100 days until Suneung

The 100-day countdown to Suneung, South Korea's national college entrance exam, began Tuesday, with students and parents each preparing for the final stretch. Held every year on the third Thursday of November, the College Scholastic Ability Test is widely regarded as one of the most consequential days in a South Korean student's life. The exam is known for its grueling eight-hour duration, testing students across subjects including Korean, mathematics, English and history. More than 400,000 stud

2026-08-11 13:16:30:00

Japanese mountain lodge decries littering allegedly by Koreans, points to Ansan trash bag

A bag of trash bearing Korean labels was found illegally dumped near a popular mountain lodge in Japan, prompting criticism on social media and renewed concerns about littering by tourists. On Sunday, Tokusawa-en, a popular lodge in Kamikochi, said on its social media account that a large portion of illegally dumped trash found near the area bore Korean labels. Kamikochi, one of Japan’s best-known mountain destinations, is located in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. The lodge posted a photo of a 20

2026-08-10 13:24:55:00

Seoul tops ranking of young travelers’ favorite city for 5th year

Seoul has been named the favorite worldwide city by US travel media outlet Trazee Travel for the fifth consecutive year, becoming the first city to achieve the feat, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Tourism Organization on Wednesday. The Korean capital ranked ahead of Irish capital Dublin, Hong Kong, London and Greek capital Athens in the annual readers' poll conducted by Trazee Travel, a website catering primarily to travelers under 40. Seoul has topped the category ever

2026-08-05 14:00:12:00

Why more young Koreans are delaying college graduation

Seo Soo-jin, who graduated from college in 1995, remembers that taking a leave of absence was unusual among her classmates. "Back then, students who took leave generally fell into one of three categories: military service, medical reasons or preparation to retake the college entrance exam for another university," she said. "People usually assumed they had a special circumstance." That perception has largely disappeared. Today, on many Korean campuses, taking time away from school has become an a

2026-08-04 08:00:05:00

South Korea's Lee Kang-in signs for Atletico Madrid, takes iconic No. 7

Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder and winger Lee Kang-in has signed with La Liga club Atletico Madrid. Atletico Madrid announced Saturday that the South Korean player has signed a five-year contract through June 2031. He will wear No. 7, which has traditionally been assigned to one of the club’s star players. On Sunday, Lee greeted fans in Spanish through Atletico Madrid's official social media account. "I’m so happy to join this big club. I can't wait to wear our Atleti colors and enjoy tog

2026-07-26 14:55:05:00

Korean hits record $3.9 m Vietnam lottery jackpot

A South Korean national residing in Vietnam has won the country's 102.8 billion Vietnamese dong ($3.9 million) lottery jackpot, the largest prize ever awarded to a foreigner in Vietnam. According to Vietnamese media reports, the Vietnam Computerized Lottery Company on Tuesday presented the jackpot for its "Power 6/55" lottery to the South Korean winner. The winner received approximately 92.5 billion Vietnamese dong after paying 10.28 billion dong in personal income tax in Bac Ninh Province, wher

2026-07-23 14:46:40:00

Hyosung bucks STEM trend with humanities-only hiring

Hyosung Group has launched a recruitment program exclusively for humanities majors, an unusual move in a job market where employers have increasingly favored graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The conglomerate's businesses span from textiles to chemicals, power grids and construction. It is currently accepting applications from new college graduates and those expected to graduate in August, with degrees in the humanities and liberal arts, according to its website. Eli

2026-07-15 14:46:29:00

Sharing samgyetang ahead of chobok

Free bowls of ginseng chicken soup, or samgyetang, were served to long lines of mostly senior citizens at Duryu Park in Daegu on Tuesday, a day before chobok, the first of the three "bok" days marking the hottest period of summer in South Korea. Chobok, along with jungbok and malbok, is traditionally observed by eating samgyetang. The nutrient-rich chicken soup with ginseng is believed to restore stamina and help the body cope with the summer heat. The custom is rooted in the principle of iyeol

2026-07-14 17:33:09:00

Uijeongbu High's famed graduation photos capture Korea's biggest memes of 2026

If you want a recap of Korea's biggest memes and viral moments, look no further than Uijeongbu High School's annual graduation photos. Since 2009, the high school in Gyeonggi Province has upheld a 17-year tradition of allowing graduating seniors to design their own graduation photo concepts, often recreating the year's most talked-about memes and celebrities. This year's photos, released on the school's social media account on Monday, once again featured a collection of humorous and creative cos

2026-07-14 14:49:12:00

Lee checks out Ulaanbaatar's Seoul Street

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung visited Seoul Street in Ulaanbaatar on Thursday, where they met local residents and enjoyed Korean food. As Lee arrived, local residents greeted him with "annyeonghaseyo" (hello) and "bangapseumnida" (nice to meet you), according to a written briefing by deputy presidential spokesperson Ahn Gwi-ryeong. Lee responded by shaking hands and exchanging high-fives with those gathered. Seoul Street was established to commemorate the sister-city relat

2026-07-10 11:25:46:00