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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.

Acoustic, R&B soloists headed to New York for 'K-Music Night'

Korea’s musical export machine has long been synonymous with the explosive energy, synchronized dancing and arena-sized spectacles of K-pop. But this August, cultural officials are banking on a very different sonic experience to capture American ears: the intimate, introspective world of Korean indie, folk and R&B. The Korean Cultural Center New York said Monday that it will host "K-Music Night 2026" from Aug. 13 to 16. Co-organized alongside the Korea Creative Content Agency, the four-day event is calculated to tap into the massive international crowds converging in New York for the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations and the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup. Rather than aiming for stadium glitz, the fifth edition of the showcase will take place inside the cultural center’s intimate Manhattan venue, trading high-concept pop for the raw vulnerability of the singer-songwriter. The curated lineup highlights the depth of Korea’s independent music scene, featuring John Park, an American-born R&B vocalist; Okdal, an acoustic pop duo famed for their comforting, stripped-back melodi

Jul 13, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Acoustic, R&B soloists headed to New York for 'K-Music Night'

Ex-vice culture minister wins AI jazz music award

Former Vice Culture Minister Yong Ho-seong won an artificial intelligence (AI) jazz music contest held in Montreux, Switzerland, on Friday (local time), according to the organizer. Yong's composition, "Frozen Edge," took the top prize at the AI.LOVE.JAZZ, which was held alongside the Montreux Jazz Festival, one of the world's largest jazz festivals. This year marked the inaugural edition of the AI.LOVE. JAZZ competition. Yong joined the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1993 and served as first vice minister from 2024 to 2025 before retiring. Beyond his public service career, he is also known as a drummer and music critic. After retiring, the former vice minister enrolled at SM Universe, an educational affiliate of SM Entertainment, to study AI-assisted music composition. Since then, he has devoted himself to creating music inspired by Shakespeare's 154 sonnets. "Frozen Edge," inspired by Sonnet 97, explores the emptiness following a breakup, comparing the emotion to the biting cold of winter. He submitted three works to the competition and plans to release a series of albums. Sp

Jul 12, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Ex-vice culture minister wins AI jazz music award

Inside a Korean hospice, where life begins again

After a patient dies in the hospice ward, a middle-aged nurse who cared for her removes the hospital gown. Before the patient is prepared for burial, the nurse dresses her in clothes she chose when she was still alive. A mother of three sons wore a silk hanbok, a traditional Korean dress, that she had worn only once — at her eldest son’s wedding. A 17-year-old boy, who had spent less than a year in school, wore a crisp high school uniform that still looked new. Families prepared some clothes specifically for that day. A 5-year-old girl who grew up in the ward wore a pink dress, her favorite color. An 11-month-old baby born with childhood cancer wore a jeogori, a traditional Korean jacket, made for a first birthday party that the hospital held early. For the nurse, the ritual is not about dressing the dead. It is about restoring the person behind the patient. Park Myung-hee, 56, is a nurse and team leader at the hospice and palliative care center at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, affiliated with The Catholic University of Korea. During her 31-year career, she has cared for patients in t

Jul 12, 2026By Hankookilbo
Inside a Korean hospice, where life begins again

IU, Lee Jong-suk break up after 4 years of public dating

Singer-actress IU and actor Lee Jong-suk have ended their relationship after four years of public dating, with both agencies confirming the split. Representatives from IU's agency, EDAM Entertainment, and Lee's agency, Ace Factory, told Xportsnews on Friday that the couple had broken up. "It is true that they have ended their relationship. They have decided to remain good colleagues," the agencies said. Earlier in the day, Korean entertainment outlet Dispatch reported that the two recently parted ways due to their busy schedules. Both agencies quickly confirmed the report. IU and Lee first met in 2012 while serving as co-hosts of SBS music program “Inkigayo (K-POP Countdown)”. They remained friends for about a decade before confirming their relationship in late 2022 after months of dating speculation. Their romance quickly became one of Korea's most high-profile celebrity relationships, with fans often praising the pair for quietly supporting each other's careers while keeping their private lives largely out of the spotlight. The couple have now decided to go their separate ways, with

Jul 10, 2026By Xportsnews
IU, Lee Jong-suk break up after 4 years of public dating

Character fair aims to turn Korea's IP boom into global business

Beloved characters that have become fixtures in toys, games, banking and social media will take center stage next week as Korea's largest character licensing event returns to Seoul, bringing together creators, brands and global buyers under one roof. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday that Character Licensing Fair 2026 will be held from Wednesday through Saturday at Coex Hall A and Hall B1 in Seoul. Hosted by the ministry and jointly organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency and Coex, the annual event marks its 25th edition under the theme "Expand: Content IP." The fair will feature 186 companies operating 443 exhibition booths, showcasing popular Korean characters and intellectual property (IP) spanning entertainment, finance and gaming. Featured properties include KB Vision's Esther Bunny, HNF's Ganadi, Iconix's Zanmang Loopy, Shinhan Bank's Shinhan Friends, Neowiz's mobile game Cats & Soup and Olabox's Remini, based on the girl group RESCENE. The exhibition will also include themed showcases highlighting collaborations between content creators and other indust

