[Graphic News] Tumblers become daily essentials

Tumblers have evolved from a lifestyle trend into an everyday necessity, with most consumers using them several times a week, according to a survey by Thermos Korea and Gallup Korea. The survey of 3,000 adults aged 20-54 in seven major South Korean cities found that 62.4 percent use a tumbler or thermos bottle at least three times a week, including 33.2 percent who said they use one almost every day. Most respondents (61.1 percent) said they purchased a tumbler to keep beverages at the desired t

2026-07-31 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Package theft tops single-person households' vacation worries

Package theft is the biggest concern for single-person households leaving home for summer vacations, a survey showed. According to a survey conducted by Korean security company S-1 Corp. of 7,556 customers who use its services, 60.3 percent said they plan to leave their homes for summer vacations or extended trips this summer. The survey found clear differences in the concerns of single-person and multiperson households when leaving their homes vacant. Among single-person households, 59.1 percen

2026-07-29 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Korean work hours fall, still above OECD

The average annual working hours for South Koreans fell by 32 hours last year from the previous year but remain nearly 100 hours longer than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average, data showed. South Korea’s average annual working hours came to 1,833 hours in 2025, down from 1,865 hours the previous year, according to the OECD. Amid the South Korean government’s efforts to reduce real working hours, including the introduction of the 52-hour workweek system in 2018, the

2026-07-27 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Foreign spending in S. Korea hits fresh high in May

Monthly spending by foreign tourists in South Korea reached a record high of over 1.4 trillion won ($913 million) in May, marking the third consecutive month foreign spending surpassed 1 trillion won, data showed. Credit card spending by inbound travelers came to 1.41 trillion won in May, up 73.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Tourism Organization. Spending by foreign travelers surpassed 1 trillion won for the first time in March, as global fans of K-pop megast

2026-07-24 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] 98% of Korean parents back smartphone limits

Nearly all Korean parents believe their children’s smartphone use should be restricted, reflecting growing concerns over its impact, according to a recent survey. Rep. Kim Young-ho of the Democratic Party of Korea, chair of the National Assembly's Education Committee, surveyed about 51,000 parents of elementary, middle and high school students in Seoul, Incheon and South Gyeongsang Province. Some 98.1 percent of respondents supported restricting smartphone use. Their top concerns were exposure t

2026-07-22 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Summer travel trends shift toward indoor venues

South Koreans are increasingly opting for indoor cultural and entertainment venues over traditional summer vacation destinations, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. Based on T Map destination search data for July and August 2025, Coex ranked as the most searched destination, followed by Everland and Sokcho Beach. Other popular destinations included the National Museum of Korea, Caribbean Bay and Kintex, highlighting growing demand for exhibitions, shopping and cultural experiences. Pre

2026-07-20 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] S. Korea’s foreign medical spending hits record high

Foreign tourists spent a record $180 million on medical services in South Korea in May, up 74.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. Dermatology led demand at 57.8 percent of spending, followed by plastic surgery at 18 percent. The surge in medical spending was largely driven by the growth of pharmacies, which had accounted for less than 5 percent of spending but surpassed 10 percent for the first time this year, reaching a record share in May. Chinese visito

2026-07-16 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Samgyetang price gap widens

The price gap between preparing samgyetang at home and eating it at a restaurant has widened ahead of the summer season, with dining out costing nearly twice as much as home cooking. According to Korea Price Information, the cost of samgyetang ingredients for a family of four came to 35,260 won ($25.60), or about 8,800 won per person. That was down 2.8 percent from a year earlier but up 12.5 percent from 2022. The year-on-year decline was largely due to lower glutinous rice prices. By comparison

2026-07-14 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] South Korea ranks 6th in OECD Public Trust Survey

South Korea ranked sixth among 38 countries in the OECD’s latest Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions, its highest ranking to date. Public trust in the central government rose to 51.03 percent, up nearly 14 percentage points from 37.15 percent in the previous survey and well above the OECD average of 40.13 percent. Switzerland, Iceland and Norway topped the rankings. South Korea also ranked fifth in satisfaction with administrative services (79 percent) and health care (74 percent),

2026-07-13 08:00:00:00

[Graphic News] Coachella tops global festivals; Waterbomb Seoul 16th

Yanolja Research has released its inaugural Global Festival Attractiveness Index, which ranks 560 major festivals worldwide based on attractiveness and popularity using social media data in 14 languages. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival topped the ranking, followed by Japan's Summer Sonic and Rock in Japan festivals. Japan had the strongest presence in the global top 20 with seven festivals, ahead of the United States with four. Among South Korean festivals, Waterbomb Seoul ranked 16

2026-07-09 08:00:00:00