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Lotte Hotel to develop humanoid robots for hotel services
Lotte Hotels & Resorts has joined a government-backed effort to develop humanoid robots tailored for hotel operations, marking the first time a Korean hotel group has participated in a national program focused on next-generation service robotics. The company said it was selected as the lead operator in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources’ “core robot technology development” project and will take part in the so-called K-Humanoid Alliance, a consortium of government agencies, universitie
Jan. 18, 2026 -
Traditional Korean tableware finds new life in streaming era
The following is part of a series exploring how Korean traditional living is reimagined for contemporary lifestyles amid renewed attention on Korea's cultural heritage -- Ed. Tableware is no longer just about functionality. Driven by growing interest in home dining and the popularity of Netflix’s cooking competition “Culinary Class Wars,” more people in Korea are paying attention to how they plate food and design their tables. Once dismissed as outdated and impractical, “yugi" (brassware) and “o
Jan. 17, 2026 -
Gallery Hyundai shows how traditional Korean painting lives on in contemporary art
Traditional Korean paintings continuously evolve, reinterpreted by contemporary artists. Two parallel exhibitions at Gallery Hyundai in Samcheong-dong, southern Seoul — "Magnificence and Creativity: Variations in Korean Folk Painting" and "The Way of Painting" — offer a rare opportunity to see at a glance how Korea's painting traditions have been carried into the present. While the first exhibition at the main space sheds light on the aesthetic values of court and folk painting in the Joseon era
Jan. 16, 2026 -
The Black Label, gat and Buldak Ramen recognized for expanding K-culture’s global reach at Korea Image Awards
The Corea Image Communication Institute honored individuals and organizations that have helped elevate South Korea’s global image at the Korea Image Award ceremony held Thursday night at the Westin Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul. The awards recognize people, products and cultural assets that have contributed to raising Korea’s international profile. This year’s honors were divided into three main categories and went to Korean record label The Black Label, the traditional Korean hat gat and Samya
Jan. 16, 2026 -
Kim Young-eun wins Korea Artist Prize 2026 for exploration of migration through sound
Artist Kim Young-eun, whose works explore how sound travels with migration, has won the Korea Artist Prize 2026, awarded by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. Kim was one of four finalists nominated for the state museum’s annual award that recognizes promising contemporary artists in Korea. The finalists' exhibitions are on view at MMCA Seoul. Kim explores everyday sounds as a force that shapes identity and reflects broader political and social contexts. Rather than treat
Jan. 16, 2026 -
Seeing Seoul in new ways, from fortress views to sensory art
This week’s Curated Weekend spotlights two experiences that invite you to see — and sense — the city in new ways: a scenic walk along the fortress walls of Namhansanseong, offering sweeping nighttime views of Seoul’s glittering skyline, and the immersive exhibition Dialogue in the Dark, where visitors navigate total darkness. As the new year begins, many people are motivated to start fresh and look for places to get some exercise. Namhansanseong Fortress is an ideal destination not only for hiki
Jan. 16, 2026 -
Puns for days as Choi Kang-rok's braise slays on 'Culinary Class Wars'
When Choi Kang-rok grabbed victory on the second season of Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars,” it wasn't just his calm cooking style and refined dishes that won over judges and viewers. As the Korean chef's signature braise-first philosophy crossed borders throughout the series, global viewers quickly caught on, riffing on the meme-ready nickname Korean fans had given him — “Jorim-ping,” translating roughly as "Mr. Braise." It set the internet alight with wordplay as fans celebrated the win: “You b
Jan. 15, 2026 -
Variety spicing up S. Korea’s growing live music scene
An increasing number of international artists spanning a variety of different genres are making their way to local stages, signaling both a shift in demand and South Korea’s growing influence in the global touring circuit. This year, audiences in Korea can expect a more diverse lineup of international artists spanning indie, R&B and even folk. No longer just a stopover While Korea has previously hosted live performances by international artists, most were A-list acts — such as Bruno Mars, Coldpl
Jan. 14, 2026 -
Teenage authors talk about finding their voices early, sharing their success
Most children naturally begin drawing and trying to write, but few achieve success before adulthood. Not so Jeon Isoo and Baek Eun-byul, two 16-year-olds whose stars have risen high enough to be invited as speakers on the same program at the Busan International Children's Book Fair last month. Jeon Isoo, a teenage painter and children's book writer, has been publishing books since he was 8. Baek Eun-byul is a comparative late bloomer, breaking through at the ripe age of 14 with her debut novel “
Jan. 14, 2026 -
International Sculpture Festa gets down to business
Korea’s longest-running sculpture art fair kicked off Wednesday at Coex in southern Seoul. This year, the art fair strengthened its role as a platform connecting galleries and sculptors with the business sector, offering broader opportunities for collaboration. Now in its 15th year, International Sculpture Festa 2026 was launched in 2011 to promote sculpture, a genre long overshadowed by painting in the art market. The five-day art fair takes place this year under the theme “Where Art Meets Busi
Jan. 14, 2026 -
Creator, copyright groups oppose 'use first, pay later' stance in government AI plan
South Korean creator and copyright groups issued a joint statement rejecting the “Korea AI Action Plan” released by the Presidential Council on National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, warning it could allow AI companies to use copyrighted works “without legal uncertainty” and, in practice, without paying. The groups — spanning literature, broadcasting, screenwriting, music, choreography and visual arts — said Tuesday they cannot accept what they described as a “use first, pay later” policy di
Jan. 14, 2026 -
New beauty icon may be something you eat
From lip kits to jelly sticks, celebrities' beauty playbook is shifting from what goes on the skin to what goes into the body. The change is evident on social media, where posts like Kylie Jenner's TikTok uploaded last week quickly went viral. “I’ve added a new favorite to my routine. Pomegranate-flavored cutting jelly. This is not a typical jelly. It’s for digestion. My goal is to snack less for the new year. I’ve been bringing this everywhere,” she said, filming herself pulling a stick-type je
Jan. 13, 2026 -
Artist O Syng-yoon's lifelong exploration of 'Koreanness' unfolds at ACC
What defines “Koreanness?" The aesthetics of Korean tradition cannot be narrowed into a single idea, having evolved over centuries of history. Yet, the question was one painter O Syng-yoon relentlessly pursued throughout his life, refusing to follow artistic trends. What captured him was "obangsaek," the five traditional cardinal colors. While widely recognized as traditional Korean aesthetics, the bold combination was not a popular theme among artists from the late 1900s to the early 2000s due
Jan. 13, 2026 -
Pensive Bodhisattva replica to head to Milano Olympics
Riding on the growing popularity, the National Museum of Korea’s heritage goods will go on sale at the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in February. The National Museum Foundation of Korea will offer about 15 of the most popular merchandise and heritage-inspired design products at the Korea House, a promotional pavilion operated during the Olympic Games. “This marks our first direct sales venture. While our previous collaboration with the Smithsonian in Washington was our first
Jan. 13, 2026 -
Book review: Cold peace, not wishful diplomacy, for the Korean Peninsula
In “Good Fences, Good Neighbors,” Song Min-soon, who served as South Korean foreign minister from 2006-2008, offers a deliberately unsentimental reassessment of how South Korea has framed security, peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula. The book does not seek to revive faith in reconciliation or to refine existing peace processes. Instead, it begins from a blunt diagnosis: North Korea’s denuclearization has moved beyond the realm of feasibility, and policies built on that premise have pr
Jan. 12, 2026