The Korea Times

Korea-Mongolia research leads to UNESCO recognition of Xiongnu noble tombs

Among the new items on the UNESCO World Heritage List were a major group of Xiongnu noble tombs in Mongolia, and a decades-long joint research with Korea has helped Mongolia win the UNESCO heritage status. The National Museum of Korea said Monday that the cemetery complexes of the Xiongnu nobility, including the Duurlig Nars burial complex in eastern Mongolia, were inscribed on the UNESCO heritage site at the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee last weekend in Busan. The recognition follows more than 30 years of collaboration between the Korean museum, the Institute of Archaeology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences and the National Museum of Mongolia. Among the six sites listed, Duurlig Nars stands out as a key archaeological complex extensively studied by a Korea-Mongolia joint research team since 2006. Located in Khentii Province, the site contains around 300 tombs and is considered one of the largest Xiongnu burial clusters in the region. Excavations have uncovered artifacts that point to wide-ranging exchanges across Eurasia during the Xiongnu Empire (3rd century B.

Jul 27, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Korea-Mongolia research leads to UNESCO recognition of Xiongnu noble tombs

Korean Heritage

Korean heritage exhibition at Busan UNESCO meeting draws over 70,000 visitors

K-Heritage House, a venue showcasing Korean heritage set up to mark the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, drew over 70,000 visitors in its first six days, underscoring growing global interest in Korean culture, officials said Sunday. According to the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), 72,143 people visited the pavilion at BEXCO’s Exhibition Hall 1 from July 20-25, averaging over 10,000 visitors a day. Attendance peaked on Saturday, when 19,385 people entered in a single day, the highest since its opening. Spanning the size of two football fields, the pavilion features 45 booths organized by 35 institutions under four themes — heritage through advanced technology, living intangible heritage, the past, present and future of heritage, and interactive experiences. A surge in visitors prompted organizers to close the admission queue early at around 3 p.m., Saturday, for safety reasons. The exhibition, jointly organized by 35 institutions including the KHS, the National Archives of Korea and the Busan Metropolitan Government, features exhibitions and interactive prog

Jul 26, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Korean heritage exhibition at Busan UNESCO meeting draws over 70,000 visitors

Shows & Dramas

More brutal, more human: actor Lee Dong-wook on 'A Shop for Killers' Season 2

For Lee Dong-wook, returning to Disney+’s “A Shop for Killers” meant more than reviving a once-presumed-dead uncle who runs a clandestine weapons mall for assassins — it meant quietly adding 8 kilograms, guzzling water to “not look older” and rethinking what it means to be a guardian. Lee plays Jeong Jin-man in the Disney+ action thriller, a former team leader for the mercenary company Babylon, now the operator of a clandestine shopping mall, fighting to protect his niece Ji-an and push back against Babylon’s network. The first season drew strong international acclaim, landing on The New York Times’ best international TV show list and among Time magazine’s top four Korean dramas of the year in 2024. Released Wednesday with two episodes and rolling out two more every Wednesday for a total of eight, Season 2 follows Ji-an as the mall’s new CEO join forces with her uncle to launch a full-scale counterattack. “I’m grateful we could come back with Season 2 because Season 1 was loved so much,” Lee said during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul Thursday. “It

Jul 23, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

More brutal, more human: actor Lee Dong-wook on 'A Shop for Killers' Season 2

Arts & Theater

Seoul to turn into citywide art playground with Kiaf, Frieze in September

Seoul is gearing up for a blockbuster month of art and culture in September, as Kiaf Seoul and Frieze Seoul return with expanded citywide programs ranging from classical music and public art to film and late-night gallery events. This year’s Kiaf Seoul, Korea’s largest international art fair, runs from Sept. 2-6 at Coex in southern Seoul under the theme “Coexistence,” reflecting on the relationship between humans and technology in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). The Galleries Association of Korea is introducing two special exhibitions — “Humal” and “Virtual Vital” — that examine how human instinct, animal vitality and digital systems intersect in contemporary art. “Humal,” a portmanteau of “human” and “animal,” brings together seven Korean artists, including Kang Gun, Kwak Ji-soo and Hwang Soo-yeon, in sculpture, installation, painting and photography that foreground the body and primal sensibilities long suppressed by rationalism and civilization. “Virtual Vital” extends the questions raised in “Humal” into augmented reality, inviting vis

Jul 22, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Seoul to turn into citywide art playground with Kiaf, Frieze in September

Arts & Theater

Musical 'Frozen' to fuse K-pop vocals, multi-casting and Disney magic

The musical “Frozen” will arrive in Korea next month as what its creative team called the most refined version of the Disney blockbuster yet, shaped by global experience and local talent. The international crew behind the Korean premiere said Seoul audiences can expect a production that both honors the beloved film and showcases the distinct vocal color and casting style of Korean musical actors. Associate director Adrian Sarple described the Seoul production as a culmination of nearly a decade of workshopping the show around the world. “The Korean production is the version that combines all the ideas and experiences we’ve accumulated over the past eight years on stages worldwide,” he said during a group interview with reporters Thursday. For music supervisor Sebastian de Domenico, the most striking difference in Seoul lies in the sound of the cast. “The vocal style that our Korean performers bring by nature seems to be influenced by K-pop,” he said, explaining that the team specifically asked auditionees to sing both show material and a K-pop track of their choice. “Their

