Modern take on Joseon royal ritual staged in Seoul

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - When the lights go down, more than 40 dancers move in unison across a massive stage. As they perform, audiences are immersed in "One Dance" ("Ilmu" in Korean), the ceremonial dance of the royal ancestral ritual at Jongmyo Shrine, accompanied by music dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. With minimal stage props, the stage is filled only by the flowing sleeves of dancers dressed in white, orange, green, and blue hanbok, traditional South K

August 22, 2025

South Korea revives military service exemptions to keep AI talent at home

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - South Korea said Friday it would revive a military service exemption program for specialists in artificial intelligence, part of a broader effort to accelerate what officials are calling a national “AI transition” and to prevent the outflow of top talent abroad. The plan, announced in the government’s new economic growth strategy, comes as countries around the world race to secure expertise in artificial intelligence — a field that

August 22, 2025

PHOTOS: One Dance, a modern reinterpretation of Joseon royal ritual dance (5)

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - A media showcase for One Dance, a contemporary Korean dance performance, was held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. The performance reimagines Ilmu, the ritual dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, which is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Jongmyo Jeryeak refers to the music, song, and dance performed during ancestral rites at Jongmyo, a royal shrine honoring the spirit tablets of kings and qu

August 22, 2025

PHOTOS: One Dance, a modern reinterpretation of Joseon royal ritual dance (4)

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - A media showcase for One Dance, a contemporary Korean dance performance, was held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. The performance reimagines Ilmu, the ritual dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, which is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Jongmyo Jeryeak refers to the music, song, and dance performed during ancestral rites at Jongmyo, a royal shrine honoring the spirit tablets of kings and qu

August 22, 2025

[K-Pop] Time magazine praises Netflix's 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' as a breakout global hit

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - Netflix's animated feature K-Pop Demon Hunters has earned high praise from Time magazine, which recently featured the film in an article titled "How KPop Demon Hunters Conquered the World." The magazine described the title as a "breakout phenomenon" that has transcended cultural boundaries, winning both critical and popular acclaim. Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the film blends supernatural adventure with the vivid ae

August 22, 2025

PHOTOS: One Dance, a modern reinterpretation of Joseon royal ritual dance (3)

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - A media showcase for One Dance, a contemporary Korean dance performance, was held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. The performance reimagines Ilmu, the ritual dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, which is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Jongmyo Jeryeak refers to the music, song, and dance performed during ancestral rites at Jongmyo, a royal shrine honoring the spirit tablets of kings and qu

August 22, 2025

PHOTOS: One Dance, a modern reinterpretation of Joseon royal ritual dance (2)

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - A media showcase for One Dance, a contemporary Korean dance performance, was held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul.The performance reimagines Ilmu, the ritual dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, which is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Jongmyo Jeryeak refers to the music, song, and dance performed during ancestral rites at Jongmyo, a royal shrine honoring the spirit tablets of kings and que

August 22, 2025

Soaring arms prices, spurred by tariffs, complicate helicopter deal for South Korea

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - South Korea’s military is moving to acquire a new fleet of heavy-lift helicopters for its special operations forces, but rising costs for American defense systems, exacerbated by tariffs, are emerging as a major challenge. According to defense industry sources, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) initiated a foreign military purchase program on June 25. The project aims to procure new large transport helicopters for both the Army an

August 22, 2025

PHOTOS: One Dance, a modern reinterpretation of Joseon royal ritual dance (1)

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - A media showcase for "One Dance", a contemporary Korean dance performance, was held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. The performance reimagines Ilmu, the ritual dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, which is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Jongmyo Jeryeak refers to the music, song, and dance performed during ancestral rites at Jongmyo, a royal shrine honoring the spirit tablets of

August 22, 2025

South Korea pushes for consolidation in ailing petrochemical sector

SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - Faced with a deep-seated crisis in its petrochemical industry, the South Korean government has set a firm deadline for a major restructuring, a move that is expected to accelerate the vertical integration of refiners and chemical producers. The government's push for consolidation comes as the sector grapples with years of overexpansion and intense market pressures. Industry experts say the sector's current woes are not only the result of global

August 22, 2025