South Korea
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Unlikely Debate: Olympics 'Garlic Girls' and Japanese Porn
A few hours before the Olympics closing ceremony, the South Korean women’s curling team finally got their cellphones back. The country’s most popular Olympics stars, who won a historic silver on Sunday, didn’t have access to the internet or TV throughout the games. Unbeknownst to
How South Korea Got Rid of Its Gun Problem
In the aftermath of yet another mass shooting in the United States, international and domestic media have published articles touting South Korea as a model of gun regulation. But contrary to popular belief, freedom from gun violence is a relatively new development in the country. It’s true that South
Carpooling Apps on Collision Course with S Korea Taxi Drivers
South Korea’s taxi industry is reacting angrily to the latest threat from mobility apps. Following the shutdown of ridesharing service Uber in 2015, this time carpooling apps are threatening to disrupt the country’s transport ecosystem. Two leading local platforms — Luxi and its biggest rival Poolus — are
Undocumented Workers: International Students As South Korea's Migrant Labor
One day in his elective class, Cương just couldn’t stay awake. Whenever the professor started talking, Cương’s eyelids started to feel heavy. His head dropped down to his desk, seemingly on its own. The professor noticed. After class, Cương, an international student from Vietnam, explained to her that
Haeryun Kang: Writing About Dog Meat for Al Jazeera
Managing editor Haeryun Kang contributed an article about the status of dog meat culture in South Korea. Read her Al Jazeera story, “Olympics Brings Focus on South Korea’s Dog-Meat Culture.”
Pyeongchang Olympics: What to Make of North Korea’s Switching Tactics
Editor’s Note: For better or worse, the Pyeongchang Olympics has become famous as much for politics as for sports since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to send a delegation at the last minute. The question of what this all means is not easy to answer. The
Best Meat-Free Buddhist Places to Eat in Seoul
Typically known for fried chicken and barbecued pork belly, Korean food may not seem very vegetarian/vegan-friendly. But off the beaten paths in Seoul (and sometimes smack in the middle of it) stand Buddhist temples that offer clean and modest meat-free meals — even free of charge at times. In
The Kevin Spacey Twist in South Korea's #MeToo Campaign?
The #MeToo movement is intensifying in South Korea. But in the sexually conservative society, the waters get murkier when homosexuality gets involved. On Feb. 1, a film director went public with her experience of sexual assault. She had been assaulted in 2015 by fellow director Lee Hyun-ju and wrote about
"Olympics Fairies": Do the Faces of S. Korea Need to be Pretty Women?
South Korea’s young female placard bearers, officially labeled “placard agents,” made quite an impression at the opening ceremony of Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on Feb. 9. Their conventional good looks, with tall, slim figures and spectacularly designed dresses got plenty of social media users excited. Local media eDaily
This Foul-Mouthed 20-Year-Old is Changing South Korea's Millennial Media
Guk Beom-geun has a message for you, and he’s happy to phrase it in the bluntest possible terms. In a video, while digging in to a bowl of spicy ramen, he addressed the question on everyone’s lips, “What the Fuck is North Korea’s Problem?” “North Korea’s
Jihyun Kim: On South Korea's Dating Culture in BBC World
Korea Exposé’s business manager and writer Jihyun Kim was interviewed by BBC World, on what the dating culture is like in South Korea, specifically discussing the gender expectations imposed on men and women. Listen to her story here (around 45 minutes). Read more of our coverage
Solar Agriculture: South Korea's New Farming Revolution?
Farmer Kim Hong-tae stands and looks out over his field, glinting in the winter sunlight. With the first signs of spring still a month away, Kim’s crops are already ripe for harvest. In fact, they always are, as long as there’s sunlight. Kim, 61, is a solar farmer,