[AtoZ into Korean mind] Fatphobia pervasive in Korea

"Your face looks good." When Justin Ku first heard this remark from one of his relatives here, he took it as a compliment. He later discovered that the phrase is more often used by Koreans to point out when you've gained weight. "I was shocked by how casually they said it," said Ku, 34, who had emigrated to the US when he was young and moved back to Korea as an adult. Ku is not alone in his surprise at the prevalence of body-shaming embedded in the fatphobic social atmosphere

March 24, 2024

[LLG] Young Seoulite's double life as startup consultant and indie actor

Even in Seoul, teeming with so many busy people, Baek Yo-sun stands out for striving to live in two seemingly contrasting worlds. By day, she's a human resources and post-investment management consultant at a venture capital firm dedicated to nurturing local startups. When the sun sets or weekend begins, she shifts gears to transform into an actor, breathing life into diverse characters. Striking a balance between her two lives has not been easy. She acknowledges that there may not be a p

March 21, 2024

[Survive & Thrive] Finding secondhand treasures in Korea

In neighborhood public spaces such as subway stations, it's not uncommon to witness individuals engaging in suspicious exchanges like in a spy film, often starting their exchange with a question that includes the Korean term, “danggeun.” “Hoksi danggeun?” one might inquire to initiate the exchange, which literally translates to, “Carrots, by any chance?” But while the word “danggeun” means carrot or carrots in English, these furtive traders

March 19, 2024

Megawati 'Megatron' Pertiwi making waves in V-League

Since the beginning of the 2023-24 season of the Korean Volleyball League, 24-year-old Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi has been making headlines. Megawati initially garnered public attention for being the first Indonesian volleyball player in Korea and the first-ever player to wear a hijab in the Korean V-League. Six months after her debut with the Jungkwanjang Red Sparks in Daejeon, she is still creating buzz online for so much more. Game after game, Megawati has proved herself, contributing signif

March 16, 2024

[Korea Quiz] Acting cutesy

Find the answer at the bottom. If you are a fan of Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, you might have witnessed Korean stars and celebrities engaging in deliberately cute and childlike acts to cultivate intimacy with fans. Termed “aegyo,” this behavior is characterized by playful, sweet and innocent mannerisms, employed to convey affection or lighten the mood. It manifests in various forms, including specific language expressions, gestures, voice modulation and body movements. Aegyo is

March 14, 2024

How cheese found its place on Korean tables

Kim Min-ju, 38, confesses her tolerance for spicy foods is relatively low by Korean standards. But there’s a way to overcome it and still indulge in Korea’s wide array of spicy dishes -- adding cheese. This approach not only makes the dishes more enjoyable, but also creates a perfect balance of creamy richness and heat, she said: "It helps to temper the spiciness without significantly altering the dish's original flavor." Last year, she and her 8-year-old son even tr

March 12, 2024

[Korea Quiz] K-pop for senior listeners?

Find the answer at the bottom. K-pop, mixing addictive beats, catchy hooks, rap and meticulous choreography, continues to captivate music fans worldwide. In its homeland, however, some of the most popular music stars come from a uniquely Korean music tradition that remains largely unnoticed abroad: trot. Lim Young-woong, a 33-year-old trot artist, embodies this genre’s dominance among listeners in older age groups. He is the titleholder of last year's song of the year, based on

March 11, 2024

[AtoZ into Korean mind] Envy: Emotional toll triggered by social comparison

Koreans, particularly of younger generations, are often compared to an imaginary rival by the name of “Eomchina.” This rival, whose name literally translates as “mom’s friend’s son,” represents an idealized peer against whom one is constantly measured in various aspects of life, from academic achievements and career success to marital status and monthly income. “Eomchina” as a benchmark for success stems from parental comparisons and envy for the a

March 10, 2024

[LLG] Four women's inspiring journeys back to school

Lee Bok-ja vividly recalls the day, 47 years ago, when she learned that she had been admitted to high school, having secretly taking and passing the entrance exam. She remembers the tuition fee: 23,520 won, a sum she couldn't bear to ask her ailing father for. This amount was worth nearly half the monthly salary of a government employee of the lowest rank at that time. Lee never went to high school, working instead to earn money, often as a cleaner. But in her dreams, she would sometimes se

March 6, 2024

[Pressure points] Gifting condolence money at dog’s funeral: a new ritual?

