Several safety hazards evident in popular nightlife district

Although it's a concept that cannot be easily explained, ‘jeong’ is a crucial aspect of Korean culture. A helpful way to picture jeong is to think of someone or something with whom/which you've been through good times and bad, that you never let go of despite the flaws. Your relationship supersedes your feelings or emotions and it can be for a person, animal, place, or possession. Jeong is not something that can be intentionally or deliberately established, rather it is dev

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed. Find the answer at the bottom of the page. For many South Koreans, the 2002 World Cup was unforgettable. It was the first and only tournament Korea hosted, along with co-host Japan, and it was where the country produced many firsts in its World Cup history -- the first win, the first advance to the knockout stages, and the improbable run to the semifinals. Before 2002, although it ha

Children in Korea think of themselves with their parents, immediate family members, and grandparents as a single unit. Children are raised to have the utmost respect for their parents and grandparents throughout their lives, so when it comes to making important life decisions, the opinion of their parents and grandparents is taken seriously. While some cultures might value independence more and see this as interfering in personal decisions, for Koreans it's a critical part of what makes them

Karin Jensen, a 47-year-old Swedish police officer, had no clue that her business trip to Korea in 2018 would be the beginning of a long journey to discover her biological roots. Born in Daegu, she grew up in Uppsala, Sweden after being adopted by a Swedish couple when she was 4 months old. Having led a happy life with supportive parents and a younger sister, Jensen never felt a need to find her birth parents until she became a mother of two children -- a 13-year-old son and a 10-year-old daught

A railway connecting south and north of Korean Peninsula a century ago, Gyeongui Line Forest Park is now green trail in heart of metropolis

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed. Find the answer at the bottom of the page. Along with Korean movies and music, K-food is making its own waves globally. At the vanguard is Korean’s beloved pickle -- kimchi. South Korea’s exports of kimchi products rose to an all-time high in 2021, recording $159 million in total value, customs data shows. The figure for the first nine months of this year stands at $1

Many Korean office workers remove their shoes when in the office and wear slip-on sandals while working. They do this to be more comfortable. For foreigners visiting a Korean office, this may appear strange as sandals don't go with formal attire. Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University who is widely known as a multicultural educator and for his practical English teaching. This content is based on his book, “Land of Squid Game,” which can be purc

Haribo, Coca-Cola, Haagen-Dazs play host to art exhibitions in Seoul

With the FIFA World Cup just around the corner, stocks related to chicken are performing strongly on the Korean stock market in anticipation of a surge in demand. As of 2 p.m. Friday, Kyochon F&B shares were trading at around 12,600 won apiece on the main Kospi bourse, up 2 percent from the previous close. That is nearly 27 percent higher from a month ago. The operator of Kyochon, one of the most popular chicken brands in South Korea, has mounted a strong rally since Oct. 13 when it dipped t

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed. Which of the following best explains the meaning of "kong garu” (soybean powder) in the dialogue below? Find the answer at the bottom of the page. Soybean powder is a special ingredient that goes with several Korean delicacies; sprinkling it over injeolmi or gyeongdan rice cakes can be transformative. But its flavor turns sour when used in reference to a family. A

Most people never use their middle finger when pointing; it is used only as an obscene gesture. Some Koreans unknowingly use their middle finger to point at a menu, press buttons on the elevator, scroll on their smartphone, or adjust their glasses. All of this is done unwittingly because they don't know what it means and is not intended to insult anyone at all. Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University who is widely known as a multicultural educator and for his

From Japanese theme park to ryokan-style hotels, anime-themed cafes, businesses tap into recovery in interest in Japan

Min Byoung-chul, the author of “Land of Squid Game” and endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University, recently held a special lecture to talk about the content of his book with his local and international readers. Min, a well-known English educator and K-Culture advocate, explained Korean culture and behavior, along with the traditional games that were introduced in the book. The lecture was held Nov. 9 at the AC Hotel by Marriott Seoul Gangnam in southern Seoul. Published last De

Fatigued by information and social media overload, Koreans search for a digital detox