https://www.scmp.com/rss/329150/feed David D. Lee attended the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. He has covered social issues, popular culture and the political arena as a reporter in the US, Israel and South Korea. David currently works as a freelance reporter in Seoul, where he enjoys runs at the Han River and frequently goes searching for trendy cafes in the alleyways of the city. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com David D. Lee David D. Lee Gwanghwamun Square, the symbolic centre of the South Korean capital Seoul, is home to two statues – King Sejong, architect of the Korean alphabet Hangul, and Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the naval hero who repelled Japanese invasions – with the gates of the historical Gyeongbokgung Palace rising behind them. On March 21, this open-air plaza will play host to a different kind of national icon: BTS. The seven-member group – made up of members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – will stage a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346835/free-bts-concert-mark-k-pop-comeback-no-other-are-you-ready-army?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346835/free-bts-concert-mark-k-pop-comeback-no-other-are-you-ready-army?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:15:08 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee At the bustling Han Market in central Da Nang, two Vietnamese vendors tease a middle-aged South Korean tourist by calling him harabeoji, or “grandfather” in Korean. “I’m offended!” he jokes. The women grab his arms and laugh. “It’s OK, it’s OK.” The man had returned to their stall after buying 200,000 dong (US$7.60) worth of macadamia nuts the day before. It is a small moment of banter, repeated dozens of times a day in a city that many people from South Korea jokingly call their own unofficial... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345771/da-nang-south-korean-province-why-coastal-city-hit-east-asian-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345771/da-nang-south-korean-province-why-coastal-city-hit-east-asian-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 08:00:08 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee It began with a late-night declaration of martial law and has ended, for now, with a gavel. In the 443 days between those two moments, South Korea’s democracy was tested in ways most countries never experience. Citizens formed human chains to block troops from reaching the National Assembly. Lawmakers rushed through corridors in the dead of night to kill the martial law decree by vote. The Constitutional Court upheld a president’s impeachment. Millions took to the streets in protest. A new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344617/what-yoons-life-sentence-means-south-korean-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344617/what-yoons-life-sentence-means-south-korean-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:13 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee For a moment, Kim Seon-ho’s return looked complete: a Netflix hit, overseas buzz and a career seemingly past the scandal that forced him into an indefinite hiatus in 2021. Then a new controversy hit – this time, over taxes. Kim’s agency, Fantagio, was quick to deny that a theatrical production company he reportedly registered at his home address in January 2024 under his parents’ names had been used to reduce his tax liabilities. The 39-year-old star of Can This Love Be Translated? has not been... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3343517/why-south-koreas-hallyu-heroes-find-taxes-so-taxing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3343517/why-south-koreas-hallyu-heroes-find-taxes-so-taxing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:28 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee Relations between long-time allies South Korea and the United States have hit another unexpected flashpoint even as Seoul struggles to iron out tariff talks with Washington – the uproar over a data breach involving online giant Coupang, dubbed the Korean Amazon. The US-listed company that provides e-commerce, entertainment streaming and food delivery services to nearly 34 million South Koreans – more than 60 per cent of the population – last November disclosed a massive data leak exposing the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342531/coupang-data-leak-threatens-south-korea-us-ties-amid-tariff-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342531/coupang-data-leak-threatens-south-korea-us-ties-amid-tariff-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:14 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee It has been just over a month since Lee Hyun-jun* was discharged from his mandatory military service, but the 22-year-old college student already feels he has hit an invisible wall regarding his future. “Whenever I search for jobs, internships or fellowship programmes on online platforms, they always ask for the name of your university,” Lee told This Week in Asia. “Looking at the comments section, people are saying most places prioritise which school you graduated from. They say you might as... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341877/south-korea-fights-academic-pedigree-hiring-bias-turns-everyone-losers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341877/south-korea-fights-academic-pedigree-hiring-bias-turns-everyone-losers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee In the predawn cold of a northern Seoul neighbourhood, hundreds of people line the street in padded coats, stamping their feet to keep warm. Adults, students and young children wait patiently for the same thing: a Dubai chewy cookie. Known in Korean as dujjonku, the dessert has triggered queues that begin before sunrise and sell out within minutes. At one bakery, demand grew so intense that sales were reportedly limited to certain days, before in-store purchases were halted altogether to keep... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3340884/how-k-pop-post-sparked-south-koreas-viral-dujjonku-cookie-obsession?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3340884/how-k-pop-post-sparked-south-koreas-viral-dujjonku-cookie-obsession?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:30:13 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee In the space of a single week in early December, three household names in South Korean entertainment abruptly retreated from the spotlight. Actor Cho Jin-woong announced his sudden retirement on December 6 after decades-old reports resurfaced online about his brief stint in juvenile detention. Two days later, television host and comedian Park Na-rae suspended her broadcast appearances following claims she had mistreated staff and received unauthorised medical treatments. And fellow comedian Cho... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3337108/worship-witch-hunts-how-south-koreas-fandoms-turn-their-idols?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3337108/worship-witch-hunts-how-south-koreas-fandoms-turn-their-idols?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:10 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee From sold-out stadium tours in the US, Europe and Asia to history-making Grammy nominations, K-pop has never stood taller on the global stage. Yet within South Korea, many say the music they once called their own now feels made for someone else. For fans like 21-year-old university student Lee Ye-jin, that shift hits every time she turns on the radio or scrolls through new releases on her phone. Lee has been a member of “Light” – the official fan club of popular boy band Highlight – since 2016.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336263/why-south-koreans-are-falling-out-love-k-pop-its-all-english-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336263/why-south-koreans-are-falling-out-love-k-pop-its-all-english-now?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:10 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee When online outrage torpedoed the latest episode of One‑Punch Man, few saw past the animation flaws. But what followed exposed a creative industry buckling under impossible expectations. The sixth episode of the long-awaited third season of the Japanese superhero saga – once praised for its sharp humour and kinetic style – stumbled onto screens under the weight of its own hype in October. Viewers flooded social media with complaints about its uneven pacing and “rushed” storytelling. On reviews... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3335388/one-punch-man-backlash-exposes-cracks-japan-and-south-koreas-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3335388/one-punch-man-backlash-exposes-cracks-japan-and-south-koreas-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 04:00:09 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee When Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong took the stage at an Nvidia event in Seoul last month, his wry observation – “Why are there so many iPhones here?” – was met with knowing laughter from the assembled crowd. For a country that prides itself on the global success of home-grown brands like Samsung, South Korea is seeing an increasing number of its young people opt for American alternatives. A July poll by Gallup Korea found more than 60 per cent of respondents in their twenties used an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3333733/apple-their-eye-why-south-koreas-gen-z-want-american-brands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3333733/apple-their-eye-why-south-koreas-gen-z-want-american-brands?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 00:00:10 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee In an era defined by digital hyperconnectivity, members of South Korea’s Gen Z are reaching back in time, finding unexpected meaning in an analogue past they never experienced. From the flutter of handwritten love notes to the gentle click of cassette players and the rustle of bus tickets tucked into pockets, many of the country’s top-rated television dramas are bringing a pre-digital age to life for a generation raised on smartphones. These stories, set against the backdrop of social upheavals... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3330250/south-koreas-gen-z-find-solace-past-they-never-knew?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3330250/south-koreas-gen-z-find-solace-past-they-never-knew?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 00:00:11 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee A growing number of young South Koreans are vanishing into Southeast Asia’s criminal underworld, lured by the promise of high-paying jobs – only to end up trafficked, tortured or killed. Many, fleeing a stagnant labour market at home, are being deceived by transnational crime syndicates into running online scams and illegal gambling operations. Others join willingly in search of easy money. But all eventually find themselves exploited, victims of criminal enterprises that span the lawless border... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3329836/why-south-koreas-gen-z-are-falling-prey-scam-gangs-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3329836/why-south-koreas-gen-z-are-falling-prey-scam-gangs-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:13 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee On a crisp morning just north of Seoul, Ryu Da-yeon hands over her smartphone to her teacher – a ritual so familiar she barely notices it. Next spring, this routine will become law as South Korea embarks on a sweeping attempt to stem the tide of digital distraction in its schools. The nationwide ban on smartphone use in primary and middle schools is aimed at addressing rising concerns over technology’s impact on young minds. The legislation was passed by the National Assembly last month with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3326160/south-koreas-school-smartphone-ban-aims-curb-teen-tech-addiction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3326160/south-koreas-school-smartphone-ban-aims-curb-teen-tech-addiction?