Here are some recent headlines featuring Koreans that are worth a read. If an article listed below is behind a paywall, try signing up with your local library for free access to many of the major news publications.
[The Korea Herald] Viral sharpshooter Kim Ye-ji lands Louis Vuitton campaign
[Read full story on The Korea Herald]
[ABC News] North Korea to partially reopen doors to tourism for 1st time since COVID-19 pandemic
[Read full story on ABC News]
[The Korea Times] Overachieving S. Korea ties own gold medal record to finish 8th
South Korea won a medal in the very first medal event of the Paris Olympics on July 27.
The rest of the team picked it up from there and didn’t look back.
South Korea finished the medal race in eighth place with 13 gold medals, nine silver medals and 10 bronze medals, far exceeding its own and many pundits’ projections. South Korea tied its Summer Games record for most gold medals, equaling the mark from 2008 and 2012.
South Korea sent 144 athletes in 21 sports to France, its smallest delegation for a Summer Olympics since 1976. It didn’t qualify teams for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, and men’s and women’s football, among other team sports.
Though the size of the delegation wasn’t likely to impact South Korea’s medal chances — the country wouldn’t have been a medal contender in any of those ball sports — it fed into the general sense of pessimism surrounding the nation.
But that quickly turned into optimism, however cautious, after one day of competition.
Park Ha-jun and Keum Ji-hyeon grabbed silver in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team shooting event for South Korea’s first medal of this Olympics. Hours later, swimmer Kim Woo-min raced to bronze in the men’s 400-meter freestyle final.
[Read full story on The Korea Times]
[CNN] The internet is in love with South Korea’s record-breaking Olympic shooter
She’s Kim Yeji, the 31-year-old South Korean sharpshooter who has taken social media by storm following her appearance at the Paris Olympics.
Kim won silver at the 10-meter air pistol event on Sunday, with her 19-year-old teammate Oh Ye Jin taking the gold.
[Read full story on CNN]
[CNN] This grocery store item is beloved in the US. But it’s banned in South Korea
[Read full story on CNN]
[ABC News] Oscar-nominated director Lee Isaac Chung helms summer blockbuster ‘Twisters’
“Twisters” churned up a storm at the box office, taking in over $81 million its opening weekend; the third biggest debut at the movies so far in 2024.
It’s helmed by Oscar-nominated director Lee Isaac Chung, who said the story reminded him of his childhood, when his own home was often threatened by tornadoes.
“One of my first memories of moving to Arkansas is us getting into a pickup truck and trying to run from the tornado, I think it’s just been in my system and in my mind since that happened at a young age,” he said.
The original “Twister” left a lasting impact on him as well.
[Read full story on ABC News]
[The Hollywood Reporter] Digital Comic Company Webtoon Launches IPO as It Aims for Inroads into Hollywood
Webtoon already changed the face of 21st century comics by pioneering the mobile webcomic format. Yesterday, the company took a major step toward global and Hollywood domination by launching its initial public offering on the Nasdaq.
With a ticker symbol of WBTN, the company, backed by South Korean tech titan Naver, quickly gained a valuation of over $2.7 billion. It’s a major milestone for the Los Angeles-based company that Junkoo Kim launched in 2005. The platform produces content that then comes out in installments or “episodes,” with Webtoon now boasting 170 million active monthly users.
[Read full story on Hollywood Reporter]
[Harvard Business Review] Inside the Success of South Korean Brands
The last two decades have seen South Korea emerge as a cultural powerhouse on the global stage. K-pop groups like BLACKPINK and BTS have become worldwide megastars, with the latter’s overall contribution to South Korea’s economy estimated at US$5 billion, while TV series Squid Game drew more than 111 million views worldwide within 30 days, the biggest launch in Netflix’s history. The country steadily churns out award-winning K-movies and K-dramas, boasts a shiny contemporary art scene, and has the world’s fourth-largest gaming industry. And the K-beauty market is expected to hit US$18.32 billion in revenue by 2030.
But make no mistake – the success of what has become a key geopolitical asset is not the result of luck. It is the result of two decades of effective strategy and execution that have given birth to some of the most attractive brands in the world: the K-brands.
In 1994, a presidential advisory report noted that one single blockbuster film — Jurassic Park — had realized profits equivalent to selling 1.5 million Hyundai cars. President Kim Young-sam decided to lead his country on a massive transformation, moving away from the production of functional mid-range goods, upon which South Korea had built its competitive edge, to become a global cultural player.
Massive efforts over the years saw the culture ministry’s budget grow to US$6.05 billion in 2022, a third more than the equivalent ministry in France (about US$4.6 billion in 2022). New governmental agencies such as the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) encouraged foreign investments — Netflix alone announced a US$2.5 billion investment in Korean content — and further boosted the country’s soft power.
[Read full story on Harvard Business Review]
[The Korean Herald] Korean universities seek to lure more foreign students
YEONGJONGDO, Incheon — As more and more universities in South Korea face financial crises due to a shrinking student population, four-year colleges are eyeing attracting and educating international students to secure successful operations of their institutes.
A survey result conducted with some 130 presidents of universities showed such a trend, where 52.7 percent of respondents were interested in securing foreign students, which came as the third on the agenda of their interests, following financial aid from the government and freshmen recruitment.
The results came in a two-day seminar hosted by the Korean Council for University Education, which kicked off Wednesday. Universities’ interest in securing international students increased compared to last year, when it was seventh.
Raising tuition fees, which was third last year in the same survey asking what university presidents were interested in most, came sixth this time, showing that schools are changing their strategies in luring students for admissions.
“The only way to cope with the financial pressure is to win financial aid projects or increase the number of new students, but amid the declining school-age population and the centralization of the capital region, the only alternative is to attract more foreign students,” said the president of a national university at Wednesday’s forum.
[Read full story on The Korean Herald]
[Newsweek] South Korea’s Train Plan to Boost Population
South Korean authorities reportedly hope an advanced underground rail network will help counter the country’s plummeting fertility rate, the world’s lowest.
However, analysts caution the project must be accompanied by other government measures and might be too little, too late in the face of prevailing attitudes among younger Koreans.
The average number of births per woman—fell for the fourth consecutive year last year, dropping from 0.78 to 0.72.
The downward trend, which South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has called a “national emergency,” continues despite nearly $300 billion in government funding for initiatives to support new mothers and encourage larger families, including cash subsidies, infertility treatments, and childcare services.
[Read full story on Newsweek]
[New York Times] A Korean Secret to Keeping Friendships Strong: Savings Groups
In South Korea, it’s common for friends to form what are known as gyemoim to save for vacations, meals and other social activities.
Last fall, Jina Kim and two of her friends splurged on a two-night stay at the Ananti at Busan Cove, a luxury resort in Busan, South Korea.
The resort, where rooms start at $369 a night, features infinity pools, spas, eight restaurants, a private coastal walk and beach area, and a 4,600-meter “Water House” — an indoor pool and sauna fed by natural hot-spring water.
“We just spent the whole day in the resort hotel, swimming, eating and drinking,” said Ms. Kim, a 32-year-old former teacher who is now a stay-at-home mother.
Ms. Kim and her friends weren’t worried about how they would pay for the trip because they had spent over a decade saving in a “gyemoim,” a Korean term for people who form financial planning groups to save money for future expenses.
Forming gyemoim groups can help friends or families split travel costs equally so everyone can participate, regardless of his or her personal budget.
