https://www.scmp.com/rss/323439/feed News and features from the Korea Times, South Korea's oldest English-language newspaper. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Outside Jonggak Station in central Seoul on a chilly Saturday evening, the air carries a hum of anticipation as an escalator climbing towards the third floor of a downtown office complex funnels hundreds of League of Legends fans towards a single glowing destination: LoL Park, the home of the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) competition and the beating heart of Seoul’s esports scene. An hour before the big match between KT Rolster and Gen.G begins, the concourse feels like a high-stakes... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340978/how-seoul-became-worlds-esports-capital-and-using-it-key-tourism-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340978/how-seoul-became-worlds-esports-capital-and-using-it-key-tourism-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 13:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A declining number of dog meat farms in South Korea, driven by government efforts to root out the centuries-old practice of dog meat consumption, has raised questions about what will happen to the dogs currently in the system between now and when the ban takes effect in February 2027. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has confirmed that at least 468,000 dogs are currently kept on farms in cages nationwide, or at some 5,900 related businesses, including slaughterhouses,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340854/south-koreas-dog-meat-ban-leaves-half-million-lives-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340854/south-koreas-dog-meat-ban-leaves-half-million-lives-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:18:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Disney+’s new series Made in Korea dives deep into the dark underbelly of 1970s Korea, a decade that director Woo Min-ho calls an “age of barbarism”. Drawing from real events and personal ambition, the six-part drama follows the collision of two men: Baek Ki-tae (Hyun Bin), who will stop at nothing in his pursuit of money and power, and Jang Geon-young (Jung Woo-sung), a stubborn prosecutor determined to bring him to justice. Woo set out to explore how the hunger for power and a corrupt system... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340623/how-made-korea-disney-shows-countrys-dark-underbelly-1970s?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340623/how-made-korea-disney-shows-countrys-dark-underbelly-1970s?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times For the Korean American community, the first year of US President Donald Trump’s return to power has been defined by a sense of “pure fear”. According to Kim Dong-seok, head of the non-profit Korean American Grassroots Conference (KAGC), the institutional tolerance that once protected immigrants has vanished, replaced by a political environment that views non-citizens with a presumption of criminality. “Even though the US government says it distinguishes between lawful and unlawful immigrants,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340542/korean-americans-face-pure-fear-under-trumps-immigration-policies-activist-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340542/korean-americans-face-pure-fear-under-trumps-immigration-policies-activist-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:51:22 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea’s streets, parks and travel itineraries are being redrawn as a nationwide running trend shows no sign of slowing. Once the preserve of a small group of enthusiasts, running has evolved into a mass hobby, with some 10 million South Koreans now identifying themselves as runners, according to industry and tourism data. That is roughly double the figure from 2015. Marathons and road races are multiplying across the country, and “run trips” that combine travel and races are emerging as a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3339692/whats-fuelling-south-koreas-running-boom-inside-countrys-growing-fitness-obsession?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3339692/whats-fuelling-south-koreas-running-boom-inside-countrys-growing-fitness-obsession?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 05:05:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The year 2026 sees Seoul museums turning to Korean masters and internationally active contemporary artists, while new art exhibitions examine queer art through the lens of the city’s own histories and neighbourhoods. New institutions are also joining the scene, including Centre Pompidou Hanwha Seoul, while the country’s major biennales – Gwangju and Busan – return to anchor the year. Read on to find out more about what lies ahead for Seoul’s art scene in 2026. Korean masters in focus This year,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3339538/damien-hirst-do-ho-suh-and-jonas-wood-among-top-artists-showing-seoul-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3339538/damien-hirst-do-ho-suh-and-jonas-wood-among-top-artists-showing-seoul-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 07:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Young people in South Korea are more likely than their peers in Germany, Japan, France and Sweden to agree that having children would bring great joy, but they also express far stronger concerns about the economic burden of childbirth, a study found. The findings, drawn from a survey of 2,500 adults aged 20 to 49 in each of the five countries, were published in a report titled “A Study on International Cases of Population Policies” by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339598/south-koreans-see-joy-parenthood-fear-economic-strain-study-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339598/south-koreans-see-joy-parenthood-fear-economic-strain-study-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:18:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Food