Entering Korea as a Foreigner During COVID-19 Crisis
Borders are being shut. Flights are reduced. Can a foreigner enter South Korea while coronavirus rages on? Here is the full explainer.
South Korea
South Korea Needs More Immigrants
South Korea has long exploited migrant workers under its so-called Employment Permit System. It's time to give them the rights they deserve.
End of 2019, End of Candlelight Revolution’s Hope
The Candlelight Revolution three years ago brought hope for South Korea's ailing democracy. Moon Jae-in, who came into power then, has dashed that expectation.
Revisiting: My Political Coming of Age
Young people have been leading a lethargic existence removed from politics. But no more. The Park Geun-hye scandal woke us to our potential.
Is China the Cause of South Korea’s Waste Problem?
One year ago, recycling firms temporarily stopped collecting recyclable waste at apartment complexes in and around Seoul. South Korean media was quick to blame China for causing the "garbage crisis" without looking at all the facts.
The Seungri Scandal and South Korea’s Gender Disparity
The scandal surrounding Seungri, a former member of boy group Big Bang, illustrates the ongoing struggle for gender parity in South Korea and hints at deep-rooted problems with representation of women by the K-pop industry.
The Humanities Is the Next Frontier for South Korea’s Chaebol
Having identified the humanities as an antidote to their paralysis of innovation, South Korea's big family-controlled conglomerates started selling lacquered rhetoric about the value of humanities education, and about the value of “culture” by extension.
BTS: Generational Icons or Misogynists?
BTS has found success around the world, but South Korean feminists contend that the all-male group, like many male musicians in their South Korea, objectifies and degrades women with their lyrics and comments.
Child Inmates of South Korea’s Immigration Jail
In South Korea, detaining children simply due to their migration status, or the migration status of their parents, is standard practice.
A Match Made by the Gods
Not everyone believes media accounts that there are one million shamans in contemporary South Korea, but shamanism does remain a potent force.
ké cast S2 E5: The Mixed Legacy of the U.S. Military Base in Seoul
The American military is gradually leaving Yongsan, a major garrison located in the heart of Seoul. How are the dynamics of military spatial reorganization playing out beyond the metropolis?
The K-beauty Nation Begins to Question Its Obsession With Beauty
In a country known for its obsession with appearance and thriving makeup culture, dubbed "K-beauty," some women are starting to say the strict standards of beauty are a form of "corset" imposed by patriarchy, to be removed and discarded.