“Honestly, if we didn’t make the gyemoim, then it would have been too difficult for us to arrange that kind of trip,” Ms. Kim said. “It would have cost too much, and we didn’t want other members to feel pressured by that.”
Maintaining Relationships Through Saving
Collective financial planning has had a long history in many parts of the world.
“It’s actually not unique to South Korea,” said Euncheol Shin, an associate professor of economics at KAIST College of Business in Seoul. “This practice first developed because there was no financial market out there, and if you wanted to borrow some money, you had to do some self-financing.”
[Read full story on New York Times]
[Fulbright US] 2025-2026 Fulbright Applications for Korea Now Open
The 2025-26 Competition is now open. Applications must be submitted by the national deadline of October 8, 2024 at 5pm ET.
[Apply here Fulbright Korea]
[Forbes] KCON LA 2024: What To Know, Updates On Kpop And Kdrama Stars Attending
This year’s KCON LA is shaping up to be the annual festival’s biggest and most spectacular one yet, with top Korean actors like Kim Soo-hyun and Rowoon, K-pop heavy hitters like NCT 127, ENHYPEN and Taemin, and even K-hip-hop pioneer Tiger JK and legendary first-generation K-pop group g.o.d all expected to make an appearance.
And with such a star-studded lineup, many K-culture fans will be attending the festival for the first time. KCON newbies (and veterans too) have been flooding relevant social media pages, online communities and chat groups with questions about what to expect at this year’s event.
So whether you’re an experienced KCONer who’s wondering what’s new this year or a KCON novice who wants a crash course on the basics of the pop culture fest, here’s a summary of what you need to know about KCON LA 2024, all in one place.
[Read full story on Forbes]
[The Guardian] ‘My face is leaking’: taste testing the spicy ramen deemed too dangerous for Denmark
Three flavours of Buldak chicken ramyeon have been banned by authorities in Copenhagen, but seriously, how bad could they be?
There are flames spreading up my nose, across my forehead and down my throat. My tastebuds have been vanquished, my mouth is a chamber of fire. I have signed a waiver once before for a taste test. Where is my waiver today?
This is level three of Buldak’s range of spicy ramyeon, also known as “fire noodles”. It’s one of three varieties of instant noodles manufactured by South Korea’s Samyang Foods, and recalled this week by Danish authorities for being too spicy. According to Denmark’s national food agency, the high levels of capsaicin in the noodles carry a risk of acute poisoning for consumers – particularly children.
But are these noodles toxic – or are they just too spicy for Danish tastes? Three Guardian Australia colleagues and I put the noodles to the test, sampling the “hot” chicken flavour (the mildest of the banned noodles) through to the “3 x spicy”, as denoted in bold letters (font: extra-large) on the packet (colour: fire-engine red) and the Buldak mascot (an angry-crying chicken with flames in its beak).
[Read full story on The Guardian]
[CNN] Jin, oldest member of K-pop’s BTS, finishes army service in South Korea
Wearing a uniform and black beret, Jin, the oldest member of K-pop phenomenon BTS, was discharged from South Korea’s army on Wednesday after 18 months of duty. He is the first member of the group to wrap up the mandatory national service that put their music careers on hold.
The 31-year-old appeared emotional as he hugged his colleagues at a military base in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi province, television footage showed.
“I cried during the ceremony,” Jin said later during a livestream which racked up over 3 million views on the Weverse fandom platform.
“But it was so fun for the last year and six months. It’s such a relief I met so many good people,” he added, sending regards to his colleagues at the military base.
[Read full story on CNN]
[Korea Times] Korea routs Singapore to book 3rd round spot in World Cup qualification
Yonhap, June 7, 2024
Two of their biggest stars each grabbed a brace, as Korea hammered Singapore 7-0 on Thursday to clinch a spot in the next phase in the Asian World Cup qualifying campaign.
Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur and Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain each had two goals in Korea’s dominant win in the Group C match in the second round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ulsan HD FC forward Joo Min-kyu netted his first international goal and set up three others, while two England-based players, Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bae Jun-ho of Stoke City, contributed a goal each.
With 13 points, Korea is guaranteed to finish among the top two in the group with one final match against China coming up Tuesday in Seoul. The top two teams from each of the nine groups in the second round will advance to the third round, which kicks off in September.
[Read full story on Korea Times]
[Axios] Marine vet accused of North Korean embassy raid says his “life is in danger”
By Rebecca Falconer, May 12, 2024
A U.S. Marine veteran who said he broke into Pyongyang’s embassy in Madrid to help North Korean diplomats defect told CBS’ “60 Minutes” he’s now an “assassination target” of Kim Jong-un’s regime.
The big picture: Christopher Ahn, from Southern California, is fighting extradition to Spain where he’s wanted on charges in connection with the February 2019 raid that occurred days before then-President Trump met with Kim in Vietnam.
[Read full story on Axios]
[The Straitstimes] K-drama Queen Of Tears’ finale sets record viewership ratings as tvN’s most-watched series finale
May 9, 2024
SEOUL – The final episode of hit K-drama Queen Of Tears, which aired on April 28, achieved tvN’s highest viewership ratings for an episode to date.
The romantic comedy, starring South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun and actress Kim Ji-won, surpassed the ratings recorded by the South Korean cable channel’s other hit series, including Crash Landing On You (2019 to 2020) and Guardian: The Lonely And Great God (2016 to 2017).
[Read full story on The Straitstimes]
[Vogue] Everything You Need to Know About Stray Kids, the South Korean Boy Band Selling Out Tours Around the World
May 8, 2024
The Met Gala can always be relied upon to bring myriad musical favorites together on the red carpet (or, in this year’s case, the pre-Raphaelite-inspired green carpet), but K-pop fans got an extra special treat this year with the debut attendance of popular South Korean boy band Stray Kids. Below, find everything you need to know about the group that scored a place on Time‘s 2023 Next Generation Leaders list.
Who are the members of Stray Kids?
Stray Kids is composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. (There was originally a ninth member of the group, Woojin, but he left Stray Kids in 2019 for undisclosed personal reasons.)
[Read full story on Vogue]
[AsAmNews] Korean American wins Pulitzer for nonfiction literature
By Randall, May 7, 2024
Korean American writer Ilyon Woo Monday won the Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction Literature.
Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom tells the story. The story follows the journey of an enslaved couple who escape from Georgia in 1848.
According to Yonhap, Woo holds a BA in humanities from Yale and a Ph.D in English from Columbia University. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Korea.
Her book is based on the factual story of the Krafts, News Directory reports. The light skinned wife passed herself off as White and took off to the north away from slavery and her husband disguised himself as her slave.
[Read full story on AsAmNews]
[Augustman] Korean Celebrities That Stunned Us At The MET Gala Red Carpet 2024
By Romaa Daas, May 7, 2024
From headlining concerts to making a sensational entry into the fashion world, South Korean celebrities know how to make the right noise and they did so at the MET Gala 2024 red carpet. While BLACKPINK’s Jennie made heads turn in a custom royal blue Alaia mini dress, members of the K-pop band, Stray Kids arrived in style in Tommy Hilfiger at the biggest event in the fashion world. This is the K-pop band’s debut at the MET Gala.
The octet came in sleek overcoats before revealing their final look on the MET Gala 2024 red carpet. The eight-member boy band group comprising Changbin, Seungmin, Lee Know, Hyunjin, Bang Chan, Han, Felix, and I.N looked stunning in custom Tommy Hilfiger. All their suits featured the brand’s signature red, white and blue colour palette.
