News

[K-wave] From 'Exhuma' to 'KPop Demon Hunters': The era of K-shamanism

2025/08/04 16:35

The Netflix original animation "KPop Demon Hunters" is continuing to make headlines, It has become popular worldwide with its abundance of K-culture a strong narrative, and of course its soundtrack. But here's another factor the supernatural powers or practices shown in the movie are sparking growing interest in Korean shamanism. Our Choi Soo-hyung takes a look at how shamanism has become a key part of new K-content. Set in South Korea, "KPop Demon Hunters" follows a popular girl group that protects the human world from evil spirits, while uncovering a boy group of grim reapers, known as "Jeoseung Saja." The Netflix original animation has become the most-viewed original animated movie ever, with its soundtrack also topping the Billboard single charts. Last year, the Korean film "Exhuma" drew an audience of over 10 million at home, and became a hit in Asia and North America, fueled by themes such as feng shui and shamanic rituals. Today, one of the hottest themes in K-content is K-shamanism or K-musok in Korean a traditional belief system incorporating rituals, divination, and faith in spirits and deities. With a thousand years of history, Korean shamanism is a folk tradition where shamans or mudang guide people by praying for good fortune and driving away misfortune. "Shamanism exists in many parts of the world. But in Korea, it is unique because of the strong role of mudang. Their traditional music, costumes and performances have deeply influenced Korean folk arts, giving Korean shamanism a distinct cultural and artistic character." Unlike the Western view that defines the human world as good and the spirit world as evil, Korean shamanism sees shamans as mediators between the two, a belief that gives K-musok its unique power. "Western occult stories focus on exorcists, while 'KPop Demon Hunters' shows a more Eastern view. Rumi, a half hunter-spirit, and Jinu, a grim reaper, reveal human qualities, moving beyond the simple divide of good and evil. Even Hollywood now borrows from Asian values, avoiding absolute dualism, showing how Eastern philosophy is shaping occult content." Korean shamanism's power as occult content comes from its cultural freshness rather than religion. "Korea is not tied to a single religion, allowing shamanism to keep its own identity alongside others. Unlike Japan, where cultural images were long ago exhausted by Japonism, Korea's shamanism remains fresh, offering untapped images that enrich today's content." K-musok content is diversifying and becoming a key icon of K-culture with growing potential. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

[Short-form] Seoul’s Hidden Gem Libraries

2025/08/04 16:34

Seoul’s outdoor libraries are taking a short break during the peak summer heat. Time to discover the city’s hidden gem libraries!

[Hallyu People] Meet the Seoul representative for a Korean speech contest to take place at APEC

2025/08/04 16:34

In less than three months from now, the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is being held in Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju. Several side events are taking place on this occasion. That includes a Korean speech contest for international students. For today's "Hallyu People" segment we are joined by Ndagijimana Frank Aimee Rodrigue who will be taking part in that contest as the representative of Seoul. Hello Frank! 1) Could you please introduce yourself to our viewers? 2) Frank, you major in bioinformatics at Seoul National University and are currently pursuing a doctoral degree. What brought you to Korea and what made you decide to study in that field in Korea? 3) You represent Seoul at the speech contest in Gyeongju , meaning you're the winner of the preliminaries at the contest in Seoul. Congratulations! What made you take part in this event? 4) Following the preliminaries in Seoul, you are now getting ready for the main contest, that's part of the "University Student Mock APEC Summit"? How are you preparing right now? 5) As an international student taking part in this event, you are also promoting the city of Gyeongju. If you had to do a speech on Gyeongju, what keywords would you choose? 6) Is there any specific place you would like to visit or anything you want to experience during your trip to Gyeongju? 7) Do you have a final message wishing for the success of APEC? - What would be a similar historical city to Gyeongju in Rwanda where you are from? -How is Korea being perceived in Rwanda? Are people in your country experiencing the K-wave or hallyu, and if yes to what extent? Thank you very much Frank for sharing your story with us today. Good luck on your contest in Gyeongju! Thank you Walter, see you back tomorrow.

[On-point] S. Korea's Lee expected to meet Trump this month in major foreign policy test

2025/08/04 12:37

As we just heard, officials from South Korea and the United States are working to set a date for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump which is set to be a key test for Lee's foreign policy. For more on this, we're joined by Professor Robert Kelly, Professor of International Relations at Pusan National University. Security is expected to be at the top of the agenda when they do meet and the United States will likely ask Korea to increase its defense contributions. How do you think the talks will play out? Could the upcoming summit change the role of American forces that are stationed here,.. and could this align with a potential shift in Trump's policy toward East Asian countries, as Washington tries to better counter China? Seoul and Washington also recently struck a trade agreement, setting the tariff rate at 15%. Could there also be further discussions on the details of the deal when Trump and Lee meet? Trump has made it clear he's putting American interests over those of U.S. allies. How do you think the Lee administration should manage its alliance with the United States over the course of its five-year term? Alright, Professor Kelly, thank you so much for your insight today. We appreciate it.

