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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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Films

Honored by Venice win, 'Possible Love' director seeks audience connection over award

Prior to the local release of Venice-winning feature, "Possible Love," director Lee Chang-dong said Monday that audience reaction to the film is far more important to him than winning an award. Speaking at a press conference in Seoul alongside lead actors Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong, the veteran filmmaker reflected on his Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize win at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. "I am happy and honored to receive the award, but the prize is merely a result," Lee said during a media screening and press conference in Seoul, Monday. "The more important thing to me was to know how audience would receive my film because Venice was the first place where it met the world." "Possible Love" follows two contrasting couples who meet through a documentary project. Ho-seok (Sul) is a laid-off worker carrying deep emotional trauma, while his wife Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon) strives to protect her family’s dignity. On the other side are Ye-ji (Cho), an ambitious documentary filmmaker, and her wealthy husband Sang-woo (Zo). As their lives intertwine, the four individual

Sep 21, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Honored by Venice win, 'Possible Love' director seeks audience connection over award
People & Events

Bucheon festival brings comics to life with global cosplay, community fun

BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province — The area around the Korea Manhwa Museum in Bucheon turned into a lively celebration of pop culture on Friday as colorful comic panels came to life for the opening day of the 29th Bucheon International Comics Festival. Running through Sunday under the theme "Comics & Webtoons: Easy to Love, Endless to Enjoy," the annual three-day event kicked off with a rich mix of global cosplay competitions, interactive community programs and passionate fans bringing their favorite characters into reality. Friday's opening day offered a rich variety of experiences, drawing families, international visitors and dedicated pop culture enthusiasts. Inside the museum, local volunteers warmly greeted young visitors at hands-on craft booths, guiding children as they decorated everyday items like keyboards and hand mirrors with cartoon characters. "We joined the festival as volunteers out of a shared passion as Bucheon residents to promote our city's signature cultural identity," a local volunteer said. "At first, seeing all the cosplayers felt a bit unfamiliar. But seeing how passi

Sep 19, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Bucheon festival brings comics to life with global cosplay, community fun
People & Events

Lakeside Peace Walk brings global taekwondo community to Chuncheon

Around 500 global taekwondo athletes and local residents walked side by side along the scenic shores of Uiam Lake in Chuncheon, Thursday, stepping outside the arena to share a message of unity and peace. The inaugural Chuncheon Peace Walk was co-hosted by Goodwill Cooperation Service (GCS) International, World Taekwondo, The Korea Times, Chuncheon City and the Chuncheon Leisure Taekwondo Organizing Committee. Organized to complement the ongoing 2026 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships, which runs through Sunday at Songam Sports Town Airdome, the event offered participants a refreshing break from the intense indoor competition. The walk also commemorated the 45th anniversary of the United Nations International Day of Peace, observed annually on Sept. 21. Starting at 10 a.m. from the Songam Sports Town Inline Skating Arena, participants enjoyed an easy 4-kilometer walk to the Uiamho Skywalk, a glass viewing platform over the calm waters of Uiam Lake. Upon crossing the finish line, every participant received a commemorative key ring and with local refreshments. The festivities continued t

Sep 18, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Lakeside Peace Walk brings global taekwondo community to Chuncheon
K-pop

Gov't vows to end outdated dance ban at live music venues

The government pledged to reform outdated regulations that prohibit dancing at live music venues registered as general restaurants, addressing a long-standing issue that recently sparked outrage across the independent music scene, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young said Wednesday. Speaking at the fourth advisory committee meeting for popular music policy in Seoul, the minister emphasized the urgent need to revise the Enforcement Decree of the Food Sanitation Act. "We need to bring this issue into the public discourse and resolve it once and for all," Choi said during the meeting. "Instead of avoiding the discussion as in the past, we must not miss this opportunity to update regulations that no longer align with reality." The policy discussion was brought up when Ovantgarde, a live music venue in Busan, was slapped with a temporary shutdown for two months due to allegations it allowed patrons to dance during a band's performance. Under current food sanitation regulations, establishments registered as general restaurants are strictly prohibited from allowing customers t

Sep 17, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Gov't vows to end outdated dance ban at live music venues
Films

Filmmaker Park Hoon-jung wins top prize at French festival with 'Tristes Tropiques'

Director Park Hoon-jung's new action noir film "Tristes Tropiques" won the Nouveau Genre Grand Prize, the top honor in the international competition section at the 32nd L'Etrange Festival in France, its overseas distributor Finecut said Wednesday. The prestigious award reinforces the director's standing in the international film circuit following a strong festival run across Europe. The film previously won the Silver Raven in the international competition at the 44th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and was officially invited to the 58th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival as well as Germany's 40th Fantasy Filmfest. "Tristes Tropiques" revolves around a group of young assassins trained in a tropical rainforest by a ruthless master. After a pivotal incident shatters their trust, the killers begin to suspect one another and embark on a brutal journey of revenge. The movie blends deep suspense with fast-paced action, keeping the audience glued to the screen. L'Etrange Festival, held annually in Paris every September, is one of France's premier venues for bold and inve

Sep 17, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Filmmaker Park Hoon-jung wins top prize at French festival with 'Tristes Tropiques'
Travel & Food

