The Korea Times

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

Shows & Dramas

Letter to 5 women from Netflix’s 'My Korean Boyfriend'

First, let me congratulate all of you for having the courage to come all the way to Korea in search of a real-life K-drama romance and for putting your private lives on public display on Netflix. I enjoyed watching all eight episodes. Not only was the show entertaining, it was also thought-provoking, prompting me to reflect on love, cultural differences and romance between people from different cultural backgrounds. Beyond the relationships, the show offered an opportunity to rediscover the beauty of my home city, Seoul. The stunning views from cafés, the nocturnal light show along the Han River, the architecture of Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the cherry blossom-lined streets of Yeouido and Bukchon Hanok Village were all very beautiful. I would recommend the show to anyone who wants a glimpse of Seoul before visiting. To Morena: Congratulations on your marriage to Se-woong. While it came as a bit of a surprise, the two of you looked beautiful together, and I hope you will build a happy family. What stood out most to me about you was the trust you placed in Se-woong, even during moments of

Jan 9, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Letter to 5 women from Netflix’s 'My Korean Boyfriend'

Films

Swedish diplomat, North Korean officer fall in love in Pyongyang in 'The Square'

In films set in or related to North Korea, certain elements often recur: secret agents and military personnel of the country, deprived civilians, breathtaking chases and graphic brutality. "The Square," an animated feature by director Kim Bo-sol, has none of that. Instead, the film focuses on two civilians in North Korea: Isak Börg, a Swedish diplomat, and Bok-ju, a North Korean traffic safety officer and Börg's lover. This unprecedented plot alone is enough to engage viewers immediately. The film follows how the two navigate their emotions and circumstances as they face an impending, permanent separation, inviting viewers to reflect on isolation, control and the quiet cost of love under surveillance. The plot was inspired by a news story Kim came across in 2016. “It was an interview with a real Swedish diplomat who had returned from North Korea after three years of service. When the reporter asked, ‘What was life like in North Korea?’ the diplomat replied, ‘I was so lonely.’ He explained that due to surveillance and control in North Korea, he could not even share a single be

Jan 8, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Swedish diplomat, North Korean officer fall in love in Pyongyang in 'The Square'

Shows & Dramas

9 most anticipated K-dramas of 2026

From star-studded casts to high-budget fantasy worlds and bold reinterpretations of familiar stories, 2026 is going to be a major year for Korean dramas. Global streaming platforms and local broadcasters are rolling out ambitious projects that pair top actors with acclaimed writers and directors, reflecting the continued global appetite for K-content. Several of the most anticipated series feature long-awaited returns by major stars and genre-blending narratives that span historical romance, legal thrillers and fantasy epics. From Netflix and Disney+ to Genie TV and ENA, content creators are vying for viewer attention with productions designed for both domestic and international audiences. 1. 'Can This Love Be Translated?' Scheduled for release on Jan. 16 on Netflix, "Can This Love Be Translated?" is expected to be the platform's first major Korean original drama of the year. The 12-episode series will depict an unpredictable romance between Joo Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho), a multilingual interpreter, and Cha Moo-hee (Go Yoon-jung), a top global star. Ho-jin is fluent in multiple languages, inc

Jan 8, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Trends

'Ramyeon' among 8 new Korean words added to Oxford English Dictionary

Eight Korean words have been newly added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), further cementing the global influence of Korean culture and language. The latest update by the Oxford University Press includes everyday terms familiar to Korean speakers, from beloved dishes to social titles. The newly included entries are "ramyeon" (dried noodles and seasoning that are reconstituted in hot water), "haenyeo" (female free-divers who harvest seafood), "sunbae" (a senior member of a group based on age or experience), "bingsu" (shaved ice with sweet toppings), "jjimjilbang" (a bathhouse with facilities for relaxation), "ajumma" (a middle-aged woman), "Korean barbecue" (thinly sliced meat cooked on a grill) and "officetel" (a building with both commercial and residential units), according to Jieun Kiaer, the University of Oxford professor who serves as the publisher's Korean language consultant, Wednesday. The additions mark the second consecutive year that Korean words have entered the OED. Last year, seven words including "dalgona" (a confection of baking soda and melted sugar) and "tteokbo

Jan 7, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Kim Se-jeong

Read more

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?

Letter to 5 women from Netflix’s 'My Korean Boyfriend'

Swedish diplomat, North Korean officer fall in love in Pyongyang in 'The Square'

9 most anticipated K-dramas of 2026

'Ramyeon' among 8 new Korean words added to Oxford English Dictionary

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