News

[Short-form] Korea’s Hottest Destination – The National Museum of Korea

2025/08/19 18:35

A record-breaking 690,000 visitors in just one month. Discover what’s fueling the museum’s explosive popularity.

[Features-reporter] How "KPop Demon Hunters" character 'Duffy' comes to life through traditional Korean folk play

2025/08/19 18:35

And more on the Netflix hit "KPop Demon Hunters", which continues to gain immense popularity, Korean traditional culture has also been coming to light. Our News Features reporter Ahn Sung-jin tells us more. The dense blue fur shakes as the tiger stands on its feet. Its oversized mask, weathered yet alive, seems to breathe. This is saja chum or saja talchum, directly translated as the lion dance. It's a traditional Korean dance or folk play that portrays a lion to bring good fortune, but Yeonhee Connect Eul, a group of young performers have given it a twist to it, using a tiger instead. The tiger happens to resemble the character 'Duffy' from "KPop Demon Hunters," but the group say they began using it instead of a lion to combine elements of its fierceness, traditional Korean folk paintings and the symbol of the mythical Seoul 'Haetae' creature with its team color blue. "The fact that this piece reminded some of "KPop Demon Hunters" suggests that we successfully conveyed a universal narrative combining traditional themes and immersive media." Through performances like this, the group works on bringing traditional folk performance arts back to life. It often performs a type of Korean percussion music known as samulnori. But rather than merely replicating the tradition, it instead adds digital projections or modern media like DJing. "We aim to continue building on the foundation of traditional Korean performance arts while incorporating modern aspects through contemporary storytelling, media art and choreography to create entirely new stage experiences. For them it's not about reproducing the past but creating works that breathe with the present. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

[K-Enter] President Lee to appear on special program discussing the future of K-pop

2025/08/19 18:34

So Walter, we have a BIG announcement here at Arirang TV. BIG indeed. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is set to appear on Arirang TV's special program "K-Pop: The Next Chapter" on Wednesday 5 p.m. Korea time. The meaning of the visit is to bring together key industry figures to discuss K-pop's global influence, its potential for further expansion as a leading cultural export, and the opportunities that lie ahead. It will also present visions and ideas for how K-pop can take its next step forward. The show will also feature Maggie Kang, director of the hit Netflix animated film "Kpop Demon Hunters", TWICE members Jihyo and Jeongyeon , record producer and songwriter R.Tee, and renowned music critic Kim Young-dae , known for his insights into industry trends and developments. Hosting the show will be broadcaster Jang Sung-kyu . BigHit Music, the powerhouse behind global K-pop stars BTS and Tomorrow X Together , has officially introduced a brand new boy group. At a debut showcase in Seoul on Monday, BigHit Music unveiled its latest act, CORTIS . The five-member group marks the label's first boy group in six years since Tomorrow X Together. What's interesting is, BTS debuted in 2013, TXT followed in 2019, and now in 2025, CORTIS are making their debut, sparking talk of a "six-year pattern" in BigHit's lineup. The group's name, CORTIS, comes from the phrase "Color Outside the Lines", a statement about breaking free from society's rules and thinking without limits. Unlike many rookie groups, CORTIS is aiming to stand out as a "young creator crew." That means the members take part in writing songs, composing music, choreographing performances, and even producing video content all through a collaborative, hands-on process. At their showcase, they premiered their debut track "What You Want", giving fans a first taste of their music before their official album release. CORTIS's first album, "Color Outside the Lines", drops on September 8. Can't wait to hear more from them. Last but not least, I hear wedding bells in the distance. I do. too. Singer and TV personality Kim Jong-kook IS GETTING MARRIED but sadly not to fellow Running Man member Song Ji-Hyo like some of us had hoped. On Monday, Kim announced the news on his official fan café, where he also talked about this year being the 30th anniversary of his debut as a singer. He said instead of making an album, he found another half, but he did not disclose any details about his fiancée. Kim Jong-Kook debuted in 1995 as a member of the duo Turbo, rising to fame and then later launching a solo career in 2001. He then went on to star in numerous variety shows but is best known for his role on "Running Man". Thanks for that news Walter. Now let's see what Ari has for us with more culture news. Ari.