[Read full story on Augustman]
[The Korea Herald] Over 60% of S. Koreans support W100m childbirth incentive: survey
By Lee Jaeeun, May 2, 2024
Over 60 percent of South Koreans supported an initiative of providing a 100 million won ($72,500) cash incentive for each newborn, aiming to tackle the country’s low and declining birth rates, a government survey showed Thursday.
The survey, conducted from April 17 to 26 by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission involving 13,640 individuals, aimed to assess the effectiveness of providing direct support to beneficiaries of birth boost policies.
The survey queried whether significant cash incentives, like the recent 100 million won offering by a private company, would encourage respondents to have children.
Of those surveyed, 62.58 percent confirmed that the government’s subsidy cash benefit would encourage childbirth. In contrast, 37.4 percent viewed the initiative as “ineffective.”
[Read full story on The Korea Herald]
[Los Angeles Times] Los Angeles Times Announces Winners of 44th Annual Book Prizes
April 19, 2024
Hosted by Times Columnist LZ Granderson, the evening ceremony recognized outstanding literary achievements in 13 categories
The Los Angeles Times tonight announced the winners of the 44th annual Book Prizes in a ceremony at USC’s Bovard Auditorium. The Times’ Book Prizes recognize outstanding literary achievements and celebrate the highest quality of writing from authors at all stages of their careers.
Winners were announced in 13 categories for works published last year, including the new prize for achievement in audiobook production, presented by Audible. Additionally, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley was honored with the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement and Access Books received the Innovator’s Award for its work renovating school libraries and ensuring that underserved students and communities have access to quality literacy resources. A complete list of this year’s Book Prizes winners follows.
[Read full story on Los Angeles Times]
[Boston Event] Free Screening of “Beyond Utopia”: An award-winning documentary film on escaping North Korea
By Fletcher School at Tufts University
“Beyond Utopia”: An award-winning documentary film on escaping North Korea
Come join us for a special screening of this eye-opening documentary that follows the journey of those who risked everything to escape North Korea. Witness their struggles, triumphs, and ultimately, their freedom. This in-person event will be held at 160 Packard Ave.
Don’t miss this chance to gain insight into the realities of life in North Korea and the bravery of those who seek a better future.
There will also be a Q&A panel, including Dr. Sue Mi Terry, Co-Producer, Fletcher Class ‘01, and a Senior Fellow for Korea Studies on the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as special guests Soyeon Lee and Pastor Kim from the film. It will be moderated by Professor Aram Hur, Fletcher’s Kim Koo Chair in Korean Studies.
[Read full story on EventBrite]
[Boston Magazine] The MFA’s “Korean Wave” Exhibition is Thrilling
By Matthew Reed Baker, March 22, 2024
Unless you’ve been living off the grid for the past decade or two, you’re probably aware of the wide variety of South Korean culture that has been washing over our shores. From K-Pop and K-Cinema to the latest in fashions and technology, the peninsula nation is the epicenter of so many new and exciting developments in arts and media. And now the Museum of Fine Arts is celebrating it all with a retrospective called “Hallyu! The Korean Wave,” which opens March 24 and runs through July 28.
[Read full story on Boston Magazine]
[The Korea Economic Daily] Korea’s ramen exports on course to reach $1 bn in 2024
By Hun-Hyoung Ha, March 21, 2024
South Korea’s monthly ramen trade balance logged its largest-ever surplus of $91 million in February
South Korea’s instant ramen noodle exports soared to a record monthly high in February, data showed, on course to hit the $1 billion mark in 2024 for the first time.
According to the Korea Customs Service on Thursday, exports of Korean ramen noodle products, called ramyun in Korea, spiked 31.5% on-year to $92.97 million in February, their highest-ever monthly export sales.
That broke the previous record of $90.78 million reached in November of last year. By volume, ramen shipments jumped 20.0% on-year to 23,000 tons last month.
[Read full story on The Korea Economic Daily]
[The Korea Herald] Sephora exits Korea after years of losses
By Kim Hae-yeon, March 20, 2024
French cosmetics retailer Sephora, owned by LVMH Group, on Tuesday declared its withdrawal from the Korean market, following years of financial losses.
“With heavy hearts, we have decided to cease operations in Korea. From May 6, we will gradually wind down our presence across online platforms, mobile applications and physical stores, ultimately withdrawing completely from the market,” a social media post by Sephora Korea announced Tuesday.
Sephora said that it will fulfill pending orders within six days from the specified date and maintain customer service operations until mid August. The membership-based Beauty Pass points service is to expire on May 6.
[Read full story on The Korea Herald]
[Men’s Health] Here’s When New Episodes of Physical: 100 Season 2 Drop on Netflix
By Milan Polk, March 19, 2024
Prepare yourself for the streamer’s most intense show yet.
WHEN YOU THINK of Netflix reality shows, your first guess may be a dating show, like Love Is Blind or The Ultimatum. But not everyone wants to hear about relationship woes and wedding drama. Thankfully, Netflix offers grittier, tenser competition shows like Squid Game: The Challenge. And for those of us who enjoy something even more intense than that, there’s Physical: 100.
The show follows 100 athletes, influencers, and everything in between who are all as fit as they could possibly be. Through wild challenges that test the limits of their strength, flexibility, and speed, contestants compete to determine who among them can win it all. If you enjoyed the idea of Squid Game: The Challenge, with its large cast narrowed down to a more manageable number to root for, plus seemingly impossible tasks, Physical: 100 could be for you.
[Read full story on Men’s Health]
[Korea JoongAng Daily] Song Joong-ki’s ‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’ tops non-English Netflix charts
By Kim Ju-yeon, March 13, 2024
Actor Song Joong-ki’s transformation into a North Korean defector in “My Name is Loh Kiwan” has become the most watched non-English film on Netflix.
With a total of 5.1 million views this week, the film landed at No. 1 on Netflix’s most-viewed global top 10 list for the week of March 4 to 10, the platform said Wednesday.
[Read full story on Korea JoongAng Daily]
[The Korea Herald] Hallyu, brokers and students’ Korean dreams
By Choi Jeon-yoon, March 13, 2024
Of foreign graduates, 8.2% locally hired, 28.6% left country, over 50% ‘unknown’
South Korea’s universities are witnessing a transformative shift in their cultural landscape, brought by a surge in the number of international students.
Though the trend was stagnant during the pandemic era, the number of international students in Korea has steadily increased over the decades, amounting to 181,842 as of 2023. That is more than double the number 10 years ago (85,923), and 10 times more than in 2004 (16,832), when the Education Ministry began compiling related statistics.
[Read full story on The Korea Herald]
[The Korea Herald] 2024 Cherry blossoms forecast
By Nam Kyung-don, March 12, 2024
Cherry blossoms, one of the most beloved spring flowers in South Korea, are forecast to begin blooming nationwide from late March to early April this year, 1-7 days earlier than usual.
Cherry blossoms are forecast to begin blooming in Seoul on April 3 after starting in Seogwipo, Jeju on March 24, according to local weather information center Weatheri.
[Read full story on The Korea Herald]
[The Hollywood Reporter] Disney+ Unveils Expanded Korean Originals Slate for 2024
By Patrick Brzeski, February 18, 2024
Building on last year’s smash success of supernatural series ‘Moving,’ the streaming service has revealed seven high-profile Korean shows for 2024 so far, including a period drama starring Song Kang-ho.
