Toxic nationalism manifests online via ‘gukppong’ YouTube channels In 2015, when Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League acquired forward Son Heung-min -- arguably the best soccer player Korea has ever produced -- a curious fad emerged among Korean soccer fans. Whenever Son pulled off a remarkable performance, they would flood online comment sections with the word “Jumo!” It was meant ...

A man has been taken into custody for assaulting three Mongolian men, according to Seoul police. The suspect, who was not identified, is being questioned for his part in an assault that occurred around 3:20 a.m. on Sunday near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. Police believe other people took part in the attack, and are trying to track them down. The incident follows other assaults that h...

Back to “Single’s Inferno,” some Korean viewers found it odd that overseas viewers were so deeply offended by the white skin comments, especially when there was another scene in which another participant compliments a person with tanned skin. “Wow, they really don’t respect personal preferences,” wrote one viewer. Another said, “White skin has been a standard for beauty for ages in our country, ...

According to the company, the mini homepage, avatar characters, mini-room and other functions of the original platform will be provided but in a 3D format, providing the metaverse environment to users. The company has released images of 3D virtual spaces as well as the user interface of the soon-to-be unveiled Cyworld Hancom Town. It will also allow various commercial services and business funct...

The primary storyline of the show’s first part revolves around Park Jeong-ja -- played by Kim Shin-rok-- a single mother who is subject to a public demonstration of condemnation, during which the “sinner” is brutally beaten and dragged to hell by three hulking supernatural beings. Although Park’s lawyers insist that information about her and her children be hidden, an Arrowhead member on YouTube...

Days after Lee Hyun-jung of the Davidson Wildcats scorched the University of North Caroline at Charlotte 49ers with a career-high 32 points on Nov. 30, all the buzz around the Korean-born scorer focused on three letters: NBA. Now in his junior year, the 21-year-old native of Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, has been making regular appearances in mock NBA drafts since he became the first Davidson Wildc...

Drama at the Hwaseong IBK Altos of the Korean women’s volleyball V-League appears to be nearing an end, as the team confirmed Tuesday a plan to appoint a new head coach as soon as possible, which would end Kim Sa-ni’s brief but turbulent tenure as acting coach. It was unclear as of Wednesday whether this would mean Kim’s return to the previous post as assistant coach. A former star player of th...

In the Netflix smash hit “Squid Game,” there is a line that resonates with most South Koreans: While boasting that she is street-smart and capable, the self-proclaimed silver-tongued Mi-nyeo says, “I’m totally smart. I just never studied.” The line stems from the widespread belief -- not just here but in many other parts of the world -- that being brainy and doing well on school exams are not ne...

Singer and entertainer Kim Jong-kook has enjoyed over two decades of success in TV and music. But the 45-year-old recently made headlines for something other than his voice: his workout routine. Controversy broke out one faithful Halloween to spook fans of the beloved TV personality, when a fitness YouTuber named Greg Doucette called him out for likely not being “natural” when working out to bui...

From the standard cut and dry to celebrity treatments worth millions of won per session, you could say hairdressing is a profession that will never go out of style. But behind the glamour lies a long history of disputes between workers and shop owners. The hairdressing industry in recent years has been hit with complaints from workers who say they are overworked and underpaid -- getting signific...

Nov. 1 marked the launch of the South Korean government’s three-phase plan, announced last week, to gradually lift the restrictions previously imposed because of COVID-19. While many people have welcomed the road map for a return to normal -- particularly local business owners hurt by the prolonged restrictions -- there are still concerns about what is to come in this new era of “living with COV...

Everyone from the “Squid Game” has good reasons to win it all: 45.6 billion reasons to be exact. But some have problems that are mirrored from real-life version of the society they are in. Part of why Netflix’ record smashing hit drama has resonated with so many people is that it is also a social commentary on the actual incidents that had occurred in Korea, and perhaps the problems prevalent ...

January 2020 will decide if “Parasite” becomes the first South Korean film ever to win at the Golden Globe Awards. The next month, a run at the Oscars will wrap up an impressive series of wins for director Bong Joon-ho’s work, which bagged the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. This year, Korean pop culture experienced highs like the Bong film taking the world by storm and...

At first, I was enraged. Then, I thought it wasn’t so bad. And then, I was confused. The latest and final entry in the famed franchise, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” was as multifaceted as my reaction to the film. It had an ample amount of kick-ass moments, but ultimately came up short in satiating what amounted to comically bloated expectations from the fans. Rey (Daisy Ridley) continues...

Ashfall (Korea) Opened Dec. 19 Drama, Action Directed by Lee Hae-jun, Kim Byeong-seo Paektusan, the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula and a dormant volcano, comes out of its slumber and undergoes the biggest eruption in recorded history. South Korean operative Capt. Jo In-chang (Ha Jung-woo) and North Korean spy Lee Jun-pyeong (Lee Byung-hun) are sent on a covert operation to save the...