Journalist
Yoo Na-hyun · Han Jun-gu
shooting@ajupress.com
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Seoul Photo Festival reimagines home after 5-year hiatus SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) -Photography has become second nature in everyday life — instantly shared, endlessly consumed — yet its deeper resonance often remains elusive. It brings us face to face with moments we have never lived, lives we have never known, making the medium feel at once intimate and distant. Against this backdrop, a festival that returns to the essence of photography has come back after a five-year pause. The Seoul Photo Festival, themed “Come Back Home,” is underway at the Seoul Museum of Photography in northern Seoul. Suspended since 2021, the festival’s return carries added weight this year. It marks the first edition to be held at Korea’s first public museum dedicated exclusively to photography — a milestone that signals a broader effort to reposition photography within the city’s visual arts landscape. Rather than anchoring “home” to a fixed place, the exhibition approaches it as something more fluid — shaped by memory, relationships and movement. Bringing together 23 artists across generations, it unfolds across four sections — “What Makes a Home,” “Moving Homes,” “On the Road,” and “Our Home” — each tracing a different emotional and conceptual path through the idea. The experience extends beyond viewing. The festival expands its participatory programs, inviting visitors not only to look, but also to read, talk, create and share — turning photography into a space of interaction rather than observation. Running through June 14, the festival is open to the public free of charge. 2026-04-29 15:26:56 -
The young are not resting, but unfound: Job fair in Seoul SEOUL, April 28 (AJP)-The so-called "resting" young people under 30 numbered 402,000, and the unemployment rate of the young cohort hit 7.4 percent as of March even as the overall employment rate neared 70 percent in South Korea. The spring has failed to arrive for the young jobseekers. The government and business groups opened the 2026 Korea Win-Win Job Fair at aT Center in southern Seoul on Tuesday, hoping to provide some reprieve. The two-day event is hosted Ministry of Employment and Labor and business organizations including the Korea Enterprises Federation, the fair was organized as a follow-up measure to the Youth Jobs First Step Initiative announced in December last year. About 700 companies are taking part online and offline, including major conglomerates such as Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Group, as well as mid-sized firms, small businesses, startups and foreign companies. More than 2,200 jobs are being offered. Candidates move booth to booth, repeating the same introduction, adjusting tone, refining answers — in real time. The effort is constant. The outcome uncertain. “Resting” suggests choice. What fills this hall suggests persistence. They are not outside the labor market. They are circling its edges. If the doorway narrows, the queue lengthens. If the queue lengthens, the pause grows. Folders go back into bags. Phones come out — checking, refreshing, waiting. They will apply again. They will return again. Spring, for them, is not here yet. 2026-04-28 15:11:11 -
From stillness to spectacle: spring festivals at palaces in Seoul SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) -Once defined by stillness, Seoul’s royal palaces are learning how to absorb noise and hordes of outsiders. At Gyeongbokgung Palace, the gravel crunches not under a lone guard’s step but beneath waves of visitors — cameras raised, hanbok skirts sweeping past sneakers, languages overlapping in the spring air. What was once a space of restraint now pulses with movement. The 2026 Spring Royal Culture Festival has made that shift unmistakable. Across the palaces and Jongmyo Shrine, heritage is no longer observed at a distance. It is entered, performed, photographed — and shared. At Changgyeonggung Palace and Gyeonghuigung Palace, performances unfold where court life once followed rigid protocol. At Jongmyo, the solemn strains of ancestral ritual music now meet the gaze of an audience, not just the spirits they were meant to honor. The question is not whether the palaces have changed — they have — but what they are becoming. They are no longer sanctuaries of quiet history. Nor are they merely tourist sites. They sit somewhere in between: cultural stages, memory factories, shared spaces where history is continuously reinterpreted. In a city moving at relentless speed, the palaces have not resisted change. They have absorbed it — trading solitude for relevance, and silence for life. 2026-04-28 13:31:41 -
