A Korea Exposé Series: South Korea's "Education Blues"
South Korea has a well-deserved reputation for being nearly obsessed with education. But this obsession comes with a great cost; what? Who are the people affected, and how? In this “education blues” series, we explore the different facets of the costs of South Korean education’s
Beyond the Static: Renewable Energy in South Korea
As the sun rises over the mountains of Gangwon Province, the valleys are still full of mist. Cuckoos call and frogs cross the roads. Above the fields of maize and ginseng, another silent crop prepares to gorge itself on the intensifying sunlight. Soon, the thousands upon thousands of photovoltaic panels
When It Comes to Hangovers, South Koreans Follow Their Gut: Haejang Traditions
A night of heavy drinking can sometimes be the cause of some serious homesickness while abroad. Back in my suburban university town in the States, it’s not uncommon to see the one local Korean restaurant packed on Saturday mornings, full of students trying to put their queasiness to rest
The Cleanest Race
Just before a race begins, loudspeakers pipe in bouncy music suggestive of a military procession. The hundreds of spectators rise from their seats, waving programs and yelling encouragement to the horses as they break from the gates. “Giddy up!” one elderly men yells in heavily accented English. As the horses
Park Geun-hye's Forgotten Blue House Documents
It seems the Blue House and Park Geun-hye just can’t seem to part. While the presidential office is still trying to figure out what to do with her leftover beds, it is now embroiled in the latest string of ties to the former president — thousands of potentially game-changing documents
Who Is to Blame for Inequality? The Hell Joseon Debate Rumbles On
Middle-aged KAIST professor Lee Byung-tae found himself at the center of a social media furore of Trumpian proportions earlier last week after wading into the debate that is South Korea’s inter-generational divide. At 5:26 pm on Jul. 16, just minutes after posting links to articles on South Korea’
ké cast S1 E5: Wide Waistlines, Narrow Roles
“Fat” female comedians in S. Korea are often reduced to narrow roles that highlight their weight. They’re even seen as an empowering counter-current to conventional ideals of femininity. Is fat comedy for female comedians a tool for empowerment? Or a reinforcement of stereotypes? The
Jungle: A Drag Queen and Man
“Have you heard of Junglé?” Alex, a young French director, asked me with excitement. On Jun. 16, I met up with Team Ohioh, a Seoul-based French-Korean video production team at their office in Seoul. The only thing I had been told in prior to this rendezvous was that we would
Coping with the Heat? South Korean Frozen Treats to the Rescue
There comes a certain type of trust with tearing open the same exact ice cream package you’ve had for decades, and being able to predict its exact flavor. For most South Koreans, this is standard business — convenience store ice creams that were a staple of childhood are still around
ké cast S1 E4: Urban Renewal in Seoul: Whose Livelihoods Take Priority?
What’s the motivation behind beautification projects in Seoul like the Cheonggyecheon Stream and the city’s new Seoullo 7017 Skypark? Bruce Harrison speaks with Korea Exposé Environment editor Ben Jackson and managing Editor Haeryun Kang about how these beauty makeovers fit into Seoul’s sprawling urban landscape and who
Ppira: Women's Bodies as Bait in Propaganda War Between Two Koreas
A woman with curled up hair and enamel white pumps flashes her legs in an archetypal Marilyn Monroe posture — wind blows from below, ballooning up her flowing dress, which she pushes down just before revealing too much. “Who’s stopping you?” “If you run, it takes just five minutes!
South Korea Migrant Workers Publicize Dire Work Conditions
In a viral video posted by Facebook page “Khmer people in Korea,” a migrant worker is violently beaten and abused by a man assumed to be his South Korean boss. It has reached more than 2 million views since July 13. The video shows the worker being forcefully dragged around,