Journalist

Yoon Juhye
  • Film ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ Drives Renewed Sales of 1928 Novel on King Danjong
    Film ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ Drives Renewed Sales of 1928 Novel on King Danjong The popularity of the film ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ is spilling beyond theaters into publishing and other off-screen consumption. The 1928 novel has been reissued and entered bestseller rankings, while sales of children’s history books tied to King Danjong have surged, showing how the box-office hit is driving demand for related historical content. According to Kyobo Book Centre’s bestseller list for the first week of March released Friday, Saeum’s reissued edition of , published last month, ranked No. 17 in the Korean fiction category. is a work by Yi Gwang-su (1892-1950) with Danjong as its central figure. It was serialized in the Dong-A Ilbo in 1928-1929. The novel depicts political confrontation between forces backing Danjong, portrayed as embodying dynastic legitimacy, and a faction seeking to enthrone Prince Suyang, including Han Myeong-hoe and Jeong In-ji, framed through the opposing figures of Danjong and Suyang. With copyright expiring 70 years after the author’s death, multiple publishers, including Saeum, have been freely releasing editions following the film’s success. Publishers have also rolled out varied formats to attract readers, including an “original edition” that restores the cover design of the first edition published by Bakmun Publishing in 1954. Library borrowing has also climbed. Statistics from the National Library of Korea’s “Library Information Naru” big-data platform show the book was borrowed about 10 to 20 times a month last year, but recorded a total of 148 loans last month. The film’s success has broadened interest beyond a single historical figure to the era Danjong lived in and its historical backdrop, the report said, lifting attention to history more broadly. YES24 said that in the month after the film opened Feb. 4, sales of books tagged with the keyword “Danjong” jumped 2,565% from the same period a year earlier. Sales of rose about 800%, while , which examines Danjong’s tragic fate alongside royal politics after the Sejong era, climbed about 2,700%. The children’s history book surged 4,614% from a year earlier. “Cultural content such as films and dramas is sparking interest in specific historical figures or events,” said Jo Seon-young, head of YES24’s book business division. “A steady reading trend is emerging in which people then seek out and read related books.” With the film drawing more than 12 million cumulative viewers and becoming a nationwide hit, related spending is expected to spread in more ways, the report said. Yeongwol, where Danjong was exiled, has seen a sharp rise in tourism demand, with what the report described as a “Danjong fandom” phenomenon. At Cheongnyeongpo Ferry, a major filming backdrop, about 11,000 people visited during last month’s Lunar New Year holiday period, and about 14,800 visited during the March 1 holiday period, emerging as a popular destination. The film’s impact has also played out online. On map apps, the review section for Yeongwol’s Jangneung has drawn more than 600 comments mourning and commemorating Danjong. Meanwhile, malicious comments appeared on listings for Han Myeong-hoe’s grave in Cheonan and for Gwangneung, the royal tomb of King Sejo, prompting Kakao Map to close the review sections for those sites, the report said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 10:55:03
  • South Korea to Offer 43.75 Billion Won in Loans, Guarantees for Arts Businesses
    South Korea to Offer 43.75 Billion Won in Loans, Guarantees for Arts Businesses The South Korean government will supply funding to help arts businesses grow through new loan and guarantee programs. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Management Support Center said Friday they will launch loans and guarantees totaling 43.75 billion won to strengthen the foundation for growth in the arts industry. The loan program will be carried out with NH NongHyup Bank and Hana Bank, while the guarantee program will be run with the Korea Technology Finance Corp. Applications will be accepted starting March 16 for loans and April 1 for guarantees. The ministry said it created a new arts-industry guarantee program to cover all fields of the arts that had been excluded from existing cultural-industry guarantees. Loans totaling 20 billion won will be offered to private arts facilities such as theaters and art museums, as well as arts service businesses including agencies and production companies. Funding will cover two categories: facility financing, including renovations, new construction and equipment purchases and installation; and working capital, including payroll, marketing, materials and rent. Loan rates will be based on the floating rate for the Public Fund Management Fund loan account, set at 2.96% for the first quarter of 2026. Large and mid-sized companies will pay an additional 0.04 percentage points, while small and other companies will receive a 0.21 percentage-point discount. Youth-led companies headed by people age 39 or younger will be offered a fixed 2.5% rate. Loan limits range from 500 million won to 3 billion won, and repayment terms from five to 10 years depending on the borrower and purpose. Banks will decide approvals and amounts through their own reviews, and recipients must use the funds within this year. Applicants seeking loans