Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Fans flock to BTS Festa amid growing hopes for full-group comeback

As BTS' 2019 hit single "Mikrokosmos" filled the air with soft beats for a brief lighting show around noon Friday, a wave of excitement swept through a big exhibition hall at KINTEX in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul. Fans erupted in delight, quickly immersing themselves in the moment. Many raised their phones to capture photos of a massive screen on one wall, while simultaneously waving their signature light sticks, known as "Army Bombs," with the other hand. As the screen began to show the members' faces one by one, the crowd responded with even louder cheers and emotional reactions. The event is part of the annual BTS Festa — a hybrid celebration held both online and in person to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the K-pop supergroup's debut on June 13. The two-day in-person portion opened Friday, transforming the area around KINTEX into a sea of purple as fans dressed in violet T-shirts, carrying matching parasols or handmade accessories, lined up from the early morning. Organizers say this year's edition is the biggest yet, buoyed by the fact that six of the seven members have al

Jun 13, 2025By Yonhap

Fans flock to BTS Festa amid growing hopes for full-group comeback

Gov't to issue AI copyright guidelines amid growing legal disputes

The government will publish new guidelines on the copyright of contents produced by generative artificial intelligence (AI) at the end of June to address escalating global copyright disputes and mounting legal and policy challenges driven by the rapid adoption of AI in creative industries. On Friday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Korea Copyright Commission, convened the second meeting of the AI-related copyright system improvement council to discuss legal uncertainties surrounding the use of copyrighted materials for AI training and the copyright status of AI-generated outputs. Launched in March, the council brought together representatives from the AI industry, rights-holder organizations, academia, legal experts and government officials. Its primary goal is to address emerging copyright issues in the AI era and propose legislative reforms. The ministry said discussions covered insights from sub-committees and the latest international trends during the meeting. Notably, they reviewed two draft guides — one set for copyright registration of generative

Jun 13, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Gov't to issue AI copyright guidelines amid growing legal disputes

Chinese student, French pansori musician win Sustainable K-Style Korean Communication Contest

A Chinese student from Korea University and a French pansori (Korean narrative music) performer were named winners of the Sustainable K-Style Korean Communication Contest organized by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) in Seoul on Thursday. The event, aimed at fostering cross-cultural understanding through Korean culture, was led by Choi Jung-wha, the president of CICI, who was recently awarded the Legion of Honour at the rank of Officier by the French government. Cui Meiling of China won the grand prize with her presentation on "jeong" — a Korean concept of emotional connection. “Jeong may not be flashy, but it lingers for a long time. It can't be explained by logic, yet it has the power to move the heart. The reason K-dramas bring tears to the eyes of people around the world, and why K-pop fandoms are connected through acts of giving and care, is because they are infused with jeong,” Cui said during her presentation. French pansori performer Laure Mafo highlighted the beauty and depth of the traditional Korean art form and briefly showcased a performance to demonstrat

Jun 13, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Chinese student, French pansori musician win Sustainable K-Style Korean Communication Contest

Seoul hosts regional round of int'l student speech competition

The Seoul regional preliminaries of the Korean Speech Contest for International Students opened last week and will continue through next Friday. The grand prize winner will go on to represent Seoul in the national round of the contest. All award recipients will also become eligible for support programs aimed at helping international students adjust to life in the capital. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is now accepting applications, and the winners of the speech contest will be used to select the city’s delegate to the APEC Summit for University Students, scheduled for August in North Gyeongsang Province. The summit is hosted by the Ministry of Education and organized by the provincial government, and is where the finals for the competition will be held. Applicants must choose one of four topics related to “Studying in Seoul” and submit a written speech using the designated form. Presentations should be about three minutes long. The topics are: "My dream job," "A unique idea to promote studying in Seoul," "My success story as a student in Seoul" and "My most memorable experienc

Jun 13, 2025By Park Ung

Seoul hosts regional round of int'l student speech competition

Medicon Festival lures global influencers, showcases Korea’s beauty power

Although Ale Anjos — a Brazilian content creator with more than 470,000 followers who shares her life in Korea and beauty tips — was already well acquainted with the country’s medical and cosmetic industry, she was still struck by how advanced its plastic surgery diagnostics have become. “You can see every detail of your skin. It was really impressive,” Anjos told The Korea Times, describing a 3D face scan that analyzed her skin, predicted aging patterns, and assessed her skin's biological age. “They scan your face, and it shows when you're likely to age, all your bad spots, your good spots, and the age of your skin. At least for me, I had good results.” Anjos was one of some 150 social media influencers from around the world who gathered in Seoul on Wednesday for the 2025 Medicon Festival — an event aimed at showcasing Korea’s advanced cosmetic procedures and state-of-the-art plastic surgery industry, part of the country’s growing push into global medical tourism. Now in its second year, the event highlighted the rise of Korea’s beauty-focused medical tourism indu

