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Korean Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2027 seeks next artistic director
An open call for artistic director of the Korean Pavilion for Venice Biennale 2027 launched Wednesday, according to the Arts Council Korea, the commissioner of the pavilion at the world’s most prestigious art and architecture biennale. Applications for the artistic director position will be accepted from Wednesday through Feb. 9. The official announcement of the individual or team selected is expected in May after in-depth interviews and presentations. Typically, a single artistic director is se
Jan. 7, 2026 -
Were chefs always this wild? The colorful backstories behind 'Culinary Class Wars'
The most surprising thing about Netflix’s smash-hit culinary survival series "Culinary Class Wars" may not be the food or the final rankings, but the stories of each chef. Season 2’s beloved judges and the white team — the elite figures who helped shape Korea’s contemporary culinary scene — make their on-screen entrances like kings. Yet behind the status and the Michelin credentials is something far messier and more cinematic than any edited competition show: a motley crew of runaways, war veter
Jan. 7, 2026 -
'The best city is the one where you live'
This is one of a series of interviews in which Kim Hoo-ran, editor-at-large at The Korea Herald, speaks with leaders, trailblazers, unsung heroes and both well-known and lesser-known figures who share the stories of their lives and their visions for a better world -- Ed. She is an Energizer Bunny, filling the room with life. I pose a question, and she volleys back a response without pause. Her rapid-fire speech and adamantly spoken words convey confidence. Writing is her way of “releasing pent-u
Jan. 6, 2026 -
MMCA secures record budget, while acquisition funds decline
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea secured its largest budget this year, in line with a record surge in exhibition visitors. The state museum’s budget allocation has increased by nearly 23 percent this year from 2025's 69.1 billion won to 84.8 billion won ($47.8 million to $58.7 million). The increase is largely due to a new initiative to expand the museum’s exhibitions to regional museums, such as for Korean modern artist Lee Jung-seop. “The government wants to expand reg
Jan. 6, 2026 -
Dollar stores now the go-to for cosmetics
For years, South Korea’s beauty shopping map seemed fixed: Olive Young at the center, flanked by department stores on one end and bargain channels on the other. That hierarchy is now quietly shifting. The country’s dollar-store chain Daiso, long associated with household essentials and impulse buys, is emerging as an unlikely but increasingly influential beauty destination. What stands out is not simply the presence of low-priced cosmetics, but who is choosing to sell them there. Premium and pro
Jan. 6, 2026 -
Concert set for Tue. to mark 150th anniv. of independence hero Kim Koo's birth
The veterans ministry said Tuesday it will host a concert commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of independence hero Kim Koo, after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated the anniversary as the year of celebrations. This year marks the 150th birth anniversary of Kim Koo (1876-1949), who led the provisional government in Shanghai against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. Last year, UNESCO designated 2026 as the year of the anniversary commemorating
Jan. 6, 2026 -
Maximal volume and granola core: Fashion sets tone for 2026
The door to 2026 is open, and fashion is moving with it. Rather than rules, this year’s trends are reference points: a way to assess how personal style aligns with the broader mood shaping wardrobes now. When the alignment feels right, it reinforces confidence; when it doesn’t, it often points toward a shift worth exploring. One of the most visible changes this year is the return of maximalism. After several seasons defined by quiet luxury and restrained dressing, fashion is leaning back into st
Jan. 5, 2026 -
National Museum of Korea posts record attendance in 2025
The National Museum of Korea drew more than 6.5 million visitors in 2025, marking the highest annual visitors amid Korean cultural heritage's unprecedented popularity, buoyed by content such as “KPop Demon Hunters.” When combined with visitor numbers from NMK's 13 affiliated national museums across the country, total attendance reached 14.7 million, the largest figure according to the state museum’s recent data. Among the most visited exhibitions at affiliated museums is “Silla Gold Crowns: Powe
Jan. 5, 2026 -
Shirts off, goals on: Daegu's New Year runners brave the cold
DAEGU — On the first Sunday of 2026, as the cold snap that had gripped the country through the holidays began to ease, nearly 2,400 shirtless men wearing shorts and women in sports bras and leggings gathered in the city of Daegu. Their breath fogged the air and their cheeks flushed red as temperatures hovered just above zero. Yet among those stretching and jogging laps across the lawn as they warmed up for the race, the energy pushed the chill aside. They were participants in the annual “New Yea
Jan. 5, 2026 -
K-fashion accelerates push into Japan, China with offline expansion
South Korea’s fashion companies are accelerating overseas expansion this year, increasing store counts and reinforcing offline strategies as growth opportunities at home continue to narrow. Industry officials say K-fashion has the potential to grow into a major export category alongside K-food and K-beauty, supported by sustained global interest in Korean culture. LF is expanding brand-by-brand in China, with the opening of a Hazzys flagship store in Shanghai this month. The company stated that
Jan. 4, 2026 -
Korean cultural goods post record sales on K-pop Demon Hunters’ boom
Sales of Korean traditional cultural goods hit a record high last year, buoyed by the continued global popularity of Korean culture and the success of the Netflix series K-pop Demon Hunters, government data showed Friday. Annual sales of K-Heritage, a cultural goods brand operated by the Korea Heritage Agency, surpassed 16.1 billion won ($11.1 million) in 2025, the agency said. It marked the highest figure since the agency was established in 1980. Sales have exceeded 10 billion won for three con
Jan. 3, 2026 -
Caffeinetopia: How caffeine became young Koreans' everyday infrastructure
When Yoo, 52, was young, caffeine felt like a marker of adulthood. It was "something only grown-ups drink,” a taste you gradually acquired after entering adult life, she said. “When I was young, if I felt tired, I would drink water or milk, or just go to sleep. That was normal,” Yoo recalled. “These days, it seems young people are consuming far more caffeinated beverages without even realizing it.” Nearly 15 years younger than Yoo, 26-year-old florist Lee Jung-yeon had a very different -- and mu
Jan. 3, 2026 -
What to expect from art museums in 2026
The Korean art scene is in for a packed 2026, culminating in September, when two major international events, the Gwangju Biennale and Busan Biennale, are held, along with art fair Frieze Seoul 2026. Survey exhibitions of Korean contemporary artists Suh Do-ho and Koo Jeong-a will also run at the same time. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea will show a comprehensive overview of Suh’s practice from early works to the present. Suh, as an internationally renowned installation
Jan. 2, 2026 -
Cultural and arts activities in Korea showed steady growth in 2024
Cultural activities grew steadily in 2024, data from Arts Council Korea showed Friday. The total number of different concerts, exhibitions, performances and other cultural endeavors registered with the council, also known as ARKO, reached 62,442, up 4.7 percent compared to the previous year. The figures count tours and show runs as one endeavor, so the 30,273 endeavors in the performing arts sector includes 145,543 performances. ARKO covers fine arts, but not pop culture such as K-pop, movies an
Jan. 2, 2026 -
Longing for utopia at Amorepacific's headquarters
Contemporary artist Lee Bul’s new work "Willing To Be Vulnerable-Transparent Balloon" is on view at Amorepacific’s world headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Exploring humanity’s persistent longing for utopia, Lee has created “Willing To Be Vulnerable” series since 2015. The series has gained global recognition through exhibitions at the Sydney Biennale, Berlin’s Martin-Gropius-Bau and Manege Central Exhibition Hall in St. Petersburg. The 8.5-meter-tall floating balloon-like sculpture, created wit
Jan. 2, 2026