Disney+ is steadily boosting its output of high-end Korean drama. The streaming service on Monday revealed a growing slate of star-driven Korean originals for 2024, building on the momentum achieved last year with the critical and commercial popularity of hit shows like Moving and Big Bet.
[Read full story on The Hollywood Reporter]
[Washington Post] How much is a baby worth? A $75,000 bonus, this South Korean firm says.
By Minjoo Kim, February 16, 2024
“We will continue to do what we can as a company to solve the low birth issue,” Lee Joong-keun, the chairman of Booyoung Group, a Seoul-based construction company, said last week after awarding a total $5.25 million to his employees for 70 babies born since 2021.
Both male and female employees at Booyoung are eligible for a $75,000 payout each time they have a baby — no strings attached.
[Read full story on Washington Post]
[Time] 5 Things to Know About Blackpink’s Lisa, Who Will Make Her Acting Debut in The White Lotus
By Koh Ewe, February 13, 2024
[Read full story on Time]
[NY Times] Andy Kim Wins a Vote Rich in Symbolism in Race to Replace Menendez
The third-term congressman won key Democratic support Saturday in his run for U.S. Senate in New Jersey, beating the state’s first lady, Tammy Murphy, on her home turf.
By Tracey Tully, February 10, 2024
Representative Andy Kim, a third-term Democratic congressman, won an early but significant victory on Saturday against New Jersey’s first lady, Tammy Murphy, as they compete in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate primaries.
Mr. Kim, 41, was selected as the Democratic Party’s nominee in Monmouth County during the first convention of its kind this election cycle — a high-stakes affair that drew a standing-room-only crowd of delegates to the Portuguese Club of Long Branch, a 32,000-person seaside community.
It was a win laden with symbolism. Ms. Murphy, 58, lives in Monmouth County, and Mr. Kim represents a large swath of the affluent, predominantly coastal region.
[Read full story on New York Times]
[People] Chloe Kim Lands First 1260 in Women’s Halfpipe History at X Games
By Charna Flam, January 27, 2024
Chloe Kim just became the first woman to land a 1260 in a women’s snowboard halfpipe competition at the X Games.
Since first appearing at the 2014 X Games, Kim, 23, has clinched her seventh X Games Aspen title. She’s now tied with her mentor Kelly Clark’s record number of X Games Aspen titles.
She performed a cab 1260 at the end of her last run during the Friday finals. Ahead of the record-breaking move she already won the title and landed the move during her victory lap.
[Forbes] South Korea is Launching a Visa Just for K-Pop Fans
By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, January 2, 2024
South Korea has announced that it will launch a new visa specifically for enthusiasts of South Korean culture. The Hallyu visa, also being called the “K-culture training visa,” will allow non-Koreans who register at local performing arts academies to stay in the country for up to two years. Hallyu, which translates to “Korean Wave,” refers to the enormous global popularity of South Korea’s cultural economy exporting K-pop culture through music, films and other artistic mediums. [Read full story on Forbes]
[The Hollywood Reporter] ‘Yellow Face,’ Starring Daniel Dae Kim, Opening On Broadway in September
By Caitlin Huston, January 9, 2024
Daniel Dae Kim will star in the Broadway premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face next season.
The play, which is inspired by real events, follows a playwright protesting the casting of white actors playing Asian roles in Miss Saigon, and then mistakenly casting a white actor as an Asian lead in his own play. Yellow Face, directed by Leigh Silverman, is scheduled to start previews at what will be the newly renamed Todd Haimes Theatre (formerly the American Airlines Theatre but renamed after the death of the Roundabout Theatre Company’s artistic director) in September 2024. [Read full story on The Hollywood Reporter]
[The Korea Herald] Celine Song’s ‘Past Lives’ named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics
By Kim Da-sol, January 7, 2024
Korean Canadian filmmaker and playwright Celine Song’s directorial debut, “Past Lives,” was named Best Picture of 2023 at the National Society of Film Critics Awards.
“Past Lives,” a semi-autobiographical romantic drama film about Korean writer Nora (Greta Lee) living in New York who reunites with her childhood sweetheart, Hae-sung (Teo Yoo), after 20 years, won the top prize at the 58th annual awards. Other contenders were “Oppenheimer” and “The Zone of Interest.” [Read full story on The Korea Herald]
[The Wall Street Journal] The Woman Shaking Up the $50 Billion Instant-Ramen Industry
By Jiyoung Sohn, January 6, 2024
SEOUL—Kim Jung-soo’s life seems torn from the pages of a South Korean drama. She married into the Samyang conglomerate family and became a stay-at-home mom, then she abruptly joined the instant-noodle company after it declared bankruptcy in the late 1990s. She faced legal woes that necessitated a presidential pardon.
Now, she is CEO.
Behind the 59-year-old’s rise is the unlikely success of a brand of instant ramen she created herself. The noodles are so spicy that many people can’t eat them. Today, packages of the company’s “Buldak” noodles—literally “fire chicken” in Korean—have landed on the American shelves of Costco, Walmart, and Albertsons. [Read full story on The Wall Street Journal]
[Variety] Blackpink Members Decline Signing Solo Contracts With YG Entertainment
By Thania Garcia, December 27, 2023
Blackpink — the four-piece K-pop act comprised of Jisoo, Lisa, Jennie and Rose – are no longer working with YG Entertainment for their solo endeavors, the company announced in a press release on Friday.
The group will remain signed to YG Entertainment as an entity but the four women will pursue their solo careers outside of the agency. “We will do our utmost to support Blackpink’s activities, and we will cheer on the members’ individual activities with warm hearts,” read YG’s statement translated to English from Korean (via Soompi) [Read full story on Variety]
[AP] A South Korean religious sect leader has been sentenced to 23 years in prison over sex crimes
By Jiwon Song, December 22, 2023
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean religious sect leader whose sex crimes were featured in the popular Netflix series “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal” earlier this year was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Friday, court officials said.
The Daejeon District Court in central South Korea said that it handed the prison term to Jeong Myeong-seok after convicting him of sexual violence against three of his female followers from 2018-2021. [Read full story on AP]
[The New York Times] There’s No Christmas Lunch Like a Korean American Church Lunch
By Eric Kim, December 15, 2023
It’s the most wonderful week of the year!
At the Dongsan Korean Reformed Church in Yonkers, N.Y., the cafeteria is twice the size of its worship space. The spacious, high-ceilinged room is filled with more than 40 round dining tables encircled by white folding chairs. After the 11 a.m. service every week, lunch is served and the tables fill up like a high school cafeteria.
On a recent undo Sunday, hungry, boisterous parishioners formed long lines for their servings of miyeok guk, a savory seaweed soup, which burbled away in three giant pots on the stove. Everything is made from scratch, and with good vibes only. [Read full story on The New York Times]
[Korea JoongAng Daily] K-pop artists dominate TikTok’s Global Top 10
By Kim Ji-Ye, December 7, 2023
K-pop artists are this year’s hitmakers, according to TikTok. Five K-pop artists have appeared on the platform’s The Hitmakers’ global top 10 list, which ranks the artists who received the most views on the platform this year.
TikTok released “Year on TikTok” on Wednesday, an annual year-end report that looks back on the songs, moments and creators that trended the most.
