https://www.scmp.com/rss/323438/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong posed for a widely shared selfie in New Delhi on Monday, drawing attention to the optics of “selfie diplomacy” at a Korea-India summit. The photo was taken during a state lunch using Samsung’s latest foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip7. The image quickly went viral online on social media and was picked up by multiple media outlets. The moment comes months after Lee drew... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3350837/after-xi-south-koreas-lee-brings-modi-selfie-diplomacy-frame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3350837/after-xi-south-koreas-lee-brings-modi-selfie-diplomacy-frame?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:35:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A South Korean woman in her thirties is facing child abuse charges after allegedly feeding her two-month-old infant tteokguk, or rice cake soup, with the case coming to light through photos she posted online. The dish, commonly eaten to mark the new year in South Korea, is considered inappropriate for infants, whose digestive systems are not yet developed enough to process semi-solid foods. According to the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency on Friday, the unidentified woman is being... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350407/south-korean-mum-faces-child-abuse-charges-feeding-rice-cake-soup-2-month-old-baby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350407/south-korean-mum-faces-child-abuse-charges-feeding-rice-cake-soup-2-month-old-baby?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 04:36:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times On game days, queues outside a rice cake shop near Gwangju Songjeong Station can stretch more than 50 metres (164ft), a familiar scene that even local taxi drivers anticipate, often naming the destination before passengers finish asking. “In my whole life, it is my first time seeing people line up like this at a rice cake shop,” one taxi driver says. The draw is pumpkin injeolmi, a sticky rice cake from the bakery Changeok Tteok that has become a viral sensation, drawing crowds rivalling the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3350101/best-things-do-gwangju-south-korea-viral-food-trends-architecture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3350101/best-things-do-gwangju-south-korea-viral-food-trends-architecture?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Some foreign residents in South Korea will be eligible for government cash handouts, ranging from 100,000 won (US$67) to 600,000 won, to be distributed later in April under a supplementary budget aimed at offsetting high fuel costs amid the prolonged Middle East conflict. Non-South Korean nationals were in principle excluded from the subsidy programme, but exceptions would be made for those deemed to have “close ties” to citizens, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on Sunday. Foreign... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349827/south-korea-includes-foreign-residents-close-ties-citizens-state-relief-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349827/south-korea-includes-foreign-residents-close-ties-citizens-state-relief-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:10:26 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The award-winning Netflix series Beef, which swept categories at the Emmys, Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards, returns on April 16 with its second season. Korean-American director and writer Lee Sung-jin said in an online interview that he was excited but found season two “even harder than the first” season to make as he aimed to “take some big swings and risks while retaining what is special about the show”. Unlike season one’s road rage feud between lonely strangers, season two unfolds... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3349605/netflixs-beef-season-2-bridge-between-west-and-east-says-director-lee-sung-jin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3349605/netflixs-beef-season-2-bridge-between-west-and-east-says-director-lee-sung-jin?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times On a recent Tuesday evening in Seoul, the Myeongdong branch of Bantianyao Kaoyu, a Chinese restaurant specialising in whole simmered fish dishes, is already filling up well before the dinner rush. Inside, large trays of whole simmered fish arrive one after another, each landing in a bath of deep-red chilli-laced broth, sending up a cloud of steam over the tables. Despite it only being 5.30pm – early enough at most restaurants to avoid the usual queues of hungry commuters – almost all of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349535/why-are-young-koreans-going-crazy-chinese-restaurants-inside-growing-trend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349535/why-are-young-koreans-going-crazy-chinese-restaurants-inside-growing-trend?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:45:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Buying illegal drugs has become as easy as ordering a pizza in South Korea – especially for teens and young adults who have grown up in the digital age – as drug trafficking has increasingly moved online. On platforms like Telegram and the dark web, users familiar with drug-related slang can easily locate dealers. Consumers simply place an order, pay with bitcoin, and, once the transaction is complete, receive a message with instructions on where to collect their purchase. Pickup locations are... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349615/south-korean-youth-hooked-easy-access-drugs-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349615/south-korean-youth-hooked-easy-access-drugs-online?