Jun 12, 2025By Park Ung

Medicon Festival lures global influencers, showcases Korea’s beauty power

Air Force doctor helps troops fight smoking with grit and trust

For Lt. Col. Kim Young-jin, commander of the medical battalion at the Air Force’s 20th Fighter Wing, tackling smoking isn’t about strict enforcement — it’s about empathy, persistence and meeting people where they are. Recognized with a health minister’s award on World No Tobacco Day, Kim has quietly led a shift in attitudes toward smoking within the base where she serves. Since joining the military as a nurse officer in 2007, she has organized mobile counseling sessions, lunchtime campaigns and informal conversations with troops. “You can sense it — people are changing, little by little,” she said. What sets her approach apart is its accessibility. Realizing that rigid clinic hours don’t suit military life, Kim brought counseling directly to the troops. More recently, she launched a task force with security and safety teams to reevaluate smoking zones and reduce secondhand smoke exposure. She also plans to expand cancer screenings — currently limited to pilots — to include their families. “When you see possible cancer risks in your children, it changes how you thin

Jun 11, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Air Force doctor helps troops fight smoking with grit and trust

History lecturer named honorary ambassador of Overseas Koreans Agency

Choi Tae-sung, a prominent lecturer on Korean history, has been appointed the first honorary ambassador of the Overseas Koreans Agency, a government body that supports members of the global Korean diaspora. The agency said Tuesday that Choi, 53, will help advance its mission of providing administrative services to Koreans living abroad, safeguarding their rights and strengthening their ties to the homeland. The Overseas Koreans Agency is a government body established last year to succeed the Overseas Koreans Foundation. With an expanded mandate, the agency now provides comprehensive administrative services, advocates for the rights of 7.5 million Koreans living abroad and works to deepen their connections to Korea. This is the first time the agency has appointed an honorary ambassador since being founded in June 2024 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “As an instructor, Choi has played a big role in teaching the history of Korean immigration to other countries and their contributions to their home country through fun and entertaining lectures,” the agency said in a statement. Choi

Jun 11, 2025By Jung Min-ho

History lecturer named honorary ambassador of Overseas Koreans Agency

‘Take responsibility’: Actress Kim Bu-seon blames President Lee Jae-myung for her downfall

Actress Kim Bu-seon has publicly called on President Lee Jae-myung to take responsibility for her situation and help her return to acting. “Mr. Lee Jae-myung, take responsibility. You deceived me, and now I’m left with nothing. I’ve been completely ruined and unemployed. Help me return as an actress," Kim said in a video posted to her YouTube channel on Saturday. She continued, “No matter how I think about it, I didn’t do anything wrong. The only fault I had was believing in and liking you. So, return me and my daughter to our rightful place as actors. That’s what a real man and a parent would do. You’re a parent too, aren’t you?” Kim then added, “I heard your son is getting married. Should I show up with just 200 won? The ‘Gaeddals’ [a nickname for die-hard pro-Lee Democratic Party of Korea supporters] send me 18 won donations. They falsely accuse others without evidence. I’ve been having all kinds of thoughts alone.” She also made critical remarks about Lee’s son. “President Lee Jae-myung’s son’s gambling addiction is as serious as a drug addiction.

Jun 10, 2025By Xportsnews

‘Take responsibility’: Actress Kim Bu-seon blames President Lee Jae-myung for her downfall

As president eyes return, Cheong Wa Dae hosts what may be its last tourists

When Ryu Si-won, a retired man in his 60s, learned on Wednesday that Lee Jae-myung had been elected president, his first thought was to visit Cheong Wa Dae — the former presidential compound that housed 12 leaders over the past 74 years. Cheong Wa Dae is commonly known in English as the Blue House in a nod to its distinctive tiled roof. Lee has said he plans to return the presidential office there. “I wasn’t planning to come here today,” Ryu told The Korea Times. "But after Lee was elected, I checked yesterday to see if on-site registration was possible and came. I figured this might be my last chance to see it.” He recalled that in his younger days, he had only made it as far as the front gate — never once stepping inside until now. “Seeing it in person, it feels modest. You can really see the influence of traditional Korean hanok architecture,” Ryu said. “I’m not sure if it’s possible to do both at the same time, but I hope the president returns here and that it still remains open to the public.” On Thursday, Cheong Wa Dae bustled with tourists — many, like Ryu

Jun 10, 2025By Park Ung

As president eyes return, Cheong Wa Dae hosts what may be its last tourists

Cheonan emerges as hot spot for Korean culture

The Cheonan K-Culture Expo 2025 with MyK FESTA has wrapped up after welcoming tens of thousands of visitors. Held at the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, the five-day event ran from Wednesday through Sunday under the theme of “Global K-Culture in Full Bloom,” offering a dynamic combination of music, fashion, food, beauty and education. According to a Cheonan City official on Monday, the festival was the largest ever, and attracted more than 350,000 visitors from both home and abroad. It was the third year the expo was held since its launch in 2023. For the event’s opening ceremony on Wednesday, high-profile pop stars such as Sung Si-kyung, Lee Mu-jin, H1-Key and BEATPELLA HOUSE performed at the venue’s main stage with some 10,000 spectators. “The expo boosts the country’s status as a global powerhouse in culture,” South Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Tae-heum said during the opening ceremony. Culture, Sports and Tourism Vice Minister Yong Ho-seong and Independence Hall of Korea President Kim Hyoung-suk also joined the first day’s headli

Jun 9, 2025By Jhoo Dong-chan

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