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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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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
Travel & Food

What Korean travelers will love about Doha’s futuristic city design

DOHA, Qatar — Stepping off the plane in Doha, glass towers rise from the desert, air-conditioned walkways cut through the heat and artificial islands stretch into the Persian Gulf — all signs that the capital of Qatar has reinvented itself from its oil-fueled past. Doha is in the midst of a sweeping transformation, balancing its role as a global diplomatic center with ambitions of becoming a modern urban hub. The result is a city that uses its wealth to create a polished, high‑end environment for everyday life as well as for international visitors. The skyline of the West Bay area is the most visible sign of this shift, with its dense collection of glass towers serving as the financial heart of the country. For a visitor from Korea, this development could be a major point of interest because the city is not only expanding in size but also creating specialized districts for different needs. These projects are part of the country's strategy to diversify the economy beyond energy resources under the Qatar National Vision 2030. Much of this rapid progress was accelerated by the 2022 F

Dec 30, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
What Korean travelers will love about Doha’s futuristic city design
  • From souqs to architectural marvels: How Doha connects tradition and innovation
Music

Chung Myung-whun to lead KBS Symphony with focus on nurturing musicians

Prominent conductor Chung Myung-whun is returning to his roots to lead the KBS Symphony Orchestra as its 10th music director starting in January, shifting his focus from competitive excellence to a mentorship-driven vision of supporting and nurturing musicians. His tenure will begin as the ensemble celebrates its 70th anniversary. “When I led Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra 20 years ago, it was as if I were building a national team for the Olympics with a clear goal in mind. But I think the time for that kind of thinking has passed,” the 72-year-old maestro said during a press conference in Seoul on Friday. “Now, my role is to love the musicians and help them grow as much as they can. I want to be someone who tells the players to perform with peace of mind.” Chung will serve as a music director through 2028. His move is noticeable given his recent appointment as the next music director of Italy’s legendary La Scala opera house, starting in 2027. Despite his demanding international schedule, Chung said he couldn’t pass up this offer because of his personal ties to Korea. The maes

Dec 26, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Chung Myung-whun to lead KBS Symphony with focus on nurturing musicians
Shows & Dramas

Life of Korea's 1st Catholic priest returns to small screen for Christmas season

As the holiday season unfolds, tvN is broadcasting a special three-part drama, “Young Kim Taegon,” offering an emotional look into the extraordinary journey of St. Andrew Kim Taegon (1821-46), Korea’s first Catholic priest. The first episode aired on Christmas Eve. The drama is based on the 2022 film “A Birth.” Its production company, Minfilm, said the television adaptation covers a wider narrative range than the big-screen version, having restructured the story to emphasize the human side of Kim, portrayed by actor Yoon Si-yoon. Born in 1821, Kim was a pioneer who became the nation’s first Catholic priest. At the age of 15, he traveled to Macao for seminary studies and was ordained as a priest in Shanghai. He was executed for his faith at the age of 25 under the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), which maintained a strict anti-Catholic policy at the time. In 1984, he was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II. The original film gained attention when it premiered in Vatican City in 2022. To provide deeper context of Kim’s inner struggles during his difficult years of study and

Dec 25, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Life of Korea's 1st Catholic priest returns to small screen for Christmas season
Films

Living next door to Cheong Wa Dae

For decades, Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul’s Jongno District stood as an immovable monolith of power, serving as the site of the presidential office and residence since the Republic of Korea government was established in 1948. However, for director Ahn So-yon, it was simply the neighboring building with the blue roof just a stone's throw from her childhood home. In her documentary "The Blue Roof from the Window," released on Christmas Eve, Ahn turns the camera inward to document the 50-year odyssey of her own family, following three generations living under one roof. More than just a personal video diary, it asks the public to think about the people living near crucial public landmarks. The documentary shows that while political activity and civic participation is important, they can also make life very difficult for the ordinary citizens who live next door. Her grandparents moved to the red brick house in a neighborhood located less than a kilometer from Cheong Wa Dae in the late 1970s. During the years of military rule, the neighborhood was filled with security guards, which kept t

Dec 25, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Living next door to Cheong Wa Dae
Shows & Dramas

Black Spoon challengers raise the bar in 'Culinary Class Wars' Season 2

Netflix’s culinary showdown show “Culinary Class Wars” is back with a new twist, raising the stakes as this year’s Black Spoon challengers bring top-tier credentials to the kitchen. No longer just an underdog story, the latest episodes highlight a razor-thin gap in skill between established chefs and rising stars, adding new tension and unpredictability to the competition. Following the release of the first three episodes on Dec. 16 and episodes 4 through 7 on Tuesday, the second season quickly climbed the streaming charts while shifting the dynamics of the culinary battle between elite "White Spoon" and challenger "Black Spoon" chefs. As in the previous season, Black Spoon cooks are introduced by their nicknames, maintaining tension through matches against the White Spoon chefs. But the most defining characteristic of this season is the narrowed skill gap. In the previous season, the narrative often focused on dramatic underdog stories and featured hidden masters from humble backgrounds such as Master of School Meals. However, the Black Spoon lineup in Season 2 features more rec

