South Korea spent 116 billion won ($109 million) on an Olympic stadium that will be used precisely four times before it is torn down. The first of these events will be for the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
South Korea has a new hero.
Among the recent series of diplomatic breakthroughs achieved between South and North Korea is an agreement that the two countries will march under a unified Korean flag at the Winter Olympic games being held in Pyeongchang in February.
K-pop fans often go to great lengths to display their love for their idols. It’s common to see large billboards in subway stations or ads in newspapers—even outside of Korea—taken out by fans to celebrate the birthdays of their favorite stars.
South Korean beauty products aren’t just popular among women. Having also conquered the market for male grooming, K-beauty companies are now turning to another demographic: kids.
South Korea is one of the world’s biggest markets for bitcoin—so it’s no wonder that more than three out of 10 salaried workers in the country have invested in cryptocurrencies, according to a recent study (link in Korean) conducted by job portal Saramin.
Despite a year of unrelenting provocations from North Korea that has sent the globe into a state of alarm over the prospect of war on the Korean peninsula, South Koreans will more likely remember 2017 as the year the people brought down a president and installed a new, progressive leader in power.
In recent days, photos of Rodrigo Duterte’s oldest granddaughter, clad in an opulent, sparkling blood-red designer gown, have been making the rounds on social media in the country. The occasion: Isabelle Duterte’s photoshoot for her “debut,” the traditional 18th birthday celebration for girls in the Philippines. The venue for the shoot: the country’s presidential palace.
When the North Korean soldier who defected regained consciousness in South Korea, the first thing he asked for was Choco Pie.
