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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

LTI Korea honors translators behind Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) honored two veteran translators for their contributions to Han Kang’s 2024 Nobel Prize in literature during its annual Translation Awards ceremony in Seoul, Wednesday. Anders Karlsson and Park Ok-kyoung, who have co-translated Korean literature into Swedish for almost three decades, were the recipients of the Outstanding Service Award. “Their translation work has played a pivotal role in elevating the status of Korean literature in Europe and increasing its international visibility,” said Kwon Seong-soo, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University and head of the jury committee, during the ceremony. “In particular, they directly introduced Korean literature to the Swedish literary community, which oversees the Nobel Prize in literature, and their Swedish translations of Han Kang’s 'We Do Not Part' and 'The White Book' were highly regarded in the judging process for the Nobel Prize.” The couple thanked LTI Korea for the recognition. “When we started, there was no publisher in Sweden willing to publish our translations.

Dec 4, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
LTI Korea honors translators behind Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win
Shows & Dramas

Historical body-swap, time slip K-dramas you need to watch

Body-swapping and time slip storylines where a modern-day character finds themselves transported to another time by unknown means are a recurring motif in Korean dramas, particularly in sageuk, or historical series. Ongoing epic Korean drama "Moon River" features two main characters whose souls are accidentally swapped. Crown Prince Lee Kang (Kang Tae-oh), still grieving the death of his lover, encounters Park Dal-i (Kim Se-jeong), a merchant who looks identical to the woman he lost. As the two slowly fall in love, an unexpected body swap forces them to live each other’s lives — the crown prince as a merchant and Dal-i as royalty. Their attempts to navigate these unfamiliar worlds produce comedic moments and emotional tension, making "Moon River" an engaging watch. The series is available on Wavve and Tving in Korea and Viki and Viu overseas. The Korea Times highlights several other dramas built around these narrative devices. 'The Haunted Palace' Another popular historical fantasy drama from this year, "The Haunted Palace," follows Yeo-ri (Bona), a powerful shaman who refuses her fat

Dec 4, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Historical body-swap, time slip K-dramas you need to watch
Music

Van Cliburn Piano Competition CEO to visit Seoul for artist forum

Legendary pianist Lim Yun-chan has made one name familiar to many Koreans: the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (VCIPC). Named after American pianist Van Cliburn (1934-2013), the competition was founded in 1962 and is regarded as one of the world’s premier piano events. Lim’s sensational victory at the 2022 edition — and the speedy rise that followed — turned the competition into a household name, even among those unfamiliar with classical music. This week, VCIPC CEO Jacques Marquis will visit Seoul to attend a forum on the future of classical music. He will speak about the future of classical music and meet aspiring young musicians hoping to follow in Lim’s footsteps on Friday and Saturday. The two-day event, “Beyond the Stage 2025: Next-Generation Artist Forum,” is organized by Arts Council Korea (ARKO), a government organization operating under the slogan “Arts for All.” Marquis is scheduled to speak at two sessions — one on marketing for classical musicians in 2025, and another on recording labels and livestreaming in the evolving music industry. “Our

Dec 2, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Van Cliburn Piano Competition CEO to visit Seoul for artist forum
Korean Heritage

Korea’s last 'saekdong' weaver keeps colorful tradition alive

GONGJU, South Chungcheong Province — On a crisp November morning at Dongwon Textile in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, six colors of polyester thread were fed into a warp roller under the guidance of founder and CEO Han Du-heum. Beside it, two weaving machines steadily transformed the strands into "saekdong," a traditional Korean striped fabric known for its bright bands of color. “I don’t run the [saekdong-weaving] machines every day because I don’t get enough orders these days. But I try to keep the textiles ready so that whenever a request comes in, we can ship them right away,” Han told The Korea Times. Once a common sight across the country, saekdong is now almost entirely gone from Korea’s textile factories. Dongwon Textile is the only remaining producer still weaving it in the traditional way — a mission Han is determined to maintain. What is saekdong? Instantly recognizable by its bands of color, saekdong is a traditional Korean pattern with five to seven differently colored repeating stripes. Traditionally made from silk, it was often used in children’s cloth

Dec 2, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Korea’s last 'saekdong' weaver keeps colorful tradition alive
Music

Beyond profit: Singer Lim Young-woong rewrites rules of fan culture in Korea

While global K-pop groups like BTS, BLACKPINK and NewJeans dominated international charts and attracted legions of young fans abroad, singer Lim Young-woong commanded an equally powerful presence at home — particularly among middle-aged and older Korean women. The 34-year-old ballad and trot singer has built a fandom comparable in size to that of IU, a singer-songwriter and actor. Known for his strong ticket sales and gentle public image, Lim is praised for both his versatile vocals and his considerate attitude toward fans. On Sunday, Lim held one of his sold-out concerts in Seoul and made the full show available for free on the local streaming platform Tving, allowing fans who failed to secure tickets to enjoy the performance in real time. The profit-free move surprised many in the Korean music industry. “To younger fans of K-pop idols who are used to feeling ripped off by expensive merchandise or mistreated at venues, what Lim’s team is doing can be quite eye-opening,” critic Kim Deo-heon said, noting the range of fan-centered services provided by Lim and his staff. “It’s

Dec 2, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Beyond profit: Singer Lim Young-woong rewrites rules of fan culture in Korea
Trends

