Korea Cannes Make Great Films
Five Korean films were invited to the annual Cannes International Film Festival. Each film is competing to winn the festivals biggest prize, the Palme d’Or. Discover more about the selected films here!
Black Knight: Kim Woo-bin Returns to Acting
Actor Kim Woo-bin was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and had to take time off to rest and recover. Now, he's returning to the screen in a new Netflix film "Black Knight". Read more about his incredible story here!
Cheesin' for Cheese: The Growing Popularity of Cheese in Korea
Dairy isn't often seen as popular in Korea, but cheese has slowly grown due to Koreans travelling abroad and adding it to cultural staples such as gimbap. In fact, several restaurants dedicated to cheese have opened in Korea. Discover more here!
Couples that Bank Together Stay Together
An ever-present question in relationships is "should we open a join bank account?". While every situation is different, Korean couples have expressed that joint accounts help alleviate the stress of one person being responsible for paying the bill on date nights. Read more here!
The Secret Life of Korean Pets
Pet ownership in Korea means treating your furry friends to luxury skincare, five course meals, and high-end veterinary services for the ultra-wealthy. The idea is that pets are an integral part of the family and should be cared for just as, if not better than, humans. Learn more about growing pet pampering trend here!
K-Culture's Explosion
Netflix's latest investment in Korean entertainment has posed some concerns over local Korean streaming services. However, it does pose great news for the global accessibility of K-culture and high-quality media creation. Read more here!
Blackpink at Coachella: Keeping it Traditional
Blackpink took the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as the first headlining K-pop girl group. They used their global stardom to spotlight Korean heritage by blending Korean traditional elements into their modernized versions of hanbok. Discover more about the group's historic performance here!
The Most Intense Dessert Competition Ever
"The Dessert" is a dessert-making competition wherein 10 patissiers hunker down in a dormitory for 10 days. They will compete in various cooking quests to win 100 million won ($75,000) in prize money. Read more about the show here!
The Guardians Land in Seoul
Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" began its world tour in Seoul. The cast stated they felt the support from Korean fans, so they wanted to kick off the final tour in Korea. Learn more about the upcoming film here!
Reading on the Rise: Why Indie Bookstores are Here to Stay
Independent bookstores are growing in popularity in Korea. This is in part due to the rise of independent publishing that offers flexibility and freedom. Discover more about the indie bookstore craze here!
Stick with Sweets in Seoul
Chocolatier Susanna Yoon is opening a New York chocolate shop in Seoul. Her creations are designed to help Korean customers enjoy different variations of chocolate since it is not as popular of a sweet in Korea. Read more about her new venture here!
Bringing Korean Films back to Korean Theaters
Korean films have suffered at the Korean box office in comparison to foreign films. However, three major studios are initiating support of homegrown films to revive the success of Korean films in Korean cinemas. Learn more here!
The Great Escape: Zebra on the Run
Sero, a zebra housed at a children’s zoo in Seoul, escaped and spent three hours on the loose. He wasted no time exploring all the fun Seoul has to offer. Read more about his city adventure here.
1 of a Kind: Jimin Sells 1 Million Albums in 1 Day
BTS member Jimin sold over 1 million copies of his first solo album, "Face” upon release, making K-pop history. Read more about his album’s success and other K-pop news updates here.
A Korean Marriage Story
Korean brides are sometimes proposed to after all the preparations for the wedding are done. Unlike the typical Western norms of marriage proposals, a proposal in Korea is more like a celebration of their union. Discover more about Korean proposals here!
Korean Bao Sliders like you've never had them before
Try these Korean Bao Sliders for your next dinner to have a savory and delicious meal. Discover more about the recipe with a unique twist here!
Bong Joon-ho's Public Return
Acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho will participate in a filmmaking masterclass at the Florence Korean Film Festival after 12 years of absence. Read more about his return here!
Korean Meat Skewers Made to Perfection
Korea is home to the largest variety and most delectable meat skewers around. Read more about these skewer varieties here!
Keeping Records: Why Vinyl is Here to Stay
Hanging out with friends and listening to vinyl records is a trend that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon in Korea. Learn more about the popularity of vinyl records here!
