On my first trip to Gyeongju, I remember being surprised to see such large mounds of earth protruding from the fields. Later, I learned that these mounds were more than just man-made hills but, in fact, the ancient burial chambers for Korea’s elite and royal. While such views have become more commonplace since living in…
Korea Independence Movement Day, or the March 1st Movement [Samiljeol (삼일 운동)] first occurred on March 1, 1919, and was one of the earliest recorded public displays of Korean resistance to Japan’s colonization of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Celebrated as a holiday today, this day was a pivotal turning point in Korean history. Origin…
In the words of Pete Wells of the New York Times, Korean restaurants have remade New York’s fine dining scene, ending the long running supremacy of French cuisine in the city. An incredible feat by the talented young chefs heading the dozen or so Korean fine dining restaurants currently thriving in Manhattan. After making the…
In the wake of Senator Bob Menendez’s bribery scandal, Andy Kim’s entrance into the Senate race signifies a pivotal moment in political history. If elected, Congressman Kim would be the first Korean American to serve in the Senate, the first Asian American elected from the entire East Coast of America, and the fourth youngest person…
An Overview of Korea in May In Korea, May transforms into an unofficial “Family Month,” a time when the celebrations of Children’s Day and Parent’s Day infuse the calendar with warmth and connection. This is a month of exquisite weather, bringing people outdoors for memorable adventures. And while the cherry blossoms may have concluded their…
When Death makes the rules, lessons must be learned on the fly. Think fast and learn fast because too many mistakes in Death’s Game will result in a fall to infinite anguish. Fun game, right? This thought-provoking series will remind you how lucky we are to be living, even through the lowest moments of our…
After two successful seasons, Single’s Inferno returned for an enticing third season—this time with even more drama and intensity. This Netflix reality TV series premiered on December 12, 2023, gathering twelve attractive singles on a deserted island off Jeju Island, known as Inferno. Stranded on this barren island, participants must fend for themselves without phones…
Happy Year of the Blue Dragon! The Korean Zodiac is a repeating cycle of 12 years, with each year being represented by an animal and its reputed attributes. It is based on the lunar calendar and this year’s New Year’s Day, or Seollal, falls on February 10, 2024. Seollal is a time of joy, family…
When you make a big batch of homemade mandu and then neatly stack the bags of dumplings into the freezer, you will feel rich. It’s the kind of feeling that assures you that you will eat well even in the face of an apocalypse, never mind a pandemic. Mandu is the beloved Korean dumpling that…
Long before Netflix got into the K-drama game, there was Viki. As viewers across the globe increasingly fall under the spell of Korean dramas, Viki still stands as the OG leader in this genre. Born in 2007, Viki had a small but dedicated following of drama lovers. The streaming platform grew steadily and was introduced…