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Seoul to launch 16-day summer festival along Han River

As summer temperatures rise across the capital, Seoul is offering residents and travelers an expansive escape right in the heart of the city. Starting Saturday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will kick off the "2026 Hangang Festival - Summer," turning the banks and waters of the Han River into a sprawling, 16-day urban resort designed for budget-friendly summer getaways. Running through Aug. 16 across nine riverfront parks, the annual festival features 16 distinct programs spanning cultural performances, water sports and overnight events. By leveraging the city's primary liquid asset, municipal authorities aim to provide accessible recreation without the hassle or expense of long-distance travel. "The Han River has historically served as a cherished summer retreat for Seoul residents, offering a place for river bathing and boating," said Park Jin-young, head of Seoul’s Future Hangang Project Headquarters. "Through this summer's festival, we hope visitors enjoy a diverse mix of cultural shows and water activities while boosting local businesses around the waterfront." Among the festi

Jul 27, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan

Seoul to launch 16-day summer festival along Han River

K-Music Festival returns to London with expanded 13th edition

The K-Music Festival, London's largest celebration of Korean music and culture, returns for its 13th edition this autumn with its broadest program yet, spanning hip-hop, art pop and game soundtracks alongside traditional Korean music, jazz and contemporary composition. Organized by the Korean Cultural Centre UK, the festival runs from Sept. 28 to Nov. 23 across major London venues including the Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall, Rich Mix, EartH Theatre and Upstairs at Ronnie's, the newly opened performance space at Ronnie Scott's. Launched in 2013, the annual festival has built a reputation of introducing British audiences to Korean musicians working at the intersection of tradition, jazz and experimental music outside K-pop. Last year's edition saw post-rock band Jambinai become the first traditional Korean act to headline the Barbican and closed with pianist Cho Seong-jin premiering a newly commissioned concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra. This year, the festival widens its scope further to take in contemporary hip-hop and video game soundtracks. The festival opens Sept. 28 a

Jul 26, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min

K-Music Festival returns to London with expanded 13th edition

From riverfronts to city squares, Seoul's splash parks offer cool refuge

As the summer heat settles heavily over the urban basin of Seoul, the capital is offering its residents a familiar, albeit revitalized, reprieve: turning its public riverfronts, neighborhood plazas and parks into sprawling aquatic sanctuaries. For millions of families navigating the humid stretch of school vacations, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and several district offices have unveiled an expanded network of outdoor pools and water play parks. Designed as low-cost, accessible escapes, these public facilities reflect a broader municipal effort to adapt the dense, high-rise metropolis into a more livable — and cooler — summer environment. At the heart of the city’s aquatic strategy is the Han River, the wide ribbon of water that bisects the city. On June 19, the city’s Han River Parks system launched six public swimming and splash facilities for a 73-day season running through Aug. 30. Full-scale outdoor pools have returned to the popular riverside parks at Ttukseom and Yeouido. Meanwhile, shallow water play areas — designed with younger children in mind and requiring min

Jul 26, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan

From riverfronts to city squares, Seoul's splash parks offer cool refuge

Why a Catholic priest says he is 'more interested in people than in God'

Fr. Matthew Hong Sung-nam, director of the Catholic Psycho-Spiritual Counseling Center in Seoul, says he is "more interested in people than in God." "I asked, 'God, what should I do?' and the answer that came back was, 'Make people happy,'" Hong said. "Since then, I have lived worrying about people instead of worrying about God." Born in 1953, Hong followed an unconventional path to his calling. He struggled with anxiety during his youth, describing himself as an "obnoxious Catholic fanatic." As a young adult seeking financial security, he apprenticed under a Korean shaman — a traditional folk spiritualist — before abandoning the training. After seeing Jesus in a dream, he entered a seminary and was ordained as a priest in 1987. Yet ordination did not bring him peace. The demands of parish ministry soon overwhelmed him. Hong began drinking heavily as his mental health deteriorated to the point of contemplating suicide. Professional therapy from a Jesuit priest helped him overcome the crisis. Reinvigorated, Hong earned a master's degree in psychological counseling and launched a new m

Jul 25, 2026By Hankookilbo

Why a Catholic priest says he is 'more interested in people than in God'

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Jul 24, 2026

City that never sleeps: Seoul opens Han River parks to overnight camping

As summer temperatures peak across the Korean peninsula, the municipal government is taking a bold gamble on the economic potential of the midnight hour. City officials unveiled a major initiative, Thursday, to transform the banks of the Han River into a bustling, 24-hour cultural ecosystem, anchoring the capital’s broader bid to build a thriving nighttime economy. At the center of the initiative is "Han River Bamping" — a portmanteau of the Korean word for "night" and the English word "camping" — a monthlong pilot program launching in August that will place up to 200 temporary campsites along the riverbanks in Yeouido and Ttukseom. Running daily from 5:00 pm to 9:00 am, the free-of-charge campgrounds aim to seamlessly blend outdoor recreation with the city’s famed nocturnal energy. Rather than treating night leisure as an afterthought, municipal planners are attempting to link previously disconnected waterfront services into a single, continuous experience. Under the new model, a visitor might board a water bus in Jamsil, rent a bicycle to ride along the riverside, cool off at