Dec 24, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Black Spoon challengers raise the bar in 'Culinary Class Wars' Season 2
Films

Park Hae-soo embraces Netflix’s ‘Great Flood’ as testament to human resilience, growth

Actor Park Hae-soo has built a reputation as one of Netflix’s most recognizable Korean stars, thanks to standout roles in Season 1 of “Squid Game,” “Money Heist: Korea — Joint Economic Area” and “Narco-Saints,” earning him the nickname “Netflix civil servant.” Though well-acquainted with international success, the overwhelming response to his latest Netflix project, “The Great Flood,” has struck a deeper chord. Park sees its global popularity — ranking No. 1 in 71 countries — as a sign of the world’s growing interest in Korean-style storytelling, which combines spectacle with emotional depth. “I am truly thankful that the film is being well-received in English-speaking regions. It feels like a testament to the high expectations and genuine interest people now have for Korean productions,” Park told The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul on Tuesday. Directed by Kim Byung-woo, known for “The Terror Live” (2013), “Take Point” (2018) and “Omniscient Reader” (2025), “The Great Flood” is a sci-fi disaster film that showcases a desperate struggle f

Dec 23, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Park Hae-soo embraces Netflix’s ‘Great Flood’ as testament to human resilience, growth
Films

'Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight' shows romance building daily despite memory loss

The upcoming teen romance film “Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight” focuses on the delicate process of how love builds over time, carrying a brighter tone than the original novel, according to its director Kim Hye-young. "I enjoyed the original novel. Especially the line that 'the feeling of liking someone is rooted in the senses' really resonated with me. I loved the idea that even if memories fade, the sensory experience of falling in love is never truly forgotten," Kim said following the movie's premiere at a theater in Seoul, Monday. Based on Japanese author Misaki Ichijo's 2020 novel of the same title, the film tells the story of Seo-yoon (Shin Si-a), who loses her memory every day, and Jae-won (Choo Young-woo), who replaces her lost memories every day. The novel was first adapted into a Japanese film in 2022, which also became a hit in Korea, garnering 1.21 million admissions. A musical adaptation also graced Korean stages earlier this year. The director said she felt pressured because the original story was so famous, but she really wanted to tell it from a Ko

Dec 22, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
'Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight' shows romance building daily despite memory loss
Shows & Dramas

Lee Jun-ho returns as 'pay-to-power' hero in ‘Cashero’

Netflix’s latest Korean series “Cashero” flips the script on the conventional superhero formula, delivering an everyday hero story about a man whose cash-dependent powers force him to choose between real-world pressures and helping those in need — burdens that weigh heavier than epic villains or cosmic threats. "‘Cashero’ is an everyday supernatural series where an ordinary person uses superpowers to protect their daily life," its director Lee Chang-min said during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. “I wanted to differentiate this from existing hero stories. Rather than a battle between superheroes, I wanted to create a hero where an ordinary person fights using their abilities." Cashero tells the story of Sang-ung (Lee Jun-ho), an ordinary public servant struggling to cover wedding costs and housing expenses, who suddenly acquires a power that grows stronger with the amount of cash he holds in his hands. He grapples with the choice between his living expenses and his superpowers, blending realistic human struggles with the surreal events unfolding in this unrealistic wor

Dec 22, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Lee Jun-ho returns as 'pay-to-power' hero in ‘Cashero’
K-pop

G-Dragon sweeps 7 trophies at Melon Music Awards 2025

G-Dragon, the leader of the K-pop group BIGBANG, emerged as the biggest winner at the 17th Melon Music Awards (MMA 2025), Saturday, sweeping seven awards with his third solo album “Übermensch.” Held at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome, the ceremony, hosted by Kakao Entertainment’s music streaming platform Melon, celebrated the year’s top musical achievements based on streaming data and fan involvement. The 37-year-old artist clinched three of the Saturday night ceremony's four grand prizes including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year with the song “Home Sweet Home." In addition to the grand prizes, he secured four other trophies, including Top 10 Artist, Millions Top 10 Album, Best Solo and Best Songwriter. "Every year is special, but the year of 2025 will be remembered as a particularly meaningful year for me," G-Dragon said during his acceptance speech. "The title 'Übermensch' was like a personal mantra for me while creating this album. I want to thank all my fans, VIP, who are my source of inspiration.” Record of the Year, the other grand prize, was awar

Dec 21, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
G-Dragon sweeps 7 trophies at Melon Music Awards 2025
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