should first consult nationwide branches of NH NongHyup Bank or Hana Bank about collateral, then apply for a recommendation from the Arts Management Support Center. Recommendation applications will be accepted through the National Culture and Arts Support System from March 16 to April 7. If funds remain after the first round, the ministry said it plans a second call for applications in the first half of 2026. The guarantee program will cover literature, fine arts, music (excluding pop music), dance, theater, traditional Korean music, photography, architecture and musicals. Guarantees totaling 23.75 billion won will be provided in two tracks: an “arts business” track that supports working capital based on an assessment of a company’s growth potential, and an “arts project” track that supports planning and production costs for performances and exhibitions. The guarantee limit is up to 1 billion won per company. The Arts Management Support Center will evaluate applicants and recommend them, after which the Korea Technology Finance Corp. will review the case and issue a guarantee certificate. Businesses can use the certificate to obtain loans from commercial banks. Guarantee applications will be submitted through the National Culture and Arts Support System. Applications will be accepted regularly from the first to the 10th of each month starting in April, and applicants will be notified of recommendations at the end of each month. More details will be posted in the call for applications on the Arts Management Support Center website on March 16 for loans and April 1 for guarantees. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 09:09:27
  • OIMU’s “San 239” Wins Bronze in 2026 World’s Most Beautiful Book Contest
    OIMU’s “San 239” Wins Bronze in 2026 World’s Most Beautiful Book Contest <San 239> (publisher OIMU, designer Shin Sohyeon) won a Bronze Medal in the 2026 World’s Most Beautiful Book competition, the Korean Publishers Association said on the 13th. The Bronze Medal ranks fourth, after the top Golden Letter award and the gold and silver medals. The “World’s Most Beautiful Book” competition is jointly run by Germany’s Stiftung Buchkunst and the Leipzig Book Fair. <San 239> is a small book measuring 50 millimeters wide, 68 millimeters tall and 20 millimeters thick. It is fitted with a carabiner and a compass so it can be clipped to a bag or belt. Each page introduces one of 239 mountains on the Korean Peninsula, listing practical information for hikers such as location and elevation, whether it is among Korea’s “100 famous mountains,” guidance on what to do when encountering wild animals, and first-aid tips. German organizers said the book “goes beyond something to read” and can serve as a companion on the trail, noting that it packs a sweeping subject — 239 Korean mountains — into a format small and light enough to carry anywhere. They also cited the balance of text, images and illustrations in conveying extensive information clearly within limited space, calling it an object in which every element is precisely designed. Designer Shin Sohyeon of OIMU said, “More than half of Korea is made up of mountains, and most mountains are open to everyone,” adding, “If you enjoy hiking, I hope you’ll clip this book to your bag and we’ll meet on the mountain.” Judging for the 2026 competition was held Feb. 19-21 at the German National Library by an international design jury of five designers. A total of 14 books from nine countries were selected as final winners. The awards ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. local time March 20 at the Leipzig Book Fair. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 08:30:38
  • BTS-Linked Museum Projects Spotlight Silla Bell and Korean Painting Catalog
    BTS-Linked Museum Projects Spotlight Silla Bell and Korean Painting Catalog With BTS set to return on the 21st, the group is drawing fresh attention to Korea’s traditional culture, including museum projects tied to the band. After a National Museum product line known as “Muetts” linked BTS with the famed King Seongdeok bell, a new catalog of Korean paintings produced with a donation from BTS leader RM has also put cultural heritage in the spotlight. According to the cultural sector on the 13th, visitors to Gyeongju National Museum can experience the bell’s sound in a way that is otherwise difficult to hear. The National Museum Foundation of Korea and HYBE produced the Muetts items to mark the release of BTS’ fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” drawing motifs from patterns on the King Seongdeok bell. The Unified Silla-era bronze bell is known not only for its decoration but also for its clear, solemn tone, often described as an “echo of a thousand years.” But regular bell-ringing at the museum stopped in 1992 to protect the artifact, making the sound hard to hear in person. The museum disclosed a sound-testing session in September last year for the first time in 22 years, but outdoor speakers have made it difficult to fully convey the bell’s distinctive beat effect. The bell’s sound alternates in intensity. That pattern fueled a legend that a baby was sacrificed during casting because the ringing resembled an infant’s cry, giving rise to the nickname “Emille Bell.” The museum offers an indirect way to experience the sound. A digital immersive video now screening in the digital theater on the first floor of the Silla Art Gallery uses projection mapping and 9.1-channel audio to recreate the bell’s resonance and form. Kim Yun-i, a curator at Gyeongju