Journalist

Yoon Juhye
  • Korea to Offer Up to 290 Million Won for AI, XR-Linked Music Content Projects
    Korea to Offer Up to 290 Million Won for AI, XR-Linked Music Content Projects The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency, known as KOCCA, said Monday they will back production of content that combines popular music intellectual property with new technologies such as artificial intelligence and extended reality.  KOCCA announced the “2026 Support for Development of Music Content Converging New Technologies” program and will accept applications through April 14. The program totals 2.949 billion won and will select 12 projects. Support will be offered in two areas: AI-based music performance production and music video production using new technologies. For AI-based performances, the program targets content that applies AI across the full production process, providing up to 290 million won per project for about three projects. For music video production, the program supports video content using technologies such as XR, virtual reality and augmented reality. It will provide up to 220 million won per project for about nine projects. Domestic popular music agencies and production companies planning performances, music videos or other video content using new technologies may apply. KOCCA said it expects the program to expand production of technology-based music content and strengthen the competitiveness of South Korea’s music industry. Details are available on KOCCA’s website, and applicants must apply through the online system by April 14. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-07 08:39:15
  • Newspaper Survival in the AI Era: Rebuild Tech DNA and Trust, Speakers Say
    Newspaper Survival in the AI Era: Rebuild Tech DNA and Trust, Speakers Say "To improve the quality of journalism, news organizations must reclaim their identity as technology companies." Kim Wi-geun, chief research officer at Publish, made the remarks at a seminar at the Korea Press Center titled ‘70 Years of Newspapers: A Record of History, a Vision for the Future,’ saying journalism is a product of combining news and technology. The event was organized by three media groups — the Korea Newspaper Association, the Korea Newspaper Broadcasting Editors Association and the Journalists Association of Korea — to reassess newspapers’ social role and chart a path for newspaper journalism amid rapid changes in the media environment, including the spread of generative artificial intelligence. In a presentation titled ‘A Blueprint for Newspaper Journalism,’ Kim said technology used by news portals that dominate distribution can sharply swing a news outlet’s audience and revenue, adding that AI will now drive those shifts. Kim repeatedly stressed that media companies are “clearly technology companies” and urged them to restore that identity. Before the internet became widespread, he said, print newspapers were leading technology firms in areas such as typesetting and printing formats, while broadcasters led in video and transmission technology. He said news organizations lost their “technology DNA” as web technology spread, and argued that regaining it is essential to raising journalistic quality. As a future strategy, Kim proposed establishing an identity as a “data company.” In the AI era, he said, the role of news content as digital data will grow beyond its value as a copyrighted work. He also called for efforts to boost trust, pursue technological innovation including cooperation on developing sovereign AI, strengthen gatekeeping, establish media ethics and prevent reporters from leaving newsrooms. If reporters’ planning and questioning skills do not surpass those of the public, he said, news organizations will lose competitiveness. He predicted demand will rise for high-quality journalism that verifies facts and pursues truth. A separate speaker urged the newspaper industry to adapt more flexibly to social change. Lee Min-gyu, a professor in Chung-Ang University’s Department of Media Communication, cited the case of 18 newspapers publishing extra editions for BTS’ Gwanghwamun comeback performance, saying newspapers need to move beyond rigid, politics-and-economy-centered hard news and pay more attention to culture and lifestyle content audiences want. Lee also pointed to editorial cartoons, which he said compress a newspaper’s interpretive function into a single image, and argued newspapers have a role in an environment where information overload and AI hallucinations increase the risk of distortion. He said newspapers should help lead public opinion and keep society on the right path. AI should be used as a tool, he said, but editing must remain a human task. He also urged news outlets to reduce dependence on platforms and strengthen relationships with readers. Lee said a newspaper’s competitiveness lies not in the number of stories but in the density of trust, adding