Working parents challenge ban on dawn delivery

Korea’s dawn delivery services are drawing renewed attention after a public petition opposing possible restrictions gained thousands of signatures, following online speculation that the system may be curbed to address working-condition concerns for couriers. The petition posted on the National Assembly’s public petition platform has received more than 5,000 signatures since it was uploaded on Thursday. In it, a working mother raising two children wrote that dawn delivery had become “an important

Nov. 16, 2025

The storm before the calm: A day before Suneung, cheer rallies echo around Korea

On Wednesday morning, epic cheers echoed across high schools in Korea the day before Suneung, the nation’s annual College Scholastic Ability Test. Suneung is a nine-hour exam that is taking place today, bringing the nation to a near-standstill as students sit for the test that will shape their futures. In support, 10th and 11th graders cheered for seniors taking the test the next day. Joongdong High School stands out every year for its powerful, synchronized cheer rallies. The event, which begin

Nov. 13, 2025

A dog on the loose – and a morning rescue that became something more

It was supposed to be an ordinary morning commute at Gupabal Station in northern Seoul. Then, out of nowhere, a small dog came sprinting through traffic — leash dragging behind it, no owner in sight. “I was at Gupabal Station waiting for my friend Sam at a bus station. We were going to go hiking. And then I saw a small dog, a Chihuahua, running in the middle of the road," said Nelson Cho, 36. "My initial reaction was to run after it.” Little did he know that this small rescue, a simple good Sama

Nov. 11, 2025

White House official praises K-beauty: 'My skin has never looked better'

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has praised Korean skin care, commenting that her “skin has never looked better” after using Korean skin care products purchased during her visit to the country, local media reported Wednesday. According to the Chosun Ilbo, a local daily, Leavitt, who accompanied US President Donald Trump on a two-day trip for the APEC summit in Gyeongju, said she “loved South Korea and the Korean people” and hopes to return in the future. On Oct. 29, Leavitt made an

Nov. 5, 2025

UAE royal delegation takes home a taste of Korea — stir-fried kimchi

From Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s chicken and beer summit to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s K-beauty haul, the recently concluded APEC summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, offered an endless stream of behind-the-scenes stories. But for the United Arab Emirates delegation, one unexpected highlight stood out: stir-fried kimchi. According to officials from Busan’s hotel industry, the UAE royal family and delegation, led by Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al N

Nov. 4, 2025

Seoul cafe removes “No Chinese” sign after human rights probe

A cafe in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong has deleted its controversial Instagram bio declaring its does "not accept Chinese guests” after the National Human Rights Commission of Korea launched an investigation into alleged racial discrimination. The cafe, identified as Permanent Habitat, became the center of public backlash in late October after posting the message, “We’re sorry. We do not accept Chinese guests.” The post quickly spread across Korean and Chinese social media, sparking heated debates over

Nov. 3, 2025

Chicken and chips prove winning combination as tech titans join Nvidia’s GeForce festival in Seoul

“These are my chimaek buddies!” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shouted with a wide grin as he stood on stage with Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun at the GeForce Gamer Festival held at Coex’s K-pop Square in Seoul on Thursday. The atmosphere at Coex quickly turned electric as the trio appeared before a packed crowd of gamers, fans and tech enthusiasts. Just hours earlier, the three business leaders had shared a casual get-together, which also i

Oct. 31, 2025

White House official’s K-beauty haul draws attention amid APEC diplomacy in Gyeongju

Karoline Leavitt, the 28-year-old White House press secretary traveling with US President Donald Trump on his state visit to South Korea, caught social media’s attention after posting her K-beauty haul on Instagram. “South Korea skincare finds,” she captioned the post with a heart emoji, showing a carefully arranged display of Korean skincare products — from sheet masks and "zero pore" pads to brightening serum, cleansing oil and sunscreen. Although Leavitt did not reveal where she made her purc

Oct. 30, 2025

Team Bunnies’ fundraiser representative revealed to be a minor: report

The representative of Team Bunnies, a segment of the NewJeans fandom under investigation for illegal fundraising in support of the group, has been revealed to be a minor, local media reported Tuesday. According to Chosun Biz, the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office determined that Team Bunnies’ online campaign on Oct. 21, 2024, which raised more than 50 million won ($35,000), was an unregistered fundraiser in violation of the Donations Solicitation Act. However, since the person behind t

Oct. 28, 2025

[Life in Korea] Double life of Anthony King: dancer and director in Seoul

Anthony King, 33, is a US-born filmmaker and professional dancer based in Korea, but his trajectory began far from studio lights: middle-school sports, anime music videos and an obsession over the arcade rhythm game, Dance Dance Revolution. A friend’s demonstration of a break dancing move called the “turtle stall” lit the fuse. “He showed me that, and I thought it was the most impressive thing in the world,” King said. Little did he know this would be the beginning of a chapter that would take h

Sept. 22, 2025