National Museum, said the team “put a lot of effort into the sound,” adding that it reproduces even the beat effect that is hard to feel through outdoor speakers and has drawn a strong response from visitors. She said the video uses the bell’s actual sound recorded during the sound test, making the resonance more vivid. The video is part of the permanent exhibition and can be viewed during museum hours without a reservation. Interest in Korean painting is also growing. The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, under the Korea Heritage Service, recently published a catalog titled “IT’S ______ HERE: Korean Old Paintings Shining Abroad,” bringing together Korean paintings held by major museums and art institutions overseas. It spans about 400 years of Korean painting, from the early 16th century to the 20th century. The catalog was produced with funds donated by RM in 2022. It includes “Pyeongan-gamsa-do-gwa-geupjeja-hwanyeong-do (平安監司道科及第者歡迎圖),” held by the Peabody Essex Museum in the United States and highlighted last year after conservation work by the Leeum Museum of Art. The 19th-century work depicts a series of events hosted by a provincial governor to celebrate two people who passed a provincial exam in Pyeongan Province. It shows a large procession, an outdoor banquet and an elaborate feast, portraying Pyongyang’s prosperity, goods and the people watching the festivities. The catalog will be distributed to national and public libraries and major research institutions in and outside South Korea for public access. Kwak Chang-yong, secretary-general of the foundation, said the works in the catalog “carry meaning as a cultural bridge connecting Korea and the world,” adding that RM’s support for traditional culture “further raised the value of this catalog.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 08:12:33
  • Seoul theater troupe’s ‘Big Mother’ explores algorithm-driven power in the data age
    Seoul theater troupe’s ‘Big Mother’ explores algorithm-driven power in the data age "With a mother-like warmth, it uses our information to change and manipulate what we think." Lee Jun-woo, who leads the Seoul Metropolitan Theatre Company, said at a news conference on March 12 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts that the play "Big Mother" looks at a kind of power different from "Big Brother," the symbol of coercive control. The company’s first production of the year, "Big Mother," asks in an era dominated by algorithms, "What is truth?" Centered on the struggle of New York investigative reporters trying to expose a conspiracy by a massive power, it portrays how unseen information can function as power in today’s big-data age. Lee said he wanted audiences to reconsider how they slip into comfort and familiarity and follow algorithms, adding that the work is "humorous and light rather than serious." The play draws audiences in with familiar-seeming characters and settings, but does not stay there. "It gets the audience to follow scenes without thinking, then leaves a bitter aftertaste at the end," Lee said. He compared it to reality: people keep watching videos guided by algorithms until they reach a moment when their thinking becomes polarized. A French original staged in a small theater used projection, but the production at Sejong Center’s M Theater will make heavier use of video to fit the larger venue. Lee said audiences will be able to watch both the images on the onstage screen and how those images are created, calling that the biggest difference from the French version. He said he hopes audiences enjoy "Big Mother" the way they watch a Netflix drama. "My goal is for audiences to follow each of the four reporters’ stories easily and with interest," Lee said. He added that he wants the media environment around the story — including news, breaking alerts, and relationships between political parties and companies — to feel realistic. The show runs from March 30 to April 25. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 16:36:18
  • Seoul Opens Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, City’s First Public New Media Museum
    Seoul Opens Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, City’s First Public New Media Museum Seoul’s first public museum specializing in new media — and the first public art museum in the city’s southwest — opens Thursday. The Seoul Museum of Art said it is opening its eighth branch, the Seoul Museum of Art Seo-Seoul Museum of Art (Seo-Seoul Museum of Art), on March 12. The museum, in Doksan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, has a total floor area of 7,186 square meters (2,173 pyeong) and spans two basement levels and one above-ground floor. Planning began in 2015. The building was designed by architect Kim Chan-joong, whose work has received multiple domestic and international awards, including the Seoul Architecture Award grand prize, the Korea Institute of Registered Architects Award and the iF Design Red Dot Award. To improve access, the museum was built as a low-rise structure and designed to minimize boundaries with nearby Geumnarae Central Park. With entry routes from multiple directions, the museum aims to make visits part of everyday life for residents. The Seo-Seoul Museum of Art plans creative, experimental exhibitions and programs centered on new media, and it will continue education programs aimed at developing future arts talent. To help ensure visitors from the southwest’s diverse communities can enjoy culture without barriers, it has introduced multilingual guidance, plain-language explanations of collection works, and sign-language and text interpretation. To mark the opening, the museum will present three exhibitions in sequence from March through July: the SeMA performance “Breath,” the construction archive show “Our Time Starts Here,” and the new media collection exhibition “Transparent Seo-Seoul | Youth | Machine.” Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said he is pleased that residents in the southwest can experience “world-class new media art” close to home, adding that he hopes the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art becomes a space loved for a long time in the daily lives of Seoul residents. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 14:33:47