MSNBC will become MS NOW, lose peacock logo

2025/08/19 13:39

In the United States, cable news channel MSNBC is undergoing a major transformation, announcing it will rebrand as MS NOW, short for "My Source News, Opinion, and the World." It will follow the upcoming spin-off from NBCUniversal. As part of the rebrand, the network will also no longer use the iconic NBC peacock logo. MS NOW's president, Rebecca Kutler, said that the shift represents a change to chart an independent course separate from the NBC legacy.

President Lee to discuss future of K-pop in special program from Arirang

2025/08/19 13:37

President Lee Jae Myung will discuss the future of the K-pop industry on Arirang's special program, "K-Pop: The Next Chapter," which airs on Wednesday. According to the Presidential Office, President Lee will be joined on the panel by Maggie Kang, writer and director of the Netflix hit "KPop Demon Hunters," and members of the K-pop girl group TWICE. They will share ideas on further expanding K-pop's global reach and explore policy directions to support its growth. You can catch the full program this Wednesday at 5 PM, Korea time.

K-wave AI News

2025/08/18 16:39

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. Ulju County Library in the southeastern city of Ulsan will host a month-long series of special events in September to celebrate the inscription of the Bangudae Petroglyphs as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The programs, organized under the themes of history, culture, and environment, will feature events such as hand crafts, petroglyph lectures, and performances showcasing Korean traditions. Eco-friendly upcycling programs will also be held to underscore the importance of environmental preservation. The Bangudae petroglyphs, which portray hunting scenes and animals believed to date back to prehistoric times, were added to the UNESCO list last month. Paju City in Gyeonggi-do Province will reopen the DMZ Peace Trail theme course from September 4. Divided into three routes, the theme course includes a rare walk along barbed-wire fences normally closed to the public, as well as visits to major DMZ attractions such as the Dora Observatory and the Third Infiltration Tunnel. The program was temporarily suspended in July for safety checks during the peak summer heat and monsoon season. Participation is limited to 20 people per session, with details available on the Peace Trail website, www.dmzwalk.com. Tourist arrivals at beaches on Korea's southern resort island of Jeju have already topped one million. According to Jeju Island, the milestone was reached on August 13, nine days earlier than last year, with a more than 20 percent increase in the number of visitors. Hamdeok Beach in Jeju City drew the largest crowds at nearly 506,000 visitors, followed by Hyeopjae and Geumneung beaches. Jeju officials attributed the surge to the early opening of beaches in response to unseasonably early heatwaves. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[K-Enter] Kpop Demon Hunters’ ‘Golden’ first K-pop song to spend total of 2 weeks at no. 1 in UK

2025/08/18 16:37

Time for K-enter news with Walter Lee. Starting off with the latest news on Netflix's "Kpop Demon Hunters"! I feel like HUNTR/X is just a part of the K-pop girl group universe now. The "Kpop Demon Hunters" song "Golden" has climbed back to No. 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart. On Friday local time, the Official Charts reported that "Golden" rose one spot on the Top 100 Singles chart, knocking Chappell Roan's "The Subway" from the top position to reclaim the crown. This marks the first time in K-pop history that a song has reached No.1 on the UK Official Singles Chart for two non-consecutive weeks. Previously, Psy's "Gangnam Style" held the top spot for a single week back in 2012. We have also seen the song's impact in the U.S., since debuting at No. 8, the album has never fallen outside the Top 10 on the Billboard 200. Let's see how long the song will stay up, up, up for in the coming weeks! What no singing Walter? That was a one-time thing Soa. Alright, let's move away from one powerful girl group's achievement in the UK and U.S. charts, to a powerhouse girl group performing huge in the UK. On Friday and Saturday local time, BLACKPINK lit up the stage at one of London's most iconic venues, Wembley Stadium. This is a historic moment, as BLACKPINK are the first Korean girl group to headline a solo concert at Wembley, an arena that holds some of the UK's biggest concerts and sport events. BTS became the first K-pop act to perform there in June 2019. In addition on Monday, news about BLACKPINK's next album was revealed by YG Entertainment's executive producer Yang Hyun-suk where he discussed upcoming projects from YG artists set for the latter half of 2025. Yang officially confirmed BLACKPINK's new album is being worked on and is aiming for a release this November. Can't wait for that! Lastly we turn to a veteran singer receiving a touching award. Singer Insooni has been selected as the recipient of the "Woman of Influence Award" from Pearl S. Buck International. The organisation announced the honour on its official website, marking the first time in 25 years that a Korean has received the award. The last Korean to win it was the late Lee Hee ho , wife of former President Kim Dae jung , in 2000. Pearl S. Buck International introduced Insooni as a humanitarian and a strong advocate for young people of mixed-race and multicultural backgrounds. Born after the Korean War to a Korean mother and an African American father, Insooni was supported through Pearl S. Buck International's child sponsorship program. The organisation said, "She overcame racial discrimination, rose to success in the music industry, and became a celebrated figure in her homeland." Insooni will attend the award ceremony on August 21 local time in Pennsylvania, USA. Thanks for the news Walter. Now we move onto our AI anchor Ari for more on the culture front. Ari!

