News

K-wave AI News

2025/05/28 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. The 20th Jeju Forum for Peace & Prosperity kicked off today, bringing together over 4,000 participants from more than 30 countries to discuss regional peace and shared prosperity. Alongside the main program, a variety of cultural events will offer participants a chance to experience Jeju's natural landscapes and heritage, including visits to museums, parks, trekking courses, and various performances. A range of exhibitions is also planned, including a large-scale media wall showcase by renowned Korean photographer Kim Yong-ho and artworks that reinterpret Korea's historical traumas, such as the Korean War and the Jeju April 3rd Incident. The 24th UNIMA Congress and Chuncheon Puppet Festival are currently underway in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do Province, offering a rare look at puppet theater from around the world in one place. UNIMA is the world's oldest international organization dedicated to the art of puppetry. The festival is gaining global attention, captivating audiences through artistic exchange that transcends borders and language. Among the highlights is the Puppet Carnival that delivers a vibrant, colorful spectacle, leading the festival to a climax. The festival has become a cherished event among puppet artists worldwide, drawing more than 1,100 artists from 21 countries this year. The celebration continues through this Sunday. An exhibition exploring the significance of commemoration and souvenirs is currently on display at the National Folk Museum of Korea. Featuring over 200 artifacts spanning from the late Joseon Dynasty to the present, the exhibition offers a unique perspective on how moments of remembrance have been preserved through time. Key pieces include the "Gihe Gisa Gyecheop," paintings depicting state ceremonies and high-ranking officials from the Joseon period, and "Maninsan," a traditional souvenir that was often given as a commemorative gift to mark special occasions or important events. The museum emphasized that souvenirs serve as a powerful means to connect people's hearts across time. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[K-wave] Can stimulating your taste buds heighten your gugak experience?

2025/05/28 14:00

Can music stimulate your taste buds? Can flavors heighten your sense of hearing? Traditional music venues in Korea once had a strict no-food and no-drinks policy, but now some are offering a sip of fragrant tea, traditional Korean snacks, or even a full-course meal before indulging in music performances. Lee Eun-jin has this report. Chef Choi Hyun-seok was a 'White Spoon' on the Netflix show "Culinary Class Wars". Now in a black uniform, he is carefully preparing a full-course meal in a concert hall lobby. From a "sujebi" vongole to the Korean-style braised radish "mujorim" topped with caviar. The chef took inspiration from traditional Korean music. "The main dish is "galbijjim" served with a creamy risotto. I prepared the menu to support the gugak orchestra that's pushing boundaries. For dessert, I used three fermented sauces — doenjang, gochujang, and ganjang." The audience gathered the night before a grand performance for the 60th anniversary of the Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra. Even though they had to make separate visits two evenings in a row, a full-course meal served by a celebrity chef made it worthwhile. "I initially thought the meal would be part of the performance tomorrow, so I was curious how the food and show would be connected. But separating them due to time constraints seems like the right choice." "When I think of fermented sauces, I think of side dishes, not desserts — so I'm looking forward to seeing how they taste." "It is a little unusual, but it feels like a new kind of experience." This was the theater testing new limits. In efforts to offer audiences a new way to experience the performing arts, it took a fresh approach of reinterpreting the arts through gastronomy. "We wanted the theater to be not just a place to watch performances, but somewhere that we can transform into a place for a special experience where a new lifestyle is provided." This cafe-like setting is actually a concert hall lobby. Unlike the strict no-food, no-beverage rule that we associate with the performance hall scene, the lobby is full of tea and light snacks. While the no-food, no-beverage policy is still in place inside the concert hall, the refreshments in the lobby enhance the audiences' experience of the Korean traditional gugak music concert. "It's a performance that blends storytelling with gugak. We invite prominent figures from a range of fields. Since food isn't allowed inside the concert hall, we provide it in the lobby, making it more comfortable for the audience." With a new guest speaker every month, the taste of traditional tea before a gugak performance will be very different from the taste of coffee before a classical orchestra performance. "There's such a widespread coffee culture in Korea. But here, they serve pu'er and chrysanthemum tea, along with delicious rice cakes. It makes the performance even more satisfying — it's emotionally enriching and very affordable." This new experience is expected to draw curious audiences into the world of traditional Korean music. A series of monthly "tea talks" will be held at the National Gugak Center every last Wednesday of the month, where tea is served before a special guest speaker, followed by a traditional gugak performance. The guest for May is Jung Jae-hwan, the co-representative of the Hangul Cultural Solidarity. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