that earning trust from readers and society is more important than ever. He said the industry should jointly push for public-interest safeguards in algorithms, legal guarantees of algorithmic transparency and clear labeling standards for AI-generated news. Examples of how news organizations are responding to the AI era were also presented. Kyunghyang Shinmun said its YouTube channel, ‘Kyunghyang TV,’ launched in January 2024, has grown quickly as political analysis and in-depth interviews gained popularity. The outlet plans to invest in a dedicated video studio to strengthen content quality and production capacity. Maeil Business Newspaper said it has built several AI services, including a news agent, a stock agent and AI news explainers. The news agent targets MZ-generation users who find current affairs articles difficult, providing summaries of related past articles, developments, similar cases and outlooks. Yoo Young-hoon, deputy head of Maeil’s AX AI Data Department, said AI services cost more than expected and called for continued investment along with ways to generate revenue.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-06 17:04:16
  • South Korea, France Sign Deal to Cooperate on Preserving Jongmyo Shrine and Saint-Denis Basilica
    South Korea, France Sign Deal to Cooperate on Preserving Jongmyo Shrine and Saint-Denis Basilica South Korea and France have agreed to cooperate on the preservation and management of Jongmyo Shrine and the Basilica of Saint-Denis.  The Korea Heritage Service said it held a high-level heritage meeting with France’s Ministry of Culture on April 2 at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, and that its Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the ministry-affiliated Centre des Monuments Nationaux signed a memorandum of understanding.  In December 2022, the Korea Heritage Service — then known as the Cultural Heritage Administration — and the Centre des Monuments Nationaux signed a letter of intent to promote exchanges in cultural heritage. The new MOU, pursued as part of outcomes from a South Korea-France summit, builds on that document and calls for cooperation on systematic preservation and management of the two sites, reflecting shared historical and cultural characteristics.    The Basilica of Saint-Denis, a Gothic church in Saint-Denis north of Paris, was built around the fifth century as a monastic church. From the seventh century, it served as a royal burial site, housing the remains of 43 kings, 32 queens, and 60 princes and princesses across multiple dynasties.  At the high-level meeting held alongside the signing, Korea Heritage Service Administrator Heo Min and French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard agreed to expand exchanges in the heritage field, including site visits linking representative cultural assets, expert exchanges and mutual promotional efforts. They also discussed events planned for June to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties.  The Korea Heritage Service said it will continue working with France and other countries to broaden cooperation in the heritage sector and expand opportunities to promote Korea’s national heritage and its capacity to preserve and use it worldwide. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-06 09:45:17
  • Conductor Han-Na Chang Named CEO of Seoul Arts Center
    Conductor Han-Na Chang Named CEO of Seoul Arts Center The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday it has appointed conductor Han-Na Chang as CEO of the Seoul Arts Center. The ministry said Chang is the first female CEO with a musician’s background since the arts complex opened in 1988, calling the appointment meaningful for expanding diversity in the arts. Chang is expected to coordinate her travel to take office and, as early as April 24, receive her letter of appointment from the minister and begin a three-year term. Chang is an internationally recognized cellist and conductor. She made her world-stage debut in 1994 after winning the grand prize at the 5th Rostropovich International Cello Competition at age 11. She later performed with leading orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra, the ministry said. Since 2007, Chang has conducted a range of orchestras mainly in Europe and North America, building an international network and broad repertoire. In South Korea, she served as artistic director of “Han-Na Chang’s Absolute Classic Festival” at Seongnam Arts Center (’09-’14) and “Han-Na Chang’s Daejeon Grand Festival” at Daejeon Arts Center (’24-’25). In November 2025, she was appointed a visiting distinguished professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology’s Graduate School of Culture Technology. Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said Chang brings “rich on-the-ground experience and leadership accumulated over 32 years” and a deep understanding of the performing arts through her global ties with music organizations and artists. He said he expects her to present a new artistic vision for the Seoul Arts Center, which he described as South Korea’s leading platform for foundational arts, at a time when “K-culture” is expanding globally. The ministry also said it appointed Yoo Mi-jeong, a professor in Dankook University’s piano department, as CEO of the National Symphony Orchestra Foundation, and Park Hye-jin, a professor in Dankook University’s vocal music department, as head and artistic director of the National Opera Company Foundation. Both posts carry three-year terms. Yoo is a pianist who graduated from the Peabody Institute’s piano department and graduate school and completed Yale School of Music’s artist diploma program. The ministry said she has remained active through concerto performances and solo recitals, and has taught at Yonsei University and the Korea National University of Arts, served as an adjunct professor at Gachon University, and has been a professor at Dankook University since 2003. Park studied vocal music at Yonsei University and earned a master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music. She has been a professor at Dankook University’s College of Music and Arts since 2009. The ministry said she has performed widely in South Korea and abroad, taking leading roles in operas including “La Boheme,” “Carmen” and “Turandot,” and won the female lead award at the 5th Korea Opera Awards. 2026-04-06 09:36:41
  • National Dance Company Premieres Gwi-hyang, a Dance Drama on a Mothers Love
    National Dance Company Premieres 'Gwi-hyang,' a Dance Drama on a Mother's Love Mother, I’m back/After passing dark, damp cliffs/I ran through the long night/As wind returns to the wind’s home to rest/I ran with only one heart. (From Kim Seong-ok’s poem “Gwi-hyang”) The National Dance Company of Korea will present “Gwi-hyang” as its first new production of the year. The dance drama blends the lyricism of Korean dance with a theatrical narrative, drawing on Kim Seong-ok’s poem “Gwi-hyang” to stage the inner memories and emotions between a mother and her son. Artistic Director and company head Kim Jong-deok said at a news conference on April 3 at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul that “Gwi-hyang” is a work he created to connect and communicate with audiences, built from a story he felt most deeply. He said he drew inspiration from his mother and his hometown. Kim has often addressed social phenomena and broad themes, but said he came to feel limits in working that way. For this piece, he chose what remained most vivid in his heart: parents, family and home. Centered on family and longing that many can relate to, the production adds modern stage design to the restrained aesthetics of Korean dance. Company member Jang Hyun-su, who plays the mother, portrays a devoted love for her child with small, detailed gestures. She hums the song “Spring Days Pass,” and speaks into empty air as if her son were beside her, expressing a mother living with dementia. During the news conference, Jang Hyun-su became emotional while speaking about her mother. “I like the song lyric, ‘A pale pink skirt fluttered in the spring breeze.’ When I sing that song thinking of my mother, it makes my heart ache,” she said. “I think, my mother must have suffered so much. A mother is also a woman.” Company member Jang Yoon-na, who plays the mother in her younger years, said she also immersed herself in the role. “I play the mother as she moves from her brilliant 20s and 30s through her 40s and 50s,” she said. “I’m also a mother in my mid-40s with two children, and I’m trying to express the sorrow by imagining what it would feel like to lose the son who was my whole world.” The work has three chapters: the mother’s present at the end of her life; the story of mother and son; and a process of looking back on the mother’s life. The stage traces passing years, love and separation, memory and reconciliation, wounds and longing, and a journey toward recovery and comfort. For Kim, a mother’s love is like a gardenia. “Gardenias are simple, but their fragrance is strong,” he said. “When I think of my mother, I think of a gardenia — not flashy, but with a gentle scent that carries far. It’s a kind of medium for expressing the memories and love in my heart.” “Gwi-hyang” runs April 23-26 at the Haeoreum Grand Theater at the National Theater of Korea. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-03 17:24:15
  • Flautist Han Ji-hee to Release Debut Reinecke Album With Lang Lang, Royal Philharmonic
