Business
Rising Cost of Living and the Side Hustle Boom The trend of Koreans taking on side hustles is accelerating as the cost of living, particularly in large cities like Seoul, continues to rise. The average worker in Seoul finds it almost impossible to purchase a home with their main salary alone, even after years of … Read more
The Battle for Soup Base Supremacy South Korea’s beloved instant noodle, ramyeon, is at the center of a heated rivalry between two of its biggest giants. Recently, “Samyang Foods” and “Nongshim” have begun fiercely competing over the acquisition of key sauce suppliers, each aiming to gain the upper hand in the secret world of soup … Read more
A Record Year for Korean Beverage Exports South Korea’s beverage industry is making significant strides on the international stage. In the first half of 2025, the country’s beverage exports soared to a record $409.81 million, marking a 3.9% increase compared to the previous year and a remarkable 27% rise from 2021. Non-fruit and vegetable beverages … Read more
Currency Changes and Economic Insights Making Sense of the Korean Won Exchange Rate Tracking the Korean won can be a challenging exercise, especially when news reports use words like “up” and “down” in confusing ways. The relationship between the won and the US dollar is especially tricky: as the value of the won changes, the … Read more
How Long-Awaited Features Completed the Experience Why Did iPhone Feel Incomplete in Korea? For over a decade, iPhone users in Korea often joked that key features like Apple Pay, call recording, and transit card support would only arrive after unification with North Korea—a humorous way of expressing just how distant these updates felt. While users … Read more