How "KPop Demon Hunters" character 'Duffy' comes to life through traditional Korean folk play

2025/08/18 13:36

In other news. As the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" continues to gain popularity, Korean traditional culture has also been coming to light. Our Ahn Sung-jin tells us more. The dense blue fur shakes as the tiger stands on its feet. Its oversized mask, weathered yet alive, seems to breathe. This is saja chum or saja talchum, directly translated as the lion dance. It's a traditional Korean dance or folk play that portrays a lion to bring good fortune, but Yeonhee Connect Eul, a group of young performers have given it a twist to it, using a tiger instead. The tiger happens to resemble the character 'Duffy' from "KPop Demon Hunters," but the group say they began using it instead of a lion to combine elements of its fierceness, traditional Korean folk paintings and the symbol of the mythical Seoul 'Haetae' creature with its team color blue. "The fact that this piece reminded some of "KPop Demon Hunters" suggests that we successfully conveyed a universal narrative combining traditional themes and immersive media." Through performances like this, the group works on bringing traditional folk performance arts back to life. It often performs a type of Korean percussion music known as samulnori. But rather than merely replicating the tradition, it instead adds digital projections or modern media like DJing. "We aim to continue building on the foundation of traditional Korean performance arts while incorporating modern aspects through contemporary storytelling, media art and choreography to create entirely new stage experiences. For them it's not about reproducing the past but creating works that breathe with the present. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

Actor Terence Stamp, who starred as Superman villain, dies aged 87

2025/08/18 12:34

British Actor Terence Stamp, who played the role of villain General Zod in the original Superman films, died on Sunday aged 87. Throughout his six-decade career, Stamp earned an Oscar nomination in 1963 for his first film, "Billy Budd", and delivered standout performances, including "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert", in which he portrayed a transgender woman. Stamp's final screen appearance was in "Last Night in Soho" in 2021. His family stated, "He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer, that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come."

How "KPop Demon Hunters" character 'Duffy' comes to life through traditional Korean folk play

2025/08/14 22:42

As the recent "KPop Demon Hunters" continues to gain popularity, Korean traditional culture has also been coming to light. Our Ahn Sung-jin tells us more. The dense blue fur shakes as the tiger stands on its feet. Its oversized mask, weathered yet alive, seems to breathe. This is saja chum or saja talchum, directly translated as the lion dance. It's a traditional Korean dance or folk play that portrays a lion to bring good fortune, but Yeonhee Connect Eul, a group of young performers have given it a twist to it, using a tiger instead. The tiger happens to resemble the character 'Duffy' from "KPop Demon Hunters," but the group say they began using it instead of a lion to combine elements of its fierceness, traditional Korean folk paintings and the symbol of the mythical Seoul 'Haetae' creature with its team color blue. "The fact that this piece reminded some of "KPop Demon Hunters" suggests that we successfully conveyed a universal narrative combining traditional themes and immersive media." Through performances like this, the group works on bringing traditional folk performance arts back to life. It often performs a type of Korean percussion music known as samulnori. But rather than merely replicating the tradition, it instead adds digital projections or modern media like DJing. "We aim to continue building on the foundation of traditional Korean performance arts while incorporating modern aspects through contemporary storytelling, media art and choreography to create entirely new stage experiences. For them it's not about reproducing the past but creating works that breathe with the present. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

How "KPop Demon Hunters" character 'Duffy' comes to life through traditional Korean folk play

