Lifestyle - The Korea Times

New int'l ballet competition to launch in Korea this November

A new international ballet competition is set to debut in Korea this November, with its founder hoping to usher in a fresh culture of ballet through live competitions. “In Korea, there’s no real culture of watching ballet competitions,” said Choi Jun-seok, president of Ballet & Model AI, who will oversee the new competition, during a telephone interview Tuesday with The Korea Times. “But it’s actually much more fun to watch a competition than a traditional performance. You get to see different works, top performers and the drama that naturally unfolds among the competitors — something you don’t get in a regular performance.” In ballet, unlike many other art forms, professional dancers often compete alongside aspiring performers in competitions. As a ballet dancer himself, Choi also believes the competition could serve a diplomatic purpose: easing tensions between the U.S. and Russia in the ballet world. “Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, American dancers no longer participate in competitions held in Russia and vice versa,” he said. “But if Seoul hosts an internat

Apr 30, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

New int'l ballet competition to launch in Korea this November

Korea appoints 2,800 global content creators to promote culture, tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism appointed nearly 2,800 foreign content creators to promote Korean culture abroad through videos and articles. During a ceremony in Seoul on Tuesday, the ministry marked the official launch of their 2025 campaign by recognizing 1,303 YouTubers as K-Influencers and 1,498 writers as Honorary Reporters, together representing almost 100 countries. “They will serve as messengers, connecting Korea to the world,” a ministry official said. “These YouTubers and writers have already proven their passion and dedication. We look forward to working closely with them and helping them gain a deeper understanding of Korean culture.” The Honorary Reporter program, which began 15 years ago, produced over 7,000 reports last year alone, with 1,325 articles published on Korea.net, a government-run website promoting Korea in 10 languages. Longtime participants Salwa Elzeny Mostafa Mohamed and Esraa Elzeny Mostafa Mohamed, both from Egypt, have been part of the program for 11 years, and were recognized for their outstanding contributions. The K-Influencer progr

Apr 29, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Korea appoints 2,800 global content creators to promote culture, tourism

Tzuyang’s secret to staying slim? A look at the stomach of someone who eats 20 packs of ramen

"Mukbang," or binge eating videos, YouTuber Tzuyang has shared details about her health. On Monday, a new vlog titled "Why doesn’t Tzuyang gain weight..? What’s the stomach size of someone who eats 20 packs of ramen? Endoscopy and health check results!" was uploaded to her YouTube channel, v-tzuyang. In the video, Tzuyang visited a hospital for a full health check. Preparing for her first colonoscopy, she had been fasting for 38 hours. After completing various tests, she underwent both a gastroscopy and colonoscopy. During the procedure, the doctor noted, "Compared to other women of a similar build, your stomach is a bit larger. As a professional, I can tell your stomach volume is slightly bigger than average. It appears to be 30 to 40 percent larger. This likely means your absorption, digestion and elimination capabilities are more efficient than most." The production crew expressed surprise at the findings. After waking up from the endoscopy, Tzuyang exclaimed, "I'm starving," clearly in discomfort. Later, the doctor explained to her, "I was surprised too. Your body mass index is 17

Apr 29, 2025By KTimes

Tzuyang’s secret to staying slim? A look at the stomach of someone who eats 20 packs of ramen

Reconstructed 'Joseon Tongsinsa' boat sets sail to celebrate Korea-Japan relations

A reconstructed wooden boat to reenact the voyages of diplomatic envoys during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) set sail from Busan on Monday for Osaka, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the normalization of Korea-Japan relations. Called "Joseon Tongsinsa," the diplomatic missions involved envoys sent from the Joseon Dynasty to Japan to promote bilateral ties. Each mission typically included between 100 and 500 members, consisting of government officials, scholars, artists, musicians, writers and others. The reconstructed boat will head to Osaka, where it is expected to arrive on May 13. Historically, the mission would disembark there before continuing their inland journey to Tokyo. “A Tongsinsa boat is setting sail to Osaka for the first time in the 261 years since the last voyage ended. I’m excited, but also nervous because of the historic significance of what we are doing,” Hong Soon-jae, a researcher at the National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage who helped start the project, told The Korea Times by phone from aboard the boat. A ceremony will be held for the boat's arr

Apr 28, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Reconstructed 'Joseon Tongsinsa' boat sets sail to celebrate Korea-Japan relations

Historic Korean diplomatic boat arrives in Osaka, rekindling cultural ties

Serene evening stroll through royal palace: Gyeongbok Palace to offer nighttime tours

Nighttime tours of Gyeongbok Palace will begin next month, offering visitors a chance to experience the serene atmosphere of the historic site nestled in downtown Seoul, organizers said Monday. The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) announced it will host its annual spring nighttime tours of the palace from May 8 to June 15, with visiting hours from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Every spring and autumn, the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) opens its gates at night — a rare occasion, as the palace is typically closed after dark. The program allows visitors to enjoy a peaceful stroll through the palace grounds, which are beautifully illuminated with special lighting that highlights the grandeur of the historic architecture under the moonlight. This year's spring event will also feature performances of traditional court music. Members of the National Gugak Center will perform pieces such as Yeominrak, Suryongeum, and Daechwita near the Sujeong Pavilion from May 21 to 24. All visitors, except foreigners, are required to make online reservations in advance. The nighttime tours will not be