    Flautist Han Ji-hee to Release Debut Reinecke Album With Lang Lang, Royal Philharmonic Universal Music said Thursday that flutist Han Ji-hee will release her debut album, “Carl Reinecke: Works for Flute,” on April 24. The album features three works by Carl Reinecke. Han recorded the “Flute Concerto in D major” and the “Ballade in D minor for Flute and Orchestra” with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vasily Petrenko. She also recorded the flute-and-piano sonata “Undine” with pianist Lang Lang. The album will be released on the Deutsche Grammophon label, and the first movement of “Undine” will be released in advance via streaming on April 3. Han said, “When I was 13, I fell in love with Reinecke’s music,” adding, “The flute concerto and ‘Undine’ were the most important repertoire of my student years. My master’s thesis was also on Reinecke’s flute concerto.” She said that while planning the repertoire for her first recording, she thought of those two works along with Reinecke’s final piece, the “Ballade,” leading to an album devoted entirely to his music. Lang Lang, who recorded with Han in Paris, said, “Han Ji-hee poured her whole heart into this challenging repertoire,” adding, “I’m very happy to be part of this wonderful project.” Han said the experience strengthened her resolve “more than ever” to introduce classical music, art and culture to people, especially young people today. “I believe helping them come to love this great art will be the most important work for me,” she said. Han is an artist with SM Entertainment’s classical and jazz label, SM Classics. She studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and earned a doctoral degree from Seoul National University’s graduate school. She continues to perform actively as a member of the chamber ensemble PACE and as a soloist, and is scheduled to hold a concert marking the new release on April 29. 2026-04-03 14:36:18
  • National Museum of Korea to Display Andong Bongjeongsa Yeongsanhoi Hanging Scroll Painting
    National Museum of Korea to Display Andong Bongjeongsa Yeongsanhoi Hanging Scroll Painting A national treasure held by Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province — the “Andong Bongjeongsa Yeongsanhoi Hanging Scroll Painting” — will go on display in Seoul.  The National Museum of Korea said Thursday it will present the work in a special exhibition, “A Buddha Leading to Enlightenment: The Andong Bongjeongsa Gwaebul,” from April 7 to June 21 to mark Buddha’s Birthday.  The museum’s annual gwaebul exhibition series began in 2006 to highlight the historical, cultural and artistic value of large Buddhist hanging scrolls kept at temples. This year marks its 20th edition. Gwaebul are oversized Buddhist paintings hung outdoors for major ceremonies, making them difficult to see up close under normal circumstances. The Bongjeongsa scroll was made in 1710 (the 36th year of King Sukjong’s reign). It measures 821.6 centimeters (323.5 inches) tall and 620.1 centimeters (244.1 inches) wide and was created by joining 16 silk panels side by side. The painting depicts the Yeongsanhoi scene — the Buddha Sakyamuni delivering his most profound teaching at Vulture Peak in India — with the Buddha centered and flanked symmetrically by eight bodhisattvas and 10 disciples. The faces of the Buddha, bodhisattvas and disciples use a traditional shading technique known as barim to add a pink flush. For the Buddha’s face, artists first applied red shading, then evenly painted a yellow-toned base to create volume, producing a lifelike effect. The museum said the work also features a distinctive element found only on this scroll: a gold-leaf swastika (卍) motif attached to the Buddha’s chest, using metallic sheen to add a three-dimensional effect to the otherwise flat surface. An inscription at the bottom records details of the project, including participants and patronage. It lists 166 people who took part, spanning different social ranks and including men and women, lay believers and monks — evidence, the museum said, of Buddhism’s broad social base at the time. “When the scroll was hung in the courtyard in front of Bongjeongsa’s main hall more than 300 years ago, those who faced the Yeongsanhoi scene hoped to reach enlightenment as they looked upon the Buddha before their eyes,” a museum official said. The official added that the museum hopes visitors will “share and connect with the Buddha’s teachings” while viewing the work in Seoul. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-03 10:48:20
  • MMCA Cheongju to Offer Free Exhibition Admission to Troops in North Chungcheong Province
    MMCA Cheongju to Offer Free Exhibition Admission to Troops in North Chungcheong Province The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Cheongju Art Storage Center said Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding with the ROK Army’s 37th Infantry Division on March 24 to run arts and culture programs and support museum visits for service members. The agreement is intended to broaden access to cultural experiences for troops carrying out mandatory service, as well as their families and civilian employees. The museum said the program will cover not only the division headquarters in Jeungpyeong but also subordinate units across North Chungcheong Province, including Danyang, Yeongdong and Cheongju, to help narrow regional gaps in cultural access and strengthen the role of a public museum. Under the MOU, the two sides will jointly operate arts education programs for service members and their families, provide free admission to exhibitions at MMCA Cheongju, and pursue exchanges and cooperative projects related to arts and culture. MMCA Cheongju said it plans to further detail support aimed at improving service members’ emotional well-being and quality of life. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-03 08:27:22
