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Kim Se-jeong

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

I am covering trend, food and fashion. Previously, I covered diplomacy, city, environment and unification.

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Books

Korean literature continues its global journey at London Book Fair

Renowned Korean writers, including novelist Gu Byeong-mo and award-winning children's book author Choi Yeon-ju, will be featured at this year’s London Book Fair, building on growing global interest in Korean literature. The Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA) will operate the Korean booth at the event, where 10 Korean publishers will promote their own titles and the agency will showcase 101 additional books entrusted to it for overseas rights promotion. The fair runs from Tuesday through Thursday (local time). Munhakdongne will seek international publication deals for Gu's novel "Cut Wound," published last year. The book follows a woman who can read people’s memories and emotions by touching their wounds. The story unfolds after she encounters a businessman who seeks to exploit her unusual ability. The novel is currently a bestseller in Korea and recently won both the Kim You Jeong Newcomer Literary Award and the Hahn Moo-sook Literary Prize. Choi Yeon-ju’s “Mo Story” (2023) depicts the journey of a kitten through a forest and the process of building courage

Mar 9, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Korean literature continues its global journey at London Book Fair
Travel & Food

4 places in Yeongwol to visit after watching ‘The King’s Warden’

Yeongwol, a quiet county of 36,000 people tucked into the mountains of Gangwon Province, was always there. Then the film "The King's Warden" hit 11 million admissions on Sunday, a little over a month after its Feb. 4 release, and suddenly everyone wants to see the place where a boy king spent his final days. The historical film follows Joseon’s sixth monarch, King Danjong (1441-57), who ascended the throne at age 12 and was later killed at 17 while in exile in this remote mountain town. Now the rest of Korea is paying attention. Local authorities report an average of 2,000 visitors a day since the film's release, rising to as many as 6,000 on weekends, with blogs and social media filling up with photos and reviews from those who made the trip. For those planning to follow, The Korea Times has compiled four destinations featured in the film that are worth visiting. Cheongnyeongpo Cheongnyeongpo, where Danjong was first exiled, is one of Yeongwol’s most historically significant sites. The young king stayed there only briefly before moving to nearby Gwanpungheon after flooding made the a

Mar 9, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
4 places in Yeongwol to visit after watching ‘The King’s Warden’
Arts & Theater

Actor Park Shin-yang explores inner world in new art exhibition

Since his debut in 1992, actor Park Shin-yang has spent decades inhabiting the lives of others on screen. Early in his career, he played a Buddhist monk in “Yuri” (1996), a mafia leader in “A Promise” (1998) and a divorced businessman in "Lovers in Paris" (2004). More recently, he appeared as a lawyer in the KBS drama series “My Lawyer, Mr. Jo” (2016). Offscreen, however, Park has long focused on understanding himself. Over the years, he read widely in psychology and philosophy, took courses and turned to painting as a way to explore his thoughts and emotions. Nearly four decades of introspection have culminated in an exhibition that opened at Sejong Museum of Art on Friday. Titled “The 4th Wall," the exhibition reflects Park’s attempt to bridge the distance between artist and viewers. In theater, the fourth wall refers to the invisible barrier separating actors from the audience. The exhibition features nearly 150 works with several recurring motifs. One of them is the apple. Park began painting apples after receiving one from a philosopher he deeply respected. “As time

Mar 6, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Actor Park Shin-yang explores inner world in new art exhibition
Books

1 year, 1 publisher, 9,000 books: AI-generated titles flood Korean shelves

For generations, Koreans have regarded books as the most reliable form of information. They're slower than social media, but more carefully made and more accountable. That basic trust is now under strain as generative artificial intelligence (AI) quietly fills bookstores and e-book platforms with nonfiction titles on self-help, money management and other popular topics, often with little transparency about who — or what — wrote them. The rapid spread of AI-generated books forces an uncomfortable question: When you pick up a book in Korea today, how sure can you be that a human mind stands behind it? Quantity over quality That question already has an answer visible on the shelves. In brick-and-mortar bookstores and libraries, readers are running into titles that feature tables of contents that look plausible at first glance, but open to pages with unnatural phrasing and uncanny images that bear little relation to the text. On online storefronts, the pattern becomes even clearer. Many covers have eerily similar artwork with auto-generated titles, and some small, unknown publishers are

Feb 26, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
1 year, 1 publisher, 9,000 books: AI-generated titles flood Korean shelves
Arts & Theater

Ballet revives independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun's sacrifice

Before Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun was executed in 1910 at Lushun Prison in Dalian, China, he said that when he heard news of Korea’s liberation from heaven, he would dance and cheer. More than a century later, a Seoul ballet company is trying to give him that dance. M Ballet Company is reviving “Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven” in commemoration of Korea’s Independence Movement Day, which falls on March 1. The production honors Ahn by depicting his life and sacrifices through dance, tracing the emotional toll the struggle for independence took on his family. “It can be tough subject matter for dance, but we’ve restaged this with nonstop action, eliminating any dull moments. It will be an ideal piece for families to enjoy together,” M Ballet Company director Yang Young-eun told The Korea Times during an interview in Seoul on Tuesday. After opening in the southwestern city of Gwangju earlier this month, the troupe will bring the ballet to Seoul on March 7 and 8, followed by a performance in Daegu on March 12. Ahn is best known for assassinating Ito Hirobum

