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Speaking contest witnesses growing influence of Korean culture

The Korea Times witnessed the growing global influence of Korean culture and language as it awarded winners of the Korean Language Speaking Contest during a ceremony at the Korea Cyber University's Inchon Hall in Seoul, Wednesday. Now in its third year, the event has seen explosive growth, cementing its status as a premier global platform for Korean language learners. This year’s contest drew 3,908 entries from 110 countries. This marks a 120 percent increase in number of applications compared to the previous year, with participants submitting short and long videos across platforms including YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Jung Hyang-mi, deputy minister of the culture and arts policy office at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasized the deep cultural connections fostered by learning the language. She noted that the number of students at the King Sejong Institute, a state-run Korean language education center with branches around the world, nearly doubled from 138,000 in 2021 to 239,000 last year. "Learning a language goes beyond mastering a communication tool. It is a proc

Jun 24, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Speaking contest witnesses growing influence of Korean culture

Seoul botanical exhibition probes balance between technology and nature

Inside the humid, glass-domed sanctuary of the Seoul Botanic Park, the boundary between the organic and the artificial has begun to blur. The municipal institution unveiled its 2026 contemporary exhibition, "A Tender Balance: Reflecting Each Other," Tuesday, a sprawling site-specific project that positions cutting-edge digital technology and anthropogenic ruins directly alongside living flora. The yearlong exhibition features major installations, media art and sculptures by four contemporary artists — Koo Ki-jeong, Um Ah-long, Lee Ji-yeon and Chang Han-na. Dispersed across four distinct zones of the botanic complex in western Seoul, the works serve as an active critique of the modern Anthropocene, challenging visitors to reconsider humanity's place within the natural order. Inside the main greenhouse, artist Chang Han-na has deployed New Rock Inuksuk, a towering installation modeled after ancient Arctic stone landmarks. However, Chang’s stones are not natural. They are "New Rocks" — petrified amalgams of industrial plastic waste and shoreline debris harvested from local ecosystem

Jun 24, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul botanical exhibition probes balance between technology and nature

Busan Food Film Festa marks 10 years of culinary cinema

In the vocabulary of modern gastronomy, few pairings are as symbiotic as sight and taste. For a decade, Korea’s maritime hub has leveraged this relationship, turning the silver screen into an active dining table. On Friday, the Busan Food Film Festa will launch its 10th anniversary edition, transforming the architectural landmark Cinema Center and the banks of the Suyeong River into a three-day celebration of culinary storytelling. The three-day festival, backed by the Busan Metropolitan Government, centers on the thematic motif “Strange yet Familiar.” It is a nod to how foreign cultures and exotic cuisines organically dissolve into global comfort foods through the passage of migration, generational shifts and cinema. The festival’s opening night will feature a performance by the local youth fusion-gugak band Nallari and Jaeng_i, which blends practical pop rhythms with traditional Korean instrumentation — specifically the piercing, high-pitched horn notes of the "taepyeongso" (a traditional Korean double-reed wind instrument) and the deep, bowed bass drone of the "ajaeng" (a

Jun 24, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Busan Food Film Festa marks 10 years of culinary cinema

Seocho District launches riverside K-dessert festival

Against the neon backdrop of the Han River’s illuminated fountains, a new weekend festival is aiming to capture Seoul’s late-night tourist economy. By pairing viral confections with hands-on cultural pop-ups, city officials are launching a coordinated push to keep global travelers lingering longer. Seocho District announced Wednesday the launch of the “Seocho Sweet Night 2026 K-Dessert Festival in Hangang,” a weekend event designed to turn the country’s booming culinary scene into a permanent tourism asset. Opening Saturday, along the Moonlight Square of Banpo Hangang Park, the twilight festival explicitly targets a shift among modern international travelers away from passive sightseeing toward hands-on cultural participation. Set against the backdrop of Seoul's Moonlight Rainbow Fountain, the festival divides the riverside park into four experiential zones. At the culinary core, 15 curated vendors will showcase a spectrum of Korean confections, ranging from traditional rice crackers and honey-glazed cookies to contemporary, viral social media trends like "butter rice cakes"

Jun 24, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seocho District launches riverside K-dessert festival

Korea turns to K-beauty to fuel new wave of tourism

For international fans of Korean pop culture, matching the radiant skin of a K-pop idol or the precise styling of a K-drama lead has long been a digital obsession. Now, Korea’s tourism officials are attempting to transform that fascination into actual footsteps on the ground. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization, officially inaugurated the “2026 Korea Beauty Festival” Wednesday. Running through July 19 at HiKR Ground, a high-tech tourism promotional hub in central Seoul, the event represents a highly strategic push to anchor the nation’s lucrative tourism recovery in the global appeal of K-beauty. Operating under the banner “All about Beauty,” the festival seeks to demystify the country's multibillion-dollar cosmetics, hair, wellness and medical industries for international visitors. Wednesday’s opening ceremony brought out notable cultural star power, including the prominent Korean actress and model Hyeri, alongside international cultural ambassadors from Mexico and Mongolia, signaling the global scale of the cam

