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

Despite the government's decision to raise the subsidy for parents having more than one child this year by 1 million won ($760), a survey suggests that the subsidy may not significantly influence parents' decisions to have another child. “Despite implementing the voucher subsidy, a recent decrease in the total fertility rate suggests there has been no direct impact (on having another child),” said Lee Yun-jin, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Child Care and E

Industry Jan. 5, 2024

Incheon International Airport and Starfield shopping malls were the top two destinations searched for on GPS app T Mobility, during the three-day New Year's holiday, the app’s operator said Wednesday. The big data analysis confirms a preference for either overseas vacations or shopping at mega malls during the holidays. From Dec. 30 to Jan. 1, T Map Mobility recorded 33,856 GPS-based routing requests from users heading to Incheon International Airport Terminal 1. Combined with reque

Industry Jan. 3, 2024

It is the pulsating heart of everything – from business and fashion trends to education and culture. Seoul's dynamic energy is infectious, drawing people from all corners of the country and beyond. Yet, the city is also a place where life is often consumed like a commodity, where the pace of life operates in overdrive. We asked nine people whose lives have intersected with the city what Seoul meant to them. A family’s ticket to wealth Kim Hee-yong’s move to Seoul 1 1/2

Hashtag Korea Jan. 2, 2024

French news outlet La Chaine Info sparked outrage among Koreans by broadcasting picture of the South Korean national flag with a red circle instead of the distinctive "taegeuk" mark at its center. The incorrect flag appeared in a visual aid used by the news presenter Sunday during a segment discussing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's provocative remarks about war against South Korea, made during a meeting with high-ranking officers. The error was particularly concerning to many

Industry Jan. 2, 2024

Nearly 1 in 4 South Korean workers beat the morning traffic rush by leaving home before 7 a.m., according to data released Thursday by Statistics Korea and SK Telecom. Analyzing data from 7.12 million commuters, the findings revealed that 24.6 percent hit the road before 7 a.m., with the figure swelling to 50.8 percent by 8 a.m. These early birds spend an average 34.7 minutes commuting one way, and those living in cities surrounding Seoul endure even longer journeys, averaging 40.3 minutes. That

Hashtag Korea Dec. 22, 2023

Korean ramyeon holds a special place in Koreans’ hearts, not just their stomachs. The iconic phrase, "Do you want to join me for some ramyeon (at my place)?" -- playfully employed in the 2001 film "One Fine Spring Day" to extend a late-night invitation to a romantic interest -- speaks volumes about its place in the Korean psyche. Affordable, simple to make and scrumptious, ramyeon is without doubt many Koreans' soul food. From its birth some 60 years ago to the lat

Hashtag Korea Dec. 19, 2023