  • South Korea Requests Police Probe Into 105 Suspected Scalped BTS Tickets
    South Korea Requests Police Probe Into 105 Suspected Scalped BTS Tickets South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it is stepping up its crackdown on ticket scalping.  The ministry said on the 11th it asked the National Police Agency to investigate four suspected cases involving 105 BTS concert tickets believed to have been sold illegally.  After intensively monitoring major online secondhand marketplaces for BTS concerts in Gwanghwamun and Goyang, the ministry said it found posts offering a total of 1,868 tickets, including duplicates. It said it secured multiple tickets for the same performance and referred 105 tickets for a police probe.  The ministry also warned that buying scalped tickets may make it effectively impossible to attend. For the BTS Gwanghwamun concert, entry uses a QR-code system that does not allow screenshots. Once a code is scanned for first use, it cannot be reissued or scanned again under any circumstances. It said all attendees will be required to verify their identity with a designated ID at entry and wear a wristband that cannot be reattached if damaged. Wristbands will be checked for re-entry after movement such as restroom visits, and organizers may conduct random identity checks inside the venue, removing anyone caught attempting a transfer.  The ministry said organizers are also monitoring online posts to detect transactions that violate ticketing policies and are canceling tickets when buyers fail to respond to requests for explanation or cannot substantiate purchases.  Minister Choe Hwi-young said scalping violates organizers’ ticketing policies and warned that strengthened on-site identity checks make transfers “virtually impossible.” He said buyers also face a high risk of fraud, including sellers disappearing, and urged fans to purchase tickets only through official sellers. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-11 17:05:29
  • National Museum, HYBE Team Up on BTS Goods Inspired by Korean National Treasure
    National Museum, HYBE Team Up on BTS Goods Inspired by Korean National Treasure Korean national treasures are increasingly being recast through K-pop, with the 1,250-year-old Bell of King Seongdeok now serving as inspiration for BTS-linked merchandise aimed at global fans. The “Hip Tradition” trend that has spread in South Korea in recent years is moving onto the international stage through K-pop, broadening interest from K-content to Korean culture more broadly, including traditional heritage. Industry officials said Wednesday that the National Museum of Korea has become a key venue for collaborations between K-pop and traditional culture. A leading example is “Mu:ds,” the museum’s cultural merchandise line. Reinterpreting heritage through a modern lens, Mu:ds topped 40 billion won in annual sales last year. Its reach has grown further through partnerships with globally recognized K-pop, helping bring traditional culture to a wider audience. Riding the popularity of the Netflix animation “K-pop Demon Hunters,” a “magpie and tiger” badge sold about 90,000 units over the year, prompting “open-run” lines for purchases. This year, BTS is set to take over the Mu:ds spotlight. The National Museum Foundation of Korea said it will begin selling products developed with HYBE starting on the 20th to mark the release of BTS’ fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG.” The collaboration draws on patterns from the Bell of King Seongdeok, a national treasure held by the Gyeongju National Museum. Designers developed graphics based on donor figures and cloud motifs engraved on the bell’s surface and applied them to items including hairpins, shoulder bags, card holders and layered skirts. With BTS set to stage a comeback performance blending tradition and modernity at Gyeongbokgung Palace on the 21st, to be livestreamed worldwide on Netflix, the foundation expects the new Mu:ds products to draw interest from ARMY fans around the world. The Hip Tradition wave has been driven in large part by K-pop. After years of emphasizing a more borderless image, K-pop artists over the past five years have increasingly incorporated traditional elements such as hanbok, helping spark interest in heritage among Generation Z. BTS leader RM has also been credited with boosting Mu:ds’ visibility. Public attention grew after it became known that he owns a Mu:ds miniature modeled on the gilt-bronze pensive bodhisattva, a national treasure. Performances and videos have reinforced the trend, including BTS wearing reinterpreted hanbok while performing in front of Geunjeongjeon Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Blackpink featuring a jeogori jacket in a music video, the report said. Collaborations