(Feature image: WALASSE TING, Red Horse) A Year at Full Gallop Every twelve years, the Horse trots back into the Korean (or Chinese) zodiac, mane flying, nostrils flared, radiating that particular blend of vitality and don’t-fence-me-in swagger. The Horse is the zodiac’s kinetic extrovert: restless, charismatic, allergic to confinement. It prefers motion to meditation, pursuit…
English has always been a language that picks things up along the way. Sailors brought back words. Immigrants carried others. And lately, English has been borrowing freely from Korean kitchens, bathhouses, offices, and everyday social life. By early 2026, the Oxford English Dictionary made it official, adding eight Korean words that English speakers have been…
Happy Korean New Year! Celebrating the New Year, also known as Seollal (설날), is a serious matter for Koreans. So much so that we often celebrate it twice a year – first on the Gregorian calendar New Year’s Day (shinjeong) on January 1st. Then once again on the Lunar New Year’s Day (gujeong), which lands…
Pepero Day (빼빼로 데이) is a beloved annual gifting tradition in Korea that is observed on November 11th (11/11). Originated by the maker of Pepero (빼빼로), the Lotte Corporation, Pepero Day is more celebrated by Koreans than Valentine’s Day or White Day since those days are for romantic partners whereas this celebratory day is for…
Chuseok 2025 is on Monday, October 6. Get to know the essentials for food, family, and fun. What is Chuseok? Chuseok (추석), also called Hangawi, is one of the most important holidays in Korea, on par with the lunar New Year. It’s often described as the Korean version of Thanksgiving, a time to celebrate the…
On a ridge between Seoul’s two major royal palaces lies a cluster of tiled roofs and winding alleys, full of Korean traditional homes called hanok. Tourists know it as Bukchon Hanok Village, a postcard of old Korea framed against the city’s glass and steel towers. But this picturesque neighborhood hides an amazing story of determination,…
One of the things I love most about Do Ho Suh’s exhibit at Tate Modern is how universally relatable it feels. Yes, the work is stunningly beautiful, a feast for the eyes as his works usually are. But it’s also an experience I can wholeheartedly recommend to even my non-artsy friends and family, knowing they’ll…
Based on your encounter with Korean names, you might have been wondering if all Koreans share the same handful of last names—Kim, Lee, Park, or Choi. Diving deeper into the anatomy and conventions around Korean names, there’s a lot more that a Korean name can tell you than you think. Korean last names or family…
As New York City basks in the glow of its annual Art Week, one of the oldest galleries in NYC is playing host to the US debut of one of Korea’s most exciting young artists, Doowon Lee. “Doowon and the Golden Fish Submarine Arrive in New York”, transforms ACA Galleries into a portal of good…
Wedding Season I am getting married in Korea this fall. As a Korean Adoptee marrying a Korean national, my partner and I have had a lot of conversations about the cultural differences between American and Korean weddings. There’s so many beautiful and meaningful aspects to both. For our weddings in each country, we have decided…