K trendy NEWS

A festival built around gimbap, Korea's seaweed rice rolls found at nearly every corner, has topped a survey of festivals domestic travelers most want to visit. The Gimcheon Gimbap Festival drew 11.5% of mentions, far ahead of the Boryeong Mud Festival at 2.6%. The result comes from the Domestic Travel Trend Report 2026 by market research firm Embrain's Open Survey, which polled 2,000 Koreans aged 20 to 69 between September 29 and October 8. Among 763 respondents who named a festival they want to visit, Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival (2.5%), Seoul World Fireworks Festival (2.1%), Jinhae Gunhangje cherry blossom festival (2.0%), Busan Fireworks Festival (1.8%) and Gumi Ramen Festival (1.7%) followed. The figure reflects open-ended mentions, not actual visitor numbers. From a Pun to 150,000 Visitors The festival began when younger people linked the city name Gimcheon to Gimbap Heaven, a popular gimbap chain. Gimcheon, a city in North Gyeongsang Province, held its first festival i...

Korean director Lee Chang-dong's new film 'Possible Love' has been nominated in three categories at the 36th Gotham Awards, a major American independent film awards ceremony. The nominations were announced on the 28th, and lead actress Jeon Do-yeon is now widely seen as an early contender in the Oscar race. Three Nominations, a Crowded Field 'Possible Love' is up for Outstanding International Feature, Best Screenplay and Outstanding Lead Performance. Lee and writer Oh Jeong-mi were named together for the screenplay, which they co-wrote, while Jeon was nominated for lead performance. She will compete with acclaimed names such as Julianne Moore for 'The Debut' and Gillian Anderson for 'What Happened at Miasma Camp'. The Best Feature award is limited to American productions with American participation, so the film was not eligible there. In the international category, the film faces Ryusuke Hamaguchi's 'Suddenly the Illness Worsens' and Sand...

Italian luxury house Bottega Veneta is launching handcrafted leather accessories made exclusively for its Alta Fragrance Collection, which debuted last June. The new line brings the brand's signature Intrecciato weaving technique to perfume, turning a bottle into something you carry as a fashion piece. Woven Leather Made for Perfume Intrecciato, the brand's hallmark leather-weaving method, takes center stage across the lineup. The accessories come in two forms: perfume holders sized to fit 50ml and 100ml bottles, and a charm designed to hold a portable 10ml fragrance. The perfume holders are offered in five colors. The charm version adds a Basil Green shade, bringing its total to six color options. In Korea, the 10ml perfume holder charm is priced at 640,000 won, and the 50ml small perfume holder at 730,000 won. What goes inside is just as considered. The Alta Fragrance Collection includes 10 eau de parfum scents built on an idea called Intrecciato Duo, which blends Italian ing...

Juyeon and Q (Ji Chang-min), the main dancers of K-pop boy group THE BOYZ, have set social media buzzing with a black-and-white dance video set to 'NEON.' Across Instagram Reels and X, the clip has passed a combined 2 million views. How the NEON Challenge Came Together THE BOYZ posted the video on its official social accounts on the 27th. In it, Juyeon and Q dance to 'NEON,' the debut song of A2O LITE, which was released on the 13th and reached No. 1 on Melon's TOP100 chart (a major Korean music streaming platform) in about 29 hours. Dressed casually, the pair filled the studio with high-energy choreography. The project began with Juyeon. In a message on a fan communication app, he said he suggested it to Q simply because he wanted to dance, and he thought hard about which challenge would earn praise. He even chose a neon-style windbreaker on purpose. Q said fans had recommended the NEON challenge to him on the same app, and Juyeon then proposed doing it together. A...