[K-Correspondent] Inaugural "Korea Travel Expo" held in Taiwan

2025/05/28 14:00

Korea is one of Taiwanese tourists' favorite destinations, largely thanks to the Korean wave. To further promote tourism to the country, the "Korea Travel Expo", the first of its kind, just wrapped up this week in Taipei. We are now connected with our K-correspondent in Taipei, Oh Hyeyoung, Team Leader of the Korea Exhibition Industry Centre, who was part of the whole event, to tell us more. Hello! Q1. Could you please introduce yourself briefly, your role at the "Korea Travel Expo" and what's behind this inaugural event? Q2. Let's delve deeper into the expo. What kind of programs were involved, what was offered there? Q3. Taiwan is known as one of the world's largest consumers of Korean culture and K-tourism. How was the response by Taiwanese visitors to the expo? Q4. Was there any specific program or booth they showed a lot of interest in? Q5. Were there also any interesting reactions from the Taiwanese travel industry and media towards the expo? Q6. Do you feel this event has generated more interest in Korean tourism or maybe even other sectors? Q7. Will this be a regular event now? And do you have any other plans you want to share? Thank you Hyeyoung for connecting with us today, we hope the tourism industry thrives on the back of expos like these. Thank you Bella, we'll see you back tomorrow.

BTS leader RM wins 'Favorite K-Pop Artist' at 2025 American Music Awards

2025/05/27 20:00

RM, the leader of the South Korean boy group BTS, has been named as the winner of the "Favorite K-Pop Artist" award at the American Music Awards. Widely regarded as one of the most influential music award shows in the U.S., alongside the Grammys and the Billboard Music Awards, the AMAs returned this year after a three-year hiatus. The 2025 ceremony was held on Monday local time at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas and was hosted by pop icon Jennifer Lopez. The "Favorite K-Pop Artist" category was introduced in 2022, with BTS receiving the inaugural award.

Step into "painter-poet" Marc Chagall's world

2025/05/27 17:00

Up next we offer you a glimpse of an ongoing exhibition here that shares the works of a master who chose the power of color to evoke emotion. Our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin has more. Art has a unique ability to transcend time. One artist who has that power is Marc Chagall, often called the "painter-poet" of the 20th century. Chagall's works are known to blur the lines between dreams and reality, blending tradition with innovation, and where colors become emotions. More than a hundred of his pieces have arrived in Korea for the "MARC CHAGALL: Beyond Time" exhibition. "At first glance, Chagall's works may seem playful, full of vivid color and fairytale-like shapes. But if you take a closer look, you'll be drawn into layers of meaning and emotion." Chagall's works have visited Korea before. But this exhibition offers something never seen before. "These seven works are privately owned, so it took months of persuasion to bring them here. As this exhibition marks 40 years since Chagall's passing, we hoped Korea would be the first place to unveil them." Also drawing attention is Chagall's trademark stained glass and ceiling works. Large-scale projections and soundscapes have recreated the ceiling of the Palais Garnier in Paris and stained glass windows from Israel's Hadassah Medical Center. "Stained glass and ceiling paintings aren't something you can display like traditional canvases, so we thought hard about how to present that part of Chagall's world. In the end, we created two immersive spaces, bringing in sound engineers and designing the setup with symbolic visual elements." Rather than organizing his works chronologically, the exhibition unfolds through eight thematic sections based on Chagall's life, such as his major commissions, love for Paris, and flowers. "We hope this exhibition isn't just an encounter with Chagall the artist, but with Chagall the human being. The paintings reflect his emotional journey: joy, sorrow, longing, and love." You can explore "MARC CHAGALL: Beyond Time" until September 21st at Seoul Arts Center's Hangaram Art Museum. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.