Four-term lawmaker Jung Chung-rae becomes ruling DP’s leader

2025/08/04 12:36

The ruling Democratic Party launched its new leadership at its national convention over the weekend, electing four-term lawmaker Jung Chung-rae as party leader. Our political correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. Four-term lawmaker Jung Chung-rae has been elected as the new leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. At the party's national convention on Saturday, Jung won with 61-point-7-4 percent of the vote, defeating rival candidate Park Chan-dae , the party's former floor leader. In his acceptance speech, Jung said that he would quickly push ahead with prosecution, media, and judiciary reforms. "As soon as the party convention ends, I will launch task forces to reform the prosecution, media and judiciary. I will complete these three reforms before the Chuseok holiday." During the press conference, Jung said he is unable to work hand in hand with the main opposition People Power Party as it still includes members who support former President Yoon Suk Yeol. "We're at war with the insurrection. It's not about ruling and opposition parties." Jung also emphasized that he would make sure the party, government, and presidential office work together as one to support the success of the Lee Jae Myung administration. According to the Presidential Office, President Lee called Jung on Saturday to congratulate him on his win and emphasized the importance of a "one team spirit" and working effectively for the people. Saturday's convention was held to fill the leadership vacancy after former party leader Lee Jae Myung was elected president in June. Jung will serve the rest of Lee's term over the next year and lead the party in next year's local elections. First on his public schedule as the new leader, Jung visited the city of Naju in Jeollanam-do Province on Sunday to help with flood recovery efforts. Meanwhile, following Kim Min-seok's resignation from the Supreme Council after becoming Prime Minister, the vacant seat was filled by Hwang Myeong-seon , the sole candidate, who was elected with a majority of the vote. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

Hamas releases videos of Israeli hostages

2025/08/04 12:35

Over in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to eliminate Hamas and secure the release of hostages after videos of two visibly emaciated Israelis being held by the militant group were released. Lee Seung-jae has more. Palestinian militant group Hamas has released two videos of two Israeli hostages, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski. The video released by Hamas on Saturday, showed David saying that he hasn't eaten for days and is digging his own grave. "What I'm doing now is digging the grave, the grave I consider is for myself, because every day that goes by, every day that goes by my body is weakening, getting skinnier and weaker. To me it seems that I'm heading towards my own death." The video of Rom Braslavski was released by Hamas on Thursday, showing the 22-year-old pleading for food, water, and rescue. Both men were abducted from a music festival by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attacks. In response to the hostage video, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed to destroy Hamas, adding that Israel is determined to free the hostages. " I am filled with even stronger determination to free our kidnapped sons, to eliminate Hamas, and to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to the State of Israel." Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with families of hostages held by Hamas on Saturday. There, he told the families that Washington is working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. The envoy also said that the militant group was prepared to disarm in a move to end the war, however, the group has repeatedly said it will not lay down its weapons. Witkoff is currently visiting Israel as the U.S. is facing mounting pressure over the worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

S. Korea-U.S. summit will be held within August: FM Cho Hyun

2025/08/04 12:34

The first summit between presidents Lee Jae Myung and Donald Trump will take place within this month according to Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Sunday. Speaking upon his return from Washington, D.C., Cho said that the final coordination is being made to arrange a summit within August but did not disclose the date. In talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the two sides began preparing for a leaders' meeting in D.C., after Trump declared a meeting within two weeks. Cho added he and Rubio had reaffirmed the combined defense posture of South Korean and U.S. forces, and commitment to extended deterrence. On the matter of "alliance modernization", Cho emphasized Seoul's efforts to strengthen defense amid global uncertainty, while addressing concerns over ties with China.