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:17:22 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A Filipino taxi driver who attempted to overcharge a member of K-pop group TXT has been suspended from operating, after the incident sparked backlash both in South Korea and the Philippines. According to a report aired on Monday on JTBC’s Chief Investigator, TXT member Choi Soo-bin, known mononymously as Soobin, was targeted in a taxi fare scam while travelling in Cebu, a popular tourist destination in the Philippines. The incident was originally revealed on Wednesday through the group’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349213/filipino-taxi-driver-suspended-after-overcharging-k-pop-star-soobin-cebu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349213/filipino-taxi-driver-suspended-after-overcharging-k-pop-star-soobin-cebu?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:07:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Pyo Kyung-min On a recent weekend afternoon, Hwang In-woo, a university student in his 20s, found himself standing in line for something called “butter rice cakes” – yet another trending dessert he never intended to try. Hwang said he has been eating his way through South Korea’s latest food crazes largely at the urging of his girlfriend, who regularly discovers new items on social media and insists they try them together. “I wouldn’t usually go out of my way to buy these if it weren’t for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348793/crispy-chewy-soft-why-texture-not-taste-rules-south-koreas-current-viral-food-trends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3348793/crispy-chewy-soft-why-texture-not-taste-rules-south-koreas-current-viral-food-trends?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Korean Air said on Friday it will faithfully respond to legal procedures in the United States, where a lawsuit was filed in Virginia on behalf of the estate of Porscha Tynisha Brown, who died at age 33 in March 2024, during a flight from Washington to Incheon operated by the airline. Burns Charest, the law firm representing the complainants, claimed her death resulted from a series of critical failures by Korean Air flight personnel. According to the complaint, Brown experienced sudden... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348875/i-cant-breathe-korean-air-sued-over-flight-death-passenger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348875/i-cant-breathe-korean-air-sued-over-flight-death-passenger?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 03:40:20 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Kim Bong-hwan, who runs a barbecue restaurant in Myeong-dong in central Seoul, is feeling the brunt of rising costs, with wholesale beef prices climbing from about 28,000 won (US$18) per kilogram to more than 40,000 won in recent weeks. “Everything’s going up – beef, pork, eggs, vegetables and even disposable materials like plastic bags and containers,” he said. “Prices have risen 20 to 30 per cent in just a few weeks.” Kim, who has operated the restaurant for more than 15 years, said raising... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348630/south-korean-restaurants-struggle-survive-global-oil-prices-eat-profits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348630/south-korean-restaurants-struggle-survive-global-oil-prices-eat-profits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:44:27 +0000 Young Post,The Korea Times Young Post,The Korea Times Read the following text and answer the quiz below. [1] “Your hips need to push outward while your solar plexus goes down. You do a slight jump in this movement,” a professional dance instructor said to a room of struggling students. About 20 foreigners had gathered at 1Million Dance Studio in Seoul’s Seongdong district on a recent Sunday to learn the introductory choreography for the girl group Katseye’s track “Gameboy”. [2] The studio draws a diverse crowd of international visitors. Rachel, a... https://www.scmp.com/yp/learning-zone/study-tools/reading-comprehension/article/3347719/study-buddy-explorer-love-k-culture-drives-south-korean-tourism-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/learning-zone/study-tools/reading-comprehension/article/3347719/study-buddy-explorer-love-k-culture-drives-south-korean-tourism-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:00:15 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A joke made on a major US talk show has triggered backlash just as BTS prepares for a high-profile American television return – prompting a swift apology from a comedian caught at the centre of the controversy. Seth Herzog, a resident comedian on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, came under fire after making an improvised remark during a Wednesday taping. While warming up the audience, Herzog asked, “Anyone here from the North?” – a line reportedly intended as a general question about... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347972/us-comedian-seth-herzog-apologises-over-offensive-bts-joke?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347972/us-comedian-seth-herzog-apologises-over-offensive-bts-joke?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:14:49 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times “I hardly drink at all – one or two glasses of beer at most.” Kim Min-ha, a 21-year-old student at Sookmyung Women’s University, recently headed to a cafe with fellow club members after a meet-up. They each ordered one of the newly released drinks and chatted for a while before parting ways. On the rare occasions that they do go out for beer, only a few actually order alcohol. Kim said the gatherings usually start at 6pm and end around 8 or 9pm. Kim’s experience reflects the growing spread of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347938/south-koreas-drying-booze-culture-leaves-bars-parched-i-just-order-cola?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347938/south-koreas-drying-booze-culture-leaves-bars-parched-i-just-order-cola?