Weekender In series
Latest trends in Korean culture and society.
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Weekender In series
Latest trends in Korean culture and society.
Would you like to subscribe?
The women behind Korea’s fight for equality
Alongside South Korea’s rapid modernization, women's lives have been profoundly transformed. Korean women continue to face structural barriers, including one of the widest gender pay gaps among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and persistent gender-based violence. The push for equality has also fueled intense debates over feminism and gender relations in Korean society. Yet there have been major gains in education, employment and political participation. Acros
March 7, 2026 - 16:00:02
Trace BTS' history through these 7 tourist spots
With just a month to go until BTS takes the stage at Gwanghwamun Square, anticipation is building across Seoul. The performance — marking the group’s return to full-group activities after over three years — is drawing fans from around the world to the capital. Beyond the square itself, the city is dotted with places tied to BTS’ journey. From historic landmarks to meaningful fan spaces, here are seven stops that add an extra layer of meaning to any concert trip. Gyeongbokgung Jongno-gu, central
Feb. 21, 2026 - 16:00:00
Rise of YouTube politicians tests S. Korea's democratic resilience
A YouTube “silver play button” has become an unlikely new status symbol in South Korean politics. As lawmakers seek more direct ways to reach voters, the silver button, awarded to channels with over 100,000 subscribers, has become a mark of success. But the shift to direct communication carries both political opportunity and hidden costs. In the 300-seat National Assembly, lawmakers are increasingly using the US-based video platform to bypass traditional media and speak directly to voters, with
Feb. 14, 2026 - 16:00:00
Soaring gold prices reshape Korea’s rituals
Gold has long been woven into the fabric of Korean life. The precious metal has traditionally marked key rites of passage, from births and marriages to other major milestones. But soaring gold prices are reshaping customs, prompting cutbacks and substitutions in traditions once taken for granted. The spot price of gold in Korea hovered at around 245,000 won ($168) a gram as of Thursday, representing a roughly 80 percent increase from 138,000 won a year earlier, according to the Korea Exchange. B
Feb. 7, 2026 - 16:00:00
Team Korea’s brightest medal hopes at Milan Cortina 2026
It’s that time of the year again: The 25th Winter Olympic Games is set to bring the world’s top winter athletes together in Milan and Cortina, Italy, next month. Set against Italy’s striking urban and alpine landscapes, more than 3,000 athletes from around the world will compete from Feb. 6-22 across 116 events in 16 sports, sporting drama and spectacle. South Korea is sending a stellar team, with a 71-strong squad competing across six disciplines, setting its sights on winning at least three go
Jan. 31, 2026 - 16:00:00
Too old to dance? Not for 'Dancing Grandmas'
“You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen,” the famous Abba song goes. But for Jun Jum-re, 78, and Jung Yoo-ok, 76, the lyric needs revision. On stages across the world, they have offered a gentle rebuttal. With hair silvered and bodies marked by time, they became dancing queens well into their 70s — and they are having the time of their lives. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the two women traveled the world, performing to sold-out houses and receiving standing ovations in cities
Jan. 24, 2026 - 16:00:09
What counts as ‘good food’ in Korea? Long lines, viral shows and mounting stress
On a chilly afternoon outside Namyeong Station in Seoul, a surprisingly large crowd quietly waits in line for bungeoppang, a traditional Korean fish-shaped pastry filled with red bean paste. The vendor, 62-year-old Kim Jong-sik, flips each one by hand, refusing to mechanize his craft even as demand surges. He sells up to 1,000 pieces on busy days, he says. “If I used machines or more staff, I could sell even more,” Kim says. “But then it wouldn’t taste like mine.” His small store has become a mi
Jan. 10, 2026 - 16:00:00
When racetrack glory fades: The life of racehorses in Korea