are also expanding into museum spaces. The National Museum of Korea and Blackpink recently set up a listening zone inside the museum timed to the group’s new album release, allowing visitors and fans to hear tracks from the album. The museum also offered a docent program in which Thai member Lisa introduced museum artifacts in Thai, the report said, as a way to present Korean heritage to overseas K-pop fans. Experts said the synergy between K-pop and traditional culture is a positive development. Pop culture critic Jeong Deok-hyeon said, “We are moving from the era of K-content to the era of K-culture,” adding that events featuring globally recognized K-pop artists at the National Museum of Korea can be “highly effective” in promoting K-culture. Reinterpreting heritage through goods, he said, has become a channel for showing that “our culture is hip.” 2026-03-11 10:21:32
  • Choreographer Sharon Eyal on ‘Jakie’: ‘Come with an open mind and feel it’
    Choreographer Sharon Eyal on ‘Jakie’: ‘Come with an open mind and feel it’ “Come with an open mind and feel it.” Choreographer Sharon Eyal said at a March 10 talk at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts that dance is about “freedom, connection and emotion.” “Movement makes us better people and brings better things,” she said, adding, “Everyone needs dance.” The Sejong Center will present the Seoul Metropolitan Ballet’s first program of its 2026 season as a double bill: Johan Inger’s “Bliss” and “Jakie” by Eyal and Gai Behar, staged at the Sejong M Theater. “Jakie,” which premiered in 2023 at Netherlands Dance Theater (NDT), will be performed for the first time for audiences in South Korea through the Seoul company. It is Eyal’s first time working with Korean dancers, though she said nationality is not central to her process. “My work is with people. It’s about working with new people — nationality doesn’t matter much,” she said. Still, she said she appreciates that Korean dancers “respect rigor,” and added that drawing out emotion “could be a challenge.” Eyal said she has made small adjustments for this production. “I tailor it little by little to each individual,” she said. “Rather than keeping the Korean audience in mind, I look for what can bring out the dancers’ sincerity in this moment. I believe that’s how communication happens.” Calling herself a “dreamer,” Eyal repeatedly pointed to “life” when asked what inspired “Jakie” and whether the title refers to a specific person. “I don’t make works for the sake of making works. I drew inspiration from life. (‘Jakie’) is an extension of life,” she said. She said the answer to what “Jakie” is meant to be remains open. “You can think of Jakie as a bear. You can think it’s not a person,” she said. “Rather than explaining it, I want you to feel it directly. I don’t like reading a plot summary before going to the movies — I want to experience it. I hope audiences do, too.” The program runs March 14-22 at the Sejong M Theater for seven performances. There are no performances on March 16, 17 and 21.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-10 15:51:21
  • BTS, National Museum Foundation and HYBE launch merch inspired by Silla-era Emille Bell
    BTS, National Museum Foundation and HYBE launch merch inspired by Silla-era Emille Bell ​The National Museum Foundation of Korea said Tuesday it will release “2026 BTS X MU:DS Collaboration Merch,” developed with HYBE. The products were made to mark the release of BTS’ fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG.” The designs take their motif from the patterns on the National Treasure “King Seongdeok Divine Bell,” a cultural heritage item held by the Gyeongju National Museum. Following “2024 BTS Dalmajung X MU:DS,” this is the second series and includes five items: a shoulder bag, card holder, hair clip, hairpin and layered skirt. The bell is a National Treasure representing Unified Silla and is regarded as a masterpiece in Korea’s history of bronze temple bells. King Gyeongdeok, the 35th ruler of Silla, began the project using 120,000 geun of copper to pray for his father King Seongdeok, but died before completing it. His son, King Hyegong, finished the bell in 771. The bell stands 365.8 centimeters (12 feet) tall. Its surface features arabesque and lotus bands, as well as carved panels and striking points. Among the most notable elements is a donor figure carved at the center, depicted holding a handled incense burner while floating on clouds, with finely rendered drapery and a solemn pose. The foundation and HYBE said they developed graphics based on the donor figure and surrounding cloud patterns and applied them across the product designs, giving new use to motifs created by artisans about 1,250 years ago. Jeong Yong-seok, president of the National Museum Foundation of Korea, called the bell “the essence of our cultural heritage, recognized worldwide for its outstanding beauty and casting technique,” and said he hopes the collaboration will help the craftsmanship of Silla artisans reach BTS fans around the world. The items will go on sale at 1 p.m. March 20 at the shop inside the National Museum of Korea’s permanent exhibition hall and at BTS’ offline pop-up, and at 2 p.m. the same day on HYBE’s global superfandom platform, Weverse. The National Museum of Korea shop will sell a limited run of eight items — the five collaboration products plus a poster, link keychain and message keychain — and sales will end early if stock runs out. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-10 09:51:28