Interestingly, the same qualities that made Squid Game an instant hit with non-Korean audiences may help explain the relatively lukewarm response from South Korea.
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As the vanguard of SM Entertainment’s intricate metaverse, Aespa takes storytelling to the next level with its novel AI concept. The band’s name is derived from a combination of the words “avatar,” “experience,” and “aspect.”
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For the unacquainted, Korean dramas—K-dramas for short—are South Korean scripted TV shows. Sometimes they’re referred to as Korean soap operas, but that description is misleading because K-dramas actually encompass a wide range of genres, from sci-fi and romance to horror and period pieces and everything in between.
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Check out my articles on BTS and the Korean Wave in Entertainment Weekly’s The Ultimate Guide to BTS, available on newsstands and on Amazon!
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If you’re looking to pick up a new language this year, you might want to consider Korean. And if you’re a native speaker or have at least some knowledge of the language, then rejoice: Korean is currently the second fastest-growing language in the world, according to Duolingo’s 2020 “Year in Language” report, which was published in December.
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Though rap and hip-hop have become infused in all of the country’s major pop from BTS to Big Bang to Blackpink, Epik High were genre pioneers when they formed in 2001, mixing high-speed vocal deliveries with seemingly disparate elements as punk and classical at a time when the sound was considered niche.
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In South Korea right now, listeners are turning their attention to the oldest form of Korean popular music: “trot,” which derives its name from “foxtrot” and borrows from a wide range of genres, including blues, easy listening, swing, rock and roll and others.
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Koreans are really into making heart signs. Sometimes it seems as if they’re constantly trying to come up with new ways to form heart signs with their arms and hands. There are countless variations, but here are some of the more popular ones:
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There is probably no sentiment as uniquely Korean as the concept of han. It has influenced every aspect of Korean culture, so anyone who studies Korea or wants to better understand its culture and people needs to have at least a basic awareness of what han is.
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Of all the cinematic masterpieces to have come out of South Korea over the last two decades, why was “Parasite” the one to receive such widespread attention, winning four Oscars including Best Picture — the first foreign language film to nab the award in the Academy’s 92-year history — and over 170 other awards…
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Film director Lee Joon-Ik, whose movies helped launch the careers of Korean actors Jang Geun-Suk and Lee Joon-Ki, has played a pivotal role in bringing South Korean cinema to audiences worldwide.
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If you ever thought it might be cool to compose music simply by playing a video game or by typing words on your computer, or if you ever wondered if that was even possible, then look no further than Tacit Group.
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Four talented young Korean artists. Two cities at the heart of the global contemporary art scene. One dazzling art exhibition that brings them all together.
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If you thought traditional Korean instruments could never go well together with electric guitars, think again.
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On Wednesday, October 17th, the Korean Cultural Service’s gallery was transformed into a live jazz club as members of the Jingoo Lee Band grooved and sang their way through a program of eight songs that ranged in style from semi-classical to Latin-infused jazz to contemporary Korean ballad.
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