Daesan Foundation opens applications for Korean literature translation grants

The Daesan Foundation is accepting applications for the 2025 Grants for the translation, research and publication of Korean literature.

March 11, 2025

Government agency to operate rights center at London Book Fair

The Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA), a government agency under the Culture Ministry, said it will operate a rights center at the 54th London Book Fair, taking place Tuesday to Thursday (local time). The booth will be shared with 10 participating Korean publishers, including Munhakdongne Publishing, Darakwon, iPortfolio and BC Agency. Additionally, the booth will showcase 101 books from 38 Korean publishers that could not participate in person. After the event, the books wi

March 10, 2025

Changgeuk ‘Lear’ director Jung Young-doo nominated for Laurence Olivier Award

South Korean director Jung Young-doo has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award, Britain's highest honor in theater, for his direction of the changgeuk production "Lear." Jung was nominated in the outstanding achievement in opera category for his work on the National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s superlative "The Tragedy of King Lear" (1606). The adaptation was staged at London’s Barbican Theatre from Oct. 3 to 6, 2024. Changgeuk is akin to a genre of Kore

March 10, 2025

Gong Seung-yeon thought her male disguise 'quite handsome'

Gong makes stage debut as the town's beauty in 'Secret of Flowers' Actress Gong Seung-yeon shared her thoughts on making her stage debut in the play "The Secret of Flowers" during a recent interview with reporters. "It feels surreal to finally be on a stage I’ve long dreamed of performing on," she said. "I’ve always admired the theater because it’s a genre I never imagined myself doing. Actors on stage always seemed to shine." Gong, 32, who began her acting career in 2012, has starred in series

March 7, 2025

Park Sang-young and Bora Chung to meet with Swedish readers

Two internationally recognized novelists, Park Sang-young and Bora Chung, are to meet with readers in Sweden at Korean Literature Week events organized by the Korean Cultural Center Sweden. On Monday, Park will meet local readers at Kulturhuset, a cultural complex in Stockholm, following a screening of "Love in the Big City," a film adaptation of his book starring Kim Go-eun and Noh Sang-hyun. The event will be moderated by Kim Eun-ah, who translated the book into Swedish. On Wednesday, Chung wi

March 7, 2025

Seoul International Book Fair presses on without state funding

The Korean Publishers Association, which remains at odds with the Culture Ministry over government subsidies for the Seoul International Book Fair, will once again hold the event without direct government funding this year.

March 6, 2025

Years after tragedy, can those left behind finally find peace?

National Changgeuk Company's ‘Boheoja -- The One Who Paces the Void’ walks the path of consolation The story of King Sejo (1417-1468), the 7th king of Joseon, is one of blood, ambition and political intrigue. Ruthless power struggles and their far-reaching consequences inspired many adaptations, including the series “The Princess’ Man” (2011) and the film “The Face Reader” (2013), in which “Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae portrayed Grand Prince Suyang before his ascent to the throne. Born the seco

March 5, 2025

National Gugak Center to recreate royal processional music with AI-generated lyrics

Court Music Orchestra uses AI to restore court music's lost lyrics A traditional music performance will recreate the pomp and circumstance of the processions of Joseon-era kings as they departed from and returned to their palaces. The National Gugak Center’s Court Music Orchestra is set to stage a performance centered on haengak, or the music traditionally played during royal processions, as well as for governors and foreign envoys during the Joseon era (1392-1910). Titled “Haengak and Boheoja:

March 4, 2025

KG leaves VCHA citing 'abuse and mistreatment'

The American member of JYP Entertainment’s newly debuted global girl group VCHA, KG, has announced her departure from the group citing alleged abuse by a staff member. The 17-year-old singer shared the news Sunday on her Instagram, revealing that she had decided to terminate her contract and exit VCHA after experiencing “incidents of abuse and mistreatment by certain staff members.” VCHA, a joint Korean-US girl group, debuted in January this year as part of the global project A

Dec. 8, 2024

Han Kang's 'Human Acts' reverberates once again

Just weeks after her groundbreaking Nobel Prize win, Han Kang's books have sold millions of copies nationwide. Last week, annual sales reports from major Korean bookstores revealed that half of the year's top-10 bestsellers were Han's works. Particularly noteworthy is that among her titles, "Human Acts" holds the No. 1 spot on both Kyobo Book Center, the country’s largest bookstore chain, and Yes24, the leading online retailer. With the global acclaim of "The

Dec. 8, 2024