  • Han Kang’s ‘I Do Not Bid Farewell’ Draws New Attention After U.S. Critics Award
    Han Kang’s ‘I Do Not Bid Farewell’ Draws New Attention After U.S. Critics Award Han Kang’s novel I Do Not Bid Farewell is drawing renewed attention after news it won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Kyobo Book Centre said Thursday that the title ranked No. 12 on its overall bestseller list for the fourth week of March. An analysis of buyers from March 27 to April 1, after the award news broke, showed the largest shares came from readers in their 40s (27.3%) and 50s (24.7%). Purchases by men in their 50s (10.7%) and 60s (10.4%) stood out. A Kyobo official said the award appears to have sparked interest among middle-aged male readers. Online bookseller Yes24 also reported a sharp rise. After the award announcement on March 27, the book climbed to No. 7 overall. Sales over the following five days (March 27-31) rose 284.6% from the previous five-day period, with buyers in their 50s making up the largest share at 35.6%. Overall No. 1 went to Project Hail Mary, which topped both Kyobo and Yes24 as its film release boosted demand. Sales have risen for two straight weeks since the movie opened on March 18. At Yes24, the same author’s space-themed novels Artemis and The Martian also gained, up 45.8% and 31.1% from the previous week, respectively. Yoo Si-min’s autobiography, I Live Because There Is Love, ranked No. 2 overall. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-02 15:00:13
  • Nam June Paik Retrospectives Spotlight Major Works in Seoul for 20th Anniversary of His Death
    Nam June Paik Retrospectives Spotlight Major Works in Seoul for 20th Anniversary of His Death Major works by Nam June Paik will be shown across Seoul this year to mark the 20th anniversary of his death. Gagosian said Wednesday it will present “Nam June Paik: Rewind / Repeat” from April 1 to May 16 at the APMA Cabinet on the first floor of Amorepacific’s headquarters in Seoul’s Yongsan district. Organized in collaboration with the Nam June Paik Estate, the exhibition will feature 11 works spanning Paik’s early experimental pieces through signature works from his later years. A highlight is “TV Bra for Living Sculpture,” which embeds two small black-and-white televisions, housed in a Plexiglas box, into transparent vinyl underwear. Paik made the piece for musician and performance artist Charlotte Moorman. She wore it while playing the cello at the opening performance of the 1969 exhibition “TV as a Creative Medium” at the Howard Wise Gallery in New York. Sounds produced during the performance altered the images on the TV screens, reflecting Paik’s idea of “humanizing” electronic devices. Also included is Paik’s iconic “Gold TV Buddha” (2005), showing a gilded, painted bronze Buddha meditating before a closed-circuit video camera and monitor. The work points to the intersection of ancient spirituality and modern media, and of Eastern and Western ways of thinking. Other works on view include “Orchestra” (1991) and “Media Sandwich” (1961–1964). At the Amorepacific Museum of Art, a special collection exhibition, “APMA, CHAPTER FIVE – FROM THE APMA COLLECTION,” runs from April 1 to Aug. 2 and includes works by Paik. The show features pieces by more than 40 artists from Korea and abroad, including Lee Bul, Yang Hye-gyu and Lee Ufan. It will also spotlight Paik’s large-scale installation “Kon-Tiki” and “Peak Flower Garden,” a major work being shown at the museum for the first time in more than 20 years. The Hoban Cultural Foundation is also holding a 20th-anniversary memorial exhibition, “Nam June Paik: STILL LIVE – Living Time,” at the Hoban Atrium in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. On view are key works including “TV Rodin,” “TV Candle” and “Sonatine for Goldfish,” as well as “Neon TV” and “Burma Chest.” The exhibition runs through May 31. More Paik-related programming is scheduled for May. White Cube Seoul will present a two-person show, “Duet: Takis and Nam June Paik,” from May 2 to June 5, pairing sculptures by Greek artist Takis with Paik’s multimedia works. The exhibition was planned in response to an experimental, multilayered musical collaboration the two artists presented together in 1979.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-02 14:36:22