Jul 16, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Musical 'Frozen' to fuse K-pop vocals, multi-casting and Disney magic

Sports

Inside Korea's fiercest football derbies: Local rivalries fuel K League's passion

Everywhere this summer, the World Cup is turning football into a global obsession — and Korea is no exception. But inside the country, interest in the sport doesn't begin or end with the national team; it lives week in, week out in the K League, where, much like in Europe's traditional football heartlands, club rivalries, called "derbies," shape how fans see the game and themselves. Rival cities trade songs, banners and barbs, and even those who can’t explain the offside rule quickly understand what is at stake: pride, belonging and the right to say, “our side won.” For local fans who love their club, football is not just a game but a ritual where the city’s identity is tested and defended for ninety breathless minutes. With that in mind, The Korea Times mapped out four key K League derbies that, based on interviews with 12 devoted, lifelong fans who would do anything to see their club win, offer a vivid window into Korean football’s culture and dynamics. East coast derby: Ulsan vs. Pohang In the K League 1 with 12 teams, the east coast derby is a quintessential regional riva

Jul 16, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Inside Korea's fiercest football derbies: Local rivalries fuel K League's passion

Travel & Food

Chinese tourist surge reignites debate over driving in Jeju

Jeju Island’s renewed push to allow Chinese tourists to drive rental cars on the southern resort island is reigniting a decade-old debate over safety, insurance and legal loopholes. Allowing Chinese tourists to drive could boost visitor spending, according to the island's Vice Governor Park Cheon-su during a livestreamed meeting July 2 with senior provincial government officials. “A large portion of independent foreign travelers are Chinese, but they cannot use rental cars at the moment,” Park said. “If necessary, we could consider providing several hours of driving training in a short period so they can drive, as part of easing regulations.” Park’s remarks quickly triggered a backlash online. Many questioned who would be responsible in the event of accidents and whether Jeju’s already overtaxed road safety system could withstand an influx of foreign drivers inexperienced with Korean traffic systems. In response, the provincial government issued a statement on July 4 explaining that the idea was “not a reviewed or decided policy.” As more Chinese travelers move around the

Jul 14, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Chinese tourist surge reignites debate over driving in Jeju

Travel & Food

Local casinos regain momentum as Chinese group tourists return

Korea’s foreigner-only casinos are gaining renewed momentum this year, triggered by a steady recovery in inbound tourism and expectations of a surge in Chinese group travel in the second half, according to a recent analysis by Shinhan Securities. According to Shinhan’s analysis report, unlike other tourism segments that move with domestic consumption, casino performance is closely tied to inbound flows, making the pace of Chinese visitor growth the key variable for the remainder of the year. “Inbound indicators such as arrivals, foreign spending and foreigner-only casino earnings are now numerically confirming what the market is feeling as an inbound boom,” Ji In-hae, an analyst at Shinhan, said. Korea’s casino industry is open only to foreign visitors as domestic gambling is tightly controlled under Korean law — Kangwon Land is the only casino open to Koreans. Korea launched a temporary visa-free program for Chinese group tourists last September to revive inbound tourism and regional economies. The brokerage expects earnings to improve across the board, but says the extent of

Jul 13, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Local casinos regain momentum as Chinese group tourists return

Music

Bass Yoo Seung-ho wins 2nd prize at Sumi Jo In'tl Singing Competition in France

As the Sumi Jo International Singing Competition wrapped up its second edition in France, Saturday, Korean bass singer Yoo Seung-ho, 25, won second prize in the final round of the contest at La Ferte-Imbault Castle in the Loire region. The top honor went to American baritone Trevor Haumschilt-Rocha, 27, while Romanian soprano Paulo Iancic, 32, finished third. Yoo, a senior in vocal music at Seoul National Univeristy and top graduate of Gyeongbuk Arts High School, was competing abroad for the first time. “I didn’t expect much because all the other participants were so good, and it was my first international competition,” Yoo told reporters after the awards ceremony. “I’m happy to get such a good result. It doesn’t feel real. I want to tell my parents first, and when I return to Korea, I’ll keep studying hard and do my best,” he said. The competition, launched in 2024 as the first international vocal contest named after a Korean soprano, is held every two years for singers aged 18 to 32. Jo serves as part of the jury. This year’s edition drew more than 500 applicants from 5

Jul 12, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Bass Yoo Seung-ho wins 2nd prize at Sumi Jo In'tl Singing Competition in France

Sports

Global talent, local failure: inside contradictions of Korean football

Public outrage over Korean football reached a boiling point after the national team's group-stage exit from the World Cup last month. Discontent had been building especially since 2023, when the Korea Football Association (KFA) appointed and later dismissed former national team coach Juergen Klinsmann, before naming Hong Myung-bo as his successor in 2024. The sports ministry looked for any illegalities regarding the appointments. So did the police. The National Assembly called in KFA President Chung Mong-gyu and Hong to testify. Hong stepped down following Korea's defeat to South Africa last month. On Monday, Chung from the KFA resigned just hours before the inaugural meeting of the K-Football Innovation Committee. On Wednesday, football insiders, lawmakers, grassroots coaches and former players gathered at the National Assembly to examine what had gone wrong within the KFA. Participants agreed that Korean football is facing an unprecedented crisis during the two-hour emergency forum. Speakers described the current state of Korean football as marked by structural problems and warned that,

Jul 9, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

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