Kwon Mee-yoo

KCCUK director believes Korean philosophy is next K-culture

LONDON — When Sun Seung-hye, director of the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK), returned to the British Museum’s Korea Gallery in 2023 — some two decades after she helped ship initial artifacts from Seoul to London — she was struck by how dramatically things had changed. Back in the early 2000s, she worked quietly behind the scenes at the National Museum of Korea, coordinating Korea’s early forays into international cultural recognition. “At that time, sending artifacts to overseas museums felt like the best way to represent Korea,” she said during an interview with The Korea Times at KCCUK on April 24. "Now, it's everywhere — K-pop concerts at Wembley Stadium, Korean contemporary artists at Tate Modern and our literature winning global recognition like the Nobel Prize. It’s astonishing to see how far we've come." Sun, now in her third year as KCCUK director, reflected on her journey from museum curator and public diplomacy expert to leading one of Korea’s foremost global cultural outposts. With academic roots in aesthetics and art history, her career began at the Nat

‘The Great Gatsby’ dazzles London with Korean-led production

LONDON — A dazzling Broadway success crossed the Atlantic, as the musical "The Great Gatsby" made its West End debut at the London Coliseum, Thursday. Led by Korean producer Shin Chun-soo, the musical reimagines F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless tale of ambition, illusion and desire through a contemporary lens, set against the glittering backdrop of the 1920s jazz age. With Jamie Muscato as the enigmatic Jay Gatsby and Frances Mayli McCann as the luminous Daisy Buchanan, the production invites audiences into a world of opulence, longing and heartbreak. Shin — the first Korean and Asian producer to lead a Broadway and West End production independently — described the opening night as “a night where a long-held dream finally came true, filled with mixed emotions of excitement and tension,” during a press conference at the Korean Cultural Center UK in central London, Friday. “I hope West End audiences enjoy our show and take a moment to reflect on how we live,” he added. Formidable cast The West End production opened about a year after its Broadway debut in April 2024. While the

INTERVIEW Brooklyn-brewed, Korea-bound: How Hana Makgeolli is bringing tradition full circle

On a whirlwind tour of Korea, Alice Jun is doing something few could have imagined: reintroducing makgeolli to its birthplace — by way of Brooklyn. Over the past two weeks, the founder and brewer of Hana Makgeolli has been pouring her cloudy, dry alcoholic beverage at tasting events, restaurant pop-ups and seminars across Seoul, offering curious drinkers a new take on the centuries-old tradition. Her flagship Takju 16 Dry surprises the Korean palate with a crisp, tangy complexity, different from the sweet, diluted versions many Koreans remember from college retreats or mountain hikes. For Jun, this moment in Seoul marks a personal and cultural full circle — one that began decades earlier in her California childhood. Jun, a second-generation Korean American raised in Santa Maria, California, first learned to brew from her father. “I kind of learned how to brew like you learn how to cook — not very scientifically, very intuitively,” she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times in Seoul. Years later, as an NYU Stern School of Business student, she rekindled that childhoo

Taean Temple stupa becomes National Treasure

Claire meets Claire: Korean American actor finds her moment on Broadway with ‘Maybe Happy Ending’

For Korean American actor Claire Kwon, her journey to her Broadway principal debut as Claire in "Maybe Happy Ending" felt nothing short of destined. The musical, developed concurrently in Korea and the U.S. and set in a near-future Seoul, tells a story of two Helperbots discovering love, life and mortality. And for Kwon, being part of a production that deeply reflects elements of her cultural identity was both a joyful and proud experience. Kwon joined the Broadway cast in January as an understudy for Claire, a cynical Helperbot 5 living in a yard for outdated models, and officially stepped into the role for the first time on March 19. Her first performance as the lead was a night she’ll never forget. “Wow, my debut was everything I could have dreamed of and more. When I first appeared onstage, I was so overwhelmed by how many people I could hear cheering me on from the audience,” Kwon said in a recent email interview with The Korea Times. “From there, I really tried to focus on telling the story and sharing a beautiful experience with everyone in the theatre. The focus on the st

