The Korea Times

Where to find Korea's Bakery World Cup-winning shops

A team of four Korean bakers has won La Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie 2026, widely known as the Bakery World Cup, in Paris, Friday (local time). According to the organizer, “Following two days of intense competition, South Korea ... won the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, succeeding the French team, the grand winner of the previous edition.” The team consists of leader Kim Jong-ho, Hwang Seok-yong, Choi Yong-hwan and Kim Myung-gi. The final round saw 10 teams competing under the theme “The Great Inventions of Your Country.” Representing Korea, the team created a piece inspired by the "geobukseon," or turtle ship, an ironclad warship built by Admiral Yi Sun-sin in 1592 during the Imjin War. The vessel is widely credited, along with Yi’s leadership, as a key factor in the victories of the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. “The South Korean trio claimed this latest edition 10 years after their first and only previous victory,” the organizer said on its website. “This achievement highlights South Korean expertise in bakery-patisserie and their mastery

Jan 25, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Where to find Korea's Bakery World Cup-winning shops

Music

Pianist Kim Kang-tae wins 3rd prize at Liszt Piano Competition Utrecht

Pianist Kim Kang-tae, 29, has won third prize at the prestigious Liszt Piano Competition Utrecht in the Netherlands, the Kumho Culture Foundation (KCF) said Sunday. Kim performed Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in the final round, finishing behind Russia’s Alexander Kashpurin, who took first prize, and the U.K.’s Thomas Kelly, who placed second. His awards include 8,000 euros, or approximately 14 million won, professional coaching, a customized website, recording opportunities and recital engagements at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam as well as in Norway, Italy, Hungary and Belgium. Launched in 1986, the competition is held every three years and is open to pianists between the ages of 19 and 29. Other Korean laureates include Minsoo Hong, who won second prize in 2017, and Park Yeon-min, who also took second in 2022. Born in 1997, Kim debuted through KCF’s young artists program. His previous accolades include second prize at the 2018 Takamatsu International Piano Competition, first prize at the 2017 Jirisan International Music Festival Competition and first prize at the 2016 Beijing

Jan 25, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Pianist Kim Kang-tae wins 3rd prize at Liszt Piano Competition Utrecht

Travel & Food

Honey Butter Chip, tanghulu, dujjonku: Rise and fall of Korea’s viral food trends

From convenience store snack aisles to TikTok feeds, Korea’s food scene has repeatedly shown how quickly tastes can rise — and fall. Over the past decade, a stream of viral snacks and desserts has captured public attention, fueled by social media buzz, scarcity marketing and a growing appetite for novelty. Some items vanished almost as quickly as they appeared, while others settled into everyday menus. Looking back at both the blink-and-you-miss-it crazes and the ones that stuck offers a snapshot of how consumer psychology, online virality and health concerns intersect in Korea’s fast-moving food culture. Honey Butter Chip The 150-gram bag of potato chips glazed with honey and butter was catapulted to stardom shortly after its launch in 2014. Within three months, it reportedly became the bestselling product at all three major convenience store chains. Combining salty and sweet flavors, the chips proved irresistibly addictive. Scarcity played a key role in its rise. Production shortages — which some speculated were a marketing tactic — only fueled demand. By early 2016, manufact

Jan 23, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Trends

Foreign residents have low awareness of Culture Day benefits

From time to time, Monica, 36, a working mother from Uzbekistan, and her Korean husband take their daughter Miso, 11, to the cinema near their home in Seoul. Miso loves animated films, and the family considers movie outings a small but meaningful moment amid their busy schedules. But, as Monica recently learned, she has been missing out on a benefit designed to make such experiences more affordable. “We recently watched ‘Zootopia 2’ and paid full price,” Monica told The Korea Times. “If we had known a discount was available on the last Wednesday of the month, we definitely would have planned around it.” The discount Monica was referring to is part of Culture Day, a government initiative designed to make cultural activities more accessible. Introduced in 2014, Culture Day offers reduced or free admission to a wide range of cultural venues such as movie theaters, public museums, galleries, concert halls and sports events on the last Wednesday of every month. In a 2024 survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, six out of 10 Koreans were aware of the program and 66

Jan 23, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Foreign residents have low awareness of Culture Day benefits

Music

Girls' Generation's Seohyun draws mixed reaction with classical music performance

Since her debut as a member of the idol group Girls’ Generation in 2007, Seohyun has been active as a singer, songwriter and actor. Little was known about her hobbies until last week, when an announcement about her latest activity sparked online debate. On Jan. 14, Seohyun’s agency, Kkum Entertainment, announced that the singer would perform on March 13 at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul as a solo violinist with the Sol Philharmonic Orchestra, an ensemble composed of non-professional musicians. “Instead of the perfection of a professional performer, I will show the pure passion of someone who truly enjoys music,” Seohyun was quoted as saying. “I hope that through my challenge, many people will feel closer to classical music and discover its joy.” The announcement also indicated that she has been learning the violin for five months. Critics accused Seohyun of exercising her privilege as a superstar. “Five months of violin lessons … There are areas you shouldn’t touch. Classical music is a natural talent discovered before the age of six, and it takes incredible effort and tuit