Snow, a 11-year-old thoroughbred, used to race. He thundered around Seoul Racecourse Park in Gwacheon, racking up more than 200 million won ($138,000) in prize money. Back then, he was known as Yaho Strong Cat, a name that drew both betting money and cheers from the crowd. But years of intense training and racing took their toll. Snow developed severe hoof problems and was forced to retire. Then in 2021, several years after leaving the track, he was rescued from the grim fate of a slaughterhouse
Jan. 3, 2026 - 16:00:00
A society that no longer dates
Han, a 30-year-old freelancer in Seoul, has been single for two years after ending a long-term relationship. Unlike many of her friends, she does not spend her evenings scrolling through dating apps or going on blind dates arranged by acquaintances. She is not opposed to relationships, nor does she identify as someone who rejects marriage altogether. “I just don’t think about dating much anymore,” she said. “Not because I made a conscious decision to stop, but because it simply stopped being som
Dec. 27, 2025 - 16:00:00
How to live a little better in the new year
As one year draws to a close and another begins, many people find themselves lingering on what fell short while summoning fresh resolve for what lies ahead. It is a familiar moment of reckoning -- part regret, part determination. In recent months, several figures widely loved in Korea have published essays and self-reflection books shaped by lives devoted to practice, work and focus. Together, they offer modest, practical insights for living a little better in the year to come. For Sister Lee Ha
Dec. 20, 2025 - 16:00:00
Ethnic diversity in military is rising, but policies lag, exposing troops to bias, barriers
South Korea's military ranks are being filled by a growing number of soldiers from mixed or foreign backgrounds, but discrimination and barriers persist, with preventative measures falling behind the reality. The military first began conscripting sons of international marriages who held Korean citizenship following legal changes in 2010, which removed long-standing restrictions that had limited “mixed-heritage” men to wartime labor service rather than active-duty roles. That year, the number of
Dec. 6, 2025 - 16:00:00
How Korea’s trails became a cultural destination
Lari, a 20-year-old from France, hiked Gwanaksan in southern Seoul during her first visit to Korea in June. A YouTube video of K-pop singer Boo Seung-kwan at the summit inspired her, as she is a fan of his group, Seventeen. “I really liked the views throughout the trail, even though I was a bit scared at the very top. The few people I met were nice, and someone even helped me find the right way at one point,” Lari said. Long regarded as a destination mainly for older locals, Korea's trails are n
Nov. 29, 2025 - 16:00:00
Singapore, a culinary melting pot
SINGAPORE — Few places in the world wear their multiculturalism as visibly — and as deliciously — as Singapore. The city-state, home to 4.2 million residents as of June, has long been described as a tapestry of cultures, stitched together by its predominant Chinese community (3.11 million), alongside Malays (570,000), Indians (380,000) and Others (150,000). But beyond census tables and demographic categories, nowhere is this diversity more intensely felt than at the dining table. From hawker cen
Nov. 22, 2025 - 16:00:00
Faith in the age of Gen Z: South Korea's religions turn to avatars, acoustics and pop culture
A young Buddhist nun, Catholic priest and Protestant pastor recently appeared on tvN's popular variety show "You Quiz on the Block." Between laughter, filming social media challenges and dancing to the viral "KPop Demon Hunters" song “Soda Pop,” they spoke about how hard it is to avoid K-pop. Their cheerful appearance contrasted sharply with an earlier episode, in which senior clerics discussed doctrine and inter-religious dialogue in hushed tones. More young South Koreans are identifying as ath
Nov. 15, 2025 - 16:00:00
Mountains made easy: Seoul's barrier-free trails open forests to all
Seoul’s barrier-free trails are opening up the city’s green spaces for everyone — from wheelchair users and older adults to parents with strollers. Designed with gentle slopes, wide wooden decks and resting areas along the way, these trails allow people of all mobilities to enjoy the calm and beauty of nature without worrying about steep climbs. As part of the city’s ongoing efforts to promote a healthier lifestyle and provide greater access to green spaces, the trails encourage residents to emb
Nov. 8, 2025 - 16:00:01