For the first time on record, more than half of South Korea's wage earners make at least 3 million won a month in the first half of the year. But the total number of wage earners fell for the first time in six years, and the share of very low earners edged up as well. The data come from the first-half 2026 regional employment survey released by Statistics Korea's successor agency, the National Data Office, which tracks jobs by industry and occupation. A Wider Pay Gap Among all wage earners, 51.9 percent earned a monthly average of 3 million won or more. By bracket, 22.8 percent earned between 3 million and 4 million won, 11.5 percent earned between 4 million and 5 million won, and 17.6 percent earned 5 million won or more. That top group rose 1.2 percentage points from a year earlier, the highest first-half figure since the statistic began in 2013. At the other end, the share of workers earning under 1 million won a month rose from 9.6 percent to 9.8 percent, meaning roughly on...

Actress Shin Min-a has opened up about married life with husband Kim Woo-bin on tvN's variety show 'You Quiz on the Block.' The couple, who dated publicly for 10 years before marrying last December, are approaching their first wedding anniversary. Package Piles and Sweet Compliments In preview clips tvN released on its YouTube channel on the 24th and 26th, host Yoo Jae-suk brought up the couple's joint appearance at the 5th Blue Dragon Series Awards, a major Korean awards ceremony for television and streaming. Kim Woo-bin was a best actor nominee there, while Shin had presented an award at the same event. Shin said she felt strange from the moment her husband was nominated. She also shared the very ordinary conversations that fill their home. The phrase they say most often, she said, is a reminder to open the packages, since parcels keep arriving even when nobody seems to be home. Shin said her husband compliments her a lot. 'He tells me I am pretty, and even when I...

Gustav Klimt's landscape 'Litzlbergkeller' is heading back to the auction block after 29 years. Christie's will offer the painting in New York on November 17 with an estimate of $60 million to $80 million, up to about 5.4 times the $14.7 million it fetched in 1997. A Lakeside Inn Painted in Klimt's Late Style Painted in 1915-1916, the square canvas shows a brewery and inn on Austria's Lake Attersee, surrounded by dense forest. Klimt filled the scene with short, decorative brushstrokes. Above, the building and trees are clearly defined. Below, their reflections dissolve into small patches of color that edge toward abstraction. No people appear, so the architecture, forest and water take center stage. Klimt first visited Attersee in 1900 and spent several summers there before his death in 1918. Unlike many of his lake views, this one was commissioned by his longtime patron, the banker Otto Primavesi. It later passed through several private owners, including the de...

When Koreans plan a domestic trip, they look for lodging on Naver, the country's dominant web portal, but the platform they book on is often a different one. A new consumer survey shows that convenience, price and booking terms are judged separately at each step. Search Here, Compare There, Book Somewhere Else In the Domestic Travel Trend Report 2026 released in October by Embrain's Open Survey, 431 respondents who researched or compared accommodation were asked where they looked. Naver Search was used by 44.1%, NOL (the Yanolja platform) by 33.2%, Yeogi Eottae by 30.2%, Naver Booking by 26.5% and Agoda by 22.7%. Respondents could choose multiple channels. Among 347 respondents who also named their final booking channel, NOL led with 54, followed by Naver Booking with 48, the lodging's own website or app with 42, Yeogi Eottae with 39 and Agoda with 33. Airbnb drew 22 and Trip.com 15. Reasons differed by platform. Naver Booking and Yeogi Eottae users put easy booking and pay...

Actress Jeon Do-yeon could become the first Korean performer ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, according to forecasts from major North American outlets including The Hollywood Reporter. The buzz centers on her role in 'Possible Love,' the new film from director Lee Chang-dong. The Hollywood Reporter named Jeon a potential nominee on October 25 local time, and the film currently holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a key barometer in awards season. Critics Line Up Behind Her Performance The Hollywood Reporter said it is hard to imagine anyone other than Jeon playing the role of Mi-ok, praising a performance that cuts deepest in the most joyful moments. The Los Angeles Times wrote that this year's list of best performers exists for acting like Jeon's, a remark that hints at growing goodwill among U.S. critics' groups and members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Hollywood Reporter also placed 'Possible Love' on its ...