[K-enter] YG announces ambitious plans for BLACKPINK's comeback

2025/05/27 14:00

So Bella, let's kick off today's K-enter with some highly anticipated news. What do you have? BLACKPINK in your area! BLACKPINK will make a comeback this year. On Monday, Yang Hyun-suk, the chief producer of YG Entertainment, attracted attention by personally introducing the masterplan for the second half of this year, and that includes the comeback schedule for BLACKPINK. The full comeback of BLACKPINK is the first since the release of their last album "BORN PINK" in 2022, about 2 years and 8 months ago. So, expectations are very high for what new history this group will create after each members' successful solo activities. The comeback details are not out yet, but BLACKPINK will hold their new world tour "DEADLINE" at Goyang Sports Complex on July 5th and 6th. Excited to finally see them perform as a group. Moving onto some news about a boy group. KickFlip only released their debut album in January, but already, they're dropping a second mini-album. On Monday, KickFlip held a media showcase at YES24 Live Hall in Seoul to celebrate the release of their second mini-album, "Kick Out, Flip Now!" The new album includes seven tracks, including the title track "FREEZE," which is a dance song with a 90s pop-punk vibe. The members participated in making this track as the youngest member Donghyun composed the song, and Kyehoon, Donghwa, and Minjae wrote the lyrics. Notably, the new release surpassed 350-thousand pre-orders, demonstrating the intense interest surrounding the K-pop super rookies. KickFlip are a relatively new group, so for people who may not be familiar with them, they are JYP's new boy group with 7 members. The group's name KickFlip refers to a skateboarding trick that symbolizes breaking out of their shell and moving forward. KickFlip have also confirmed their appearance at "Lollapalooza Chicago" and "Summer Sonic Bangkok" in August. Looking forward to this rookie group's future activities. Our last story is also on a boy group, but in relation with the screen? Infinite will celebrate the 15th anniversary of their debut with a concert film. CGV revealed the trailer for "INFINITE 15TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT LIMITED EDITION THE MOVIE." It features the members' invitational message to their fans, Inspirits, with their hit song "Be Mine" in the background. The new film features a performance from the group's 15th anniversary world tour "Limited Edition" held in December last year at KSPO DOME in Seoul. It will capture exciting and touching moments from the concert, including breathtaking performances, exclusive behind-the-scenes clips, and heartfelt stories and memories from the members. "INFINITE 15TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT LIMITED EDITION THE MOVIE" will be available nationwide, exclusive in CGV, on June 11th. Can't believe it's been 15 years for them. Thank you Bella for today's stories. It's now time to go over to our AI anchor Ari, for other culture-related news. Ari, take it away!

K-wave AI News

2025/05/27 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. A set of prehistoric petroglyphs located in Ulju county in the southeastern city of Ulsan is expected to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The International Council on Monuments and Sites has recommended the rock carvings, dating back more than 6,000 years, for UNESCO inscription. The heritage sites, considered the pinnacle of prehistoric culture on the Korean Peninsula, include the petroglyphs in Daegok-ri and Cheonjeon-ri, located in Ulju County. The carvings feature a range of imagery, including animals, hunting scenes, geometric patterns, and inscriptions, offering rare insight into the Neolithic era to the Silla period. The final decision will be made at a World Heritage Committee meeting in Paris in July. Meanwhile, North Korea's Kumgang Mountain is expected to gain UNESCO World Heritage status after a four-year application process. Renowned for its seasonal beauty, it's considered one of the Korean peninsula's most scenic mountains. World-renowned soprano Sumi Jo was awarded the highest rank of France's Order of Arts and Letters on Monday by the French Ministry of Culture. The medal was presented by former French Culture Minister Fleur Pellerin, a French national of Korean descent. The Order of Arts and Letters honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the arts and literature or have helped promote French culture globally. Sumi Jo becomes the third Korean recipient of the award, following Kim Jeong-ok, former President of the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation in 2002, and conductor Chung Myung-whun in 2011. Saying the award means a new beginning, Jo shared her commitment to supporting and inspiring young talent. The '2025 Gangneung Danoje Festival,' a millennium-old tradition and UNESCO-recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage, kicked off today. Marking the 20th anniversary of its UNESCO inscription, this year's festival features an expanded lineup of rich cultural events. Highlights include ancestral rites, shamanistic rituals, diverse folk games, and a special exhibition on the festival's history. Adding an international flair, performers from abroad, including teams from Slovakia, Slovakia, Japan, and Mongolia, will present captivating cultural showcases. The festival runs through June 3 along the Namdaecheon Stream in Gangneung. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[K-wave] Step into "painter-poet" Marc Chagall's world

