American credit ratings firm Weiss Ratings said Wednesday it suffered cyberattacks coming from Korean investors prior to its cybercurrency grading, which included bitcoin and Ethereum.On Wednesday, Weiss became the first ratings firm to grade cybercurrencies, issuing a C+ (“fair”) for bitcoin and B (“good”) to Ethereum. Weiss said in a press release that its staff was “up all night last night fending off denial of service attacks from Korea.” Concerned that Weiss would release negative ratings o

Social Affairs Jan. 25, 2018

For years, foreign tourists have flocked to guesthouses in search of affordable accommodations during their stay in Korea.Nowadays, guesthouses have begun offering more than simple lodging facilities, incorporating quirky themes and eye-catching interiors into their spaces. The very act of staying at a guesthouse is evolving into an experience for travelers, according to Kang Seok-hwan, owner of Uhbu’s Guesthouse located in Dongdaemun, Seoul. Uhbu’s is a traditional Korean hanok structure decora

Travel Jan. 23, 2018

A wealth of cultural events, encompassing different arts, are set to take place throughout Gangwon Province in celebration of the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.　Dubbed the PyeongChang 2018 Cultural Olympiad, the series of cultural displays will begin on Feb. 3, a week ahead of the Olympics.“The Cultural Olympiad has been planned to let global citizens communicate through culture and includes programs for entertainment, celebration, education and culture,” according to a statement rel

Culture Jan. 18, 2018

Coco(US) Opened Jan.11Animation, adventure Directed by Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina Despite his family‘s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (Gael García Bernal), and together they set off

Film Jan. 12, 2018

North Korea on Tuesday confirmed its participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and agreed to hold military talks with South Korea. The agreement came in the first inter-Korean talks to be held in more than two years.Meanwhile, the North maintained a defensive stance toward denuclearization and did not take up South Korea’s proposal for a reunion of families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War.    

North Korea Jan. 11, 2018

Snow-white skin and a round, full-moon face -- these are the elements of a beautifully made-up North Korean female face, according to actress Kim Ah-ra. Kim, who defected to the South in 2009, featured in a YouTube clip by beauty vlogger Min Sae-rom on Friday to give a tutorial on North Korean women’s makeup.The two applied makeup to their faces using a photo of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s wife Ri Sol-ju as a reference.  Min Sae-rom (left) and Kim Ah-ra (YouTube)North Korean music groups l

Arts & Design Jan. 9, 2018

Fantasy romance series “Guardian: The Great and Lonely God” and medical drama “Dr. Romantic” were among the most popular TV dramas of 2017, according to statistics released by CJ E&M Monday. The two shows nabbed first and second places respectively in content company CJ E&M’s year-end index, which measures popularity based on ratings, online searches and social media posts. The third and fourth most popular drama series were “Defendant” and “The Legend of the Blue Sea,” respectively. In variety

Television Jan. 8, 2018

Korea’s landmarks are being increasingly featured in Hollywood films in recent years. Seoul’s Gangnam area and Garak Market are briefly seen in director Alexander Payne’s upcoming film “Downsizing,” which opens in local theaters Thursday. In the sci-fi drama film, scientists discover how to shrink human beings to ten centimeters tall as a solution to overpopulation and pollution.  A scene from “Downsizing” (Lotte Entertainment)Koreans are depicted responding to the jaw-dropping development in th

Film Jan. 7, 2018

With his breakout film “Oldboy” in 2003, director Park Chan-wook has led the surge of Korean directors spotlighted in the international cinemascape in the past two decades.For his next work, Park will be helming a BBC television drama series revolving around an international intrigue that involves multiple countries. The series will also air on US channel AMC. The six-episode drama is an adaption of John Le Carre’s “Little Drummer Girl,” a 1983 novel about an actress who, seeking to escape the d

Film Jan. 1, 2018

1987(Korea)Opened Dec. 27Historical drama. Directed by Jang Joon-hwan The year is 1987. Former Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan is in power, and a harrowing series of events follow the torture and death of student activist Park Chong-chul. In an attempt to cover up the crimes that led to the killing, corrupt officials list Park’s cause of death as an unlikely heart attack. Investigator Park Cheo-won (Kim Yoon-seok) staunchly fends off reporters, believing cruelty is justified for the sake of bettering th

Film Dec. 29, 2017

Another year has come to a wrap in the Korean film industry. Genres continue to be limited to political thrillers and crime flicks, and the scarcity of female roles persists. Despite the relative lack of diversity, however, 2017 turned out to be a year that offered several pleasant, unexpected surprises for moviegoers. Quieter, more pensive films excelled this year, offering insight into humanity and the everyday. Okja (Netflix/NEW)OkjaAdventure, fantasy Directed by Bong Joon-ho Distributed by N

Film Dec. 26, 2017

Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds(Korea)Opened Dec. 20Fantasy, drama. Directed by Kim Yong-hwaKim Ja-hong (Cha Tae-hyun), who has died, finds himself being escorted to the next world by three officials from the afterworld. He is appointed a lawyer, and instructed that everyone must face the seven judges, who rule on a person’s lifelong deeds based on sins such as violence, betrayal, laziness and hurting family, and decide whether they proceed to heaven or hell. Ja-hong and the three officials

Film Dec. 26, 2017

Ha Jung-woo has come to be known for his intensely natural performances, from the dejected taxi driver in “The Yellow Sea” to the exasperatingly optimistic slacker in “My Dear Enemy.” 　Though he had debuted years earlier on television, Ha began garnering attention with Na Hong-jin’s 2008 thriller “The Chaser,” which achieved box office success and was invited to screen at the Cannes Film Festival. In the film, Ha gives a forcible performance as a psychopathic serial killer. In past interviews, H

Film Dec. 20, 2017

Singer-songwriter Lee Juck will release an album in Japan on March 14, Lee‘s agency Music Farm announced Monday.　The album is to comprise his past hits. 　“Lee Juck will be foraying into the Japanese market,” said Music Farm. “His Japanese label Pony Canyon has launched his official website.”　Lee, 43, debuted in 1995 and is a folk-rock and acoustic pop singer with numerous hits, including “Run Across the Sky” (2003), “I Didn’t Know That Time” (2003) and “Lie Lie Lie” (2013). 　Lee Juck (Music Farm

Performance Dec. 18, 2017

The Corea Image Communication Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a positive image of Korea, will be honoring CJ Group, Joachim Son-Forget and Angelina Danilova at this year‘s annual CICI Korea Image Awards ceremony, which will be held at the InterContinental Seoul Coex in Samseong-dong on Jan. 16The Korea Image Stepping Stone Award will be awarded to the CJ Group for its contribution to promoting Korean cultural content, CICI said in a statement Monday.　CJ Group Chairman

People Dec. 18, 2017