Goguryeo-era golden seal sold for record price in Hong Kong auction

A golden seal, believed to date back to Korea's ancient Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.E.-668 C.E.), fetched an astounding HK$10.8 million (2.04 billion won or $1.39 million) at a major Hong Kong auction. This amount far surpassed its presale estimate by more than nine times, setting a new record for the price of ancient seals. The golden seal with a horse-shaped knob was auctioned at China Guardian's Hong Kong 2025 spring sale, titled Important Private Asian Collection of Ancient Seals and Bronzes, on Sunday. Initially, its estimated price ranged between $153,800 and $282,100, yet it ultimately garnered a much higher final bid. The relic, standing 2.8 centimeters tall and weighing just 88 grams, bears a Chinese inscription that reads, “Marquis of Guiyi of Goguryeo, conferred by the Jin Dynasty." According to Park Dae-jae, a professor of Korean history at Korea University, this wording indicates that the Jin Dynasty of China likely used the bestowal of official seals as a diplomatic strategy to win over or solidify ties with neighboring states such as Goguryeo, offering insight into the pol

Korea's royal rite music ‘Jongmyo Jeryeak’ enchants Singapore

“Jongmyo Jeryeak,” a traditional Korean musical ritual originating from the royal ancestral ceremonies of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), captivated international audiences during its recent debut performance in Singapore. Presented by Korea’s National Gugak Center, Jongmyo Jeryeak was performed at the Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay on Friday and Saturday as part of the venue’s annual "A Tapestry of Sacred Music." This festival, now in its 16th edition, celebrates spiritual and religious music from around the world, emphasizing themes of harmony and healing. This year’s event featured artists from 10 countries, including Brazil, Turkey, France, India and Japan, alongside Korea. Designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Jongmyo Jeryeak historically accompanied ancestral rituals at Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul, paying homage to the deceased kings and queens of Joseon. Composed of ceremonial orchestral music and matching dance movements, the ritual has been continuously practiced for over 600 years, representing Confucian ideals of respect and reverence.

'Wicked' brings emerald magic to Korea with stellar international cast

The touring production of the blockbuster musical "Wicked" will open in Korea in July, marking a highly anticipated return after 13 years. Following successful runs in Australia and Singapore, the production draws attention with its acclaimed international cast, headlined by Sheridan Adams as Elphaba and Courtney Monsma as Glinda. Adams, who dreamed of playing Elphaba since first hearing Idina Menzel's iconic "Defying Gravity," secured her lead role after impressing creators with her powerful audition performance. Her portrayal over 400 performances of the fiery green witch who challenges social norms has already garnered praise. Opposite Adams, Monsma portrays the good witch with bright charisma and a clear voice, adding subtle complexity to the role. Monsma, who also portrayed Anna in the Australian production of Disney's "Frozen," fell in love with "Wicked" after watching it as her very first musical. Joining Adams and Monsma is Liam Head, who takes on the role of the charismatic Prince Fiyero. Head, whose credits include "Grease" and "Legally Blonde," is a multifaceted artist with ex

King Sejong Institute launches new app for seasonal foreign workers

The King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF) released a new Korean language learning application designed specifically for foreign workers in the agriculture and fisheries industries. Timed to coincide with Korea’s Fishermen’s Day on Wednesday, the app, KSI Korean: Agri & Fisheries, aims to offer practical language support to seasonal laborers. Developed based on the foundation’s 2024 Korean textbooks for agricultural and fisheries workers, the app offers short, 15-minute daily lessons focused on essential vocabulary and expressions commonly used in the workplace. It also features enhanced audio functions to support repetitive listening practice, helping users apply what they learn to real-life situations. The need for accessible Korean language learning tools is growing with the increasing number of seasonal migrant workers in Korea. According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of foreign seasonal laborers in Korea jumped from 30,401 in 2023 to 56,895 in 2024. However, learning Korean has long been a challenge for foreign workers and their employers due to the demanding natur

'Gimbap' curator brings Korea's hidden gems to Gwangjang Market

At Seoul’s bustling Gwangjang Market, already beloved by locals and foreign tourists alike, eager food lovers lined up for a mouthwatering pop-up event featuring five unique varieties of "gimbap," or seaweed rice rolls. This pop-up offers a flavorful journey across Korea without ever leaving the capital — gimbap filled with aromatic "minari" (water parsley) with juicy pork belly from Gunpo's Bujayoung Kimbap and crispy fried cutlassfish from Jeju’s Uncle Tong Gimbap. There's also Sokcho’s famous pollack roe gimbap from Janghong Gimbap and Busan’s fiery combination of spicy chicken, fried tofu and enoki mushrooms from Big Hand Kimbap. Rounding out this lineup is self-proclaimed gimbap curator and pop-up organizer Jung Da-hyeon’s creation: pan-fried, bite-sized kkoma gimbap paired with spicy gochujang (chili pepper paste) beef tartare — inspired by the signature dish of Gwangjang Market. On Thursday, the opening day of the pop-up, the waitlist filled up just eight minutes after the doors opened at 10:30 a.m., with the line stretching along the staircase of the five-story bu