2025/05/27 14:00

Marc Chagall is well known as a master of color, memory, and emotion. His timeless works are now on view here in Seoul, including a number of so far unpublished original works. Our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin takes us inside the artist's world. Art has a unique ability to transcend time. One artist who has that power is Marc Chagall, often called the "painter-poet" of the 20th century. Chagall's works are known to blur the lines between dreams and reality, blending tradition with innovation, and where colors become emotions. More than a hundred of his pieces have arrived in Korea for the "MARC CHAGALL: Beyond Time" exhibition. "At first glance, Chagall's works may seem playful, full of vivid color and fairytale-like shapes. But if you take a closer look, you'll be drawn into layers of meaning and emotion." Chagall's works have visited Korea before. But this exhibition offers something never seen before. "These seven works are privately owned, so it took months of persuasion to bring them here. As this exhibition marks 40 years since Chagall's passing, we hoped Korea would be the first place to unveil them." Also drawing attention is Chagall's trademark stained glass and ceiling works. Large-scale projections and soundscapes have recreated the ceiling of the Palais Garnier in Paris and stained glass windows from Israel's Hadassah Medical Center. "Stained glass and ceiling paintings aren't something you can display like traditional canvases, so we thought hard about how to present that part of Chagall's world. In the end, we created two immersive spaces, bringing in sound engineers and designing the setup with symbolic visual elements." Rather than organizing his works chronologically, the exhibition unfolds through eight thematic sections based on Chagall's life, such as his major commissions, love for Paris, and flowers. "We hope this exhibition isn't just an encounter with Chagall the artist, but with Chagall the human being. The paintings reflect his emotional journey: joy, sorrow, longing, and love." You can explore "MARC CHAGALL: Beyond Time" until September 21st at Seoul Arts Center's Hangaram Art Museum. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.

[Hallyu People] Meet Mai, first ever foreign "Miss Chunhyang"

2025/05/27 14:00

Every year around the month of May, or starting on April 8th on the lunar calendar, a festival takes place in the southern city of Namwon, Jeollabuk-do Province. It's the Chunhyang Festival, based on a Korean folk tale. The highlight of the event is the beauty pageant, or the Miss Chunhyang Contest. For the first time in the festival's 95-year history, a foreigner has won one of the top titles in the contest: Mai from Estonia. And we have invited her into the studio. Welcome Mai! 1) Would you first like to introduce yourself to "The Kulture Wave" viewers, please? 2) Congratulations on becoming one of the "Miss Chunhyang"! It's just been a few weeks now, how do you feel? How was the response from family and friends? 3) Koreans are well aware of the Chunhyangjeon, a very famous folk tale that revolves around a love story, which the Chunhyang Festival is based on. For our international viewers, could you give us some background on what this festival is about? 4) We heard it's your second time taking part in the Miss Chunhyang Contest. What made you take part? And how do you prepare for this event? 5) As one of the winners, you take the role as an ambassador of Namwon city for three years. What aspect of Namwon would you like to promote in particular? 6) Mai, what made you come to Korea and how is Korea perceived in your country, Estonia? 7) Mai, let's now talk about your special passion for hanbok. On your YouTube channel 'Kimchi Ghost Mai' we see you wearing hanbok a lot as well. Tell us about your affection for Korea's traditional attire. 8) What other part of Korea's culture would you like to spread to the world and what are your future plans in Korea? Thank you Mai, for sharing your story with us today. We look forward to your activities as a "cultural ambassador" and congratulations again for becoming the first foreign Miss Chunhyang. Thank you Bella as always, we'll see you back tomorrow.

How far has the Korean wave, 'hallyu,' come in Japan?