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:59:43 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times BTS member Jin’s absence from the credits of the group’s latest album has sparked a debate among fans after what has been seen as a tense moment during a live broadcast went viral. BTS held a full-group live stream last Friday to celebrate the release of their fifth full-length album, Arirang, where members discussed the production process and revealed some behind-the-scenes stories. During the broadcast, RM said, “Everyone’s colour is in the album”, before adding, “If Jin’s tour had ended a bit... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347792/bts-fans-fume-over-jins-absence-arirang-credits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347792/bts-fans-fume-over-jins-absence-arirang-credits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:52:11 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Pyo Kyung-min Now that K-pop juggernaut BTS have officially made their comeback – having just staged a free performance at the Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21 and with three more dates at Goyang Stadium on April 9, 11 and 12 – fans from around the world are once again planning journeys that extend far beyond a single night of music. For many members of Army, BTS’ official fandom, travelling to South Korea is also about stepping into the physical landscapes that shaped the group’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3347533/10-bts-pilgrimage-spots-south-korea-every-army-fan-should-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3347533/10-bts-pilgrimage-spots-south-korea-every-army-fan-should-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 03:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A social media post showing a cafe charging 2,000 won (US$1.35) for restroom use without a purchase has sparked heated debate online in South Korea. The image featured a screenshot of a self-order kiosk displaying a menu item reading “restroom use without ordering”, priced at 2,000 won per person per visit. The post also drew mixed reactions in an online community for small business owners. One user said the fee was understandable, writing that many people come in just to use the restroom... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347122/south-korean-cafes-us135-toilet-without-ordering-menu-flush-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347122/south-korean-cafes-us135-toilet-without-ordering-menu-flush-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 06:00:18 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Bereket Alemayehu Kim Wan-jun, who calls himself a “soju artist”, published the English translation of his book, How to Drink Soju: A Guide to K-Drinking Culture & Games, last month. The 300-page book provides an in-depth look at the history of soju, a Korean distilled alcoholic drink, while exploring its cultural significance and the customs surrounding it. Kim, a self-proclaimed upcycling artist known as Funnyjun, has been documenting South Korea’s drinking culture since 2014 and sharing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346853/drinking-soju-south-korea-english-guide-will-teach-you-rules-you-may-not-know?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346853/drinking-soju-south-korea-english-guide-will-teach-you-rules-you-may-not-know?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea’s long-awaited public inquiry into the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush opened on Thursday with tearful testimony from survivors and heated exchanges between police officials accused of mishandling emergency calls on the night of the disaster. The hearing came more than three years after the tragedy, following prolonged political gridlock, disputes over accountability and repeated delays in forming an independent investigative body. The National Commission for the Investigation of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346336/south-korea-witnesses-describe-chain-failures-itaewon-crowd-crush-inquiry-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346336/south-korea-witnesses-describe-chain-failures-itaewon-crowd-crush-inquiry-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:43:42 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times “Your hips need to push outward while your solar plexus goes down. You do a slight jump in this movement,” a professional dance instructor says to a room of struggling students. About 20 foreigners are gathered at 1Million Dance Studio in Seoul’s Seongdong district on a recent Sunday to learn the introductory choreography for the girl group Katseye’s track “Gameboy”. The studio draws a diverse crowd of international visitors. “I have loved dancing since I was young, but it is too expensive in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345976/how-gen-z-k-pop-fans-are-reshaping-south-korean-tourism-through-cultural-immersion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345976/how-gen-z-k-pop-fans-are-reshaping-south-korean-tourism-through-cultural-immersion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The United Arab Emirates has asked South Korea to accelerate deliveries of Cheongung-II surface-to-air missile batteries to help intercept incoming attacks, officials familiar with the matter said. The request comes as Iranian forces have launched retaliatory strikes across the Middle East following continued attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. The system, sold to the UAE in recent years as part of Seoul’s expanding defence exports, has been integrated into the country’s broader air... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345797/south-korean-missile-shield-vs-iranian-barrage-fight-protect-uaes-skies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345797/south-korean-missile-shield-vs-iranian-barrage-fight-protect-uaes-skies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:15:51 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The Korea Times is hosting its third Korean Language Speaking Contest, offering participants a chance to showcase their Korean language skills and compete for prizes worth a total of 12 million won (US$8,150). The contest, which runs until May 7, drew about 1,800 applicants last year, reflecting growing global interest in Korean language and culture, according to The Korea Times. This year, one award recipient currently enrolled in a Korean university or graduate school will be offered a summer... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3345659/korean-language-speaking-contest-offers-prizes-and-internship-non-native-speakers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3345659/korean-language-speaking-contest-offers-prizes-and-internship-non-native-speakers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Hankook Ilbo The second season of Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars has turned Korean temple food into a highly competitive global spectacle, bringing the Venerable Seonjae a flood of offers to capitalise on her new-found fame. South Korea’s first designated master of temple food has refused the commercial hype, choosing to educate international and younger audiences about a cuisine rooted in mindfulness and ecological concerns. “I stopped my lectures in June last year and I am currently... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345272/culinary-class-wars-ven-seonjae-being-currently-unemployed-temple-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345272/culinary-class-wars-ven-seonjae-being-currently-unemployed-temple-food?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 04:45:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Seoul will offer its patented artificial intelligence system, which automatically detects and reports sexually exploitative content online, free of charge to institutions across South Korea. The technology, first introduced in 2023, uses 24-hour real-time monitoring to automatically identify unlawful sexual images and videos on illicit websites and social media, request their removal and block re-uploads, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday. City officials say the first... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345335/seoul-shares-award-winning-ai-sex-crime-detection-tool-free-across-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345335/seoul-shares-award-winning-ai-sex-crime-detection-tool-free-across-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Images claiming to be from the wedding shoot of South Korean Girls’ Generation group member Tiffany Young and actor Byun Yo-han spread rapidly online – before being confirmed as artificial intelligence-generated fakes. Soon after Young, 36, and Byun, 39, announced they had registered their marriage, photos reportedly of couple began circulating across social media and online communities under the title “Tiffany–Byun Yo-han wedding photos”. The images depicted Young in a pink-toned wedding dress... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345078/fake-young-byun-yo-han-wedding-photos-highlight-concern-over-hyperrealistic-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345078/fake-young-byun-yo-han-wedding-photos-highlight-concern-over-hyperrealistic-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 03:50:30 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A year after his work The Curious Case of Benjamin Button won the 2025 Laurence Olivier Award for best new musical, Jethro Compton has big Hollywood studios calling to ask for meetings. He declines them all. Instead, the British writer and director is working as dramaturge on an English adaptation of The Last Man, a South Korean one-person zombie musical set in a tiny bunker – and the last project most people would expect from the hottest name in West End theatre. “I’m saying, ‘No, no, I’m busy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3344590/why-did-olivier-award-winner-jethro-compton-turn-down-hollywood-korean-zombie-musical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3344590/why-did-olivier-award-winner-jethro-compton-turn-down-hollywood-korean-zombie-musical?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 09:15:09 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Park Jin-hai Undeterred by criticism of her previous acting roles, Blackpink’s Jisoo now has her eyes set on romcom queen status in the coming Netflix series Boyfriend on Demand. The singer-actress will portray Seo Mi-rae, an exhausted webtoon producer who finds escape in a mysterious app that delivers a custom-fit heartthrob boyfriend each month to tend to her emotional needs. “Virtual reality didn’t feel like a distant future, and my character, Mi-rae, is about my age,” Jisoo says. “I chose... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3344839/mi-rae-so-lucky-why-blackpinks-jisoo-jealous-boyfriend-demand-character?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3344839/mi-rae-so-lucky-why-blackpinks-jisoo-jealous-boyfriend-demand-character?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 04:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Park Jin-hai The Art of Sarah cuts through South Korea’s luxury obsession with the precision of a scalpel. The Netflix mystery thriller, starring Shin Hye-sun, follows a woman who transforms her personal ruin into an audacious counterfeit empire – and in doing so, holds a mirror up to a society that willingly confuses desire with identity. From the first episode, Sarah Kim (Shin) signals her ambitions visually. She carries a crocodile leather Hermès Birkin bag valued between 90 and 120... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3344704/k-drama-art-sarah-proves-korea-luxury-goods-are-id-card?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3344704/k-drama-art-sarah-proves-korea-luxury-goods-are-id-card?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 09:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea unveiled an ambitious package of tourism measures on Wednesday, including looser visa rules, expanded regional airport routes and a crackdown on price gouging, as part of a government effort to attract 30 million inbound visitors. The plan, which includes granting visa-free entry to Indonesian travellers and expanding automated entry processing to nationals from European Union member states, was announced at the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Kim... