The Korea Times

Inside China's panda city, where conservation and tourism coexist

CHENGDU, China — The moment plane touches down in Chengdu, it is immediately clear this is China’s panda capital. Giant black-and-white sculptures line the arrival hall, cartoon pandas beam from wayfinding signs and duty-free displays, and airport cafes serve lattes topped with foamy panda faces. It is a preview of a metropolis where China’s most beloved animal is everywhere, from street murals to subway ads, and sits at the city's cultural identity and tourism boom. As endangered species, giant pandas are one of only three panda species, and they are only found in China. Around 1,800 are believed to be the total number of live giant pandas, cool and humid bamboo forests in the mountains in Sichuan Province, where Chengdu is the capital, is home to 72 percent of them. The city has transformed the ecological trait into a powerful tourism brand. At the heart of its “panda city” image is the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. “This base covers about 3,570 acres,” said panda tour guide Zhao Liping as she was leading a group of reporters past leafy enclosures at the

Jul 9, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Inside China's panda city, where conservation and tourism coexist

Others

Korea launches 1st direct probe into stock manipulation by TV staff

Korea’s financial regulator has launched an unprecedented probe into allegations of stock manipulation involving employees of Maeil Business TV, marking the first case initiated directly by its special judicial police. According to financial investment industry sources, the Financial Supervisory Service’s (FSS) Capital Markets Special Judicial Police, conducted a search and seizure on the broadcaster’s headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday, securing relevant materials. Authorities suspect that three individuals — a producer, a program host and a guest contributor — purchased stocks using nonpublic information obtained through their work. They are believed to have promoted the same stocks on air, driving up prices before selling them for profit. The FSS estimates the illicit gains exceeded 1 billion won ($720,000). The case is notable as the first investigation launched independently by the FSS without a prior referral from the Securities and Futures Commission. The move follows expanded authority granted to the agency earlier this year, allowing it to initiate probes directly when

Jul 8, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Korea launches 1st direct probe into stock manipulation by TV staff

Books

Nobel Laureate Han Kang's Seoul bookstore closes amid gentrification

Korean author Han Kang’s independent bookstore, “Onul Books,” has closed its doors after eight years, Wednesday, marking the end of a literary space that had drawn devoted readers from across the country and abroad. The bookstore, which had opened in Seoul’s Yangjae neighborhood in 2018 and relocated to the city’s historic Seochon neighborhood in 2023, became known not only for its curated selection of books but also for its intimate literary programs such as a book club, reading sessions and writing classes. Han stepped down as head of the bookstore in 2021 and joined its board. “The shared sensory experience of reading together in the bookstore was truly meaningful,” Han told reporters on Tuesday at the bookstore before its last reading session with visitors. Han personally hosted the final reading event, spending time with readers who gathered to mark the closing. The bookstore had gained heightened attention after Han won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024, drawing a steady stream of visitors, including international fans. Han attributed the closure to circumstances

Jul 8, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Nobel Laureate Han Kang's Seoul bookstore closes amid gentrification

Music

Ysaye Int'l Music Competition to stage final round in Korea

The Ysaye International Music Competition, a global platform for young violinists founded in Belgium, will hold its final round in Korea this year for the first time, reflecting Asia's growing importance in the classical music world. The 2026 finals will take place July 10 and 11 at Incheon Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province, co-hosted by the Korea International Arts School and the Belgian organization. The competition, launched in 2018 in Liege, birthplace of Belgian violinist-composer Eugene Ysaye, has until now held all its stages in Belgium. This year, 121 applicants from 23 countries entered the competition, with preliminary and semifinal rounds already held in Belgium. Twenty violinists are expected to compete at the finals. Competition director and founder Elena Lavrenova said the decision to move the finals abroad for the first time was driven by both artistic philosophy and geography. “We chose Korea because we had the best partners in Korea,” she said during a press conference, adding that the majority of applicants now come from Asia. She stressed that the competition, built

Jul 7, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Ysaye Int'l Music Competition to stage final round in Korea

Others

Upcoming conference to spotlight Homer Hulbert’s legacy

An academic conference in Seoul next week will shine new light on the legacy of Homer Hulbert (1863–1949), the American educator who devoted himself to Korea’s independence movement. The Hulbert Memorial Society and the Seoul YMCA said Friday they will co-host the “140th Anniversary Academic Conference Commemorating Dr. Hulbert’s Arrival in Korea” next Tuesday in Seoul. Under the theme “Hulbert’s Study of the Korean People and the Impact of His Independence Activities on Later Generations,” scholars and activists will examine how the missionary and educator’s work on Korean history and culture and his advocacy on the international stage shaped the modern Korean identity and inspired future independence figures. Kim Dong-jin, chairman of the Hulbert Memorial Society, will deliver the keynote address, outlining Hulbert’s major contributions as a teacher, historian and advocate for Korea. Subsequent presentations will be given by Bok Ki-dae, a professor at Inha University, linguist Choi Yong-gi, and Yonsei University's Professor Emeritus Seol Seong-gyeong. Seol is set to

Jul 3, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Upcoming conference to spotlight Homer Hulbert’s legacy

Others

Pope Leo willing to visit N. Korea for peace on Korean Peninsula, Cardinal You says