Blackpink sat at No. 3 on this year’s The Hitmaker’s global top 10 list, the highest-ranked K-pop act. [Read full story on Korea JoongAng Daily]
[Korea JoongAng Daily] Two Koreans among Forbes’ ‘100 Most Powerful Women’
By Kim Ju-yeon, December 7, 2023
Lee Boo-jin, eldest daughter of late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon were named by Forbes as two of the “100 Most Powerful Women” in 2023.
Lee ranked 82nd and Choi placed 96th on the U.S. business magazine’s list, which was published on Tuesday.
This is the first time Choi has been on the annual rankings, while Lee, who serves as chief executive of Hotel Shilla, was first listed in 2015. [Read full story on Korea JoongAng Daily]
[NBC NEWS] Actor Charles Melton thanks his Korean immigrant mom in emotional speech at Critics Choice event
By Kimmy Yam, December 6, 2023
“Umma, umma,” a tearful Melton said in his acceptance speech for best breakthrough performance. “You are my hero.”
“May December” actor Charles Melton paid tribute to his Korean immigrant mother at a Critics Choice Association event Monday.
Melton, who took home the award for best breakthrough performance at the CCA’s Celebration of Cinema & Television Honoring Black, Latino & AAPI Achievements, got emotional while thanking his mother, Sukyong Melton, during his acceptance speech.
“I stand today in front of my mother. I’m proud of my Korean American heritage. Umma, umma,” a tearful Melton said, addressing her in Korean. “You are my hero.”
The 32-year-old has spoken about his admiration for his mother in the past. He told “Good Morning America” that she immigrated to the United States in 1990 after marrying his father, Phil Melton, who was in the military. [Read full story on NBC NEWS]
[AP] 4 more members of K-pop supergroup BTS to begin mandatory South Korean military service
By AP, December 5, 2023
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Four more members of the K-pop supergroup BTS are to begin their mandatory South Korean military duties soon, their management agency said.
Big Hit Music said in a statement Tuesday that the enlistments are “upcoming” but didn’t disclose the starting dates. South Korean media reported that all four members will begin their duties next week — RM and V on Dec. 11 and Jimin and Jung Kook, who are scheduled to enlist together, on Dec. 12.
There will be no official events on the day of their entrance to military bases, Big Hit Music said. The agency advised fans to refrain from visiting the sites to prevent any possible crowding-related issues.
Three other BTS members – Jin, J-Hope and Suga – have already begun their military duties. Jin and J-Hope are performing active service in the army while Suga is serving as a social service agent, an alternative form of military service in the country. [Read full story on AP]
[The Athletic] Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim becomes first Asian-born infielder to win a Gold Glove award
By Dennis Lin, December 5, 2023
One day in late September, before a game in San Francisco, Ha-Seong Kim considered both the near future and his distant home continent. The unveiling of another class of Gold Glove winners was a little more than a month away. It was not lost on the San Diego Padres second baseman that in all the decades of the award’s existence, no infielder born on the other side of the Pacific had gotten to hoist it. [Read full story on The Athletic]
[The Korean Herald] Festivals to illuminate Seoul’s winter nights
By Lee Si-jin, December 3, 2023
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced it will hold the first-ever light festival at Songhyeon Green Plaza in Jongno-gu, central Seoul from Dec. 15. The 37,117 square-meter park opened to the public in October 2022 for the first time in 110 years since the Japanese colonial era (1910-1945).
Under the theme of “Experiencing Nature in Mysterious Light Garden,” the 2023 Light Festa in Songhyeon will feature six different exhibition spaces, including “Shadow Forest,” “Hill of Light, “Road of Light” and more. [Read full story on The Korean Herald]
[The Korean Herald] S. Korea to double ceiling of immediate tax refund for foreign tourists
By Yonhap, November 27, 2023
South Korea will double the maximum limit of purchases eligible for an immediate tax refund by foreign tourists to 5 million won ($3,831) next year to attract overseas visitors and bolster the tourism industry, the finance ministry said Monday.
Currently, the country provides on-the-spot tax refunds for an individual purchase of up to 500,000 won at designated stores, with a maximum cap being set at 2.5 million won on total payments. [Read full story on The Korean Herald]
[Salon] Trader Joe’s popular Kimbap sold out fast. Here’s how to make it from the comfort of your own home
By Joy Saha, October 23, 2023
All you’ll need are a few tasty – and simple – ingredients to make this Korean dish on your own.
When Trader Joe’s introduced its own rendition of kimbap only a few months ago, people on the internet went berserk. Those who grew up eating kimbap – a traditional Korean dish often made from cooked rice, vegetables, fish, and meat rolled in dried sheets of seaweed (also known as gim) found comfort in TJ’s vegan offering. On the flip side, those who were just trying it for the very first time found their new favorite, simple weeknight meal. [Read full story on Salon]
[Korea Herald] New study sheds light on S. Korea’s high stomach cancer rate
By Moon Ki Hoon, October 21, 2023
Stomach cancer is especially common among Koreans, with data from the National Cancer Center of Korea identifying it as the most common type of cancer in the country from 1999 to 2018.
Although Korea reports a lower overall cancer incidence rate compared to the US and UK, its rate of stomach cancer is nearly 10 times higher.
Looking to find potential reasons why, a new study led by Dr. Choi Kui-son of the National Cancer Center of Korea has found a lack of exercise to be the most common risk factor for stomach cancer here.
[Read full story on Korea Herald]
[Soompi] “My Dearest,” Ahn Eun Jin, And Namgoong Min Sweep Most Buzzworthy Drama And Actor Rankings
By E. Cha, October 22, 2023
MBC’s “My Dearest” dominated this week’s rankings of the most buzzworthy dramas and actors!
Immediately upon its return with Part 2, the hit historical romance drama shot back up to No. 1 on Good Data Corporation’s weekly list of the TV dramas that generated the most buzz. The company determines each week’s rankings by collecting data from news articles, blog posts, online communities, videos, and social media about dramas that are either currently airing or set to air soon. [Read full story on Soompi]
[The New York Times] American Museums Keep the Spotlight on Korean Art
By Ted Loos, October 20, 2023
There are at least five exhibitions of Korean art at major U.S. museums this fall. The featured works vary from early 12th-century stoneware to a sculpture made from soap.
When Hyunsoo Woo arrived in the United States in 1996, she was, in her words, “fresh off the boat” from South Korea. And she noticed something right away.
“Korean art was nowhere to be found” in American museums, even encyclopedic ones, said Ms. Woo, now the deputy director for collections and exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. “I was very puzzled by that.”
What a difference 27 years makes: This fall, there are at least five exhibitions of Korean art at major museums across the country.
The art they are featuring varies from an early 12th-century stoneware ewer to works made recently, like Lee Youngsil’s lacquer on wood “Yeongchuksan Gamnodo (Nectar Ritual Painting)” (2022). The confluence of shows now represents the museum world’s recognition that it must continue to expand its view of what kinds of art merit exhibition space. “The variety of these shows is really good to see,” said Hyonjeong Kim Han, the senior curator of Asian art at the Denver Art Museum. [Read full story on The New York Times]
[CNN] Tom Kim becomes youngest golfer to win three PGA Tour titles since Tiger Woods
By Jack Bantock, October 16, 2023
CNN — After a dramatic title defense in Las Vegas, Tom Kim celebrated by heading straight back to his hotel room and treating himself to some chocolate.
