Incendiaries author R.O. Kwon talks about religion and literature in this personal interview. Read more about her story here!
Dubu (Tofu in Korean) can be used in this wonderfully delicious dish. Repurpose old kimchi or switch it up! Discover more here.
Learn how to make Jwipo, a salty and savory fish jerky beloved all over Korea. Read more here!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
The Korean Wealth Report defined being wealthy as having over 1 billion won in financial assets. Minimum seed money for accumulating wealth was 820 million won ($630,000) by the age of 42. Of that group, 44.8 percent said they considered themselves to be wealthy. Read more here!
Photo studios are evolving into one-stop beauty shops offering makeovers and photo shoots. Despite the high cost, makeover photo shoots deliver what young generations want. Learn more about these photo studios here!
Follow Korean artist Kang Ik-joong as he explains his creative inspiration for his latest exhibition “The Moon is Rising” and his view on the role of an artist. Learn more about his artwork here!
On Dongji, be sure to eat patjuk, at the Farmer's Market Patjib in southern Seoul. This specialty food is a traditional South Korean porridge made using red beans grown on a farm in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province. Read more about these red beans here!
Korean installation artist Yang Hae-gue ranks 93rd on The Kunstkompass’s annual top 100 artists list. She won the 13th Benesse Prize for her moving sculptures at this year’s Singapore Biennale. Discover more about her and her work here!
Korean artist Park Seo-bo's seminal Ecriture painting has been turned into one of Louis Vuitton's iconic Capucines bags. Park is the first Korean artist to collaborate with the French luxury brand for the Artycapucines collection. To learn more about this painting, keep reading!
South Korean designers are dipping their toes into the world of metafashion, with the government launching its first-ever digital wardrobe. 30 outfits are planned to be completed with model line-up being A-list actress Han Sun-hwa, singer Ravi, and model Jaesi. Read more here!
Coin singing rooms are smaller karaoke gatherings where you play for about 30 minutes compared to the hours spent at regular Korean karaoke. They are becoming ever popular with younger generations in the aftermath of COVID-19 regulation relaxation. Read more about coin singing rooms here!
Have you gotten a job based on a personality test? Like zodiac signs and blood type, MBTI types are a growing fad in Korea to learn more about a person without asking questions. Read more to find out how MBTI types are impacting people’s lives.
Think of your favorite presents to get growing up. They probably weren’t stocks and bonds. Korea’s Chuseok is a gift giving holiday that has experienced a staggering amount of growth since the 1970’s. Learn more about the different gift giving trends throughout the years.
Take fashion to the next level with the new matching trend. Couples are now not only planning their dates, but their outfits together for a more personalized look. What do you think about this trend? Would you try it yourself with your friends or significant other?
Drones over fireworks? Technology has taken over many aspects of life that were once done without, and now fireworks are the next target. Learn more about how drone shows might just be the next big thing.
From a forgotten town to a popular place for events, Seongsu-dong has seen a boom in tourism recently. Is this newfound popularity helping or hurting the local businesses? Read more here!
The sweet and spicy glaze is enhanced by the flavor from the grill to create a rustic yet elegant chicken dish.
This snack is bright, fresh, and easy to make. It can be a snack to serve your friends over cocktails or an acidic treat to activate your taste buds at the beginning of the meal.
This salad is super easy to make. It only requires a few ingredients and just a little bit of knife work.
Single-person households are projected to be the new normal for individuals looking for housing by 2040. Read more about what this means for younger generations adjusting to the growing body of statistics.
Perfume culture is another item in an ever-growing list of ways for people to express themselves. Korea has capitalized on this trend with “perfume workshops” that allow people to customize their own scent. Learn more about the custom perfume process here.
Korean artist Park Dae-sung's new exhibition, Ink and Soul, has been sweeping the international art community. Check out the traditional ink style reinvented here.
Ramen, ramyeon, and ramyun – what’s the difference? instant noodles are a favorite comfort food across the world, and exports of instant noodles from South Korea are on the rise. Learn the history of the snack we have all come to love.
Alarming studies have shown a decrease in the amount of sleep Korean workers are getting. Not only is this harmful for their health, but for the overall productivity of Korea. Learn why people are trading sleep for work in this article.
Chanel has never officially produced a full menswear collection, but G-Dragon's daring look has proved that Chanel is not limited to a single gender. Learn more about how Korean fashion designers are changing the game!
With lessening restrictions and an increase in cultural interest, Korea has greatly benefited from the excitement of people to travel internationally. Read more about how Korea is staying afloat with a recent wave of tourists.
Spice Up your Hot Dogs with a Korean Twist
Webtoons are the movies of the future according to Korean tech company CJ 4DPLEX. With innovations in the 4D movie experience, the Korean company wants to introduce a lower cost alternative to the action-packed movies that viewers can already see. Learn more about the future of Korean cinema here!
Ryu Sung-sil's 'The Burning Love Song' lays bare primal desire for wealth prevalent in Korea's neoliberal market economy. The artist saw that such an obsession with an elite upbringing and wealth could speak to one aspect of Korea's particular economic sensibilities, as the country's rapid growth brought equally swift changes to people's financial statuses. Read more to discover how art informs the Korean social discourse.
Incense burning has been practiced in Korea for centuries. In the 8th to 14th centuries, incense burning was an essential part of Buddhist rituals. As early as the start of this century, incense was primarily used only for special or ceremonial occasions. Today, it is used for meditation, yoga or “mung” (the Korean word for a trance-like state) sessions. Discover more here.
Insider spoke to seven South Korean tattoo artists about the paradox at the core of their profession, as they build up social-media presences to attract customers but hide their workshops in basements to avoid drawing the scrutiny of the law. South Korean tattoo artist Ilwol Hongdam has inked close to 4,000 people in the last 10 years, many of whom flew into Seoul just to see him. Read more about the controversial body art here.