Long before the wristwatch, fine timepieces lived in waistcoat pockets, and Vacheron Constantin's historic pocket watches show how far that tradition goes. K trendy NEWS (KtN) looks at how a pocket watch can work with a modern three-piece suit, where the chain and the cut of the clothes matter more than the watch itself. Chain, Pocket and Proportion Unlike a wristwatch, a pocket watch is judged by the waistcoat pocket, the length of the chain and the structure of the garment. Cho Mi-kyung, head of CMK Image Korea, says a watch may be worn on the wrist, but its fit depends on face lines, body shape and the silhouette of the outfit. A gold 1911 Chronomètre Royal, with a white dial and Arabic numerals, pairs naturally with navy or charcoal suits. A platinum 1926 minute repeater suits black, charcoal and deep navy. For business wear, a single Albert chain is the lighter choice, while a double Albert fits historical or vintage events. A chain that is too short can pull on the fabric, an...

Nearly six in ten people planning a domestic trip in South Korea decide on a region or an accommodation before they choose a tourist attraction or a restaurant. A survey by Open Survey, a Korean research firm, found that 37.6% pick the region first and 20.5% pick where to stay first, while only 13.0% start with sights. The poll, titled the Domestic Travel Trend Report 2026, ran from September 29 to October 8 and covered 2,000 Koreans aged 20 to 69. The planning-order analysis focused on 1,000 people who had taken a domestic trip in the past year. How Korean Trips Take Shape Travelers who choose a region first usually look at lodging next, then transport and routes. Those who book a stay first tend to move on to restaurants, cafes and local food, followed by getting around. Food rarely comes first at 11.7%, yet 56.4% include it among their first three decisions, the highest of any item. Interest in travel types was broad. Healing trips in nature drew 65.8%, and food and cafe trips drew ...

Storytelling painter Fatdoo presented works centered on a character called Dorobodog at the Bank Art Fair in October. The canvases, filled with a thief puppy who longs to paint and a cast of quirky characters, turned the exhibition space into a colorful storybook. A Small White Dog With Big Adventures Fatdoo took part through Tommy Kim Gallery 2. The show featured paintings packed with tiny characters and objects, along with wooden works cut to follow the outline of Dorobodog. The white dog in a red hat strolls across flower-covered hills and rides a rocket to unfamiliar worlds, with a different adventure in every piece. In the story, Dorobodog steals art supplies to draw pictures for children, while the paintings show the dog traveling to many places. Children and other visitors stood in front of the works, studying characters and small scenes. Conversations with the artist continued in the same space. One piece, Find Dorobodog, takes its idea from the once-popular Where's Wally? ...

Two city councilors in Pocheon, a city in Gyeonggi Province north of Seoul, began daily picket protests on October 26 against a plan to resolve the return of the former 6th Army Corps site through a land swap. Citizens joined them in front of City Hall, urging the city to rethink its negotiating approach. Why the Swap Is Controversial Councilors Yoon Kyung-rye and Lee Mi-sook argue that the city should recover the municipal land once used by the military and that the troops should leave. The swap under discussion would give the military part of the city-owned land it used, while Pocheon would receive military-owned land adjacent to its own parcels. Opponents worry this could leave the military presence in place and limit local development, since changing land ownership is not the same as a full withdrawal. Councilor Yoon used a five-minute floor speech at the 196th regular session on October 20 to press the city administration. Her demands included halting the swap and returning to the...

Lee Chae-young of K-pop girl group fromis_9 turned heads in Seoul's Seongsu-dong neighborhood with a fresh autumn preppy look. She appeared at a photo call for the opening of the 'Coach LIVE YOUR STORY' pop-up, hosted by the New York luxury brand Coach. A Neat, Lovely Autumn Outfit The event took place on the morning of the 19th at Musinsa Space Seoul Forest in Seongdong District, Seoul. Standing in front of a poster wall in pop colors, Lee wore a navy knit pleated dress that felt both elegant and sweet. Red-and-white stripe accents on the collar and sleeves added a playful touch, and she paired the dress with a clean black tote bag and black heels with a small ribbon detail, a textbook take on the preppy style. Her poses varied throughout the session. She gazed straight into the camera with a cool, confident look, then glanced away with a soft smile. In one playful moment, she raised a hand to her forehead as if shading her eyes from the sun, drawing cheers and flashes fro...

