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COVER STORY 'It feels like coming home': Korean War veterans revisit US Army base after 70 years

PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province — More than seven decades after the 1950-53 Korean War, a group of Korean veterans returned to a U.S. Army base where they once served — this time as honored guests of a new generation of American soldiers. “It feels like coming home,” said Kang Ku-kon, who was 15 when he volunteered and began helping care for wounded American soldiers at an Eighth Army field hospital. “I served here 70 years ago. The moment I walked in, even the smell was the same.” Kang was among a group of Korean War veterans welcomed to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 5. As their bus arrived at the Van Fleet Hall, a U.S. Army band began playing. For many of the visitors, now in their 90s, the trip offered a chance to see a place tied to their wartime service and meet the soldiers stationed there today. The visit grew out of a request from the veterans themselves. Vice Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kang Yun-jin said several veterans, including Ryu Jae-sik, head of the Korean War Veterans Association’s Seoul branch, raised the idea at a mem

3 MIN READ
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US grounds flights nationwide after air traffic control communications outage

WASHINGTON — The US Federal Aviation Administration grounded all departing flights nationwide on Friday after a communications failure hit air traffic control centers, in only the second such shutdown since the September 11, 2001, attacks. Nearly 7,000 flights were delayed or canceled, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. Planes already in the air were allowed to land, but those on the ground could not take off. The disruption is the latest and most dramatic sign of strain on a US air traffic control system beset by equipment and communications failures, controller shortages and aging infrastructure. “The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X. Airline officials said the FAA had not indicated when the ground stop might be lifted, but there were preliminary indications the communications issues were improving in some plac

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Trump may view OPCON transfer as path to US troop withdrawal: experts

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump seems to view an envisioned transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea as a potential means of withdrawing American troops from the Korean Peninsula, U.S. experts assessed Friday. Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), made the remarks during an online discussion hosted by the Washington-based think tank on the state of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. "It has been said, and I think said very credibly, that President Trump sees OPCON transition as a way to pull the forces from the peninsula," Cha said. "The president is the commander in chief," he said. "There are ways that the president can do things if he is so committed to that particular task." Cha said that even if Congress established a minimum level of U.S. troops in South Korea through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Trump could still find ways to reduce the American military presence. "They should have no illusions that this is not the way the U.S. president thinks," he said. "He clearly sees this as a way fo

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Trump to meet Xi, Putin in China next week; no plans for N. Korea engagement: reports

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in China next week, while there are no plans for him to engage with North Korea during his upcoming Asia trip, foreign media reports said Friday. Trump will meet Xi and Putin on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, Bloomberg reported, citing a White House spokeswoman. The planned meeting comes as Trump seeks a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine, while Washington and Beijing continue to navigate differences over trade, tariffs and other geopolitical issues. Separately, Reuters reported that a U.S. official said there were no plans for Trump to engage with North Korea during his trip to Asia next week, amid speculation over the possibility of renewed diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang.

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S. Korea fall to Saudi Arabia in football for 1st time in 21 years

AL RAYYAN, Qatar — South Korea fell to Saudi Arabia 3-2 in their men's football friendly match in Qatar on Friday, their first loss to the Middle Eastern foe in 21 years. Saudi Arabia, world No. 55, struck first late in the first half before scoring twice in a three-minute span in the second half for the victory at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Al Rayyan, just west of the Qatari capital of Doha. Oh Hyeon-gyu and Lee Jae-sung scored for 32nd-ranked South Korea, whose undefeated streak against Saudi Arabia was snapped at six. South Korea's previous loss to Saudi Arabia had come on Aug. 17, 2005. This was South Korea's fifth match under their temporary head coach Robert Moreno. The Taegeuk Warriors now have two wins, one draw and two losses on the Spanish tactician's watch. South Korea will next play Qatar at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha at 5 p.m. Tuesday (11 p.m. Tuesday in South Korean time). This was South Korea's first match since their 2-0 win over Uzbekistan on Oct. 6. In the immediate aftermath of that victory, a trio of 30-year-old veterans, Hwang In-beom, Hwang Hee-chan and

