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· Jane Nam
‘Sounds cooler in English’: South Korean president’s unnecessary mixing of languages annoys citizens
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s “unnecessary” use and praise of English has some citizens alleging he has a “complex.” Yoon has been heard using English terms on several occasions, even when the events did not call for a mixing of languages. In a meeting on June 10, the…
· Jane Nam
Chinese man arrested for gifting women make-up mirrors with built-in spycams
A man in China has been arrested after a small vanity mirror he gifted to a female coworker was discovered to have a hidden spycam built into it. The man, whose surname is Zhang, is the owner of an online hidden camera store, and has reportedly sold over 200 similar spycam…
· Daniel Anderson
BTS to meet President Biden at White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes
BTS will meet with President Biden at the White House on Tuesday, May 31, to talk about Asian inclusion, representation and the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes. The upcoming meeting will take place on the last day of AAPI Heritage Month, marking the conclusion of the White…
· Jane Nam
Calling all allies: Here’s what happened on Biden’s mission-driven tour of Asia
In a news conference held on Monday in Tokyo, President Biden gave an unequivocal “yes,” when asked if the U.S. would get involved militarily if China were to attack Taiwan. Tensions have grown between China versus the U.S. and Taiwan amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, during…
· Carl Samson
Investor who lost $2.3 million terrifies crypto founder’s home in alleged trespassing
A man who claims to have lost up to 3 billion won (approximately $2.37 million) following the collapse of the cryptocurrency Luna has been questioned by South Korean police after allegedly trespassing into the apartment building of the cryptocurrency’s founder last week. Do…
· Jane Nam
South Korean senior official’s endorsement of gay conversion therapy sparks resignation calls
Kim Seong-hoi, the newly-appointed religion and multicultural secretary of South Korea, faced major backlash for his apparent endorsement of gay conversion therapy. Kim was initially criticized for his 2019 Facebook post, in which he described homosexuality as “a type of mental…
· Jane Nam
North Korea launches 3 ballistic missiles amid its first COVID outbreak
On Thursday, North Korea fired three ballistic missiles towards the sea, just hours after confirming its first-ever coronavirus outbreak. They are the first missiles to be fired since South Korea’s conservative new president Yoon Suk-yeol took office on Tuesday. The news also…
· Grace Kim
Netflix unveils premiere date, new trailer for ‘Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area’
Netflix has announced the premiere date for “Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area” as June 24. A new teaser for the South Korean remake of the hit Spanish drama reveals the Korean Hahoetal mask will replace the iconic Dali masks worn by the original series’ characters. The…
· Jane Nam
‘Cyber Hell’: Everything you should know about Korea’s infamous Nth chatroom case before Netflix doc release
On Wednesday, Netflix released its trailer for the documentary “Cyber Hell,” which relays the details of South Korea’s Nth Room case in which at least 74 women were coerced into documenting gruesome sexual acts for profit. The overwhelming number of men involved, approximately…
· Ryan General
Kim Jong-un sends rare praise to outgoing South Korean President Moon in ‘letters of friendship’ exchange
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un exchanged "letters of friendship" with outgoing South Korean President Moon Jae-in less than three weeks before Moon’s term ends in May. On Wednesday, Moon sent Kim a letter with a commitment to continue pursuing the unification they previously…
· Jane Nam
South Korea’s Supreme Court overturns gay sex convictions of soldiers in a landmark ruling
On Thursday, South Korea’s Supreme Court decided that a previous ruling, in which two male soldiers who had engaged in consensual sex off of military grounds were convicted, was unconstitutional. According to South Korea’s Military Criminal Act, enlisted servicemen who partake…
· Jane Nam
After 2-year hiatus, designer Alexander Wang set to make fashion comeback with popular Taobao model
After a two-year hiatus precipitated by sexual assault allegations, luxury fashion designer Alexander Wang, 38, will make his runway return in Los Angeles’ Chinatown on April 19. Titled “Fortune City,” Wang’s Fall 2022 collection pays homage to his Chinese American heritage. His…
· Jane Nam
South Korean president elect retreats on anti-feminist pledge to abolish Ministry of Gender Equality
South Korean president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who vowed to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on his campaign trail, has retracted his promise after human rights groups called the idea “a regression on women’s rights” Yoon’s transition team told reporters on…
· Michelle De Pacina
K-pop boy group Seventeen announces collaboration with Apple for their first English-language single
Apple is set to launch their largest Korean outlet, Apple Myeongdong, in central Seoul this Saturday, which will also serve as a stage for South Korean performing artists. Apple Myeongdong will debut Apple’s first-ever “Today At Apple” K-pop session on April 15, where they’re…
· Rebecca Moon
Kim Jong-un’s sister threatens South Korea with nuclear ‘extermination’ if North Korea is ‘provoked’
In response to South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook’s threat of a “preemptive strike” last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, released a statement yesterday saying the country is prepared to retaliate with nuclear weapons. Kim Yo-jong’s statement,…
· Rebecca Moon
BTS may soon take a hiatus to complete mandatory military service for 18 months
South Korean Ambassador to Britain Gunn Kim believes that BTS will soon have to enlist in the military for 18 months, as required by South Korea of all men between ages 18 to 28. Kim was unable to confirm when the BTS members might be called to duty; however, he said that it…
· Jane Nam
South Korean court decision to keep tattoo ban is criticized by tattooists
The Constitutional Court of Seoul decided on Thursday to uphold a law banning the practice of tattooing by non-medical professionals. Artists such as Kim Do-yoon were outraged by the decision. Kim, along with some of the 220,000 estimated tattooists in Korea, have faced…
· Jane Nam
Statue of comfort girl in hanbok scheduled to reappear in Tokyo despite previous backlash
The “After ‘freedom of expression?’” exhibition, which seeks to address Japan’s history of censorship, will restage the same comfort woman statue that was taken down from “Aichi Tirennale” in 2019 following threats the festival received for displaying it. Comfort women, of whom…
· Rebecca Moon
Japan dismisses South Korea complaint over new textbooks that ‘distort’ historical, territorial facts
Japan has rejected South Korea’s protest against Japan’s approval of textbooks that allegedly “distort historical facts.” South Korea’s foreign ministry wrote earlier in a statement that Japan had downplayed the wartime issue of forced labor and sexual slavery against Koreans…
· Bryan Ke
First openly gay K-pop idol Holland reveals he has a boyfriend that he wants to marry
Holland, K-pop’s first openly gay idol, revealed he now has a boyfriend whom he wants to marry. The 26-year-old singer, whose real name is Go Tae-seob, shared the news during a livestream with fans on March 24. Holland did not reveal the identity of his boyfriend but said he is…