Feb 25, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Ballet revives independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun's sacrifice
Korean Heritage

PHOTO Robot takes charge of royal palace patrol

A patrolling robot named Sullabot roams around Changdeok Palace in Seoul, Friday. According to the Korea Heritage Service, the pilot project is aimed at addressing blind spots in palace management. Sullabots will be used until March 9, after which authorities will decide whether to keep them permanently. The word "sulla" refers to soldiers patrolling the palace walls during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Yonhap

Feb 20, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
[PHOTO] Robot takes charge of royal palace patrol
Music

'The Rose: Come Back to Me' traces Korean indie band's rise, struggles

“The Rose: Come Back to Me” opens with a familiar image in K-pop storytelling — young musicians chasing a dream — but quickly turns into something less typical: a story about a Korean indie rock band determined to retain creative control, even when it costs them years in court. Released in theaters on Feb. 14, the documentary follows The Rose, a four-member band that has built a global following largely outside the traditional K-pop idol system. Rather than focusing on trainee camps, survival shows or major agencies, the film tracks how the group formed organically, wrote its own songs and tried to protect its creative voice in an industry built around tightly managed idols. That perspective sets it apart from recent Korean pop-centered documentaries. Streaming platforms have spotlighted major idol acts in polished behind-the-scenes features such as “BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky” and “BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star,” as well as audition docuseries like “Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE.” While “The Rose: Come Back to Me” exists in the same genre of global K-pop document

Feb 19, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
'The Rose: Come Back to Me' traces Korean indie band's rise, struggles
Trends

Korea emerges as global hub for food tech innovation

Technology is reshaping nearly every stage of how we eat — from distribution and selection to purchase and consumption. Lunch arrives with a tap on a delivery app. Groceries appear at the door hours after an online order. Some consumers now pay using nothing more than their face, while others ask artificial intelligence (AI) assistants what to eat or which coffee beans suit their taste. For Lee Ki-won, a food tech professor at Seoul National University (SNU), this is not a passing phase but a preview of where the global food industry is headed. With an academic background in food science and biotechnology, he founded the FoodTech Department at SNU six years ago and runs the FoodTech Emergence Center on campus, where students are trained to build food tech businesses. Food tech refers to technologies applied to food consumption and distribution, which Lee distinguishes from traditional food technology. “Food technology has more to do with production, using engineering and science, often traditional science,” Lee told The Korea Times in an interview in Seoul, Feb. 9. “Food tech is a

Feb 14, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Korea emerges as global hub for food tech innovation
Lifestyle

Culture minister says BTS’ Gwanghwamun concert will showcase Korea to world

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said BTS’ upcoming concert in Seoul will be a major opportunity to promote Korea and its culture to the world, pledging full government support to ensure the event is both successful and safe. “We see this as a prime opportunity to showcase Korea’s traditional culture as well as the very essence of the country to the world. That’s why the ministry has been closely consulting with the BTS team to make the concert successful and safe,” Chae said during a press conference, Thursday. The mega K-pop group's free concert is slated for March 21 at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul. According to local police, the event could draw as many as 260,000 people to the venue. “The fact that an artist like BTS is kicking off a new chapter at Gwanghwamun Square, Korea’s most iconic spot, is very meaningful and I feel truly grateful to BTS,” Chae said. He added that the government will ensure that BTS fans visiting from abroad have a memorable experience during their stay. "As many tourists are expected from overseas, we will make sure their visit is fun

Feb 12, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Culture minister says BTS’ Gwanghwamun concert will showcase Korea to world
Arts & Theater

Arts Council Korea calls for applications for Seoul art residency

The Arts Council Korea (ARKO) is currently accepting applications for its visual artists residency program in Seoul for this year. Launched last year to support artistic creation and promote exchange between Korean and international artists, the ARKO Art Studio will host 10 artists — six international artists and four local. Applicants with at least five years of creative experience are eligible to apply, including international artists currently residing in Korea. Selected artists will be provided with private studio space in Seoul’s Pyeongchang-dong and will be invited to participate in Korean cultural tours, a matching program with local curators or columnists, a mentorship program and networking events. ARKO will also arrange studio visits by curators from Korean and international galleries. At the end of the residency, participants will take part in a two-month group exhibition at the ARKO Art Center in downtown Seoul. The program will run in two rounds — the first runs from March through July, while the second takes place from August to December. Applicants may choose the res

Feb 6, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Arts Council Korea calls for applications for Seoul art residency
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