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Antitrust fines to hit brokerage, bank earnings but leave capital buffers intact: KIS report

Korea’s largest-ever antitrust fine will cut into this year’s earnings at the brokerages and banks that underwrite government debt, but it is unlikely to weaken their capital buffers, according to Korea Investors Service (KIS), a Moody’s affiliate. In a report released earlier this week, the credit rating agency said the penalties imposed by the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) will make “a short-term decline in profitability unavoidable,” especially at the firms facing the largest penalties. It added that their capital strength and the earnings they built up in the first half should be enough to absorb the cost, creating a formidable yet manageable financial hurdle for the country's primary financial institutions. The regulatory crackdown stems from an investigation into primary dealers in Korea's sovereign debt market. The FTC issued corrective orders on Wednesday and imposed roughly 1.6 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in combined fines on 15 financial institutions — all designated primary dealers responsible for underwriting Korea Treasury bonds — for restricting competit

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FM Cho urges China to play 'constructive role' in bringing N. Korea back to dialogue

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has called on China to play a constructive role in resolving Korean Peninsula issues, including efforts to bring North Korea back to dialogue, during talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The ministerial talks took place in Beijing, where Cho and Wang discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on issues related to the Korean Peninsula and other regional affairs, according to a ministry press release issued late Friday. During the meeting, Cho stressed that peace and stability on the peninsula serve the shared interests of South Korea and China, and explained the Seoul government's efforts to achieve denuclearization and peace on the peninsula. "Cho also called on China to play a constructive role in addressing Korean Peninsula issues, including bringing North Korea back to dialogue," the ministry said. Wang said China's policy on the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged and reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to continuing to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability on the peninsula. Friday's talks marked th

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Microsoft 'deeply sorry' as outage triggers global chaos

WASHINGTON — Microsoft on Friday apologized for a global outage that disrupted public services and businesses around the world, as it reported a "broad recovery" for Outlook email and other services. The company ruled out any malicious "cyber or AI" activity as the cause of the outage, which affected several Microsoft products and disrupted health care services, delayed corporate earnings reports and left schools struggling to communicate. "We are deeply sorry for the disruption this incident has caused our customers and partners," Microsoft said on X, adding full services were still being restored after the outage started on Thursday. "We are seeing broad recovery and stability across our services. This was a technical issue not related to cyber or AI / agents." The disruption knocked out Microsoft products in 74 countries and territories, affecting users across the Americas and parts of Europe, Asia and Africa, according to the outage tracker Downdetector. A top UK trade union said the disruptions had a "serious impact" on the country's health care service. National Health Service staf

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Bessent blames Lutnick's Commerce Department for not restricting Nvidia chips to China

WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday he was frustrated with the Commerce Department’s delay in implementing restrictions over the export of certain Nvidia chips to China. Bessent said on CNBC that his department, along with the departments of State and Defense and the U.S. Trade Representative, were in favor of adding Megaspeed to an export control list for months but that the Commerce Department was in charge of the matter. “I am frustrated when President Trump made it very clear China should not receive any Nvidia chips above H100s,” he said, referring to an older generation of the company's advanced AI chips. Commerce “has the pen, and you will have to ask them about their internal processes.” Bessent's comments were an unusually public rebuke of the Commerce Department, which oversees U.S. government controls over exports of sensitive, high-tech goods. The comments come as Nvidia’s ties to Singapore-based Megaspeed International, which prominently touts the companies’ partnership on its website, play a prominent role in the resignation of Nvidia

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Ownership battle over Korean Air fuels stock premium, volatility

Hoban Group is facing a strategic dilemma over its next move in its ongoing ownership battle with Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae, as sharp swings in Hanjin KAL’s stock make it increasingly costly for either side to keep buying shares to maintain the top shareholder position. Hoban became Hanjin KAL’s largest shareholder on Nov. 4 after increasing its stake to 20.69 percent, narrowly overtaking the 20.58 percent held by Cho and his affiliates. The shift followed a surge in Hanjin KAL shares. The stock has since become even more volatile. It hit a record high of 245,000 won on Tuesday before plunging to an intraday low of 185,000 won on Thursday and closing at 203,500 won on Friday. The sharp swings have added to the financial burden on both sides as they continue to accumulate shares in their battle for control. Hoban has three possible options for its next move. The first is to sell its stake through a block deal. Hoban could negotiate with Cho around next year's annual shareholders meeting over whether to halt further purchases and participate in Hanjin KAL's board. If an agreement