Cardinal You Heung-sik said Friday that Pope Leo is willing to visit North Korea in an attempt to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, yet whether the papal visit to the North can happen will "depend entirely on what stances it chooses to take." Speaking at a press conference in Seoul, where he spends his summer vacation, the Vatican Dicastery for Clergy prefect said Leo “has the will to be ready for anything for the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula.” The cardinal's comments came about two weeks after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visited Vatican City, where he requested the pope visit North Korea. Lee was among a small number of South Korean presidents who have asked for a papal visit to Pyongyang. No such visit has yet happened. “(Since the pope's inauguration) whenever I had the chance, I shared this hope with him,” You added. “The pope replied that he too hoped it would turn out that way — if there is anything he can do for peace on the Korean Peninsula, he is ready to do it.” You said the pope now “waits for that day to come quickly,” and that the papal

Jul 3, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Pope Leo willing to visit N. Korea for peace on Korean Peninsula, Cardinal You says

Trends

Blooming trumpet vines become symbol of Korean summer

Neungsohwa, or trumpet vine, is emerging as a summer icon for young Koreans, who increasingly treat its blooming season as an experience to savor. Part of the trumpet creeper family, the plant produces clusters of large flowers in vivid shades of yellow and orange. It sends long, flexible stems up walls, fences and tree trunks, reaching heights of up to 10 meters. It typically blooms from July to September, peaking around August. Its blooms spill over theatrically, highlighting even small spaces and creating a sense of drama. The plant is hardy, tolerating heat, rain and wind, and has long been cultivated at homes and gardens around Korea. The flower’s recent popularity roots in its name and symbolism. The name of the flower can be translated as "insulting the sky." Essays have gone viral on social media playing with the idea of “laughing at” or “defying” the harsh summer sky, along with the season's monsoon rains, typhoons and oppressive heat. Old stories describe the flower as a sign of dignity and integrity even in decline, as its blossoms drop intact rather than scattering

Jun 30, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Blooming trumpet vines become symbol of Korean summer

Sports

Korea's World Cup elimination intensifies scrutiny of tactics, criticism of KFA

Korea’s failure to reach the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has unleashed a wave of fury back home. Fans and experts say the result was not a sudden collapse but the inevitable outcome of years of mismanagement, elitism and controversy surrounding the Korea Football Association (KFA). The team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, finished third in Group A on Wednesday (local time) despite what many saw as the “easiest” World Cup draw in the country’s modern football history. The team then slipped to ninth among all group runners-up, missing out on the expanded knockout stage, which allowed the top eight third-placed teams to go through. The final blow came Saturday (local time) when the Democratic Republic of Congo beat Uzbekistan 3-1 in their last Group K match, a result that mathematically confirmed Korea’s elimination. The manner of exit has sharpened criticism of Hong’s tactical approach and the KFA’s governance. “Maybe we’ve been expecting this for years,” former national team captain and commentator Park Ji-sung said in JTBC’s broadcast after the game.

Jun 28, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Korea's World Cup elimination intensifies scrutiny of tactics, criticism of KFA

Films

From bar owner to village chief: director Lee Yu-jin’s ‘Manok’ puts middle-aged lesbian in charge

A middle-aged queer woman rarely leads Korean films, let alone cheerful political comedies set in a sleepy village. With “Manok” (2025), director Lee Yu-jin wanted to start right there — with what she calls an “imperfect hero” charging toward a “too much” happy ending. Middle-aged queer hero Lee began with a simple desire: make a queer comedy with a happy ending. Out of that goal, the idea of self-admitted “kkondae lesbian,” Manok, took shape. “Stories about young queer characters often revolve around first love or identity crisis,” she said during an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday. “I was more interested in someone who has already lived as a queer person and now has to deal with everything else life throws at her.” Equally important was avoiding the “model minority” trap that queer characters often fall into. “I didn’t want her to be a good, exemplary person,” Lee said, mentioning that she has watched how real-life queer figures who come out publicly are often held to an unusually high moral standard. “Why do you have to be perfect just to exi

Jun 25, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

From bar owner to village chief: director Lee Yu-jin’s ‘Manok’ puts middle-aged lesbian in charge

Travel & Food

Korean swimming culture explained: Guide to local pools and etiquette

Swimming in Korea is not just about finding a pool and diving in. For many locals and long-term residents, it means crash course in bureaucracy, unspoken rules and shared shower culture. As Seoul slips into summer, as the city begins to feel hotter and more crowded by the day, there's no better time to learn about Korea's rules for the pool. This guide brings together the experiences of Korean and foreign swimmers in Korea to help you navigate like a local, from registration and etiquette to a few recommended places to dip your toes. Why swimming in Korea feels confusing Compared with many countries, swimming in Korea comes with a noticeably high entry barrier. Fees can be steep, free-swim hours are limited and registration systems are often designed with Korean-speaking, tech-saavy users in mind. “Even Koreans struggle to find information about pools, free-swim slots and lessons. There’s even less information in English, so I imagine it could be confusing for foreigners,” said Lee Da-eun, a Gyeonggi-based amateur swimmer who started after a new pool opened next to her home in Uiwa

Jun 25, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Lee Hae-rin

Read more

Inside China's panda city, where conservation and tourism coexist

Korea launches 1st direct probe into stock manipulation by TV staff

Nobel Laureate Han Kang's Seoul bookstore closes amid gentrification

Ysaye Int'l Music Competition to stage final round in Korea

Upcoming conference to spotlight Homer Hulbert’s legacy

Pope Leo willing to visit N. Korea for peace on Korean Peninsula, Cardinal You says

Blooming trumpet vines become symbol of Korean summer

Korea's World Cup elimination intensifies scrutiny of tactics, criticism of KFA

From bar owner to village chief: director Lee Yu-jin’s ‘Manok’ puts middle-aged lesbian in charge

Korean swimming culture explained: Guide to local pools and etiquette

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