Kim Sunwoo of the K-pop group THE BOYZ showed off a standout autumn street look at the opening photo call for Coach's 'LIVE YOUR STORY' pop-up in Seoul. The event took place on the morning of the 19th at Musinsa Space Seoul Forest in Seongdong District. Standing in front of a vintage-style poster wall, he paired a white long-sleeve top with wide-leg denim pants featuring unique cut-out detailing, capturing a trendy Y2K mood. The Look, Piece by Piece One hand tucked casually in his pocket, Sunwoo carried a large black leather shoulder bag with an effortless air. He gazed straight at the cameras with an intense stare and a relaxed, hipster attitude. Blue-toned sneakers added a fresh pop of color to the outfit, and his visuals drew a flurry of camera shutters from fans and press gathered at the venue. The pop-up marks the launch of Coach's 2026 fall campaign, which carries the message of 'the courage to be your true self.' It is expected to become a new photo-op ho...

In 1947, the Philadelphia Warriors received rings set with a single small diamond after winning the first championship of the early pro basketball era. On October 20, 2026, the New York Knicks received rings with roughly 800 diamonds and sapphires. The contrast says a lot about how a keepsake became a symbol of wealth and status in American sports culture. From One Diamond to 22 Carats When the Warriors won in 1947, each player also took home a $2,000 prize. The ring was a modest memento that recorded the achievement of being the best basketball player in the world on a personal career. Seventy-nine years later, the Knicks ring is a different object entirely. It is made of white gold and carries about 22 carats of gemstones. It even includes a mechanism that recreates the architecture of Madison Square Garden. Player names, jersey numbers, the number of playoff wins and the record of a comeback in the Finals are all worked into the stones and metal. The ring marks a genuine milestone. ...

Sunwoo of K-pop group THE BOYZ turned heads in Seoul's Seongsu-dong neighborhood with a polished autumn street look. He appeared at a photo call for the opening of the COACH 'LIVE YOUR STORY' pop-up, held at Musinsa Space Seoul Forest in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on the 19th. A Cool Fall Look That Stopped the Room Seongsu-dong is a Seoul district known for its trendy cafes, galleries and pop-up stores, and it is a favorite spot for fashion-forward events. On the photo wall, Sunwoo wore a white long-sleeve top with blue lines running along the sleeves, paired with wide-leg denim pants featuring bold cut-out details. The combination gave him a distinctly hip, relaxed feel. He slipped one hand into his pocket while lightly gripping the strap of a black leather shoulder bag slung casually over his shoulder, and he gazed straight into the camera. That intense, charismatic stare drew admiring reactions from THE BOYZ's fandom, known as THE B, as well as from the press on site. He f...

THE BOYZ members Ji Chang-min and Kim Sun-woo turned heads in Seoul's Seongsu-dong neighborhood with polished autumn styling. The two attended the photo call for the opening of Coach's 'Live Your Story' pop-up, held on the 19th at Musinsa Space Seoul Forest in Seongdong-gu. Two Looks, One Autumn Mood Standing side by side in front of a poster-covered photo wall, the pair showed off outfits that contrasted yet complemented each other. Ji Chang-min went for a classic, chic look: a soft camel suede jacket over a black inner layer, with an oversized brown shoulder bag slung casually on his shoulder. Kim Sun-woo leaned into street style with a white long-sleeve top and wide-leg denim pants featuring distinctive cut lines. He gripped the strap of a black leather bag in one hand and added a fresh pop of color with blue-toned sneakers. His intense gaze drew a flood of camera flashes from fans, who go by the name 'THE B', and from the press. The event celebrates the laun...