Karrot, the go-to app for buying and selling secondhand items, is increasingly becoming a hub for forging friendships, particularly among foreigners seeking language exchange opportunities in South Korea. In Seoul's Yongsan-gu on Tuesday, a search for “Korean friends” revealed several postings reflecting a growing trend of cross-cultural connections on the app, which is South Korea's largest community marketplace platform. One user, identified as "chamhug," wrot

Child stars have long been a staple of the entertainment world, and their stage has expanded to social media. These new young personalities, often managed by their parents, amass huge followings, raising questions about the consequences of early fame and its ethical boundaries. A recent controversy surrounding Taeha, a 3-year-old YouTuber famous for his linguistic talents, has reignited these discussions. Taeha’s channel boasts over 801,000 subscribers as of Monday, and he has appeared

With President Yoon Suk Yeol suspended from official duties and facing an impeachment trial, a wave of public debate has sparked online, flooding the Constitutional Court of Korea’s website. By Monday morning, 31,354 posts featuring the term “impeachment” had been submitted to the court’s online forum — an extraordinary leap from the typical one to three posts per day. The activity surged almost immediately after Saturday’s parliamentary vote on Yoon’s i

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s term is set to end on May 9, 2027, but with the prospect of his early departure from office, that timeline is likely to be moved up significantly. This scenario became more likely after the National Assembly on Saturday voted to impeach him, suspending him from his duties while the Constitutional Court reviews whether to uphold or dismiss his removal from office. While there is a chance, theoretically, that Yoon is reinstated through the trial, South Korea’s

South Korea has moved closer to removing President Yoon Suk Yeol from office, with the National Assembly passing a bill initiating the impeachment process. What does this mean and what will happen next? 1. Steps to stability President Yoon Suk Yeol, who plunged the nation into shock with his doomed martial law attempt on Dec. 3, has been suspended from his executive duties immediately. This marks a significant step toward restoring stability. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is to be the acting h

Forbes has released its 2024 list of the "World's 100 Most Powerful Women," recognizing two South Korean leaders: Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon. Lee ranked 85th, while Choi placed 99th on the annual list. The ranking, which evaluates candidates based on wealth, media presence, influence, and scope of activities, saw both executives return from last year, when Lee was ranked 82nd and Choi 96th. Forbes highlighted Lee's role as CEO of Hotel Shilla

The aftermath of the Dec. 3 martial law turmoil is felt even on the secondhand marketplaces of platforms like Karrot and Joonggonara. Items such as K-pop light sticks and Yoon Suk Yeol commemorative wristwatches —labeled with new meanings amid recent protests and shifting public sentiment toward the president — have seen contrasting fates in these digital marketplaces. Demand for K-pop light sticks has surged as they have emerged as a symbol of protest. Their limited production &mdas

Jungsik, the fine-dining Korean restaurant helmed by Chef Yim Jung-sik, was awarded three Michelin stars Tuesday, becoming the first Korean restaurant in New York to receive the recognition. The Michelin Guide 2024 New York ceremony was held Tuesday at The Glasshouse in Manhattan, New York. Jungsik is the New York branch of the Korean restaurant Jungsikdang in Seoul, which opened in 2011. It first earned its two Michelin stars in New York in 2014. According to Michelin, the restaurant’s

On the day of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law declaration, the number of South Koreans installing Telegram surged dramatically, according to data released Tuesday. Telegram reached 47.09 percent of all messenger app downloads here on Dec. 3 — totaling 40,576 — nearly four times higher than the 9,016 recorded a day before, data from mobile big data platform IGAWorks showed. Yoon declared emergency martial law on the night of Dec. 3, only to reverse it the next

Who could have imagined that a K-pop debut track from 2007 would evolve into a rallying cry for political change? “Into the New World,” the debut single by Girls’ Generation, has reemerged as a protest anthem amid South Korea’s growing discontent with President Yoon Suk Yeol after he declared the ill-fated martial law earlier this week. On Thursday, the song was sung across candlelit rallies on the steps of the National Assembly in Seoul, where demonstrators waved flags a

