Journalist

Yoon Ju-hye
  • Seollal Holiday: Seoul’s Royal Palaces Free Admission Ahead of BTS Gwanghwamun Show
    Seollal Holiday: Seoul’s Royal Palaces Free Admission Ahead of BTS Gwanghwamun Show The ceremonial “royal route” that BTS is expected to walk during its upcoming Gwanghwamun performance will be open to the public for free during the Lunar New Year holiday, offering visitors a chance to see the area ahead of what officials expect could be massive crowds on the concert day. The Korea Heritage Service said it will offer free admission to palaces and royal tombs during the holiday period. From Feb. 14 to 18, Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung will be open free of charge, along with Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs, with no closure days during the five-day period. Jongmyo, which normally operates on timed entry, will allow self-guided visits during the holiday. Changdeokgung’s rear garden is excluded. All four palaces, Jongmyo and the royal tombs will be closed Feb. 19, the day after the free-admission period ends. BTS is scheduled to hold a concert Feb. 21 in and around Gwanghwamun Square and Gyeongbokgung to mark the release of its fifth full-length album, “Arirang.” Organizers have applied to use areas inside Gyeongbokgung, including Geunjeongmun and Heungnyemun gates and the stone platform in front of Gwanghwamun. Observers expect the group to pass along the “eodo,” the path reserved for the king, from Geunjeongmun to Gwanghwamun before the main performance begins at Gwanghwamun Square. The agency also said it will hold a traditional New Year’s folk-painting giveaway at Heungnyemun Square in Gyeongbokgung from Feb. 16 to 18. This year’s “sehwa” was produced in collaboration with Jeong Gwi-ja, a holder of Seoul’s intangible cultural heritage designation for minhwa, or folk painting, under the theme “Twelve Zodiac Guardians: Red Horse Gate Guard.” Sehwa are meant to ward off illness and disasters and to wish for good fortune in the year ahead, a custom that traces back to the Joseon era, when the king presented paintings to officials and the practice later spread among the public. The giveaway will be held twice a day, at 10:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m., after the palace guard changing-of-the-guard reenactment ends at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Organizers will distribute 1,000 copies per session, for a total of 6,000, on a first-come, first-served basis. Digital versions can be downloaded via QR codes posted on-site and on the National Heritage Promotion Agency website. More details are available on the Korea Heritage Service’s Palace and Royal Tombs Headquarters website, the National Heritage Promotion Agency website and the agency’s Instagram account. The Korea Heritage Service said it will raise its national heritage disaster alert during the holiday period by one level, from “attention” to “caution.” An agency official said, “We will do our best so that national heritage can be preserved and managed safely and systematically even during the holiday.” The article said BTS will be the first singer to hold a solo concert at Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Square. With BTS described as a global artist, some expect crowds could reach hundreds of thousands on the day. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it will strengthen crowd monitoring and safety management, using real-time city data and CCTV through its disaster and safety control center. The city also plans traffic measures, including possible subway pass-through at nearby stations without stopping and bus detours due to road controls. It also plans to secure additional restrooms, suspend rentals of public bikes and shared personal mobility devices in the area to improve pedestrian safety, and crack down on illegal street vending and illegal parking.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-15 08:15:00
  • National Folk Museum to Host Lunar New Year Festival on Feb. 16
    National Folk Museum to Host Lunar New Year Festival on Feb. 16 The National Folk Museum of Korea said it will hold its 2026 Lunar New Year festival, titled “Bok-It-Seol,” on Feb. 16 to mark Seollal, Korea’s traditional holiday. The museum said the event is designed as an on-site, hands-on program open to visitors of all ages, including international guests. It aims to reinterpret Seollal in a modern way and encourage participants to share “good fortune” from the individual to family and neighbors. In the main building lobby, visitors can check their New Year fortune through a yut-stick divination kiosk in a program called “Byeongo Year Seen Through Yut.” A “Deokdam Archive” will also invite participants to leave written New Year’s wishes for family and neighbors. The museum will also offer craft activities such as making envelopes for New Year’s gift money and sewing lucky pouches, allowing visitors to create items meant to wish for a family’s well-being. Other programs include a “Bok-It Mission” giveaway event for visitors who take 인증 photos at Seollal-related exhibits and a special exhibition for the Year of the