For 15 years, Apple’s Find My app didn’t work in South Korea. This guy changed that

Apple is not the type of company that explains itself. It doesn’t respond to petitions. And it almost never makes country-specific feature changes, especially not for one person. Except in South Korea, where that’s exactly what happened recently. For over 15 years, one of Apple’s most critical device-tracking features, called Find My, was quietly and almost entirely disabled in South Korea. Millions of Korean users owned iPhones, AirPods and AirTags that were, in practice, untrackable if lost or

May 21, 2025

Seoul may roll back car-free zone on Cheonggyecheon road as businesses push back

Seoul is considering ending weekend car restrictions on a central stretch of the Cheonggyecheon road, which runs along both sides of the city's iconic urban stream, after business owners in the area raised concerns about falling sales. Cheonggyecheon, an artificially restored stream running through central Seoul, draws both locals and tourists for its scenic walkway, historical bridges, and proximity to major shopping and business districts. City officials confirmed this week that they’ve asked

May 20, 2025

With about 2 weeks left, Korean voters use YouTube to 'feel out' candidates

After months of political upheaval, from last December’s martial law crisis to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment this April, South Korea has entered a full-blown election sprint. In an early presidential race few saw coming until late last year, candidates and voters alike are navigating a compressed, high-stakes campaign ahead of the June 3 vote. Amid this rush, voters across the country are increasingly turning to YouTube for candid, unfiltered glimpses into the personalities, values and a

May 20, 2025

Loneliness hits 62% of solo households in Seoul, city steps up care programs

More than 6 in 10 people living alone in Seoul say they often feel lonely, and over 1 in 8 report having no one to turn to in times of real need, according to a city-backed study. A survey of 3,000 single-person households by the Seoul Institute, a think tank funded by the city, found that 62.1 percent of respondents experience persistent loneliness. Another 13.6 percent fall into what researchers classify as social isolation: individuals with no support network when they are emotionally distres

May 19, 2025

Access to breakthrough medicines in South Korea among slowest globally, industry report reveals

New medicines may be hitting global markets at record speed, but for South Korean patients, they remain largely out of reach, often for years after their initial approval overseas. According to a 2025 report by the Korea Research-based Pharmaceutical Industry Association, only 5 percent of new drugs launched globally are available in South Korea within the first year. That’s far below the OECD average of 18 percent, and significantly behind Japan’s 32 percent. Delays are compounded after approva

May 18, 2025

Theft declining at CCTV-covered businesses, but petty crimes persist, reports top Korean vendor

Theft cases at commercial properties in South Korea have dropped by a third in just three years, thanks largely to smarter security systems and the growing reach of surveillance cameras. But unattended stores are still being targeted, especially at night. S-1 Corporation, South Korea’s largest private security firm and CCTV vendor, reported Sunday that theft-related crimes at its client sites fell by approximately 33 percent from 2022 to 2024. The company analyzed internal data from thousands of

May 18, 2025

Why Google Maps is still broken in South Korea: It might not be about national security anymore

It’s 2025, and if you try to get walking directions in Seoul using Google Maps, you will still run into the same dead end: the "Can't find a way there" screen. For many tourists, it’s both frustrating and baffling. Google Maps offers turn-by-turn walking directions in cities as far-flung as Pyongyang, the capital of the hermit kingdom of North Korea — yet, in Seoul, one of the most digitally advanced cities in the world, it can’t guide you from your hotel to the nearest subway station? For almos

May 17, 2025

Working over 52 hours a week linked to structural brain changes, MRI study shows

A new brain imaging study from South Korea suggests that working over 52 hours a week may cause structural changes in the brain, potentially affecting how people think, manage emotions, and handle stress. In a pilot study published Tuesday in the international medical journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, scientists from Yonsei University and Chung-Ang University scanned the brains of 110 health care workers and found significant differences between those regularly working at or above

May 15, 2025

Korean crypto CEO to join Trump's inner circle of 'meme coin' millionaires

A South Korean crypto firm CEO has landed an unexpected invitation to an upcoming private dinner with US President Donald Trump on May 22, after becoming one of the largest holders of the president’s own cryptocurrency, $TRUMP. The May 22 event at Trump National Golf Club in Washington is limited to just 25 people worldwide, a group chosen based on their weighted holdings of $TRUMP between the coin’s Jan. 17 launch and May 12. The only Korean on the list is Oh Sang-rok, CEO of Hyperithm, a Seoul

May 15, 2025

Lee Jae-myung's bipartisan Reeboks sell out, now reselling for 10x the price

A pair of sneakers worn by South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung during his official campaign launch event on Monday has become an overnight sensation, selling out nationwide and fueling resales of the shoes. To kick off the 22-day official campaign period for the June 3 election, the front-runner from the liberal Demcratic Party of Korea swapped out formal dress shoes for bold blue and red Reebok sneakers on stage before a large crowd of supporters and party members at Cheonggye Pla

May 14, 2025