1 man killed in Muan as torrential rainfall lashes S. Korea

2025/08/04 12:34

A man in his 60s has died after being swept away by heavy rain that hit South Korea's southern county of Muan. Authorities continue to be on high alert.. as more rain is expected in regions including Gyeongsangnam-do province. Our Park Kun-woo has the latest. One man died on Sunday evening as heavy rain pounded the southern regions of South Korea. The man in his 60s was killed in Muan after being swept away while trying to redirect floodwaters away from his greenhouse. Over 142 millimeters of rain fell in just one hour in Muan-gun County, in Jeollanam-do Province, making it one of the heaviest hourly rainfalls recorded since related data was first compiled in 1973. Muan sees an annual rain of around 1-thousand-3-hundred millimeters, meaning just over 10 percent of that fell in a single hour. To put this into perspective, rainfall above 30 millimeters an hour can make car wipers ineffective, while 100 millimeters is enough to make vehicles float. Due to heavy rain, around 2-thousand-5-hundred residents in southern regions, including Busan and the surrounding Gyeongsangnam-do Province, were also forced to evacuate, with evacuations still underway. Flooding submerged underground parking lots and caused power outages in apartment complexes. Parking at a number of national parks and riverside areas has also been restricted. President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday night called for swift and preemptive action, urging authorities to prioritize rapid response over procedural reporting to minimize damage. He also expressed concern for regions still recovering from last month's floods and vowed to stay on top of the ongoing situation. Though heavy rain alerts for areas, including Gwangju, were lifted on Monday morning, more downpours in regions like Gyeongsangnam-do are expected. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

[NEWs GEN] No More Hustle: Why younger generations are embracing a slower life

2025/08/04 12:33

NEWs GEN] No More Hustle: Why younger generations are embracing a slower life '아주 보통의 하루 원해요...' 디지털 자극 속 평범함을 추구하는 MZ들

Heatwave eases but muggy with more rain in store

2025/08/04 11:37

An early morning breeze in the capital area made things feel much more comfortable this morning. In fact, heat alerts have been lifted in most regions. However, the heavy rain clouds that moved towards the east are dropping heavy showers in the Gyeongsang-do provinces, with heavy rain alerts in place. Gyeongsang-do and parts of Jeollanam-do could get up to 80 millimeters, the rest of the southern provinces seeing 20 to 60 millimeters. Here in the capital area could see 5 to 10 millimeters of rain through tomorrow morning. And this afternoon, Seoul gets up to 30 degrees Celsius, a couple of degrees lower than Sunday, Gwangju will be much warmer today, topping out at 33 degrees Celsius this afternoon. Skies will be mostly clear tomorrow afternoon, but scattered showers are in the forecast nationwide. On Wednesday, rain will return across the country, with heavy downpours expected in the central region. So the heat won't be as intense as last week!

NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 arrives at International Space Station

2025/08/04 11:36

Finally, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Crew-11 mission from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Friday has successfully docked with the International Space Station, just 15 hours later. A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carried an international team of four astronauts from the U.S., Russia, and Japan. Crew-11 will remain aboard the ISS for at least six months, possibly up to eight months, conducting scientific experiments and station maintenance, potentially extending standard rotation durations.

Volcano erupts for the first time in more than 600 years in Russia's Far East

2025/08/04 11:36

The Kra-she-nin-ni-kov volcano on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula erupted on Sunday, marking its first confirmed eruption in approximately 600 years. The eruption began around 6 AM local time, sending an ash plume up to 6 kilometers into the sky. The event followed a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake on July 29 and was accompanied by a 7.0-magnitude aftershock, leading many scientists to suggest that seismic triggering had contributed to the eruption. While eruption intensity is decreasing, moderate explosive activity may continue. Scientists traced the last eruption to around 1463, with an estimated margin of error of plus or minus 40 years.

World News 2: Pope Leo addresses crowd of million young Catholics at Jubilee of Youth

2025/08/04 11:36

Pope Leo XIV presided over a closing mass for the Jubilee of Youth in Rome on Sunday attended by more than one million young Catholics, marking the largest public event of his papacy. The Mass at Tor Vergata field brought together young people from approximately 150 countries, alongside 7,000 priests and 450 bishops, marking the close of a week of spiritual and cultural programs. Pope Leo urged the gathering to be "the sign that a different world is possible," advocating for peace, fraternity, and resolution through dialogue, rather than violence. He expressed solidarity with young people suffering from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The Pope encouraged participants to return home and "spread your enthusiasm and the witness of your faith." He also said that the next destination for the World Youth Day would be Seoul in 2027.

Fire at Sochi oil depot after reported Ukrainian drone strikes

2025/08/04 11:35

Good morning, I'm Choi Chi-hee, and this is the World Now. Ukraine launched a drone strike on Sunday targeting an oil depot near the Russian city of Sochi. The first significant attack on the Black Sea resort city in years resulted in two oil tanks catching fire. Local authorities in the Kras-no-dar region confirmed that debris from a downed Ukrainian drone struck two fuel tanks, starting a fire. Over 120 firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, and no casualties were reported. An airport in Sochi, the city that hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, also briefly suspended operations. According to Russia's Defense Ministry, 93 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over the Kras-no-dar region and the Black Sea over the weekend.

