The Korea Times

Everland fireflies light up summer darkness

YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province — Step out of the scorching heat and into the twilight air, where a dim, canvas-draped shelter marks the gateway to one of summer’s most magical spectacles. Here, visitors pause to learn the fragile secret of the firefly: a creature that spends an entire year preparing for just about 10 fleeting days of illuminated adulthood. Descend the basement steps, and the world transforms. You emerge into an exhibition hall shrouded in shadow, softly pulsing with thousands of tiny, living embers. It feels like stepping into a bioluminescent fantasy forest. "Fireflies carry tiny lanterns on their abdomens — one light organ for females, two for males," explains Kim Jin-mok, a dedicated zookeeper who oversees the sanctuary. "These sparks are a language of survival. They serve as a warning to predators, a quiet plea for defense and a glowing love song to attract a mate in the dark." Kim speaks with quiet reverence for his tiny charges. "Fireflies are environmental bellwethers. They can only thrive in untouched, pristine ecosystems, so their presence is a living gentle rem

Aug 9, 2026By Park Jin-hai

Everland fireflies light up summer darkness

Shows & Dramas

Jung Hae-in explores 'sweet, sticky' romance in Netflix drama

Actor Jung Hae-in plays a lifelong single guy devoted to his first love in the Netflix rom-com "Our Sticky Love," an unconventional series that mixes romance, comedy and action. The upcoming drama follows the messy, sweet cohabitation of a prosecutor with amnesia (Ha Young) and a boxing coach who insists he's her boyfriend (Jung). Centered on a relationship as inseparable as "yeot" (traditional Korean taffy), the series is generating global buzz for the fresh chemistry between the two leads. "When I first heard it, I thought it was pretty bold," Jung said during a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, admitting the Korean title — which translates literally to "yeot-like love" — initially caught him off guard. "Because yeot is a traditional candy, I took it as a 'candy-like' kind of love — sweet, sticky and charming. What pulled me in most was the storyline. The script was an absolute page-turner. It starts as a rom-com, turns into a melodrama, dips into thriller and noir territory, and then weaves back to romance. That blend really drew me in." Director Kim Jang-han noted that th

Aug 5, 2026By Park Jin-hai

Jung Hae-in explores 'sweet, sticky' romance in Netflix drama

Shows & Dramas

'Flex X Cop' promises blockbuster thrills, new rivalry

Actor Ahn Bo-hyun returns as Jin Yi-soo, the eccentric third-generation tycoon turned detective, as the hit SBS action-comedy series "Flex X Cop" gears up for its second season with a bigger budget, grander scale and a whole new dynamic. Returning two years after its hit first season — which reached a peak viewership rating of 11 percent — the series expands its signature premise: When traditional police investigations hit a wall, Yi-soo simply flips the board using his vast family wealth, personal network, supercar collection and private jets. Returning to the Violent Crimes Unit after completing formal police academy training, Yi-soo brings a newfound maturity to his signature flamboyant style. "Yi-soo’s core personality is still the same default setting he was born with, but completing his time at the police academy has definitely made him a bit more mature," Ahn shared confidently during a press conference for the drama at SBS headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday. "Viewers can look forward to seeing a cooler, upgraded version of Yi-soo in action." The scale of the action has also bee

Aug 4, 2026By Park Jin-hai

'Flex X Cop' promises blockbuster thrills, new rivalry

Shows & Dramas

Korean streaming platforms pivot to 24/7 'binge channels'

In an era of rising subscription fatigue, Korea’s domestic streaming platforms have adopted free offerings on a limited release schedule to retain users, turning passive viewing into daily habits through continuous engagement. Major local players like Wavve and Tving are increasingly embracing a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) model. By offering dedicated 24-hour channels that stream popular shows without requiring a paid subscription, streaming services aim to lower entry barriers, boost retention and unlock new advertising revenue streams. Wavve recently expanded its free offerings by launching 24/7 channels featuring smash-hit tvN dramas like "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2016), "Hotel del Luna" (2019) and "My Mister" (2018). Following its latest platform revamp, 133 out of Wavve's 152 live channels are now free to access for registered members on both free and paid tiers. While Netflix leads the market in monthly active users, Wavve punches above its weight in user engagement. According to recent data, Wavve recorded an average monthly watch time per user of 464 minu

Aug 3, 2026By Park Jin-hai

Korean streaming platforms pivot to 24/7 'binge channels'

Shows & Dramas

'Agent Kim Reactivated' kicks off 2nd chapter of his career, So Ji-sub says

Actor So Ji-sub has spent nearly three decades in front of the camera, but the resounding global success of his latest series "Agent Kim Reactivated" has left him feeling as though he is on the set of a hidden camera show. The SBS action drama, streamed worldwide on Netflix, follows a seemingly mild-mannered bank accounting manager who is forced to unearth his dangerous past to save his kidnapped teenage daughter. Critics and viewers alike have dubbed the show a "Korean-style John Wick," praising its balance of sharp comedy, emotional drama and visceral action. The response has been immediate. The series broke a 20 percent television viewership rating in Korea in just four episodes — becoming the second-highest-rated Friday-Saturday drama in SBS history — and spent three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Netflix’s global top 10 list for non-English television shows. "To be honest, reaching a 20 percent rating doesn't quite make sense to me," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Thursday. "The other actors and the director kept asking each other, 'Is thi

