The Korea Times

Can ‘King’s Warden’ join ‘10 mil. viewer club’ after Lunar New Year success?

"The King’s Warden" is quickly emerging as a strong candidate for the "10 million viewer club" after gathering explosive momentum during the Lunar New Year holiday, box office data showed Wednesday. The historical drama directed by Jang Hang-jun garnered more than 4 million admissions as of Wednesday, reaching its break-even point and dominating the domestic film market, according to the Korean Film Council. In the local film industry, where success is measured by the number of tickets sold rather than box office revenue, hitting the 10 million mark is considered the indicator of a blockbuster. While 2024 saw two such hits with "Exhuma" and "The Roundup: Punishment," the local film industry failed to produce a single 10-million-seller last year. This stagnation was attributed to the shifting of investments toward streaming platforms, with annual admissions last year totaling just 105.48 million, just half of the 200 million recorded annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. "The King’s Warden" tells the story of Danjong, the sixth king of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), who was exiled t

Feb 19, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Can ‘King’s Warden’ join ‘10 mil. viewer club’ after Lunar New Year success?

People & Events

BTS J-Hope donates $207,000 for child welfare on his birthday

J-Hope, a member of the global superstar group BTS, donated a total of 300 million won ($207,000) on his birthday to help children in need, according to Asan Medical Center and ChildFund Korea, Wednesday. Asan Medical Center announced the singer provided 200 million won ($138,000) to support the development of its children's hospital. On the same day, ChildFund Korea said the singer delivered 100 million ($69,000) won to the organization, which specializes in child welfare. The medical center funds are expected to be used to improve medical facilities for young patients and to support home care and psychological therapy programs for children with serious illnesses. "I trust that these children will one day step into a future full of hope," the singer said through the hospital. "It is my sincere wish that they can leave their pain behind and feel free to dream big." J-Hope has been a consistent supporter of Asan Medical Center since 2022, when he donated 100 million won. His total contributions to the hospital have now reached 500 million won. His donation to ChildFund Korea is intended fo

Feb 18, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

BTS J-Hope donates $207,000 for child welfare on his birthday

Travel & Food

Right way to visit Bukchon: Quiet hours, hidden paths, cultural etiquette

Bukchon Hanok Village stands as a living testament to the centuries of history that shaped the capital of Korea. Located between Gyeongbok Palace and Changdeok Palace, the two main royal palaces of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), this neighborhood has served as the traditional heart of Seoul for over 600 years. In the Joseon era, the area was a residential district for aristocrats and high-ranking government officials. These elite residents chose it for its ideal location, as it sits on the southern slopes of Mount Bugak, a spot traditionally believed to bring great energy and prosperity. While the rapid modernization of Seoul in the 20th century led to the loss of many traditional structures, Bukchon has managed to preserve its unique identity through the dedication of its residents and the city government. Today, it remains one of the few places where visitors can walk through a dense neighborhood of hundreds of traditional Korean houses known as hanok. But this is no open-air museum. Bukchon is a living, breathing neighborhood — one that now welcomes visitors with clearer boundaries

Feb 15, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Right way to visit Bukchon: Quiet hours, hidden paths, cultural etiquette

Travel & Food

Why Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village now closes to tourists after 5 p.m.

As the clock hits 5 p.m. every day, the mood shifts in Bukchon, one of Seoul’s most photographed neighborhoods. The crowds thin, cameras lower and officials known as Bukchon Guardians begin walking the narrow alleys, gently reminding visitors that it’s time to leave. By day, the maze of traditional hanok houses — recently featured as inspiration for the setting of "KPop Demon Hunters" — draws crowds from around the world. But when visiting hours end, the village returns to what it has always been: a lived-in neighborhood where residents reclaim the quiet rhythm of daily life. The area is famous for its dense cluster of hanok, traditional Korean wood-framed houses defined with tiled roofs, making the neighborhood a living showcase of Korea’s architectural heritage. Unsurprisingly, it attracts crowds of visitors, both Korean and international, wandering the narrow lanes in search of the perfect photograph. But tourism often blurred into intrusion. Visitors strayed into residential alleys, posed in front of private gates and at times stepped beyond doorways that were never meant

Feb 15, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Why Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village now closes to tourists after 5 p.m.

Right way to visit Bukchon: Quiet hours, hidden paths, cultural etiquette

Films

Korean film 'Pavane' offers story of love, salvation

“Pavane,” an upcoming Netflix film, is a youthful melodrama following a woman hiding from the world due to her appearance and two men who find hope through their encounters with her. “I have dreamed of making a melodrama since I was a teenager, when I used to write in my diary that love saves humanity and every movie is ultimately about love,” director Lee Jong-pil said during a press conference for the film in Seoul on Thursday. He said he focused on sending a message to those who might be questioning their own lives that they will eventually meet someone and fall in love in some way. “Pavane” is based on the Korean novel “Pavane for a Dead Princess” by Park Min-gyu, published in 2009. It centers three people who have closed their hearts to the world but eventually become a light for one another. Actor Ko A-sung plays Mi-jeong, a woman who hides from the uncomfortable stares of others, while Byeon Yo-han portrays Yo-han, a free-spirited man, and Moon Sang-min plays Gyeong-rok, a young man who gives up his dream of becoming a dancer and must face the harsh reality of life

Feb 12, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Korean film 'Pavane' offers story of love, salvation

