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Birthday with a purpose: Actor Kim Seon-ho donates $35,000 to senior welfare programs

Kim Seon-ho is drawing praise from fans after marking his birthday with a meaningful donation aimed at supporting elderly communities across Korea. According to his agency, Fantagio, Kim donated 50 million won ($35,000) to the Korea Association of Senior Welfare Centers on Friday, his birthday. The nationwide organization supports senior welfare centers across the country through policy programs, education initiatives, research and community networking projects. Kim’s donation will reportedly be used to support educational activities and social participation programs for elderly citizens at welfare centers nationwide. The actor’s decision reportedly came after filming the variety show “Bonjour Bakery,” where he spent time interacting closely with elderly residents in regional communities. According to the agency, Kim wanted the donation to go beyond simple financial support and instead encourage older adults to continue learning and taking on new challenges. Fans online also reacted warmly to the news, with many praising the actor for continuing his long-running tradition of “bi

May 12, 2026By Xportsnews
Birthday with a purpose: Actor Kim Seon-ho donates $35,000 to senior welfare programs

Ex-chief confident in South Chungcheong’s potential in content business

Under Kim Gok-mi's leadership, the Chungnam Content Agency, a cultural promotion body located in South Chungcheong Province, succesfully expanded its global presence by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technology and fostering the esports sector. As Kim completed her term as president on Monday, the agency is likely to continue its course. "The content industry is rapidly expanding into an intellectual property business converging with telecommunications and artificial intelligence," Kim told The Korea Times in a written interview Monday. The agency changed its name from the Chungnam Information & Culture Industry Promotion Agency in 2025. "We changed the name to strengthen our connection with government policies and make the agency more accessible to the public," Kim said. The agency has prioritized AI in content creation. It produced an AI-restored video of Korean independence activist Yu Gwan-sun using unreleased family photos to commemorate the 80th anniversary of national liberation. The video was screened in Times Square in New York and drew significant attention from inter

May 12, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Ex-chief confident in South Chungcheong’s potential in content business

'Citizen diplomat' turns over 45 years of Korea Times columns into book

Korea Times columnist Choe Chong-dae has published a new book compiling his English-language essays on Korea and its diplomatic partners, written over nearly half a century for the nation’s oldest English daily. Drawing on more than 400 columns contributed since 1979, “Bridging Cultures: The Korea Times Columns of a Citizen Diplomat (1979-2025)” brings together more than 100 selected columns that trace Korea’s diplomatic history, democratization, cultural exchanges and interfaith dialogue through the personal lens of a self-described “citizen diplomat.” Born in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, to a distinguished family descended from Choe Che-woo, founder of the Donghak movement, he is a son of Choe Nam-ju, a renowned archaeologist whose research on the ancient Silla Kingdom (57 BCE – 935 CE) was highlighted in the paper in 1961. He said this legacy of civic engagement and historical inquiry naturally led him to use his Korea Times contributions as a platform to interpret Korea’s past and present for global readers. Choe, who also runs his own trading firm Dae-kwang I

May 11, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
'Citizen diplomat' turns over 45 years of Korea Times columns into book

Lotte World’s MapleStory event draws 100,000 visitors

More than 100,000 visitors have participated in the "Create Your Own Character" experience at Lotte World Adventure in southern Seoul, as part of its spring collaboration with Nexon’s popular online game MapleStory, the theme park operator said Monday. The interactive attraction, located at the Meeting Plaza on the first floor of the adventure park, allows visitors to create digital avatars by scanning a QR code. Users can either generate a character that resembles them by uploading a photo or customize one manually. The event has gained significant traction among longtime fans of the game, as it allows them to import their actual in-game characters. Once completed, the character is displayed on a 10-meter-high media tree. Starting this spring, the theme park has collaborated with Nexon to draw in dedicated MapleStory fans as well as visitors who wanted new experiences at the park. Lotte World Adventure is currently decorated with various MapleStory monsters, serving as popular photo spots for guests. The organizers said the experience is designed to make visitors feel as if they are "

May 11, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Lotte World’s MapleStory event draws 100,000 visitors

BLACKPINK’s viral Met Gala bathroom selfie sends fans into meltdown

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK turned one of fashion’s most exclusive events into a viral fan moment after all four members appeared together in the now-iconic “Met Gala bathroom selfie.” Model Bhavitha Mandava sparked the frenzy on May 5 by uploading a mirror selfie from a bathroom at the 2026 Met Gala with the caption, “Felt cute, might delete later.” The photo showed Mandava posing alongside actor Rachel Sennott and BLACKPINK members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa. The four stars drew attention with contrasting designer looks while showing a more playful and candid side through goofy poses and expressions in front of the mirror. The image quickly spread across social media, with fans calling it a rare and emotional reunion shot of all four members together at the prestigious fashion event. The buzz was amplified by the long-running “Met Gala bathroom selfie” tradition. Although phone use is officially banned during the gala, celebrities have continued the unofficial custom of secretly taking bathroom selfies for years, making the snapshots one of the event’s most talked-abo

