South Korea Women's March in Photos
On Mar. 4, with South Korea’s intensifying #MeToo movement, the annual Korea Women’s March took place in central Seoul. Hosted by Korean Women’s Association United (KWAU) and the 3.8 Women’s Day Organizing Committee, the march began in Gwanghwamun, south of the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace.
How South Korea Got Rid of Its Gun Problem
In the aftermath of yet another mass shooting in the United States, international and domestic media have published articles touting South Korea as a model of gun regulation. But contrary to popular belief, freedom from gun violence is a relatively new development in the country. It’s true that South
Carpooling Apps on Collision Course with S Korea Taxi Drivers
South Korea’s taxi industry is reacting angrily to the latest threat from mobility apps. Following the shutdown of ridesharing service Uber in 2015, this time carpooling apps are threatening to disrupt the country’s transport ecosystem. Two leading local platforms — Luxi and its biggest rival Poolus — are
The Kevin Spacey Twist in South Korea's #MeToo Campaign?
The #MeToo movement is intensifying in South Korea. But in the sexually conservative society, the waters get murkier when homosexuality gets involved. On Feb. 1, a film director went public with her experience of sexual assault. She had been assaulted in 2015 by fellow director Lee Hyun-ju and wrote about
Muslim Prayer Room Plan Scuppered by Islamophobes
Plans to build a mobile prayer room for Muslim visitors to Pyeongchang Winter Olympics have been scrapped after a strong backlash from local religious activists. Kim Yeong-ju of Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) told Korea Exposé that the government’s top tourist body had originally planned to place a Muslim
Study: "Dating Violence Prevalent in Seoul"
88.5 percent of women living in Seoul have experienced dating violence, in some form or another, according to a report published on Jan. 30 by Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG). The report, titled “Dating Violence Leads to Domestic Violence After Marriage,” was based on an online survey of 2,000
#MeToo Didn't Just Start in South Korea
On Jan. 29, prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon appeared on national television with revelations that shocked South Korea. Speaking on cable channel JTBC, Seo gave a detailed account of her sexual assault at the hands of a colleague eight years ago. Seo, formerly an award-winning prosecutor with a promising future, had once
Pyeongchang: Halal Food for Athletes But Not Regular Visitors?
Muslim athletes will now be able to get halal food at Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, after official caterer Shinsegae Food received halal certification from the Korea Muslim Federation (KMF) on Jan. 29 for its cafeteria at the athlete’s village. But for regular spectators and tourists, it remains unclear if and
P(r)aying for Bigotry at Handong University
“Homosexuality is not just any crime. It’s a serious problem that tries to change laws, systems, society and culture and corrupt our children.” Jei Yanggyu, a professor at Handong University, voiced such concerns on the university’s internal website on Dec. 23. “If Handong loses its identity as
EXO Star's Prejudice of Depression is a Korean Prejudice
It had been less than two weeks since Jonghyun, a member of K-pop group SHINee, died, when a popular K-pop idol came under fire for making insensitive comments about depression, the illness thought to have plagued Jonghyun’s final days. At a fan event on Dec. 30, EXO member Baekhyun
Obituary: The Legacy of Jonghyun
In an interview with Esquire magazine in April, Jonghyun of K-pop boy band SHINee shared the following story: “A few years ago, I cried in front of my mother and older sister. I was super drunk…. I woke them up late at night and asked them if they were happy.