A local department store's event to celebrate Christmas through its digital billboard has gone horribly wrong, as it ended up with an anonymous threat to "rape all Korean women" being flashed on the digital screen in central Seoul. According to local police, the message saying "I'm going to rape all Korean women" appeared around 10 p.m. Tuesday on a giant screen on the exterior of Lotte Department Store in Myeong-dong, Seoul. The department store had been holding a

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2023

In the winter of 2005, South Korea experienced a roller coaster of emotion, looping between shock, disbelief and relief multiple times after Hwang Woo-suk, then the country’s most revered scientist as well as a symbol of national pride and hope for the terminally ill, faced whistleblower accusations for grave ethics breaches, followed by even graver matters of data fabrication. After a whirlwind of claims and counterclaims that left many at a loss as to what to believe, by December of that

Hashtag Korea Nov. 15, 2023

Last week, former YG Entertainment chief Yang Hyun-suk was hit with a suspended jail term for his alleged attempt to cover up a 2016 drug scandal involving one of his artists. It came as the latest in a series of drug-related issues that have recently plagued South Korea's entertainment scene. Police are currently conducting drug crime investigations into two top stars, “Parasite” actor Lee Sun-kyun and K-pop superstar G-Dragon, the latter of which previously had a brush with

Social Affairs Nov. 13, 2023

A police commendation process following the arrest of escaped criminal Kim Gil-soo has stirred up controversy, after it was discovered that two of the police officers who caught the fugitive were not properly awarded or recognized for their contributions. The National Police Agency on Tuesday granted special promotions to Sgt. Lee Seon-ju of Uijeongbu Police Station and Senior Officer Kim Min-gok of Anyang Dongan Police Station for their role in Kim’s arrest the day before. Lee had closely

Social Affairs Nov. 10, 2023

The bizarre saga surrounding former fencing champion Nam Hyun-hee’s brief engagement to a con artist is sizing up to be a collective loss, ranging from money lost to fraudulent investments to public shaming of the former sports star. But from the ashes of Nam’s obliterated reputation came an internet meme based on one of her former fiance’s text messages mixing English and Korean. In the message to a potential extortion target, Jeon Cheong-jo -- whom police reported has a woman

Social Affairs Nov. 3, 2023

A man in his 60s has been sentenced to four years in prison for the murder of his terminally-ill wife, after taking care of her for over five years. According to the Seoul Central District Court, the mad was accused of killing the victim in April 2022. The victim was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2017, and was also suffering from dementia, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. After his wife's condition deteriorated and following a failed suicide attempt of his own, the accused r

Social Affairs Nov. 3, 2023

Find the answer at the bottom of the page. Ryu Hyun-jin just wrapped up the last season of his four-year, $80 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, and is now slated for free agency that will realistically be the 36-year-old pitcher's last chance to make big money in Major League Baseball. Widely considered the best Korean pitcher of all time, Ryu has already made just a tad under $133.9 million in his 11-year stint in the MLB, which started in 2013 with the Los Angeles Dodgers

Hashtag Korea Nov. 1, 2023

A rural district in South Jeolla Province has pledged a benefits package for families of students who joins a school in Hongdo, a small island off South Korea’s southwestern coast suffering from population drop. Sinan-gun, the jurisdiction in which Hongdo lies, said Tuesday that it has received inquiries from over 80 households related to its planned cash incentives for new enrollees at Heuksan Elementary School’s Hongdo branch, which will graduate all three of its students in Februa

Social Affairs Oct. 31, 2023

More than half of adults of South Korean nationality do not plan to continue holding the “jesa,” the traditional ritual held in honor of one’s ancestors, a recent survey showed. According to the Sung Kyun Kwan, a traditional Confucian educational institution, its survey of 1,500 Korean men and women aged 20 or older across the country found that while 62.2 percent of the respondents still perform the jesa ritual, 55.9 percent are considering discontinuing it in the future. The

Culture Oct. 30, 2023

South Korean police said a travel ban on Jeon Cheong-jo, an alleged con artist who was briefly engaged to former Olympic medalist Nam Hyun-hee, has been issued, as details surrounding the relationship between the swindler and the embattled sports hero continue to emerge. According to Songpa Police Station, the Justice Ministry recently authorized the police request to ground the 27-year-old Jeon, who is being accused of multiple counts of extortion. Jeon is suspected of swindling money from the

Social Affairs Oct. 29, 2023

South Korean actor Lee Sun-hyun on Saturday appeared before police in connection with allegations of drug use, and submitted hair and urine samples for drug testing. The 48-year-old tested negative in a rapid drug test that was also taken Saturday, while submitting his phone for evidence. The National Forensic Service is slated to conduct the test, result of which is expected about a month later. Lee, known for his appearance in the Academy-winning 2019 picture “Parasite,” did not ma

Social Affairs Oct. 29, 2023

Local casino and resort conglomerate Paradise Group on Thursday officially denied any relations with Jeon Cheong-jo, a con artist whose lie-riddled engagement with the former Olympic silver medalist Nam Hyun-hee has been making headlines here. The former athlete had broken off her engagement with Jeon on Wednesday, hours after which Jeon was arrested by police on accusations of stalking Nam. It was also revealed by police on Thursday that Jeon had a woman's resident registration number, alt

Social Affairs Oct. 26, 2023

Former Olympic medalist Nam Hyun-hee said Thursday that she had been deceived by Jeon Cheong-jo, who was engaged to the 42-year-old fencer before being revealed as a con artist. Nam, who became the first South Korean woman to win a fencing Olympic medal by winning silver in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said in a media interview that she learned Wednesday that her boyfriend had swindled money from her acquaintances. She said Jeon instigated everything in their relationship, including their marriage

Social Affairs Oct. 26, 2023

A series of rumors and accusations surrounding retired fencer Nam Hyun-hee's impending marriage has surfaced recently, with the former Olympic medalist and her groom-to-be vowing legal action against what they say are groundless accusations. Nam said Monday that she will marry a man named Jeon Cheong-jo, who was initially reported to be a businessman from a wealthy family. But in the two days since her announcement, the 42-year-old former athlete has been plagued by an array of allegations

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2023

The effects or safety of the substances sold in South Korea as “growth medicine” have not been verified through proper clinical testing, a report by a main opposition lawmaker claimed Wednesday. There are 24 different drugs that are being marketed as helping boost growth in Korea, according to Rep. Kim Young-joo of the Democratic Party. An analysis of the data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the National Health Insurance Service, and the Health Insurance Review & Asses

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2023