Korea’s first dating show for the disabled challenges genre with tender, humanistic lens

South Korean broadcasting has long been a powerhouse for the dating show genre, but SBS' latest three-part series, "Mongle Mongle Mongle," is breaking new ground by centering on a demographic often left out of romantic narratives -- people with disabilities. The program follows the journey of three young adults -- Ji-hyun, who has a level 3 intellectual disability; Ji-hoon, who is on the autism spectrum; and Ji-won, who has Down syndrome -- as they embark on blind dates with other young adults w

The people's king: How "The King's Warden" became Korea's biggest film in years

In 1984, a Korean television drama called "Apricot in the Snow" aired what can only be described as a creative betrayal of the historical record. Its subject was an incident known to Koreans as Gyeyujeongnan, or the Purge of the Gyeyu Year — a 1453 coup in which Grand Prince Suyang seized control of the court, deposed his twelve-year-old nephew Danjong, banished him to a remote mountain village, and eventually had him killed. In the TV drama's telling, Suyang was a hero born out of circumstance.

Riize wraps ‘Riizing Loud’ world tour with electrifying finale in Seoul

Boy group Riize closed its first world tour in Seoul over the weekend, delivering a high-energy finale concert that highlighted the group's rapid growth and deepening connection with fans. Held from Friday to Sunday at Kspo Dome in Songpa, southern Seoul, the finale of the group’s “Riizing Loud” tour drew a combined audience of 32,000 over three sold-out shows. Sunday’s concert marked the culmination of an eight-month global journey that took Riize across 21 cities in Asia and North America, dra

When flamenco meets the office grind

"Mad." "Dance." "Office." Those three words seem to have no business sitting next to each other. Put together, they make for the kind of title that makes you scratch your head and wonder what exactly you're in for. That mismatch is the whole point, director Cho Hyun-jin said at Tuesday's press conference at CGV Yongsan in Seoul. "The dissonance between mad dancing and the office is where the fun comes from," she said. "Dancing at work feels unnatural and uncomfortable. But the irony is what make

OneRepublic turns Seoul into sing-along spectacle during ‘From Asia, With Love’

American pop-rock band OneRepublic returned to Seoul on Monday — a year after their last concert in South Korea — delivering a tightly structured, hit-filled performance at Jamsil Arena in Songpa, southern Seoul, as part of its “From Asia, With Love” tour. Welcomed by roaring applause from roughly 5,400 attendees, OneRepublic’s front man Ryan Tedder made it clear that this was more than another tour stop for the band; it was a place where Tedder and bandmates looked forward to performing. He gre

Apink celebrates 15 years with nostalgic, high-energy ‘The Origin’ concert

Apink marked its 15th debut anniversary with a sweeping celebration of its career at Jangchung Arena in central Seoul on Saturday and Sunday, proving why the group is among K-pop’s most long-standing girl groups. The sold-out “The Origin: Apink” concert unfolded as a curated journey through the quintet’s history, blending nostalgia with polished live vocals and tightly coordinated choreography. Sunday’s show opened with a recreation of the group’s 2011 debut teaser film, instantly transporting f

After 'Culinary Class Wars' craze, its bake-off version comes out — and it's much worse

Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" swept South Korea last year with its high-drama face-offs between chefs, pairing visually striking dishes with the deeply personal philosophies of its contestants. More than an entertainment show, the series captured hearts and quickly evolved into a cultural phenomenon. Riding that momentum, and with the second season of "Culinary Class Wars" wrapping in January, broadcasters have rushed to capitalize on the food survival boom. Among the wave of new entrants, Kor

Ryoo Seung-wan's spy thriller gets louder, not sharper, in 'Humint'

Few directors in Korea can reliably put butts in seats the way Ryoo Seung-wan can. The man built his career on a particular brand of kinetic mayhem — gritty bare-knuckle brawls, pulpy genre instincts, and just enough political edge to keep the adrenaline running hot. His "Veteran" cop saga remains his commercial peak with 13.4 million admissions for the 2015 original and another 7.5 million for the 2024 sequel. Even the lighter fare, like the crowd-pleasing smuggling romp "Smugglers," tends to o

Le Sserafim’s encore Seoul show — tightly choreographed to the last beat

Le Sserafim wrapped up its first world tour, “Easy Crazy Hot,” with a sold-out encore concert in Seoul on Sunday, closing a run that spanned 31 shows across 20 cities. Held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium, the final performance drew a near-capacity crowd, excluding limited-view seats. The tour, which began in Incheon in April last year, marked nearly a full year on the road for the group. Despite the demanding schedule, the members powered through a three-hour set featuring 26 songs, including original

A tour's poignant finale for Chung Myung-whun — and Lim Yunchan's fans

On Sunday afternoon at the Seoul Arts Center, the Staatskapelle Dresden, an orchestra with a 478-year history, together with maestro Chung Myung-whun and star pianist Lim Yunchan, brought the curtain down on their five-performance tour of Korea. Before the concert began, a series of solemn announcements urged audience members to switch off their mobile phones completely. "Audiences are the third player," one announcement said over the loudspeakers. The message was reinforced on the first page of

'Number One' squanders Choi Woo-shik's homecoming

Everyone knows actor Choi Woo-shik from the Oscar-sweeping sensation "Parasite." His Ki-woo was the crafty son who hatched the scheme, the one whose poker-faced ambition kept the grift rolling even as things began to fall apart. But every success story has to start somewhere. The actor had cut his teeth in smaller productions long before he blew up globally, and indie heads here will tell you the 2014 film "Set Me Free" was his true breakthrough. Directed by first-time director Kim Tae-yong (not

NCT's Taeyong declares return to K-pop in explosive post-military comeback concert

Returning from military service in December, NCT’s Taeyong wasted no time reminding fans exactly who he is — a trailblazing soloist, a magnetic performer and a creative mind behind the NCT universe. Held Saturday and Sunday at Ticket Link Live Arena in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul, “TY Track — Remastered” marked Taeyong’s first solo concert in two years. Building on his 2024 solo debut concert, the remastered edition expanded the show’s scale with newly arranged music and seven unreleased tracks —

Sejong Center flips the script: audience takes the stage

At the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Gwanghwamun — the country’s largest performance venue with 3,022 seats spanning three tiers — the audience typically watches from their seats in the dark. On Sunday and Monday, the center inverted this dynamic with "Reading & Listening Stage." Instead of filling the auditorium, participants were invited to sit on the stage itself. Facing the cavernous, empty hall where thousands of eyes usually stare back, they experienced the

Giveon brings R&B vibes to city of K-pop

American R&B singer-songwriter Giveon brought his signature baritone and raw vulnerability to Myunghwa Live Hall in Seoul on Sunday, launching the Asia leg of his "Dear Beloved" global tour. Giveon's Seoul debut was a 90-minute confession soaked in heartbreak, vulnerability and slow-burning R&B grooves that resonated deeply with the sold-out crowd, with an audience of some 1,700 filling the venue. One of the night's most memorable moments came during the performance of "Heartbreak Anniversary" —

Daesung of Big Bang kicks off 2026 with powerful vocals, witty charm

Big Bang’s Daesung brought his nine-month "Daesung 2025 Asia Tour: D's Wave" to a heartfelt close over the weekend with the finale at Ticket Link Live Arena in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul. The tour, spanning 11 cities across the continent, concluded with three back-to-back shows from Friday to Sunday, with the Friday performance tacked on due to high demand. The rare solo concert saw fans fill the arena waving Big Bang’s iconic yellow crown light stick — the "VIP Bong" — alongside Daesung’s own of