business
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
A Primer: Online Shopping for English-speakers in S. Korea
South Korea isn’t the most accessible country when you’re looking for halal ingredients. That’s a struggle Shirin Zaman has had to endure since coming to South Korea in 2014. She’s a PhD student hailing from Bangladesh; she practices Islam and tries to
KÉ Interview: Bookoob, the Book Sharing Service that Delivers
In South Korea, an unlikely type of startup has been slowly cementing its place in the peer economy: book sharing. Korea Exposé met Chang Woong, founder and CEO of “Bookshelf, the Social Library, (Bookoob in English)” to find out how he created what may be the world’s first sustainable
South Korea's Best Meal Alternatives
South Korea faces dietary dilemmas. While government figures show that 16 percent of women below the age of 40 are underweight, the Korean Center for Disease Control (KCDC) and other bodies warn against the proliferation of “skinny obesity,” a condition resulting from low overall body weight but high body fat
South Korea's Online Piracy Paradise
South Korea has an online piracy problem. Multiple internet sites offer bootleg movies, music, software and more for bargain-basement prices, seemingly unpoliced by authorities. A 2017 report on copyright protection published by Korea Copyright Protection Agency (KCOPA) found that losses across the music, film, broadcasting, publishing, and game industries from
South Korea Investigates Social Media over Phone Records
South Korean authorities have begun investigating several of the country’s leading social media and internet firms amid allegations of collecting user data without consent. On Mar. 30, Korea Communications Commission (KCC) announced an investigation into four major social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Kakao Talk, and Band. The commission will
Evolution K-Fashion: From Dongdaemun Alleys to the World
Midnight on a Friday: A time when most office workers are going home after their work and evening hoesik. But in Dongdaemun’s Shopping Town, the day is just starting. Giant malls like Nuzzon, whose only clients are wholesalers, come to life with the rising murmurs of the crowd. Wholesalers
Kimchi Premium and S. Korea's Cryptocurrency Mess
On Jan. 30, the government regulations regarding the cryptocurrency market in South Korea went into effect. What is the ‘kimchi premium’? Check out the video above. For a more detailed look at the premium and the government regulations, read Raphael’s “Kimchi Premium? Arbitrage? Regulations?
Good Luck Making It As Korean in America
“Let’s hope for the best with your interviews. But I’d also be prepared for an unfortunate outcome.” This line appeared in a recent Buzzfeed video titled “Making it as Korean in America,” which garnered more than 850,000 views on YouTube. In this scene, a lawyer wishes a
A K-pop Star for One Day
Going to a noraebang and belting out a tune or two is a favorite pastime for South Koreans. Some companies, though, see an opportunity in elevating this mundane experience to a new level: helping Chinese tourists feel like a K-pop star for one day. For more on this story, read:
IMF 20 Years On: S. Korea’s Never-ending Crisis
Near the end of the service, Pastor Huh Woon-ho asked the packed tent of congregants a question he already knew the answer to: “What happened 20 years ago?” The churchgoers instinctively knew what Huh was getting at, and responded in low-voiced unison, “The IMF crisis.” Before that, the worst financial
The Myth of S. Korea’s World-beating Nuclear Energy Exports
“Mommy, can I go and play by the nuclear power station?” — The above promotional image is from the website of KEPCO, South Korea’s largest energy provider. This autumn, South Korean media and netizens were busy arguing out the pros and cons of building new