is the starting point for romance in Gimbap and Onigiri, a new Japanese drama pairing Japanese actor Eiji Akaso and Korea’s idol-turned-actress Kang Hye-won. Set to premiere on January 12 on Japanese television station TV Tokyo, the series follows two young adults as they navigate uncertainty in their lives and experience romance despite their different cultures. Rather than centring on cultural clashes, the story unfolds through quiet encounters, creating a story of intimacy that is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3339181/how-netflix-japanese-drama-gimbap-and-onigiri-bridges-cultures-food-and-romance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3339181/how-netflix-japanese-drama-gimbap-and-onigiri-bridges-cultures-food-and-romance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 04:15:12 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Migrant rights and other civic groups have condemned a bill proposed by conservative South Korean lawmakers that would require immigration authorities to publish crime statistics on foreign nationals, broken down by nationality and visa status, warning that the measure could fuel xenophobia. Civic organisations said on Thursday that the proposal would stigmatise immigrants by singling them out as potential criminals, despite evidence showing that foreign residents are less likely to commit... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339202/south-koreas-proposed-foreign-crime-bill-sparks-xenophobia-fears-over-migration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339202/south-koreas-proposed-foreign-crime-bill-sparks-xenophobia-fears-over-migration?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:50:33 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Emanuel Novo has become the Korea Professional Football League’s first foreign goalkeeper in 28 years, a milestone that signals a growing openness in a role long closed to non-Korean players. Yongin FC, named after its home city in Gyeonggi Province and set to enter the second-tier K League 2 this season, announced on Saturday that it had signed the Portuguese goalkeeper. The 33-year-old is the K League’s first foreign goalkeeper since the league lifted its long-standing ban on foreign... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338665/portugals-novo-breaks-through-k-league-barrier-first-foreign-goalkeeper-28-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338665/portugals-novo-breaks-through-k-league-barrier-first-foreign-goalkeeper-28-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:24:09 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times More than 4,000 elementary, middle and high schools across South Korea have shut their doors as the country’s student population shrinks, new data shows. According to the Ministry of Education’s latest figures, revealed on Sunday by Representative Jin Sun-mee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, 4,008 schools under 17 regional education offices nationwide have closed so far as student numbers continue to decline. Junior schools account for most closures, with 3,674 shut down permanently,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3337938/south-korea-closes-4000-schools-permanently-amid-demographic-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3337938/south-korea-closes-4000-schools-permanently-amid-demographic-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 09:19:55 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A novel approach by South Korea to stop its rural areas from dying by paying people to live there appears to be working. Okcheon in North Chungcheong province saw its population grow by almost 1,000 in just over two weeks since it became a participant in the state-backed programme earlier this month, according to The Korea Herald newspaper. The farming community was officially designated a “population decline area” in 2021. By the following year, its population fell to below the 50,000... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3337796/south-korea-vouchers-curb-countys-falling-population-draw-new-residents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3337796/south-korea-vouchers-curb-countys-falling-population-draw-new-residents?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 07:56:14 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg South Korea and the US have agreed to pursue a separate agreement to formalise Seoul’s right to build nuclear-powered submarines, and working-level talks will begin early next year, the Asian country’s national security adviser said on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters after visiting Washington, Wi Sung-lac said he discussed the issue and other security arrangements with senior US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. His trip was aimed at... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3337644/us-grant-south-korea-exception-nuclear-submarine-fuel-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3337644/us-grant-south-korea-exception-nuclear-submarine-fuel-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:34:11 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times As an orchestra plays the overture from Jacques Offenbach’s opera Orpheus in the Underworld, the conductor turns from the podium to signal the audience to quieten down. Facing the orchestra again, he hops lightly with arms spread wide, his legs moving as if waltzing to the rhythm, in a YouTube video that went viral. As the piece builds toward its finale, the pounding drums grow louder and his movements more intense. His arms shake vigorously, as if he were a shaman attempting to connect with the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337453/meet-korean-viral-dancing-conductor-who-says-hes-not-actually-dancing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337453/meet-korean-viral-dancing-conductor-who-says-hes-not-actually-dancing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Mass cheating in online exams has resurfaced during finals at South Korean universities, exposing institutions’ incomplete preparedness and ongoing struggles to establish effective online test controls and guidelines for students’ artificial intelligence (AI) use. According to Seoul National University, on Sunday, the results of a final exam for a general education course offered by its College of Natural Sciences were invalidated after signs of cheating were detected among nearly half of the 36... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3337333/south-korean-universities-face-widespread-cheating-after-ai-exam-scandals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3337333/south-korean-universities-face-widespread-cheating-after-ai-exam-scandals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:54:47 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A group of lawmakers from South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party is seeking to relax a decades-old ban on North Korean websites like the online Rodong Sinmun, reigniting debate over national security and freedom of information. The proposed revision, drafted by Representative Han Min-soo and 11 other lawmakers, would allow people in South Korea to freely visit North Korean websites, while maintaining existing bans on distributing or actively promoting content that violates the National Security... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3336763/south-korea-reopens-bitter-debate-lifting-ban-north-korean-state-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3336763/south-korea-reopens-bitter-debate-lifting-ban-north-korean-state-media?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:55:01 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times With rising tensions between Beijing and Tokyo disrupting travel plans, Chinese tourists are actively seeking alternative destinations for their winter getaways. While South Korea hopes to capitalise on this diverted tourist flow, it faces fierce competition from popular hotspots like Thailand, Russia and other destinations, according to travel industry officials. The diplomatic spat began when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested potential military intervention in the Taiwan Strait,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335196/south-korea-thailand-emerge-top-choice-chinese-tourists-amid-japan-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335196/south-korea-thailand-emerge-top-choice-chinese-tourists-amid-japan-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:06:12 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A floral quilted vest long seen as an unfashionable “grandma-style” item in Korea – commonly nicknamed the “kimjang vest” after the kimchi-preparing process kimjang, because older women often wear it while making kimchi in winter – is enjoying a surprising revival among young consumers as a trendy winter fashion piece. The trend gained further momentum after global K-pop stars such as Blackpink’s Jennie and Aespa’s Karina shared photos of themselves wearing the vest on social media, sparking... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3334486/how-blackpinks-jennie-and-aespas-karina-are-helping-koreas-kimjang-vest-make-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3334486/how-blackpinks-jennie-and-aespas-karina-are-helping-koreas-kimjang-vest-make-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 10:00:13 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The deadly blaze that engulfed a densely populated Hong Kong residential complex has prompted scrutiny in South Korea over whether its high-rise residential and commercial buildings are adequately prepared to prevent and respond to similar disasters. High-rise living in South Korea has skyrocketed in the past decade. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the number of buildings with 25 or more floors climbed from 8,268 in 2013 to 21,033 in 2023. Of South Korea’s 11.67... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3334512/south-korea-high-rise-fire-safety-under-scrutiny-after-hong-kong-tragedy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3334512/south-korea-high-rise-fire-safety-under-scrutiny-after-hong-kong-tragedy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 08:44:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Kim Sung-ho, 38, an office worker, said he is increasingly open to the idea of raising the retirement age in South Korea. “A few years ago, I opposed extending the retirement age,” he said. “But now, living costs and housing prices are getting higher. I worry more about my own future. I think I will need a stable source of income until I get older. Extending retirement age isn’t about the older generation any more. It’s about preparing for the future for my generation too.” Similarly, An... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3333449/many-young-south-koreans-back-later-retirement-amid-pension-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3333449/many-young-south-koreans-back-later-retirement-amid-pension-doubts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:00:18 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Hundreds of South Korean engineers who were arrested and detained during an immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG Energy Solution battery plant in Georgia in September are preparing to sue US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alleging unlawful detention and mistreatment. According to industry sources and a report by ABC News earlier this week, roughly 200 of those detained in the weeklong ordeal are preparing to file a lawsuit against ICE, alleging racial discrimination, human rights... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332508/south-korean-engineers-sue-ice-after-hyundai-lg-plant-raid-georgia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332508/south-korean-engineers-sue-ice-after-hyundai-lg-plant-raid-georgia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:06:04 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A YouTube livestream recently drew attention after a host promoted the sale of puppies in real time, saying, “We only have four dogs left. You’ll be surprised at how cheap they are, prices are completely down. Anyone looking to raise a Samoyed? Take them home for a low price.” Viewers quickly flooded the chat with comments such as “Do you have smaller dogs?” and “Show us the bichon!” The replay of the broadcast has since garnered over 20,000 views. During the stream, the host continued to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332341/south-korea-illegal-youtube-puppy-sales-spark-animal-welfare-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332341/south-korea-illegal-youtube-puppy-sales-spark-animal-welfare-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 09:17:24 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A civic group in South Korea has raised concerns over reports that some Korean men are engaging in organised sex tourism in Laos, with some even reportedly renting long-term housing in major cities to facilitate the purchase of sex. Activists warn that the trend has become so widespread that it is pushing up local rents. Lee Hyun-sook, head of the civic group Tacteen Naeil, which works to prevent sexual crimes against minors, revealed the findings during a CBS Radio interview on Thursday. Her... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332034/sex-tourists-south-korea-drive-rents-laos-reject-it-altogether?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332034/sex-tourists-south-korea-drive-rents-laos-reject-it-altogether?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 07:40:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A new study by researchers in Japan has found a stronger correlation between nose length and penis size than with hand or foot size. Researchers at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine analysed autopsy data from 124 men, measuring various body parts and comparing them to each man’s “stretched penile length” – the length of the penis when gently pulled while flaccid. Their findings, published in the journal Basic and Clinical Andrology, suggest that nose size may indeed be a more reliable... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332024/nose-length-best-indicator-penis-size-japanese-researchers-find?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332024/nose-length-best-indicator-penis-size-japanese-researchers-find?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 06:33:09 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A bill restricting private English tuition for young children is gaining traction in South Korea, with both liberal and conservative authorities uniting to tackle excessive academic pressure on preschoolers. Representative Kang Kyung-sook of the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party, who is leading the legislative effort, said passage of the bill appeared likely amid rising support from superintendents of education offices across the country. “We are viewing the possibility of passing this bill... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3331623/south-korea-weighs-ban-english-education-pre-school-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3331623/south-korea-weighs-ban-english-education-pre-school-children?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:56:20 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Suzy and her two friends from Taiwan wandered through Gwangjang Market in central Seoul on a crisp autumn afternoon. The three professional dancers were in Korea for dance lessons and stopped by the market to try its famous yukhoe, or marinated raw beef. After sharing a bowl of raw beef topped with egg yolk and pear slices at a food stall on the eastern end of the market, the trio explored some hip new additions. At Off Beauty, a warehouse-style beauty outlet, one of them picked up a hand cream... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3330190/where-shop-and-eat-gwangjang-market-seouls-old-textile-hub-turned-hip-mecca?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3330190/where-shop-and-eat-gwangjang-market-seouls-old-textile-hub-turned-hip-mecca?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 23:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times You Jin-kyu lives up to the psychological definition of a “wounded healer” – someone who uses their own pain as a bridge to understand and heal others. Once a socially withdrawn man who had spent nearly five years barely leaving his room in his 20s, You has turned his past into a powerful foundation for business, social advocacy and peer-based job creation. “I found out that even your unwanted, shameful past of social withdrawal can become a qualification,” You says in a phone interview. Now in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3329674/he-turned-5-years-social-isolation-hidden-his-room-foundation-help-others?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3329674/he-turned-5-years-social-isolation-hidden-his-room-foundation-help-others?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Pyo Kyung-min Along Jeju’s serene beaches, a bustling line forms not for the view but for a single, somewhat unexpected purpose: to buy bagels from the South Korean island’s famed branch of the London Bagel Museum. Here, the scent of freshly baked bread drifts through the sea air as visitors hold empty trays in anticipation. For many, the first bite into the bagel – chewy, fermented dough wrapped around thick, salty cream cheese – is less about hunger than the reward for patience. The craze... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3329754/why-koreans-are-going-crazy-bread-and-how-bakeries-have-become-destinations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3329754/why-koreans-are-going-crazy-bread-and-how-bakeries-have-become-destinations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:20:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times This year’s Seoul Mediacity Biennale unfolds as a vast seance – a ritual where the living seek to commune with spirits. If its title, “Séance: Technology of Spirit”, is not a dead giveaway, the clues lie elsewhere. Nearly a third of the artists on view are themselves deceased. Many, in their lifetimes, sought to speak with the other side through their practice: Hilma af Klint, Georgiana Houghton, Onisaburo Deguchi, Emma Kunz and even Nam June Paik. Yet ultimately, the seance here is more than an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3328226/seoul-mediacity-biennale-2025-spirits-rituals-and-supernatural-display?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3328226/seoul-mediacity-biennale-2025-spirits-rituals-and-supernatural-display?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 11:45:08 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A new set of university rankings released in South Korea aims to provide prospective international students with clearer guidance on study options, as the country’s institutes of higher learning expand their efforts to attract global talent amid a shifting academic landscape. The K-universities Global Excellence Rankings, developed by The Korea Times and released on Wednesday, are described as the country’s most internationalisation-focused assessment to date, with more than 60 per cent of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3326703/new-south-korea-university-rankings-reflect-goal-drawing-more-international-students?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3326703/new-south-korea-university-rankings-reflect-goal-drawing-more-international-students?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:18:16 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Marco Polo recalled Quanzhou in the 13th century as “the Haven of Zayton, frequented by all the ships of India, which bring thither spicery and all other kinds of costly wares”. The Venetian explorer portrayed the southeastern Chinese city as the beating heart of the maritime Silk Road, a view echoed by the Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta, who described it as “one of the greatest ports in the world, if not the greatest”. Their words conjure images of harbours teeming with vessels from every... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3325968/why-quanzhou-one-chinas-hottest-domestic-travel-destinations-and-tourist-hidden-gem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3325968/why-quanzhou-one-chinas-hottest-domestic-travel-destinations-and-tourist-hidden-gem?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, the tvN weekend drama that has stirred a global K-food craze, has unveiled behind-the-scenes details of its elaborate food sequences. The series has showcased a variety of fusion dishes that highlight the flavours of Korean cuisine, as well as cooking scenes ranging from a royal-chef selection contest to high-stakes culinary battles with national pride on the line. Creations such as sous vide steak, doenjang (soybean paste), pasta and Peking duck rolls – made with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3325943/k-drama-bon-appetit-your-majesty-real-protagonist-cooking-itself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3325943/k-drama-bon-appetit-your-majesty-real-protagonist-cooking-itself?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Koreans have dubbed it the “night owl getaway” – a weekend city of shimmering towers, acclaimed cuisine and a vibrant urban energy. In recent months, Shanghai has surpassed Tokyo and Hong Kong as the destination of choice for a new generation of Korean travellers, driven by China’s visa-free entry during 2025 and a rising appetite for its cuisine and urban life. According to government statistics, Shanghai welcomed 4.16 million international visitors through mid-August, marking a nearly 38 per... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3325601/why-shanghai-now-more-popular-hong-kong-or-tokyo-young-koreans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3325601/why-shanghai-now-more-popular-hong-kong-or-tokyo-young-koreans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 23:15:09 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A South Korean worker detained in a large-scale US immigration raid earlier this month has alleged mistreatment by American authorities, describing several days spent in degrading conditions under psychological duress at a federal detention centre in Georgia. The man, who declined to be identified, was among more than 300 South Korean nationals arrested during a surprise raid on September 4 at HL-GA Battery Company, a joint venture of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution, near Savannah,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3325729/mouldy-beds-foul-water-and-mockery-south-koreans-detail-grim-conditions-ice-detention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3325729/mouldy-beds-foul-water-and-mockery-south-koreans-detail-grim-conditions-ice-detention?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 09:14:36 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Abdominal obesity among Koreans in their thirties and forties has reached 42 per cent and continues to rise, according to new research. This condition of having excessive “active fat” stored deep within the abdomen, surrounding organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines, is strongly linked to serious health risks. A new study also found that when both parents are obese, their child’s risk of obesity increases by 5.9 times, with girls facing nearly seven times a higher risk. Professor Han... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3325544/koreas-adult-obesity-hits-38-cent-child-obesity-cases-double-past-decade-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3325544/koreas-adult-obesity-hits-38-cent-child-obesity-cases-double-past-decade-study?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 23:15:08 +0000