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'100 Days of Deception' breathes new life into colonial-era spy drama

“Please don't cry, Mr. Kim Tae-woong.” Lee Ga-kyung (Kim You-jung), a spy for an independence movement group, comforts Sato Hideo (Park Jin-young), an interpreter at the Japanese Government-General of Korea who is devastated after learning that his adoptive father took part in a massacre of a Korean village. She calls him by his Korean name, Kim Tae-woong, which he has had to conceal. It is a moment of genuine connection between two people who have spent their lives deceiving each other. Since Episode 8, tvN's weekend drama “100 Days of Deception" has been on a steep upward trajectory. Episode 10, which aired Sunday, recorded an average nationwide rating of 10.7 percent, according to Nielsen Korea, more than doubling the 5.3 percent logged by its premiere and taking the series into double digits. While many dramas have explored the independence movement against Japanese colonial rule and the world of spies and informants, the series has been praised for cleverly subverting familiar tropes to deliver a well-crafted drama. The show's distinguishing feature is its story, driven not b

3 MIN READ
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MORNING CALM TALES Déjà vu and the 'Yakult ajumma'

The other day, I was walking back to my apartment when a familiar sight caught my eye. A woman was quietly gliding down the sidewalk in a small electric cart. Without thinking, I smiled and motioned for her to stop. As she came closer, my mind drifted back to the winter of 1991, when I was a young foreigner discovering Korea one small surprise at a time. During my first few weeks in Seoul, I became convinced I kept seeing the same woman. She was everywhere. I saw her near my apartment in Jamsil. A day or two later, I spotted her several blocks away. Then there she was again outside the subway station. At least, I thought it was her. She always looked the same — a light beige winter jacket, a matching cap, her breath hanging in the cold morning air as she pushed a small cart from one apartment building to the next. Was I seeing the same woman? Was it déjà vu? Everywhere I went, there she was. Or so I thought. Back then, almost everything about Korea still seemed new to me. I could read Hangeul by then, even if I didn't always understand what I was reading, and I wandered through the city w

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[MORNING CALM TALES] Déjà vu and the 'Yakult ajumma' thumbnail

Weekender

A day with Jerry, guide dog in training

As Jerry, a Labrador retriever, approached a crosswalk, he came to a stop at the curb. His trainer, Keum Jung-hun, had given no command. Jerry simply recognized the boundary between the sidewalk and the road and stopped on his own. Keum pressed a small device, producing a sharp click. Known as a clicker, the tool signals that Jerry has performed a task correctly. "It means he did a good job," Keum explained. "Verbal praise takes time, but a clicker lets us mark the exact moment he does something right." Jerry is an almost 2-year old guide dog in training. The Korea Times met him during a training session at Samsung Guide Dog School on Nov. 2. The school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, is fully funded by Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance. After six to seven months of professional training, he has passed his final walking assessment and is now completing the remaining steps before being paired with a visually impaired partner. Accompanying Jerry and Keum on their morning training walk outside the school grounds near Bundang Central Park in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, revealed that guide dog tr

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[WEEKENDER] How guide dogs and humans become partners thumbnail

How guide dogs and humans become partners

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[WEEKENDER] Samsung Guide Dog School marks 33 years of changing lives thumbnail

Samsung Guide Dog School marks 33 years of changing lives

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Personal data of startup support program participants leaked in cyberattack

Personal information of participants of a government-backed startup program has been leaked following a cyberattack against a company supporting the program, the startups ministry said Friday. The artificial intelligence solutions company detected a hacking attack on Wednesday, which compromised the personal data of 20,028 people, including 818 participants of the startup support program, according to the ministry. The leaked information includes the names, phone numbers and email addresses of service users. The data leak took place just months after personal information of 5,000 participants of the startup program was leaked in June in a similar hacking attack. The ministry had announced measures in July to strengthen security for the program and prevent future attacks.

