Category: South Korea

China

China Walks Out of South Korea’s Major Art Festival Over “Taiwan Pavilion” — And Seoul Is Now Caught in the Middle

A dispute over the name of a Taiwanese exhibition has turned into a major diplomatic and cultural controversy in South Korea, with Chinese curators and artists withdrawing from the 16th Gwangju Biennale after organizers approved the use of the name “Taiwan Pavilion.” The controversy intensified just as the biennale opened to the public on September 5, putting one of Asia's major contemporary art events in the uncomfortable position of having a cultural exhibition overshadowed by the long-runnin

4d

Politics

Hualien High School Dragon Boat Team Wins 2 World Titles — Now It’s Chasing a Historic Triple

A young Taiwanese dragon boat crew is turning heads on the international stage. Hualien Physical Education High School has already captured two gold medals at the 15th International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships in Hualien — and the team is now chasing a third title before the global competition ends Sunday. The school’s Premier Open 10-person small-boat crew secured its second gold medal Friday at Liyu Lake, winning the 200-meter final in 46.56 seconds despite rain and

4d

Entertainment

The Remarried Empress Teaser Explodes Past 11.7 Million Views — And the Hype Is Only Beginning

Disney+ may already have another global Korean hit on its hands. The upcoming fantasy-romance series The Remarried Empress has generated enormous attention ahead of its November premiere, with its first teaser reportedly surpassing 11.7 million cumulative views worldwide within just 24 hours of release. The figure has been reported by multiple Korean entertainment outlets as the highest 24-hour teaser-view total recorded for a Disney+ Korean original, underscoring the enormous anticipation sur

4d

Entertainment

Seoul’s Taekwondo Shows Just Hit a Major Milestone — And Now the City Is Bringing Them Back

Seoul is bringing one of its most dynamic K-culture attractions back to center stage after its Taekwondo performance program drew more than 20,000 spectators during the first half of 2026. The 2026 Seoul Taekwondo Performance resumes its fall season on September 5 following its summer break, giving both local audiences and international visitors another chance to experience Korea’s traditional martial art through high-energy demonstrations, performance art and hands-on activities. According to

4d

Business

Korea’s Super-Rich Are Spending Millions on Holidays — But What They’re Buying Isn’t Luxury Hotels

A rocket launch from Kazakhstan. A private jet circling the world. A night inside the grounds of Versailles. A luxury train journey through South America. For South Korea's ultra-wealthy travelers, the new definition of luxury appears to be changing. The latest premium travel offerings in Korea suggest that affluent consumers are increasingly paying not simply for better hotels or business-class seats, but for rare experiences, exclusivity and access that ordinary travelers cannot easily repli

4d

South Korea

Wedding Celebration Turns Into Tragedy as U.S. Strike Kills 5 in Iran—Investigation Deepens

KUHESTAK, Iran — What was supposed to be a joyful wedding celebration in a small southern Iranian town ended in devastation after a strike hit a residential compound where women and children had gathered. At least five people died, including a 4-year-old boy, a 16-year-old and two women, while more than 60 others were injured, according to Iranian officials and the Associated Press. A fifth victim, a woman who had been wounded in the attack, later died at a hospital. The strike occurred Tuesda

4d

South Korea

Serena and Venus Williams Blow 5-0 Lead in US Open Tiebreak, Suffer Heartbreaking Return Loss

NEW YORK — Serena and Venus Williams were just five points away from a storybook return to the US Open. Instead, the legendary sisters watched a 5-0 lead disappear in the deciding tiebreak, ending their much-anticipated women's doubles comeback with a heartbreaking first-round defeat. The Williams sisters fell to 14th seeds Chan Hao-ching of Taiwan and Maya Joint of Australia, 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(10-7) Friday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match lasted more than three hours and turned into on

4d

Lifestyle

Dolly Parton and Gloria Steinem Died Eight Days Apart—Two Very Different Icons Leave a Lasting Feminist Legacy

WASHINGTON — The deaths of Dolly Parton and Gloria Steinem just eight days apart have delivered an extraordinary double blow to generations of women who saw the two American icons as powerful examples of female independence—despite the fact that they approached that ideal in radically different ways. Parton, the beloved country music superstar and philanthropist, died on August 25 at age 80 after a battle with cancer. Steinem, the pioneering journalist and feminist activist, died on September 2

4d

South Korea

Seoul Fireworks Festival 2026: 1 Million Expected as Korea, US and UK Light Up the Han River

SEOUL,South Korea — Seoul's night sky is set for one of its biggest spectacles of the year as South Korea, the United States and Britain prepare to unleash a massive fireworks display over the Han River on Saturday, September 5. The 2026 Seoul International Fireworks Festival, hosted by Hanwha Group, begins its main fireworks program at 8 p.m. around Yeouido and Ichon Hangang parks, with the fireworks scheduled to continue until approximately 9:10 p.m. But behind the colorful spectacle is an e

5d

Business

Japan’s Biggest Companies Are Quietly Changing How They Hunt for the Next Big Thing—And AI Is Only the Beginning

TOKYO — Japan’s corporate world is quietly undergoing a major shift. As artificial intelligence, robotics and other fast-moving technologies reshape entire industries, more Japanese companies are turning to corporate venture capital (CVC) not simply as a way to invest in startups, but as a strategic tool for discovering technologies and business models that could determine their future. The change marks an important evolution for corporate Japan, where startup investing was once often viewed a

5d