Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Paris hosts massive K-Expo as Korea, France celebrate 140 years of ties

Korea is bringing a sweeping showcase of its cultural and technological exports to France this week, launching the "K-Expo France 2026" in Paris to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. The four-day collaborative event, which runs from June 16 to 19, is jointly organized by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the ministries of agriculture, oceans, and health. Designed as a comprehensive springboard for Korean lifestyle brands, the convention pairs business-to-business export consultations with high-profile consumer exhibitions spanning entertainment, cuisine, beauty, fashion and tourism. From June 16 to 18, the Palais des Congrès will transform into an interactive hub of contemporary Korean culture. Global streaming giant Netflix will anchor a joint pavilion with 12 domestic brands, leveraging hit properties like "Squid Game" and "Culinary Class Wars." In a bid to promote regional travel, the Korea Tourism Organization has constructed replicas of Korean subway stations and mountain hiking trails alongside a simulated airplane cab

Jun 15, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan

Paris hosts massive K-Expo as Korea, France celebrate 140 years of ties

Global webtoon fans to choose best comics as World Webtoon Awards opens nominations

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in partnership with the Korea Creative Content Agency, has opened public nominations for the "2026 World Webtoon Awards," an initiative aimed at celebrating the global dominance of the digital comic format. The submission window, open now until July 24, marks a significant shift in the event's third year. Moving away from traditional open submissions, the 2026 awards will rely entirely on global reader nominations to determine its preliminary pool. To participate, fans worldwide can recommend up to three titles on the official awards website, which supports English, Korean, Japanese, French and Spanish. Eligible works include any webtoon published on a domestic or international platform between January 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. The evaluation process will follow a rigorous two-tier system. The top 100 reader-nominated titles will first undergo a preliminary screening by industry experts. A combined score of expert evaluation and reader votes will narrow the field to 20 finalists. The final 10 winners will then be chosen through a subsequent

Jun 15, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan

Global webtoon fans to choose best comics as World Webtoon Awards opens nominations

Gojong’s 1905 letter to US president found after 121 years

The original copy of Korean Emperor Gojong’s 1905 letter to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was found last month at the U.S. Library of Congress, 121 years after it was written, the Hulbert Memorial Society said Wednesday. The letter, written in Chinese, was recovered on April 20 along with a six-page handwritten English translation by U.S. missionary and educator to Korea Homer Hulbert (1863-1949), whom the emperor had appointed as a special envoy to deliver it to the U.S. president. On Oct. 16, 1905, Gojong wrote the letter amid mounting pressure from Japan to turn Korea into a protectorate, appealing to Washington in a diplomatic effort to keep Japan at bay. “Japan has assumed the position of an enlightened power and she cannot thus break her pledged word and revert to purely oriental methods without losing in the minds of all thoughtful people the moral prestige which her avowed principles would secure for her if strictly adhered to,” the letter read. “For the sake of the Korean people we beg of you to use your powerful influence in this direction and to refuse to become a

May 7, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Gojong’s 1905 letter to US president found after 121 years

Debate over moving Nat'l University of Arts reignites before local elections

A debate over the possible relocation of the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts) has reignited ahead of the June 3 local elections, pitting lawmakers’ regional development plans against students, faculty and art professionals who warn the move would undermine Korea’s cultural competitiveness. On April 22, 11 lawmakers from the Democratic Part of Korea (DPK), led by Rep. Jeong Jun-ho, submitted a bill to relocate K-Arts from Seoul to Gwangju, around 300 kilometers south of Seoul, and establish a graduate school that would grant master’s and doctoral degrees — a long-standing demand from the institution. The bill’s sponsors argued that the move would address the concentration of cultural infrastructure in Seoul and help stem the exodus of young regional artists to the capital, citing Gwangju’s cultural assets, which include the Gwangju Biennale and National Asian Culture Center. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the university opened in 1992 in Seoul and currently has 4,804 students enrolled as well as 425 faculty members. The proposal received

May 3, 2026By Lee Hae-rin

Debate over moving Nat'l University of Arts reignites before local elections

Sofitel Ambassador Seoul joins Virtuoso’s global luxury travel network

Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences, a French luxury hotel in Songpa District, southern Seoul, has joined the global luxury travel network Virtuoso as a global partner, the hotel said Tuesday, expanding its reach among high-end travel agencies and reinforcing its standing in the global luxury market. Opened in 2021, the property is Sofitel’s first combined hotel and serviced residence in Asia, offering 563 rooms. Built around a “Cultural Link” theme, it blends French and Korean influences through cuisine, art and design. Located near Jamsil Station on subway lines 2, 8 and 9, it offers convenient access across the city, including major business and shopping districts such as Gangnam. Incheon International Airport is about an hour away by car, while Gimpo International Airport can be reached in roughly 50 minutes. Considered one of the travel industry’s most influential networks, Virtuoso partners with more than 2,500 selected travel companies, including hotels, resorts and airlines, in about 100 countries and generates about $35 billion in annual sales. Unlike th