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Lawmaker seeks $4.9 mil. budget to detect AI smart glasses cheating

The Korean government is stepping up efforts to crack down on cheating involving artificial intelligence (AI)-powered smart glasses, as concerns spread beyond the annual college entrance exam to national licensing tests, with even top scorers facing suspicions of misconduct. However, concerns are also emerging that widespread suspicions, even without concrete evidence, could undermine public trust in the fairness of exams. While authorities have pledged zero tolerance for cheating ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), growing allegations involving high scorers in other major exams have prompted the government to seek additional funding for electronic signal detectors and dedicated personnel to prevent high-tech cheating. According to the National Assembly, Friday, Rep. Kim Wi-sang of the main opposition People Power Party has proposed an additional 6.57 billion won ($4.92 million) in next year's budget to crack down on cheating involving AI-powered smart glasses and other high-tech devices in national licensing exams. The proposal comes after the growing use of such device

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InterviewEx-vice minister brings Shakespeare to life with AI music

Yong Ho-seong, former vice minister of culture, sports and tourism, is stepping into a bold new chapter of his creative life by using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to set classical literature to music. Performing under the stage name Dr. Dragon, Yong released his debut full-length album, "Fragile Beauty," on Nov. 10, breathing contemporary musical life into 15 of William Shakespeare's sonnets through AI-assisted composition and vocals. The release marks the first installment of "DiVerse," an ambitious ongoing project to set all 154 of Shakespeare's sonnets to modern music. The idea was sparked by a hardcover edition of Shakespeare's complete sonnets that a British friend gifted him during his tenure as director of the Korean Cultural Centre UK. "The name reflects both Shakespeare's original verse and the newly written lyrics, as well as the diverse musical genres used to reimagine centuries-old classics," Yong told The Korea Times during an interview in Seoul, Thursday. "Rather than simply translating archaic English, I adapted the themes so modern listeners can relate, such as

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Lee calls for easier, more frequent M&As to normalize market

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday highlighted hostile takeovers as a key mechanism to correct what he described as distorted corporate governance and address the undervaluation of Korean stocks, calling for measures to make mergers and acquisitions (M&A) easier and more frequent. Lee also urged a shake-up of the Kosdaq market, calling for delisting rules to be rigorously applied so that troubled or poorly performing companies exit promptly. His remarks came during a policy meeting on the capital market at the Korea Exchange (KRX). Acknowledging that the recent stock slide had tested his administration’s resolve and policies, Lee said its commitment to normalizing the capital market remained beyond doubt. "Markets can be normalized only when M&A deals are made easier and more widespread. Hostile M&A is the most important mechanism for normalizing the market," Lee said. Calling for more concrete measures to encourage such deals, Lee said a more active M&A market would help resolve the problem of Korean companies trading at unusually low valuations and expand the overall value of the stoc

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Short form dramas bet on casting stars for success

Short form dramas are emerging as a new platform for star casting, attracting not only actors familiar to audiences of traditional television dramas but also singers, rappers and other entertainers seeking to expand their careers. As the format gains recognition for its brief episodes and fast-paced storytelling, the pool of performers — once relatively limited — is becoming increasingly diverse. A notable example is the short form series “Gwang-an: The Crown Prince’s Woman.” The palace romance follows Eun-woo, an assassin who disguises herself as a palace maid and infiltrates the Western Palace to kill Crown Prince Lee Hyun, known as Gwang-an, or “mad eyes,” because of his unusual gaze. But when she unexpectedly falls in love with him, she begins to defy the fate laid out for them. The series brings together performers from different fields, including singer Chuu, rapper Swings and actors Seongjun and Kim Eung-soo. The combination of Seongjun and Chuu in a palace romance, along with Swings' unusual venture into historical drama, has drawn particular attention. The castin

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S. Korea falls to Japan for 2nd straight loss at regional baseball tournament