2025/05/26 17:00

Up next we bring you the first installment in our special series of stories to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between Seoul and Tokyo. Every Monday over the next few weeks we cover the broader impact of culture in advancing bilateral ties. My colleague Ahn Sung-jin reports from Japan. "This year, 2025, marks the 60th anniversary of normalized relations between Korea and Japan. Though historical and social issues remain, 'hallyu,' or the Korean wave, has been a source of soft power. Though none of this is new, just how far have we come? To answer that question, I've spent some time here in Tokyo to see how much Korean culture has been integrated into everyday life." The beginning of the Korean culture boom in Japan started off with the 2003 drama "Winter Sonata," in which Japanese adoration of the main character Bae Yong-joon, also known as "Yonsama," was notable. But starting from the second and third wave of Hallyu, it was mostly driven by K-pop stars sweeping the Tokyo Dome and the hearts of numerous fans. "BTS, Bigbang, Boynext door" "Boynextdoor. First, I liked them for the music, but once I saw the members, I thought they were also very good-looking." With name shedding stars like Girls Generation and Kara in the late 2000s to BTS and Blackpink in the late 2010s, K-pop brought an influx of new lifestyles including beauty, fashion and food to Japan. "So this record shop I'm at in Tokyo is the largest of its kind and as you can see, not only does it have an entire floor dedicated to K-pop, but it's also flooded with fans of different artists." The consistent popularity of K-pop has been apparent for decades, with Japan topping the list of countries in terms of K-pop album export values. The fourth wave of Hallyu was characterized by something else. New content beyond K-pop began to evolve, and with the expansion of OTT platforms came a boom in Korean dramas, 특히 post-COVID-19. As these continued to garner more popularity, interestingly Japan has absorbed it into a unique form of its own kind. "Even though it was only aired on Netflix, everyone knew about the drama, and I think it could even be said to have brought a new boom of Korean dramas. There was no reason not to make this into a musical." Director Mariko was in charge of recreating the popular drama "Crash Landing on You" into a musical, which can only be seen in Japan. Though the main challenge for her was to create a condensed version of a long drama series, she said Korean dramas are fun to stage and is willing to do another if the chance comes along. "Even though the musical is in Korean, the audience will read off the subtitles from the side and still enjoy it." And now, as Tokyo slips into the fifth Hallyu boom, the Japanese public has been attracted to a wider range of cultural elements from Korea. "Here I am at a local bookstore in Roppongi, and in the international literature section, a wide range of Korean books can easily be spotted, including author Han Kang's well-known novel, 'The Vegetarian.'" The influence of Korean culture now extends beyond K-pop and K-dramas, stretching into literature, cuisine, and other various forms of Korean content, marking a broader cultural expansion. And this year's 60th anniversary serves as an opportunity to reflect on the past, and look ahead to the future of the Korea-Japan relationship, considering the changing international landscape and the ongoing challenges. So join me every Monday to explore the realms of Korean culture in Japan. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News, Tokyo.

[Features reporter] How far has the Korean wave, 'hallyu,' come in Japan?

2025/05/26 14:00

In 'The Kulture Wave', we explore Korean culture taking place here in Korea, but also abroad, when we connect to our K-correspondents overseas. This time, we had our very own News Features reporter Sung-jin, you, flying abroad to show us something new outside of the country for us? Right, so this year marks the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan normalization of relations, and as this show's name suggests, I wanted to see in what aspects culture was playing a role between the two. I spent a week in Tokyo to have a look at it myself. "This year, 2025, marks the 60th anniversary of normalized relations between Korea and Japan. Though historical and social issues remain, 'hallyu,' or the Korean wave, has been a source of soft power. Though none of this is new, just how far have we come? To answer that question, I've spent some time here in Tokyo to see how much Korean culture has been integrated into everyday life." The beginning of the Korean culture boom in Japan started off with the 2003 drama "Winter Sonata," in which Japanese adoration of the main character Bae Yong-joon, also known as "Yonsama," was notable. But starting from the second and third wave of Hallyu, it was mostly driven by K-pop stars sweeping the Tokyo Dome and the hearts of numerous fans. "BTS, Bigbang, Boynextdoor" "Boynextdoor. First, I liked them for the music, but once I saw the members, I thought they were also very good-looking." With name shedding stars like Girls Generation and Kara in the late 2000s to BTS and Blackpink in the late 2010s, K-pop brought an influx of new lifestyles including beauty, fashion and food to Japan. "So this record shop I'm at in Tokyo is the largest of its kind and as you can see, not only does it have an entire floor dedicated to K-pop, but it's also flooded with fans of different artists." The consistent popularity of K-pop has been apparent for decades, with Japan topping the list of countries in terms of K-pop album export values. The fourth wave of Hallyu was characterized by something else. New content beyond K-pop began to evolve, and with the expansion of OTT platforms came a boom in Korean dramas, especially post-COVID-19. As these continued to garner more popularity, interestingly Japan has absorbed it into a unique form of its own kind. "Even though it was only aired on Netflix, everyone knew about the drama, and I think it could even be said to have brought a new boom of Korean dramas. There was no reason not to make this into a musical." Director Mariko was in charge of recreating the popular drama "Crash Landing on You" into a musical, which can only be seen in Japan. Though the main challenge for her was to create a condensed version of a long drama series, she said Korean dramas are fun to stage and is willing to do another if the chance comes along. "Even though the musical is in Korean, the audience will read off the subtitles from the side and still enjoy it." And now, as Tokyo slips into the fifth Hallyu boom, the Japanese public has been attracted to a wider range of cultural elements from Korea. "Here I am at a local bookstore in Roppongi, and in the international literature section, a wide range of Korean books can easily be spotted, including author Han Kang's well-known novel, 'The Vegetarian.'" The influence of Korean culture now extends beyond K-pop and K-dramas, stretching into literature, cuisine, and other various forms of Korean content, marking a broader cultural expansion. And this year's 60th anniversary serves as an opportunity to reflect on the past, and look ahead to the future of the Korea-Japan relationship, considering the changing international landscape and the ongoing challenges. So join me every Monday to explore the realms of Korean culture in Japan. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News, Tokyo.

