Monsoon plans: Seoul's indoor charms and Daegu's musical stages
With the rainy season expected to arrive in most parts of the country Friday, it might be time to rethink your weekend plans. Whether it's sipping a hot cup of coffee at a cozy Seoul cafe, making your very own music box or escaping to the world of musicals in Daegu, the monsoon season offers the perfect excuse to stay indoors without missing out.
Serene getaway with cup of coffee
How about finding a cozy and relaxing escape for monsoon season? Songpa-gu is home to Seoul's iconic outdoor destinations such as Olympic Park and Seokchon Lake, but you'll also find charming hidden gems perfect for a serene getaway.
Just a 5-minute walk from Songpanaru Station on Seoul Subway Line No. 9, Frank Coffin Bar's dark wood interior and soft, ambient lighting offer a warm, inviting atmosphere. It's a perfect space for those rainy days when you want to slow down and savor the moment.
The cafe's highlights include two signature coffee drinks made with cream and scotch candy, offering a rich taste. Another favourite is the croffles, served with a variety of sweet toppings.
From traditional espresso-based drinks like Romano, Caffe Bacio and Caffe Albero, to refreshing summer options like fruit sorbets and fizzy ades, Frank Coffin Bar is the perfect spot for those who want a sweet treat to pair with their rich, flavourful coffee.
Frank Coffin Bar is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Frank Coffin Bar
2nd floor, 6 Baekjegobun-ro 45, Songpa-gu, Seoul
Take a tune home
In the heart of Insa-dong, one of Seoul's must-visit cultural hubs for travelers, is a charming, boutique music box shop offering visitors the memorable experience of crafting their own, one-of-a-kind music box.
First, guests are invited to select a blank music box with their tune of choice from a curated catalog of classics, beloved film scores and popular K-drama soundtracks. Choices include 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman' from Disney's 'Frozen,' 'City of Stars' from 'La La Land' and a melody from 'Mr. Sunshine.'
The boxes also come in a variety of shapes and finishes, from dome-shaped designs to rectangular styles, available in plastic or wood.
Once you've selected your base and melody, it's time to personalize. Pick from a wide selection of figurines — cats, mermaids and more — and decorate your music box to your liking.
The store also features a gallery of beautifully decorated pieces and vintage-style music boxes, offering plenty of inspiration. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the DIY music box experience is available without reservation and is priced at 28,000 won.
49 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Visit musical paradise Daegu
Daegu, the country's fourth-largest city, becomes a vibrant hub of musical theater starting this weekend, welcoming both homegrown and global productions, emerging talent and original works.
The 19th Daegu International Musical Festival takes place across Daegu from Friday to July 7, presenting a total of 29 productions from six countries, including Hungary, France, Japan, Taiwan and China.
The festival opens with "Tesla," a large-scale production from Hungary making its Asian premiere, and closes with "Panda," a Chinese musical praised for its emotional resonance.
Among the highlights are five new original musicals: "Cidis: The Right to Be Forgotten," "Gangdy," "Shakespiece," "Hidden Love" and "Magic Blanket," the last of which was created by graduates of the DIMF Musical Academy's composition and lyric-writing program.
DIMF is also where Tony Award-winning composer Will Aronson and lyricist/playwright Park Chun-hyu began developing their creative partnership, according to the organizer.
Meanwhile, the '10,000 Won Happiness' event, which offers a limited number of discounted tickets each day, draws crowds from early morning. The ticket booth in Dongseong-ro, central Daegu, runs until July 3 and is open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
The festival opening ceremony and concert will be held at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at Daegu Kolon Open Air Music Hall.
Daegu International Musical Festival takes place at major performing venues in Daegu.
Daegu Opera House
15 Hoam-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu
jy@heraldcorp.com
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
gypark@heraldcorp.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
5 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Megahit webtoon 'Remarried Empress' to be turned into Disney+ original
Highly anticipated series to premiere on the streaming platform in 2026 Disney+ is set to adapt the smash-hit webtoon "Remarried Empress" into a live-action drama series, exclusively premiering on the platform next year. Based on the globally beloved web novel-turned-webtoon, "Remarried Empress" is a romance fantasy centered on Empress Navier of the Eastern Empire. When her husband, Emperor Sovieshu, demands a divorce, Navier agrees, on the condition that she be allowed to remarry Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom. Since its launch in 2019, the webtoon has garnered massive international popularity, translated into 10 languages including English, French, Japanese and German. The webtoon series racked up more than 2.6 billion cumulative views as of the end of 2024. Shin Min-a, known for hit dramas "Karma" and "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha," will lead the Disney+ original as Empress Navier. Ju Ji-hoon takes on the role of Emperor Sovieshu, whose betrayal of Rashta, a former runaway slave, sets the story in motion. Lee Se-young will portray Rashta, while Lee Jong-suk joins the cast as Prince Heinrey, Navier's new love interest. The series will be directed by Jo Soo-won, known for popular dramas including "I Can Hear Your Voice." The script is written by Yeo Ji-na and Hyun Choong-yeol, the screenwriting duo behind "The Uncanny Counter."