One of the game’s brightest rising stars, the 21-year-old South Korean phenom came out on top in a nail-biting final round duel with Adam Hadwin to retain the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin on Sunday, edging the Canadian by a single stroke.
Having shot a blistering nine-under 62 on Saturday, a final round 66 was just enough to clinch Kim the $1.512 million winner’s prize. [Read full story on CNN]
[The Korean Herald] Unwind with Korea food, lifestyle docs on Netflix
By Lee Si-jin, October 16, 2023
For those looking for a change of pace from Netflix’s action-packed Korean originals, the streaming platform offers a range of Korean food, travel and lifestyle documentaries that are perfect for relaxing and learning something new.
“Rhapsody” (2020-2021) and “A Nation” (2022-2023) by ELTV are two such documentary series that are available for viewing on Netflix.
“Korean Pork Belly Rhapsody,” the first project to open the six-part “Rhapsody” series, presents the history of Korean grilled pork belly and explores different recipes and approaches to the dish.
Starring popular TV personality and chef Paik Jong-won as the host, the project showcases the unique stories of diverse individuals across Korea — ranging from butchers, writers and a professor of agriculture and economics, to chefs, restaurant owners and village locals — who share their experiences and thoughts on Korean pork belly. [Read full story on The Korean Herald]
[ESPN] Jessica Pegula wins Korea Open for fourth career WTA title
By Associated Press, October 15, 2023
SEOUL — Jessica Pegula beat Yuan Yue 6-2, 6-3 in the final of the Korea Open on Sunday for the fourth title of her career.
The top-seeded Pegula dropped only one set through the tournament and becomes the first American since Venus Williams in 2007 to win the title in Seoul.
“My mom is Korean and she was adopted from here, so it’s really special to be able to win here,” Pegula said. “In the last few years, as my ranking has gone up, I’ve definitely felt so much more support from the fans, a lot more than I expected coming back here from five years ago. So it’s really special.” [Read full story on ESPN]
[Bloomberg] The K-Pop Mogul Behind BTS Is Building the Next BTS in LA
By Lucas Shaw, October 12, 2023
The popularity of BTS has helped push Hybe to become the largest music company in South Korea. With the world’s biggest boy band on hiatus, Hybe founder and chairman Bang Si-Hyuk wants to replicate the formula that changed music-but with even more global appeal. In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg News’ Lucas Shaw and Sohee Kim at Hybe America’s headquarters in California, Bang shares his ideas on various topics including the partnership with Hybe America CEO Scooter Braun, the Latin American music market, the US market, the use of AI in music production, and the company’s five-year road map. [Watch full interview on Bloomberg]
[NY Times] Read Your Way Through Seoul
By Han Kang and translated by Jasmine Jeemin Lee, September 6, 2023
Han Kang grew up in Seoul, a city that embraces “thousands of years of turbulence.” She recommends reading that draws from the various eras that have made up her hometown.
~~~~~~
Seoul is a megacity, with a population of nearly 10 million and a name pronounced like “soul.” There were times when I couldn’t stand its scale and pace of change, but I have managed to find a tranquil corner and continue to live in this city.
Although modern at first glance, Seoul has a long history. People first began to gather here 6,000 years ago. Over the centuries, the city was the center of dynasties that ruled the region, and it remains the capital of South Korea. [Read full story on The New York Times]
Han Kang grew up in Seoul, a city that embraces “thousands of years of turbulence.” She recommends reading that draws from the various eras that have made up her hometown.
~~~~~~
Seoul is a megacity, with a population of nearly 10 million and a name pronounced like “soul.” There were times when I couldn’t stand its scale and pace of change, but I have managed to find a tranquil corner and continue to live in this city.
Although modern at first glance, Seoul has a long history. People first began to gather here 6,000 years ago. Over the centuries, the city was the center of dynasties that ruled the region, and it remains the capital of South Korea. [Read full story on The New York Times]
[The Art Newspaper] ‘Seoul is still a boomtown’: solid sales at Frieze and Kiaf defy market dip
By Kabir Jhala and Lisa Movius, September 6, 2023
An economic downturn and an overlap with the Armory fair in New York appear not to have put off collectors at the concurrent fairs in the South Korean capital.
Reports of a dip in the South Korean art market cast a shadow on the run up to Seoul Art Week, which sees the second edition of Frieze Seoul and the 22nd edition of the Korea International Art Fair (Kiaf) take place concurrently on different floors of the Coex convention centre in Gangnam (6-9 September).
Nonetheless, crowds thronged and their impulse to spend money on art appeared mostly undeterred. Multiple gallerists at both fairs report better VIP day sales this year than last. [Read full story on The Art Newspaper]
[NY Times] How Korean Restaurants Remade Fine Dining in New York
By Pete Wells, August 29, 2023
A cohort of forward-thinking Korean contenders now dominate the city’s high-end restaurant scene the way French cuisine used to.
~~~~~~~~~
A few months ago, a number of serious food journalists asked out loud whether fine dining was dying, or possibly already dead. This seemed odd to me. I keep close tabs on the restaurant scene, especially in New York City, and if expensive restaurants were undergoing a mass die-off, I’d like to think I would notice. The truth, in fact, seemed to be the opposite. Fancy restaurants are opening here so quickly that there aren’t enough nights in the week for me to check them all out.
One thing I did see, though, is that the flavor of fine dining has changed a lot lately. Korean owners and chefs now run about a dozen of the city’s most prominent high-end restaurants. Their rise, which has been remarkably swift, brings to an end the unquestioned supremacy of French cuisine that lasted for decades. [Read full story on The New York Times]
[Variety] Spy Thriller ‘Moving’ Becomes Most Viewed Korean Original Series Across Disney+, Hulu (EXCLUSIVE)
By Naman Ramachandran, Patrick Frater, August 24, 2023
Disney+ has scored the next breakout hit from Asia after “Squid Game.”
Star-studded international espionage series “Moving” has become the most watched Korean original on Disney+ globally and Hulu in the U.S., based on hours streamed after seven days.
In its first week since launch on Aug. 9, the series also became the most watched series on Disney+ across Asia Pacific, including in Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan – based on hours watched – and the biggest premiere on Disney+ in Korea to date, based on hours streamed in the first week since launch. “Moving” launched globally on Disney+ in 65 markets and countries and Hulu in the U.S. [Read full story on Variety]
[Yonhap News] Tous les Jours opens 100th store in U.S., plans to expand to 1,000 stores by 2030
By Kim Na-young, August 23, 2023
South Korean bakery brand Tous les Jours has opened its 100th store in the United States, its operator said Wednesday, adding it aims to open up to 1,000 stores in the U.S. by 2030.
Tous les Jours has opened its 100th shop in Bronxville, New York, according to CJ Foodville Co.
CJ Foodville said its U.S. business has been growing fast in recent years, noting its U.S. sales shot up 250 percent in the first half from a year earlier.
CJ Foodville aims to open up to 1,000 Tous les Jours stores across the U.S. by 2030, including 20 new stores this year, a company official said.
The company plans to start constructing a factory in the U.S. later this year, the official added.
Tous les Jours currently operates a total of 380 stores across the world, including in the U.S., Indonesia and Vietnam. [Read full story on Yonhap News]
[The Korea Bizwire] BTS’ “Beyond the Story” Becomes 1st Korean Book to Top New York Times Bestseller List
July 20, 2023
K-Pop giant BTS’ first official book, “Beyond the Story: 10-year Record of BTS,” has topped New York Times bestseller lists.