Horse; a Seollal performance titled “Finding the Sound of Princess Bari,” a family pansori-style theater piece; a “Sodam Play Yard” featuring traditional games such as jegi, ttakji and spinning tops; and video screenings exploring the meaning of Seollal. The museum said the festival centers on the message that “good fortune is not something you receive alone, but something you share and carry on,” proposing that blessings expand from individuals and families to the wider community. In Paju, the museum will run a Seollal seasonal program titled “Seolma-majung — Soft and Playful Year of the Horse Seasonal Playground.” In an activity linked to the museum’s storage collection, “New Year’s Wishes Completed With Horse Artifacts,” visitors will find horse-related objects, gather their meanings and complete a sentence of New Year’s greetings. Those who finish the worksheet will receive a Seollal souvenir inspired by tteokguk, the traditional rice-cake soup. Additional craft sessions include making a horse-shaped key ring; creating New Year’s cards using tteoksal stamps with auspicious patterns; making a rattan lucky pouch inspired by traditional bokjori and lucky-pouch customs; creating New Year pictures such as the Ten Symbols of Longevity and peony designs with beads; and making a kite and flying it with written wishes. More details and participation information are available on the National Folk Museum of Korea website.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-15 07:00:00
  • Book Sellers Pitch Reading Picks for Lunar New Year Holiday
    Book Sellers Pitch Reading Picks for Lunar New Year Holiday The publishing industry is rolling out promotions and curated recommendations for the Lunar New Year holiday. Kyobo Book Centre said Sunday it has launched a Lunar New Year seasonal promotion featuring a curated selection of so-called “brick books” for immersive holiday reading, along with an e-book event. The campaign, titled “Perfect Rest With Books,” spans multiple reading themes. A key feature is “Challenge: Finish a Brick Book,” a promotion focused on long, dense works of 400 pages or more. Running through March 12, it encourages readers to complete lengthy novels and major works during the period that includes the holiday. Titles highlighted include “Sapiens (Brick Edition)” in the 400-plus-page category, “Cosmos” in the 700-plus-page category, and “Lee Yun-gi’s Greek and Roman Mythology” in the 1,000-plus-page category. Kyobo said the list is meant to help readers tackle books they might not normally attempt. Kyobo is also running an e-book promotion through Feb. 24 to reflect demand for digital reading. Marking the 2026 Year of the Horse, the “2026 Horse! Horse! Horse! Year” event introduces e-books through nine themed “good-wishes” shelves recommended by its merchandisers, including “Words of Greeting” and “Words of Good Fortune.” KT Millie’s Library recommended a range of content across genres, from Millie Originals to film-based novels, webtoons, web novels and docent books. Its picks include Millie Originals such as “Jokes From an Old World” by Lee Da-hye, the SF novel “Pieces of Light” by Yeon Yeoreum, and the reincarnation fantasy “Not Dead, Just Paused” by Lee Jae-moon. It also recommended film-based titles including “Pavane for a Dead Princess.” Other suggestions include “Bullshit Jobs,” recommended by professor Kim Sang-uk, who appeared on “Alssulbyeoljap,” and “The Origin of Species,” a signature work by thriller writer Jeong Yu-jeong. The service also pointed to its exclusive audio web novel “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.” For readers looking to fill short breaks during holiday routines, Millie’s Library also highlighted snackable content. A popular serialized feature on its publishing platform Millie Road, “Seasonal Movies,” has film critics Lee Hwa-jeong and Kim Do-hoon recommend films to watch each season. 2026-02-15 06:57:00
  • New Books: Planet of Ants, A Cultural History of Form and Why Innovation Fails
    New Books: 'Planet of Ants,' 'A Cultural History of Form' and 'Why Innovation Fails' Planet of Ants=By Susanne Foitzik and others, translated by Nam Gi-cheol, Bookshill. The author, a biology professor at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany, is widely regarded as a leading ant researcher. Drawing on expeditions around the world, the book recounts encounters with ants and explains how colonies divide labor among queens, workers and scouts. It also describes survival strategies such as raiding other colonies like slave hunters, enslaved ants that eventually rebel, and ants that raise mites like livestock. The society can look familiar at first glance, but the closer view shows how different it is from human life. “Ants take John F. Kennedy’s famous line to an extreme: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.’ A Malaysian ant’s answer is: ‘I can even blow myself up!’ Ants do not explode their bodies because they are too stupid and doing it for fun. It is a last resort chosen in a fierce struggle for survival.” (p. 310) A Cultural History of Form=By Seo Gyeong-uk, Hangilsa. The author, a professor at Northumbria University in the U.K., argues that human-made forms carry traces of the human body and senses. Starting with hands and feet, the book traces the origins of shapes found in homes and roads, as well as knockoffs and vintage goods. It concludes that civilization is an extension of the body — and that those extensions, in turn, standardize our bodies and senses. Using the shapes of coins and banknotes, the author says circles and rectangles are optimal forms chosen by human hands. He also describes how wheel width can set road width, which then limits wheel size, showing how human-made forms can end up shaping human behavior. The book even raises the possibility that, in the distant future, human hands could lose fine control and become organs optimized for only the simplest tasks. “Many products, not just banknotes, are made in rectangular shapes for spatial efficiency. From small items to buildings and cities, our world works by fitting smaller things into larger frames. Rectangles and box shapes are better than other forms at using space because they can be packed together without gaps. That is also why the blocks in the game Tetris combine into rectangles: It delivers the satisfaction of filling the screen tightly, without empty spaces.” (p. 183) Why Innovation Fails=By Park Jong-seong, Sejong Books. A business consultant, the author argues that innovation often collapses because of a structural illusion that almost anyone can fall into — what he calls a “meta illusion.” The book tracks five recurring “meta illusions” over more than a century, from the electrical revolution of the 1900s to generative AI in the 2020s. It cites 25 cases of failed innovation by global companies, including GM’s $9 billion robot factory, the BBC’s 170 billion won digital project, and data behind Microsoft’s AI chatbot once touted as a world-changer. The author says recognizing and preventing these illusions can help companies pursue genuine innovation. “During the Ocado fire, the fact that reporting was delayed by as much as an hour even amid loud alarms strongly suggests that automation bias was at work — the complacent belief that ‘Could there really be an error in this perfect system?’ Excessive trust in the system paralyzed critical thinking and stripped away instinctive crisis-response judgment.” (p. 256)* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 06:15:00
  • Korean Confucian Institute Urges Simpler Lunar New Year Rites, Less Focus on Fried Foods
    Korean Confucian Institute Urges Simpler Lunar New Year Rites, Less Focus on Fried Foods The true meaning of the holiday is family harmony and happiness. The Korea Confucian Culture Promotion Institute’s Korean Etiquette Center on Thursday proposed “modern, tailored” guidelines for Seollal ancestral rites. Charye, which literally means a rite of offering tea, originally involved placing only three or four items such as tteokguk (rice cake soup), songpyeon (rice cakes) and fruit. But after Seollal and Chuseok became official holidays, the rites evolved into larger family gatherings and the table grew more elaborate. The center said excessive preparation and costs are widely cited as a main cause of holiday conflict. It said state rites such as the Jongmyo memorial service and ceremonies at long-established head families should strictly preserve their original forms, but ordinary households need alternative options that prioritize family harmony and happiness. It added that rules such as “hongdongbaekseo” — placing red fruit on the east and white fruit on the west — and “joyulisi,” a prescribed lineup of jujubes, chestnuts, pears and persimmons, lack clear documentary support. No traditional etiquette text strictly sets the types or placement of fruit, it said. The center advised that four to six items, centered on tteokguk, are enough. It said oily jeon (pan-fried dishes) were not recommended for charye in traditional etiquette studies. It also said offering foods an ancestor enjoyed in life or modern fruits can be a contemporary way to show respect, and suggested that placing an ancestor’s photo instead of a paper memorial tablet written in Chinese characters can be a worthwhile option that strengthens family bonds. Institute President Jeong Jae Geun said, “Tradition is not a fossilized relic; only when it flows with the times like running water does it remain with us.” He added, “This Seollal, I hope it will be a warm time of harmony, holding the hands of the family beside you as much as the sincerity you show in honoring your ancestors.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 08:39:00
  • BTS’ Gwanghwamun comeback show raises renewed concerns over ticket scalping
