Why Cash Is a Meaningful Parents’ Day Gift in Korea A Different Way to Say Thank You In Korea, gratitude on Parents’ Day often comes in a very practical form: cash. That might sound a little cold in some cultures, but in many Korean families, it actually feels thoughtful and respectful. Instead of guessing what … Read more
Korea’s Network Fee Debate Is Becoming a US Trade Issue Why the US Is Calling Korea an “Outlier” So this is getting real. The US Trade Representative is openly criticizing Korea’s network usage fee policy and calling it an “outlier” — even one of the “craziest” trade barriers for American exporters. The issue is Korea’s … Read more
How “Douyin” and “Xiaohongshu” Are Taking Over Myeong-dong Livestream Selling Moves from Studios to the Streets of Seoul You won’t believe what’s happening in Myeong-dong at 9 a.m.! While the streets are usually quiet, a new group of entrepreneurs is already hard at work. They aren’t street performers—they are Chinese livestreamers chasing sales! With smartphones … Read more
Military Service and Gender Fairness in Korea Why the Debate Is Back Again Military service is once again at the center of gender conflict in Korea. A recent court ruling said that giving higher starting ranks to workers with military service experience could count as gender discrimination if it affects promotions. That decision quickly revived … Read more
Korea Removes ‘Out-of-Wedlock Child’ From Welfare Forms A Small Word Change With Big Meaning South Korea is preparing to remove the term “out-of-wedlock child” from government child welfare forms, and honestly, this is bigger than it sounds. It may look like a simple wording update, but language in official documents shapes how society sees people. … Read more