Who Is to Blame for the Ills of South Korea's Musical Industry?
At a quarter to ten on a Friday evening, the glass door of a theater in Hyehwa, Seoul, opened, letting out a group of young women. Instead of leaving, they slowly queued just beyond the stone path that led up to the building. They were fans of Mama, Don’t
Yemeni Refugees Languish on South Korea's Holiday Island
Yemen, at the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, has been embroiled in a bitter civil war since 2015. As the conflict ravages the country, many Yemenis have been seeking asylum abroad. To some Yemeni refugees, Jeju Island, one of South Korea’s most popular tourist destinations, seemed ideal. South
The Singapore Summit Gives Hope that Peace Is Still Possible
It was truly a historic day, no doubt about that. North Korea and the United States held their first-ever summit on Jun. 12 in Singapore. On the agenda: denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Despite some skeptics calling it just a photo-op for Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, the day ended
내가 ‘탈북자 인터뷰’ 요청을 거부하는 이유
지난 몇 년간 수많은 외신 기자들에게 인터뷰 요청을 받았다. ‘탈북자의 관점’으로 본 북한에 대해 이야기해달라는 인터뷰였다. 현재진행형인 남북정상회담 드라마 또한 이들 외신에게 탈북자 이야기를 할 기회가 됐다. 유럽의 한 유명한 TV 방송국 팀은 4월 27일 남북정상회담 취재차 방한했고, 정상회담 취재를 보충하기 위해 나에게 ‘이면에 숨겨진 이야기’를 요구했다.
My Life Isn't Your Porn: Why South Korean Women Protest
You might have heard the stories — of cameras that look like lighters, flashes of light inside nooks and crannies at a public restroom, subway upskirting — but they might have sounded like stories of other people. On June 9, some 22,000 women gathered in South Korea to say
Seoul's Skyscrapers Are an Unlikely Home for Honeybees
Some 30 rooftops of high-rise buildings in Seoul are homes to honeybees. Park Jin, CEO of Urban Bees Seoul, a beekeeping co-op based in South Korean capital, is behind the movement to make the mega-city friendlier for the insects. The most difficult part about urban beekeeping is changing people’
Mooncare: South Korea's Proposed Health Insurance Reform in Full
I woke up with a mild hearing problem this morning. It wasn’t debilitating in any way, but I was worried it might get worse and interfere with work. Had I still been in the U.S., I would have powered through because my condition wouldn’t have justified the
Event Trailer: Divas of South Korea's Game Industry
Why is feminism so taboo in South Korea’s game industry? Meet these divas, the brave souls who call themselves feminist gamers in an industry notorious for misogyny. Event hosted by Korea Exposé on May 26, powered by Google Korea. Guests: Young-own and Anna of Famerz, South Korea’
Korea Exposé Went to Gyeongju for MT...
…which stands for ‘membership training,’ but in South Korea often means a group retreat with ample chances to drink booze and sleep in later than usual. And no work, of course, other than weeding. Probably not a common sight in most other Korean MTs. The Korea
Koryo Saram in South Korea: 'Korean' but Struggling to Fit in
Sumin (pseudonym) teaches languages and cultures to children of ‘multicultural families’ at a local elementary school in Ansan, a city with the highest concentration of foreign residents in South Korea. She comes from a town near Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Growing up, her parents’ income wasn’t enough to feed all three
Ediya Coffee: South Korea's Answer to Starbucks?
For a country that cannot grow coffee beans, South Korea is certainly infatuated with coffee. According to the Korea Customs Service, South Korea imported more than 159 thousand metric tons of coffee beans in 2016, and 40 thousand tons for the first quarter of 2017 alone. One cup of coffee
Don't Waste That Banchan: Where South Korea's Food Waste Goes
Kimchis, fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, seafood, meat, pickles, pancakes…. One of the many pleasures of dining out in South Korea is the selection of banchan, or side dishes, that accompanies most meals. But seldom — if ever — do all banchan get eaten. Diners take a few mouthfuls of this