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Baek Byung-yeul

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.

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Music

Korean Chamber Orchestra to explore musical contrasts in Seoul

The Korean Chamber Orchestra (KCO) will highlight music across different eras, from the Baroque period to contemporary works, during its "Contrast Series 5" on Oct. 22 at the Seoul Arts Center. Launched in 2025, the KCO Contrast Series has placed pieces from contrasting periods and styles within a single program to illuminate musical shifts and evolution. The upcoming performance demonstrates the broad musical capabilities of a chamber orchestra. The program opens with Francesco Geminiani's Concerto Grosso in D minor, H.143 "La Folia" and features the premiere of Peter Lieuwen's Sarumba for 2 Violins and Chamber Orchestra in Korea, alongside two guitar concertos by Antonio Vivaldi and Dmitri Shostakovich's Chamber Symphony in C minor, Op.110a. A key highlight will be Lieuwen's Sarumba for 2 Violins and Chamber Orchestra, which will be performed in Korea for the first time. Written for two violins and a chamber orchestra, the piece blends jazz and world music elements based on Brazilian rhythms such as samba, baiao, rumba, frevo and bossa nova. Combining minimalist textures, neoclassical

Sep 30, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Korean Chamber Orchestra to explore musical contrasts in Seoul
Music

Seoul International Music Festival returns to celebrate beauty of human life

The Seoul International Music Festival (SIMF) returns for its 18th edition with a curated series of classical music to offer comfort, hope and joy to audiences. The festival will present seven concerts from Oct. 8-16 at the Seoul Arts Center and Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul under the central theme "Bravo My Life!" Artistic Director Ryu Jea-joon framed the seven concerts into a single narrative arc reflecting human existence. The journey begins with the opening concert "Breath" and continues through "Three Portraits," "Serenade," "Light and Shadow," "Wonderful Memories," "Dichterliebe" and the closing concert "Humanity, That Brilliant Journey." "We prepared classical music with care to deliver comfort, hope and joy, encouraging everyone who lives their daily lives faithfully," Ryu said during a recent press conference. "I hope the beautiful music played by these precious artists offers small strength, courage and warm comfort to your lives." He said the festival will bring together musicians carrying their own stories from countries around the world, including the Czech Republic, Spain, Au

Sep 30, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Seoul International Music Festival returns to celebrate beauty of human life
Films

COVER STORY 'The Assassin(s)' producers face probe over depiction of Park Chung-hee plotting wife's death

Director Hur Jin-ho's historical thriller "The Assassin(s)" became the top draw over this year's Chuseok holiday, but the movie is facing a growing political dispute and defamation investigation over its depiction of the 1974 shooting that killed then-first lady Yuk Young-soo. The controversy has spilled into Korea's already deep ideological divide, with conservatives accusing the film of distorting history and liberals defending it as a work of fiction. The debate escalated and took a legal turn on Tuesday, when a former city councilor from the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) filed a police complaint against the director and producers. The complaint accuses them of defamation by spreading false information through the film, claiming the movie distorted history by implying that then-President Park Chung-hee, who took power in 1961 through a military coup, was involved in his wife's assassination. The movie is based on the Aug. 15, 1974, shooting in which Mun Se-gwang, a North Korea-linked Korean resident of Japan, opened fire in an attempt to assassinate Park and fa

Sep 29, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul and Yi Whan-woo
[COVER STORY] 'The Assassin(s)' producers face probe over depiction of Park Chung-hee plotting wife's death
Films

Korean studios take helm in animating homegrown webtoons

Korean animation studios are expanding their strategy to adapt homegrown webtoons into feature films, adding full in-house production alongside global partnerships. When a hit Korean webtoon got the animation treatment in the past, the actual production usually happened overseas. "Solo Leveling," based on the hit Korean web novel and webtoon, became the most-watched series on record on animation streaming service Crunchyroll. It was brought to the screen through a multinational effort involving Japanese studio and Korean companies. This model combines Korean intellectual property with Japan's decades of production infrastructure. At the same time, a broader movement has been building across the industry, with Korean studios producing theatrical animation domestically from start to finish based on local webtoon stories. "Guardians of the Video Game," based on Gasfard's Naver Webtoon, is one such project. The animated feature, scheduled to hit theaters on Oct. 14, is produced entirely by Seoul-based studio Locus. It follows the studio's previous film "Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning," an

Sep 29, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Korean studios take helm in animating homegrown webtoons
Films

'The Assassin(s)' claims Chuseok box office crown as admissions top 1.3 mil.