2025/08/14 19:39

On the cultural front. A traditional performance with an appealing twist that brings to mind a sensational K-pop-inspired movie is creating new waves. Ahn Sung-jin files this report. The dense blue fur shakes as the tiger stands on its feet. Its oversized mask, weathered yet alive, seems to breathe. This is saja chum or saja talchum, directly translated as the lion dance. It's a traditional Korean dance or folk play that portrays a lion to bring good fortune, but Yeonhee Connect Eul, a group of young performers have given it a twist to it, using a tiger instead. The tiger happens to resemble the character 'Duffy' from "KPop Demon Hunters," but the group say they began using it instead of a lion to combine elements of its fierceness, traditional Korean folk paintings and the symbol of the mythical Seoul 'Haetae' creature with its team color blue. "The fact that this piece reminded some of "KPop Demon Hunters" suggests that we successfully conveyed a universal narrative combining traditional themes and immersive media." Through performances like this, the group works on bringing traditional folk performance arts back to life. It often performs a type of Korean percussion music known as samulnori. But rather than merely replicating the tradition, it instead adds digital projections or modern media like DJing. "We aim to continue building on the foundation of traditional Korean performance arts while incorporating modern aspects through contemporary storytelling, media art and choreography to create entirely new stage experiences. For them it's not about reproducing the past but creating works that breathe with the present. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

[K-enter] "KPop Demon Hunters" ranked second for Netflix film

2025/08/14 15:38

'케이팝 데몬 헌터스', 넷플릭스 영화 역대 흥행 2위 And for our first story we are back at it again with “KPop Demon Hunters.” We recently reported how it became the most-watched Netflix animated original film of all time. What achievement has it made this time? This time we are talking about Netflix films of all types. “Kpop Demon Hunters” ranked second in the most viewed Netflix film of all time. According to the Netflix official site on Wednesday, the cumulative number of views of the film was 184.6 million, the second highest after “Red Notice” with 203.9 million views. “Kpop Demon Hunters,” released on June 20th, is narrowing the gap with “Red Notice,” which was released back in 2021. As “KPop Demon Hunters” has been averaging more than 26 million views a week over the past four weeks, it is predicted that it will soon overtake “Red Notice” and become the number one box office hit of all Netflix movies. And its soundtrack also keeps dominating global music charts -the song “Golden” has topped the UK’s official single chart ‘Top 100’ and also topped the U.S. Billboard main single chart ‘Hot 100.’ Yes, it keeps going "up, up, up"! Like Walter reported a few days ago. Well, let’s keep our eyes out to see if the movie can hit that no.1 spot and become Netflix’s most-watched film of all time. The next story is an update on the ongoing NewJeans-Ador dispute. NewJeans and their agency Ador are scheduled for a private mediation session today, that’s Thursday, Korea time. As the two still have not come to an agreement, the court has decided to designate this session to facilitate discussions between them in hopes of reaching an amicable resolution. This session could be pivotal in resolving the conflict between the two without further court intervention. In addition, attention is focused on whether the members of NewJeans will attend, as the court has requested the attendance of the members. If they don't reach a resolution in today’s session, the court will make a judgement on October 30th. Please continue to keep us updated. And we will end off with an upcoming film that has already been invited to an international film festival? Director Yeon Sang-ho‘s new film “The Ugly” has confirmed its theater release for September 11th and revealed two main posters with unique concepts, along with a main trailer that sparks curiosity with its double mystery. “The Ugly” depicts a story in which Im Yeong-kyu, a blind master of engraving, and his son Im Dong-hwan uncover the mystery surrounding the death of Dong-hwan's mother, who has been buried for 40 years. It stars Kwon Hae-hyo as the father and Park Jeong-min as the son. “The Ugly” has officially been invited to the ‘Special Presentation’ section of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. It’s also a project that director Yeon has long wanted to film, so anticipation is definitely rising. Will do. Thank you Bella for today’s stories. Now let's move over to our AI anchor Ari, for more on the culture front. Ari, over to you!