From 'Exhuma' to 'KPop Demon Hunters': The era of K-shamanism

2025/08/04 11:35

The Netflix original animation "K-pop Demon Hunters" has become popular both in Korea and overseas, sparking growing interest in Korean shamanism. Our Choi Soo-hyung takes a closer look at why it's so popular and how shamanism has become a key part of new K-content. Set in South Korea, "KPop Demon Hunters" follows a popular girl group that protects the human world from evil spirits, while uncovering a boy group of grim reapers, known as "Jeoseung Saja." The Netflix original animation has become the most-viewed original animated movie ever, with its soundtrack also topping the Billboard single charts. Last year, the Korean film "Exhuma" drew an audience of over 10 million at home, and became a hit in Asia and North America, fueled by themes such as feng shui and shamanic rituals. Today, one of the hottest themes in K-content is K-shamanism ---or K-musok in Korean ---a traditional belief system incorporating rituals, divination, and faith in spirits and deities. With a thousand years of history, Korean shamanism is a folk tradition where shamans ---or mudang ---guide people by praying for good fortune and driving away misfortune. "Shamanism exists in many parts of the world. But in Korea, it is unique because of the strong role of mudang. Their traditional music, costumes and performances have deeply influenced Korean folk arts, giving Korean shamanism a distinct cultural and artistic character." Unlike the Western view that defines the human world as good and the spirit world as evil, Korean shamanism sees shamans as mediators between the two, a belief that gives K-musok its unique power. "Western occult stories focus on exorcists, while 'KPop Demon Hunters' shows a more Eastern view. Rumi, a half hunter-spirit, and Jinu, a grim reaper, reveal human qualities, moving beyond the simple divide of good and evil. Even Hollywood now borrows from Asian values, avoiding absolute dualism, showing how Eastern philosophy is shaping occult content." Korean shamanism's power as occult content comes from its cultural freshness rather than religion. "Korea is not tied to a single religion, allowing shamanism to keep its own identity alongside others. Unlike Japan, where cultural images were long ago exhausted by Japonism, Korea's shamanism remains fresh, offering untapped images that enrich today's content." K-musok content is diversifying and becoming a key icon of K-culture with growing potential. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

Departing Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min says farewell in front of fans in Seoul

2025/08/04 11:34

A day after announcing his departure from Tottenham Hotspur, South Korea's Son Heung-min played what is expected to be his last match in a Spurs shirt in front of a home crowd at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sunday. Son played 65 minutes of the sold-out 1-1 draw between Tottenham Hotspur and fellow English Premier League side Newcastle United and received thunderous applause from the 64-thousand fans in the stadium when substituted off. During his nine-year career with the club, Son scored 173 goals in 454 matches across all competitions, ranking fifth on Tottenham's all-time scoring list. In May, Son captained Spurs to a UEFA Europa League title, winning the team's first major trophy in 17 years.

President Lee begins five-day summer vacation

2025/08/04 11:33

President Lee Jae Myung officially begins his five-day summer vacation today. According to the Presidential Office, he is staying on Jeodo Island in Geoje City, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, and plans to reflect on national affairs and recharge by reading and watching films. The top office says it has activated an "emergency reporting system," as the President intends to continue monitoring key issues, including those related to people's livelihoods.

U.S. Trade Representative says Trump’s reciprocal tariffs finalized ahead of implementation

2025/08/04 11:33

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Sunday that reciprocal tariff rates are "pretty much set," leaving little room for last-minute negotiations. Greer said trade ministers are still willing to talk, but he added the tariff rates were determined "pursuant to deals" and are based on each country's trade deficit or surplus with the U.S. Still, he noted that President Trump may consider adjustments if other countries present meaningful concessions in the coming days. An executive order for tariffs was signed last week, with implementation scheduled for August 7.

[Weekly Focus] Kim Yo-jong releases back-to-back statements toward Seoul, Washington; what does this suggest?

