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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Seoul garden show blooms after dark with films, books and nature walks

The Seoul International Garden Show is shifting into nighttime mode for the summer, inviting visitors to swap the midday heat for outdoor movies, late-night reading and guided walks as the event continues to draw record crowds. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday it will expand evening cultural and experiential programs at Seoul Forest during July and August after the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show surpassed 6 million visitors as of Thursday. The summer program is designed to encourage visitors to enjoy the gardens after sunset through a mix of films, reading, guided tours and interactive activities. One of the signature events, the Garden Cinema, will offer free outdoor screenings every Saturday evening through Aug. 29, with an additional screening scheduled for July 17. The film lineup includes "La La Land," "The Wild Robot," "Mamma Mia!," "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," "Little Forest," "Sing," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Malmoe," "My Neighbor Totoro" and "The Secret Life of Pets 2." Visitors will also be able to enjoy the Garden Library, an outdoor reading space featurin

Jul 7, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul garden show blooms after dark with films, books and nature walks

Twin pandas celebrate likely final birthday in Korea before going to China

Twin giant pandas Rui Bao and Hui Bao marked their third birthday Tuesday with bamboo cakes, handmade gifts and cheering fans at Everland, in what is expected to be their final birthday celebration in Korea before their eventual transfer to China. Everland, operated by Samsung C&T Resort Group, said the birthday event took place Tuesday morning at Panda Second House, where panda keepers Kang Cheol-won and Song Young-kwan joined invited guests to celebrate the sisters' milestone. The keepers prepared oversized birthday cakes made from bamboo, a favorite food of giant pandas. Song also presented a handcrafted wooden bench designed so the sisters could sit side by side. About 30 fans attended the celebration after being selected through a "We Love Rui and Hui" online comment event held at the Panda Second House and the Zootopia Naver fan cafe. Everland said the event drew roughly 400 applicants for every available spot. The guests sang birthday songs and shared messages wishing the pandas good health and happiness. Rui Bao and Hui Bao were born on July 7, 2023, to Ai Bao and Le Bao, weighing 1

Jul 7, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Twin pandas celebrate likely final birthday in Korea before going to China

Can an avatar help overcome social isolation? Korea's 'Shy Cafe' says yes

Customers ordering drinks at a cafe in Seoul's Seongsu neighborhood interacted with a virtual avatar instead of a standard menu screen. They ordered drinks while chatting with the avatar about topics covering their favorite songs or whether they preferred summer or winter. When a female customer complimented the character's voice and suggested she would be good at counseling, the avatar said she previously worked at a call center but struggled with severe anxiety. Other customers immediately offered encouragement, telling the character it was not an easy job and that they were doing well. Behind the virtual character was a young person experiencing social withdrawal. The three-day "Shy Cafe" pop-up, which operated from June 23-25, is a work-experience program where socially isolated young people operate virtual characters to respond to customers. During the three days, six young people participated and communicated with around 700 patrons. The Korea Youth Foundation, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) Seoul-Gangwon Regional Headquarters, social enterprise Not Scary Company and

Jul 7, 2026By Hankookilbo
Can an avatar help overcome social isolation? Korea's 'Shy Cafe' says yes

Seoul opens children’s water playground as summer heat spurs family outings

A sprawling children’s water playground in western Seoul will open Tuesday, offering families a seasonal escape designed to blend summer recreation with environmental education. The Seoul Water Recycling Facilities Corp. said Monday the Seoul Water Recycling Experience Center will operate its children’s water playground through Aug. 30, as part of its summer programming for families and young children. The facility spans 1,052 square meters and is designed for children ages 3 to 10. Entry is free, but access is limited to 70 visitors per session to ensure safety and crowd control. The water playground will operate twice daily, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. It will also extend evening hours until 8 p.m. on weekends during the first week of August. The site features multiple water-based installations, including a spray fountain zone, interactive water-drop play structures, sound pipe installations and multi-use play equipment. Water depth is kept below 30 centimeters, and non-slip flooring has been installed throughout the area. Officials said the facility is equipped

Jul 6, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul opens children’s water playground as summer heat spurs family outings

Arts Council Korea seeks to deepen Asian cultural ties with new forum

Arts Council Korea, the nation’s principal public institution dedicated to supporting the performing arts, visual arts and cultural policy, will bring together cultural leaders from five Asian countries next week for a public forum aimed at expanding regional partnerships and laying the groundwork for long-term artistic collaboration across Asia. The organization said Monday it will host the "Asia to Asia" public forum on Monday at Arko Art Center Lounge in Seoul as part of its Global South Initiative. The program is designed to foster dialogue with new cultural partners and explore opportunities for sustained cooperation among arts institutions across the region. Representatives from Korea, Uzbekistan, Thailand and Pakistan will attend the forum in person, while a representative from India will participate online. The event will feature Azizbek Mannopov, deputy chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation; Pacharaporn Tantatanai of Thailand's Office of Contemporary Art and Culture; Qudsia Rahim, chief executive of the Lahore Biennale Foundation in Pakistan; and

Jul 6, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Arts Council Korea seeks to deepen Asian cultural ties with new forum

