Open Korea

Open Korea

Korean Identities Beyond Borders

  • News
  • History
  • People
  • Community
  • Entertainment
  • Resources
    • ☎️ Helpline in Korea
    • 🔗 Useful sites on Korea
    • 🎬 Best Korean Films
    • 📺 Best Korean Shows
    • 🎤 Best Korean Pop
    • 👥 Join the Cause
    • 💲Donor Dashboard

Preserving
Broader Korean Heritage

Supporting Extended Korean Identities around the World. Sharing Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience.

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundations

Trending News Feeds on Korea

  • Shinhan Financial bets on stablecoins, AI in digital overhaul  

    Shinhan Financial bets on stablecoins, AI in digital overhaul  

    Sep 1, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong vowed to actively integrate…

  • S.Korean firms rush to retire treasury shares before law reform

    S.Korean firms rush to retire treasury shares before law reform

    Sep 1, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    (Courtesy of Getty Images) South Korean companies are racing to…

  • CHAEYOUNG of TWICE Embarks on a Vibrant New Journey with Solo Track ‘Avocado’ Featuring Gliiico

    Sep 1, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: JYP Entertainment There’s a certain electricity in the…

  • Stray Kids surpass BTS with record seven straight No. 1s on Billboard 200

    Stray Kids surpass BTS with record seven straight No. 1s on Billboard 200

    Sep 1, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    K-pop group Stray Kids Stray Kids have done what no…

  • APEC real estate, global utility: Cohen & Steers’ picks in economic downturn

    APEC real estate, global utility: Cohen & Steers’ picks in economic downturn

    Sep 1, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Cohen & Steers President & Chief Investment Officer Jon Cheigh…

  • JO1’s 10th Single ‘Handz In My Pocket’ and Kinjo Sukai’s Seoul Fashion Week Runway Appearance Create Excitement

    JO1’s 10th Single ‘Handz In My Pocket’ and Kinjo Sukai’s Seoul Fashion Week Runway Appearance Create Excitement

    Aug 31, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: LAPONE ENTERTAINMENT JO1 is stepping into a vibrant…

  • TREASURE Unveils Third Mini Album ‘LOVE PULSE’ with Seoul Concerts and Pop-Up Store Experience + Visual Photos

    TREASURE Unveils Third Mini Album ‘LOVE PULSE’ with Seoul Concerts and Pop-Up Store Experience + Visual Photos

    Aug 31, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: YG Entertainment (Korea). Columbia Records (USA). Hero Image:…

  • Chinese milk tea brand Chagee to enter South Korea through JV

    Chinese milk tea brand Chagee to enter South Korea through JV

    Aug 31, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    (File photo downloaded from Chagee’s website) Chagee, one of the…

  • GIRLSET’s “Commas” Choreography Version: A Fresh Comeback in 2025

    Aug 31, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: JYP Entertainment K-pop girl group GIRLSET made waves…

  • Samsung, SK Hynix lose US waiver on chip equipment for China use

    Samsung, SK Hynix lose US waiver on chip equipment for China use

    Aug 31, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Samsung Electronics semiconductor factory in Xi’an, Shaanxi, China (File photo…

  • Elegance in Motion: Kwon Eunbi Elevates Wideangle’s 2025 F/W Golfwear Revolution

    Elegance in Motion: Kwon Eunbi Elevates Wideangle’s 2025 F/W Golfwear Revolution

    Aug 31, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: MBC entertainment. Wideangle Korea South Korean singer and…

  • XLOV’s Journey from Debut to European Tour: A Deep Dive into the Co-Ed K-Pop Phenomenon

    XLOV’s Journey from Debut to European Tour: A Deep Dive into the Co-Ed K-Pop Phenomenon

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credit: 257 Entertainment The K-pop group in question is…