Apr 28, 2025By Yonhap

Serene evening stroll through royal palace: Gyeongbok Palace to offer nighttime tours

Anseong opens Korea, China, Japan cultural exchange events

Anseong City hosted the opening ceremony of the 2025 Culture City of East Asia events on Friday, as part of an initiative to promote cultural exchange and strengthen cooperation among Korea, China and Japan, the city in Gyeonggi Province announced Sunday. Since the culture ministers of Korea, China and Japan reached an agreement in 2012, the three countries have annually designated a city with a distinct local culture from each nation as a Culture City of East Asia, starting in 2014. The designation fosters diverse cultural exchanges and collaborations. For 2025, the designated Culture Cities of East Asia are Anseong, approximately 70 kilometers south of Seoul; Huzhou and Macao of China; and Kamakura of Japan. The recent event held in Anseong was organized by Anseong City and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. During the opening ceremony, Namsadang Baudeogi, a traditional Korean performing arts troupe, presented a vibrant "pungmulnori," a Korean percussion music and dance performance. Performing groups from China showcased a traditional dragon dance and Japan prese

Apr 27, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Anseong opens Korea, China, Japan cultural exchange events

Cardinal You Heung-sik dismisses speculation about becoming next pope

Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, often mentioned as a potential candidate for the next pontiff, dismissed the speculation and urged the media to stop guessing. “When I heard that, I just laughed and moved on. It’s an honor ... but the speculation will certainly prove wrong. Nobody knows who will succeed Pope Francis. Never in history has a news media outlet guessed that right. This is a historical fact,” You said Thursday (local time) to Korean journalists who were visiting the Vatican to cover the pope’s funeral. His comments came after an Italian newspaper earlier last week named him, along with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of Congo, among 12 likely papal candidates after Pope Francis' death. Asked about the qualifications the next pontiff needs, You emphasized the ability to listen. “Nowadays, people speak up, but don’t like to listen to others. When you walk together, the most important thing is to listen well. If you love your companions, you would listen. If you don’t, you don’t liste

Apr 27, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Cardinal You Heung-sik dismisses speculation about becoming next pope

Actress Lee Young-ae surprises fans with candid confession about getting lifting treatments three times a year

Actress Lee Young-ae opened up in a candid conversation with TV personality Hong Jin-kyung. On April 24, a video whose Korean title translates as "The human embodiment of elegance Lee Young-ae: What does her voice sound like when she gets angry? (First look inside her Itaewon home)" was uploaded to Hong’s YouTube channel "Zzin_genius." In the video, Hong met with Lee, who recently returned to the stage in the play "Hedda Gabler." When Hong asked, "Have you ever thought about starting a YouTube channel?" Lee replied, "I did receive some offers. I lived in the countryside for 10 years." Hearing this, Hong jokingly protested, "That’s not the countryside. I know your house. You live in the Beverly Hills of Yangpyeong. Why do you keep saying it's the countryside?" drawing laughter on set. Lee responded, "I was farming there and cooking with the produce, so that's why people approached me with those ideas," she said. Hong then suggested, "How about 'Lee Young-ae's Dae Jang Geum'? You could naturally showcase your lifestyle by sharing recipes made with the vegetables you grow." Lee explained

Apr 26, 2025By KTimes

Actress Lee Young-ae surprises fans with candid confession about getting lifting treatments three times a year

JUST B's Bain comes out during world tour in LA

Bain, a member of the K-pop boy group JUST B, revealed his LGBTQ identity during the group’s world tour stop in Los Angeles on Tuesday, local time, marking a groundbreaking moment as the first K-pop boy band member to do so. "I am proud to be a part of the LGBTQ community," he said during a solo performance on the band's ongoing "Just Odd" tour at the Vermont Hollywood, and went on to say, "As a gay person." The statement was greeted with loud cheers from the audience. LGBTQ is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning. After the statement, he performed Lady Gaga's famed self-validating anthem "Born This Way," waving a rainbow flag. The K-pop industry has long had a "no dating" culture, as it generates profits through fan events and platforms where fans develop romantic fantasies about artists. Thus, revealing an artist's love life, sexual orientation and identity has long been a taboo as it would threaten this approach from the industry. In response to Bain's coming out, a flood of online comments has shown support and respect for his move, under the ha

Apr 24, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

JUST B's Bain comes out during world tour in LA

Seoul invites residents to modern hanbok fashion show along Deoksu Palace wall

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is hosting a modern "hanbok" fashion show on May 2 along the stone-walled path outside Deoksu Palace in Jung District. The show will be held twice — at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. — spotlighting a new wave of hanbok, Korea's traditional attire, reimagined with contemporary flair. The runway will stretch from the palace's Daehan Gate to the roundabout by the Seoul Museum of Art, offering a fusion of history and style. Four hanbok brands — Seodamhwa, Guiroe, Ccomaque and Studio Hyeon — all known for their craftsmanship and efforts to modernize the garment, will take part in the event. "The stone walls of Deoksugung-gil and the surrounding historic architecture create vastly different atmospheres depending on the light," said Joo Yong-tae, Seoul's director-general of economy. "That's why this fashion show was designed to unfold in both daylight and evening." "We hope many citizens will experience this picture-perfect runway where hanbok meets the beauty of Deoksugung-gil," Joo added. The fashion show is part of the broader Seoul Fashion Road initiative, aimed

Apr 23, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

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