Twelve years ago, Ann Kim had an epiphany. At a crossroads in life, she knew she wanted to open her own restaurant but was terrified of failure. Opening her own restaurant seemed far too daunting so she decided to settle for a franchise. Ann Kim stared at the contract she was about to sign for…
Many consider Korea in the spring to be its most beautiful season, with mild weather and flowers bursting into bloom across the country. After the cold winter, and before the humid heat of summer, Korean springs welcome all with an air of excitement and possibility. Warmer and longer days feature temperatures ranging from 45-65°F and…
Oi Muchim (오이무침) is a traditional Korean banchan or side dish made with cucumbers. It is a classic Korean dish that is easy to prepare, refreshing to eat, and can be enjoyed year-round. Oi muchim became a favorite of mine some years ago when we were on vacation with my parents. My mom was making…
What is dojang? In Korea, a dojang (도장) is a seal or stamp used to represent one’s personal name or signature. The use of dojang dates back to ancient times in Korea, and they have been an important part of Korean culture since its founding. Just imagine that you are sitting on a departing plane…
Cindy Kyunga Chung made history last week when she was confirmed as the first Asian American judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Justice Cindy Chung won approval in the Senate by a 50-44 vote, making her the Biden administration’s 99th overall judicial appointment. Judge Chung is the third Korean…
Physical: 100 exploded in popularity around the world, proving once again that brutal gamesmanship needs no translation. Dominating Netflix’s Global Top Ten in 78 different countries, the number of fans kept growing as 100 competitors winnowed down to a single winner. We won’t spoil the ending but the drama and cut-throat tournament “to find the…
“Reborn Rich” was 2022’s most-watched K-drama in Korea with its finale becoming the second highest-rated episode in Korean television history. Despite being aired on a cable network, rather than the three primary channels (KBS, MBC, and SBS), audiences could not get enough of “Reborn Rich”. Based on a popular Korean web novel, “Reborn Rich” is…
Called “truly the group of the moment” by Rolling Stone magazine, NewJeans is white hot. This new female K-Pop group blazed into the new year with their first release (from their second album), Ditto, viewed 26 million times on YouTube. It was quickly followed by 25 million views for its next single aptly titled OMG,…
Chopsticks Feed Billions but Also Prevent Assassinations and Train Olympians Sometimes when I’m waiting in a coffee line, an odd annoyance pops into my head. It bothers me that my 10-year-old son does not know how to use chopsticks properly. It’s not a top-tier concern, up there with climate disasters or hate crimes, but it…
Deal has the potential to put HYBE in the same league as the “big three” major record labels: Sony, Universal, and Warner Music. Hybe, the agency of the supergroup BTS, made a public announcement on Feb. 10th that it would acquire 14.8% of the shares held by Soo-man Lee, the major shareholder of SM, for…