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 03:00:10 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee When North Korean leader Kim Jong-un rose from his chair after a two-hour meeting with Vladimir Putin in Beijing last week, aides swooped in almost instantly, polishing the table and scrubbing the seat he had just occupied. The bizarre spectacle was not just political theatre or a quirk of the supreme leader’s personality, analysts say; it was an act of counter-intelligence. Kim travelled to Beijing for China’s Victory Day parade, the first occasion the North Korean leader has been seen in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3324774/why-kim-jong-un-travels-his-own-toilet-battle-biometric-espionage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3324774/why-kim-jong-un-travels-his-own-toilet-battle-biometric-espionage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:00:18 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee Seoul’s neon-lit streets regularly draw throngs of young visitors, eager to soak up the city’s reputation as the global epicentre of K-pop, TikTok trends and high-speed living. But beneath the curated image of its most famous cosmopolitan metropolis, South Korea is wrestling with a more complex demographic reality: how to integrate the growing number of foreigners who now call the country home. Today, foreign nationals account for nearly 5 per cent of the population, or around 2.73 million... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3323702/seoul-shuffle-why-foreigners-are-loving-and-leaving-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3323702/seoul-shuffle-why-foreigners-are-loving-and-leaving-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:21 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee In Seoul’s hip Hongdae neighbourhood, 19-year-old Choi Jae-eun is already deep in conversation with her friend about the latest anime drop on Netflix. The pair are making their way to Animate, a shop inside AK Plaza whose shelves overflow with Japanese manga, anime figurines and limited-edition merchandise. Pop-up stalls themed around blockbuster series lure teenagers and twenty-somethings who, until recently, might have been dismissed as otaku – a once-derogatory term for obsessive fans. But... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3322040/south-korea-and-japan-culture-bridges-historical-divides-quite-contrast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3322040/south-korea-and-japan-culture-bridges-historical-divides-quite-contrast?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 00:00:13 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee Few groups survive a decade in the relentless world of K-pop. But on a charged June night in Goyang, industry juggernauts BTS celebrated 12 years since they first burst onto the scene. Last month’s 2025 BTS Festa saw more than 60,000 fans pack the Kintex centre in the Seoul suburb to commemorate the group’s anniversary. That same weekend, J-Hope held the final dates of his world tour in a nearby stadium complex, marking the first time all seven members of BTS were seen on stage together again... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3319635/what-7-year-curse-bts-blackpink-and-new-era-global-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3319635/what-7-year-curse-bts-blackpink-and-new-era-global-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 00:00:16 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee For years, South Korea’s government has invested billions in missile shields and early warning systems, determined to keep the threat of Pyongyang’s ever-expanding arsenal at bay. But the relentless exchange of missiles that defined last month’s Israel-Iran conflict exposed a harsh truth, analysts say: that even the most advanced defences can be pierced, and even the best-prepared nations may find themselves outmanoeuvred – offering a sobering reminder for South Korean military planners of how... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317117/what-can-south-korea-learn-israel-iran-war-stop-norths-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317117/what-can-south-korea-learn-israel-iran-war-stop-norths-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 01:30:14 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee It was an early summer day and, without a cloud in the sky, the temperature in Seoul Olympic Park hit 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). But the rising heat did not deter Elena Joo from attending this year’s Seoul Jazz Festival, with international headliners such as Thundercat, Jacob Collier and Lany, as well as chart-topping home favourites like Crush, Epik High and Jannabi. “This is my first time going to the Seoul Jazz Festival after putting it off for the past few years,” said the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3314871/how-south-koreas-music-festival-scene-getting-bigger-louder-and-more-diverse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3314871/how-south-koreas-music-festival-scene-getting-bigger-louder-and-more-diverse?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:15:07 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee NewJeans’ abrupt disappearance from the K-pop spotlight has shaken South Korea’s multibillion-dollar music industry – not just because of the group’s meteoric rise and global reach, but for what the saga reveals about increasingly blurred lines of power and the fragile nature of artist-label relations in the world’s most systematised pop machine. The five-member girl group – consisting of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein – went on indefinite hiatus last month after a Seoul court ruled... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3309147/newjeans-gone-what-k-pop-groups-saga-reveals-about-power-play-artist-label-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3309147/newjeans-gone-what-k-pop-groups-saga-reveals-about-power-play-artist-label-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 01:30:20 +0000 In one of Seoul’s wealthiest districts, four-year-olds are being drilled to write five-paragraph English essays in 15 minutes. These gruelling tests, designed for admission into exclusive English-language kindergartens, are the latest front in South Korea’s relentless education arms race – one that critics warn is exacerbating inequality and robbing children of their emotional well-being. Entrance exams featuring questions more suited to secondary school students are not uncommon in the elite... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3305274/south-korea-crushing-academic-pressures-start-kindergarten-its-very-worrying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3305274/south-korea-crushing-academic-pressures-start-kindergarten-its-very-worrying?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Apr 2025 02:00:22 +0000 Last December, a series of plastic surgery ads were splashed on the side of buses and bus stops around Seoul. While this is nothing new for South Korea, a country that accounts for nearly 25 per cent of the global aesthetic surgery market and where nine in every 1,000 people have received some form of alteration, it was the faces of actresses Jeon Jong-seo and Jang Yoon-ju on the posters that caught the attention of many. Gangnam Unni, responsible for the campaign with the tagline “Accurate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3301578/beauty-beyond-borders-rise-and-rise-south-koreas-plastic-surgery-empire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3301578/beauty-beyond-borders-rise-and-rise-south-koreas-plastic-surgery-empire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 02:00:26 +0000 In the land of K-dramas, where love stories unfold with heart-fluttering romance and impossibly perfect protagonists, a reality dating show is flipping the script – and winning hearts. I Am Solo, a show that feels more like a mirror to the messy, awkward and practical realities of modern romance, has become a cultural sensation in South Korea. First aired in 2021, the show has featured nearly 300 contestants over more than 180 episodes, and its popularity shows no signs of waning. Each series,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3299682/i-am-solo-south-koreas-messy-awkward-dating-show-reflects-nations-reality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3299682/i-am-solo-south-koreas-messy-awkward-dating-show-reflects-nations-reality?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Feb 2025 00:00:09 +0000 Glacial winds cut through Hannam-dong, an upscale neighbourhood in central Seoul home to the official residence of impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol, where a single invisible boundary divides thousands of demonstrators braving sub-zero temperatures. On one side are the supporters of the nationwide movement demanding Yoon’s removal from office. Their calls escalated dramatically after his shocking declaration of martial law on December 3. On the other, Yoon’s supporters are standing firm, ready... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3294323/south-koreas-political-crisis-deepens-generational-divide-creates-rift-family-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3294323/south-koreas-political-crisis-deepens-generational-divide-creates-rift-family-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jan 2025 07:00:09 +0000 At the most prestigious event for South Korea’s film industry, acclaimed actor Jung Woo-sung stepped into the spotlight not to celebrate, but to apologise for fathering a child outside of marriage. Advocates for single-parent households say the ensuing uproar surrounding one of the country’s most famous actors reflects South Korea’s deep-rooted cultural stigmas and systemic inequities that continue to marginalise non-traditional families. Jung, 51, made his first public appearance at the Blue... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3289762/jung-woo-sungs-blue-dragon-apology-sparks-debate-single-parent-families-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3289762/jung-woo-sungs-blue-dragon-apology-sparks-debate-single-parent-families-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Dec 2024 01:00:17 +0000 Once a part-time artist sketching on the backs of old calendars, Joo Dong-geun now stands at the forefront of South Korea’s webtoon revolution, with his zombie-based creation All of Us Are Dead becoming a global sensation on Netflix. Many of the biggest South Korean dramas that have been adapted for major broadcast channels and streaming platforms in recent years, from Hellbound to Reborn Rich, have their roots in the world of webtoons. These webtoon-based dramas, backed by the country’s leading... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3287776/all-us-are-dead-creator-south-koreas-webtoon-boom-and-his-netflix-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3287776/all-us-are-dead-creator-south-koreas-webtoon-boom-and-his-netflix-success?