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Webtoon Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation to co-produce 10 webcomic adaptations
Webtoon Entertainment announced Wednesday it will enter an agreement with Warner Bros. Animation to co-produce 10 webcomic series for global distribution, the latest move from the South Korea-founded platform to broaden its global animation output. The companies will draw projects from Webtoon's Korean and English-language platforms. Development support comes from Webtoon Productions and the company's Japanese IP business teams. Four titles have been confirmed. Two Korean originals — "The Stella
Nov. 13, 2025 -
Speculative fiction explores blurry line between human and machine
"The Seashell Within" By Kim Cho-yeop Rabbit Hole Another leading voice in South Korean science fiction, Kim Cho-yeop is set to make her English-translation debut next April with "If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light," forthcoming from Simon & Schuster and already sold to more than 10 countries. Her first story collection, a stunning and poignant work of speculative fiction, established her as a bestseller and helped bring Korean SF into the mainstream, with more than 400,000 copies sold here.
Nov. 13, 2025 -
Lee Hee-joo’s 'Creamy(nal) Love' confronts obsessive side of love and K-pop
"Creamy(nal) Love" By Lee Hee-joo Munhakdongne Publishing In recent years, much of South Korean fiction translated abroad has leaned toward science fiction or what critics call “healing fiction” — gentle, empathetic stories that capture quiet slices of everyday life. But Lee Hee-joo has taken a decidedly different path. Her work delves into distorted desire and the chaos it leaves behind, offering readers an unsettling glimpse into the darker edges of affection. Since debuting in 2016 with "Phan
Nov. 13, 2025 -
After android jockey and vampires, Cheon Seon-ran turns to zombies
"Where No One Comes" By Cheon Seon-ran Hubble From the android jockeys of "A Thousand Blues" to the vampires of "Midnight Shift." Cheon Seon-ran, one of Korea’s leading voices in science fiction, has explored the boundaries between the human and the nonhuman, loss and survival, salvation and care. Now, she returns with a zombie apocalypse. “The most tragic apocalypse is the zombie,” she writes in the opening lines of her new three-part novella. Here, Cheon’s undead are not the mindless monsters
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Alexander Ekman swings his ‘Hammer’ to break open the ego
Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman is bringing his signature visual audacity and theatrical flair to the Seoul stage for the first time this week with "Hammer," hoping to enrapture audiences and provoke reflection. “I’m a showman,” Ekman said at a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday. “I love a great show. I love entertainment. But for me, good entertainment means holding your attention. It’s not about a specific genre or style; it’s about the ability to keep your focus for a full performan
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Kumho Art Hall unveils programs for 2026, with baritone Kim Tae-han at forefront
Kumho Art Hall has announced the 2026 lineup for its flagship Beautiful Thursday concert series, a year-round program of Thursday evening recitals that mixes rising talents with internationally celebrated masters. This season, the spotlight falls on 24-year-old baritone Kim Tae-han. Kim is the first vocalist to be named the hall's artist-in-residence since the program began in 2013. The 2023 winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition is curating a four-part arc titled “Persona,” tracing the many
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Kim Dae-jung’s Nobel medal and 1987 protester’s bloodstained clothes recognized as heritage
South Korea will formally preserve two of its most powerful symbols of democracy — the late President Kim Dae-jung’s Nobel Peace Prize and the bloodstained clothes of student protester Lee Han-yeol — as part of the nation’s first-ever “preliminary cultural heritage.” The Korea Heritage Service announced Wednesday that the two items, representing Korea’s struggles and triumphs in modern history, are among 10 selected for the new designation, which was created to protect significant cultural items
Nov. 12, 2025 -
In cycle of demolition, what remains of Korea's modern architecture?
