Longing poetically unfolds at White Cube Seoul

When Korean artist Rhee Seungda flew to France in 1951, she carried not only the trauma of the Korean War (1950-1953) but also the deep sorrow of having left her three young sons behind in Korea. Arriving alone in Paris, Rhee forged her creative practice through exchanges with artists and educators in the city, gradually shaping her artistic identity, exploring abstraction. Her paintings, characterized by layered brushstrokes in pastel-toned colors, evoke a poetic sense of longing shaped by her

Jan. 22, 2026

Chaebol, the quiet fashion influencers

From understated wool dresses to all-black luxury tailoring, South Korea’s chaebol are increasingly shaping consumer taste, often triggering sold-out items and online buzz without overt promotion. Hotel Shilla President Lee Boo-jin has recently drawn attention for her restrained, logo-free style, often described as “old money.” On Jan. 9, at a scholarship certificate ceremony for the Dooeul Scholarship Foundation, where she serves as chair, Lee wore a gray high-neck wool dress by Korean womenswe

Jan. 22, 2026

[Graphic News] Art auctions rebound in 2025, led by Chagall

According to the Korea Art Price Appraisal Association and Artprice, the domestic art auction market’s transactions last year totaled around 140.5 billion won ($95.3 million), a 25.4 billion won increase from the previous year. Annual transaction values had steadily declined from 329.4 billion won in 2021 but rebounded for the first time in 2025. In total, 18,339 works of art were exhibited at auction, with 9,797 sold, resulting in a 53.42 percent successful bid rate, the highest in three years.

Jan. 22, 2026

‘One Dance’ choreographers honored in New York for reimagined ritual dance

Choreographers of "One Dance," a work by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theater, have won the outstanding choreographer/creator award at the New York Dance and Performance Awards, widely known as the Bessie Awards. The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts said on Wednesday that choreographers Jeong Hye-jin, Kim Sung-hoon and Kim Jae-duk received the honor at the awards ceremony held in New York on Tuesday. “'One Dance' embodies the spirit of people who have endured together, united by a single pu

Jan. 21, 2026

After car accident halted her life, violinist makes comeback with first int'l title

South Korean violinist Lim Hyun-jae won the top prize at the 2026 Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition on Sunday, marking a triumphant return after years of recovery from a car accident. The 28-year-old violinist claimed first place in the final round after performing Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor with the Lynn University Philharmonia Orchestra, while seated in a wheelchair, according to the EOIVC’s official website. Yiyang Hou of China finished in second place, while Ameri

Jan. 21, 2026

From national icon to global contender, Pororo’s producer eyes next chapter

By any measure, “Pororo the Little Penguin” is one of South Korea’s most recognizable characters. Since debuting in 2003, the blue penguin has anchored a domestic animation industry that previously struggled to prove commercial viability. Yet two decades on, even Pororo has found it difficult to achieve the kind of global cultural breakthrough recently accomplished by the Netflix animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” For Woo Jee-hee, CEO of animation studio OCON, the gap is not about effort or long

Jan. 21, 2026

Rising Korean artist Kim Ayoung wins 2026 Chanel Next Prize

Korean artist Kim Ayoung won the 2026 Chanel Next Prize, a biennial award that recognizes pioneering artists from around the world for their influence on the contemporary art scene. Working across video, sound and performance, Kim’s practice incorporates game simulation and generative media to explore the hidden dimensions of contemporary life. By interlinking real and fictional memories, Kim constructs layered worlds that explore a wide spectrum of speculative possibilities. As one of the most

Jan. 21, 2026

Esports World Cup 2026 to be biggest yet

One of the global esports industry’s marquee events, the Esports World Cup, is set to return July 6 to Aug. 23 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with its largest lineup of titles, tournaments and prize money yet. The 2026 edition will include 24 game titles across 25 tournaments — the most since the event launched in 2023 — with several titles making their EWC debut. Fan-favorite franchises, including Call of Duty, League of Legends and Valorant will return, alongside chess, which emerged as a surprise b

Jan. 21, 2026

Is National Museum of Korea really among world's top 3 by visitors?

Whether to introduce admission fees at national museums, or raise them where they already exist, has become a hot-button issue in Korea, as many believe the time has come for the public to accept paying for cultural experiences as museums grow increasingly crowded. At the center of the debate is the National Museum of Korea, which is preparing to introduce an online reservation system later this year -- a move widely seen as a precursor to paid admission for its permanent exhibitions. The online

Jan. 20, 2026

Korea’s reputation abroad reaches new peak, powered by cultural content: survey

South Korea’s national image abroad has reached its highest level since the government began tracking the metric in 2018, with cultural content emerging as the single biggest driver of rising favorability, according to a new survey released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tuesday. The "2025 Korea National Image Survey" revealed that 82.3 percent of respondents held a favorable view of Korea. This marks a 3.3 percentage point increase from 2024 and is also the highest figure record

Jan. 20, 2026

Giveon brings R&B vibes to city of K-pop

American R&B singer-songwriter Giveon brought his signature baritone and raw vulnerability to Myunghwa Live Hall in Seoul on Sunday, launching the Asia leg of his "Dear Beloved" global tour. Giveon's Seoul debut was a 90-minute confession soaked in heartbreak, vulnerability and slow-burning R&B grooves that resonated deeply with the sold-out crowd, with an audience of some 1,700 filling the venue. One of the night's most memorable moments came during the performance of "Heartbreak Anniversary" —

Jan. 19, 2026

Korea Artist Prize 2026 finalists highlight diversity of contemporary Korean art

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art announced the four finalists for the Korea Artist Prize 2026 on Monday, reflecting the breadth of contemporary Korean art. Lee Hai Min Sun, Hong Jin-hwon, Lee Jung-woo and Jeon Hyun-sun were selected for their distinctive artistic languages, each working in a different medium and together reflecting the diversity of contemporary Korean art, according to the state museum. Established in 2012, the state museum’s annual award aims to recognize prom

Jan. 19, 2026

Game over? Why Koreans are logging off

Game usage in South Korea has fallen to its lowest level in a decade, signaling a major shift in how consumers spend their leisure time as watching-centered entertainment increasingly crowds out interactive play. According to a 2025 survey on game users jointly released by the Culture Ministry and the Korea Creative Content Agency, the overall game usage rate over the past year stood at 50.2 percent, a sharp 9.7 percentage point drop from the previous year. The data also reflected a compound ann

Jan. 19, 2026

Seoul eyes joint UNESCO bid with Pyongyang to list taekwondo as shared heritage

South Korea aims to join forces with North Korea to seek UNESCO recognition for the traditional martial art of taekwondo as a shared intangible cultural heritage, officials said Monday. The Cultural Heritage Committee, an advisory body to the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), has selected taekwondo as the next candidate for a joint or expanded inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during a recent meeting, according to the KHS. "We plan to submit an ap

Jan. 19, 2026

Milan Men’s Fashion Week returns with nostalgia and a new generation

Nostalgia met next-generation energy on the runways this week as Milan Men’s Fashion Week for fall-winter 2026-2027 unfolded into a season of high-profile returns, from Ralph Lauren’s first Milan show in more than two decades to the comeback of Dsquared2 and the opening statement by Zegna. The men’s collections are being presented across the city from Jan. 16 to 20. The calendar features 76 events, including 18 physical runway shows and seven digital presentations, turning Milan into a near-cont

Jan. 18, 2026