Pope Leo invited to homeland of St. Andrew Kim Taegon next year

The mayor of Dangjin requested a papal visit to the birthplace of St. Andrew Kim Taegon (1821-1846), Korea’s first Catholic priest, ahead of the upcoming 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, the city said Monday. On Sunday, Dangjin Mayor Kim Ki-jae met with Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, the prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy of the Holy See, to request that Pope Leo visit the Solmoe Holy Ground during the global Catholic festival. The meeting took place at the Solmoe Holy Ground in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, where the cardinal was visiting to celebrate a mass commemorating the feast day of St. Andrew Kim Taegon. During the meeting, the mayor emphasized the symbolic importance of the birthplace of Korea’s first priest, calling it the cradle of Korean Catholicism. Additionally, looking ahead to a potential papal visit to North Korea, he proposed a performance of the Gijisi tug-of-war, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage that originated in Dangjin, as a symbolic gesture to convey a message of peace and inter-Korean harmony. You, who spoke with reporters in Seoul on Friday

Jul 6, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Pope Leo invited to homeland of St. Andrew Kim Taegon next year

Seoul museum to host Quebec world music concert

The Seoul Baekje Museum will host a complimentary world music concert this month, offering residents a unique window into Canadian cultural heritage through a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional indigenous sounds. Scheduled for 3 p.m. on July 11 at the museum’s Hanseong Baekje Hall, the concert, titled "Ecliptique," is organized in collaboration with the Quebec Government Office in Korea. The performance is part of an ongoing international cultural exchange program designed to showcase Quebec’s rich cultural diversity. The host venue provides a fittingly historic backdrop for the exchange. Located within Olympic Park in southeastern Seoul, the Seoul Baekje Museum is dedicated to preserving the city's ancient roots as a capital of the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. - A.D. 660). Built near the historic Mongchontoseong earthen fortress, the museum serves as a primary cultural hub for exploring Seoul's deep pre-Joseon Dynasty history. "Ecliptique" itself is a joint production by two acclaimed Canadian ensembles: Oktoecho, a Quebec-based group celebrated for blending Middle Eastern and

Jul 6, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul museum to host Quebec world music concert

Koreans mourn Kang Hee-seon, voice actor for ‘Crayon Shin-chan,’ Hollywood actresses

Voice actor Kang Hee-seon, best known as the Korean voice of Misae Nohara, referred to by local audiences as Bong Mi-seon, Shin-chan's mother in the Japanese animation "Crayon Shin-chan," died Saturday after battling cancer. She was 65. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Kang became one of Korea's most recognizable voices through animation, foreign film dubbing and public transportation announcements. She provided the Korean voice for Hollywood actors including Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman, while her subway announcements accompanied millions of commuters in Seoul and Busan for nearly three decades. News of her death prompted an outpouring of tributes across social media, where many users described her voice as a defining part of their childhood. Posts featuring Bong Mi-seon's memorable scenes from "Crayon Shin-chan" quickly filled with messages thanking Kang for bringing warmth, humor and emotion to one of Korea's most beloved animated mothers. Public figures also paid tribute. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Kang's voice had accompanied Seoul citizens throughout

Jul 5, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Koreans mourn Kang Hee-seon, voice actor for ‘Crayon Shin-chan,’ Hollywood actresses

After years as a single mother, Oh Yoon-ah celebrates son's job and her own remarriage

Actress Oh Yoon-ah is celebrating two major milestones in her family's life: her son with a developmental disability has found a job, and she has remarried more than a decade after her divorce. The actress revealed Friday through her YouTube channel that she has started a new chapter with a non-celebrity husband. The couple has already completed their marriage registration and is now living together as a family, according to her agency. Her agency, YA Entertainment, said the couple had legally registered their marriage and are spending time with their family. The news has resonated with many fans because Oh has openly shared her journey as a single mother raising her son, Min, since her divorce in 2015. Over the years, she has documented both the challenges and joys of raising a child with a developmental disability through television appearances and social media, earning widespread support. The remarriage announcement has also renewed attention on another recent milestone for her son. In May, Oh shared that Min had landed his first job, drawing warm congratulations from fans. In a video

Jul 4, 2026By Xportsnews
After years as a single mother, Oh Yoon-ah celebrates son's job and her own remarriage

G-Dragon named honorary ambassador for UNESCO Heritage Committee meeting in Busan

K-pop star G-Dragon will serve as the public face of the upcoming UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in Busan, officials said Friday, as the country prepares to host the international gathering for the first time. The Korea Heritage Service said the singer-rapper, whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, was appointed as the honorary ambassador for the 48th session, which runs from July 19-29 in the southeastern port city. "G-Dragon is an artist with global influence extending beyond K-pop into the broader cultural and arts sphere," the agency said in a release, citing his role in promoting public-interest initiatives and addressing social issues through art. It described him as an "ideal partner" to raise international awareness of the significance of the World Heritage Committee, a key UNESCO body that decides on the inscription and protection of cultural and natural heritage sites. South Korea will host the committee for the first time in 38 years since it joined the World Heritage Convention in 1988. The 37-year-old has in recent years expanded his activities into philanthropy. In 2024,

Jul 3, 2026By Yonhap
G-Dragon named honorary ambassador for UNESCO Heritage Committee meeting in Busan
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