Stranded shark in Busan has acquired a night watch

A group of self-styled “Bukang-i vigilantes” has begun patrolling Busan’s North Port waterfront to monitor a shark that has been stranded in an artificial waterway since September. The group formed after local news reports showed nighttime visitors repeatedly disturbing the shark, Bukang-i, by shining smartphone flashlights on her. Concerns grew after the National Institute of Fisheries Science reported Wednesday that a wound was found near the shark’s snout. The institute has not determined the

2026-10-08 11:27:41:00

Stray Kids join BTS in skipping Grammy submissions

Stray Kids have chosen not to submit music for consideration at next year’s Grammy Awards, joining BTS in opting out of the submission process. JYP Entertainment confirmed Friday that Stray Kids did not submit entries before the August 21 deadline. As a result, the group will not be considered for the Grammys’ new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, where they had been expected to compete. In July, BTS also announced it would not submit music for consideration for the 69th annual Grammy A

2026-10-03 10:20:42:00

Buddhist keyring clicks with young Koreans

Keycap keyrings have been taking off in South Korea since the beginning of the year. Now, there is a new twist on the trend: a Buddhist edition. Called the “Gongdeok keyring,” the product has been selling quickly at Buddhist temples in Seoul, including Bongeunsa and Jogyesa. Press the button, and it makes the familiar clicking sound of a keyboard key, followed by the sound of the “moktak,” a wooden percussion instrument used by Buddhist monks. The keyrings usually feature designs based on the 12

2026-10-01 21:01:00:00

Is YouTube ending the mukbang era?

As YouTube tightens restrictions on content related to eating disorders, Korean mukbang creators, particularly those known for their large appetites, are voicing concerns. Most recently, Tzuyang, one of South Korea’s most prominent mukbang YouTubers, made remarks that appear to address the issue. Tzuyang posted a video on her YouTube channel on Monday showing her visiting a local market in Incheon. In the video, she said, “Apparently, eating a lot isn’t the trend these days,” adding, “From now o

2026-09-25 15:30:41:00

Chuseok traditions come alive in Seoul

Children and tourists gathered at Namsangol Hanok Village in central Seoul on Friday for traditional Chuseok activities. Children dressed in hanbok played traditional Korean games, including “jegichagi,” which involves using the feet to keep a small pouch from touching the ground, and "tuho," in which players toss arrows into a container. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is hosting a three-day Chuseok festival, “Namsan Dalbit Madang,” at the village from Friday to Sunday.

2026-09-25 14:12:33:00

Actor Park Ji-hyun nominated for International Emmy

Park Ji-hyun became the first Korean actor nominated for an International Emmy in acting, recognized for her role in the Netflix series “You and Everything Else.” Established in 1973, the International Emmy Awards honor outstanding television programs produced outside the United States. They are separate from the Primetime Emmy Awards, which recognize US productions. Park was nominated in the Best Performance by an Actress category at the 54th International Emmy Awards. Park is competing against

2026-09-25 13:44:54:00

Chuseok traffic jams hit South Korean highways, Seoul-Busan trip takes 8 hours 40 minutes

Major highways across South Korea were heavily congested Friday morning as travelers headed out for the Chuseok holiday. As of 9 a.m., the Korea Expressway Corp. estimated the Seoul-to-Busan journey would take 8 hours and 40 minutes. Estimated travel times from Seoul were: 6 hours and 40 minutes to Mokpo, 8 hours and 20 minutes to Ulsan, 7 hours and 40 minutes to Daegu, 6 hours and 10 minutes to Gwangju, 4 hours and 10 minutes to Gangneung, and 3 hours and 50 minutes to Daejeon. In the opposite

2026-09-25 11:32:20:00

Over 100,000 flock to see shark on first day of Chuseok holiday

Over 100,000 people visited a waterfront park in Busan on the first day of the Chuseok holiday to see a 3.5-meter-long shark stranded in an artificial waterway. By 6 p.m. Thursday, approximately 93,000 people had visitedthe North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, according to the Busan Facilities Corp. Due to restricted access from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for safety reasons, visitor numbers after 6 p.m. were estimated rather than counted directly. Including these visitors, the total for the day w

2026-09-25 10:42:48:00

Korea approves jeans for civil service job interviews

Jeans, sneakers and other casual attire will not only be allowed but recommended for national civil service job interviews in Korea, replacing the traditional expectation that applicants wear suits. The Ministry of Personnel Management issued detailed guidelines on interview attire on Friday, accompanied by example images. The new guidelines will take effect in October. The ministry provided AI-generated images to show suitable clothing for men and women. Examples included jeans and sneakers as

2026-09-12 17:23:51:00

Votes have been counted. Baby panda's name is Shu Bao

South Korea’s largest theme park, Everland, announced Friday that it has named its baby panda Shu Bao, coinciding with the cub’s 100th day. Last month, the theme park opened votes online to name its baby panda, with five finalists in the running. All five candidates were two-character Chinese names ending in “Bao.” The character means “treasure” and appears in the names of pandas from the same family. Voters could choose their favorite from Ju Bao (“treasured jade”), Jun Bao (“outstanding treasu

2026-09-11 17:02:09:00