Gifting condolence money in a white envelope to those you are close to who are in mourning is a long-standing tradition in South Korea. Yet, when this custom coincides with Korea's increasing number of pet owners and evolving pet-friendly culture, it might take an unexpected turn in this nation which has recently decided to outlaw the consumption of dog meat. In a survey of 5,000 Korean nationals conducted in 2022 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, nearly one out of

March 5, 2024

[EYE] A Buddhist temple where animal spirits find peace

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- At a secluded temple tucked away on a snow-covered mountain, a Buddhist monk stood before a wooden altar, praying for a departed soul. On the altar, next to a spirit table, there was a framed photo of the deceased: a dog named after the temple itself, Hyundeok. “Hyundeok passed away recently,” said Venerable Hyunjong, the temple's founder and chief monk. “He was 8 years old.” In honor of the departed pup, which was one of two who live

March 2, 2024

[Korea Quiz] Korean postpartum care

Find the answer at the bottom. South Korea has the world’s lowest birth rate, but it offers arguably some of the world’s best postpartum care for women who do give birth. Across the country, there are approximately 470 recovery centers for new mothers, where the primary focus is on their recovery after childbirth. Nearly 80 percent of South Korea's new mothers stay at these facilities, known as "sanhu joriwon." Most of these facilities are privately operated, but a

Feb. 28, 2024

Faces of wealth, intellect and longevity, as revealed by veteran face reader

"Who has the face of a king?” In the 2013 hit film "The Face Reader," set in the 15th century during the Joseon era, Grand Prince Suyang sought the advice of the most renowned face reader of the day about his potential to become king. The physiognomist thought Suyang had the face of a cruel and ruthless traitor but refrained from voicing this belief out of fear. Some years later, Suyang ascended to the throne as the 7th king of Joseon, known as King Sejo, by dethroning Dan

Feb. 27, 2024

[AtoZ into Korean mind] Death & denial: Why Koreans refuse to contemplate the end

A few years ago, Kim Sun-yong (not her real name) stumbled upon a Facebook post written by an acquaintance from work. The author, an American who was battling late-stage cancer with no prospects of recovery, asked his Facebook friends for suggestions on what to include on his bucket list as he braced for the inevitable. Most comments expressed their sadness about the man's impending death and offered suggestions as asked. But one comment written by a person with a Korean name responded, &

Feb. 25, 2024

[LLG] How 'panda aunt' almost did not fall for cub's charms

"People rave about Fu Bao. I just didn't get it." Zookeeper Oh Seung-hee of Everland’s Panda World said of the rock star giant panda of her zoo. Fu Bao, born in 2020 to a panda pair gifted to Korea by China in 2016, was the first cub born in Korea through natural breeding. From the moment of her birth, there hasn't been a single day when the baby panda wasn't popular, with fans who just cannot get enough of the cuddly cub. However, Oh had no problem maintaining dis

Feb. 21, 2024

[Korea Quiz] Weedy wonders in Korean cuisine

Find the answer at the bottom. South Koreans have long held a deep appreciation for plant-based ingredients, with herbs, various leafy greens, and their seeds and roots playing a crucial role in their diet. "Namul" is a term that encompasses a wide array of seasoned vegetables, usually blanched. In particular, dishes made with tender spring sprouts are termed "bom namul," with "bom" meaning spring in Korean. As winter fades and spring greens shoot up across th

Feb. 21, 2024

[Pressure points] Bear with us: Conservation success story or public hazard?

Korea’s ancient founding myth features two predatory animals, a tiger and a bear, both of which once freely roamed the hilly terrains of the Korean Peninsula. By the late 1990s, however, both species had become extinct or nearly extinct in the wild, while hikers and trekkers came to replace them as rulers of the mountains. In 2004, a government-led restoration effort was launched for Korean moon bears, starting with the introduction of six Asiatic black bears from Primorsky Krai, Russia. T

Feb. 20, 2024

Reality check: How diverse is Korea really? LGBTQ+ and society (9)

According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2020, there has been a notable shift in public opinion in South Korea regarding the acceptance of homosexuality. The survey revealed that the percentage of individuals who believed that homosexuality should be accepted by society increased from 25 percent in 2002 to 44 percent in 2019. This shift suggests growing openness and changing attitudes towards LGBTQ+ issues within South Korean society over the years. However, it's impo

Feb. 19, 2024

Reality check: How diverse is Korea really? Immigration and society (8)

People of non-Korean origin are increasingly making their presence felt in South Korea, turning a society historically characterized by cultural and racial homogeneity into one that is increasingly diverse. In 2006, a mere 1.1 percent of people living in Korea were foreign nationals, naturalized Koreans or their children. As of Nov. 1, 2022, their share rose to a record-high 4.4 percent, with 226 million individuals residing in the country for more than 90 days at the point of the survey. This b

Feb. 15, 2024

[LLG] New life, vocation for retired customs dog

In 2021, after seven years of service as a narcotics detection dog, Parang retired from her duties. Now, three years into retirement, the female black Labrador retriever has found a loving home in a Songpa-gu, Seoul apartment complex, fully embracing her new role as a beloved family pet. In the love and care of the Hur family, the former customs dog has now blossomed into the darling of her community, winning the hearts of everyone through her clumsy yet genuine devotion and patient, kind deme

Feb. 14, 2024