nurture culture as a future growth industry worth over 300 trillion won ($210 billion),” Chae said, speaking at the parliamentary audit by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. The Lee Jae Myung administration earlier outlined a plan to create a 300 trillion won culture market by 2030, compared with an estimated 206 trillion won in

Oct. 14, 2025

Lightweight outerwear takes center stage in fall fashion trends

Transitioning from record-breaking summer heat to brisker fall temperatures, consumers are turning to lightweight outerwear, driving the demand for windbreakers and lightweight puffer jackets. According to the industry, fashion retailers are responding swiftly to the shift in weather and consumer behavior, introducing transitional pieces suited for cool mornings and evenings while remaining breathable during warmer afternoons. The shift is particularly evident in online fashion marketplaces. Kre

Oct. 13, 2025

Old Seoul Station opens hidden hallway in centennial exhibition

Tucked away in a back corner of the former Seoul Station, a flight of stairs leads to a weathered green wooden door. Beyond it, a neon archway glows, opening into "Platform 4" — a hidden area of the 100-year-old building that had long been closed to the public. This long-abandoned train platform has been reopened as part of a special exhibition that opened on Sept. 30 to commemorate Seoul Station's centennial, under the theme “Seoul Station’s Past, Present and Future.” “It was really cool to see

Oct. 13, 2025