Earlier this year, I wrote about meeting several Swedish K-pop songwriters during my visit to Stockholm. What I was unable to witness during my trip was the reception of K-pop among fans in Sweden. Stockholm is not a regular tour stop for K-pop groups, but Aug. 22 proved to be an exception. As part of the Korean Culture Festival Stockholm, hosted by Koreanskt Kulturcenter (Korean Cultural Centre in Stockholm), K-pop group Ifeye performed a 10-song set at Kungstradgarden, a venue with a simultane

The rapid expansion of data centers has become one of the most tangible expressions of the artificial intelligence revolution. But debate about their environmental, economic and social impact threatens their future development. And rightly so. Every cloud service and AI application depends on massive physical infrastructure that takes up land, consumes energy, uses water and requires ever-increasing investment. International experience suggests that as the data center industry scales up, tension

A couple of years ago, while driving, I heard a unique Korean song on the radio. It was “Space Travel,” a 1970 track by the twin-sister duo Bunny Girls, composed by the legendary musician Shin Joong-hyun. Yes, it is a song about space travel — all the way back in 1970, right here in Seoul. It beautifully captured the wave of cosmic enthusiasm sparked by the Apollo 11 moon landing just the year before. What grabbed my attention was the singing technique: Instead of performing in unison, the siste

The Gwangju Biennale opened for the first time, establishing the largest contemporary visual arts festival in Asia. Conceived to celebrate artistic innovation and honor the democratic spirit of the host city, this landmark cultural gathering showcased pioneering works from prominent international and domestic artists. Held every two years, the festival transformed Gwangju into a vibrant global hub for contemporary art, dialogue and creative experimentation. By bringing cutting-edge artists to So

Much of Germany went to bed on Sept. 6 worried as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) scored a sweeping victory in Saxony-Anhalt's state election. The party won nearly 44 percent of the vote but came three seats short of winning control of the state parliament. Support for the mainstream conservative Christian Democratic Union of Germany, buffeted by the low approval ratings of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, fell by more than half. It remains unclear whether the AfD will be able to form a go

A remarkable debate has erupted in the United States over how fast artificial intelligence should advance. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, warned recently that AI capabilities could soon advance faster than humans can understand or control them. He called on leading AI companies to “pace the frontier,” slowing capability development enough for safety measures to catch up. His proposal drew support from several prominent figures in the AI industry, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, xAI founder Elo

Two people sat in the waiting room. One had visibly thinning hair. She looked like someone who had wrestled with the decision for a long time before finally coming in. The other still had a full head of hair. At first, I wondered why she had come at all. But as the consultation went on, it was the second woman I ended up talking with for far longer. “I think I already know what would happen to me if I lost my hair. I watched it happen to my mother. I believe I need to stop it before it starts —

In the early twentieth century, during the age of modernism, poetry was regarded as a noble and pure art form, elevated above and detached from the realities of everyday life. However, Moon Chung-hee, a prominent Korean poet, shows us that in the age of postmodernism and beyond, our ordinary lives, too, can become poetry. Moon discovers gems and truths in the everyday experiences that we often pass without a second thought. Then, through her remarkable poetic sensitivity and marvelous transforma

It has been interesting to watch the coverage of the recently held Lumiere Summit. As a member of the filmmaking community, there was something encouraging about seeing so many important voices in one room, talking openly about the pressure building inside the theatrical film business. There was also something sobering about hearing Korean director Lee Chang-dong, who appears to be entering what could be a remarkable awards season, speak about the difficulties facing even someone of his stature.

The arrival of artificial intelligence has compressed decades of technological evolution into a handful of years, altering the basic texture of our daily lives. AI is no longer a distant science-fiction trope; it writes, translates, paints, codes, counsels and even mimics human emotion with unsettling fluency. Tasks that once demanded years of work and experience can now be summoned with a few keystrokes. This moment compels us to confront a fundamental question about technology and society. Mar

A lot of people used to think about college the way a lot of people now think about protein: good for you in any quantity, and the more the better. How times have changed. Not only is the share of people who see college as a worthwhile investment in decline, but some smaller schools are digging into their endowments to stay afloat. Even popular and established schools like Syracuse are falling short of enrollment goals and facing a budget crisis. It is all leading to speculation that higher educ

Samyang Foods Company introduced Samyang Ramyeon to the public, launching the very first instant noodle product in South Korea. Created to help alleviate postwar shortages and offer affordable nutrition to ordinary citizens, it quickly revolutionized the national food landscape. Inspired by Japanese instant noodles, the savory instant broth and quick cooking time provided a satisfying, economical meal for busy families during a period of rapid economic development. The product became hugely popu

For many Koreans who attended elementary school in the 1960s, the smell of cornbread baking at school remains a vivid memory. Made with corn flour provided through foreign assistance, the bread helped feed children whose parents struggled to provide lunch. For some, it made school something to look forward to. Korea's GNI per capita in 1960 was $158, according to World Bank records. On Tuesday, the Bank of Korea reported that GNI per capita could exceed $40,000 this year. A country once dependen

The Ministry of Employment and Labor earlier in September issued guidelines stating that labor union demands for companies to pay a preset percentage of corporate profits as bonuses do not legally constitute matters subject to mandatory bargaining or labor disputes. According to the “Implementation Guidelines on Matters Subject to Labor Disputes, Including Management Performance Bonuses,” management decisions — such as factory relocations, business sales and the introduction of artificial intell

Last year, I stood in Guryong Village, Seoul’s last remaining shantytown, situated just a stone's throw away from the towering, affluent skyline of Gangnam. Through my camera lens, I documented the stark spatial inequality and the looming threat of displacement faced by its residents. This documentary recently won third Place at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Film Contest at the Tribeca Festival. However, as I celebrated this cinematic achievement, a sobering realization dawned on me: Captur