Many dream of leaving their mundane jobs to pursue something creative and original. Only a few actually take the leap, and even fewer succeed. But it's usually only the stories of the successful that get told; this is not one of those stories. For Dang Yeon-hee, a 34-year-old aspiring webtoon artist in Gyeonggi Province, the journey has entailed many disappointments and painful lessons about harsh realities. It has ultimately turned into a path of self-discovery. "I lacked a sense of r

Hashtag Korea July 24, 2024

After a second date, Lee Tae-hyung, 26, wanted to ask the woman out again. He sent her a KakaoTalk message saying, “Do you have time this weekend?” and the reply he received was, “I don't think I can make time. I have plans this weekend.” “The message made me wonder. Is she politely saying, ‘No, I don’t want to go on another date with you,’ or does this mean that I can ask her again next week?” Lee said. Lee asked his friends and fou

Hashtag Korea July 21, 2024

South Korea's fashion scene is drawing increased interest from well-known global brands, particularly those targeting young women. Several overseas-based labels, such as Alo Yoga, On, Brandy Melville and Human Made, are slated to enter Korea's market. These brands have already garnered a loyal following among young Koreans, who previously relied on overseas purchases to access them. This influx is driven by a confluence of factors. A key driver is the perception that Korean celebriti

Consumer July 19, 2024

South Korean Kim Young-hoon was recognized as the person with the highest IQ in history, scoring 276 at the World Memory Championships, according to the organizer of the competition, the World Mind Sports Council, on Thursday. “The World Mind Sports Council hereby recognizes YoungHoon Kim from South Korea as the person with the highest IQ in the world and congratulates him,” the event organizer said. Before Kim, Chinese-Australian professor Terence Tao held the title of the person wi

People July 18, 2024

Did you just move to Seoul and need tools for furniture assembly? Or perhaps you need items like an electric drill, hammer or wrench for your latest DIY project? Instead of buying and keeping these tools at home for the few times you might need them each year, you can borrow them from community centers in Seoul. The first step is to visit Seoul’s Sharehub website to find a tool rental center near home or workplace. The website is only available in Korean. The website www.sharehub.kr allows

Hashtag Korea July 16, 2024

The number of teenagers seeking medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is growing markedly in Seoul and other major cities, government data shows. There were a total of 17,230 teens seeking ADHD treatment in the capital last year, up 64.3 percent from two years ago when the figure stood at 10,489. Rep. Kim Dae-sik of the ruling People Power Party, which obtained the data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the National Health Insurance Service, said this inc

Social Affairs July 10, 2024

Living in South Korea involves learning to differentiate between various mobile phone alerts and announcements, and deciding which ones to heed and which ones to disregard. These alerts, sent by different authorities such as police, city government and central governmental ministries, may seek assistance in locating missing persons, inform of air quality unsafe for outdoor activities, or warn about occasional trash-carrying balloons sent by North Korea. This summer, there is a new addition:

Social Affairs July 8, 2024

Gold bars found at a recycling site in Seoul have been safely returned to their owner, according to a local news report. The discovery gained attention through a post titled "The Prestige of Banpo Xi Recycling Center" on an online community forum on Wednesday. The post included an image of an apartment complex notice stating, "An employee found gold bars in a case for a CD player. The resident who discarded the CD player, please contact the resident support center to verify owners

Social Affairs July 5, 2024

South Korean ballad singer Sung Si-kyung's newly launched Korean rice wine, Kyungtakju, has been suspended from production for a month by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety due to labeling irregularities. According to the regulator, information such as the product name, manufacturer, individual manufacturing number and the volume of the product were missing. This information is required on product labels even for sample products. Sung can still sell products that have already been pro

Consumer July 2, 2024

The record for the most expensive apartment ever sold in South Korea was broken in June, according to government data tracking real estate transactions. The country's new most expensive apartment is a 273.94-square-meter first-floor unit at Nine One Hannam in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, which sold for 20 billion won ($14.5 million) on June 4. Nine One Hannam is known to be home to celebrities and business moguls, including RM and Jimin of K-pop group BTS and G-Dragon of Big Bang. Completed

Market July 1, 2024

Schools across Korea are on high alert as cases of whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory illness, surge among students in different regions. Daegu city government officials reported 73 cases of the respiratory disease as of last Thursday, the highest number in the past decade. This is a significant increase from the four cases reported in all of last year. Of the 73 cases, 65 involve students from elementary, middle and high schools in Daegu. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis o

Social Affairs June 26, 2024

Seen Aromi, a YouTuber in yoga attire clutching a reusable tumbler, greeted this reporter with a wide smile that crinkled her eyes on June 18. Despite her petite frame, Seen exuded a comfortable confidence that quickly filled the room. Her engaging and straightforward personality has contributed to her devoted fan base of 204,000 YouTube subscribers. However, she has also faced a relentless stream of online criticism. Her content, which has evolved since she first started her YouTube channel six

Hashtag Korea June 26, 2024

When star dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook was accused by his employees of mistreating and bullying them at work in May, the core allegation was that Kang had been monitoring staff messenger conversations and using surveillance cameras. The dispute between Kang and his former employees has sparked a debate about the appropriateness and legality of employers monitoring workplace messengers. Should management have the right to monitor employee communications? While companies may argue that such mon

Hashtag Korea June 25, 2024

Find the answer at the bottom. In many Korean dramas, the protagonist sits inside an orange tent called a "pojangmacha," drinking soju with a concerned friend or love interest. This is why for fans of Korean dramas, pojangmacha -- which means "covered wagon" in Korean -- are indeed a familiar trope. These street food stalls, serving comfort food and drinks, have been a beloved tradition for generations. Menus feature dishes like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), janchiguksu (n

Hashtag Korea June 25, 2024

In the ever-shifting realm of fashion trends, a public dispute between K-pop tastemaker Min Hee-jin and her company, Hybe, has inadvertently launched an unconventional style statement. Min, CEO of Hybe subsidiary Ador, found herself embroiled in controversy in April when Hybe filed a breach-of-trust complaint against her with police. However, it wasn't just the legal battle that captured public attention. Min's attire during her April press conference, in which she swung between a te

Culture June 19, 2024