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344576/south-korea-axes-visa-barriers-indonesians-30-million-visitor-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344576/south-korea-axes-visa-barriers-indonesians-30-million-visitor-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:47:41 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A wave of online backlash against South Korea is spreading across Southeast Asia, fuelled by a dispute over fan behaviour at a K-pop concert and intensified by controversial comments from public officials, highlighting how quickly digital tensions can take on a regional dimension. Posts accusing Koreans of discrimination have circulated widely on social media in recent days, with users from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand sharing calls to boycott Korean products and culture. A hashtag invoking... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344189/southeast-asians-unite-digital-boycott-south-korea-seabling-trends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344189/southeast-asians-unite-digital-boycott-south-korea-seabling-trends?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:20:40 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea will take part as an observer in the inaugural meeting of the US-led “Board of Peace”, dispatching a former envoy to Thursday’s session in Washington, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Kim Yong-hyun, former ambassador to Egypt, will attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace scheduled for February 19, as the South Korean representative,” the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. A ministry official said that South Korea would attend as a non-member observer... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343904/south-korea-signals-cautious-support-trumps-board-peace-attending-observer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343904/south-korea-signals-cautious-support-trumps-board-peace-attending-observer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:45:35 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Income earned by single-person media creators such as YouTubers in South Korea has risen by more than 25 per cent over the past four years, surpassing 70 million won (US$49,000) annually on average, while the top 1 per cent made nearly 1.3 billion won each, highlighting stark income polarisation, data showed on Monday. According to Park Sung-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party, YouTubers reported combined earnings of 2.47 trillion won – averaging around 71 million won per person – in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343671/average-south-korean-youtuber-earnings-jump-25-4-years-us49000-annually?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343671/average-south-korean-youtuber-earnings-jump-25-4-years-us49000-annually?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 02:50:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times With Lunar New Year approaching, Beijing-based Lu Xiao decided to try dermatology treatments for the first time, hoping to look her best for family gatherings during the break. “I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media about the effects of dermatology treatments recently, and they looked quite appealing, so I wanted to try it myself,” Lu says. She flew to South Korea for a three-day trip earlier in February and opted for Thermage and ultrasound-based lifting treatments at a clinic in Seoul’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3343397/chinese-tourists-flock-south-korea-beauty-treatments-ahead-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3343397/chinese-tourists-flock-south-korea-beauty-treatments-ahead-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 11:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times For many South Korean families, traditional holiday gatherings may be getting smaller this Lunar New Year, but suitcases are getting bigger. More than half of flight searches this holiday are for Japan, signalling a sharp shift away from the domestic travel boom that defined the holiday last year. Flight search data from Skyscanner shows Japan accounts for 51.6 per cent of all Lunar New Year holiday queries by South Korean travellers, with Fukuoka leading at 23.3 per cent, followed closely by... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343178/south-koreans-swap-ancestral-rites-japan-getaways-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343178/south-koreans-swap-ancestral-rites-japan-getaways-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:36:19 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times When Drew Binsky stepped into a gosiwon in Seoul, the doorway alone offered a clue to the life inside. The entrance measured barely 61cm (24 inches) across – narrow enough to require a slight turn of the shoulders to pass through. Binsky, an American travel YouTuber with millions of subscribers, documented his experience in his video “Inside Korea’s smallest apartment,” posted on February 1. The video tours several gosiwon facilities across Seoul and drew more than 1.9 million views within days... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343051/inside-seouls-closet-homes-youtube-tour-reveals-reality-gosiwon-living?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343051/inside-seouls-closet-homes-youtube-tour-reveals-reality-gosiwon-living?