Mystery 'Kim Ji-mee' graffiti spotted at nearly 500 sites across Seoul

Unknown graffiti bearing the name "Kim Ji-mee" has appeared across Seoul, with nearly 500 writings discovered throughout the city. According to local media reports, the graffiti has been found in Jongno-gu, Dongdaemun-gu and other parts of Seoul. Since first appearing in large numbers in April, more than 500 writings have been discovered on building walls, crosswalk signs, bus stops, construction site walls and utility poles. The graffiti includes phrases such as "Kim Ji-mee, click," "Let's clic

2026-07-09 16:46:43:00

Broken massage chairs on Dokdo spur LG response

A social media post claiming that two LG massage chairs used by the Dokdo Security Police could not be repaired due to the islet’s remote location went viral this week, prompting the company to offer free after-sales service. LG Electronics said Wednesday that it had contacted the police unit to verify the circumstances and would provide free repairs for the two massage chairs, along with other LG products at the station, including a system air conditioner. The controversy began Tuesday when an

2026-07-08 16:32:30:00

Former Korea coach Paulo Bento seeks national team return: report

As the Korea Football Association searches for a successor to Hong Myung-bo, local media have once again floated the name of former national team coach Paulo Bento. The association, however, has denied reports that Bento has formally applied for the job. Local media reported Tuesday that the Portuguese coach, who managed the South Korean national team for four years and four months, had expressed interest in the position through an acquaintance at the KFA. Citing an unnamed source, the reports s

2026-07-07 17:01:54:00

Video of police responding to Changwon stabbing sparks outrage

Surveillance footage of police responding to a fatal stabbing at a motel in Changwon last year has drawn public scrutiny after it was released online by the victims' family. The video shows officers ascending a stairwell at what many viewers described as an unhurried pace after receiving emergency calls from the victims, who contacted police twice during the assault. According to authorities, the incident occurred on Dec. 3, 2025, when a man in his 20s fatally stabbed two teenagers and seriously

2026-06-24 16:53:12:00

Women account for 37.8% of new police recruits in first quota-free hiring round

Women accounted for 37.8 percent of successful applicants in this year’s police recruitment exam, nearly doubling their share of around 20 percent under the previous gender quota system, the Korean National Police Agency said Tuesday. Of 29,972 applicants, 2,941 passed the exam, including 1,829 men (62.2 percent) and 1,112 women (37.8 percent), according to the agency. Police officials attributed the increase in female recruits to the removal of gender-specific hiring limits. It was the first re

2026-06-23 14:25:35:00

Across South Korea, Starbucks stores closed at 3 p.m.

Starbucks Korea closed all of its stores early on Monday to conduct history training for employees, following backlash over its “Tank Day” promotion in May. All 2,160 stores closed at 3 p.m., marking the company’s first nationwide early shutdown since opening the first location here in 1999. Employees participated in the training by watching prerecorded lectures delivered by two professors from Sungkyunkwan University’s history and sociology departments at their respective stores. The program wa

2026-06-22 14:50:13:00

Middle school girl critically injured after rooftop jump attempt

A middle school student was critically injured Sunday during an attempt to jump from the roof of a six-story residential building to a neighboring building in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, local media reported Monday. The accident occurred at around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday in Dochang-dong, Siheung, while the student was playing with her friends. Authorities did not disclose the distance between the buildings, though residential buildings in the area are known to stand close together with narrow gaps.

2026-06-22 11:37:31:00

Body discovered at abandoned Chungju resort by 'haunted-site' explorers

Four college students exploring an abandoned resort known online for haunted-tour videos discovered a body in the dilapidated property in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, police said Monday. According to police, the body was found in the attic of the 20-story building at around 3 p.m. Sunday. The site has gained attention through haunted-tour videos on YouTube, with some using drones to capture close-up views of its unusual cylindrical structure. Investigators identified the deceased as a pe

2026-06-16 09:20:43:00

Starbucks sees sales recovery after ‘Tank Day’ controversy

Payments at Starbucks Korea rebounded within three weeks of the “Tank Day” campaign that sparked nationwide backlash, industry data showed. The total value of debit and credit card transactions at Starbucks reached 24.21 billion won ($15.87 million) in the first week of June, according to Mobile Index, a data analytics service operated by IGAWorks. The figure was up 12.8 percent from 21.46 billion won recorded in the previous week, May 25 to 31, and marked the highest weekly payment volume since

2026-06-11 14:40:01:00

'Dress Like a Museum Exhibit' costume contest returns with bigger prizes up for grabs

The National Museum of Korea is bringing back its annual costume contest for a third year, inviting participants to transform themselves into historical treasures. Registration is open through July 31, and this year the event is going nationwide, jointly hosted by 13 affiliated national museums across the country, the museum announced Wednesday. Contestants are required to recreate a historical artifact of their choice from the museum collections. What started as a quirky museum event became a s

2026-06-10 14:29:45:00