South Korea dropped to Japan 9-5 for its second straight loss at an ongoing regional baseball tournament in Tokyo on Friday, as it failed to hold on to an early lead and got undone by long balls. South Korea surrendered four home runs in the teams' second game of the Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) at Tokyo Dome, none more devastating than the go-ahead three-run bomb by Rui Muneyama in the bottom of the eighth inning. South Korea, made up of Korea Baseball Organization stars, opened the competition with an 8-7 loss to Australia on Thursday. Managed by Choi Won-ho, South Korea will next face Taiwan at 7 p.m. Saturday, while Japan will take on Australia at noon Saturday. After the completion of round-robin play, the bottom two teams will meet in the third-place match at 11 a.m. Sunday, while the top two nations will square off in the championship final at 7 p.m. Sunday. This is the third edition of the APBC. South Korea finished as the runner-up to Japan at each of the two earlier tournaments. In order to reach its third straight final, South Korea must beat Taiwan and have J

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From food to culture, ASEAN Week weaves closer ties with Korea

From exploring Southeast Asia's cultural heritage through immersive exhibitions to savoring traditional dishes from 11 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and discussing the future of youth, this year's ASEAN Week is bringing a wide range of experiences to Seoul and Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC), the annual event kicked off Friday with the unveiling of the newly revamped Seoul ASEAN Hall and the opening of the three-day ASEAN Food Festa. "This year's ASEAN Week offers a meaningful opportunity to experience the diverse appeal of ASEAN through all five senses," said Kim Jae-shin, secretary-general of the AKC, expressing hope that the programs would deepen mutual understanding and cultural affinity between ASEAN and Korea. Weaving connections through culture The center unveiled the newly revamped Seoul ASEAN Hall during Friday's opening ceremony, featuring an exhibition titled "Gyeotda — Modern Heritage Canvas." The center's efforts to promote ASEAN culture in Korea date back to 2009, when it established its first ASEAN Hall a

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Clash over NK defector label fuels debate over identity

A bill to change South Korea’s legal term for North Korean defectors set off a shouting match at the National Assembly Thursday after an opposition lawmaker challenged Unification Minister Chung Dong-young over the proposed name. “Minister Buk Dong-young, why is it OK to call me ‘bukhyangmin?’” asked Rep. Park Choong-kwon of the main opposition People Power Party, who fled North Korea in 2009. He had replaced Chung’s surname with “buk,” the Korean word for north. Rep. Lee Ki-heon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea shot back by asking whether he could call Park “Tal Choong-kwon.” He took “tal,” meaning escape, from “talbukmin,” the term commonly used for North Korean defectors in the South. Chung demanded an apology. Park apologized before the meeting resumed. The exchange came as the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee took up a bill introduced by Rep. Kim Jae-won of the Rebuilding Korea Party. It would replace the legal term for North Korean defectors with bukhyangmin, a term for people whose hometowns are in North Korea. The unification ministry

2 MIN READ
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1 in 4 Korean high schoolers sleep less than 5 hours on weekdays

One in four high school students in Korea gets less than five hours of sleep a night on weekdays, with those sleeping fewer hours reporting higher rates of stress, depression and suicidal thoughts. According to the National Youth Policy Institute on Friday, 27.3 percent of high school students slept less than five hours on average during weekdays, while 59.1 percent got fewer than six hours. The findings were based on responses from 54,170 middle and high school students nationwide. The study found that students who slept less tended to report poorer mental health. Among those getting fewer than five hours of sleep on weekdays, 33.4 percent reported experiencing depression, compared with 18.9 percent of those sleeping eight hours or more — a difference of 14.5 percentage points. Students sleeping less than five hours were also nearly twice as likely to experience high levels of stress, with 57.9 percent reporting frequent stress, compared with 29.2 percent of those getting at least eight hours of sleep. The gap extended to suicide attempts, with 3.9 percent of students in the shortest

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Editor's Pick

[COVER STORY] Korean investors in Nvidia suffer estimated $2.4 bil. in valuation losses

COVER STORY Korean investors in Nvidia suffer estimated $2.4 bil. in valuation losses

