Search
south-korea
Articles
· Bryan Ke
Lee Jung-jae says ‘Squid Game’ resonating with viewers is ‘hugely sad’
Lee Jung-jae, who plays Seong Gi-hun in the hit Netflix series “Squid Game,” admitted that although he is grateful to be part of the show, he finds it worrying that viewers consider its dark themes to be relatable. “I’m happy about it, of course, but it’s bittersweet,” the Emmy…
· Ryan General
S. Korean president apologizes for deadly Seoul Halloween crush
On Monday, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol offered an apology for the deadly crowd crush that killed at least 156 people and injured 197 victims. The Halloween crush happened on the night of Oct. 29, after thousands of partygoers flocked to a narrow alley in Seoul’s Itaewon…
· Bryan Ke
The North Korean ‘Godzilla’ rip-off directed by a Kim Jong-il kidnappee
Kim Jong-il, the former Supreme Leader of North Korea and the father of the country’s current leader Kim Jong-un, once commissioned Shin Sang-ok, a kidnapped South Korean director, to helm a “Godzilla” ripoff movie titled “Pulgasari.” The former North Korean leader deemed the…
· Michelle De Pacina
Actor Yoon Hong-bin recalls administering CPR to Seoul crowd crush victim
South Korean actor Yoon Hong-bin shared his account of what happened in the Itaewon district on Oct. 29. He recalled administering CPR to a victim at the Halloween crowd crush but was not able to save them. Yoon said that the tragedy could have been prevented if police were…
· Ryan General
Actor Lee Jihan among dead in Seoul Halloween tragedy
Korean star Lee Jihan, 24, was among the at least 154 people crushed to death during Halloween festivities in Seoul on Saturday evening. Lee’s agency, 935 Entertainment, confirmed his death with a statement expressing its “deepest condolences to his family, who are saddened by…
· Carl Samson
153 dead, 133 injured in South Korea Halloween crush
At least 153 people were killed and 133 more were injured amid Halloween festivities that drew tens of thousands of people to Seoul’s Itaewon district on Saturday night. The tragedy reportedly occurred as a large crowd thronged an alley, resulting in a “crush” that saw people…
· Bryan Ke
3 Asian locations named must-visit travel destinations for 2023 by National Geographic
National Geographic has released its new “25 breathtaking places and experiences for 2023,” which included three locations in Asia. Among the spots highlighted in the list are: Laos, Busan in South Korea, and Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang City, Henan Province, China. The 25…
· Carl Samson
New hanok-inspired Starbucks in S. Korea goes viral for its breathtaking design
A new Starbucks store in Daegu, South Korea, has gone viral on social media for its stunning architecture and interior design. Based on traditional homes called “hanok,” the Starbucks Daegu Jongro Goteak store features an open layout, ground seating, natural decor and…
· Daniel Anderson
BTS members to enlist in military, starting with Jin
HYBE released an official statement on Monday confirming that all seven members of BTS will serve their mandatory military duties. Jin, the group’s oldest member, is slated to enlist first since he turns 30 in December. He will “initiate the process” after he releases his solo…
· Daniel Anderson
K-pop Weekly: SM terminates contract with co-founder, BLACKPINK’s Jennie gifted custom Porsche and the 2022 AMAs reveal nominated K-pop acts
This week saw a plethora of new music releases from veteran idols and soloists alike. There was also a “League of Legends” collaboration, as well as some shake-ups with industry giant SM Entertainment and the addition of a K-pop category to this year’s American Music Awards.…
· Bryan Ke
Do Kwon denies $39.9M worth of frozen crypto assets while facing passport revocation
Do Kwon, the 31-year-old co-founder of the now-defunct Terraform Labs, has slammed reports from South Korea claiming that prosecutors have recently frozen an additional $39.9 million worth of his cryptocurrency assets. “I don't get the motivation behind spreading this falsehood…
· Ryan General
S. Korean religious leader who claims to be the messiah arrested on sexual assault charges
Jung Myung-seok, the 77-year-old leader of the controversial religious group Providence, was arrested on Tuesday over rape and molestation allegations. The self-proclaimed messiah, who founded Providence in 1978, is accused of sexually assaulting multiple women and is currently…
· Daniel Anderson
South Korean defense minister calls BTS fulfilling military service ‘desirable’
South Korean defense minister Lee Jong-sup said it is “desirable that members of BTS carry out their mandatory military service” during the National Defense Committee’s interpellation session on Tuesday. Lee was asked to give his opinion on a proposal from lawmaker Kim Young-bae…
· Michelle De Pacina
S. Korean man who stalked woman stabs her to death in Seoul subway station day before hearing
Jeon Joo-hwan, a 31-year-old South Korean man who had been accused of stalking his former female colleague, allegedly stabbed her to death at a subway station in Seoul on Sept. 14 – the day before he was due to be sentenced on charges of stalking. Jeon was arrested and fired…
· Iris Jung
Seoul mayor plans to improve South Korea’s fertility rate with foreign and low-cost nannies
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has shared his plans to aid South Korea’s ongoing fertility crisis on Facebook. “South Korea’s fertility rate is 0.81 (as of 2021) and Seoul’s fertility rate is 0.63, pushing us past a decrease in population to face a growing concern of demographic…
· Bryan Ke
S. Korean gold medalist skater officially joins Chinese Olympic team after renouncing citizenship
Short-track speed skater Lim Hyo-jun, also known by his Chinese name Lin Xiaojun, is now officially part of the Chinese national team. He was one of the nine men and eight women who the Chinese national team announced on Monday. Lim, 26, will compete under the Chinese flag in…
· Bryan Ke
Interpol issues red notice for Luna, TerraUSD co-founder Do Kwon
Interpol granted South Korean prosecutors’ request to issue a red notice for Do Kwon, the South Korean co-founder of the defunct cryptocurrencies Luna and TerraUSD (UST), on Monday. South Korean authorities issued an arrest warrant on Kwon — born Kwon Do-hying — and five other…
· Bryan Ke
Netflix’s ‘Narco Saints’ sparks controversy for casting Taiwanese actor as gang leader, portraying Suriname as ‘narco state’
Chinese social media users accused South Korean Netflix series “Narco Saints” of insulting Chinese people after casting Taiwanese actor Chang Chen as a gang leader. South Korean social media users participated in online discussions by pointing out the rising cases of piracy in…
· Daniel Anderson
S. Korean lawmaker proposes bill to allow BTS to serve alternative to military duty
Lawmaker Kim Young-bae of the Democratic Party of Korea has proposed a bill for K-pop superstars BTS to be granted an alternative to their upcoming mandatory military service. The proposal made on Sep. 19 would revise the current provisions and expand the list of exceptions for…
· Khier Casino
South Korean man crowned champion of doing absolutely nothing at annual competition
A South Korean man in his 30s won an annual competition for being the best at doing absolutely nothing. Kim Myeong-yeop became the new reigning champion of the “2022 Han River Space-Out Competition” at Jamsugyo Bridge in Seoul on Sept. 18. His secret to winning the 90-minute…