Jun 24, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korea turns to K-beauty to fuel new wave of tourism

KOLOS leader wins Civil Merit Medal

KOLOS leader wins Civil Merit Medal: Chairman Lee Eun-deok, right, poses with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, center, as Lee receives the nation's Civil Merit Medal for his contributions to Korean society for improving welfare and for his veterans service to the country at a ceremony held in Yongsan, Seoul, June 19. Lee leads the Korea Love Sharing Community (KOLOS), an organization that works with companies to provide medical items to the needy in various countries around the globe.

Jun 24, 2026
KOLOS leader wins Civil Merit Medal

Kim Dan-bi promoted to principal at Houston Ballet

Ballet dancer Kim Dan-bi, 26, was named a principal at the Houston Ballet, one of the United States' most prestigious dance companies, cementing Korea's reputation as a powerhouse of world-class ballet talent. According to Korea Ballet Stars, Kim was recently promoted from first soloist to principal, the highest rank at the Houston Ballet. She is the second Korean dancer to reach that rank at the Houston Ballet, following Cho Soo-youn, who retired last year after being promoted to principal in 2018. Kim dropped out of middle school and pursued her ballet training while homeschooling. After winning a junior gold medal at the 2015 International Dance Festival Tanzolymp in Berlin, and then an award from the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation at the 2016 Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, she entered the Houston Ballet Academy in Texas on a scholarship. Joining the Houston Ballet upon graduation in 2019, she took on leading roles in productions, including “Swan Lake,” “Raymonda” and “The Little Mermaid,” rising rapidly through the ranks to claim the title of principal dancer seven years af

Jun 23, 2026By Park Ung
Kim Dan-bi promoted to principal at Houston Ballet

Kim Ho-joong set for early release after hit-and-run case

Singer Kim Ho-joong, who is serving a prison sentence after being convicted of a hit-and-run collision while intoxicated, will be released later this month after being granted parole. A representative for Kim told Xportsnews on Tuesday that the singer recently passed a parole review conducted by the Ministry of Justice and is scheduled to be released on June 30. Kim has been serving his sentence at the Somang Correctional Institution in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, after being transferred from Seoul Detention Center in August last year. Under Korean law, inmates who have served at least one-third of their sentence may become eligible for parole. Authorities review multiple factors, including the seriousness of the crime, behavior during incarceration and the risk of reoffending. Kim was reportedly not selected during a parole review conducted late last year. However, after a subsequent review, he was included on the latest parole list, with reports saying his conduct while incarcerated was taken into account. The singer was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for fleeing the scen

Jun 23, 2026By Xportsnews
Kim Ho-joong set for early release after hit-and-run case

Exhibition honors heroes of Korean War

Against the backdrop of escalating regional security anxieties and a booming domestic arms export industry, Korea’s defense establishment is turning its focus to the human cost of the conflict that defined its borders. LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A), a major player in the nation's defense industry, opened a striking photography exhibition at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan. Marking both the company’s 50th anniversary and Korea’s designated Patriots and Veterans Month in June, the exhibition offers a somber, artistic look at the aging faces of those who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War. Titled "Remember, Respect, Reconnect," the exhibition functions less as a corporate celebration and more as an urgent historical archive. It features intimate portraits of surviving international veterans and their families, captured by two distinct documentary photographers. Rami, an artist leading the "Project-Soldier" initiative, has spent years traveling globally to document U.N. veterans. A recent trip to New Zealand in March was directly sponsored by the defense contractor. Complementi

Jun 23, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Exhibition honors heroes of Korean War

From gelato to tailored suits: Kim Woo-bin's candid Milan photos leave fans swooning

Actor Kim Woo-bin is drawing attention online after sharing a series of seemingly casual snapshots from Milan that fans say look more like scenes from a fashion editorial than everyday life. On Monday, Kim posted several photos on social media with the caption, "In Milan," offering a glimpse into his time in the Italian city. The images show the actor enjoying various moments around Milan, from strolling along picturesque streets and dining at local restaurants to relaxing with a bouquet of flowers. In one particularly popular photo, Kim is seen eating ice cream along a canal-lined street, a candid moment that quickly caught fans' attention. Dressed in a navy knit top and white trousers, Kim showcased an effortlessly stylish look, while other photos featured him in a crisp white suit, highlighting a more polished and sophisticated side. Regardless of the outfit, fans were quick to point out that even his everyday snapshots resembled magazine photoshoots. The actor's striking facial features, towering physique and relaxed confidence became a major talking point among followers. Several im

Jun 23, 2026By Xportsnews
From gelato to tailored suits: Kim Woo-bin's candid Milan photos leave fans swooning
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