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:43:45 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea is tightening Korean-language screening for incoming migrant workers under its Employment Permit System, placing greater emphasis on speaking skills amid concerns that language barriers can contribute to worksite accidents and hinder communication at factories, farms and construction sites that increasingly rely on foreign labour. The Human Resources Development Service of Korea, a public agency under the Ministry of Employment and Labour, announced on Monday that it would revise the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342947/seoul-tightens-migrant-language-screening-over-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342947/seoul-tightens-migrant-language-screening-over-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:26:25 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Kim Se-jeong Netflix’s romance series Can This Love Be Translated? has drawn attention for many reasons, including the casting of Japanese actor Sota Fukushi as Hiro, a Japanese superstar whose initial contempt for Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung) gradually turns into love as the story unfolds. Fukushi’s role is smoothly woven into the narrative as a Japanese celebrity working alongside a top Korean star, with several scenes filmed in Japan. The casting of Japanese actors in Korean productions – and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/article/3342581/when-k-drama-meets-j-drama-sparks-fly-korea-and-japan-team-screen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/article/3342581/when-k-drama-meets-j-drama-sparks-fly-korea-and-japan-team-screen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 11:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times “I would be grateful if they take me. If they don’t, there’s nothing I can do.” At first glance, the North Korean prisoner of war captured in Ukraine looked rather calm as he appeared on MBC’s investigative programme, PD Notebook. But in reality, only one outcome awaits if he fails to make it to South Korea. “I won’t survive,” the prisoner said, describing what would happen to him if he were returned to North Korea. In North Korea, soldiers are taught that being captured is an act of treason and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342720/north-korean-soldier-ukraine-fears-forced-repatriation-i-wont-survive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342720/north-korean-soldier-ukraine-fears-forced-repatriation-i-wont-survive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 23:00:13 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Like many other things in Korea, K-pop rarely pauses to explain itself. New groups debut, concepts cycle, controversies surface and fade. The industry absorbs the moment, recalibrates and quickly moves on. That forward momentum has long been part of its appeal. It is also what makes the system difficult to read from the outside. However, beneath the choreography and camera-ready polish, a quieter question persists: why does K-pop feel so engineered, not just in sound or style, but in how its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/bands/article/3342461/stray-kids-aespa-k-pop-loving-business-expert-breaks-down-industrys-systems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/bands/article/3342461/stray-kids-aespa-k-pop-loving-business-expert-breaks-down-industrys-systems?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 04:45:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea has emerged as one of the countries experiencing the world’s largest outflow of wealthy individuals, in part due to its rigid inheritance tax system. A recent analysis by British consultancy Henley & Partners showed on Tuesday that the net outflow of Korean millionaires last year was estimated at 2,400, double the 1,200 recorded in 2024. The figure was the fourth largest globally, following the United Kingdom, China and India. “Korea’s inheritance tax rate of up to 60 per cent may... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342272/south-koreas-inheritance-tax-sparks-millionaire-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342272/south-koreas-inheritance-tax-sparks-millionaire-exodus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:42:39 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3) A one-day theatre show in South Korea tried to give people a new way to enjoy performances. The Mangwon Theatre Project put on five new short plays in a real cafe in Seoul called Bumgoal Coffee. This way, the audience was right in the middle of the action. Instead of separating performers and viewers, the show took place in a regular setting. Actors were among the audience, with no fixed stage or backstage. The performances began before viewers even realised they... https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3340439/seouls-mangwon-theatre-project-stages-plays-unique-setting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3340439/seouls-mangwon-theatre-project-stages-plays-unique-setting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The Mangwon Theatre Project is a one-day theatre show in Seoul, South Korea. It put on five new short plays in a cafe called Bumgoal Coffee. The audience was right in the middle of the action. Instead of separating performers and viewers, the show took place in a regular setting. The show used Korean and English dialogue. Actors sat among the audience, with no fixed stage or backstage. The performances began before viewers even realised it. The Mangwon Theatre Project grew out of ROOOPRI. The... https://www.scmp.com/spark/news/asia/article/3341681/coffee-side-theatre-performances-seoul-cafe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/spark/news/asia/article/3341681/coffee-side-theatre-performances-seoul-cafe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:00:14 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The bustling Daehangno area in Seoul, South Korea, is a haven for artists and art lovers. Theatre posters layer the walls, and audiences drift between small stages, cafes and late-night bars. Tucked inside the Arts Council Korea (Arko) Artist House is a quieter kind of stage. Behind its doors sits Renaissance, a music salon that feels less like a venue and more like a time capsule. Vintage speakers tower over the room, record players and old amplifiers sit like relics of another era, and faded... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3341754/retro-music-salon-seoul-wants-you-sit-still-and-listen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3341754/retro-music-salon-seoul-wants-you-sit-still-and-listen?