Jan 18, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Music

Korean Chamber Orchestra to premiere work by French composer Tailleferre

The Korean Chamber Orchestra (KCO) will open its new season with a concert featuring music by a French composer largely unknown to Korean audiences. According to the orchestra, the KCO will premiere Germaine Tailleferre’s Concertino for Harp and Orchestra with solo harpist Kwon Min-young at its season-opening concert at the Seoul Arts Center, Feb. 10. Tailleferre (1892–1983) was the only female member of Les Six, a group that helped shape French neoclassical music with wit and elegance in the early 20th century. She studied at the Paris Conservatoire and composed prolifically across genres, producing more than 200 works despite persistent gender barriers and the frequent lack of publication of her scores. Active as a composer until the age of 91, her music is marked by lyricism, bitonality and jazz influences. The program also includes Robert Schumann’s Overture, Scherzo and Finale for Orchestra, Op. 52, and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 43, featuring pianist Sun Youl. The concert will conclude with Hungarian composer Zoltán

Jan 15, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Korean Chamber Orchestra to premiere work by French composer Tailleferre

Shows & Dramas

Meet chefs who sparked buzz in ‘Culinary Class Wars’ Season 2

“Culinary Class Wars” Season 2 reignited public interest in competitive cooking shows in Korea — not simply by crowning a winner, but by spotlighting chefs whose personalities, philosophies and life stories resonated with viewers. The season featured an unusually diverse lineup, ranging from veteran chefs with decades of experience to late bloomers who found their calling after multiple career detours, as well as a Buddhist nun devoted to temple cuisine. While the competition was a battle of skills, many viewers found themselves drawn to the contestants’ humor, confidence, vulnerability and willingness to challenge convention. Social media buzz, viral memes and spirited online debates followed each episode, turning the chefs into cultural talking points. Lim Seong-geun Although he did not take home the top prize, chef Lim Seong-geun left perhaps the strongest impression on viewers. Cooking for more than four decades, Lim is both a veteran chef and a content creator, and previously won “Korean Food War” Season 3. Audiences were drawn to his sharp sense of humor, frequent bluffs,

Jan 14, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Meet chefs who sparked buzz in ‘Culinary Class Wars’ Season 2

Korean Heritage

Painting peonies and tigers: Where to learn minhwa in Korea

“Dip your finest brush in color. Keep your brush vertical — this is very important. Lower it gently onto the paper. Don’t apply pressure. You’ll see tiny yellow dots appear,” a teacher told students learning Korean traditional folk painting, demonstrating how to add stamen and pistil to a peony painting during a class in Insa-dong, central Seoul, Jan. 6. Known as minhwa, Korean folk painting thrived during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The works, often created by anonymous artists, depict animals, trees, flowers and everyday objects, and were traditionally painted with the hope of warding off bad luck and ushering in good fortune. The class is run by the Korea Minhwa Association, an organization dedicated to promoting minhwa at home and abroad. “There are many places where people can learn minhwa, but the classes offered by our association are the longest-running and among the most widely recognized in Korea,” said An Mi-gyung, the association’s vice president and a class instructor. An said interest in minhwa has been growing steadily in recent years. “We receive many

Jan 14, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Painting peonies and tigers: Where to learn minhwa in Korea

Korean Heritage

Modern minhwa artist paints luck, everyday hope in Korean folk art

When Kim Kyung-hee first picked up a traditional Korean paint brush, she wasn’t chasing a lifelong dream. A former stay-at-home mom with a master’s degree in ceramic arts, she was recovering from illness and searching for something to anchor her again. What she found, unexpectedly, was minhwa — a once-dismissed form of Korean folk painting rooted in people's everyday hopes, featuring symbols of good fortune. “During that period of rest, I asked myself what I truly wanted to do,” she recalled in an interview with The Korea Times at her home studio. “That’s when I enrolled in a folk painting class.” That decision reshaped her life. Today, Kim is a full-time minhwa artist whose colorful paintings echo centuries of tradition while connecting with a new generation of viewers. Minhwa flourished during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), created primarily by anonymous, non-elite artists. Unlike court or literati painting, it was closely tied to people's everyday lives, beliefs and rituals, and used by ordinary people to decorate their homes. Common subjects include animals, flowers,

Jan 14, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Modern minhwa artist paints luck, everyday hope in Korean folk art

Travel & Food

What’s happening to Korea’s winter cod?

A cold water species that thrives in low temperatures, cod typically inhabits the East Sea and migrates south during its winter spawning season. Cod has long been regarded as a signature winter fish in Korean cuisine, thanks to large fishing grounds off the coast, especially near Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. That status, however, is under threat. Cod stocks are declining rapidly, endangering both marine biodiversity and an essential part of Korean food culture. According to South Gyeongsang Province statistics, cod catches in 2025 totaled about 42,000, down sharply from approximately 240,000 in 2022, a drop widely attributed to rising ocean temperatures. Cod is prized for its clean, deeply savory flavor. Its white, tender flesh flakes easily when cooked, making it particularly well-suited to soups and stews. The clear broth it yields delivers a refreshing taste without a strong fishy odor, a quality that sets it apart from many other winter fish. The fish is a staple ingredient in dishes such as daegu-tang (spicy cod soup) and daegu-jiri (clear cod soup). It is widely consumed i

Jan 13, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Kim Se-jeong

Read more

Where to find Korea's Bakery World Cup-winning shops

Pianist Kim Kang-tae wins 3rd prize at Liszt Piano Competition Utrecht

Honey Butter Chip, tanghulu, dujjonku: Rise and fall of Korea’s viral food trends

Foreign residents have low awareness of Culture Day benefits

Girls' Generation's Seohyun draws mixed reaction with classical music performance

Korean Chamber Orchestra to premiere work by French composer Tailleferre

Meet chefs who sparked buzz in ‘Culinary Class Wars’ Season 2

Painting peonies and tigers: Where to learn minhwa in Korea

Modern minhwa artist paints luck, everyday hope in Korean folk art

What’s happening to Korea’s winter cod?

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