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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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Shows & Dramas

'Can This Love Be Translated?' explores romance beyond language barriers

"Can This Love Be Translated?," a new Netflix Korean original series, takes the classic rom-com and gives it a global spin. Instead of just focusing on language barriers, the show asks if it is really possible to fully understand another person — especially when it comes to love. The 12-part series tells the story of Joo Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho), an interpreter who is fluent in several languages but clumsy when it comes to the language of romance, and Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung), an actor who is adored by many but struggles with her love life. "It is a romantic comedy where characters gradually come to interpret each other's languages of love through their own perspectives," director Yoo Young-eun, known for the 2022 drama “Bloody Heart,” said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. The drama is penned by the celebrated screenwriting duo Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran, better known as the Hong Sisters, who have written many hits including "Sassy Girl Chun-hyang" (2005), "Couple or Trouble" (2006), “Hotel Del Luna” (2019) and “Alchemy of Souls” (2022). The series is highly ant

Jan 13, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Can This Love Be Translated?' explores romance beyond language barriers
Films

Director Ryoo Seung-wan expands spy universe with 'Humint'

The upcoming espionage action film "Humint" is a gripping tale set in Vladivostok, Russia, a city where lethal secrets and hidden truths sink into the cold sea, according to its director Ryoo Seung-wan. "The core keywords for this film are fun and tension," Ryoo said during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. "Even while reviewing the footage after filming, I found myself flinching, unwillingly. The suspense is so intense that I’d recommend audiences take a warm bath to relax their muscles before coming to the theater." The film follows four individuals who gather in the border area between North Korea and Russia to learn more a mysterious incident. The narrative unfolds around a South Korean intelligence agent (Zo In-sung), a North Korean security official (Park Jeong-min), a North Korean consul general (Park Hae-joon) and a North Korean waitress neamed Seungwha who becomes an informant (Shin Sae-kyeong). The film continues the director’s genre work in spy thrillers, drawing on his experience with "The Berlin File" (2013). While "Humint" shares a similar atmosphere with his previou

Jan 12, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Director Ryoo Seung-wan expands spy universe with 'Humint'
Shows & Dramas

From screen to table: Where to try dishes of Netflix’s 'Culinary Class Wars 2' finalists

With the final episode of Netflix’s popular cooking contest show "Culinary Class Wars" Season 2 imminent, the competition has reached a fever pitch. On Friday, Netflix spotlighted the top seven participants by revealing new portraits and reflections on the core philosophies that define their cooking. While veteran chef Choi Kang-rok has already secured his place in the final round, the competition remains fierce between legendary Chinese chef Hou Deok-juk and the rising star known as Culinary Monster for the remaining spot. Here is a guide to the philosophies of these finalists and where you can experience their flavors. Haobin Led by the legendary Chinese cuisine master Hou Deok-juk, Haobin is located at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Seoul’s Jung District. Hou, who secured his spot in the final three, views cooking as a lifelong process of learning and responsibility. "I believe cooking is an endless study," he said, adding that his philosophy is to create food that heals both the body and mind. At Haobin, he continues to serve his signature dishes like Buddha Jumps Over the W

Jan 9, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
From screen to table: Where to try dishes of Netflix’s 'Culinary Class Wars 2' finalists
Films

Kwon Sang-woo swaps action for romance in new comedy 'Heartman'

Actor Kwon Sang-woo, who previously defined his own brand of action-comedy through the “Hitman” franchise, reunited with director Choi Won-sub for their third collaboration, stepping away from the intense action of his previous hits to show off his romantic comedy chops. “Heartman” follows Seung-min (Kwon), who reunites with his first love Bo-na (Moon Chae-won) and desperately tries to keep her in his life while hiding a secret. The movie delicately balances its focus between humor and sincere emotion. Choi explained that while the “Hitman" series was intentionally hilarious and action-packed, he approached “Heartman” with a commitment to emotions. The movie is based on the 2015 Argentinan comedy film “No Kids,” with the director noting that he put significant effort into adapting the original version to emphasize the theme of first love. "For 'Hitman' I focused on making people laugh through intense energy, but for 'Heartman' I tried not to overdo it and instead prioritized a natural flow and emotions," Choi said during the press conference, Thursday. In the film, Kwon

Jan 8, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Kwon Sang-woo swaps action for romance in new comedy 'Heartman'
Films

‘Project Y’ redefines buddy film through gritty tale of ambition, survival

The highly anticipated crime noir "Project Y" is set to redefine the buddy film genre through a gritty lens of female survival and raw ambition. The film also marks a commercial film debut of director Lee Hwan, who gained attention with his independent films such as "Park Hwa-Young" (2018) and "Young Adult Matters" (2021) that addressed the social vulnerability of young people. The film follows two young women, Mi-seon (Han So-hee) and Do-gyeong (Jeon Jong-seo), who are pushed to their limits. In a desperate bid to change their lives, they attempt a high-stakes heist involving black money and gold bars in the fictional Hwajung Market, a place the director describes as a boiling pot of human greed. Lee said that casting Han and Jeon for the project was very important. "I believe they are the best actors to represent their generation," he said. "I wanted their strong acting to help the audience understand why the characters make such dangerous choices." Both lead actors said they joined the movie because they wanted to work together. Han said she liked that her character looked weak but was

Jan 8, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
‘Project Y’ redefines buddy film through gritty tale of ambition, survival
Films