Korea Tourism Organization's autumn travel campaign can lower your travel costs

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has launched the 2026 Autumn Travel Month campaign in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, offering a wide range of travel benefits to lower trip costs and stimulate local economies. The campaign, set to run from October to November under the slogan "Deeper Autumn, Lighter Travel," aims to encourage domestic travel through major discounts across transportation, accommodation and regional vacation support programs. "The best thing to do in this beautiful yet brief season is to travel with loved ones," Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said during a kickoff ceremony in Seoul, Tuesday. "We have prepared a variety of benefits to help people travel a bit more easily this autumn." Transportation benefits cover land and air travel. Road travelers using TMAP to visit designated 89 population-declining areas can receive up to 30,000 reward points. Rail passengers visiting designated tourist spots in population-declining regions will receive discount vouchers worth 100 percent of their train fare and a 20,000 won ($15) discount on the Rai

Sep 16, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Korea Tourism Organization's autumn travel campaign can lower your travel costs
People & Events

FEBC-Korea eyes North Korea outreach on 70th anniversary

Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC)-Korea Chairman Billy Kim said Wednesday that the Christian broadcaster is fully prepared to expand its ministry into North Korea whenever the reclusive state opens its doors. "In North Korea, faith has been suppressed for decades," Kim said during a press conference at the broadcaster’s headquarters in Seoul. "We have been training young defectors who can help build local broadcasting branches (in North Korea) when circumstances allow. Our heart, logistical training and resources are ready for when the door opens." The press conference was held to mark FEBC-Korea's 70th anniversary, reflecting on seven decades of broadcast history and sharing its vision for future peace and spiritual outreach. Under the slogan "70 Years of Gospel, 70 Years of Grace," the broadcaster highlighted its journey since its establishment in 1956. Launched in the aftermath of the 1950-53 Korean War, FEBC-Korea has grown into a major Christian radio network with 13 FM stations and 14 relay stations nationwide. The network continues to serve as a key broadcasting hub toward Nor

Sep 16, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
FEBC-Korea eyes North Korea outreach on 70th anniversary
Education

CONFERENCE 'We are continually defining what AI talent and players will be needed'

Education experts and industry leaders called on universities to fundamentally rethink their roles in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing that higher education must shift from traditional knowledge transmission to cultivating human-centered skills such as critical thinking, ethical responsibility and problem definition. Speaking at the first panel discussion of the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference, titled “Beyond AI: Building human-centered leadership for next era,” panelists said that universities need to update their courses fast and try new things to keep up with rapid tech changes. The session, titled "The human edge of AI: Reimagining global competitiveness in Korean universities," focused on how academic institutions can build human-centered AI campuses by integrating technology into education, research and the overall student experience. Moderated by Choi Jae-boong, professor of interdisciplinary AI service design at Sungkyunkwan University, the discussion also highlighted the need to maximize human capabilities that AI cannot replace while deepening indust

Sep 15, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
[CONFERENCE] 'We are continually defining what AI talent and players will be needed'
People & Events

Rev. Lee Young-hoon preaches spiritual renewal in London

Rev. Lee Young-hoon, senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, gathered nearly 50 Korean missionaries from across Europe and the former Soviet states in London to deliver messages of spiritual renewal and outline a fresh vision for European evangelization. Lee served as the keynote speaker at the 2026 London Missionary Conference, held from Sept. 7-10 at London Full Gospel Church. Organized to help missionaries rediscover their spiritual purpose and deepen their theological roots, the four-day gathering brought together 47 missionaries serving across Europe and the former Soviet states. During an academic seminar and workshop on Tuesday, Lee delivered a lecture titled "Full Gospel Faith and Theology." He shared the core teachings of Full Gospel faith, focusing on faith in God and the power of the Holy Spirit in daily life. "God is a God of justice and at the same time a God of love," Lee said. "Emphasizing only justice leads to legalism, while emphasizing only love can result in a false sense of grace." He stressed that learning the Bible and experiencing the Holy Spirit must go together

Sep 13, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Rev. Lee Young-hoon preaches spiritual renewal in London
Films

Lee Chang-dong's 'Possible Love' wins Grand Jury Prize at Venice Film Festival

Filmmaker Lee Chang-dong claimed the prestigious Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on Saturday (local time) with his latest feature "Possible Love." The historic victory marks the second time a Korean movie has taken home the award at the world’s oldest film festival, following director Kim Ki-duk’s Golden Lion win for "Pieta" in 2012. It also brings closure to a long-standing Venice quest for Lee, who won the Silver Lion for Best Director 24 years ago with "Oasis" (2002). The Golden Lion award, the festival's highest honor, went to Danish-Egyptian filmmaker May el-Toukhy's "Woman Unknown," beating out other works from world-famous directors like Lee, Hirokazu Kore-eda and Martin McDonagh. Accepting the award on stage, the director expressed deep gratitude to the jury, festival organizers and his team. "I would like to thank the jury for giving me this precious award, and the festival officials for inviting me back to this beautiful festival after 24 years," Lee said. "Without the patience and long wait of so many people, this movie might nev

Sep 13, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Lee Chang-dong's 'Possible Love' wins Grand Jury Prize at Venice Film Festival
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