Next stop, the valley: Seoul’s subway-accessible streams draw summer crowds

With the relentless heat making even a trip to the beach feel daunting, more Seoulites are seeking relief closer to home — at valleys just a subway ride away. At Gwanaksan Station on Seoul’s Sillim Line, passengers stepping off trains with inflatable tubes slung over their shoulders and bags packed with water-play gear have become a common sight this summer. Their destination is Sillim Valley in Gwanaksan Park, just a five-minute walk from the station's Exit 1. Near the park entrance, a path lea

2026-08-09 13:23:58:00

From K-pop fan to show interpreter, April Kim brings more than words

For many fans, being noticed by their favorite idol on stage is nothing more than a fantasy. But that is exactly what happened to Kim Yun-ju after following Girls' Generation's Taeyeon for almost a decade. At her solo concert in Singapore on Aug. 20, 2023, Taeyeon lifted her gaze beyond the stage, as if speaking to someone out of sight, and said, "She's picking up my tone with such excellence, so thank you so much.” The shout-out from her favorite idol left Kim in tears, as everything that had l

2026-08-09 09:14:15:00

Japanese influencer in Seoul livestreams own suicide

A Japanese woman in her 20s died in an apparent suicide during a social media livestream, police said Thursday. According to the Yongsan Police Station, the incident occurred Wednesday while she was livestreaming from her residence in Hangangno-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Police were dispatched to the scene after receiving a report from one of the woman's acquaintances and found her dead at around 5:33 a.m. The woman was a social media influencer based in South Korea who had about 80,000 followers

2026-08-06 11:34:47:00

Too hot to walk? This app knows where the shade is

For many pedestrians amid the record-breaking heat wave, every walk now begins with one question: Where’s the shade? A map app that provides the answer is gaining traction online, particularly among students and workers commuting on foot or by public transportation, as temperatures soar toward 40 degrees Celsius. The app Geuneullo: Summer Routes for Walkers calculates the position of the sun and shadows cast by buildings and street trees at a given time, then recommends the shadiest walking rout

2026-08-05 11:38:27:00

Malls for the young, airports for the old: Koreans beat the heat indoors

As an unprecedented heat wave grips the country, with daytime temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius, many Koreans are trading outdoor activities for air-conditioned escapes closer to home. The sweltering heat has fueled the rise of the "mallcation." Rather than leaving the city, many people are turning shopping malls and department stores into daylong summer vacations -- enjoying meals, shopping and cultural attractions in a climate-controlled space. "Department stores have so many exhibitions

2026-08-04 14:13:07:00

Man found in cardiac arrest after being swept into Han River floodgate

A man in his 30s suffered cardiac arrest after being pulled into a floodgate while swimming near Jamsil Bridge on the Han River on Sunday, news reports said Monday. The incident was reported to the Han River Ttukseom Water Rescue Unit at 8:37 a.m., with witnesses saying the man had been drawn into a floodgate near the bridge's southern end. About 20 minutes later, rescuers located the man after he had drifted downstream and pulled him from the surface of the water. They found him in cardiac arre

2026-08-03 12:03:45:00

Pakistani man arrested for trying to lure girls with watermelon

A Pakistani man has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to lure two middle school girls into his car by offering them watermelon, police said Thursday. According to the Gyeonggi Gwangju Police Station, the man stopped the girls as they were walking along a street at around 9:30 p.m. Monday and repeatedly urged them to get into his car to eat watermelon with him. Once they managed to get away, the girls immediately reported the incident to police, who arrested the man at the scene. The girls

2026-07-23 13:56:38:00

Out of school, into summer

Second-grade students rushed down the hallway excitedly at Jungpyeong Elementary School in Nowon-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday, marking the start of their summer break. Most elementary, middle and high schools across the country begin their summer holidays this week. The break typically lasts three to four weeks, running from late July to mid-August. As the school vacation season gets underway, many families are also preparing for their own summer getaways. According to a Korea Transport Institute sur

2026-07-22 14:39:25:00

Korean American 'Godzilla' actress Kaylee Hottle dies at 18 in car crash

Kaylee Hottle, a Korean American actress known for her roles in two "Godzilla" films, died in a car crash Tuesday in Frederick County, Maryland. She was 18. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office said a 1995 Honda Accord carrying three people left a two-lane road and crashed into a culvert at around 3 a.m. Hottle was one of the two passengers in the vehicle. She was taken to a trauma center, where she was later pronounced dead. The driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was hospitalize

2026-07-22 11:44:22:00

Coin theft at Cheonggyecheon sparks outrage

A middle-aged pair has sparked outrage for scooping up coins from Palseokdam in Seoul. Coins tossed into the pond as visitors make wishes are collected by the city and donated to charity. A viral video posted on X on Sunday showed a woman holding a parasol as she waded into the stream in slides to scoop up coins. A man soon joined her, and the pair stuffed the coins into their bags. Palseokdam sits near Mojeongyo Bridge, one of 22 bridges spanning the 5.8-kilometer-long stream. It was built in O

2026-07-21 15:39:26:00