Poop in Korean Imagination: From Manure to Waste to Pastry
Are Koreans obsessed with poop? Maybe not. But certainly, the matter, ahem, comes up often enough that one has to wonder: What’s up with all these references to poop and the blasé attitude?
history
Remembering Gwangju
After reading a novel about the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement, the writer sets off to the city where it all unfolded in order to discover the event's meaning for himself.
Pojangmacha: Tent Nostalgia
For decades, the pojangmacha was a fixture of South Korean nightlife. The old and young drank soju and chatted in these often tiny, cramped tents. Most of these street tents have disappeared, now to a cultural relic and tool of nostalgic indulgence. But some tents still remain; here are the voices of those inside.
Dark Tour: Jeju Island Beyond Teddy Bear Museums
This month marks 70 years of 4.3, one of the worst cases of violence perpetrated by the South Korean state against its own citizens. A different sort of tour shows Jeju beyond the teddy bears and postcard beaches.
Why Are South Korea and North Korea Enemies?
Split by the two global superpowers after WW2, South and North Korea are still technically at war. But two countries have much more complex relations than being enemies.
Barber From Another Era
Welcome to Seongwoo Barbershop, one of South Korea's oldest barbershops and a fascinating glimpse into a forgotten era within a rapidly changing country.
Why Does Japan Have a Bad Relationship With Neighbors?
At first glance, China, Japan and South Korea seem to have a lot in common. But why do they dislike each other, especially Japan?
The Palace’s Painful Past
When you think of 'traditional Korean palace,' you won't think of this white building. The Grand Conservatory has a complex past, now open to the public.
Dongdaemun Postcard: From Stall to Tower, Merchant to Tourist
Dongdaemun has long been one of the central marketplaces in Seoul. How has it changed over the years? Who shops there now? Here's a summer postcard.
Gwangju: the City of Democracy
Compared to Seoul, Busan or Gyeongju, Gwangju seems to have little to offer. But Gwangju, where "May 18" happened, is a beacon of democracy.
South Korea’s UNESCO Obsession
Seoul's city wall has failed to win UNESCO world heritage designation. That's not necessarily a tragedy.
Is the World’s First Newspaper…Korean?
The world's oldest known newspaper is Relation, which was first published in 1605. But a South Korean Buddhist monk may have found one that precedes it.