Two third-year students at Sajik Girls’ High School in Busan celebrate their Suneung results with an enthusiastic double high-five on Friday morning. The state-administered College Scholastic Ability Test, held on Nov. 14 this year, had 522,670 participants, including high school seniors and graduates -- up 18,082 from last year. Two third-year students at Sajik Girls’ High School in Busan pump their fists in joy after checking their scores. A third-year student at Daegu Girls&rsq

The chair of the Choongam High School's foundation publicly criticized President Yoon Suk Yeol and other former pupils for their involvement in Tuesday's declaration of martial law. Chair Yoon Myung-hwa denounced members of the government's "Choongam faction," including the president and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, calling them “shameful alumni.” The chair expressed her frustration on Facebook, writing, “The school office has been bombarded w

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, a key figure behind South Korea’s six-hour martial law chaos, is barred from leaving the country as state prosecutors, acting on a treason accusation raised by politicians, prepare for an investigation. According to legal sources, a division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Lee Chan-gyu, has been assigned to investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, regarding Yoo

The US saw Donald Trump elected president in 2016 and again 2024. South Korea is seeing its president, though not same person, facing impeachment in both 2016 and this year. Is history repeating itself? An intriguing online theory is gaining attention, claiming that South Korea is caught in a historical loop, eerily mirroring the events of 2016. A viral post, along with numerous others sharing similar content, titled “foretold future” lays out a “parallel theory” linkin

South Korea enacted a martial law decree late Tuesday night and then lifted it early Wednesday morning. What does this mean and how concerned should you be, if you’re planning a trip or currently in the country? Here’s a brief rundown. Intense winter of politics ahead Politically, South Korea braces for a potentially volatile winter, with the fate of its president, Yoon Suk Yeol, hanging in the balance. Calls for him to step down are exploding, with the six opposition parties pushi

The six-hour high-stakes political drama that unfolded in Seoul from Tuesday to Wednesday left onlookers worldwide scrambling for answers. On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, reactions poured in. For many, the sequence of events seemed dizzying. One viral post by user @MyLordBebo, titled “Summary of the crazy events in South Korea,” garnered over 945,000 views, accompanied by a video of armed soldiers clashing with lawmakers in the National Assembly. In response to this p

Who says government institutions are boring? In South Korea, the typically not-so-interesting image of state-run organizations and local governments is getting a glow-up, thanks to a growing wave of meme-worthy content that they create. Take Korail, the national railway operator. In a video on its YouTube channel, a real-life KTX train driver waltzes down the aisle of the new KTX Cheongryong train. Dressed in her uniform, she delivered a quirky dance to "Shooting Stars" by Bag Raiders.

Record amounts of heavy snow blanketed Seoul and its surrounding areas for a second consecutive day, causing tree branches to snap and roofs to collapse in areas hit hard by the snowstorm on Thursday. In addition to the volume of snow, the Korea Meteorological Administration attributed the danger to its composition. The snow that has fallen in greater Seoul over the past two days has been predominantly wet snow, significantly heavier than dry snow. While dry snow weighs about 150 kilograms per c

Bluesky, the decentralized social media platform making waves globally, has reached a milestone this month — 20 million users worldwide. And South Korea is riding this wave, too. According to Mobile Index, the rising platform’s Korean monthly active users reached 595,588 in October, marking a staggering 1,147.69 percent increase from September. Though these numbers are still modest compared to X’s 6 million and Threads' 4 million Korean monthly active users, the momentum i

When someone you personally know passes away, how do you mourn? For some, posting about it on social media, particularly Instagram, has become a part of the mourning process. Following the death of actor Song Jae-rim on Nov. 12, the platform was flooded with tributes. Friends and colleagues posted memories and heartfelt messages. For instance, broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon shared his sorrow on Instagram. “I am heartbroken that I will never see your wonderful smile again... I failed to care