Jul 31, 2026By Park Jin-hai

'Agent Kim Reactivated' kicks off 2nd chapter of his career, So Ji-sub says

Korean Heritage

UNESCO session wraps up with tidal flats expansion, Busan Declaration

The 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee concluded Wednesday in Busan after nearly two weeks of diplomatic and cultural deliberations, adding 25 new sites to the World Heritage List and drawing tens of thousands of visitors to its side events. The gathering at BEXCO, which began July 19, marked the first time Korea has hosted the international committee. According to organizers, approximately 3,000 delegates representing 196 member countries attended the proceedings in person. Concurrently, the "K-Heritage House" public exhibition hall at BEXCO drew more than 120,000 visitors, highlighting public interest in heritage preservation and cultural experiences. Out of 33 agenda items submitted for review, the committee adopted 28 by consensus — approving 25 new listings, two major site expansions and one criteria modification. Notable additions included Greece’s Mount Olympus region, France's 1944 Normandy Landing Beaches, Japan’s ancient capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, and the Roças of São Tomé and Príncipe. The session marked historic milestones, including the first W

Jul 29, 2026By Park Jin-hai

UNESCO session wraps up with tidal flats expansion, Busan Declaration

Korean Heritage

UNESCO heritage chief praises Korea's global leadership

BUSAN — In a historic milestone for Asian heritage diplomacy, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee convened in Korea for its 48th session, marking the first time the country has hosted the prestigious international gathering. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, expressed deep gratitude to the Korean government and emphasized the nation’s rising stature in global heritage preservation. "This World Heritage Committee session is a very important and historic one, because it is the first one we are having here in the Republic of Korea," Eloundou Assomo said during an interview session at BEXCO in Busan, Friday. "Being here in Busan marks the demonstration of the commitment of the Republic of Korea to its cooperation with UNESCO, and in particular for world heritage." Addressing sensitive international issues, including Thursday’s World Heritage Committee decision calling on Japan to fully reflect the “whole history”— notably wartime forced labor of Koreans — at the Sado Island Gold Mines, Eloundou Assomo framed the committee’s process as one

Jul 26, 2026By Park Jin-hai

UNESCO heritage chief praises Korea's global leadership

Korean Heritage

UNESCO expands World Heritage status of Korea's tidal flats

BUSAN — The UNESCO on Saturday expanded the boundaries of Korea’s tidal flats in its World Heritage list, approving the addition of four key coastal regions to bolster protection for endangered migratory birds and marine life. The decision by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, meeting for its 48th session here, adopts a significant boundary modification for the natural heritage property named "Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats." First inscribed in 2021, the heritage originally covered four zones: Gochang, Boseong-Suncheon and Sinan in Jeolla provinces and Seocheon in South Chungcheong Province. The Phase 2 expansion incorporates crucial tidal flats in Yeosu, Goheung and Muan in South Jeolla Province, as well as Seosan in South Chungcheong Province. The committee recognized that the tidal flats satisfy the World Heritage criterion for the conservation of biodiversity and endangered species. In particular, it highly valued the natural heritage sites for contributing to the conservation of internationally important migratory waterbirds and diverse marine life as a key habitat within the Wes

Jul 25, 2026By Park Jin-hai

UNESCO expands World Heritage status of Korea's tidal flats

Korean Heritage

Contemporary Korean heritage performance lights up Busan

BUSAN — Inspired by the 22nd hexagram of the I Ching — symbolizing "refined beauty resting upon true essence" — the performance "Sanhwabi: HEXAGRAM 22," a special congratulatory show for Korea's hosting of the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee here, transformed the stage into a vibrant intersection of past and present. Held "in search of the core strength and new frontiers of intangible cultural heritage," the production presented a sweeping reinterpretation of Korea's centuries-old artistic traditions, fusing classical masterworks with striking contemporary elements. Organized into seven thematic movements — breath, sound, line, light, pan (communal space), rite and harmony — the showcase demonstrated how living heritage can evolve while honoring its roots. The performance opened with a grand entrance from behind the audience as members of "Daechwita" (traditional Korean military music), dressed in traditional yellow robes with blue sashes, marched in to recreate the royal processionals of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The stately opening transitioned into

Jul 24, 2026By Park Jin-hai

Contemporary Korean heritage performance lights up Busan

Travel & Food

Chollipo Arboretum: Where plants are the true masters

TAEAN, South Chungcheong Province — Along the windswept west coast of Korea, a unique botanical garden has spent over half a century proving that the best way to grow a forest is to leave it completely alone. Founded in 1970, Chollipo Arboretum holds the historic distinction of being Korea’s first private arboretum. It was established by Carl Ferris Miller, a former U.S. Navy officer who naturalized as a Korean citizen under the name Min Pyong-gal. Miller passed away in 2002, but his foundational philosophy remains strictly intact at the arboretum, where human intervention is kept to an absolute minimum. The garden’s beginning was notoriously difficult. It was planted on a barren, sandy shoreline constantly battered by harsh coastal winds and salty marine air. Instead of fighting these elements, the arboretum allowed the environment to naturally shape the landscape. What makes this a cultural and ecological marvel is its radical policy against artificial pruning. In a region where traditional gardens often feature meticulously sculpted hedges and geometrically balanced trees, Chol

Jul 24, 2026By Park Jin-hai

Park Jin-hai

Read more

Everland fireflies light up summer darkness

Jung Hae-in explores 'sweet, sticky' romance in Netflix drama

'Flex X Cop' promises blockbuster thrills, new rivalry

Korean streaming platforms pivot to 24/7 'binge channels'

'Agent Kim Reactivated' kicks off 2nd chapter of his career, So Ji-sub says

UNESCO session wraps up with tidal flats expansion, Busan Declaration

UNESCO heritage chief praises Korea's global leadership

UNESCO expands World Heritage status of Korea's tidal flats

Contemporary Korean heritage performance lights up Busan

Chollipo Arboretum: Where plants are the true masters

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