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Park Jin-hai

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.

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Shows & Dramas

Viktor An's Korean TV comeback sparks intense public backlash

Seven years after stepping away from domestic television, former Olympic short track legend Viktor An — formerly known as Ahn Hyun-soo — is once again at the center of a public storm. His upcoming appearance on Korean television has reignited fierce debates over national identity, sports loyalty and public sentiment. According to broadcasting network TV Chosun, An is set to appear as a "hidden coach" on the upcoming sports reality show "Speed Queen," premiering on Nov. 25. The program follows aspiring athletes as they prepare for national team selection trials and features an elite coaching panel that includes a retired short track speed skater and four-time Olympic gold medalist Chun Lee-kyung and Kim A-rang, a former short track speed skater who is currently active as a broadcaster and sports commentator. For An, who has kept a low profile since January 2019, the role marks a high-stakes return to the Korean spotlight. The announcement instantly triggered heavy backlash across online communities and social media platforms in Korea. Critics zeroed in on his history of changing natio

16h agoBy Park Jin-hai
Viktor An's Korean TV comeback sparks intense public backlash
Music

Forestella to make history as 1st Korean vocal group to headline main stage at Carnegie Hall

Crossover vocal group Forestella is set to make history as the first Korean musical group to headline at the main stage of New York’s legendary Carnegie Hall. The quartet, formed after winning JTBC's singing competition "Phantom Singer 2" in 2017, consists of members Cho Min-gyu, Ko Woo-rim, Bae Doo-hoon and Kang Hyung-ho. Forestella has successfully bridged high art and popular culture in Korea, becoming prominent examples of crossover success. Their agency Beat Interactive announced on Thursday that the group will embark on their second North American tour, titled "BEYOND: ACROSS THE HORIZON," which includes the landmark Carnegie Hall performance. "Forestella will become the first domestic music group ever to enter and perform at the Carnegie Hall," the agency stated. "Through this tour across major North American cities, they will once again solidify their status as the leading representatives of K-crossover music." While legendary Korean solo artists — such as veteran singer Cho Yong-pil in 1981, followed by Patti Kim, Insooni, Lee Sun-hee and Kim Bum-soo — have previously grac

1d agoBy Park Jin-hai
Forestella to make history as 1st Korean vocal group to headline main stage at Carnegie Hall
Shows & Dramas

How Disney+'s 'The Remarried Empress' wins over Gen Z, global viewers

Disney+’s new Korean original series "The Remarried Empress" features Korean actors addressing one another with Western names while navigating a fictional European-style empire in elaborate gowns and military uniforms. When the initial teaser trailers were released, some viewers expressed skepticism, comparing the visual aesthetic to a cosplay convention. However, upon its official premiere on Nov. 3, the series completely shattered expectations. Within just three days of release, the drama officially became the most-watched Disney+ local original series of all time worldwide, based on cumulative global views. Audience feedback across global fan platforms has mirrored this enthusiasm. Viewers who binged the first four episodes highlighted its "slow, subtle, addictive royal drama vibe." Fans on Reddit praised the adaptation as "visually stunning" with a "fairytale-like feel," admitting that while anyone expecting a literal live-action translation of the webtoon might be surprised, it remains deeply rewarding as a "K-drama in its own right." Ultimately, audiences voiced genuine appreci

Nov 11, 2026By Park Jin-hai
How Disney+'s 'The Remarried Empress' wins over Gen Z, global viewers
Travel & Food

Jinan: Korea's open-air museum of geological wonders

JINAN, North Jeolla Province — Just a 30-kilometer drive east from Jeonju Station, the rolling green mountains of North Jeolla Province give way to a sight that feels entirely alien yet deeply sacred. Two colossal weathered rocks bearing a striking resemblance to a pair of giant horse ears rise abruptly out of the forests of Maisan ("horse ears mountain") Provincial Park. Stepping into this high-plateau region, which forms an integral part of the Jinan-Muju National Geopark, visitors are immersed in the unique landscape that earned Mount Mai three stars in the prestigious Michelin Green Guide, the highest possible rating. First-time visitors will immediately be struck by the texture of the mountains. Rather than the granite found in most places on the peninsula, the giant cliffs here are made of conglomerate sedimentary rock, pockmarked with thousands of hollow cavities known as tafoni. Geologists believe these unique depressions were created during the Fourth Ice Age, when water trapped in fissures in the rock repeatedly froze and thawed, expanding and shattering the stone from withi

Nov 11, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Jinan: Korea's open-air museum of geological wonders
Travel & Food

How to celebrate Pepero Day, Korea's sweetest tradition

If you happen to be in Korea on Nov. 11, you might notice store shelves overflowing with boxes of thin, chocolate-coated biscuit sticks. Welcome to Pepero Day, one of Korea’s most vibrant and fun informal holidays. First launched by Lotte Wellfood in 1983, Pepero has grown from a simple brand name into a household term representing all long, thin biscuit sticks here. Legend has it that the phenomenon started in the 1990s when middle school students in Yeongnam began exchanging the biscuit sticks with a sweet wish, "May we both grow tall and slender!" Today, the tradition has evolved into a nationwide celebration of friendship, romance and affection, where exchanging Pepero sticks is the ultimate way to show someone you care. Whether you are looking for a quick wallet-friendly treat or an over-the-top artisan gift, here is your complete guide to navigating Pepero Day. Convenience store favorites Participating in Korea’s most popular November tradition does not require breaking the bank. Ahead of Nov. 11, the country’s leading convenience store chains — CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and Emart24