[K-Enter] SEVENTEEN celebrates 10 years with fireworks at Jamsu Bridge

2025/05/26 14:00

Time for our daily dose of K-enter news with Walter Lee. Starting off with a celebration for boy group SEVENTEEN. On Sunday, SEVENTEEN turned Seoul’s Jamsu Bridge into a spectacular concert venue. The group performed on a stage spanning the bridge, as vibrant fireworks and laser lights lit up the sky, with over 6,000 fans gathered for the event. The free concert named "B-DAY PARTY: BURST Stage @Jamsu Bridge," marked the group’s 10th anniversary. To accommodate the concert, traffic on Jamsu Bridge was suspended. The group started the show with “Thunder,” a track from their fifth full-length album. Speaking of their fifth full-length album, on Monday, SEVENTEEN are set to release their fifth full-length album, "HAPPY BURSTDAY," kicking off the next chapter in their journey. Good luck to the next chapter in their journey. Now we move on to another celebration, for another boy group. To celebrate their 17th debut anniversary, boy group SHINee dropped the single "Poet | Artist," as well as their B-side track “Starlight,” across major music platforms on Sunday at midnight. The music video for “Poet | Artist” was also released simultaneously via YouTube’s SMTOWN channel. The title track “Poet | Artist” is an electro-pop song with lyrics that urge listeners to break free from convention and co-create something new, applying poetic and artistic expression. The accompanying track “Starlight”는 a bright, medium-tempo dance-pop song that likens the feeling of a first encounter to a star shining in the darkness. SHINee concluded their seventh solo concert, "SHINee WORLD VII : Every Stage Shines Around You," with a spectacular final performance at Seoul Olympic Park on Sunday. Great to see the boys active for so many years and hopefully so many more to come. Next, we have a great achievement for girl group ILLIT. ILLIT’s debut track “Magnetic” has surpassed 600 million streams on Spotify, according to their agency Belift Lab on Sunday. Released in March 2024, the song passed 600 million streams on Friday, setting a new record as the fastest time for a K-pop group’s debut song to hit this milestone. “Magnetic” has a catchy melody that gained widespread popularity, especially on short-form video platforms . ILLIT is scheduled to release their third mini-album, "Bomb", on the 16th of June, with promotions centred around the title track “Borrowed Cat.” (Do the Dance).

K-pop girl group aespa wins "Best Song Asia" at Music Awards Japan

2025/05/23 19:00

K-pop girl band aespa's hit "Supernova" won "Best Song Asia," one of the main categories of the "Music Awards Japan" held in Kyoto on Thursday. On the second day of its two-day ceremony, K-pop boy group SEVENTEEN was also recognized with the "Special Award: Korean Popular Music" for "God of Music." And RM of BTS received "Best of Listeners' Choice" for his collaboration with popstar Megan Thee Stallion. The debut edition of the Music Awards Japan was supported by major local music agencies and governmental organizations.