According to the lists released by the U.S. newspaper Wednesday (U.S. time), the English version of the book shot to the top of this week’s bestseller lists for “hardcover nonfiction” books and “combined print & e-book nonfiction” books.
The book was published on July 9 in 23 different languages, including Korean, English and Japanese, to commemorate the group’s 10th anniversary.
It marks the first time that a book by a Korean author has topped the lists, according to the band’s agency, BigHit Music. [Read full story on The Korea Bizwire]
[Korea Herald] 44 dead, 6 missing amid continued downpours as of Wednesday morning
By Lee Jung-youn, July 18, 2023
In the wake of record-breaking nationwide downpours, authorities discovered three bodies on Tuesday in Yecheon-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, bringing the death toll associated with the heavy rain in the province to 22. This brings the total number of deaths from downpour to 44 nationwide as of 6 a.m. [Read full story on The Korea Herald]
[Lifestyle Asia] Beef, starring Ali Wong and Steven Yuen, has received 13 nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards
By Manas Sen Gupta, July 14, 2023
The nominees for the awards were announced on 12 July. Overall, four shows — Succession (27), The Last of Us (24), The White Lotus (23) and Ted Lasso (21) — received over 20 nominations.
But Beef is on a roll of its own. Created by the indie studio A24, which is behind Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), the show has received nine nominations in major categories, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. This makes Beef the contender with the third-highest major nods after Succession (14) and The White Lotus (12).
In all, its 13 nods make Beef one of the 11 that have received double-digit nominations. [Read full story on Lifestyle Asia]
[New York Times] How Netflix Plans Total Global Domination, One Korean Drama at a Time
By Daisuke Wakabayashi and Jin Yu Young, July 14, 2023
Popular content produced in Asia and around the world has taken on greater significance with most of Hollywood now on strike.
This year, Netflix developed “The Glory,” a binge-worthy revenge saga about a woman striking back against childhood bullies, which cracked the top five most-watched non-English-language TV shows ever on the service. Before that, at one point “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” a feel-good show about a lawyer with autism, was in the weekly Top 10 chart in 54 countries. Last year, 60 percent of Netflix subscribers watched a Korean-language show or movie. [Read full story on The New York Times]
[New York Times] Translating Traditional Korean Movement to ‘a Language for Our Time’
By Brian Seibert, July 12, 2023
Like many court ceremonies, the Confucian ritual that has been performed for centuries at the royal Jongmyo shrine in Korea, is meticulous and measured, stately and restrained. In the shrine’s stone courtyard, a large group of women stand in place, arranged in rows, holding symbolic objects like bamboo flutes and wooden swords and periodically shifting the position of their arms in perfect, unhurried unison. This part is called il mu, which can be translated as “line dance” or “one dance.”
“Some people find it very slow, very boring,” said the Korean director Kuho Jung. “I love it, but I also want to modernize it. I want to translate it into the language of our time.”
That is what he has done in “One Dance,” a theatrical production that Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theater, making its United States debut, is bringing to Lincoln Center, July 20-22, as part of the center’s Korean Arts Week. [Read full article on The New York Times]
[Hollywood Reporter] ‘Top Chef’ Names Kristen Kish as New Host
By Rick Porter, July 11, 2023
Kristen Kish, who won the 10th season of Bravo’s culinary competition and has served as a guest judge several times since, will take over for Padma Lakshmi in season 21. Top Chef will set up its kitchen in Wisconsin for the coming season, focusing on Milwaukee and Madison. Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons will once again sit at the judges’ table. [Read full story on The Hollywood Reporter]
[Secret NYC] A Weeklong Festival Celebrating Korean Culture & Heritage Is Heading To Rockefeller Center
By Brianna Perry, July 6, 2023
A week-long festival of programming is making its way to Rockefeller Center to celebrate and honor the vibrant culture and heritage of Korea.
If you’ve ever wanted to immerse yourself more in Korean culture, boy is it your lucky day! Celebrate Korea is bringing a weeklong festival of programming featuring Korean chefs, fashion, skincare, education, and artists to Rockefeller Center this July to honor Korea’s culture and heritage.
The programming, which is in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), will feature two on-site public art exhibitions at the Rink Level at Rockefeller Center–one of which is already open.
Origin, Emergence, Return celebrates modern and contemporary Korean art through the works of Park Seo-Bo, Lee Bae, and Jin Meyerson, featuring over 70 works and exploring three generations of Korean art from the 20th century to the present. It’s open now through July 23 (Tuesday – Saturday, 11 am. – 6 p.m.)
Part of this exhibit is Lee Bae’s 21-foot tower of stacked charcoal standing tall in front of Rockefeller Center’s Channel Gardens–the first time a Korean artist has occupied the sculpture space! [Read full story on Secret NYC]
[BBC] South Koreans become younger under new age-counting law
By Kelly Ng & Yuna Ku, June 28, 2023
South Koreans have become a year or two younger as a new law aligns the nation’s two traditional age-counting methods with international standards.
The law scraps one traditional system that deemed South Koreans one year old at birth, counting time in the womb.
Another counted everyone as aging by a year every first day of January instead of on their birthdays.
The switch to age-counting based on birth date took effect on Wednesday.
President Yoon Suk Yeol pushed strongly for the change when he ran for office last year. The traditional age-counting methods created “unnecessary social and economic costs”, he said. [Read full story on BBC]
[Insider] Meet the typical South Korean millennial and the ‘kangaroo tribe’ that can’t afford to leave their parents’ homes
By Matthew Loh and Reena Koh, June 11, 2023
- Almost 70% of South Korea’s millennials have college degrees.
- But they’re overqualified for the labor market, resulting in a high unemployment rate.
- Known as the “kangaroo tribe,” many still live with their parents because of high housing costs.
Kwon graduated in 2022 from Yonsei University, a top college where he swam on the varsity team and earned a double degree in physical education and public administration. He lives in Gangnam — Seoul’s glitzy city center — in a four-room apartment that his family has owned for generations.
He works as a data analyst at a multinational tech firm in a country where stable, white-collar jobs are glorified as the key to a good life. On weekends, he competes in swimming competitions and is set to represent Seoul in under-30 tournaments. [Read full story in Insider]
[Variety] Korea Box Office: ‘The Roundup: No Way Out’ Hits $60 Million on Second Weekend, Thumps ‘Transformers’
By Patrick Frater, June 11, 2023
Korean-produced crime action film “The Roundup: No Way Out” dominated proceedings at the South Korean cinema box office for the second successive weekend. Its massive haul now totals $60 million. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” opened with a puny second place.
The Friday to Sunday period saw the film bring in $10.4 million from 1.32 million ticket sales and account for a 72% market share, according to data from Kobis, the data tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). Including pre-release previews and strong midweek sales, the film has now rushed on to an aggregate of $59.6 million that has been earned from 7.78 million spectators. [Read full story in Variety]
[Gothamist] James Beard Award Foundation announces best chef in New York
By Kerry Shaw, June 6, 2023
Chef Junghyun Park of Atomix in Murray Hill took home the honor for best chef in the state, but the city’s culinary talent was iced out of national prizes at this year’s James Beard Awards, held Monday night in Chicago.