Korea Herald
7 hours ago
- Korea Herald
K-pop in pixels: Collaborations between K-pop and games grow
Gaming industries' desire to be included in the cultural landscape and K-pop's narrative appeal drive ongoing collaborations From blockbuster franchises to chart-topping idols, gaming and K-pop are increasingly joining forces, as the two converge in a bid to tap into the country's most lucrative entertainment sectors and elevate gaming as a legitimate cultural force. On June 13, Japanese video game company Capcom teased fans with an image titled 'aespa X Street Fighter 6,' shared across the official Street Fighter and Capcom channels. While no additional details were released, the announcement follows online leaks and speculation. The hint emerged through an in-game discovery, where fans spotted an outfit featuring aespa's logo. Although Capcom quickly patched the item out, the official reveal signals that more details are on their way. Meanwhile, Epic Games is teaming up with Hybe for a new Fortnite collaboration. As of June 11, the battle royale's in-game soundtrack includes tracks by Hybe artists, including BTS members Jungkook and Jimin, as well as Enhypen and illit. Players can remix or perform the songs within the game. Epic Games further announced that starting Saturday, the Son Heung-min bundle will drop in Fortnite, allowing players to channel the Premier League star's signature goal celebration pose with themed emotes and gear. Popular American video game developer Blizzard has also been delving deeper into the world of K-pop. In March, Overwatch 2 launched its second collaboration with Le Sserafim, introducing new character skins and a livestream event with the group. The partnership builds on a successful 2023 team-up, which included a custom game mode and skins inspired by the group's hit track 'Antifragile.' Le Sserafim also became the first K-pop act to perform at 2023 BlizzCon, an annual gaming convention held by Blizzard, taking to the stage with their English-language single 'Perfect Night." The hit track, which was produced in collaboration with Overwatch 2, has logged more than 125 million views on YouTube as of Friday. Korean video game publisher Krafton jumped on the bandwagon in March, partnering with YG's girl group Babymonster to mark the 7th anniversary of Battlegrounds Mobile. The limited-time crossover featured themed rewards, emotes choreographed to their single 'Drip' and immersive content such as in-game photo zones. Players could also listen to Babymonster's music while battling on maps like Erangel and Rondo. The growing number of K-pop and gaming crossovers reflects a mutual strategy. For games companies, it's a way to broaden their reach beyond traditional players and lure in a new demographic. Pop culture critics add that gaming companies can also look to shed their subculture image through such collaborations. 'While games have undoubtedly become part of modern culture, public perception still lags behind. Collaborating with mainstream cultural forces such as K-pop allows games to naturally embed themselves into the cultural fabric," said pop culture critic Jung Duk-hyun. For the K-pop industry, the narrative-building potential is a major draw, Jung explained. 'Idol groups have their own lore and well-developed characters, just like video games. That makes crossovers rich with storytelling possibilities.' Financial incentives also loom large. 'People often assume other content sectors are more profitable, but gaming eclipses them all (in Korea),' Jung said. 'For the K-pop side, if there's a way to bring gamers into the fan ecosystem, there's no reason not to pursue it.'
Korea Herald
9 hours ago
- Korea Herald
1Verse, K-pop group with North Korean defectors, to debut in July
The five-member group to hold debut showcase July 18 Another new K-pop group is set to debut, with a powerful story and a global lineup. K-pop agency Singing Beetle has announced the debut of 1Verse, a five-member multinational boy band, with a showcase scheduled for July 18. The event will be livestreamed for fans around the world. The group includes Hyuk and Seok; both were born in North Korea and later defected to South Korea. Japanese member Aito and Chinese-American Kenny joined the team followed by Nathan, a Laotian-Thai American who became the final member to join in December 2024, completing the five-member lineup. In preparation for their debut, the members have undergone extensive artist training and spent time bridging their cultural and personal backgrounds. They practice each other's languages and engage in daily conversations to build mutual understanding and strong team chemistry, according to the company. The mastermind behind the group is Cho Michelle, founder of Singing Beetle and a producer who previously worked in A&R at K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment, where she contributed to projects that have collectively sold over 8 million albums. The group name, 1Verse, reflects the idea that each member brings their unique 'verse' to form a unified 'universe' of stories and identity. The members have steadily introduced themselves through social media and YouTube, sharing their vocal and dance training journey, and building a solid fanbase even before their official debut. On Wednesday, the group further proved its predebut popularity by revealing its official fandom name — 5Tarz — via YouTube.
