Hadong and Gurye

  Countryside charms and nature's beauty await along the banks of the Seomjingang River   Gazing southeast, the sun rises slowly but surely over the horizon. The Seomjingang River’s pristine waters reflect the morning light…

Old Is New Again

Young entrepreneurs use old buildings to give Seoul new life   “Dull, inert cities, it is true, do contain the seeds of their own destruction and little else. But lively, diverse, intense cities contain the seeds of their own regeneration,…
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Moving Out?

As rental prices in Seoul climb, more and more residents are fleeing to the suburbs The Hanguk Ilbo reported on June 14 that more and more people were moving out of Seoul. And the statistics bear this out—the population of the city—well,…
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Closed But Comfy

Koreans Increasingly Turn to Closed SNS You might think that with social network services (SNS)—otherwise known as social media—the more open, the better. In Korea, however, “closed” SNS are on the rise, and have been since the end…
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Autorities Strengthen Regulations on International Marriages

Abuses of system prompt immigration authorities to act On April 24, the Korean daily Dong-A Ilbo broke news that Korea’s immigration authorities were planning to revise Korea’s immigration laws to ban Koreans who make under KRW 1.12…
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SKINNY KOREANS

While developed world gets fatter, Koreans remain remarkably thin A graph of obesity rates by nation was posted on the website of a Korean online community. The graph, composed of “emoticons” that grew increasingly spherical in accordance…
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Cyber-Romance in the Age of the Herbivore

As competition in the dating market heats up, many men are opting out The Dong-A Ilbo, one of Korea’s largest newspapers, recently relayed the tale of Mr. Lee, a shy 28-year-old man who, at first glance, seems to be living the dream.…
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Good marriage material in Korea

Korean singles looking for stability Are you a catch in Korea? According to a December poll by popular Korean matchmaking service Duo, more single people are looking for mates with stable jobs like civil servants and teachers. This…
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The Korean Image?

  Poll suggests perceptions of Korea differ according to region The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange conducted a poll of 3,600 individuals in nine countries—China, Japan, Taiwan,…
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HOLLYWOOD’s Korean Invasion

Korean actors, directors make their presence felt on the global stage in a big way Is Korean talent finally getting its Hollywood due? As actress Bae Doo-na garners praise for her starring role as Sonmi-451 in the Wachowskis’ blockbuster…