Redevelopment and reconstruction have long defined the rhythm of urban life in South Korea, spurred by rapid industrial growth and the demands of capitalism. Little space has been left to reflect on how the legacy of Korea’s modern architecture is preserved or remembered. Kimm Jong-soung and Kim Chung-up are considered pioneering modern Korean architects, along with Kim Soo-guen, but few would be able to answer with examples of what these architects built. A culture of archiving modern architect
Nov. 12, 2025 -
‘Reply 1988’ child actor who played Jin-joo shares update from gifted education center
Kim Seol, who captured viewers’ hearts as the adorable baby Jin-joo in tvN’s hit drama “Reply 1988,” recently showed off a certificate of completion from a local gifted education center. Kim — now 14 years old — posted an Instagram update on Monday of herself smiling brightly in her school uniform while holding a certificate next to her presumed teacher at a completion ceremony. The picture quickly spread across online communities and social media. Kim made her acting debut at age 3 in the 2014
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Gayageum artist Kim Do-yeon on K-pop and gugak: 'True fusion comes from deep understanding, not decoration'
When K-pop artists sprinkle bits of traditional Korean instrumentation or melodies into their music, audiences often call it “fusion.” But for Kim Do-yeon, a 34-year-old gayageum player and vocalist leading a jazz quintet in New York, the term feels outdated. “Fusion and crossover were meaningful once, but we’ve gone beyond that,” Kim said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Oct. 21. “Today, music is fluid. Genres interact all the time — but real harmony only happens when artists truly unde
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Myongji Medical Foundation Chair Lee Wang-jun to head International Hospital Federation
Dr. Lee Wang-jun, chair and CEO of Myongji Medical Foundation, has been elected as the next International Hospital Federation president, becoming the second Korean to lead the 95-year-old global organization, the Korea Hospital Association said Wednesday. The announcement was made Tuesday during the 48th World Hospital Congress held Nov. 10-13 in Geneva, Switzerland. Lee will serve a two-year term from 2027 to 2029, following his participation in the federation’s six-year executive leadership cy
Nov. 12, 2025 -
Why do audiences linger at 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical'?
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is set to return to Blue Square in Seoul for the first time in three years this winter, bringing back its extravagant flair and high-octane theatricality. “To me, ('Moulin Rouge! The Musical') is what a musical truly is,” new cast member Lee Seok-hoon said of the production during a press conference on Monday. Cha Yun-hae, also new to the production, said, “Some shows are visually spectacular, others have beautiful storytelling, and some are driven by exceptional musi
Nov. 11, 2025 -
Romance classic 'A Werewolf Boy' gets Philippine remake
The 2012 Korean melodrama "A Werewolf Boy" is getting a Philippine remake, with production now underway through a joint partnership between Viva Films, Studio Viva, and CJ ENM. Filipino actors Rabin Angeles and Angela Muji will head the film in their first lead roles on the big screen. Angeles will play the feral boy originally played by Song Joong-ki, while Muji will step into Park Bo-young's role as Sun-yi. Veteran actress Lorna Tolentino will round out the cast. Director Crisanto B. Aquino, k
Nov. 11, 2025 -
Seoul, Paris finalizing state visit by President Macron to mark 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year
"The 140th anniversary is more than a cultural celebration," French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux told reporters Tuesday at the French Embassy in Seoul. "It encompasses every dimension of the two countries' relationship -- political, military, economic, scientific and cultural." Tuesday's press conference marked the official launch of programming for 2026, when Korea and France will commemorate 140 years of diplomatic ties since the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation was signe
Nov. 11, 2025 -
'Squid Game' star Lee You-mi finds power in fragility in 'As You Stood By'
Learning life’s toughest lessons often begins with empathy — the ability to inhabit someone else’s pain. Few professions demand a level of emotional surrender quite like acting. In the new Netflix Korean psychological thriller "As You Stood By," Lee You-mi embodies that challenge, portraying a terrified wife trapped in an abusive marriage — a role she says made her stronger and helped her grow in a healthy way. The series follows Hee-soo (Lee) and Eun-soo (Jeon So-nee), two close friends who con
Nov. 11, 2025