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Nov 2024 07:30:09 +0000 In a quiet cafe nestled in Seoul’s vibrant Itaewon district, 56-year-old Ahn Andersen carefully unfolds a set of preserved documents – the only tangible links to a past she’s been pursuing for decades. A language teacher from Denmark, Andersen has made seven pilgrimages to South Korea since 2004, each trip a quest to piece together the fragmented story of her early life. She was sent to two orphanages and a foster home within 26 months of her birth before being adopted by Danish parents. Yet,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3285729/south-koreas-battered-child-adoption-industry-left-many-limbo-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3285729/south-koreas-battered-child-adoption-industry-left-many-limbo-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Nov 2024 02:30:08 +0000 The confession by South Korean comedian Lee Jin-ho over his gambling debts has prompted calls by anti-vice activists for stronger measures to protect vulnerable groups from the growing social menace. Lee, a member of the popular TV show Knowing Bros, recently ended his public appearances due to his debt problem. The 38-year-old posted on Instagram earlier this month about how he “started playing on an online illegal gambling site in 2020 by chance and ended up with a debt that was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3283447/does-south-korea-have-gambling-problem-comedians-debts-spotlight-social-menace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3283447/does-south-korea-have-gambling-problem-comedians-debts-spotlight-social-menace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:09:33 +0000 At Seoul’s bustling Hongik University Station, French tourist Nagete Amandedano and her sister approach the information desk to ask for directions in their native language. But rather than speaking to a station employee, they interact with an OLED screen. On the other side, a Korean employee – who doesn’t speak French – speaks to the pair, and his message is instantly translated so that they can understand. Installed late last year, this AI-powered translation service is part of a broader... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3282054/south-koreas-advanced-ai-improves-subways-and-veterinary-care-cutting-edge-technology?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3282054/south-koreas-advanced-ai-improves-subways-and-veterinary-care-cutting-edge-technology?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Oct 2024 07:30:09 +0000 At this year’s DaVinci Motel, a festival in Seoul showcasing South Korea’s cutting-edge creatives, one of the most anticipated events was not a musical performance but a talk by Min Hee-jin, a key figure behind some of K-pop’s biggest acts who has become one of the industry’s most outspoken critics. Speaking to a packed audience, Min denounced K-pop’s rigid structures and formulas, which she said prevented artists from reaching their full potential. “You will never reach the top spot if you only... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3281160/newjeans-producer-min-hee-jin-slams-k-pop-industry-calls-factory-system-disease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3281160/newjeans-producer-min-hee-jin-slams-k-pop-industry-calls-factory-system-disease?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Oct 2024 02:30:06 +0000 In South Korea, protesters are demanding government accountability for the alarming rise of deepfake pornography, with experts warning that systemic misogyny and inadequate enforcement have allowed digital sexual abuse to proliferate unchecked. On Friday evening, around 1,200 demonstrators, representing hundreds of civic organisations, marched through downtown Seoul, chanting, “Let’s stop being anxious and scared and fight to get back our lives!” Gathering at the Bosingak Bell Pavilion, speakers... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3277862/south-koreas-deepfake-porn-epidemic-victims-demand-action-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3277862/south-koreas-deepfake-porn-epidemic-victims-demand-action-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Sep 2024 02:00:11 +0000 The dangers of the internet, and the seedy criminal element of the online world, are once again making news in South Korea, following what is being called the “second Nth Room case”. The scandal involves a criminal mastermind given the alias “L”, who police are tracking down – along with possible accomplices and viewers of illegal content – for coercing minors to perform sexually degrading acts on camera and profiting from their distribution and sale to users through the private messaging app... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3193545/south-korea-hunts-down-leader-new-nth-room-sex-crimes-soar-despite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3193545/south-korea-hunts-down-leader-new-nth-room-sex-crimes-soar-despite?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Sep 2022 03:00:26 +0000 At a dinner on the Floating Island in Seoul’s Han River on September 3, the city’s mayor, Oh Se-hoon, proudly told guests about a recent Wall Street Journal article with the headline: “Seoul – Not Hong Kong – Is the Newest Art Capital of the World”. “It was my master plan to make us the cultural hub of Asia by 2030, but we have already seen this come to light,” he said at the VIP event hosted by the city government in honour of the first Frieze art fair held in Asia. Frieze, the London-based... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3191982/k-pop-k-dramas-k-movies-now-art-seoul-cultural-hub-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3191982/k-pop-k-dramas-k-movies-now-art-seoul-cultural-hub-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Sep 2022 05:19:36 +0000 Frieze, the fast-expanding London art fair organiser, on Friday opened its first Asian edition in Seoul. And rather than being hosted outdoors in Frieze’s signature marquee, the fair is taking place in Asia’s largest underground shopping mall. Frieze Seoul’s preview day at the COEX, with its state-of-the-art aquarium, in the affluent district of Gangnam in the South Korean capital opened with more than 110 galleries from 21 countries exhibiting. They include Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, David... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3191147/frieze-seoul-art-fair-debuts-mall-not-marquee-tap-rapid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3191147/frieze-seoul-art-fair-debuts-mall-not-marquee-tap-rapid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Sep 2022 10:15:22 +0000 South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol marked his 100th day in office on August 17 amid waning public support by his base of disillusioned young men as he struggles to deliver on his election promises and navigate personal and political controversies. Yoon, a former prosecutor general with no political experience, has come under fire for his lack of experience, with many young men calling him a “newbie who collected money but didn’t do any work”, “amateur” and “salary thief”, according to a survey... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3190530/south-koreas-embattled-yoon-spurned-young-antifeminists-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3190530/south-koreas-embattled-yoon-spurned-young-antifeminists-over?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Aug 2022 00:30:26 +0000 Yoo Hee-yeol has been branded as a “musical genius” and described as one of the most respected South Korean musicians and composers of this generation. He started the band Toy in 1994, and would soon have chart-toppers with love songs Remember I was Next to You and Good Person. He is also known for producing iconic hits for legends like Yoon Jong-shin, Sung Si-kyung and Lee Seung-hwan. But he will undoubtedly be known to younger people as the host of his self-titled music talk show, Yoo... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3188959/what-yoo-hee-yeols-fall-musical-genius-status-after-plagiarism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3188959/what-yoo-hee-yeols-fall-musical-genius-status-after-plagiarism?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Aug 2022 01:00:19 +0000 The assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe created shock waves throughout Japan and the rest of the world. The news had a particularly profound effect among religious organisations originating from South Korea, given the late premier’s connections to the Unification Church. Those organisations are called “fringe churches” because it is thought they “systematically and deliberately force religious gaslighting” on followers, according to Tark Ji-il, a professor at Busan... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3187140/church-or-cult-abe-murder-spotlights-unification-church?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3187140/church-or-cult-abe-murder-spotlights-unification-church?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jul 2022 05:00:20 +0000 A notorious supreme leader, prison camps, assassinations, nuclear missile tests and brainwashed citizens. Just some of the words that come to mind when referring to North Korea. It’s also become customary to paint the “hermit kingdom” as dark, desolate and devoid of freedom. That is why netizens were quick to label tourist YouTube channel “Zoe Discovers” as propaganda. It shows Zoe Stephens, a 28-year-old British woman, talking with a smiling North Korean guard at the heavily guarded... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3186210/are-youtubers-videos-north-korean-parties-daily-life-or-propaganda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3186210/are-youtubers-videos-north-korean-parties-daily-life-or-propaganda?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Jul 2022 03:00:24 +0000 South Korea’s chequered history with the death penalty is set to come under fresh scrutiny as the country’s Constitutional Court on Thursday begins deliberations on the matter for the first time in 12 years. The country of 51 million is widely seen as abolitionist in practice – it has not hanged anyone for 25 years – but the latest case before the Constitutional Court is raising hopes among anti-death penalty activists that a complete and irreversible abolition is possible. Thursday’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3185189/why-south-koreas-catholic-bishops-want-dormant-death-penalty-be-fully?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3185189/why-south-koreas-catholic-bishops-want-dormant-death-penalty-be-fully?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Jul 2022 00:30:27 +0000 Students at an elite South Korean university who filed a lawsuit over “noisy” labour protests have found themselves under attack for their perceived lack of empathy for the rights of the less privileged. In May, three students at Seoul’s private Yonsei University sued the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union’s (KPTU) branch president at Yonsei and the team’s vice-president for allegedly holding “illegal and unregistered protests that generated stress and invaded one’s right to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3184894/south-koreas-yonsei-students-under-fire-suing-underpaid-cleaners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3184894/south-koreas-yonsei-students-under-fire-suing-underpaid-cleaners?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:30:13 +0000 BTS has been the most popular South Korean boy band for years, winning major awards and topping the charts at home and abroad since their 2013 debut. They have also become one of the most-talked about groups in the world, and not just for their music, speaking at the UN last year about the climate change struggles of young people and to US President Joe Biden in May, discussing anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination. But such overseas activities have prompted some compatriots to question the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3182148/south-koreas-bts-band-break-taboos-are-seen-many-doing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3182148/south-koreas-bts-band-break-taboos-are-seen-many-doing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jun 2022 11:56:40 +0000 Kim Min-jae quit his dream job at one of South Korea’s biggest video game developers last year to focus on living life on his own terms. He and his girlfriend now split their time between island holidays, daily yoga sessions and evening walks – and they don’t plan to work for a living ever again. The 35-year-old is a member of South Korea’s “FIRE tribe”, a movement that takes its name from the acronym for Financial Independence, Retire Early first popularised by the 1992 book Your Money or Your... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3180334/quit-your-job-live-your-life-south-koreas-fire-tribe-seek?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3180334/quit-your-job-live-your-life-south-koreas-fire-tribe-seek?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jun 2022 02:30:15 +0000 Cho Ju-bin made history for all the wrong reasons. In 2020, he became the first suspect ever in South Korea to have his identity revealed before conviction, after 2.7 million people signed a presidential petition demanding to see his face. The 24-year-old was later jailed for 42 years. His crime? Blackmailing underage girls to perform degrading sexual acts on video that he then uploaded to chat rooms on private-messaging app Telegram, in what became known as the “Nth Room” case. Cho’s conviction... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3178566/south-koreas-women-fear-nth-room-repeat-now-yoon-suk-yeols-charge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3178566/south-koreas-women-fear-nth-room-repeat-now-yoon-suk-yeols-charge?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 May 2022 03:30:25 +0000 Asia is often painted as restrictive and less liberal than the West, but when it comes to abortion, many Asian societies have legalised the medical procedure. In much of the region, there is close to no debate about banning abortions, despite the United States now attempting to overturn abortion rights. From metropolitan societies like Singapore and South Korea, to Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, abortions are legal – albeit tied to varying conditions. Dr Subatra Jayaraj,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3177619/asias-progressive-abortion-laws-safe-accessibility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3177619/asias-progressive-abortion-laws-safe-accessibility?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 May 2022 02:30:16 +0000 In Seoul’s notoriously packed underground at peak travel time on a Monday morning, commuters look surprised as wheelchair-users try to gain access. With the help of police and subway authorities, who put down a ramp for the wheelchairs, South Korean activists are continuing their fight for equal treatment for people with disabilities. The Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) and other groups have been protesting on Seoul’s undergrounds during peak morning commutes since early... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3177064/south-koreas-disabled-fight-be-seen-after-decades-being-denied?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3177064/south-koreas-disabled-fight-be-seen-after-decades-being-denied?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 May 2022 03:30:24 +0000 Until now, no exceptions have been made for K-pop stars when it comes to South Korea’s mandatory military service for able-bodied young men. After all, the nuclear-armed and weapons-testing North Korea is not far away, and the two sides are technically still at war. That helps explain why global superstars like rapper G-Dragon, a member of the group Big Bang, and Exo singer Chanyeol have both gone through the rite of passage of wearing military gear for at least 18 months. But now it seems... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3175615/will-south-koreas-k-pop-stars-bts-march-beat-own-drum-or-join?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3175615/will-south-koreas-k-pop-stars-bts-march-beat-own-drum-or-join?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Apr 2022 02:00:26 +0000 Singapore is often seen as a bellwether of policy direction in Asia, offering clues on the best practices for regulating everything from cryptocurrency and healthcare to public transport. But until recently, it was lagging behind its neighbours in one glaring aspect: allowing healthy, single women to freeze their eggs. The island nation has for years sought to boost its dismal birth rate, which at 1.12 babies per woman last year ranked among the lowest in the world. The global average is 2.3.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3174379/social-egg-freezing-singapore-follows-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3174379/social-egg-freezing-singapore-follows-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Apr 2022 01:00:14 +0000 It’s been just days since Yoon Suk-yeol won the South Korean presidential election, but already the backlash has begun. Yoon, of the conservative People Power Party, beat his rival Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, in last week’s poll by a whisker, taking 48.56 per cent of the vote to Lee’s 47.85 per cent. While many supporters gathered at Yoon’s home to shower him with praise, others had a very different reaction. The terms “immigration to Canada”, “candlelight protest” and “No. 2 man” – a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3170538/south-korean-women-throw-down-gauntlet-anti-feminist-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3170538/south-korean-women-throw-down-gauntlet-anti-feminist-president?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Mar 2022 23:00:18 +0000 As South Korea heads to the polls this week to choose its next president, the country’s women have been asking themselves another question: would you marry a “No 2 man”? In presidential elections, Korean voters use a numbering system to indicate their candidate of choice. Candidate No 2 on ballot papers for Wednesday’s election is Yoon Suk-yeol of the main conservative opposition People Power Party. Lee Jae-myung, of the ruling Democratic Party, is Candidate No 1. Which of these front runners... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3169699/marry-no-2-man-south-korea-women-use-presidential-preferences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3169699/marry-no-2-man-south-korea-women-use-presidential-preferences?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Mar 2022 09:49:18 +0000