[Arts & Culture] Step into "painter-poet" Marc Chagall's world

2025/05/23 19:00

Marc Chagall is well-known as a master of color, memory, and emotion. Starting today, his timeless works are now on view here in Seoul. Our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin takes us inside a rare exhibition of the artist's world for this week's Arts and Culture segment. Art has a unique ability to transcend time. One artist who has that power is Marc Chagall, often called the "painter-poet" of the 20th century. Chagall's works are known to blur the lines between dreams and reality, blending tradition with innovation, and where colors become emotions. More than a hundred of his pieces have arrived in Korea for the "MARC CHAGALL: Beyond Time" exhibition. "At first glance, Chagall's works may seem playful, full of vivid color and fairytale-like shapes. But if you take a closer look, you'll be drawn into layers of meaning and emotion." Chagall's works have visited Korea before. But this exhibition offers something never seen before. "These seven works are privately owned, so it took months of persuasion to bring them here. As this exhibition marks 40 years since Chagall's passing, we hoped Korea would be the first place to unveil them." Also drawing attention is Chagall's trademark stained glass and ceiling works. Large-scale projections and soundscapes have recreated the ceiling of the Palais Garnier in Paris and stained glass windows from Israel's Hadassah Medical Center. "Stained glass and ceiling paintings aren't something you can display like traditional canvases, so we thought hard about how to present that part of Chagall's world. In the end, we created two immersive spaces, bringing in sound engineers and designing the setup with symbolic visual elements." Rather than organizing his works chronologically, the exhibition unfolds through eight thematic sections based on Chagall's life, such as his major commissions, love for Paris, and flowers. "We hope this exhibition isn't just an encounter with Chagall the artist, but with Chagall the human being. The paintings reflect his emotional journey: joy, sorrow, longing, and love." You can explore "MARC CHAGALL: Beyond Time" until September 21st at Seoul Arts Center's Hangaram Art Museum. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.

S. Korean film director Heo Ga-young wins La Cinef Award at Cannes 2025

2025/05/23 17:00

Meanwhile at this year's Cannes Film Festival. A Korean filmmaker has won the top prize in the La Cinef competition of the festival that acknowledges the work of promising film students. Heo Ga-young is the first Korean to win in this prestigious section of the Cannes event. Her short film "First Summer" was celebrated with the top honor and 15-thousand euros in prize money. The film centers around a 74-year-old woman who chooses to attend her late boyfriend's memorial service over her granddaughter's wedding.

K-wave AI News

2025/05/23 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. The 'Seoul International Book Fair,' Korea's largest literary festival, returns next month. Under the theme, 'The Last Resort,' this year's event invites visitors to explore books as sources of comfort and resilience amid today's increasingly challenging world. The fair will bring together over 530 publishers and literary organizations from 17 countries, including Germany, the UK, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. It features a variety of programs, ranging from book markets and exhibitions to author talks and signing events, celebrating the power of books to inspire and connect. It runs from June 18 to 22 at COEX in Seoul. The Culture Ministry will launch the '2025 UNESCO Heritage Tour' in June, inviting foreign content creators living in Korea to dive deeper into the country's rich history and culture. The program, which will run across five sessions through November, explores Korea's UNESCO-listed cultural heritage that include 16 World Heritage sites, 23 items of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and 20 entries on the Memory of the World Register. Kicking things off at the 'Museong Seowon,' a historic Confucian academy located in Jeollabuk-do Province, the tour takes creators across Suwon, Gwangju, Yeosu and beyond, offering a firsthand look at Korea's deep cultural roots and historical legacy. Video highlights from each session will be shared on the 'Korea net' YouTube channel. For further details, visit www.heritageinkorea.kr. Korea's digital music market has nearly doubled in size in just four years. According to a recent report from the Korea Music Copyright Association, the combined value of streaming and downloads grew from about 950 billion won, or nearly 690 million U.S. dollars, in 2019 to roughly 1.8 trillion won, or more than 1.3 billion dollars, in 2023, marking an increase of over 90%. Streaming alone saw even sharper growth, surging by more than 95% during the same period. The association said Korea's digital music market has now surpassed Japan's, long recognized as Asia's leading music market, with streaming emerging as the key driver behind the rapid growth. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[Kulture Issue] "The King of Kings" raises expectations of K-animation to make leap to global stage