'Saekdong' goes modern: Colorful Korean stripes get playful makeover

“Saekdong,” Korea’s iconic striped fabric that is often seen in hanbok (traditional Korean attire), is being reimagined for a new generation of style-savvy shoppers, showing up in a range of products found everywhere from museum shops to luxury goods and Disney collaborations. This fresh wave of popularity can be traced to Korea’s global cultural boom. The stripes entered the international spotlight with the Korea Tourism Organization’s (KTO) promotional campaign “Feel the Rhythm of Korea” in 2020, in which members of Ambiguous Dance Company and fusion pop band Leenalchi wore clothing made with saekdong patterns. Momentum grew when Italian luxury brand Gucci released saekdong-inspired bags, clothing and accessories in 2021. Disney Korea joined the trend this summer, partnering with Korean artists to unveil a line of saekdong-themed products. The Korea Times introduces the following selection of saekdong-inspired items worth taking a look at. Saekdong hanbok Saekdong has long been used in children’s clothing, and demand for saekdong hanbok remains strong, especially for tod

Dec 2, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
'Saekdong' goes modern: Colorful Korean stripes get playful makeover
  • Korea’s last 'saekdong' weaver keeps colorful tradition alive
People & Events

How mouth painting transformed artist’s life after paralysis

Painter Hwang Jung-eon didn’t expect art to become his lifeline — until a single moment changed everything. In 1993, a car accident paralyzed him from the neck down, abruptly halting the life he knew. Yet today, Hwang is a recognized oil painter, creating vibrant works with a brush held in his mouth and enjoying a career that has restored his sense of purpose and self-reliance. He was just 29 when the devastating accident caused a cervical spinal cord injury, leaving him unable to move his limbs. After about a year of treatment and rehabilitation, he learned about mouth painting through his family and friends and decided to give it a try. Looking back, he thinks he was drawn to it for two reasons. “One was the idea that it was something I could actually do, and the other was that it would help me train myself to sit in a wheelchair,” the 60-year-old said in his home in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. When Hwang started, he first practiced holding a paintbrush in his mouth before moving on to drawing lines and circles. By 1996, he held his first exhibition, which he shared wit

Nov 29, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
How mouth painting transformed artist’s life after paralysis
Books

Korean picture book brings hidden crisis for city birds to light

Zo-O's picture book "A Dot, a Line, and a Bird" is the story of a crow that loses a friend to a window collision. Through detailed, painterly illustrations, the book looks at the harsh reality of modern buildings, where birds fly into glass windows — often resulting in death. The book from Changbi Publishers won the grand prize in fiction at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s 2025 Picture Book Award. The book's author Zo-O hopes the recognition will help raise awareness of global bird–window collisions. “Not many people know about this issue. I’m happy that the award will help more people understand what is happening,” Zo-O told The Korea Times in a recent interview. “Then, we can start talking about what we can do to save the birds' lives.” According to the selection committee, “The book’s themes, conveyed metaphorically through concise prose, together with the striking contrast between its beautiful illustrations and the depiction of humanity’s destruction of civilization and nature, left a profound impact on its readers.” When asked about the inspira

Nov 23, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Korean picture book brings hidden crisis for city birds to light
Films

Documentary revives legacy of ‘Pig Father’ who helped lift Jeju from poverty

The selfless and dedicated life of Irish Catholic missionary Patrick James McGlinchey (1928-2018), who devoted himself to helping Jeju residents, is well remembered on the island — but little known in the rest of Korea. That may soon change with the release of a new documentary highlighting the priest and his legacy. The 30-minute film "Do You Know the Pig Priest of Jeju?" was among 22 winners of a video content award organized by Arts Council Korea (ARKO). ARKO funded the project and screened it Thursday at the Korean Film Archive, along with other award-winning works. “When I visited Jeju for work last year, I learned about him for the first time. I was shocked that I had never heard of him and wanted to tell his story,” said Kwag Tae-gwan, a media artist who directed the documentary. “St. Isidore Farm is a popular place in Jeju and attracts many tourists. I hope more people will watch the film and learn about the priest and the great things he did for the island.” Father McGlinchey, known in Korea as Im P.J. arrived on Jeju in 1954 as a member of the Missionary Society of St

Nov 21, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Documentary revives legacy of ‘Pig Father’ who helped lift Jeju from poverty
  • Irish priest helps islanders get out of poverty through farming
Music

Korean Chamber Orchestra celebrates 60 years with finale of Beethoven Symphony Project

The Korean Chamber Orchestra (KCO) will present Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 and No. 5 in an upcoming concert in December, marking the ensemble’s 60th anniversary. The performance serves as the final celebratory event of the year and the culmination of the orchestra’s yearlong Beethoven Symphony Project. “This concert will mark the end of our journey for the KCO — and the first step toward a new beginning," according to the orchestra in a statement. “Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 marked the beginning of his creative musical world. The chamber orchestra will offer audiences its characteristically rich, concentrated sound and delicate interpretation,” the KCO added. Regarding Symphony No. 5, the orchestra noted: “One of the world’s most famous symphonies, Beethoven’s 5th symphony embodies themes of struggle, perseverance and triumph. Under the artistic vision of Music Director Kim Min and conductor Choi Soo-yeoul, the orchestra’s dense, cohesive ensemble will come together to convey the powerful message of ‘Fate Symphony.'" The program will also feature Samuel Barber

Nov 19, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Korean Chamber Orchestra celebrates 60 years with finale of Beethoven Symphony Project
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