Olympics
'One Nation' Dream: Do Younger South Koreans Want Reunification?
Olympic reconciliation, ongoing North Korea-U.S. hostility, yesterday a South Korean delegation to Pyongyang…. As usual, the Korean Peninsula is keeping observers on their toes. Amid all the intrigue, it’s easy to overlook the 50 million Koreans south of the demilitarized zone. How do they perceive North
Unlikely Debate: Olympics 'Garlic Girls' and Japanese Porn
A few hours before the Olympics closing ceremony, the South Korean women’s curling team finally got their cellphones back. The country’s most popular Olympics stars, who won a historic silver on Sunday, didn’t have access to the internet or TV throughout the games. Unbeknownst to
Pyeongchang Olympics' Funniest Moments: There's A Lot of Curling
There was that time a guy from Australia impersonated Kim Jong-un in front of North Korean cheerleaders. Or when P.F. Chang’s — not Pyeongchang — got massive, unintended publicity on an American TV station. Then there is an entire ecosystem of funny South Korean memes
Pyeongchang Olympics: What to Make of North Korea’s Switching Tactics
Editor’s Note: For better or worse, the Pyeongchang Olympics has become famous as much for politics as for sports since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to send a delegation at the last minute. The question of what this all means is not easy to answer. The
"Olympics Fairies": Do the Faces of S. Korea Need to be Pretty Women?
South Korea’s young female placard bearers, officially labeled “placard agents,” made quite an impression at the opening ceremony of Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on Feb. 9. Their conventional good looks, with tall, slim figures and spectacularly designed dresses got plenty of social media users excited. Local media eDaily
Chocolate Dessert Sends Netizens into Meltdown
Everyone likes a surprise. And when you’re a leading celebrity gourmet charged with designing a special dessert for a VIP Olympic reception, you want your surprise to be a good one. Unfortunately for well-known South Korean food critic Hwang Kyo-ik, somebody blew his surprise to the media a
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
Why Are South Koreans "Meh" About North Korea in the Olympics?
#Olympics: Why are some South Koreans “meh” about North Korea’s presence? Sports diplomacy? Symbolic peace gestures? Sure, it’s not the first time North and South Korea have done all this. But remember, the last time the two even communicated was in February 2016. At
What's in an Olympics Medal?
What can show a fundamentally Korean DNA while resonating with a global audience? Industrial designer Lee Suk-woo designed the medals for the Pyeongchang Olympics, which starts next week. Korea Exposé spoke to him about his thought process.
What the Puck? South Korea Sells Nationality for Winter Olympic Glory
On Tuesday, South Korean footballer Lee Seung-woo scored a stunning goal to help his national team defeat Argentina 2-1 in a FIFA U-20 World Cup match. Lee is in his first year playing for FC Barcelona Juvenil A, and has even caught the attention of Argentinian legend Diego Maradona, who
Weekly Brief: Sept.12th - Sept. 18th
Shockwaves felt around the country In the aftermath of a 5.1 earthquake and a 5.8 aftershock that hit the south-eastern part of the country on Monday, politicians of all stripes criticized the government’s slow response and the limitations of the current alert system (which notifies citizens via