    BTS’ Gwanghwamun comeback show raises renewed concerns over ticket scalping Concerns are growing that ticket scalping could resurface ahead of BTS’ comeback performance at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square.  According to the concert industry on Thursday, general ticket reservations for “BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang (ARIRANG),” set for March 21 around Gwanghwamun Square, will open at 8:00 p.m. on Feb. 23 through NOL Ticket.  Reservations will be open to anyone, with no separate restrictions. The venue is expected to have about 15,000 to 17,000 spots combining standing and reserved areas. Sections will be divided between standing and reserved seating. Of the standing area, 2,000 spots will be allocated to ARMY membership holders who preordered the new “Arirang” album and entered a drawing. The show will be free. Still, critics warn that the same problems seen at past free events could return. When BTS held a free concert in 2022 to support Busan’s bid to host the World Expo, scalping was widespread. VIP tickets that were hard to verify reportedly climbed as high as 4 million won, and tickets for the free show were sold for cash through social media and open chat rooms. Other workarounds also spread, including moving ticket IDs using illegal macro programs. Some expect the government to step up efforts to block scalping, as Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young has repeatedly called it “a chronic disease.” At a reporters’ briefing Wednesday, Choi said, “We’re watching it closely, since we’ve experienced the scalping problem before.” He added, “It’s hard to disclose countermeasures because if we do, (scalpers) could find ways around them.” He said the government would “do our best so nothing unpleasant happens.”  Choi also said the head of HYBE participates in the Popular Culture Exchange Committee’s pop music subcommittee. “For urgent matters, they contact me directly,” he said, adding that working-level discussions are focused on safety and traffic issues.  Amendments to the Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act, aimed at a scalping market estimated at more than 100 billion won, passed the National Assembly on Jan. 29. The revisions ban all fraudulent purchases and resales, including unfair sales using macro programs.  Choi said the law would likely take effect “around fall,” and that the government would first launch a campaign urging people not to engage in scalping. “My dream is to see articles this fall — when the postseason and concerts overlap — saying scalping has disappeared,” he said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 08:03:00
  • Culture minister vows bigger budget to back K-culture, weighs Korea Arena concept
    Culture minister vows bigger budget to back K-culture, weighs 'Korea Arena' concept "I will firmly support K-culture so it can keep pushing forward," Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young said Feb. 12 at a meeting with reporters in Seoul, repeatedly stressing the need to significantly expand the culture budget. Choi said K-culture is gaining strength and spreading widely into everyday life around the world, adding, "I will not miss this opportunity." He said there is growing agreement that because culture and the arts are recognized as a driver of South Korea's economic growth, the government should increase spending. "I will move to expand the scale of cultural funding," he said. Choi pointed to a pop culture exchange committee that includes major figures in the global entertainment industry, saying the goal is to quickly identify and carry out projects that can speed and broaden K-culture's overseas expansion. He said the committee is discussing mid- and long-term ideas, including a plan for a global festival in 2027 that would bring artists from all agencies together in South Korea. He also said the ministry is reviewing concepts such as a "Korea Arena" and "Korea Stadium," inspired by Korea House, arguing that securing dedicated venues in cities around the world could allow South Korea to install a wide range of K-culture-related elements inside them. Asked about BTS holding a comeback performance at Gwanghwamun, Choi said, "I'm truly grateful," and pledged support so visitors from abroad have an enjoyable, memorable experience. He called it meaningful that a globally watched return would begin at Gwanghwamun and said the ministry is preparing for the event in consultation with BTS, describing it as a chance to showcase South Korea's core culture, including traditional culture, overseas. On tourism, Choi said he expects a stronger control tower as the National Tourism Strategy Meeting is elevated to report directly to the president. He said the move reflects the will of President Lee Jae Myung and said a comparison with Japan showed that Japan increased inbound tourism as then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe personally pushed through difficult issues. Choi said the president has expressed a strong intention to take direct charge and break through obstacles, adding he expects it could become a turning point for a new leap forward. Choi also said he will work to quickly fill leadership vacancies at agencies under the ministry, including the Korea Creative Content Agency. On the Hangul signboard at Gwanghwamun, he said the government will decide whether to proceed after gathering public opinion through a public discussion process. Responding to criticism that expanding "Culture Day" would increase burdens on the industry, Choi said it is a misunderstanding to assume existing discount benefits would remain unchanged, adding that nothing has been set uniformly. He said the relocation of the Seoul Performing Arts Company to Gwangju will proceed, while additional plans to move other national arts groups outside Seoul are under review.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 15:18:00