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 09:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times On a lively weekend afternoon beneath Marina Bay Sands, there is no stage, no spotlight and no audience in the conventional sense. Still, familiar music fills the underground concourse. A group of teenage girls moves in sync to rookie K-pop girl group Hearts2Hearts’ “Focus”, counting beats under their breath. A few meters away, another dance team rehearses choreography to Twice’s “Feel Special”, adjusting their formation as shoppers pass by. No one appears surprised. Scenes like this now unfold... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341916/all-singapore-k-pops-stage-new-tourism-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341916/all-singapore-k-pops-stage-new-tourism-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:55:45 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labour has apologised to the family of a Cambodian migrant worker who died after living in a makeshift “greenhouse dormitory” and vowed to reinforce protections for foreign workers, following a Supreme Court ruling that found the government liable. In a statement issued on Thursday after the decision, the ministry said it respects the ruling of the Supreme Court and promised to help swiftly proceed with compensation procedures for the bereaved family of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341820/south-korea-forced-act-after-cambodian-workers-death-freezing-greenhouse-dorm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341820/south-korea-forced-act-after-cambodian-workers-death-freezing-greenhouse-dorm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:01:18 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A precautionary recall of infant formula products in Europe has sent South Korean parenting communities into a frenzy, with online mum cafes and forums buzzing over fears that some popular imported brands may pose health risks to babies. While the recall affects several European manufacturers, much of the anxiety in South Korea has centred on Aptamil – a premium brand widely dubbed the “Gangnam formula” for its association with wealthy families and high-end parenting choices. The recall involves... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341751/rich-south-korean-mothers-panic-over-aptamil-baby-milk-formula-recall-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341751/rich-south-korean-mothers-panic-over-aptamil-baby-milk-formula-recall-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:28:23 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times At the training centre for KD Transport Group, South Korea’s largest bus operator, in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, boyish-looking men stood out among about 100 drivers gathered for safety training on January 20. According to the company, 47 of the 460 drivers at its Pangyo branch are in their 20s or 30s, accounting for roughly 10 per cent of the workforce. “Most of them joined within the last year or two,” a company official said. “It is unusual to see such a sharp increase in young... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341707/why-south-koreas-gen-z-steer-towards-bus-driving-job-market-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341707/why-south-koreas-gen-z-steer-towards-bus-driving-job-market-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:14:41 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Chung Sang-hwa, a towering figure in Korean modern art whose meticulously built and cracked monochrome surfaces turned a flat canvas into a signature grid, died on January 28 after a prolonged illness. He was 93. Over a career that stretched from the upheaval of the 1950-53 Korean war to the international rediscovery of dansaekhwa, or monochrome painting, in the 21st century, Chung pursued a single question with near-ascetic focus: how to push the two-dimensional plane beyond its limits without... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3341640/korean-artist-chung-sang-hwa-dies-93-leaving-behind-legacy-monochrome-painting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3341640/korean-artist-chung-sang-hwa-dies-93-leaving-behind-legacy-monochrome-painting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:18:00 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Thefts at jewellery stores are on the rise in South Korea amid gold’s record-breaking rally, market watchers said on Thursday. International gold prices recently surpassed US$5,300 per ounce for the first time, driven by weakening confidence in US dollar assets amid geopolitical tensions and recent remarks by US President Donald Trump advocating a weaker dollar. Police reports of attempted gold thefts have risen sharply. The suspects tried to quickly convert the stolen items into cash, police... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341671/jewellery-store-heists-sweep-south-korea-amid-soaring-gold-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341671/jewellery-store-heists-sweep-south-korea-amid-soaring-gold-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:17:00 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sparked intense debate with his comments on the “metropolitan visa” policy, aimed at supplying foreign labour to the country’s industrial regions. The controversy escalated after President Lee openly criticised the shipbuilding industry’s reliance on low-wage foreign workers during a visit to Ulsan, a hub for the nation’s maritime sector. His remarks have divided stakeholders. Local governments and businesses view the visa as a desperate measure to solve... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341546/south-koreas-metropolitan-visa-shipbuilding-worth-cost-foreign-labour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341546/south-koreas-metropolitan-visa-shipbuilding-worth-cost-foreign-labour?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:11:57 +0000