aespa’s “LEMONADE” Review: Sweet And Sour

You might not immediately clock why aespa are making so much lemonade, until you remember that old corny English saying. Yes, the K-pop four-piece’s latest title track and similarly-named second album is the girls’ answer to all the lemons life is apparently throwing at them. But that’s the point of these catchy runway tunes these…

“Perfect Crown” Review: A Coffee Table Drama

He’s everywhere. Perhaps not on quite as many shop windows and skincare advertisements in Seoul as Park Bo Gum, but pretty-faced actor Byeon Woo Seok is hardly avoidable in the metropolis. But can he live up to the powerhouse beside him in Perfect Crown? Multi-hyphenate and nation’s princess IU displays Seong Hui-ju as a strong-willed…

Empowering Models: Inside KMCAA’s Vision for Cultural Recognition – In Conversation with Chairwoman Lee Sun-jin

The Korea Model Culture and Arts Association is slowly changing how the modelling industry is understood in South Korea. Established as a non-profit organisation, its mission is to protect the rights of models, improve working conditions, and elevate their role within the wider cultural and artistic environment. The association positions models as cultural contributors who…

James An on “We Can Smile” and “Solitaire” – Exclusive Interview

James An is an artist who really understands the contradictions of modern life, especially how we present ourselves. His new release, We Can Smile, came from a moment of meeting fans in Hongdae (Seoul), which made him think about what’s real versus what’s performative. He doesn’t reject social media, but sees it clearly: even if…

50th Hong Kong International Film Festival: “We Are Nothing At All” Review

Between 2023 and 2025, Herman Yau churned out seven China–Hong Kong co-productions and mainland Chinese films, including large-scale, action-packed blockbusters like the gritty customs thriller Customs Frontline (2024) and the trilogy capper The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell (2023). These films demonstrate Yau’s capacity to produce commercially satisfying spectacles with remarkable speed and energy,…

50th Hong Kong International Film Festival: “We Are All Strangers” Review

Celebrating its Golden Jubilee, the Hong Kong International Film Festival 2026 opened with Anthony Chen’s We Are All Strangers. Spending over ten years, Chen wrapped up the “Growing Up” Trilogy after Ilo Ilo (2013) and Wet Season (2019), with these films determined to reflect on the revolving cityscape of Singapore alongside the growth of the…

Korean London Presents: EL CAPITXN to Finally Perform in London

Something remarkable happens when someone who has spent years building for others finally creates for themselves. For most listeners, EL CAPITXN has long been a name tucked into album credits, a producer’s signature, a songwriter’s imprint, the hand behind some of K-pop’s most emotionally powerful records. Within the industry, though, he has always been something of a…

LYKN in Milan: Bellissima Night – Concert Review

The global rise of Thai boy groups is no longer a quiet trend, and we are loving it! Acts like LYKN are beginning to engage international audiences by bringing something wonderfully delightful: a linguistic texture that is refreshingly new to many listeners. Thai, as a language, has that tonal softness to it and a warm…