A deepening scandal involving Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is unnerving Korean investors, as the chip giant's shares are falling and uncertainty mounts over his future. Nvidia is the second-most-held U.S. stock among Korean investors after Tesla, leaving local shareholders exposed to mounting losses as the chipmaker's shares plunged amid the scandal. Korean investors held about $13.65 billion worth of Nvidia shares as of Thursday, according to data from the Korea Securities Depository. An estimated 800,000 retail investors in Korea own shares in the chipmaker. Nvidia shares have fallen nearly 15 percent since the company announced an investigation into these allegations. Assuming the retail investors maintained their holdings, the 15 percent decline in shares would amount to an estimated $2.4 billion in valuation losses. The losses extend beyond direct shareholdings. Some 153 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) listed on the Korea Exchange have exposure to Nvidia. The ACE Nvidia Bond Mixed ETF, with assets of about 197.9 billion won ($148 million), has roughly 30 percent of its portfolio invested in N

3 MIN READ

Life in Korea

Itaewon residents, merchants team up to host street festival this weekend

Itaewon residents, merchants team up to host street festival this weekend

Four years after a deadly crowd crush cast a long shadow over Seoul’s best-known nightlife and dining district, Itaewon’s residents and small-business owners are taking the lead in writing its next chapter. The Yongsan District Office said it will host Rising Itaewon, a two-day neighborhood festival running Saturday and Sunday. Unlike top-down municipal tourism campaigns, the festival was conceived and organized directly by locals working to heal the community and revive foot traffic following the Oct. 29, 2022 tragedy. Since August, a 12-member committee of neighborhood leaders and merchant representatives has met repeatedly to design programming aimed at showcasing the area’s independent shops and multicultural flair. Built around four themes — run, music, market and people — the festival invites visitors to explore Itaewon’s side streets through daily events. Each morning from 10 a.m. to noon, “Rising Run” combines a casual neighborhood jog with trash collection along Itaewon’s alleys. From noon to 8 p.m., Noksapyeong will host the Itaewon Local Market, pairing arti

2 MIN READ
Winter blooms transform Seoul Botanic Park into festive garden

Winter blooms transform Seoul Botanic Park into festive garden

2 MIN READ
Korean traditional culture meets modern retail at Seoul festival

Korean traditional culture meets modern retail at Seoul festival

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Lifestyle

Two 17th-century Buddhist temple halls earn national heritage honors

Two 17th-century Buddhist worship halls in southeastern Korea have been designated as national cultural treasures, the Korea Heritage Service said Friday. Under Korea’s heritage ranking system, a treasure sits just one tier below the country's top national treasure status, honoring buildings and artifacts of major historical and artistic value. The newly recognized buildings are Daeung Hall at Unheung Temple in Goseong County, South Gyeongsang Province, and Daeung Hall at Geodong Temple in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province. Both serve as the main prayer halls of temples traditionally traced to the seventh-century monk Uisang, though the surviving wooden structures date to the late Joseon Dynasty. Unheung Temple’s main hall, constructed in 1682, stands as a monument to wartime resilience. During the 1592–1598 Japanese invasions of Korea, the temple served as a strategic stronghold for warrior monks before being burned to the ground in battle. Analysis of its pillars and beams confirmed that the timber used to rebuild the hall was felled between late 1681 and early 1682. Every s

2 MIN READ
Two 17th-century Buddhist temple halls earn national heritage honors
Love spicy instant noodles? Here's what they do to your body

Love spicy instant noodles? Here's what they do to your body

3 MIN READ
[K-ART FOCUS] Yeon Jin-yeong challenges conventions of masculinity

K-ART FOCUS Yeon Jin-yeong challenges conventions of masculinity

4 MIN READ
Up to 2,500 microplastic particles found in tea bags after 3 minutes in hot water

Up to 2,500 microplastic particles found in tea bags after 3 minutes in hot water

