What Korea's jersey numbers say about its World Cup stars

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 just around the corner, soccer fans across South Korea are once again dreaming of another memorable run on the sport’s biggest stage. Yet beyond the names emblazoned across the players’ backs, another detail often carries a story of its own: the numbers. In soccer, those numbers are rarely random. Sometimes they are tied to specific roles on the pitch, but they can also relate to a players brand or personal stories. Among the current South Korean men’s national team,

2026-06-11 09:00:00:00

No all-nighters this time: Korea gets a brunch-time World Cup

Often, the World Cup meant fighting sleep to watch Team Korea play, staying up late into the night, sometimes into the wee hours. But at the upcoming 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States, South Korea’s Group A matches will all kick off in the morning — not at dawn, but just in time for brunch. The schedule begins Friday at 11 a.m., when South Korea will open its World Cup campaign against the Czech Republic at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, in Mexico's Jalisco state. Ranked No

2026-06-09 14:25:15:00

Five injured after middle schoolers take parent's car on late-night joyride

Five teenagers, including the driver, were injured Tuesday after a car driven by a middle school student overturned at an intersection in Gwangju, leaving one seriously injured. The accident occurred at around 1:10 a.m. at Gwangcheon Intersection in Seo-gu, the city's primary transport and commercial hub, according to Yonhap News Agency. Police said the car hit a curb while turning right and overturned. A girl riding in the front passenger seat suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospit

2026-06-09 12:49:07:00

Ultimate guide to dining like Jensen Huang in Seoul

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang may be known for building the world's most valuable AI company. But the tech titan gave food aficionados something else to talk about during his latest visit to Seoul: where he ate. From Korean barbecue to North Korean-style cold noodles, the 63-year-old’s dining picks quickly became destinations in their own right. Here is a closer look at the Seoul eateries that made it onto Huang's executive itinerary, along with what to order if you want to dine like the billionaire.

2026-06-08 17:01:20:00

Starbucks US HQ apologizes to victims of May 18 Uprising over 'inappropriate' marketing campaign

Starbucks’ US headquarters on Sunday officially apologized to victims of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising and their families for a Starbucks Korea promotional event that evoked memories of the military crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy movement. The May 18 Memorial Foundation said it received a written response from the US headquarters expressing regret over the incident, calling it an “inappropriate marketing campaign” that should never have happened. “We apologize for the pain caused to the v

2026-06-07 15:42:19:00

LAFC’s Son Heung-min named to MLS All-Star squad

Son Heung-min of Los Angeles Football Club on Sunday was one of 11 players named to the Major League Soccer squad for the MLS All-Star Game slated for next month in North Carolina. The MLS First XI was selected through a combined vote of players, fans and media members to recognize the league's top performers from the first half of the regular season. This marks the 33-year-old’s first MLS First XI selection since joining the club in August. He is also just the second South Korean player to earn

2026-06-07 13:57:20:00

Mysterious diver in Seoul's Cheonggye Stream identified

Tourists strolling along Seoul's Cheonggye Stream recently found themselves distracted by an unusual sight: a man in a black wetsuit gliding through the shallow water beneath the city's busy downtown streets. Videos of the unidentified man with snorkeling gear have recently spread across social media, triggering curiosity about his identity and what he was doing. One tourist who spotted the man while walking along the stream on May 28 posted a video on Instagram, writing, “Is that guy snorkeling

2026-06-04 13:51:57:00

Jensen Huang to open KBO Game with ceremonial first pitch on Sunday

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will take the mound for the ceremonial first pitch at the Doosan Bears' home game against the Kiwoom Heroes on Sunday at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. The club announced Thursday that Huang will do the honors before the game at 5 p.m. with Doosan Group Chairman Park Jeong-won, who will step up to the plate as the ceremonial batter. Park is also the owner of the baseball team. The Nvidia chief will sport a Bears jersey with No. 93 on the back, marking the year he f

2026-06-04 10:23:13:00

Can't wait to see Neukgu? Daejeon O-World reopens Friday

Fans of Neukgu won’t have to wait much longer. The young wolf that broke out of a zoo in April and became a national sensation during its nine days on the lam is set to greet visitors again as Daejeon O-World prepares to reopen Friday. The reopening comes nearly two months after the zoo and amusement park suspended operations following the animal’s escape to reinforce safety measures. Among the improvements are reinforced fencing, electric barriers and newly installed concrete foundations beneat

2026-06-03 14:27:38:00

Rui Bao and Hui Bao may return to China this winter

South Korea may soon be preparing to say goodbye to its beloved panda twins, again. Rui Bao and Hui Bao, the giant panda sisters born at Everland in 2023, are expected to return to China this winter, according to their zookeeper Kang Cheol-won, setting the stage for another emotional farewell for fans. In a video uploaded to Everland's YouTube channel on Wednesday, Kang said experts from Korea and China are in discussions to determine when the panda twins should return to China. "Fu Bao had a di

2026-06-03 11:41:30:00