Korean screen legend Ahn Sung-ki dies at 74

Veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki, widely regarded as a foundational figure in Korea’s modern film history, died at age 74. Ahn passed away Monday morning at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul’s Yongsan District, with family members at his bedside in the hospital’s intensive care unit. He had been hospitalized in an unconscious state since collapsing at his home on Dec. 30 after choking on food. After being diagnosed with blood cancer in 2019, he underwent treatment and was told the cancer was in remission in 2020. However, the disease reportedly returned during follow-up observations, and he has been battling the illness ever since. Despite his health challenges, Ahn remained committed to the film industry. He made public appearances in 2023, including attending the opening ceremony of the 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. Born in 1952, Ahn debuted as a child actor in director Kim Ki-young’s “The Twilight Train” (1957), as well as in Kim’s renowned horror film, “The Housemaid” (1960). Throughout a career spanning more than six decades, he appeared in o

Jan 5, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul and Pyo Kyung-min
Korean screen legend Ahn Sung-ki dies at 74
Trends

Ancient wisdom meets Gen Z humor at Seoul’s Buddhist pop-up

Buddhism may be rooted in millennia of tradition, but in Seoul, it’s getting a hip makeover complete with merchandise, memes and karma-cleansing stations. Long seen as serious and solemn, Buddhism is being reimagined by Korea’s younger generation. A growing number of 20- and 30-somethings are reshaping ancient Buddhist practices into something modern, playful and healing. The movement — dubbed "hip-bul," combining "hip" and with the Korean word for Buddhism — is turning religious ideas into a trendy lifestyle, mixing humor with heritage. Dozens of young visitors flocked to a Buddhist-themed pop-up at I'Park Mall in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. However, they were not there to pray in silence or perform rituals. Instead, they came to enjoy a modern and witty take on Buddhist practices to help them kick start the year with a smile and a sense of relief. Under the theme "May everything go as you say," the pop-up replaces heavy religious teachings with playfulness and humor, offering good-luck items and lighthearted displays designed to appeal to visitors in their 20s and 30s. Th

Jan 3, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Ancient wisdom meets Gen Z humor at Seoul’s Buddhist pop-up
Films

‘Sugung’ gives voice to women fighting to keep pansori alive

For most Koreans, pansori (traditional Korean narrative singing) is just a cultural asset to be preserved. But for master pansori singer Jung Ei-jin, it is a disappearing art that she is determined to keep alive. In the documentary "Sugung — The Underwater Palace" released on New Year's Day, director Yoo Su-yeon explores the pansori piece "Sugungga" as performed in the "dongpyeonje" or eastern style, one of the two main styles along with "seopyeonjae" or western style, through the voice of Jung. The film is not just a simple record of old music. It is a gritty and honest look at how women artists struggle to survive while also fighting to keep a disappearing tradition alive. The documentary first gained attention through screenings at the Jeonju International Film Festival and Seoul International Women’s Film Festival in 2023. Jung was born into a family of famous pansori masters, but despite her background and talent, she had to stop singing for 30 years to take care of her home and family. While she finally started singing again and built a successful career, she still felt hurt by

Jan 3, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
‘Sugung’ gives voice to women fighting to keep pansori alive
Shows & Dramas

Hits and misses: Webtoon adaptations dominate, but execution decides success

Webtoons have become the entertainment industry’s most reliable source of stories in Korea in recent years, supplying a steady stream of pre-tested narratives as studios increasingly turn to digital comics to reduce risk. Yet as webtoon-based projects continue to flood cinema and streaming platforms, a clear divide has emerged between adaptations that cleverly reinterpret their source material and big-budget failures, revealing how fragile that formula can be. Breakout success of ‘Zombie Daughter’ The clearest sign of a breakthrough in 2025 came from Naver Webtoon’s video production subsidiary Studio N. The film "My Daughter is a Zombie,” based on the popular 2018 webtoon by Lee Yun-chang, emerged as the year's most surprising box office hit. With over 5.6 million viewers, the film became the most-watched Korean release of 2025, a year that was otherwise short on blockbuster hits, proving that a good remake can appeal to everyone, not just original fans. The movie succeeded because it perfectly mixed dark humor with a touching story about a father’s love. Netflix also saw grea

Jan 1, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Hits and misses: Webtoon adaptations dominate, but execution decides success
Travel & Food

From souqs to architectural marvels: How Doha connects tradition and innovation

DOHA, Qatar — While the modern skyscrapers of West Bay define the skyline, the historical heart of Doha offers a different perspective on the identity of Qatar. Beyond the luxury islands, the city maintains its cultural roots through sites like the Souq Waqif traditional market and the National Museum of Qatar. The National Museum of Qatar looks nothing like a typical building. This architectural marvel was designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel. The building is inspired by the "desert rose," a natural mineral formation that crystallizes in the Qatari desert. Nouvel’s design features a unique exterior made of 316 overlapping disks, creating a look that is both complex and artistic. These disks overlap and intersect to create a highly unique curved form that appears to change shape depending on the viewer's angle. The museum gained attention in Korea because the Korean builder Hyundai E&C constructed it. The project was technically demanding, but the result is a massive piece of structural art that now stands as a symbol of Qatar’s cultural ambitions. Tra

Dec 31, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
From souqs to architectural marvels: How Doha connects tradition and innovation
  • What Korean travelers will love about Doha’s futuristic city design
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