After living in Korean apartments for a long time, there are many things I barely notice anymore. Announcements suddenly come through a speaker inside the apartment, notices appear in the elevator, recycling is taken to a designated area within the complex, and when a guest drives over, I can register the car through an apartment … Read more
For someone seeing a Korean kitchen for the first time, one appliance can look a little unusual. There may already be a large refrigerator, yet beside it stands another refrigerator called a kimchi refrigerator. The idea of buying a separate appliance for one type of food can seem excessive if you have never lived with … Read more
Every August, as Korea marks Gwangbokjeol, National Liberation Day, familiar names return to television programs, ceremonies, museums, and history articles. Yu Gwan-sun, Kim Gu, Ahn Chang-ho, and other well-known independence activists deserve the place they hold in Korean memory. But the Korean independence movement was much larger than the group of people most of us … Read more
Every August 15, South Korea observes Gwangbokjeol (광복절), National Liberation Day. The Chinese characters in Gwangbok (光復) literally carry the sense of “restoring light,” but in Korean modern history the word refers more specifically to recovering the national sovereignty that had been lost under Japanese colonial rule. Gwangbokjeol commemorates Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule … Read more
More than 80 years have passed since Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule, yet the subject of pro-Japanese collaborators can still cause intense public debate in South Korea. For people outside Korea, one part of that debate can be especially difficult to understand. Why should someone living today face criticism because of something a … Read more
When I was a child, I often went to our neighborhood public bathhouse, or mokyoktang, with my father. After soaking in the hot water, he would pull out a rough green Italy towel and scrub my back until my skin turned pink. It could sting a little, but there was always something to look forward … Read more
As a kid, I could not stand cheese. The moment I peeled the clear plastic wrapper from a yellow processed cheese slice, the smell seemed strange next to the foods I was used to eating: rice, kimchi, soup, and Korean side dishes. Some of my friends could eat a slice straight from the refrigerator, but … Read more
On a sweltering summer day, standing in front of an open refrigerator and wondering what to cook for dinner is a familiar routine. When my appetite fades in the summer heat, something hidden in the back of the refrigerator often comes to the rescue: well-aged kimchi, or mukeunji, left from the previous winter. Fresh kimchi … Read more
I am writing this article because of one match I saw at an international archery competition. At the 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Madrid, South Korea’s Park Jungyoon shot 15 arrows in a women’s compound elimination match without dropping a single point. Every arrow landed in the 10-ring or the inner X, giving her … Read more
When I used trains in Korea years ago, carrying a paper ticket was simply part of the journey. I remember showing it to station staff and having the ticket checked before or during the trip. Riding KTX today feels quite different. There is usually no subway-style gate where you scan a ticket before going down … Read more