Even while serving in the South Korean military, global K-pop star RM of BTS remains in the public eye. On Thursday, a photo of him in a red military band uniform, holding a saxophone, went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter. As of Monday, the photo had garnered over 20,000 likes and 4,000 reposts. The viral post said, "I received a photo of Nam-joon (better known as RM) from an acquaintance who attended the military's basic training completion ceremony." The ceremony is only o

K-pop Feb. 19, 2024

Find the answer at the bottom. Just like any country, Korea has its own traditional beliefs and superstitions. One such superstition warns against whistling at night, as it is believed to attract ghosts, spirits or snakes. This notion is often used to scare children from making noise at night. Though the roots of this superstition remain unclear, it inspired Bang Young-woong’s novel, “Bun-rye's Story,” in which a man whistles to attract snakes. Many Koreans feel uneasy a

Hashtag Korea Feb. 14, 2024

About a decade ago, Ji Young-jun found himself staring at the shelves in the ramyeon section at a military base commissary. Having begun his compulsory military service right after a grueling four years studying for and taking Korea's college entrance exam five times, he felt trapped both physically and psychologically -- little seemed to create excitement or interest for him. But looking at the nearly 50 varieties of ramyeon stacked on the shelves, something stirred within him. “I sh

Hashtag Korea Feb. 7, 2024

In the hit Netflix drama series "The Glory," Lim Ji-yeon, adorned in an elegant magenta blouse, black skirt and gold earrings, leans casually against her white Mercedes-Benz, pulling out a cigarette. The scene, as successful as the drama itself, quickly went viral, prompting the creation of numerous parody videos. Nonetheless, the Korean government seems uneasy about such a smoking scene gaining widespread attention. Dramas aired on broadcast television in Korea are prohibited from dir

Social Affairs Feb. 5, 2024

It is safe to say that the pantsless trend has firmly planted its roots in Korea, especially within the K-pop scene. This look has triggered mixed reactions, with some arguing that it is a way of expressing freedom while others say that it is too provocative and simply inappropriate. The now-trending no-pants look speaks for itself, featuring a style that discards pants, skirts or any bottom-covering attire, except for briefs, often paired with tights. The origins of this look can be traced

K-pop Feb. 1, 2024

Kwon Oh-sang, a dermatology professor at Seoul National University, who specializes in hair and scalp diseases such as alopecia, advised against washing one's hair daily for individuals in their 40s and up, citing its potential to accelerate hair loss. “Generally the scalp tends to become dry after one's 40s, making it advisable to wash hair three to four times a week,” he said during an interview with a local media outlet on Tuesday. Hair loss is a prevalent issue in Korea

Social Affairs Jan. 31, 2024

Former South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, 68, has been appointed as the 9th president and chief executive officer of the Asia Society, according to the organization's board of trustees on Wednesday. Kang, who held the position of Seoul's top diplomat from 2017 to 2021, is set to assume her new role in April. Before becoming S. Korea's first female foreign affairs minister, she served as a special policy adviser to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Established in 19

Foreign Affairs Jan. 25, 2024

Find the answer at the bottom. The roots of Korean ramyeon trace back to 1963 when Samyang Ramen, the first Korean ramyeon, made its debut. Featuring wheat noodles in a mild, chicken broth, the early product was not very popular, as noodles in general were not a popular meal option for Koreans at that time, due to the widespread preference for rice. But a shortage in rice production in the 1960s prompted the South Korean government to encourage wheat flour consumption, which gave a major boost

Hashtag Korea Jan. 25, 2024

The news that actor Lee Sun-kyun was being investigated for allegations of illegal drug use broke out on Oct. 19. Within days, Korean telecom giant SK Telecom pulled an advertisement featuring Lee and his wife. He was replaced by another actor in the drama series, "No Way Out," which was about to start shooting. The release of two of his films, which were in post-production at that time, became uncertain. In short, Lee was "canceled" less than a week after the allegations w

Hashtag Korea Jan. 24, 2024

In a country where love often bends to fit societal expectations, the captivating tale of Kook Hye-min and Park Min-hyeok has emerged, defying conventional social norms. With clickbaity titles like “The story of marrying your high school homeroom teacher at age 21," the couple’s Instagram account has amassed over 30,000 followers in a mere four months. As their unconventional love story has unfolded, reactions from the public have varied. Some see it as unacceptable according to

Hashtag Korea Jan. 17, 2024

Nearly one in four high school students said their classmates tend to sleep during class, according to an Education Ministry survey. The survey, conducted by the Ministry of Education from Jun. 28 to July 14, polled 4,340 high school first- and second-years. It was aimed at identifying ways to improve student engagement in the classroom. In response to the statement "My classmates tend to sleep during class," 27.3 percent of students agreed, with 20.2 percent choosing strongly true a

Social Affairs Jan. 17, 2024

Are your New Year's resolutions still on track? If so, you have at least passed the initial three-day hurdle of maintaining a new habit or commitment, which the Korean saying “jaksim samil” warns about. While the phrase underscores the tendency for ambitious plans to falter within three days, there are also a range of tips and apps out there to help people adhere to their goals. For Park Ji-yeon, a 36-year-old office worker in Seoul, mastering English was a recurring New Year

Hashtag Korea Jan. 16, 2024

Find the answer at the bottom. A movie that sells over 10 million tickets in South Korea is considered a box office smash hit. In contrast to the global cinema benchmark of 1 billion dollars in worldwide box office sales, the Korean standard for a film's commercial success focuses on the number of tickets sold here -- specifically the figure of 10 million. This threshold holds importance for Korea's filmmakers as it signifies that approximately 20 percent of the country's po

Hashtag Korea Jan. 10, 2024

The Korean government on Tuesday introduced guidelines to regulate the thickness of the fat in samgyeopsal, the popular pork belly cut widely enjoyed at barbeques. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affair guidelines, the fat in pork belly cuts should be less than 1 centimeter thick. This decision follows public criticism over excessively fatty pork belly sold at some local discount stores on March 3 last year, known as "Samgyeopsal Day" in Korea, a day when the

Industry Jan. 9, 2024

Air travel has become a common affair for many -- not just for grown-ups, but also for tiny tots. Yet, as more families travel with young children, the number of those who feel irritated by the presence of little ones on flights seems to have risen in recent years. In August 2022, a 46-year-old man on an Air Busan flight, enraged by a crying baby, hurled insults and threats at the child's parents. When the flight landed, he was arrested on charges of violating aviation security laws. Crying

Hashtag Korea Jan. 9, 2024