Nov 9, 2026By Park Jin-hai
How to celebrate Pepero Day, Korea's sweetest tradition
Korean Heritage

'S. Korea ignored North's 2023 offer for joint UNESCO taekwondo listing'

In 2023, despite freezing inter-Korean relations and heightened cross-border tensions, North Korea proposed a joint UNESCO heritage listing for taekwondo — only for the South Korean government to sit on the offer and miss a crucial window, according to a key advocacy leader. Choi Jae-chun, head of the KOREA Taekwondo UNESCO Promotion Committee, revealed Wednesday that Pyongyang suggested a collaborative inscription modeled after the successful joint 2018 UNESCO registration of "ssireum," traditional Korean wrestling. However, the lack of response from the Yoon Suk Yeol administration allowed North Korea to press ahead with a standalone application that is nearing final approval next month, raising fears that Seoul is ceding historical leadership over its national martial art. "In 2023, North Korea reached out to me," Choi said. "Inter-Korean relations were extremely strained at the time, but Ri Yong-son, president of the North Korean-backed International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), sent word suggesting that filing separate applications first and merging them into a joint listing late

Nov 4, 2026By Park Jin-hai
'S. Korea ignored North's 2023 offer for joint UNESCO taekwondo listing'
Korean Heritage

N. Korea set for solo UNESCO taekwondo listing as S. Korea misses joint bid

South Korea, which led the global spread and modernization of taekwondo, is facing criticism over its delayed UNESCO listing effort, letting North Korea take the lead for the sport's early registration on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Although North Korea's listing does not block South Korea's move for its separate listing of the martial art, criticism is rising over Seoul's belated attempt to seek a co-listing with Pyongyang, which has remained unresponsive. According to a social media post on Monday by Huh Min, head of the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), North Korea’s application — titled "Taekwon-Do, traditional martial art in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" — is expected to receive a recommendation for inscription following an evaluation by UNESCO experts. While an evaluation body's recommendation is technically an advisory step, such assessments almost always lead to inscription. The final decision will be made during the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, scheduled to take place in Xiamen, China, Nov. 30 to Dec

Nov 3, 2026By Park Jin-hai
N. Korea set for solo UNESCO taekwondo listing as S. Korea misses joint bid
Korean Heritage

Korean tech helps uncover ancient Hellenistic city in Turkey

A joint excavation between Korea and Turkey at an archeological site in central Turkey, has uncovered a sprawling Hellenistic urban complex and rare mosaic flooring dating back to around 2000 B.C., the Korea Heritage Service said on Wednesday, adding that the landmark discovery was possible due to Korea’s advanced technologies in architecture. Kultepe served as the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kanesh and a major trading hub for Assyrian merchants, yielding some of the earliest known written records from Anatolia. The newly identified structure and mosaic floor could provide new insights into the lesser-known Hellenistic history of the ancient settlement. Kultepe-Kanesh has been on Turkey's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2014. Turkish experts took a note of Korean researchers who used digital scanning and precise documentation technologies to analyze pottery fragments with unprecedented speed and accuracy. "The Korean team is exceptionally thorough and organized," said Fikri Kulakoglu, a professor at Ankara University who leads joint international research teams, durin

Oct 29, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Korean tech helps uncover ancient Hellenistic city in Turkey
Travel & Food

Global trekkers climb Seoul's rocky mountain trails for scenic views, nature

Under a clear autumn sky, 18 international hikers from diverse backgrounds gathered outside Exit 1 of Gwanaksan Station on Monday to kick off the three-week "2026 Seoul Hiking Week: Autumn." Their objective for Day 1 was Mount Hoam, one of the peaks on the larger Mount Gwanak in southern Seoul, an "extreme course" route designed to showcase Seoul's rugged urban terrain. Running through Nov. 15, the Seoul Hiking Week is centered around three mountains in Seoul: Mount Bukhan, Mount Bugak and Mount Gwanak. Before hitting the trail, participants stopped at the Seoul Hiking Tourism Center directly connected to the station. By scanning a simple QR code, trekkers accessed the center's equipment rental service — complimentary exclusively during the event period — to gear up with hiking poles, gloves, backpacks, windbreakers and hiking boots. After a quick group stretch at the trailhead, the multinational group set off into the forest. Just minutes into the uphill climb, the trail passed a row of wooden statues lined up along the left side of the path. The lead guide paused to explain the cu

Oct 28, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Global trekkers climb Seoul's rocky mountain trails for scenic views, nature
Shows & Dramas

Netflix marks 10 years in Korea, unveiling new star-studded lineup

Netflix marked a decade of service in Korea with Netflix Janchi, a two-day fan festival held Saturday and Sunday in Seoul that brought together fans, actors, creators and executives to celebrate 10 years of Korean storytelling reaching global audiences. At the event, held at Oil Tank Culture Park in Seoul's Mapo District, key figures who led the global K-content phenomenon over the past decade through hit series such as "Squid Game" (2021), "KPop Demon Hunters" (2025) and "D.P." (2021) gathered to reflect on their journey as Netflix heralded a new leap forward for Korean original programming. During a panel looking back at iconic moments from "Squid Game" and sharing behind-the-scenes stories, lead actor Lee Jung-jae reflected on the cultural impact of the global phenomenon. "The moment that touched my heart most deeply was when fans living overseas told me, 'I am so proud to be Asian, to be Korean,'" Lee said. "It was immensely gratifying to receive emotions beyond imagination just from starring in a single series." Co-star Lee Byung-hun also recalled the massive global reaction to the

Oct 25, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Netflix marks 10 years in Korea, unveiling new star-studded lineup
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