Admiral Yi still towers over Seoul - in stone and in spirit SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) -The bronze figure of Yi Sun-sin stands immovable over Gwanghwamun, but his presence is anything but static. Centuries after his death, the admiral remains one of South Korea’s most revered figures — often mentioned alongside Sejong the Great — his legacy woven into daily life, civic pride and national memory. That legacy came alive over the weekend as Seoul citizens turned out in force for the 2026 Yi Sun-sin Festival. Seoul’s Jung-gu District said Monday that about 40,000 people visited the festival held on April 25 to mark the 481st anniversary of the admiral’s birth — roughly double the turnout from last year’s inaugural event. The district, believed to be the birthplace of Yi Sun-sin in 1545, staged the event not just as a commemoration but as a reclaiming of historical identity — a reminder that beneath the dense urban grid lies the origin story of one of Korea’s defining figures. The festival opened with a parade along a 160-meter honorary road dedicated to the admiral, stretching from Jingoogae in Chungmuro to the Myeongbo intersection. More than 90 participants joined the procession, including four children who share Yi’s April 28 birthday — a symbolic passing of legacy across generations. The march blended pageantry with intimacy: uniforms, flags and footsteps echoing through streets that now hum with traffic, but once marked the beginnings of a national hero. Naval honor guards staged ceremonial performances, bringing martial discipline into a civic setting, while cultural programs unfolded across the venue. A fitness contest titled “Iron Yi Sun-sin” crowned the district’s strongest participant — a modern reinterpretation of the admiral’s famed resilience and leadership under pressure. Across the country, similar commemorations are unfolding, notably in Asan, home to the Hyeonchungsa Shrine, where Yi’s spirit is formally enshrined. Families and visitors filled the grounds, moving between hands-on programs — from traditional games to book art, VR horseback riding and robotics exhibits — where history met technology in playful dialogue. A food zone featuring 20 local restaurants anchored the festival in the everyday rhythms of the district, while a three-meter-tall birthday cake installation, built from 481 congratulatory cards submitted by residents, offered a quiet, collective tribute. Kim Gil-sung, mayor of Jung-gu, said the district would continue to promote its identity as the birthplace of Yi Sun-sin — not as a relic of the past, but as a living narrative embedded in the city. And as long as the admiral stands watch over Gwanghwamun, that narrative is unlikely to fade. 2026-04-27 14:48:50 -
Sea of colorful bloom at Goyang flower festival SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) -Spring arrives in full and assorted colors at Ilsan Lake Park as the 2026 Goyang International Flower Festival opens, drawing visitors into a vast landscape of blooms just northwest of Seoul. Under the theme “Flowers Color Time,” the 17-day festival unfolds across a 250,000-square-meter venue, where more than 100 million flowers shape gardens, installations and winding paths along the lakeside. Large-scale floral sculptures rise against the water, while walking gardens and shaded rest areas offer a slower pace for visitors taking in the season. Families gather around themed spaces featuring Pengsoo, adding a playful touch to the spring outing. Inside, exhibition halls shift the mood from open-air spectacle to curated artistry. Floral designers from around the world present intricate arrangements, while an international flower exhibition brings together participants from some 30 countries, showcasing rare species and diverse plant life. Now in its 18th year, the festival has grown into one of the country’s best-known spring events, attracting more than 9 million visitors over time and cementing its place as a seasonal escape near the capital. 2026-04-25 12:14:46 -
Whiskers and wallets: cat show at KINTEX SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) -The air at KINTEX hums with a different kind of energy this week — softer, furrier, punctuated by the occasional impatient meow. At the “2026 Nyangnyang Punch Cat Show Ilsan,” aisles fill quickly as visitors weave through rows of pastel-toned booths, peering into carriers, testing treats, and pausing for photos with cats that seem, at times, more composed than their human companions. From the entrance, the scale is unmistakable. Around 140 companies and 200 booths stretch across Hall 7, turning the exhibition floor into a marketplace of feline lifestyles — not just products, but identities. Premium feed brands tout grain-free formulas and tailored nutrition. Designers showcase sculptural cat towers that double as living room centerpieces. Even litter has evolved, marketed with the language of sustainability and wellness. At one booth, a vendor demonstrates an automated litter system, its quiet rotation drawing a small crowd. Nearby, a seminar space hosts a talk on feline nutrition, where attendees jot notes as if preparing for an exam. Elsewhere, visitors crouch low, coaxing shy cats forward with feather toys — small, intimate moments unfolding amid the commercial buzz. The crowd itself tells a story. Young couples, families with children, solo visitors — many carrying cats in transparent backpacks or cradling them gently — move through the space with a mix of curiosity and care. Conversations drift between product specs and personal anecdotes: allergies, aging pets, adoption stories. This is not casual browsing. It is, in many ways, caregiving in public. 2026-04-24 14:28:34 -