  • KTV to Recruit 10 Young Online Creators for Social Media Content
    KTV to Recruit 10 Young Online Creators for Social Media Content KTV National Broadcasting, known as KTV, said Wednesday it is accepting applications for its “KTV Online Young Creator” program.  KTV said the open recruitment aims to strengthen policy communication with direct youth participation and to attract more young subscribers to its social media channels, which it said have largely drawn older audiences.  Applicants must be ages 19 to 39. Selected creators will produce online content for KTV’s official social media channels, including YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, from March through November, about nine months.    KTV said each selected creator will receive production support worth a total of 10 million won, with up to 1.2 million won per piece based on one video a month. Creators will also have opportunities to collaborate with KTV and gain hands-on experience from planning through production, and will receive a letter of appointment and a certificate of participation.    Applications will be accepted from Feb. 13 through Feb. 27. Applicants should download the required forms, including a personal statement and activity plan, from the KTV website and submit them by email. KTV will select about 10 creators after a document review and a practical interview.    KTV said anyone interested in online content careers such as announcer, producer, reporter or videographer may apply, as can young people interested in promoting government policy and public communication. More information and application details are available on the KTV website and its official social media channels.  * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 14:15:58
  • National Museum of Korea to light exterior pink in Blackpink collaboration starting Feb. 27
    National Museum of Korea to light exterior pink in Blackpink collaboration starting Feb. 27 The National Museum of Korea said Wednesday it will light the museum’s exterior walls in pink as part of a global project in collaboration with K-pop group Blackpink. The collaboration, titled “National Museum of Korea X Blackpink,” will begin at 2 p.m. on Feb. 27 to coincide with the release of Blackpink’s new album and will run through March 8, for a total of 10 days. The outdoor lighting event will illuminate the museum’s Open Plaza and other exterior areas in pink, the group’s signature color. It will be open for anyone visiting the museum to view. Inside the museum, a listening zone will be set up in the “Path of History” area starting at 2 p.m. on Feb. 27, allowing visitors to hear music from the new album released at that time. The museum will also offer an audio docent program in which Blackpink introduce eight museum artifacts. The members took part in recording the audio, and visitors can access Korean and English versions by scanning QR codes at the exhibits. Jisoo and Jennie recorded in Korean, Rosé in English, and Lisa in Thai. The Thai audio guide will be released in March. Limited-quantity postcards featuring the artifacts and member photos will also be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. The museum said it expects Blackpink’s global recognition, backed by a fandom of about 100 million, to help introduce South Korea’s cultural heritage to international visitors. Director Yu Hong Jun said the collaboration is an effort to present the cultural heritage the museum has protected “in today’s language” so more people will visit and experience culture. He said the museum will continue to pursue collaborations to expand the possibilities of a “K-museum” as an open museum that communicates through culture across generations and borders. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 09:21:00
  • MMCA Names Christine Sun Kim for MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026
    MMCA Names Christine Sun Kim for MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026 The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, said Wednesday it has selected Christine Sun Kim as the participating artist for “MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026.” Kim works across sound and language, drawing, performance and video to examine how communication is structured and how social relationships are formed. Her work treats sound as a social system closely tied to power, institutions and norms, and uses drawing and graphic notation — a system that translates sound into visual language — to explore the unseen rules of communication and how language functions. For “MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026,” she will present a new large-scale video installation based on animation. The exhibition runs from July 31 to Nov. 29 at MMCA Seoul. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 09:12:00