How Books can Heal: R.O. Kwon Discusses Important Moments in her Life
Incendiaries author R.O. Kwon talks about religion and literature in this personal interview. Read more about her story here!
The Best Tofu Recipe for Kimchi Fans
Dubu (Tofu in Korean) can be used in this wonderfully delicious dish. Repurpose old kimchi or switch it up! Discover more here.
Jwipo, Your New Jerky Obsession
Learn how to make Jwipo, a salty and savory fish jerky beloved all over Korea. Read more here!
Try these old-fashioned Korean snacks this Lunar New Year
These traditional Korean snacks are a certified hit this Lunar New Year with their sweet and savory offerings. If you find yourself in Korea or see an international market with these tasty treats, be sure to try them out. Read more about these snacks here!
Korean Sci-fi film ‘Jung_E’ tops Netflix charts
Netflix original film ‘Jung_E’ captures the attention of viewers worldwide. Set in a dystopian future, director Yeon Sang-ho's new film is a certified hit in the vain of similar Korean sci-fi films. Learn more about the film here!
To Binge or not to Binge?
Streaming companies like Disney+ are keying into the viewing habits of customers with their new suite of shows available to stream. These shows will be batched out in waves so viewers can enjoy them as they please while still allowing for anticipation for future releases. Read more here!
Revenge: K-drama exposes school violence
K-drama, The Glory, shows the omnipresent problem that is school bullying. The success of the show has led many fans internationally to begin campaigns to uncover the abuse and end it. Discover more about the movement here!
Woodstock to spread peace and love in Korea
For the first time, legendary music festival Woodstock will be in Korea. While the lineup has not been fully revealed, about 30 performances are expected to occur. Read more about the festival here!
The Little Cellist: 11-year-old prodigy takes First Prize
At the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Russia, 11-year old Korean cellist Kim Jung-a won first prize. There were a total of 128 contestants from 14 countries who participated in the piano, violin, and cello categories this year. Discover more about their achievement here!
BTS reclaims Billboard: And other popular K-pop music
Billboard 200 has a number of K-pop groups topping the charts, but the surprise hit is BTS reentering with a song from 2017. Read more about their unstoppable success and the latest K-pop groups with highly anticipated releases here!
The K-pop Comeback: Returning from Military Service
With mandatory military service stopping many of the top K-pop idol’s activities, members from EXO, SHINee, and others will be finishing their service and coming back to entertainment this year to much excitment and hype. Learn more about when your favorite K-pop stars will be back here!
Top Movies to Watch for Lunar New Year
Here’s a list of the top 16 global movies to keep you busy this Lunar New year. No matter what kind of genre you're interested in, you'll find something you like here! Check this list out to make picking something for movie night easy.
Longcations: Escaping to Vietnam
760,000 South Koreans travelled to Vietnam in 2022. This is in part due to the growing popularity of "longcations", or trips where the traveler takes a long-term slow-paced vacation. Discover more about longcations and why Vietnam offers a great escape here!
Kkondaes at Work: GenZ and Millennials Battle at the Office
"MZ Office", a new segment on SNL Korea, sheds light on passive aggressive confrontations among millennials and Gen Z in the office. The sketch series uses the term "kkondae" which normally refers to baby boomers. However, it has evolved to include all age groups. Learn more about the show here!
The American Bansang Experience
Chef Kim Sea-kyeong recently opened his restaurant Daon Bansang in Seoul which blends the bansang experiance with Western cuisine. Bansang is a traditional Korean dining method that consists of different dishes for one person. Read more about his career here!
Healthy Gamer: Breaking Gaming Addiction
The best antidote to the digital addiction is self-understanding according to Harvard-trained psychiatrist Alok Kanojia. He has been using Twitch, a livestreaming platform, to talk to people about their mental health. Read more about gaming and digital addiction here!
Cursed Bunny and other Popular K-Books
Translated literary works won or were nominated for four awards outside of Korea this year. More than 150 works in 27 languages were published overseas and they showed growing diversification of genres from science fiction to fantasy and mystery. Discover more about the growing popularity of Korean literature here!