K-wave AI News

2025/08/14 15:36

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. "Securing leadership in the global cultural market by boosting Korea's content industry." That's the Lee Jae Myung administration's cultural policy goal for its five-year term. By fostering and strengthening the K-content industry, the administration aims to build a 217 billion U.S. dollar K-culture market, generate 36 billion dollars in related exports, and attract 30 million inbound tourists. The government will invest over 7 billion dollars in policy financing to lay the groundwork for content industry growth and deliver on its targets. Two major events will take place in central Seoul this Friday, marking the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan. At 10 a.m., a Liberation Day commemorative ceremony will be held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts with some 2,500 attendees, including bereaved families of independence activists. At 8 p.m., President Lee's inauguration ceremony will take place at Gwanghwamun Square, bringing together 3,500 invited citizens, key state officials, and representatives from various sectors. In a special tribute, 80 citizen representatives will present President Lee with a letter of appointment. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art has opened an exhibition titled "Landscapes of Homeland and Longing," which explores the meaning of "land" through modern and contemporary landscape paintings. Held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation, the exhibition features over 200 works by 75 artists, including Kim Whan-ki and Lee Jung-seob, alongside over 50 archival pieces. It reflects on the sentiment of "homeland" held in the hearts of Koreans who experienced the Japanese colonial era, Liberation, the Korean War, and the waves of industrialization. It runs through November 9 at MMCA's Deoksugung branch. Also marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation, Arirang TV has produced a video that brings independence activists, once frozen in black-and-white photographs, vividly to life using AI technology. The video features Korean independence heroes such as Yu Gwan-sun, Kim Gu, Ahn Jung-geun, and Kim Maria, highlighting their achievements while showing their never-before-seen radiant smiles. It captures scenes of the activists laughing, clapping, and blowing out candles on an 80th-anniversary cake, moments that give viewers an emotional connection to history. Arirang TV hopes the video will encourage reflection on their noble sacrifices and the true meaning of liberation. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[K-wave] Korean arts groups perform at Berlin State Opera to support Jeonju's Olympic bid

2025/08/14 15:35

The dance and music troupes of the Jeonbuk State Gukak Center have become the first Korean traditional arts groups to perform at the Berlin State Opera. Cha Yun-kyung tells us more about the performances, including why they took place in Germany's capital. One of the world's leading opera houses the Berlin State Opera is situated in the heart of the German capital, also home to Berlin Cathedral and the Berlin TV Tower. The sound of samulnori busking heightened the excitement at the front of Berlin State Opera. An original dance drama, "Kosumseom," created by the Jeonbuk State Gukak Center, was staged during the first-ever performances by the Korean traditional arts troupes. "Kosumseom," which is also the ancient name for Wido in Buan-gun County, Jeonbuk State, is a modern interpretation of Wido's traditional memorial service, "Ttibae-nori," a National Intangible Cultural Asset. Members of the Korean community in Germany; Hans-Ulrich Seidt, the former German ambassador to Korea and now honorary ambassador of Jeonbuk State; and members of local arts communities came to see the performances. All 1-thousand-300 tickets available were sold. "These performances are to kick start cultural diplomacy overseas to inform people about Jeonju of Jeonbuk State, and its bid to host the Olympics." At a reception following the performances, former German Ambassador to Korea Hans-Ulrich Seidt was appointed as an honorary ambassador of Jeonbuk State. "It's a great honor to be an honorary ambassador of Jeonbuk State here." With cultural events overseas, expectations are rising for Jeonju's bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

Beyoncé wins her first Emmy for 'Beyoncé Bowl' halftime show

2025/08/14 11:39

American singer and actress Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has won her first Emmy Award. Beyoncé won the award for Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming for her Netflix special "Beyoncé Bowl," a Christmas Day NFL halftime show featuring songs from her Cowboy Carter album. She shared the honor with five collaborators, including lead designer Shiona Turini. Beyoncé had previously received 10 Emmy nominations without a win.

Art galleries, museums become popular during summer vacation season

2025/08/13 19:42

Meanwhile for those of you in the southern resort island of Jeju who are seeking some shelter from the scorching heat a trip to an art gallery there may prove to be quite rewarding. Cha Yun-kyung reports. "Dreams of a Butterfly on Jeju," a special exhibition on Seok Joo-myung in celebration of the 80th Anniversary of Korea's Liberation from Japan, is currently being held by Jeju National Museum. Seok was a lepidopterist who made significant contributions to the taxonomy of around 250 butterfly species in Korea. At the exhibition, visitors can find paintings of butterflies by Nam Gye-u, a painter of the Joseon Dynasty whose works were praised by Seok. There is also Seok's legacy reflecting the nature and life on Jeju Island, such as his research notes on his drawings. The exhibition will be held until October 19th at the Special Exhibition Gallery of Jeju National Museum. "It is too hot outside. So, we came into the exhibition hall. There are some species that we never knew before. It is great content to show our children." Meanwhile, an exhibition of artwork by Marc Chagall is also being held at Jeju Museum of Art. His engraved print series, "Daphnis and Chloe," is being shown in Korea for the first time. Visitors can spend a lot of time at the gallery perusing the wonderful colors and storytelling behind his work. The exhibition will also be held until October 19th. "It feels so great when we get into the museum and artworks also purify our minds." Spending a summer vacation at art galleries and museums is becoming a trend since people can get some rest while enjoying artistic culture. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