The awards, sometimes called the “Foodie Oscars,” are overseen by the James Beard Foundation and honor American food culture. [Read full story in Gothamist]
[The Korean Herald] 22-year-old Korean baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition
By Kim Da-sol. June 4, 2023
South Korean baritone Kim Tae-han won the Queen Elisabeth Competition on Sunday, becoming the first Asian to win since the competition’s singing category was established in 1988.
He will receive the award from Queen Mathilde of Belgium, along with prize money of 25,000 euros ($26,811). [Read full story in The Korean Herald]
[CNBC] Netflix’s $2.5 billion investment in Korean content appeals to audiences worldwide
By Audrey Wan, May 12, 2023
Netflix is spending $2.5 billion on Korean content and sees opportunities beyond the Asian region, said Don Kang, Netflix’s vice president of Korean content.
Over the next four years, Netflix will invest $2.5 billion in various types of Korean content spanning TV series, films and nonfiction shows, Kang told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.” He said it will double the number of nonfiction shows it is producing, from about four in 2022 to at least eight this year, reflecting the Korean audience’s demand for variety shows. [Read full story in CNBC]
[BBC] Why Korea’s moon jar is so iconic
By Clare Dowdy, May 10, 2023
Centuries-old and steeped in cultural significance, the South Korean moon jar (dal-hang-ari in Korean) is still giving the country’s potters and artists pause for thought. In pottery terms, it’s a deceptively simple item: two big clay rice bowl shapes are put together rim to rim in the kiln, explains Lloyd Choi, curator of a new exhibition in London on moon jars, and “gravity does the rest”. Typically, the pale clay is glazed but left unadorned, looking rather like a full moon.
As well as being aesthetically pleasing, the moon jar sheds light on Korean identity. They were first made during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). At that time, Korea followed the neo-Confucian belief system. Propagated by Chinese philosopher Confucius in the 6th to 5th Century BCE, the meditative Confucian ideals of simplicity, humbleness, modesty, purity and austerity had spread beyond China to Korea, Japan and Vietnam. [Read full story in BBC]
[CNN Travel] Seoul: The city at the front line of modern culture
By Richard Quest and Joe Minihane, Mon May 8, 2023
It’s a city at the forefront of modern culture. At the center of the boom in all things K-Pop and K-Drama, which has seen the group BTS become the biggest-selling band in the world and movie “Parasite” pick up the Academy Award for best picture.
Through a heady mix of cutting-edge technology and a deep respect for traditions, Seoul has become one of the 21st century’s most tantalizing and important cities. [Read full story in CNN Travel]
[The New York Times] The South Korean chefs redefining the art of pastry
By Elyse Inamine, Published May 1, 2023, Updated May 2, 2023
At the Park Hyatt (https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/france/park-hyatt-paris-vendome/parph/dining) hotel in Paris, Narae Kim combines the Nashi pear she grew up eating in Dangjin, South Korea, and the Williams pear often used in eau de vie into an eye-catching dessert: a fan of Williams wedges, some marinated in jasmine tea and others cooked in bergamot oil, alongside quenelles of pear-and-cassava sorbet, all topped with tiny orbs of Nashi pear liqueur.
Ms. Kim had wanted to study pastry in France since she was young, taking pastry and baking classes in middle school and participating in grueling pastry competitions in college in South Korea. [Read full story in The New York Times]
[NPR] ‘Biting the Hand’: Korean American author calls for weaponizing invisibility
By Reena Advani, April 19, 2023
Julia Lee once had a mentor who told her, “You must bite the hand that feeds you.” That phrase informed how she saw the world, as she told NPR’s Michel Martin in an interview about her memoir, Biting the Hand: Growing Up Asian in Black and White America.
The lesson Lee learned from that piece of advice was, “All the structures of power make those of us in marginalized positions feel like we can’t speak out, we can’t resist,” she said. “And one of our obligations is to bite back, to bite the hand that feeds us in order to speak up for justice — for social justice.” [Read full story in NPR]
[USA Today] Blackpink makes Coachella history as first K-Pop band to headline the event
By Brian Blueskye, April 16, 2023
INDIO, Calif. – Blackpink made history Saturday night at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as the first K-pop band to headline the event.
Comprised of members Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé, the girl group debuted – after perfecting their craft for several years in a traditional K-pop trainee program – in 2016 with the songs “Whistle” and “Boombayah.” [Read full story in USA Today]
[People] ‘The White Lotus’ Star Will Sharpe to Direct ‘Crying in H Mart’ Film Adaptation
By Tommy McArdle, March 20, 2023
PEOPLE exclusively revealed that Sharpe, 36, is set to direct the upcoming film adaptation of Japanese Breakfast singer, songwriter and guitarist Michelle Zauner’s 2021 memoir Crying in H Mart for MGM’s Orion Pictures.
The memoir, which spent over 60 weeks on The New York Times‘ best-sellers list, is based on an original essay of the same title by Zauner, 33, first published in The New Yorker back in 2018. [Read full story in People]
[NBC News] East Asians more likely to develop stomach cancer because of lower alcohol tolerance, new study says
By Angela Yang, March 17, 2023
East Asian people are more likely to develop a more aggressive type of stomach cancer because of their higher likelihood of alcohol intolerance, according to a new study led by researchers in Japan.
The researchers’ findings, published this week in the scientific journal Nature Genetics, associate lower alcohol tolerance with higher risk of diffuse stomach cancer, a rarer type of gastric cancer that affects more than one area of the stomach. [Read full story on NBC News]
[NY Times] Seaweed Is Having Its Moment in the Sun
By Somini Sengupta, March 15, 2023
For centuries, it’s been treasured in kitchens in Asia and neglected almost everywhere else: Those glistening ribbons of seaweed that bend and bloom in cold ocean waves.
Today, seaweed is suddenly a hot global commodity. It’s attracting new money and new purpose in all kinds of new places because of its potential to help tame some of the hazards of the modern age, not least climate change.
And in South Korea, one of the most established seaweed growing countries in the world, farmers are struggling to keep up with growing export demand. [Read full story at NY Times]
[NBC News] Tteokbokki takeover: America’s next food obsession is the ultimate Korean comfort food
By Youyoung Lee, March 3, 2023
Demand for the Korean street-food staple has spiked in the U.S., with online sales increasing and new restaurants now offering varieties of the spicy dish.
Ask any Korean what their favorite street food is and, very likely, at the top of the list will be tteokbokki — the pillowy soft rice cakes doused in a sticky red pepper sauce. Now the dish is gaining traction in the U.S. thanks to a confluence of Korean popular culture and accessibility.
Pre-packaged versions of the food have started popping up at national wholesalers like Costco. [Read more on NBC News]
[Time Out] Move over Italian, the world has a new favourite cuisine
By Ed Cunningham, February 22, 2023
When it comes to the world’s most-loved cuisines, there are a few obvious favourites. There’s Italian, with its unbeatable pizza-pasta combo. Indian, with its dazzling and colourful sprawl. Mexican, with its spices and innovative presentations. French, with all its richness and refinement. And at the top of the pile comes, drum roll please… Korean! That’s right, not Italian. And from the fermented delights of kimchi to the sweet spiciness of gochujang, it’s difficult to argue with the fact that Korean cuisine is responsible for a wildly diverse – and wildly tasty – selection of dishes.
- Korean
- Italian
- Mexican
- Japanese
- Indian
- Chinese
- Thai
- Vietnamese
- Filipino
- Turkish
[Read full story on Time Out]