Mar 10, 2026By Park Ung

Sofitel Ambassador Seoul joins Virtuoso’s global luxury travel network

For pianist Lim Yun-chan, Bach’s ‘Goldberg Variations’ are a lifelong journey

Pianist Lim Yun-chan isn't sure whether his interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s "Goldberg Variations" might change in the future. “Well, I really can’t say at this moment. It’s entirely possible that I may never perform this piece again in my lifetime. The future is impossible to predict," the 22-year-old told the Hankook Ilbo in a written interview. Lim's live album from a recital at New York’s Carnegie Hall last year is being released Friday. Bach's "Goldberg Variations" is widely known for its intricate architecture and formidable interpretive demands, one that many pianists return to in the later stages of their careers. But in Lim’s response, no such prospect was evident. It also suggests that Lim — a pianist focused solely on discovering sounds that resonate with him — poured everything into his recital at Carnegie Hall last year. The upcoming album — a live recording of "Goldberg Variations" and his fourth release under Decca Classics — captures years of his musical reflection and interpretation surrounding the work. He was 8 years old when he first encoun

Feb 6, 2026By Hankookilbo

For pianist Lim Yun-chan, Bach’s ‘Goldberg Variations’ are a lifelong journey

Seoul subway transfer station melody gets rearranged

Many Seoul subway riders will recognize the short piece of traditional Korean music that plays as a train approaches a station with transfer lines. The tune, played for about five seconds, alerts passengers to upcoming transfer stations. According to the National Gugak Center (NGC), which created the tune, the transfer melody used on Seoul Metro subway lines 1 through 8 will be changed this year after a survey. The music will not be replaced entirely, but differently arranged. “Pungnyeon,” a gayageum (traditional zither) solo accompanied by piano, bass and drums was composed by musician Park Gyeong-hoon and adopted as the subway transfer music in 2023. The full version of “Pungnyeon” is available on the NGC Archive. “The new music will reflect feedback from subway staff and passengers who asked for clearer sound distinction,” the NGC said in a press release. The gugak center explained that the current version’s sound frequencies are too similar to the noise and vibrations of moving trains, making the melody difficult for passengers to recognize. “To address this, the NGC an

Jan 5, 2026By Kim Se-jeong

Seoul subway transfer station melody gets rearranged

Flu cases rise for 4 straight weeks, 14 times higher than a year ago

Influenza cases have continued to rise for four consecutive weeks, reaching a level about 14 times higher than the same period last year, with the spread concentrated among school-aged children and teenagers. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), sample surveillance at clinic-level medical institutions shows that during the 46th week of the year, from Nov. 9 to 15, an estimated 66.3 influenza-like illness patients per 1,000 outpatients visited 300 monitored clinics nationwide. The figure represents a 30.8 percent increase from the previous week’s 50.7 patients per 1,000. Suspected flu cases climbed from 7.9 per 1,000 patients in the 42nd week of the year to 13.6 in the 43rd week, 22.8 in the 44th week and 50.7 in the 45th week. The number for the 46th week is 14.4 times higher than the same period last year, which recorded 4.6 patients per 1,000. By age, suspected cases reached 170.4 per 1,000 among children aged 7 to 12 and 112.6 among teenagers aged 13 to 18, showing that the spread is concentrated among school-aged youths. Health authorities are urging

Nov 21, 2025By Hankookilbo

Flu cases rise for 4 straight weeks, 14 times higher than a year ago

Tonymoly denies allegations of staging viral video of child covered in eyeliner

Korean cosmetics brand Tonymoly has denied allegations that it orchestrated a marketing stunt involving a viral video of a young child with her face covered in eyeliner, calling the accusations “clearly false.” A video posted recently on Instagram showed a small child crying in front of a mirror with gel eyeliner smeared across her entire face. The uploader, the child’s mother, wrote that she had left her daughter with her older sister while receiving treatment for influenza A. “My sister was getting ready for a moment, and this is what happened,” the mother wrote. “It doesn’t even come off easily.” The clip has since drawn more than 20 million views. While many social media users found the situation amusing and praised the waterproof performance of the eyeliner — identified as a Tonymoly product — the brand drew attention when its official account commented on the video. “The video was adorable, but it must have been difficult to remove since it’s a waterproof product,” the account wrote, adding that it would send additional items “as a token of appreciation

Nov 20, 2025By Hankookilbo

Tonymoly denies allegations of staging viral video of child covered in eyeliner

From relatable to out-of-touch: Korean celebrity’s luxury lifestyle draws online backlash

Former rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae is facing growing backlash for what many online users call the “tone-deaf flaunting of wealth,” as her once-wholesome image gives way to controversy over her luxury spending. Son’s personal YouTube channel initially gained praise for its down-to-earth depiction of daily life and motherhood. However, in recent months, the tone has shifted as she repeatedly showcased high-end baby products, luxury fashion items and lavish trips and meals — drawing accusations that her content has turned into a series of “money-showing” moments. What began as admiration for her relatable lifestyle has now turned into criticism. “It’s gone beyond envy — it’s uncomfortable to watch,” one comment read, echoing a wider sentiment that her “simplicity” has morphed into “display.” In one video, Son introduced luxury accessories such as a hairpin costing hundreds of thousands of won and a watch worth tens of millions of won, admitting she was “shocked by the price” but still featuring the items on her channel. Many viewers took this as a delibe

Oct 21, 2025By Xportsnews

Others