Jul 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Character fair aims to turn Korea's IP boom into global business

Cheonggye Stream turns into summer showcase for sustainability

Discarded seaweed, used coffee grounds and scrap aluminum are getting a second life along Cheonggye Stream, which flows from west to east through the heart of downtown Seoul, where a new exhibition and children's education program aim to make sustainability tangible for visitors this summer. The Seoul Facilities Corp. said Friday it launched an eco-friendly materials exhibition and summer ecology education program at Cheonggye Stream to promote environmental awareness and resource recycling. The exhibition, titled "Adding and Subtracting for the Ecological Environment," opened Friday at the Cheonggyecheon Shantytown Theme Zone in Seongdong District. Developed in collaboration with the Material Design Lab of Hongik University's department of metal art and design, the exhibition explores the relationship between production, waste, materials and environmental sustainability through research-driven design. Twelve artists are presenting 14 works created from recycled and discarded materials. Featured pieces include lighting made from seaweed fiber woven with kelp extract, crayons produced from

Jul 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Cheonggye Stream turns into summer showcase for sustainability

AI robots to help manage public wellness at Seoul's iconic design hub

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), the cavernous, silver-plated landmark designed by Zaha Hadid, has long served as Korea’s premier venue for avant-garde fashion and contemporary design. Now, the futuristic complex is set to experiment with a different kind of architecture: an invisible infrastructure of public health managed entirely by artificial intelligence (AI). The Seoul Design Foundation said Friday that it partnered with tech firm SK Intellix to transform the cultural hub into a living laboratory for urban innovation. Under the new agreement, signed at the DDP Design Lab, the complex will deploy a fleet of autonomous "NAMUHX" wellness robots across its sprawling corridors, turning the public plaza into a test bed for agentic AI. The sleek, roving machines are designed to blend seamlessly into the background of bustling exhibitions while performing a suite of microservices. Equipped with self-driving navigation and specialized sensors, the robots will monitor and regulate indoor air quality in real time. For visitors navigating the complex, the machines will offer contactless healt

Jul 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
AI robots to help manage public wellness at Seoul's iconic design hub

Korean jazz takes center stage at Budapest festival

From intimate club performances to open-air concerts, Korean jazz musicians captivated audiences in Hungary as Korea took the spotlight as the guest country at one of Central Europe's leading jazz festivals. The Korean Cultural Center in Hungary said Friday that it successfully concluded the first half of Korea's guest country program at Jazz Fest Budapest 2026, held from June 28 to July 5. Five Korean acts participated in this year's program, including vocalist Nah Youn-sun, pianist Cho Yoon-sung, the Near East Quartet, Yonglee & The Doltang and the One Mind Trio. The performances highlighted the diversity of Korea's contemporary jazz scene through traditional, experimental and modern styles. The festival, directed by Hungarian jazz musician Attila Kleb, marked its fifth edition this year. Organizers said the event has collaborated with the Jarasum Jazz Festival since 2024. Last year, the Jarasum Jazz Festival hosted a "Hungary Focus" program, while this year's Budapest festival introduced a "Korea Focus" program featuring Korean artists. Cho Yoon-sung Quintet opened the Korean program on

Jul 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korean jazz takes center stage at Budapest festival

Hundreds of educators to convene in Seoul as demand for Korean language teaching soars

At a time when digital acceleration threatens to replace traditional classrooms with algorithms, hundreds of educators are gathering in Korea to make a case for the deeply human power of cultural connection through language. On July 13, approximately 550 Korean language educators from around the globe will assemble at Coex convention center in southern Seoul for the 2026 World Korean Language Educator Conference. The event marks a significant bureaucratic milestone, bringing together four major government bodies — the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Overseas Koreans Agency — for their first joint assembly in nine years as they work together to streamline global educational support. The conference comes during a historic surge in global demand for Korean language teaching, driven by the enduring footprint of Korean cultural content, academic migration and professional opportunities. The 547 international attendees reflect a diverse lineup, including 211 instructors from King Sejong Institutes, 43 primary an

Jul 10, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Hundreds of educators to convene in Seoul as demand for Korean language teaching soars

UK, Korea launch sustainable fashion exhibition centering on future of circular design

The British Embassy in Seoul and the British Council Korea will host a collaborative exhibition on sustainable fashion at Seoul's Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) from July 15 to 25, bringing together British and Korean researchers, designers and creative practitioners to examine how fashion can become more sustainable through innovation and circular design. Titled "UK-Korea Fashion Futures," the exhibition highlights the complementary strengths of the United Kingdom, a global leader in the creative industries, and Korea, whose influence continues to grow through the worldwide popularity of K-culture. Developed in partnership with the University of the Arts London (UAL), the Seoul Design Foundation and other institutions, the exhibition follows the concept of two exhibitions, brought together with one journey. Visitors move through two interconnected exhibitions that trace the journey from research and innovation to creative practice and public participation. The first exhibition, "New Landscapes," showcases research led by UAL's Fashion, Textiles and Technology Institute, highlighting Bri

Jul 10, 2026By Anna J. Park
UK, Korea launch sustainable fashion exhibition centering on future of circular design
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