2 MIN READ
Seoul gears up to welcome 1 mil. pilgrims for 2027 World Youth Day

Seoul gears up to welcome 1 mil. pilgrims for 2027 World Youth Day

3 MIN READ

K-Culture

'Dead-End Job' tops Netflix's non-English TV chart

The Korean original series "Dead-End Job" has topped Netflix's non-English TV series chart, the streaming platform said Wednesday. The Netflix series, released Oct. 30, accumulated 8.7 million views during the latest tracking week ending Sunday, according to Netflix. The series, starring Lee Jae-wook and Kim Min-ha, blends horror and black comedy and satirizes South Korea's grind culture. It landed in the top 10 in 76 countries and topped the chart in 22 of them, including South Korea, Bolivia, Egypt, Indonesia and Vietnam. The Korean medical drama series "Doctor X: Mafia in White" ranked No. 4 with 3.7 million views. Based on the Japanese series "Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon," it follows genius surgeon Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won), who challenges corruption in her hospital. In the English film category, "KPop Demon Hunters" ranked No. 10, marking its 69th week in the top 10. It accumulated 2.8 million views and reached the top 10 in four countries.

1 MIN READ
'Dead-End Job' tops Netflix's non-English TV chart
ILLIT's 'Break Even' debuts at 6th on Billboard 200

ILLIT's 'Break Even' debuts at 6th on Billboard 200

1 MIN READ
Doh Kyung-soo surprises fans with new single 'Darling' during global tour

Doh Kyung-soo surprises fans with new single 'Darling' during global tour

2 MIN READ
JYP's new K-pop boy band oftheblue to debut next year

JYP's new K-pop boy band oftheblue to debut next year

1 MIN READ
Why Lee Chang-dong's award-winning 'Possible Love' struggled to find investors

Why Lee Chang-dong's award-winning 'Possible Love' struggled to find investors

3 MIN READ

Celebrities

Kim Go-eun, Gang Dong-won to star in new Netflix series

Actors Kim Go-eun and Gang Dong-won have been cast in an upcoming historical romance drama, Netflix said Thursday, in what marks their first collaboration. Titled "The Twilight Between Us," the action-packed series follows a man and a woman from two families that have been locked in a long feud, who are forced to marry by royal decree, according to the streaming platform. Gang portrays Mu-yeong, an illegitimate son of the Kang family, who lives an isolated life despite his excellent martial arts skills and noble mind. Kim plays Su-ryeon, the only daughter of the Han family, who is compelled to marry Mu-yeong after failing to become crown princess. Park Ji-eun, who penned hit dramas such as "Queen of Tears" (2024) and "Crash Landing on You" (2019-2020), wrote the upcoming drama. It is directed by hit producer Kim Won-suk, known for "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025), "My Mister" (2018) and "Signal" (2016).

1 MIN READ
Kim Go-eun, Gang Dong-won to star in new Netflix series
Kany apologizes for racial stereotype remarks about Black people liking watermelon, chicken

Kany apologizes for racial stereotype remarks about Black people liking watermelon, chicken

2 MIN READ
Cha Eun-woo spotted riding Seoul subway in military uniform

Cha Eun-woo spotted riding Seoul subway in military uniform

2 MIN READ
JYP founder Park Jin-young at center of controversy over his faith

JYP founder Park Jin-young at center of controversy over his faith

2 MIN READ
TXT to turn Lotte World into 'Magic Land' for 1,000 fans

TXT to turn Lotte World into 'Magic Land' for 1,000 fans

2 MIN READ

Get key insights on Korea from the members-only personalized news service My Times.

Opinion

Top 10 Stories

  1. From world tour to military uniforms: BTS reports for reserve duty

  2. LG family scion repatriated from Cambodia after 8 years on the run

  3. 'Soju should not exist': Surgeon warns of addiction risk from cheap, strong alcohol

  4. Nvidia reaffirms planned GPU supply to S. Korea despite Huang's exit: minister

  5. Trump may view OPCON transfer as path to US troop withdrawal: experts

  6. Hourslong Microsoft outage disrupts Korean companies' daily operations

  7. FM Cho urges China to play 'constructive role' in bringing N. Korea back to dialogue

  8. US grounds flights nationwide after air traffic control communications outage

  9. Coach says S. Korea must improve 'in every aspect' following loss to Saudi Arabia

  10. 1 in 4 Korean high schoolers sleep less than 5 hours on weekdays

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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
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