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· Michelle De Pacina
Jollibee aims to overtake Starbucks in global coffee market
Jollibee Foods, led by CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong, is making a bold move into the global coffee market with ambitions to rival Starbucks. With a recent $238 million acquisition of a 70% stake in South Korea’s Compose Coffee, Jollibee aims to expand its coffee presence with over…
· Ryan General
Netflix’s Korean content struggles to replicate ‘Squid Game’ success
Netflix is experiencing a decline in users as its Korean originals struggle to replicate the phenomenal success of “Squid Game.” While a few series have achieved the top spot in weekly global viewership this year, none have captured the widespread acclaim of previous hits like…
· Ryan General
Paris Olympics poster sparks outrage over lack of Asian athletes
A celebratory poster released after the 2024 Paris Olympics is being accused of racism for seemingly excluding East Asian athletes. The poster, shared on X by Eurosport on Aug. 11, featured few, if any, representatives from China, Japan and South Korea, despite these countries…
· Ryan General
Korean noodles return to Danish shelves after ban for being too spicy
Two variants of the fiery South Korean Samyang Buldak instant ramen noodles are back on Danish supermarket shelves after being recalled in June due to concerns about their high capsaicin levels. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration lifted the ban on two of the three…
· Bryan Ke
Golfer Tom Kim says tears after Olympic loss unrelated to South Korea’s conscription
South Korean golfer Tom Kim clarified that his crying after missing the chance to earn his country a medal at the Paris Olympics were unrelated to his mandatory military service. Kim, 22, was seen wiping away tears while signing golf balls on Sunday after placing eighth in the…
· Ryan General
South Korea continues team archery dominance with 10th-straight Olympic gold
South Korea clinched its 10th consecutive Olympic gold medal in women’s team archery at the Paris Games on Sunday, defeating China 5-4 in a dramatic shoot-off. The victory extends South Korea’s unparalleled dominance in the event, having won every gold medal since the sport was…
· Bryan Ke
North and South Korean table tennis players unite to share powerful selfie
North Korean table tennis players were spotted striking a pose for a selfie with their South Korean opponents at the Paris Olympics. The wholesome moment occurred on the podium during the medal award ceremony for the mixed doubles table tennis event, where South Korea finished…
· Carl Samson
IOC ‘sincerely’ apologizes for misidentifying South Korean athletes as North Korean
The International Olympic Committee apologized over the weekend after mistakenly introducing South Korean athletes as North Korean at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Friday. As the South Korean delegation of 143 athletes floated down the Seine River, they were…
· Michelle De Pacina
Ex-CIA analyst charged with espionage for South Korea
Sue Mi Terry, a former analyst of Korean affairs for the CIA who is married to Washington Post columnist Max Boot, has been charged with acting as a foreign agent for South Korea beginning in 2013. The indictment alleges that Terry, who was born in Seoul and is a naturalized…
· Carl Samson
Kakao’s billionaire founder arrested for alleged stock manipulation in K-pop deal
Kim Beom-su, the billionaire founder of South Korean tech giant Kakao Corp., was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly manipulating stocks during the acquisition of SM Entertainment — the label behind acts such as Aespa, NCT and Red Velvet — last year. Prosecutors claim Kim, also…
· Bryan Ke
K-pop star reveals his horrifying encounters with stalkers
Jaejoong, a former member of SM Entertainment’s TVXQ, shared some of the encounters he has had with sasaengs, a Korean term meaning “private life” which also refers to obsessive fans or stalkers, in his 20-year career, including one who broke into his house while he was asleep.…
· Carl Samson
South Korea grants rights to same-sex couple in landmark ruling
South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday granted a same-sex couple spousal coverage under the state health insurance program. The historic ruling marks a significant step toward recognizing the legal rights of same-sex couples in the country, which continues to outlaw same-sex…
· Carl Samson
North Korea executes 30 teens for watching K-dramas
North Korea reportedly executed around 30 teenagers for watching South Korean dramas earlier this month. The deceased, who were all middle school students, allegedly consumed the prohibited content from USBs sent via balloons by North Korean defector groups from Seoul. Driving…
· Ryan General
Go legend defeated by AI warns of the tech’s harmful impacts
Lee Se-dol, renowned for his 18 world championships in the strategic board game Go, voiced concerns about the negative impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) in a recent interview. The 41-year-old South Korean, who famously lost to Google DeepMind’s AI program AlphaGo in 2016,…
· Carl Samson
Jollibee buys 70% stake in South Korean coffee chain
Editor’s Note: This article previously reported that Jollibee acquired Compose Coffee for $340 million. It has been corrected to clarify that Jollibee acquired 70% of a deal valued at $340 million. We apologize for the error/confusion. Jollibee Foods, the Philippines’ largest…
· Ryan General
Mislabeling of kimchi on ‘Super Rich in Korea’ sparks controversy
Netflix has pledged to correct a recent subtitle error in its show “Super Rich in Korea,” where kimchi was mistranslated to Chinese as “labaicai” (辣白菜), a different Chinese pickled vegetable dish. The error occurred in a scene where wealthy individuals were shown making kimchi,…
· Carl Samson
BTS’ Jin to represent South Korea as torchbearer in Paris 2024
BTS member Jin, who recently completed South Korea’s mandatory military service, will represent his country as a torchbearer in the Paris Olympics, which will run from July 26 to Aug. 11. The 31-year-old popstar’s participation reportedly aims to spread the messages of “harmony”…
· Editorial Staff
Denmark recalls Korean ramen brand because it’s too spicy
Denmark’s health authorities have issued a product recall for Samyang Foods’ Buldak fire noodles due to the risk of “acute poisoning” from excessive capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers. The three types of ramen being recalled are Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen 3x Spicy,…
· admin
Singapore passport remains world’s most powerful
Singapore passport remains world’s most powerful: Singapore’s passport remains one of the strongest in the world in 2024, allowing its holders to enter 159 countries visa-free and nine countries with just an Electronic Travel Authorization. Singapore received a score of 91.15 in…
· Ryan General
US TikToker sparks debate after ranking Singapore ‘worst’ of 7 Asian countries he visited
An 18-year-old American TikToker living in Thailand has sparked a debate after ranking Singapore last on a list of seven Asian countries he had visited. Key points: