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These Korean grad photos might be the best thing online today
Korean high school students are often known for their intense academic competition, but that doesn’t mean they’ve lost their sense of humor. Uijeongbu High School in Gyeonggi Province, which goes viral every year for its quirky graduation photos, is once again breaking the internet after posting this year’s batch Tuesday on Instagram. The all-boys school has gained fame both in Korea and abroad for its unique yearbook tradition, which began in 2009. Each year, students dress up to reflect curren
July 23, 2025 -
Yoon Ga-eun's 'The World of Love' selected for Toronto's Platform competition
South Korean director Yoon Ga-eun's latest feature "The World of Love" has been selected for the Platform section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, the film's local distributor Barunson E&A said Wednesday. The selection marks the first time a Korean film has competed in the festival's prestigious auteur-focused competition. The Platform section, founded in 2015, primarily showcases distinctive works from early-to-mid-career filmmakers. It serves as the festival's only competitive
July 23, 2025 -
CJ ENM establishes first Korean entertainment subsidiary in Saudi Arabia
CJ ENM, a leading South Korean entertainment company, announced Wednesday the launch of its wholly-owned subsidiary, CJ ENM Middle East, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — becoming the first Korean entertainment firm to set up a local branch in the country. CJ ENM said it is positioning the Middle East and North Africa region as a strategic growth engine, aiming to integrate its expertise in content creation, production and distribution with the region’s rapidly expanding entertainment infrastructure and
July 23, 2025 -
Belgian National Orchestra to make Korea debut, reuniting with pianist Paik Hae-sun after 34 years
The Belgian National Orchestra will make its long-awaited Korean debut this fall. From Sept. 24 to 30, the ensemble will present six performances across the country, beginning at Seoul Arts Center. The program will feature Paik Hae-sun, one of Korea’s most iconic pianists and a renowned educator, in a long-anticipated reunion with the orchestra after 34 years. Paik will join the BNO and conductor Antony Hermus to perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, the “Emperor.” Their last collaboration d
July 23, 2025 -
Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice’ heads to Venice competition
Director Park Chan-wook’s upcoming feature "No Other Choice" has been selected for the main competition at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, festival organizers announced Tuesday evening during a livestream unveiling the official lineup. An adaptation of Donald Westlake’s 1996 novel "The Ax," "No Other Choice" follows a laid-off middle-aged man who begins eliminating rival job candidates to secure employment and support his family. Lee Byung-hun stars alongside Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-m
July 22, 2025 -
Two Korean titles join Toronto film fest lineup
South Korean films "The Ugly" and "Project Y" have been selected for the Special Presentations section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, distributor Plus M Entertainment said Tuesday. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho ("Train to Busan," "Hellbound"), "The Ugly" is adapted from Yeon's 2018 graphic novel of the same name. The mystery thriller follows a blind seal engraving artisan and his son as they investigate the disappearance of their wife and mother. Kwon Hae-hyo plays the blind craftsm
July 22, 2025 -
‘Trigger’ hits Netflix as Songdo shooting shakes nation
Netflix Korea’s newest original series, "Trigger," held its press conference on Tuesday in a subdued mood, just one day after a shocking event occurred in Songdo International City, where a father allegedly shot and killed his son using a homemade gun. Set in a fictionalized present-day South Korea, where in reality gun ownership is still prohibited, the series delves into the fallout when ordinary citizens begin receiving mysterious packages containing guns -- a premise made all the more unsett
July 22, 2025 -
DMZ Docs unveils International, Frontier Competition selections
The DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs) has announced the International and Frontier competition lineups for its upcoming 17th edition, presenting works that explore the aftermaths of historical conflict and their broader implications for global communities. A total of 18 titles were selected from over 600 submissions by the festival’s programming committee, which includes chief programmer Jang Byung-won, programmer Kang Jin-seok and film critic Lee Seung-min. Ten films will c
July 22, 2025 -
Culture minister nominee wary of labeling gaming disorder as disease
Chae Hwi-young, the nominee to head the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, expressed reservations about the classification of gaming disorder as a disease, according to Rep. Kim Seung-soo of the main opposition People Power Party on Tuesday. In a written response submitted to Rep. Kim regarding his confirmation hearing scheduled for later Tuesday, Chae stated, “Gaming is one of Korea’s representative leisure cultures.” He added, “The scientific basis for viewing gaming disorder as a diseas
July 22, 2025 -
Korean heritage institutions to offer special palace programs for marginalized groups this fall
The Korea Heritage Service's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, in collaboration with the Korea Heritage Agency, will invite socially underserved groups to experience special programs at Korea's royal palaces in the latter half of this year, offering them an opportunity to explore the nation's royal heritage. The special event will offer some 980 individuals the opportunity to participate in a nighttime palace tour and a program featuring traditional herbal tea at Gyeongbokgung, one of Seoul's five
July 22, 2025 -
Busan Biennale 2026 to be led by Amal Khalaf, Evelyn Simons
Curators Amal Khalaf and Evelyn Simons will collaborate to lead the Busan Biennale 2026 — the second-largest art biennale in South Korea — to be held from September to November next year. Khalaf has expanded her curatorial experiences globally, most recently serving as co-curator of the 16th Sharjah Biennale that concluded in June and directing the Bahrain Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2019 as a co-curator. The London-based curator is preparing to open “Ghost 2568: Wish We Were Here,” a vid
July 22, 2025 -
Megabox to exclusively release Cannes-winning short ‘First Summer’ on Aug. 6
Multiplex chain Megabox will exclusively screen "First Summer," the Korean short film that won top prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival's La Cinef competition, starting Aug. 6, the company announced Tuesday. The 31-minute short from Korean Academy of Film Arts graduate Heo Ga-young will screen across around 50 Megabox theaters nationwide. Tickets will be priced at 3,000 won. "First Summer" made history in May as the first Korean film to win the top award in La Cinef, the Cannes section dedi
July 22, 2025 -
Six EMK musicals coming to Disney+ next month
Some of Korea’s most iconic homegrown musicals by EMK Musical Company are soon to be available via streaming. The leading South Korean producer of original and licensed musical productions announced Monday that six of its biggest titles — “Elisabeth,” “Phantom,” “Monte Cristo,” “The Man Who Laughs,” “Xcalibur” and “Marie Antoinette” — will be released on Disney+ next month for users in Korea. Among them, "Monte Cristo," "Phantom" and "Elisabeth" have already been made available through a variety
July 21, 2025 -
Healthy eating reduces medical bills by 8.6%: study
While it's generally understood that a healthy diet is good for the body, a new study published Monday indicated that healthy eating can also reduce medical costs by 8.6 percent. Researchers from the department of family medicine at Seoul National University Hospital studied the extent to which a well-balanced diet can reduce visits to the hospital and the associated medical expenses. They studied their subjects' annual medical spending, controlling for potentially distorting factors like gender
July 21, 2025 -
Learn traditional ironmaking at NRICH's summer camp
The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and the Korea Cultural Heritage Association are jointly recruiting participants for a special iron-making camp to be held next month. Applications for the three-day camp, slated for Aug. 20-22 at the Jungwon National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, will be open from Monday through July 31. The camp is open to anyone interested in iron-making, regardless of nationality. While the program will be c
July 21, 2025