Energy discussions in South Korea are changing. In the past, public debate often focused on electricity prices, renewable energy targets or the safety of conventional nuclear power plants. Today, another question is becoming harder to ignore: how can a highly digital economy secure enough stable electricity for the decades ahead? Artificial intelligence, cloud services, semiconductor … Read more
Artificial intelligence is becoming one of the most closely watched technologies in healthcare. Hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and research institutions are exploring how AI can support medical imaging, data analysis, drug development research and clinical workflow. In South Korea, this trend is becoming especially visible in cancer research and digital healthcare. For international readers, Korea’s interest … Read more
The 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics were more than a sporting event for South Korea. Held from 17 September to 2 October 1988, the Games brought athletes, officials, journalists and visitors from around the world to Seoul. According to Olympic records, 159 National Olympic Committees and more than 8,000 athletes took part. For many people overseas, … Read more
In Korea, the phrase bballi-bballi means “quickly, quickly.” It is heard in ordinary situations: when someone is late, when food is being prepared, when a delivery is expected or when a task needs to be finished. To foreign visitors, this speed can feel surprising. A parcel ordered at night may arrive the next morning. Food … Read more
Before smartphones, fibre broadband and instant mobile payments, Korea’s early online culture passed through slow dial-up modems, text-only screens and household telephone lines. For younger readers outside Korea, it may be hard to imagine a time when going online meant blocking the family phone. Yet in the late 1980s and 1990s, South Korea developed a … Read more
In the early 1990s, Korean electronics were often seen overseas as affordable alternatives rather than premium products. One well-known story captures that period clearly. In 1993, Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee reportedly visited an electronics store in Los Angeles and saw a Samsung television placed on a dusty shelf, priced below a rival Sony model. For … Read more
Winter changes Seoul. The humidity of summer disappears. The colours of autumn fade. Cold wind moves between apartment towers, office buildings and narrow alleys. People walk faster, cafés become fuller, and steam rises from street-food stalls near subway exits. For many visitors, winter is not the easiest season to travel in Korea. It can be … Read more
Autumn is one of the most comfortable seasons to visit Seoul. The air becomes cooler, the humidity of summer fades, and the city begins to change colour. Ginkgo trees turn yellow along wide roads, maple leaves appear near palace walls, and mountain paths become easier to walk after the heat of August. For foreign visitors, … Read more
Seoul in summer can be beautiful, but it is not always easy. The city becomes hot, humid and busy. Afternoon showers can arrive suddenly. Subway stations feel warmer than usual, and walking between cafés, museums, shops or tourist sites can quickly become tiring. For visitors, the best way to enjoy Seoul in summer is not … Read more
For many Koreans who grew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the memory of a PC bang is easy to recognise. Rows of computers. Keyboards clicking quickly. Friends calling across the room. Instant noodles beside the monitor. The blue glow of game screens late at night. To foreign visitors, a PC bang may … Read more