Shows & Dramas

'The Art of Sarah' focuses on pursuit of fake luxury

Netflix's new Korean original "The Art of Sarah" peels back the layers of a woman who built her life on a lie and a detective determined to uncover it. "There is a special kind of fun in watching a person chase their desires, and the man who’s trying to catch her," director Kim Jin-min said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. He described the drama as one that captures the psychological tension between a woman who aspires to become a luxury brand and a man drawn into her enigmatic world. Kim praised the drama’s unconventional narrative. "When I first saw the script, I thought the structure was very interesting as it unfolds in an unknowable way,” he said, hinting at the unpredictable turns awaiting viewers. The upcoming series follows Sarah Kim (Shin Hye-sun), a luxury brand manager who built a perfect life on a fake identity. Her world of lies begins to crumble when she becomes a suspect in a murder case and gets chased by Mu-gyeong (Lee Jun-hyuk), a detective who tries to find out who she really is. The drama largely follows Mu-gyeong's point of view, positioning him as

Feb 10, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

'The Art of Sarah' focuses on pursuit of fake luxury

Arts & Theater

Venice Architecture Biennale's Korean Pavilion returns to Seoul

The Korean Pavilion from the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale has returned to Seoul to share its record-breaking success with local audiences. The homecoming exhibition, titled "Little Toad, Little Toad: Unbuilding Pavilion," opened at the ARKO Art Center in Seoul on Friday and runs through April 5. The exhibition showcases a highly successful seven-month run in Italy last year, where the pavilion welcomed 174,230 visitors, the highest attendance in the history of the Korean Pavilion at the architecture biennale. "The 2025 Korean Pavilion saw massive interest from the global public," Chung Dah-young, the artistic director of the exhibition, said during a press conference Thursday. "About 55.2 percent of the total visitors to the Venice Biennale visited our pavilion, which is the best performance we have ever achieved for an architectural exhibition." The exhibition explores the architecture of the Korean Pavilion itself as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. The exhibition uses a traditional Korean children's song about a toad to describe the pavilion. Whi

Feb 6, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Venice Architecture Biennale's Korean Pavilion returns to Seoul

Society

Korea needs to restore social trust, unity to overcome extreme polarization

Experts in Korea called for an urgent restoration of social trust and a revival of the communal spirit to overcome the extreme political polarization and fragmentation currently paralyzing the nation. At a roundtable hosted by The Korea Times, Monday, leaders from diplomacy, religion, academia and the arts gathered to discuss the event's theme, "Global Korea: Questioning Korea’s Leadership Today." Despite Korea’s economic success, panelists warned that deep distrust, fueled by the recent imprisonment of a former president and intense political turmoil, now threatens the nation’s future on the global stage. Moderated by Oh Young-jin, president and publisher of The Korea Times, the panel included Lee Young-hoon, senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church; Ugo Astuto, ambassador of the European Union to Korea; Emilia Gatto, ambassador of Italy to Korea; Johannes Andreasson, deputy chief of mission at the Swedish Embassy in Korea; Gregory Hill, chief administrative officer of the University of Utah Asia Campus; and violinist Han Soo-jin. Pastor Lee began by addressing the deep-seated pr

Feb 5, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Korea needs to restore social trust, unity to overcome extreme polarization

Films

Ryoo Seung-wan's 'Humint' delivers high-stakes spy story

Director Ryoo Seung-wan described his upcoming spy film "Humint" as a collective masterpiece created by a team of highly skilled filmmakers who pushed their capabilities to the limit. "I wanted to make a movie where everything looks great on the big screen, from the beautiful scenery to the small emotional changes in the characters," Ryoo said during a press conference in Seoul Wednesday. “I am truly thankful because the entire crew, including the local team in Latvia, did their very best to make this film look amazing." “Humint” focuses on the psychological tension between intelligence agents from South and North Korea who must navigate a world of constant suspicion in Vladivostok. The story is about a South Korean agent (Zo In-sung), a North Korean officer (Park Jeong-min) and an informant (Shin Sae-kyeong) whose lives get mixed together, creating a tense story filled with trust and betrayal. Unlike typical action movies that rely on fast pacing, "Humint" builds suspense by focusing on individual choices and how they affect national security. Ryoo emphasized that the deep emotions

Feb 4, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Ryoo Seung-wan's 'Humint' delivers high-stakes spy story

Shows & Dramas

Cha Eun-woo, Kim Seon-ho projects at risk over tax scandals

Actors Cha Eun-woo and Kim Seon-ho are facing mounting pressure as allegations of large-scale tax evasion through family-run corporations threaten to derail their upcoming projects. The two stars, both represented by the agency Fantagio, have come under scrutiny for allegedly using shell companies to reduce their tax burdens, leading to concerns that their highly anticipated dramas may face significant delays or cancellations. Cha allegedly faces a tax bill of over 20 billion won ($13.8 million) after the National Tax Service investigated a company established by his mother. Tax authorities reportedly viewed the firm as a paper company created to split Cha's earnings and apply lower corporate tax rates instead of the much higher individual income tax. The impact is already affecting his career, with several brands removing his advertisements. Cha is currently serving in the military. The controversy is casting a dark shadow over the Netflix original series "The Wonderfools,” which stars Cha alongside Park Eun-bin, known for her 2022 drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." Although the ser

Feb 4, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Baek Byung-yeul

Read more

Can ‘King’s Warden’ join ‘10 mil. viewer club’ after Lunar New Year success?

BTS J-Hope donates $207,000 for child welfare on his birthday

Right way to visit Bukchon: Quiet hours, hidden paths, cultural etiquette

Why Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village now closes to tourists after 5 p.m.

Korean film 'Pavane' offers story of love, salvation

'The Art of Sarah' focuses on pursuit of fake luxury

Venice Architecture Biennale's Korean Pavilion returns to Seoul

Korea needs to restore social trust, unity to overcome extreme polarization

Ryoo Seung-wan's 'Humint' delivers high-stakes spy story

Cha Eun-woo, Kim Seon-ho projects at risk over tax scandals

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