South Korea
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Education Blues Pt. 1: South Korea Cracks Down on Elite Schools
I suffered through an existential crisis in my second year of high school. By this, I don’t mean over my existence, but over my school’s existence. That year, abolishing foreign-language high schools hit the headlines for weeks, like it has been lately. We’d fret about the future
Yoo Ah Exempt: Another Celebrity Avoids Military Service
With both his name and “osteosarcoma” trending on giant portal site Naver, actor Yoo Ah-in found himself the center of Internet attention on June 26, joining the ranks of South Korean men exempt from mandatory military service. On May 22, Yoo received the last of five health examinations that began
Inter-Korean Engagement Resumes, With Taekwondo at the Center
The founder of taekwondo, Choi Hong-hi, conceived of the martial art in the ashes of the Korean War. As a South Korean army general, Choi had seen so much suffering, starting with Japan’s colonial occupation of Korea, through the 1950-53 war in which millions died. He sought to turn
MCM: Pretty on the Outside, but Maybe Not the Inside
Like it or hate it, MCM and its flashy, repetitive designs are almost impossible to miss in the world of handbags and high-end streetwear. At least in South Korea — which, according to The Guardian, joins the ranks of China and Japan in each contributing about a third of MCM’s
US Military Contaminates Central Seoul Neighborhood
Critics of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 claimed the United States was moving into a foreign territory in order to take its oil. But here’s a new one: The U.S. military occupies a swathe of foreign soil for 65 years, fills it with oil, then moves out.
Soy Sauce For Your Baby's Ear Inflammation
An online community for anti vaccination in South Korea, called “Ahn-a-ki,” is finally closing. In this infamous Naver cafe, users called “mom-doctors” individually diagnosed other online members — there were about 60,000 of them — consulting with each other the symptom of their babies. And some of their advice,
We Need to Tak about Hyeon-min
In a chapter of “A Manual for the Male Mind,” author Tak Hyeon-min provides a succinct bit of mansplaining. He recommends the old-fashioned pull-out method during intercourse as a means of birth control, his point being that since using a condom impedes the formation of “a next-level emotional rapport,” women
Who Are the Agencies Behind North Korea Tourism?
When hundreds of foreign journalists visited Pyongyang in April to cover North Korea’s latest military parade, Otto Warmbier had already been in a coma for about a year. And nobody knew. Earlier this month, Warmbier’s parents received the first update about their son’s condition since Jan. 2016,
Moonppa: A Troubled Start for the Moon Jae-in Presidency
It could just be that the rising temperatures summoned a high-pressure system and clean air, but even nature seemed to acknowledge the momentousness of the occasion. On May 9 South Koreans elected Moon Jae-in as president. And just as suddenly, the noxious spring smog that normally blankets the Korean Peninsula
KÉ Interview: Building an App to Engage Young People in Politics
Many young South Koreans have taken to calling their country “Hell Joseon” because they see no hope in it. The job market is getting exceedingly competitive, and corporate culture, not to mention social relations in general, is rigidly hierarchical. But South Korea is also becoming known for its thriving start-up
Reporter's Notebook: Summer in Tapgol Park
As my colleague Jieun and I stepped into Tapgol Park in downtown Seoul, all eyes immediately turned to us: two young women in a space where elderly people come to spend their free time. Many approached with a smile, looking intrigued by our presence, but wary of the bulky camera
Seoul's Seniors Seek Refuge in the City
For a behind-the-scenes glimpse, read Reporter’s Notebook: Summer in Tapgol Park.