The Chuseok holiday box office has found its clear winner. Director Hur Jin-ho's historical thriller "The Assassin(s)" held the top spot for four consecutive days since its Sept. 23 release, drawing 432,341 admissions on Saturday alone to garner a total of over 1.3 million, according to data from the Korean Film Council. “The Assassin(s)” has also topped advance ticket sales for eight straight days as of Sunday morning. That streak began well before its theatrical premiere and has not been challenged by any other Chuseok title, including the casino crime sequel "Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub." Opening on the same day, the "Tazza" sequel attracted 663,140 viewers through Saturday to take a distant second place. Starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho, "The Assassin(s)" reimagines the investigation into the 1974 shooting that killed first lady Yuk Young-soo. The story follows courageous journalists and detectives who risk their careers and safety to expose the truth behind the attack. Crossing the 1 million admissions milestone just four days after release, the film is on track

Sep 27, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'The Assassin(s)' claims Chuseok box office crown as admissions top 1.3 mil.
Shows & Dramas

'The Ordinary Jackpot' turns lottery windfall into workplace catharsis, not escape

What would you do if you won the lottery? For many office workers, the answer would be to quit their job. The Tving’s new workplace drama "The Ordinary Jackpot" begins with that familiar dream, but quickly turns it into something much more realistic. Its protagonist wins big and shows up to work anyway, using his newfound money not to abandon his career, but to stop unfair treatment at his workplace. Based on a popular web novel of the same title, the 10-epidose series follows Gong Eun-tae (Lee Jun-hyuk), the youngest team leader at an apparel company. Gong earned his title through sheer diligence, but his fast promotion left him facing disdain from older colleagues. Tired of office politics and approaching burnout, his routine life takes an unexpected turn when he unthikingly purchases a lottery ticket and hits a jackpot of around 1.3 billion won ($960,000). The windfall is not enough to retire forever, but the money serves as a solid financial safety net. Rather than resigning, Gong uses the prize money as a psychological shield, walking back into the office the next morning with the

Sep 27, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'The Ordinary Jackpot' turns lottery windfall into workplace catharsis, not escape
Travel & Food

Former Auction founder brings AI, decades of travel data to new app

Planning to visit Osaka with your family this fall? That could mean hours spent booking flights and accommodations and putting together a list of destinations in advance. A new travel app aims to make that process easier. Oh Hyuk, CEO of local tour company Les Vacances and the pioneer who founded Auction, Korea's first e-commerce platform in 1998, has taken on a new challenge in the travel industry with Vacance, an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted travel platform. The app generates an itinerary based on travelers' schedules. Users can also review flight and accommodation recommendations within the same app. Unveiled this month, the app aims to revolutionize how people explore the world. It combines proprietary technology with human verified travel data accumulated over two decades by Les Vacances, allowing it to move far beyond simple itinerary generation. In a recent interview with The Korea Times, the veteran developer explained how his app stands out by keeping inaccurate travel information out. "General AI attempts to answer every question, but we dive deep into the single problem

Sep 27, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Former Auction founder brings AI, decades of travel data to new app
Trends

Chuseok food delivery booms as orders for holiday menus soar

Ordering food through delivery apps has become an everyday routine in Korea, and the trend is rapidly reshaping how people prepare for traditional holidays, as demand for Chuseok dishes soars on delivery platforms. On Thursday, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, Woowa Brothers said delivery orders for "songpyeon," or traditional Korean rice cakes, surged 4.8-fold on Chuseok Day last year compared to the same day of the previous week. Other holiday food staples also saw sharp increases in demand during the same period, according to Woowa Brothers, the operator of Korea’s top delivery app Baedal Minjok (Baemin). Orders for "modumjeon," or assorted Korean pancakes, jumped 270 percent, while "namul," or seasoned vegetable dishes, rose 135 percent. Orders for "galbijjim," or braised beef ribs, and traditional sweets such as "yakgwa" and "hangwa" grew 39 percent and 44 percent, respectively. Rather than spreading out over the holiday period, delivery orders were heavily concentrated on Chuseok Day itself. It is interpreted that consumers want convenience, so they choose ready-to-eat meals

Sep 24, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Chuseok food delivery booms as orders for holiday menus soar
Global Community

Global students choose Seoul for dynamic opportunities, safety despite high costs, competition

Seoul is increasingly becoming a top destination for international students, driven by its high level of safety, efficient public services and rich culture, according to a recent survey conducted by The Korea Times among its Global Supporters. In the survey, international students shared their firsthand experiences of studying and living in the Korean capital. They said the city has various appealing points, but at the same time, pointed out challenges like expensive housing costs, intense competition and limited institutional support. The survey findings show a broader shift in global education trends. British newspaper Financial Times recently reported that Seoul is surging in popularity among international students as the capital city offers a unique lifestyle and relatively manageable living costs compared to major Western cities such as New York, London and Paris. Why students pick Seoul Safety, administrative efficiency and a dynamic academic environment emerged as primary reasons for choosing Seoul over other global study destinations. To capture the insights and lived realities o

Sep 24, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Global students choose Seoul for dynamic opportunities, safety despite high costs, competition
People & Events

Yoido Full Gospel Church pastor honored for tackling low birthrate

Lee Young-hoon, senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, received recognition from the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy for his leadership in tackling Korea's dwindling birthrate through proactive churchwide initiatives. The church said Tuesday that the committee’s Vice Chairman Kim Jin-oh delivered the award to the senior pastor during the church's Sunday service. The committee commended Lee for fostering a family-friendly culture by encouraging marriages among unmarried congregants, offering financial incentives for childbirth and actively supporting families with multiple children. Under his guidance, the total fertility rate among church members aged 20 and older reached 2.1. During the service, Lee Young-mi, a church member who raised 13 children, was also presented with a plaque of appreciation for embodying the value of life in an era of demographic decline. Pastor Lee has consistently emphasized that cherishing life and nurturing the next generation represent an essential faith mission, while actively encouraging church families to have

Sep 22, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Yoido Full Gospel Church pastor honored for tackling low birthrate
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