Text-hispters indulge in reading trend in Seoul SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - In an era dominated by short videos and rapidly consumed content, young people in South Korea are turning back to books and written text. Reading books, copying favorite passages by hand, and visiting bookstores and libraries have become part of a growing lifestyle trend known as “text-hip,” where reading is seen not as an act of studying or self-improvement, but as a way to express personal taste and emotion. April 23 marks World Book and Copyright Day, established by UNESCO in 1995 to promote reading, publishing, and the protection of intellectual property rights. The day is observed around the world through book-related events and campaigns. The trend is visible across central Seoul, where the city government is operating outdoor reading spaces including Gwanghwamun Book Yard, Reading Seoul Plaza, and Reading Clear Stream. The program transforms plazas, streamsides, and other open urban areas into public libraries with bookshelves, beanbags, and lounge areas where visitors can read freely. This year, the city has also introduced walking tours for foreign tourists and a “Travel Library” featuring participation from 14 countries. Scenes at the outdoor libraries differ from traditional quiet reading rooms. Visitors read with drinks beside them, share books with friends, or photograph memorable lines to post online. At sunset in Gwanghwamun Square, reading spaces host concerts and film screenings, turning reading into a leisure activity. The reading boom has also expanded into tourism. At HiKR Ground, a cultural space located in the eastern hipster district of Seongsu, a recent exhibition titled “Text-Hip x Local Travel” introduced 109 regional typefaces from across the country. The exhibition invited visitors to read, write, and experience fonts inspired by local identity, including seaside-themed lettering from Sokcho and typefaces reflecting the landscape of Andong. Programs included handwriting sessions, postcard making, and Korean-language tattoo experiences. The shift reflects changing travel preferences. While tourism once focused on famous landmarks and food, younger travelers increasingly seek local stories, design, and atmosphere. Experts say the trend is also linked to digital fatigue. In a world of endless scrolling, turning paper pages and writing by hand offers a slower form of concentration and rest. Books were once seen as something to enjoy quietly alone. But in Seoul today, they are bringing people together, reshaping urban spaces, and inspiring new journeys. On World Book Day, young readers and tourists alike are experiencing the city through words once again. 2026-04-23 17:58:09 -
After rare catch, Han River survey sets sights on new discovery SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - Expectations are rising for new discoveries in this year’s regular catch season along the Han River, following last year’s rare find of a protected species that underscored improving ecological conditions in the capital’s main waterway. The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday conducted a fish species survey near Bamseom Island beneath Seogang Bridge in Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul, as part of its semiannual monitoring program. Last year’s survey yielded a notable discovery — the endangered golden mandarin fish, designated as a natural monument, was found south of the Jamsil submerged weir. Researchers also identified multiple endemic species native to the Han River, including chamjunggogi, gashinapjiri and kkeokji, pointing to gradual improvements in the river’s waterfront ecosystem. The latest survey aims to assess water quality gains and gauge the extent of ecological restoration. Officials conducted on-site inspections by boat, examining fish distribution and population density across key habitats. The Han River fish survey is carried out twice a year — in the first and second halves — at eight monitoring points across six sections of the river’s main stream. The findings provide granular data on environmental changes and serve as a baseline for a five-year ecosystem research initiative. City officials said the results will support continuous monitoring of the river’s ecological health and help guide policy efforts to restore the natural environment of urban waterways. 2026-04-23 15:26:17 -
Cash-strapped artists recount struggles with red tape at forum in Seoul SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - A forum to improve the rights of artists and entertainers alike was held at the National Assembly in Seoul on Wednesday. At the forum hosted by lawmaker Son Sol of the minor far-left Progressive Party, participants discussed various measures to improve their legal rights, address workplace mistreatment, and strengthen support measures. Many of them, hired on independent freelance-based contracts and struggling to make ends meet, are unable to access state-funded support as they are currently bound by regulations that require proof of employment, with red tape making it difficult for them to receive assistance. 2026-04-22 18:25:33 -
KOSPI hits new high amid hopes for US-Iran talks SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - South Korea's stock market rebounded on Tuesday, setting a new record after about two months, amid hopes of looming talks between the United States and Iran. The country's benchmark KOSPI surged 2.72 percent to close at a record high of 6,388.47, breaking its previous closing record of 6,307.27 set on Feb. 26, just ahead of U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran that that pushed the already volatile Middle East into further turmoil. The junior KOSDAQ also edged up 0.36 percent to close at 1,179.03. 2026-04-21 17:13:11