2025/08/02 00:35

North Korea broke its silence and issued back-to-back statements aimed at both South Korea and the U.S. this week. Seoul has been pondering whether to downsize joint military drills, while Washington maintained its stance that it is open to dialogue with Pyongyang. For more on this, we invite our defense correspondent, Kim Bo-kyoung. Bo-kyoung, welcome. Thank you for having me. Let's delve a little bit deeper into what Kim Yo-jong said earlier this week. It marked the North's first official statement on the Lee administration. Right, as Seoul tries to ease tensions and resume dialogue with Pyongyang, Kim Yo-jong released a statement on Monday and said President Lee is no different from his predecessor in blindly adhering to the ROK-U.S. alliance. While saying that Seoul's recent suspension of anti-Pyongyang broadcasts is not something that deserves any appreciation, she also said that Pyongyang is not interested in any proposal put forward by Seoul. The Unification Ministry said this shows the high walls of distrust between the two Koreas, emphasizing that it will continue to pursue reconciliation with the North. July 28th, 2025 "The government will stay steady and consistent in pursuing reconciliation, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, without overreacting to the North's responses." The Presidential Office also issued a similar message, saying it will consistently take the necessary actions to make a peninsula without hostility and conflict. Regarding Kim Yo-jong's remarks, one expert said the regime is asking more from Seoul, especially regarding its alliance with the U.S. "The message points to a more fundamental issue—the nature of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. It suggests that the future of inter-Korean dialogue and the restoration of relations will depend on how much autonomy South Korea can exercise from the U.S. in managing its relationship with the North." And after Kim's remarks, the unification minister talked about downsizing ROK-U.S. drills, right? Right, Minister Chung Dong-young said he will propose adjusting the scale of Seoul-Washington joint military drills to the President. South Korea and the U.S. conduct two major joint drills every year the Freedom Shield in March, and the Ulchi Freedom Shield in August. Both are Command Post Exercises, war games in which military leadership executes wartime scenarios. They are accompanied by various field training exercises, with U.S. strategic assets, also, at times, deployed to the Peninsula. Reporters have been asking the Defense Ministry whether there might be any changes regarding the joint drill. Its response as of Thursday is that there have been no changes made yet to planned joint drills. But one expert says points to a case where a drill was suspended in 2018, and there could be changes made even at the last minute if the Korean and the U.S. leaders agree to do so. "Back in 2018, South Korea and the U.S. suspended joint military drills amid improving inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea relations. While changing the current exercise schedule may be difficult, if both leaders agree, a decision to adjust or pause the drills could still be made to support broader peace efforts." As far as I remember, Kim Yo-jong issued a message to Washington the next day which was Tuesday. What was at the core of her message? She urged the U.S. to approach North Korea based on new thinking, and asked that Pyongyang be recognized as a nuclear-weapon state. She did admit that personal ties between the leaders Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are "not bad, " but ruled out talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization. Still, the White House reaffirmed its readiness for dialogue with the regime's leader on that subject. The expert said Pyongyang is asking Washington to make a decisive shift for talks to resume, tossing the ball in Trump's court. "It is calling for new thinking and the search for an exit strategy: to recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state and begin a new round of nuclear arms reduction talks based on that premise." Until now, we've focused on Pyongyang's messages toward Seoul and Washington. How is the regime's relationship with Moscow going? Their ties continue to strengthen, with Russia having launched direct passenger flights between Moscow and Pyongyang for the first time in about three decades, and Pyongyang keeps providing arms to Moscow for its war in Ukraine. In fact, according to a report by South Korea's National Intelligence Service on Wednesday, support from Moscow and Pyongyang's troop dispatches, have been cited as reasons behind Pyongyang's boosted confidence. The regime is considering itself to have a significantly more advantageous strategic position than before, which apparently led to Kim Yo-jong's back-to-back statements. Meanwhile, the relationship between Pyongyang and Beijing seems to have weakened a bit. North Korea's Central News Agency did show Kim Jong-un paying tribute at the Friendship Tower recently symbolizing the ties between them, on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the 1953 Armistice Agreement. The report on it was shorter than before, though, hinting at somewhat strained relations between the two. Alright, this is all the questions I have for you, Bo-kyoung. Thank you for the wrap-up. Thank you.

STOCK&FX

2025/08/01 22:47

2025. 8. 1. KOREAN STOCK MARKET KOSPI : 3,119.41 ▼126.03 -3.88% KOSDAQ : 772.79 ▼32.45 -4.03% KOSPI200 : 420.72 ▼17.88 -4.08% ASIAN STOCK MARKET NIKKEI225 : 40,799.60 ▼270.22 -0.66% HANG SENG : 24,507.81 ▼265.52 -1.07% SHANGHAI : 3,559.95 ▼13.25 -0.37% WALL STREET (July 31) DOW JONES : 44,130.98 ▼330.30 -0.74% NASDAQ : 21,122.45 ▼7.22 -0.03% S&P500 : 6,339.39 ▼23.51 -0.37% EXCHANGE RATE USD : 1,401.40 (+14.40) JPY : 930.95 (-1.49) CNY : 194.22 (+1.56) EUR : 1,602.36 (+14.11)