  • Blackpink’s Rosé earns $8 million from YouTube as ‘APT.’ craze tops 3.6B views

    Blackpink’s Rosé earns $8 million from YouTube as ‘APT.’ craze tops 3.6B views

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Blackpink’s Rosé is proving that her star power extends far…

  • HYBE, Geffen to debut new global girl group in 2026 — second joint project after KATSEYE

    HYBE, Geffen to debut new global girl group in 2026 — second joint project after KATSEYE

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    HYBE’s new global girl group. From left: Emily Kelavos, Samara…

  • The Rose’s “Trauma”: A Deep Dive into the Band, Their Music, and Visual Storytelling

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo/Video Credits: Windfall Entertainment Introduction to The Rose The Rose is…

  • 82MAJOR’s Nam Seongmo Captivates with Dreamy New Single “Pinterest Luv” Featuring Moon Sujin

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo/Video Credits: Great M Entertainment Nam Seongmo (남성모), known by…

  • Kpoppie Magazine’s Elite K-Pop Idol Fashion Brand Rankings 2025 (First 6 months): Who Ruled the Runways and Editorials?

    Kpoppie Magazine’s Elite K-Pop Idol Fashion Brand Rankings 2025 (First 6 months): Who Ruled the Runways and Editorials?

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Our individual K-pop idol brand reputation ranking in fashion internationally…

  • BEBY Entertainment Opens 2025 Global Online Auditions for Future K-Pop Idols [ APPLY HERE]

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Get ready, future idols—the spotlight could be yours! BEBY Entertainment…

  • X:IN Sets the Pace with Energetic ‘RRRUN’ Concept Photos Ahead of Debut

    X:IN Sets the Pace with Energetic ‘RRRUN’ Concept Photos Ahead of Debut

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: BeBy Entertainment. X:IN, the multinational K-pop girl group,…

  • Beyond the Spotlight: How K-Pop Idols Are Shaping the High-Fashion Editorial Renaissance

    Beyond the Spotlight: How K-Pop Idols Are Shaping the High-Fashion Editorial Renaissance

    Aug 30, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    K-pop’s relationship with high-fashion editorial pictorials in 2025 is not…

  • IVE’s Jang Wonyoung Embodies Timeless Elegance for SuperELLE China September 2025 Cover

    IVE’s Jang Wonyoung Embodies Timeless Elegance for SuperELLE China September 2025 Cover

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: SuperELLE China. Starship Entertainment There is a magic…

  • GOT7’s Jinyoung Brings Modern Elegance to GQ Korea and Brunello Cucinelli’s August 2025 Pictorial

    GOT7’s Jinyoung Brings Modern Elegance to GQ Korea and Brunello Cucinelli’s August 2025 Pictorial

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: GQ Korea. Brunello Cucinelli. Kakao Entertainment When art…

  • Hong Eunchae, LE SSERAFIM’s luminous maknae, singer-songwriter and MC, is officially the ambassador of luxury fragrance house VASILISA

    Hong Eunchae, LE SSERAFIM’s luminous maknae, singer-songwriter and MC, is officially the ambassador of luxury fragrance house VASILISA

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    ““Eunchae makes the invisible visible — scent as silhouette.”” Photo…

  • Minnie for DAZED Korea x Calvin Klein – A Study in Soft Power and Denim Minimalism

    Minnie for DAZED Korea x Calvin Klein – A Study in Soft Power and Denim Minimalism

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: DAZED Korea. Calvin Klein. CUBE Entertainment There’s a…

  • South Korea eyes record 8.1% budget hike with big AI push

    South Korea eyes record 8.1% budget hike with big AI push

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung (right) speaks at a…

  • Korean VC firms lose appetite for investment in startups amid dearth of IPOs, M&As for exit

    Korean VC firms lose appetite for investment in startups amid dearth of IPOs, M&As for exit

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Korea’s startup industry faces a sharp funding squeeze as venture…

