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?
Will Korea’s barely-there stand-up scene stir to life?
When Netflix launched its first Korean stand-up special in 2018, the strategy seemed solid. The plan was to sign big-name comedians, tap into their star power, and introduce local audiences to a genre that had taken off in the US. But the jokes didn’t land. The debut, “Yoo Byung-jae: Discomfort Zone,” received a lukewarm response. The follow-up specials, “Park Na-rae: Glamour Warning” in 2019 and “Lee Su-geun: The Sense Coach” in 2021, didn’t perform any better. None generated the kind of buzz N
June 28, 2025 - 16:00:00
Murder, mystery and make-believe: Inside Korea’s booming role-play game cafes
The lights are out, and the air is thick with tension inside an abandoned psychiatric hospital -- shuttered just a week ago after a devastating fire. Armed with only a flashlight, you step cautiously into the darkness to find three other suspects standing in silence, each tasked with uncovering the truth behind the murder of the hospital director. As you sift through the wreckage together for evidence, every second counts -- before one of you is accused of being the killer. This is not a real cr
June 14, 2025 - 16:00:00
Floral refuge at heart of Seoul
In Seoul, a city defined by its high-rises and sprawling infrastructure, green spaces like Hangang Park, the silver grass fields of Haneul Park, and the tree-lined Seoul Forest offer a chance to slow down and reconnect with nature. For those looking for more than just a scenic stroll, Boramae Park in Dongjak-gu offers something different, starting this week. This year, it plays host to the 10th edition of the Seoul International Garden Show — an immersive event that turns public gardens into liv
May 24, 2025 - 16:00:00
Buffets are back: Diners seek bang for their buck amid inflation
Cho Ha-eun, a woman in her 30s, waited in line for over an hour to enter a casual buffet chain in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, for lunch on a weekend in March. When she arrived around noon, more than 50 groups were waiting outside the restaurant, as it was offering strawberries as part of a seasonal event. “I expected there would be a wait because of the event, but not for 1 1/2 hours. There were several other locations of the same chain across Suwon (offering the same event),” Cho said. The chain
May 17, 2025 - 16:00:00
In pursuit of wellness
PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province — Tucked away from the usual tourist trails, a three-story building stands steeped in mountain greenery and calm. Overlooking the mountains and the meandering river is the Meditation Room, where a handful of guests sit on legless floor chairs, their eyes closed. The only sound in the silent room is the sound of deep breathing at regular intervals. “It’s liberating,” says Kim Mi-hye, one of the six guests meditating at Trivium, a wellness center that primarily offers
May 10, 2025 - 15:58:00
South Koreans get creative with Parents’ Day gifts
May is known as “Family Month” in South Korea, as it has several days to celebrate and show love for those held closest to people's hearts. One such commemorative day is Parents’ Day on May 8. A time-honored tradition in South Korea has children give carnations to their parents to express gratitude for their love and care. However, some Koreans have recently shown a shift in preferences for Parents' Day, as they search for gifts that are more meaningful and worthwhile. Kwon Young-june, a 53-year
May 4, 2025 - 16:00:00
Reinventing life after K-pop trainee days
Beneath the glitz and glamour of K-pop, countless trainees, many still in their teens, spend years perfecting their vocals and choreography, clinging to the hope of one day stepping into the spotlight. A 2022 survey by the Korea Creative Content Agency put their numbers at 1,170. But this figure leaves out K-pop star wannabes outside entertainment agencies -- those training at independent dance studios or trying their luck on platforms like YouTube. For many, the pursuit consumes their entire ad
April 26, 2025 - 16:00:00
Brewing heritage: How Korea’s traditional alcohol is finding new life
Once overshadowed by mainstream choices like soju and beer, traditional Korean alcohol has experienced a resurgence since the early 2020s. The market for traditional drinks in Korea grew from 62.7 billion won ($43.8 million) in 2020 to 147.5 billion won in 2023, and the trend appears to be continuing, with major department stores reporting double-digit on-year increases in their traditional alcohol sales in 2024. This rapid growth is largely driven by younger generations seeking flavors beyond t
April 19, 2025 - 16:00:00
Inside Korea's empty classrooms and efforts to reimagine them
Amid dwindling birth rate, shuttered schools become a growing headache -- and potential asset -- for urban revitalization On a weekday afternoon at around 1:30 p.m., an eerie silence blankets the schoolyard of what was once Hwayang Elementary School in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Where children's laughter once filled the air, now only the rustling of trees in the spring breeze and occasional birdsong break the stillness. The human presence has shifted dramatically. Elderly residents with canes now walk
April 5, 2025 - 13:41:18
Scents and sensibility: How perfumes are redefining K-beauty
The global obsession with K-beauty shows no signs of slowing down. What began as a cult fascination with cushion foundations and 10-step skincare rituals has now bloomed into a multi-billion-dollar export industry. South Korea’s cosmetics exports soared to a record $10.2 billion in 2024, accounting for 76.1 percent of the total domestic. But beneath the glossy sheen of BB creams and sheet masks, another wave is quietly rising — this time, it's perfumed. While Western fragrance houses like Dior,
March 29, 2025 - 16:00:00
From fad to lifestyle: Slow-aging diet gains momentum among young Koreans
Food companies embrace new health trend with more nutritious offerings Ha Sang-hee, a woman in her 30s, regularly shares photos of her homemade meals on social media platform X. Her dishes consistently exclude white rice, processed foods and strongly flavored sauces— a choice she refers to as the "slow-aging diet." To fully enjoy meals without these ingredients, she experiments with recipes and shares her successful creations online. "(After eight months on the diet,) I feel my stamina and immun
March 22, 2025 - 16:00:02
From 'text hip' to 'writing hip': How handwriting has become the new cool
For Park Min-ha, 28, reading has always been a hobby. But in the wake of Han Kang’s historic Nobel Prize in literature win last year, her interest has deepened. Lately, she has adopted a new habit: "pilsa," the practice of writing passages from books by hand. "Just reading a book and moving on didn’t feel like I had truly absorbed it," Park said. "Writing a full review felt like too much work, so instead, I started jotting down lines that resonated with me." She finds the process meditative. "Sl
March 15, 2025 - 16:00:00
Spiritual, but not religious: For more Koreans, mindfulness matters more than membership
In Korea, being 'spiritual but not religious' means trading rigid doctrine for personal rituals, from temple meditation to shamanistic traditions South Korea, at least in modern times, has never had a religious identity centered around a single faith. People have followed various major established religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism and shamanistic traditions, often mixing and matching beliefs to suit their needs. Despite this diversity and fluid approach, nearly half of th
March 8, 2025 - 16:00:00
New names, new life
In Korea, changing one's legal name can be powerful motivation for new life A fresh start can be embraced in many ways. Some South Koreans make a major change by renaming themselves, replacing their first names given by their parents with one they can create themselves. “Gaemyeong,” which literally means “legal name change” in Korean, is used to signify an actual change to one's legal name. It differentiates itself from some overseas celebrities who take professional or stage names but keep thei
March 1, 2025 - 16:00:00
From AI Jesus to virtual shamans: How artificial intelligence is reshaping faith
AI-driven religion is here, and it’s challenging centuries-old traditions At a Protestant church in Germany, hundreds gather before a screen set up above the altar as artificial intelligence-powered service begins. An avatar pastor delivers the sermon, and worshippers stand and sit in unison after prayers, following the digital preacher’s lead. This is not a scene from a sci-fi movie -- it is a real church service that took place at St. Paul’s Church in the German town of Fuerth in June 2023. Ar
Feb. 22, 2025 - 16:00:00
