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Centuries-old style makgeolli to toast APEC ministerial banquet
When ministers from across the Asia-Pacific gather for dinner in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province this week, their glasses will be filled not with champagne or wine, but with makgeolli, Korea’s signature fermented rice drink. The drink to be served at the official banquet of the APEC Joint Ministerial Meeting on Foreign and Trade Affairs (AMM) on Wednesday and Thursday is “A Night Counting Stars in the Milky Way,” a 12 percent ABV premium makgeolli brewed by Bal-Hyo Gongbang 1991 Inc., the ma
Oct. 29, 2025 -
How about a drink? What alcohol means to business in Korea
"Let's go out for some soju next time," or "Let's grab a meal sometime," are often considered synonymous to an invitation for a semiformal meeting among Koreans with professional relationships. While not nearly as prominent in the 2020s as decades before, many Koreans still tend to get acquainted with each other through knocking back a few drinks, often in the form of "hoesik" — literally "work dining," typically meaning a meal after the workday officially ends — with the accompaniment of substa
Oct. 28, 2025 -
Do Seoulites really need e-scooters or e-bikes? The city isn't sure either
Seoul once had a thing for e-scooters. You couldn’t walk a block without dodging one parked sideways on a ramp or abandoned mid-sidewalk like a lost shopping cart. In theory, they were perfect for short trips that felt too far to walk but too close to justify a cab. But now? Many of the scooters are gone. “I used to ride one almost every day to get from my house to the subway,” said Kim Ji-won, a 24-year-old university student living in Seoul’s hilly Gwanak district. “I admit, I didn’t always we
Oct. 21, 2025 -
These supermoms aren't just raising kids. They're hitting the books for notorious exams
After two years of studying, all while caring for her toddler daughter and welcoming a son, Lee is now on the brink of beginning a new chapter in her life. A 35-year-old former dental clinic employee, she passed the annual civil servant exam in the health affairs field this August. The demanding once-a-year test covers subjects from Korean history and English to health care administration and related laws. “I often felt anxious and physically exhausted when household chores piled up, from prepar
Oct. 17, 2025 -
‘Korea Glow Up’: How beauty, antiaging industry is powering South Korea’s medical tourism
On her first trip to Seoul in 2023, Heidi Mae couldn’t take her eyes off the walls inside a Gangnam subway station lit up with glossy billboards for cosmetic surgery, especially the images of women with radiant skin and plump, youthful cheeks. Having lost nearly 10 kilograms at the time, she felt her skin loosen and her cheeks began to sag, and Korea appeared to be the ideal destination to address her beauty concerns. A year later, she returned to Korea for a full face-lift and rhinoplasty at Na
Oct. 11, 2025 -
Hangeul Day draws 15,000 to Sejong for symbolic run and festivities
SEJONG -- On Thursday, the streets and parks of Sejong City filled with runners, festivalgoers and cultural performers as more than 15,000 people took part in the 2025 Hangeul Run, an event commemorating the creation of the Korean writing system. Now in its second year as a major civic festival, Hangeul Run has become the centerpiece of Korea’s Hangeul Day celebrations. The event was co-organized by Sejong City, the Sejong Culture and Tourism Foundation, the National Hangeul Museum, and Herald M
Oct. 10, 2025 -
Will people travel 3 hours from Seoul for gimbap? Gimcheon is worried too many might
Gimbap (also spelled kimbap) is everywhere in Korea. You can find it sliced or unsliced, vegan or spicy, packed fresh or frozen, all for as little as a couple bucks. Every convenience store has it and every city eats it. So would it really make sense for anyone to travel over three hours from Seoul to a random city just to eat it? Tens of thousands already did last year. Now, with the second Gimcheon Gimbap Festival set to return on Oct. 25 and 26, and gimbap riding a wave of global pop cultural
Oct. 8, 2025 -
This district office offers more than paperwork. It has giant slides
There is a district office in Seoul where bursts of excitement, often audible as screams, echo throughout the building. The source of the thrill? A set of giant slides that whisk visitors from the second floor down to the basement in under 7 seconds. Installed and opened to the public in early September, Dongjak District Office’s “D-Lide” has drawn crowds lining up like at an amusement park. It’s not just children enjoying the ride -- office workers from outside the district are joining in the f
Oct. 8, 2025 -
'Easier than friendship': Gen Z turns to ChatGPT for emotional support
"Therapy-style” prompts for ChatGPT have recently gone viral. Across platforms like X and TikTok, users are sharing custom prompts that instruct the chatbot to act as a professional counselor, interpreting the user’s emotions and offering warm, empathetic responses. “One of the best things about venting to ChatGPT is that it never gets tired of me,” said Kim Ji-hyun, 24. “My closest friend once told me to stop bringing up the same problem with my boyfriend, but ChatGPT will keep answering me, ev
Oct. 6, 2025 -
True Crime (4) The forgotten killer: Kim Dae-doo
Why do some killers capture more attention than others? In South Korea's relatively short list of serial killers, there are infamous figures whose crimes have inspired acclaimed films such as the 2003 film "Memories of Murder" and 2008's "The Chaser." However, the man featured in this episode doesn't quite fit that mold. Despite his staggering murder count and the brutal nature of his killings, he remains largely forgotten among South Koreans today. In fact, he has never gained the same level of
Oct. 1, 2025 -
[Life in Korea] Double life of Anthony King: dancer and director in Seoul
Anthony King, 33, is a US-born filmmaker and professional dancer based in Korea, but his trajectory began far from studio lights: middle-school sports, anime music videos and an obsession over the arcade rhythm game, Dance Dance Revolution. A friend’s demonstration of a break dancing move called the “turtle stall” lit the fuse. “He showed me that, and I thought it was the most impressive thing in the world,” King said. Little did he know this would be the beginning of a chapter that would take h
Sept. 22, 2025