[K-enter] Seventeen donate charity auction proceeds to UNESCO

2025/08/13 16:39

Time for some K-entertainment news with Bella Kim. Bella, today we have a wide range of K-entertainment news. Let's start with a warm donation story. Seventeen, a group that serves as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors for Youth, have made a huge gesture. According to their agency, Pledis Entertainment, the group donated 250-thousand U.S. dollars to UNESCO on International Youth Day. The donation was raised through a charity auction, titled "Joopiter Presents: Sacai X Seventeen." This charity auction was a limited collection introduced back in June by Seventeen in collaboration with JOOPITER, a digital commerce content platform founded by fashion brand Sacai and artist and producer Pharrell Williams. They released leather jackets that Seventeen members helped make and T-shirts with their autographs. The donation will fund the Global Youth Grant that Seventeen and UNESCO launched together. Last year, Seventeen were named as the first-ever UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors for Youth, and upon their appointment, they donated 1 million U.S. dollars to help young people around the world pursue their dreams. It's great to see them support young people as ambassadors for youth. Speaking of ambassadors, we are going to talk about another group who were appointed as ambassadors. Which group is it? The city of Seoul has appointed the virtual idol group PLAVE as the ambassadors for Startup Seoul. On Tuesday, Seoul held a ceremony to appoint the "2025 Startup Seoul ambassadors and Try Everything promotional group." At the ceremony, Seoul selected PLAVE as its ambassadors to promote the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem of Seoul to foreign countries. PLAVE's agency, VLAST, is a Seoul-based startup that possesses motion capture-based 3D content production technology. At the ceremony, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon presented the appointment letter to the CEO of VLAST and PLAVE members received it in real time in a virtual world on a large screen just behind them. The members of PLAVE said that they are honored to have the opportunity to promote Seoul's excellent startup ecosystem to the world, and that they will widely convey the charm of Seoul to their global fans. It's more meaningful as PLAVE's agency is a startup as well. Now, let's end off on an upcoming movie. The upcoming film "MURDER REPORT" held a press conference on Tuesday at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall in Seoul. Attending along with the director Cho Young-joon were lead actors Cho Yeo-jeong of "Parasite" and Jung Sung-il, best known for his role in Netflix hit series "The Glory." "MURDER REPORT" centers on a psychiatrist, who is also a serial killer, requesting an exclusive interview with a reporter. The majority of the film is filled with a one-on-one interview between the two. Cho Yeo-jeong, who plays the reporter Seon-ju, said she specifically focused on her pronounciation and articulation to express the character well. Jung Sung-il, who portrays the killer Young-hun, said that he fell right into the character and actually had trouble getting out of it after the shoot. "MURDER REPORT" is set to be released in theaters on September 5th. Crime-thriller film fans like you Bella must be excited. Thank you Bella for today's stories.And now let's go over to our AI anchor Ari for other issues on the culture front. Ari!

K-wave AI News

2025/08/13 16:37

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. The Independence Hall of Korea will host a cultural celebration this Friday, August 15, to mark Liberation Day on the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule. Held under the theme "Light of the Nation," the event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a wide range of performances and programs that showcase the spirit of independence and the significance of liberation. Highlights include an air show by the Air Force's Black Eagles, a taekwondo demonstration, and special guided tours of liberation-themed exhibitions. Organizers expressed hope that many will attend to reflect on the meaning of Korea's Liberation Day. Also marking the milestone 80th anniversary, Busan's Gwangalli Beach hosted a special edition of the "Gwangalli M Drone Light Show." Some 1,500 drones lit up the night sky with images depicting independence activists such as Kim Gu and Yu Gwan-sun, as well as Ahn Jung-geun's severed finger, a powerful symbol of independence fighters' unwavering resolve. The Gwangalli Drone Show is one of Busan's signature weekend tourist attractions, with its theme changing each week to match the season. This week's performance was specially designed to commemorate Liberation Day. Yeon Deok-chun, the first Korean pro golfer to win a major international tournament, has had his Korean name officially restored. Yeon, the late former advisor to the Korea Professional Golfers' Association, won the Japan Open in 1941 but was forced to compete and be recorded under a Japanese name during Japan's colonial rule. An official ceremony for the correction of his name and Japan Open records was held in Seoul on Tuesday. This came at the request of the Korean government, marking the 80th anniversary of liberation and the 60th anniversary of normalizing Seoul-Tokyo ties. Japan Golf Association Chief Operating Officer Hiroshi Yamanaka hinted after the ceremony that Yeon is highly likely to be inducted into the JGA Hall of Fame. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

HUNTR/X’s “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters tops Billboard Hot 10

2025/08/12 22:43

The KPop Demon Hunters craze is hitting new heights, with its hit song "Golden" topping the Billboard Hot 100, making history for both K-pop and virtual idols. Byeon Ye-young tells us more. The "KPop Demon Hunters" sensation shows no signs of slowing down, this time topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Praised for its high-quality animation, visually striking characters, and clever use of Korean traditional folklore, the Netflix original animation's soundtrack "Golden" climbed up a spot to reach number 1 for the first time. Billboard announced the feat on Monday, local time, noting that "Golden" is the ninth song linked to Korean pop to top the Hot 100, and the first to do so with female lead vocalists. "This is the first time a girl group has topped the Billboard Hot 100 since Destiny's Child. And in K-pop history, it's also the first time virtual idols, or an animated act based on K-pop, have reached number 1 on the chart." Sung by the virtual girl group "Huntr/x" in the movie, the vocalists behind the song are Korean-American artists EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna. Of all the tracks in KPop Demon Hunters, "Golden" has stood out for its soaring high notes in the latter part of the song, a section that has even become a benchmark for proving one's vocal skills and sparked the "Golden Challenge" among K-pop stars. Big K-pop names like Solar of Mamamoo, Lily of NMIXX, and Ailee have all joined in. "K-pop is not just about listening to and enjoying the music; it's about enjoying it together. That's one of K-pop's charms. Participating, singing along, even creating content, all of that has helped bring the songs from KPop Demon Hunters closer to the public." Earlier this month, "Golden" also topped the UK's Official Singles Top 100 chart, one of the two biggest music charts in the world alongside Billboard's Hot 100, making it a rare track to conquer both the UK and U.S. pop markets. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

HUNTR/X’s “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters tops Billboard Hot 10

2025/08/12 19:41

On the entertainment front. KPOP Demon Hunters continues to make Billboard headlines and this week its song "Golden" topped the publication's Hot 100. Byeon Ye-young covers this feat and its broader implications. The "KPop Demon Hunters" sensation shows no signs of slowing down, this time topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Praised for its high-quality animation, visually striking characters, and clever use of Korean traditional folklore, the Netflix original animation's soundtrack "Golden" climbed up a spot to reach number 1 for the first time. Billboard announced the feat on Monday, local time, noting that "Golden" is the ninth song linked to Korean pop to top the Hot 100, and the first to do so with female lead vocalists. "This is the first time a girl group has topped the Billboard Hot 100 since Destiny's Child. And in K-pop history, it's also the first time virtual idols, or an animated act based on K-pop, have reached number 1 on the chart." Sung by the virtual girl group "Huntr/x" in the movie, the vocalists behind the song are Korean-American artists EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna. Of all the tracks in KPop Demon Hunters, "Golden" has stood out for its soaring high notes in the latter part of the song, a section that has even become a benchmark for proving one's vocal skills and sparked the "Golden Challenge" among K-pop stars. Big K-pop names like Solar of Mamamoo, Lily of NMIXX, and Ailee have all joined in. "K-pop is not just about listening to and enjoying the music; it's about enjoying it together. That's one of K-pop's charms. Participating, singing along, even creating content, all of that has helped bring the songs from KPop Demon Hunters closer to the public." Earlier this month, "Golden" also topped the UK's Official Singles Top 100 chart, one of the two biggest music charts in the world alongside Billboard's Hot 100, making it a rare track to conquer both the UK and U.S. pop markets. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.