  • Samsung, Mirae Asset, KB vie for $44.7 bn pension investment pool management

    Samsung, Mirae Asset, KB vie for $44.7 bn pension investment pool management

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    South Korea has opened bidding for the management of its…

  • Must-do in Korea: Skincare, even for Kim Kardashian

    Must-do in Korea: Skincare, even for Kim Kardashian

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Myeongdong at the heart of Seoul bustles with foreign visitors…

  • Seventeen sells out Hong Kong’s largest stadium, proving unrivaled ticket power

    Seventeen sells out Hong Kong’s largest stadium, proving unrivaled ticket power

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Seventeen has once again demonstrated its global clout, selling out…

  • Fat Hamster and KANG New : Brains in a Vat

    Fat Hamster and KANG New : Brains in a Vat

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    I’ve had Fat Hamster and KANG NEW‘s full length on…

  • N.Korea’s Kim Jong Un to debut on multilateral diplomatic stage in China; summit with Xi, Putin likely

    N.Korea’s Kim Jong Un to debut on multilateral diplomatic stage in China; summit with Xi, Putin likely

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) talks with North Korean leader…

  • South Korean asset managers step up push into private debt market

    South Korean asset managers step up push into private debt market

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    Hanwha Financial Center in Yoido, Seoul South Korean asset managers…

  • Tomorrow’s Elegance: HueningKai for NYLON Japan, October 2025

    Tomorrow’s Elegance: HueningKai for NYLON Japan, October 2025

    Aug 29, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: BIGHIT Music. NYLON Japan “Fashion as manifesto. Stardom…

  • KATSEYE Sets the Stage in FLAUNT’s 200th Issue with Bold September Cover and Pictorial

    KATSEYE Sets the Stage in FLAUNT’s 200th Issue with Bold September Cover and Pictorial

    Aug 28, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: FLAUNT Magazine. HYBE. Geffen “This cover marks not…

  • ASC2NT Heralds New Era with ‘BLOOMED’ Album Release and Exclusive Live Tour Across Japan

    ASC2NT Heralds New Era with ‘BLOOMED’ Album Release and Exclusive Live Tour Across Japan

    Aug 28, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds

    Photo Credits: NEWWAYS Company “More than a concert — it’s…

  • Korean stock surge drives 4.08% return for National Pension Service

    Korean stock surge drives 4.08% return for National Pension Service

    Aug 28, 2025
    in Feeds, News

    The National Pension Service (NPS), the world’s third-largest pension scheme,…

←Previous Page Next Page→
Open Korea

Open Korea

Korean Identities Beyond Borders

Sponsors & Partners

  • Eastern Art – Center for Non-Western Art Studies
  • Great African Railway – Connecting Young Africans in Metaverse
  • Renewable AI – Carbon Neutral Regulation in AI Training
  • ContentsWIRE – Stream quality writings and visuals for your business

Helplines in Korea

112  | Police

Call to report life-threatening situations and emergencies requiring law enforcement. Text service and location tracking service is also available.

119 | Fire & Ambulance

The fire department and health emergencies requiring ambulance service. There’s also an English reporting section on their website.

182 | Missing Persons & Stolen Vehicles

This line is also used for non-emergency reports and requests such as inquiring about the cost of a fine for a traffic violation, information on car licenses, and how to contact officers in charge of specific cases.

1339 | Korea Center for Disease Control (KCDC) Foreigner Helpline

Particularly useful during the 2015 MERS scare, the KCDC provides foreigners with information about first-aid and diseases in English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Mongolian.

1366 | Seoul Women’s Help Hotline

Not necessarily English-friendly and not outside of Seoul, this 24-hour service immediate response line for women involved in domestic abuse, sexual violence or prostitution should still be kept handy.

1330 | Korea Tourism Organization’s Travel Helpline

Tourism and translation services. The service is available 24/7 and provides information on tourist sites, transportation, restaurants, and more.