Jul 23, 2026By Lee Kyung-min

City that never sleeps: Seoul opens Han River parks to overnight camping

Behind velvet curtains: Incheon arts center opens its hidden stage engine

For most theatergoers, the magic of the performing arts exists entirely on stage, where a curated world of soft spotlighting, flawless acoustics and synchronized cues are enjoyed by the audience at a distance. To close that gap, the Incheon Culture and Arts Center will invite the public to enter the complex, high-stakes engine room behind the spectacle on Aug. 19. The center said Thursday that it will host its 2026 Backstage Tour, offering ordinary citizens unprecedented access to the hidden architecture of live performances. The initiative follows a highly successful trial run last September ahead of the venue's major renovation, expanding on a public demand to see the innerworkings of a theatrical performance. Rather than a passive walk-through, the tour promises an immersive technical showcase led by the venue’s primary architects of illusion: stage managers, lighting directors, sound engineers and house managers. Participants will ascend onto the main stage to witness synchronized technical demonstrations before stepping directly onto the revolving stage and riding the hydraulic o

Jul 23, 2026By Lee Kyung-min

Behind velvet curtains: Incheon arts center opens its hidden stage engine

Yale a cappella group brings K-pop harmonies to Seoul gallery

The voices of one of the world’s oldest collegiate a cappella groups filled a Seoul gallery this week as Yale University’s Whiffenpoofs performed Korean songs, offering residents a musical respite amid the summer heat. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday evening’s performance by the Whiffenpoofs at Seoul Gallery drew about 80 attendees, including officials from the U.S. Embassy in Korea, Yale University guests and visitors to the venue. The group performed Toy’s “Still Beautiful,” singing the Korean lyrics as part of an event highlighting ongoing cultural and educational cooperation between Seoul and Yale. Founded in 1909, the Whiffenpoofs are known as one of the most recognized university a cappella groups in the United States, holding more than 100 concerts annually across six continents and performing at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center. The performance also featured guest appearances by classical ensemble Eumak Hase, made up of Son Hyung-bin and Baek Dong-hyun, as well as haegeum musician Eunhan, adding Korean tradit

Jul 23, 2026By Lee Kyung-min

Yale a cappella group brings K-pop harmonies to Seoul gallery

World's premier collectible design fair expands Seoul showcase at DDP

When Design Miami first touched down in Asia last year, it offered a focused lens on the region’s creative output. This autumn, the world’s premier fair for collectible design — limited-edition, museum-quality furniture and functional art — returns to Seoul in a vastly expanded format, signaling the city’s rapid transformation into an indispensable global capital for contemporary art and design. The Seoul Design Foundation said Thursday that Design Miami Seoul 2026 will run from Sept. 1-6 at the landmark Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), following a VIP preview on Aug. 31. The event officially anchors Design Miami’s prestigious annual circuit, kick-starting a global calendar that moves to Paris in October and culminates in Miami Beach in December. The expansion marks a significant evolution from the 2025 iteration, which was staged as a singular curated showcase titled "In Situ." This year, the fair broadens into a full-scale international platform featuring leading global galleries, major brand collaborations, specialized talks and dedicated collector programs. Under the curat

Jul 23, 2026By Lee Kyung-min

World's premier collectible design fair expands Seoul showcase at DDP

Professional gamer Faker becomes honorary police officer to fight youth cyber gambling

Professional gamer Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as "Faker," has been appointed an honorary police officer and ambassador for a campaign aimed at preventing cyber gambling among teenagers in Korea. The Korean National Police Agency said Wednesday that it appointed Lee as an honorary police officer and public ambassador for its youth cyber gambling prevention campaign during a ceremony at its headquarters in Seoul. As part of the initiative, Lee will appear in promotional videos and posters encouraging teenagers to voluntarily report their involvement in cyber gambling under a self-reporting program that runs through August. Police said they chose Lee because his long career as a professional gamer has demonstrated the values of self-discipline, concentration and restraint, making him a positive role model for young people. He was given the honorary rank of senior patrol officer, matching the entry-level rank for officers recruited through the police's cyber investigation career track. During the appointment ceremony, Lee also donated a personally signed team jersey to teenagers who succes

Jul 23, 2026By Hankookilbo

People & Events

People & Events

Seoul to launch 16-day summer festival along Han River

K-Music Festival returns to London with expanded 13th edition

From riverfronts to city squares, Seoul's splash parks offer cool refuge

Why a Catholic priest says he is 'more interested in people than in God'

Apply for Korea Times Global Supporters

City that never sleeps: Seoul opens Han River parks to overnight camping

Behind velvet curtains: Incheon arts center opens its hidden stage engine

Yale a cappella group brings K-pop harmonies to Seoul gallery

World's premier collectible design fair expands Seoul showcase at DDP

Professional gamer Faker becomes honorary police officer to fight youth cyber gambling

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