SoYoun Lim When was the Republic of Korea actually founded? For readers outside Korea, this may sound like a question with an obvious answer. Yet in South Korea, two years regularly appear in discussions about the beginning of the modern republic: 1919, when the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was established during Japanese colonial rule, … Read more
If you travel through almost any major city in South Korea, one feature of the landscape is difficult to miss: apartment complexes stretching across the skyline. Seoul has them, but so do Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, and smaller regional cities. For many Koreans, these buildings are not unusual or particularly glamorous. They are simply home. According … Read more
South Korean cinema is now associated with international awards, global streaming hits, and directors whose names are familiar far beyond Korea. But Korean film history also has another side: expensive projects that disappointed audiences, star-driven movies that failed to sell tickets, and films that became famous for reasons their creators probably never intended. Some of … Read more
Ethical consumption in Korea is often associated with eco-friendly products, reusable cups, fair trade, or choosing brands that reflect a consumer’s personal values. But in the summer of 2026, a very different example of value-based consumption attracted attention across South Korea. At the center of the story was Hansung Enterprise, a food company best known … Read more
If you watch Korean dramas regularly, you have probably seen the phrase “based on a webtoon” many times. The genres can be completely different. A workplace drama, zombie series, school-action story, romance, medical drama, or fantasy may all have started as digital comics. Sweet Home, All of Us Are Dead, Hellbound, and many other Korean … Read more
Gyeongju feels different from many other Korean cities. You do not always have to enter a museum or a fenced historical site to feel that you are in an old capital. Walk through an ordinary part of town and a huge royal tomb may suddenly appear beside the road. A little farther away, you can … Read more
K-dramas sometimes tell you a lot without saying anything directly. A character moves into a semi-basement apartment. Two people who have just met suddenly ask each other their age. Someone arrives at a funeral hall carrying a white envelope. A parent hears where their daughter’s boyfriend went to university and immediately changes their expression. None … Read more
Bibimbap is one of the best-known Korean dishes, but the version served beautifully arranged in a restaurant is only one side of it. At home, bibimbap can be much less formal. Sometimes it begins with a bowl of rice and whatever side dishes happen to be left in the refrigerator. That is why a recent … Read more
Stranger, known in Korea as Bimil-ui Sup or Secret Forest, is still one of the Korean crime dramas I remember most clearly. I liked Season 1 more, but I also thought Season 2 was a worthwhile continuation, even though parts of it felt slower and the prolonged struggle between the prosecution and the police sometimes … Read more
As Seollal or Chuseok approaches, supermarkets and department stores across Korea begin to look a little different. Products that are normally sold individually suddenly appear in large boxes with handles, carefully arranged as holiday gift sets. Some are obviously luxurious: Korean beef, premium fruit, dried yellow croaker, or health products. Others may be more puzzling … Read more