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· Jane Nam
Traditional dress of hanbok claimed as ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ of Korea
South Korea’s traditional dress culture — hanbok saenghwal — was designated a “National Intangible Cultural Heritage,” speaking to the clothing’s inseparable ties with the country’s history and culture. The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) announced on June 22 that it “has…
· Rebecca Moon
Former Bond girl Jane Seymour dons traditional hanbok for son’s wedding in South Korea
British American actor Jane Seymour wore a hanbok to her son Kris’ wedding in Seoul, South Korea, in respect to her new daughter-in-law Miso’s Korean culture. Various photos show Seymour wearing a traditional handmade hanbok with a light pink skirt and light blue jacket, also…
· 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
Koreans take issue with scene from Pixar’s ‘Turning Red’ that allegedly depicts hanbok as Chinese hanfu
Pixar’s upcoming film “Turning Red” has caused a stir amongst Koreans who are criticizing the movie’s alleged portrayal of hanboks as traditionally Chinese. In a teaser scene meant to illustrate Chinese folklore and culture, a scroll painting of two children being held by a red…
· Grace Kim
Hanbok or hanfu? Controversy swirls around Vogue feature as Korean professor and Chinese YouTuber weigh in
The controversy surrounding the hanbok featured at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the cultural dispute between Chinese and Korean netizens over their respective nations’ traditional clothing. Days prior to the…
· Bryan Ke
Asian American Congresswoman Makes History By Wearing Korean Hanbok to Swear In
Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.) makes history as the first Korean American politician to appear in a traditional Korean outfit Hanbok during her swearing-in ceremony. The 58-year-old politician won the November 2020 election and made history as one of the first three Korean…
· Carl Samson
Twitch Streamer Marries Korean Boyfriend, ‘Honored’ to Wear Hanbok for Wedding
A year after announcing their engagement that left racist incels in misery, Canadian Twitch streamer STPeach and her Korean fiancé Jay Chae finally tied the knot. The 25-year-old vlogger, whose real name is Lisa Vannatta, broke the good news in a two-second video on Twitter,…
· Carl Samson
Foreign Student in Korea Faces Extreme Backlash for Wearing Traditional Hanbok
An international student residing in South Korea just drew flak after posting a picture of herself wearing a traditional Korean dress. Maria, 20, studies the Korean language in Seoul. In her post, she included a caption referencing SHINee’s Taemin, who wore a similar hanbok in…
· 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
North Korea releases trailer for film about a nurse who exposes traitors to the government
North Korea released its first feature film in five years yesterday. Titled “A Day and a Night,” the movie is about a heroine who uncovers a plot to overthrow the government. The movie was produced by Korean April 25 Film Studio, whose name references the day that the Korean…
· Rebecca Moon
Korean actor Choo Ja-hyun apologizes for referring to kimchi as Chinese dish pao cai
Korean actor Choo Ja-hyun has apologized after referring to kimchi as pao cai, a Chinese dish, in a video. Choo uploaded the mukbang video on Friday to her Chinese social media page on Xiaohongshu. Many Korean internet users criticized the actor, and the video was deleted…
· Ryan General
Henry Lau laments Korean backlash over Chinese cultural appropriation claims: ‘It is because of my blood’
South Korean fans protested the recent appointment of singer Henry Lau as a local police station’s anti-bullying ambassador. The website of Seoul’s Mapo Police Station was bombarded with more than 300 comments heavily against Lau's appointment. The negative reaction reportedly…
· Elizabeth Lee
Iris Shim’s horror flick ‘Umma’ is a love letter to her mom
Just in time for Women’s History Month, Sandra Oh transforms into yet another supernatural creature in a heartfelt effort to humanize Asian moms on the silver screen. “Umma” is writer-director Iris Shim’s feature debut, starring Oh as a beekeeper whose quaint life with her…
· Jane Nam
‘This physical pain does not compare to the pain of losing my nation’: How 2 schoolgirls helped fight for Korean independence
Two million Koreans took to the streets from March 1 to April in 1919 to protest Japanese colonial rule. By the end, over 7,500 people had died, 15,000 people had been injured and over 45,000 people had been arrested. The protests were nonviolent and included participants as…
· Grace Kim
‘Squid Game’ star Jung Ho-yeon pays homage to Korean culture with SAG Awards look
“Squid Game” actor Jung Ho-yeon was seen at the Screen Actors Guild awards last night donning a traditional Korean hairstyle to compliment a custom Louis Vuitton gown that also pays homage to her culture. The ribbon tied into her braid, known as the “daenggi,” was traditionally…
· Jane Nam
‘Pachinko’: Youn Yuh-Jung and Lee Minho bring Min Jin Lee’s novel to life in epic new trailer
Apple TV Plus gives us a first look at its upcoming series “Pachinko,” due to debut on Friday, March 25, 2022. The highly anticipated series is based on the 2017 New York Times bestselling novel by the same name, written by Korean American author Min Jin Lee, The cast includes…
· Rebecca Moon
China defends inclusion of traditional Korean dress in Olympic opening ceremony
A spokesperson for China’s embassy has responded to criticism over the presenter who wore a traditional Korean outfit during the 2022 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. The Chinese Embassy in Seoul released a statement saying that hanboks belong to all ethnic Koreans around the…
· Rebecca Moon
Korean netizens claim China appropriated South Korean traditions in Beijing Olympics opening ceremony
Many South Korean netizens are expressing their disapproval over China’s alleged appropriation of South Korean traditions during the Olympics opening ceremony. While presenting the Chinese flag, a young woman wore clothing that strongly resembled a Korean “hanbok”. Chinese…
· Grace Kim
Asian celebrities slay the red carpet at Met Gala 2021
This year’s Met Gala featured a number of first-time appearances by Asian and Asian American celebrities, from world-renowned female K-pop stars to record-breaking athletes. The event was much more of an intimate gathering — it had only about a third of the normal guest list…
· Weee!
What Koreans Eat to Celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Ghost Stories Behind It
Editor’s Note: This post was made in partnership with the amazing people over at Weee! Seollal, the Korean New Year, welcomes the year with colorful customs, legends and the unbreakable need to eat rice cake soup.