2025/05/23 14:00

Could K-animation become the next K-content leader? Well, in North America, Korean-made animation “The King of Kings“ is already the king among Korean animation movies targeted at the overseas market. Today, we want to delve into the K-animation world with our movie expert, Jae Soh, Professor and filmmaker at Seoul Institute of the Arts. Hello Professor Soh! Q1. Let’s start with this outstanding performance of the made-in-Korea animated movie “The King of Kings“. This one is writing history in the K-animation industry but for now, outside of Korea. Please tell us about the achievement. Q2. Impressive to have even Hollywood stars voicing the characters so this approach of targeting a foreign audience first, is this a new chapter in the potential of K-animation productions? Q3. Famous directors like Bong Joon-ho and Kim Tae-yong are also in the process of making animation productions. What do you make of their new attempts? Q4. Let’s now talk about the first Korean animated film to debut on Netflix. “Lost in Starlight“ is coming in a week from now. What are your expectations? (Bong Joon-ho I heard spoke well of it?) Q5. Why is Korean animation in the spotlight these days? Was it always a field of strength, or are we seeing significant progress lately? Q6. Let's shift gears to the 78th Cannes Film Festival, that is wrapping up tomorrow, Saturday. Korean director Heo Ga-young has won the first prize of the "La Cinef," an award dedicated to student-made movies. Please tell us about it. Q7. Also, staying with Cannes, but also going back to K-animation. For the first time, a Korean animated short film, by director Joung Yu-mi , called “Glasses“ was invited to compete in the short film category. What’s your assessment of this selection?

[K-enter] Baekhyun's new album becomes 4th consecutive million-seller

2025/05/23 14:00

Time for some K-entertainment news with Bella Kim. As you said in the opening, today’s K-enter is filled with K-pop stories. Who are we starting with? We are going to kick off with Baekhyun. His latest album, “Essence of Reverie” has become a million-seller. According to Hanteo Chart, Baekhyun’s fifth EP reached the milestone just two days after its release. This marks his fourth consecutive million-seller out of a total of five solo albums. It’s also notable that this record makes him the first K-pop solo singer to achieve the feat in the 21st century. “Essence of Reverie” explores Baekhyun’s reflection on his past and future, and it has topped iTunes top albums chart in 24 regions. Meanwhile, Baekhyun will meet with his fans around the globe during his first world tour, starting next month. We’ve seen several artists become million-sellers, but doing it four times! Wow! Our next story is on a K-pop group? NCT 127 just wrapped up their fourth world tour with a finale concert at the Tokyo Dome. The group kicked off “Neo City -The Momentum” world tour in January at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul and met with fans in over 15 regions across North America and Asia through 24 shows in total. This tour was held in the hopes of continuing to moving forward as one team and to show off their unlimited energy. They also reached their 100th solo concert during this world tour. The finale concert, to wrap up the five month-long tour, was held on May 21st to 22nd at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. On top of performing their hit songs, the group thrilled the fans even more by performing Japanese tracks as well. So much efforts they put into this concert for their fans! Lastly, we will continue with another K-pop group that is about to kick off their tour. RIIZE will hold their first solo concert, the “2025 RIIZE CONCERT TOUR ,” from July 4th to 6th at the KSPO DOME in Seoul. It will then expand to over 14 locations worldwide, including Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia. Notably, the Seoul concert, which will kick off the tour, sold out all the shows just through advance ticket sales for official fan club BRIIZE members. Meanwhile, RIIZE released their first full-length album “ODYSSEY” on May 19th, reaching number one on domestic and international charts. Exciting for all the BRIIZE around the world. Thank you Bella for today’s stories.

At least 3 people dead after small plane crash in San Diego neighbourhood

2025/05/23 10:00

A U.S. music talent agency said Thursday that three of its employees died after a small private plane, in which they were traveling, crashed into a residential area in the city of San Diego in the early hours of the same day. According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration 6 passengers were onboard the plane, with some reports indicating there have been no survivors. Eight people on the ground have also been injured. Authorities say the incident occurred amid dense fog conditions, as the aircraft was attempting to land at nearby Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. Multiple homes have caught fire due to the crash, and nearly 100 residents have been evacuated. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

Blackpink's Rosé, NewJeans win awards at inaugural Music Awards Japan

2025/05/22 17:00

On the entertainment front K-pop artists have been acknowledged at an inaugural music award ceremony in neighboring Japan. Blackpink member Rosé's DUET with Bruno Mars APT won the "Best International Pop Song in Japan" at the "Music Awards Japan" while "Ditto" by NewJeans won the "Best K-Pop Song in Japan". Music Awards Japan is a new event organized through collaboration among major Japanese music organizations and government agencies.