May 9, 2026By Xportsnews
BLACKPINK’s viral Met Gala bathroom selfie sends fans into meltdown

Violinist Clara-Jumi Kang and piano partner Kim Sun-wook reunite for duo recital after 5 years

Violinist Clara-Jumi Kang said there is hardly anyone she trusts musically more than pianist Kim Sun-wook as the two prepare for a nationwide duo recital tour in Korea — their first such collaboration in the country in five years. “Among all the musicians I know, Sun-wook is definitely in the top five when it comes to passion for music,” Kang said at a press conference Wednesday at Credia Classic Club Studio in Jongno, Seoul. Beginning May 23 at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, the duo will perform in 11 cities across Korea. The program features violin sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven, Ottorino Respighi, Mieczysław Weinberg and Richard Strauss. Kang described recitals as more intimate than concerto performances with orchestras. “A recital is a time to become closer to the audience and to share a more personal musical world,” she said. “Sun-wook and I have collaborated often as soloist and conductor, but this was a program I especially wanted to present in Korea.” The duo’s recent performances have already drawn praise abroad, including at Berlin’s Pierre Boulez Saal last

May 8, 2026By Hankookilbo
Violinist Clara-Jumi Kang and piano partner Kim Sun-wook reunite for duo recital after 5 years

Seoul to revive public taekwondo performances, adding street shows at DDP

Seeking to capitalize on a surge of international interest in Korean culture, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched its 2026 Taekwondo Performance program, anchored in the traditional backdrop of Namsangol Hanok Village and expanding this year to the neon-lit curves of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). The city’s move to scale up the program follows a banner year for the martial arts showcase. City officials said Friday that attendance in 2025 climbed more than 25 percent over the previous year, with audience satisfaction surveys yielding a nearly perfect score of 97.9 out of 100. The primary stage remains Cheonwugak, a pavilion within the historic Hanok village in the Jung District. Two daily performances will be held there every weekend beginning Saturday and continuing through Oct. 18, although the city will pause the event during the sweltering peak of July and August. Ten specialized squads — including the world-renowned Kukkiwon and university demonstration teams — will cycle through a repertoire that ranges from rigid traditional forms to modern "fusion" choreography

May 8, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul to revive public taekwondo performances, adding street shows at DDP

Soprano Sumi Jo named Korea's cultural cooperation ambassador

The foreign ministry said Friday it has appointed world-renowned soprano Sumi Jo as cultural cooperation ambassador to help support the global expansion of K-culture. The position is an external-title ambassador post in which individuals with expertise and public recognition are granted the title and utilized in the government's diplomatic activities for a one-year term. "Ambassador Jo is expected to contribute to the realization of the 'K-Initiative' and the global expansion of K-culture by enhancing understanding of Korea's public and cultural diplomacy policies and by conducting outreach to stakeholders in both the public and private sectors," the ministry said in a release. The Grammy-winning artist is widely regarded as one of the leading voices in global classical music, who also marks the 40th anniversary of her international debut this year. Jo has previously served as a public relations ambassador for the Korea-Japan World Cup, a cultural public diplomacy envoy for the ministry and a promotional ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The ministry also named Lee Seon

May 8, 2026By Yonhap
Soprano Sumi Jo named Korea's cultural cooperation ambassador

SK chairman's partner offers rare glimpse of daughter

Kim Hee-young, director of the T&C Foundation and partner of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, shared a rare glimpse of their 15-year-old daughter on social media, highlighting a teenager's preference for comfort over formal wear. In a Thursday post, Kim shared photos and a video of the two. She captioned the post, writing in Korean, "Back to the city. Rather than the glamorous responsibility of wearing high heels and keeping one’s back straight, for a 15-year-old, bare feet and Crocs are still more comfortable." The images show Kim with her hair styled simply and subtle makeup, wearing a black-and-white dress. In an accompanying video, her daughter — wearing a sparkling gown and long wavy hair — takes off her high heels to walk barefoot along the street. The social media update marks a rare public appearance for the teenager. Kim and Chey’s relationship has remained a subject of intense public scrutiny since the birth of their daughter in 2010. This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

May 7, 2026By Xportsnews
SK chairman's partner offers rare glimpse of daughter
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