True Crime (9) His parents killed his spirit. Then he killed them

"I understand why he did it." The words came from Lee Gi-seok, the older brother of a man accused of killing his parents, during a police interrogation. The statement stunned investigators. The victims — Lee’s mother and father — had been discovered on May 24, 2000, dismembered and stuffed into garbage bags. The suspect in custody was their younger son, Lee Eun-seok. From the outside, the Lee brothers appeared to be well brought up, from an unremarkable, even enviable, family. Both of their pare

Jan. 29, 2026

How to work in Korea with student visa (2) - Korean language criteria and work hour limits

Even if they get a work permit, the total hours foreign students are allowed to work varies according to the level of their Korean language skills. To be considered proficient in Korean, freshmen and sophomores must have TOPIK level 3, completion of KIIP level 3 or KIIP pre-evaluation of at least 61 points, or completion of intermediate 1 in at the King Sejong Institute Foundation. For juniors and seniors, the criteria are at least level 4 in TOPIK or KIIP, a KIIP pre-evaluation test score of 81

Jan. 27, 2026

Should babies cry it out to learn to sleep independently? Parents, experts divided

A baby sleeping alone in a separate room from as young as 100 days old is an often idealized, yet unrealistic, thought for many families in South Korea, where children commonly share their parents' bedroom well into their toddler years. But these days, a growing number of young Korean parents have begun sharing their infant sleep-training journeys on social media, posting videos of their babies' nighttime routines — being left to cry until they fall asleep, waking and settling back to sleep on t

Jan. 26, 2026

How to work in Korea with student visa (1) - Basic rules and eligibility

With about a quarter million foreign students enrolled in Korea as of 2025 and more than 56,000 holding part-time jobs, questions over what international students can legally do to earn a living continue to grow. Korean law permits limited employment for holders of study visas but only under strict conditions aimed at preventing illegal work and ensuring that academic commitments remain the primary purpose of their stay. Study visas in Korea largely cover the D-2 category for university programs

Jan. 24, 2026

Tips on moving (4) - Custom clearance for those moving to Korea

Foreign nationals moving from another country to South Korea can get a tax exemption for some household items that they have used for at least three months prior. Different standards are applied to persons moving to Korea (defined as those seeking to reside in South Korea for at least a year, or at least six months with family) and short-term residents (those staying here for between three months and under a year, or between three months and under six months with family). But some items are subj

Jan. 17, 2026

Tips on moving (3) – Reporting place of residence

Foreign nationals staying in South Korea for more than 90 days are required to register their initial place of residence and any future changes of residence. You must report your address to your region's immigration office, district (gu) office, or town (dong) community service center within 14 days of moving to the new place. To register the change of address in person, you must visit the office with a copy of your lease agreement along with identification (residence registration card or passpo

Jan. 15, 2026

Tips on moving (2) – Getting your deposit back

Housing rental contracts in South Korea usually involve a much larger security deposit than in most other countries, which means getting the deposit back is crucial. The Housing Lease Protection Act, in Article 4(2), states that even after the lease term ends, the lease relationship continues until the tenant's deposit has been returned. Until such time, both the landlord and the tenant continue to have the rights and obligations of the agreement. Under Article 6 of the same act, both the landlo

Jan. 12, 2026

Tips on moving (1) — What’s ‘bokbi’?

As in any country, moving in South Korea involves navigating a range of practical considerations, from reclaiming your housing deposit and paying real estate commissions to registering your change of address with the authorities. This installment of the series looks at issues that often arise when searching for a new home, including local customs and legal considerations that may be unfamiliar to newcomers. If you are renting or buying a home for the first time in Korea, it is important to under

Jan. 10, 2026

Shirts off, goals on: Daegu's New Year runners brave the cold

DAEGU — On the first Sunday of 2026, as the cold snap that had gripped the country through the holidays began to ease, nearly 2,400 shirtless men wearing shorts and women in sports bras and leggings gathered in the city of Daegu. Their breath fogged the air and their cheeks flushed red as temperatures hovered just above zero. Yet among those stretching and jogging laps across the lawn as they warmed up for the race, the energy pushed the chill aside. They were participants in the annual “New Yea

Jan. 5, 2026

‘Too strong for marriage?’ Horse sign women push back against old zodiac myth

The Year of the Fire Horse has dawned. The horse -- the seventh of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac -- is known for its agility, muscular strength and resilience, and symbolized courage and a pioneering spirit in ancient Korea. Some of those beliefs persist today, in negative portrayals of women born in the Year of the Horse as too strong and lacking femininity, or positively depicting them as energetic and career-driven. Experts say such beliefs are groundless. Strong or stubborn? The super

Jan. 1, 2026

True Crime (7) Phantom of the high-rise

South Korea boasts a remarkably high murder case clearance rate, reaching nearly 98 percent in 2022, according to government data. By comparison, the United States solves only around 58 to 60 percent of murder cases. If you know Korea, it’s not hard to see why. The country is a surveillance-heavy society, where nine out of 10 cars are equipped with dashcams, and security cameras are nearly everywhere, from homes to city streets. In a country so closely watched, it seems almost impossible for a c

Dec. 18, 2025

Finding the safest place to live in Seoul

Seoul, a megacity bustling with nearly 10 million residents, is considered one of the safest places to live among major cities across the globe. Aside from anecdotal evidence of Seoulites leaving their cellphones and bags in public places to save a spot without concern of theft, international media outlets regularly place the South Korean capital near the top when ranking the most secure cities in the world. A 2025 ranking by CEO World rated Seoul 27th out of 300, and the Economist Intelligence

Dec. 17, 2025

This new hobby is bringing back long-buried construction fantasies in office-bound men

Im Hong-seob, 39, recently bought a remote-controlled excavator. It was not for his 9-year-old son. “I made a sand tray with leftover delivery boxes, then used the digger to move around beans or marbles, or to fill paper cups with sand,” he told The Korea Herald. "Before I knew it, an hour had passed." While remote-controlled toys are more typically associated with speedy sports models or off-road vehicles, his collection is filled instead with construction vehicles: an excavator, a concrete mix

Dec. 15, 2025

Officetel, a unique form of living that has its ups and downs

As in many countries, South Korea’s single-person households often choose studio or small apartments — commonly called “one-room” or “two-room” here, depending on their size. One of the most popular alternatives is the officetel, a hybrid commercial-residential unit classified as quasi-housing under the Housing Act. As its name suggests, it can be used for both work and living, though most units are occupied solely as residences. An officetel building typically combines offices, retail spaces an

Dec. 13, 2025

Why park golf is a perfect fit for aging South Korea

On a Wednesday afternoon when Seoul’s temperature plunged to minus 10 degrees Celsius, dozens of seniors gathered on a field near a stream in Gangnam-gu. Bundled up in padded jackets, hats and gloves, groups of three or four roamed the area with golf clubs in hand, hitting the balls off the ground as they wandered from place to place. Soft cheers rose whenever a ball rolled cleanly toward the flagstick, followed by lighthearted groans when it slipped past the hole, turning the quiet streamside i

Dec. 9, 2025