120 | Seoul Municipal Government Info

The Seoul “Dasan” helpline provides information on restaurants (Korean and international cuisines), transportation (bus, subway, taxi, etc.), Korean language schools, interpretation services, legal consulting, lost items, volunteer services, daily living in Seoul, and tourism. Available languages are Chinese, English, Japanese, Mongolian and Vietnamese from 9 am to 10 pm.

1345 | Immigration

Foreign resident can to ask just about any immigration-related question. Keep in mind that they tend to be on the negative side, as it’s the safer way for them to answer. Tip: Get their name and information so that if you visit the immigration office and get a different story you can tell them that you were told otherwise…

1331 | National Human Rights Commission of Korea

Call here to get information on human rights laws and social justice in Korea, as well as get assistance with filing a complaint and even receive counseling.

110 | National Government Call Center

This phone number is available for the public to call and inquire about anything from government policy to civil complaints. Available in 20 different languages.

Useful Official Links on Korea

Korean Arts

  • Archive of Gugak 국악아카이브
  • Artsnet 미술포탈 아츠넷
  • Digital Archive of Performing Arts 공연예술 디지털 아카이브
  • Intangible Heritage Digital Archive 무형유산 디지털 아카이브
  • Korea Digital Archives for the Arts 한국예술디지털아카이브
  • National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea 국립현대미술관
  • ​National Museum of Korea 국립중앙박물관
  • Seoul Photo Archives 서울사진아카이브

Korean Cinema

  • HANCINEMA The Korean Movie & Drama Database
  • Intangible Heritage Digital Archive 무형유산 디지털 아카이브
  • KMDb 한국영화데이터베이스
  • Korea Digital Archives for the Arts 한국예술디지털아카이브
  • Korean Annual Box Office Results 영화진흥위원회 박스오피스
  • Korean Film Archive 한국영상자료원
  • Korean Film Archive YouTube Channel
  • Korean Film Biz Zone
  • Korean Film Council 한국영화진흥위원회
  • KTV National Record Film 한국정책방송원 e영상역사관
  • North Korean film 북한영화 (통일부 북한자료센타)

Language & Literature

  • The Academy of Korean Studies 한국학 중앙 연구원
  • DLKL (한국 문학 디지털 도서관) by 한국문학번역원Digital Library of Korean Literature
  • The Korea Comparative Literature Association 한국비교문학회
  • The Korean Association of Language Sciences 한국언어과학회
  • Korean Literature Archive
  • Korean Literature Author Data Service
  • Korean Literature E-books in Multiple Languages
  • The Learned Society of Modern Korean Literature 한국현대문학회
  • The Modern Linguistic Society of Korea 한국현대언어학회
  • The Society of Korean Oral Literature 한국 구비 문학회
  • 국어 능력 인증 시험 (한국언어문화연구원)
  • 근대 문학 종합 목록 (국립 중앙 도서관)A comprehensive database for Korean modern literature. The site provides a search for authors and titles.
  • 한국 고전 종합 DB
  • 한글 학회 (Korean Language Society)

Statistical Sources

Government sources

  • Statistics Korea (KOSTAT 통계청)
  • Korean Statistical Information Sources (KOSIS 국가통계포털)
  • Open DATA Portal (공공 데이터 포털)

Themed statistics

  • Korean Social Science Data Archive (KOSSDA) 한국사회과학자료원
  • North Korean Statistics 북한통계 (KOISS)
  • 경제통계시스템 (Economic Statistics System)
  • 국가교육통계정보센터 (Korea National Center for Education Statistics & Information)
  • 노동통계 (Labour Statistics)
  • Media Statistics (Korea Press Foundation)
  • Trade Statistics (수출입통계, 관세청 Korea Customs Service)

History related sources

  • 한국역사정보통합시스템 (국사편찬워원회)
  • 한국사 데이터베이스
  • Kyujanggak Institute (규장각 한국학 연구원)Seoul National University Kyujanggak Institute for Korean studies
  • 한국학 디지털 아카이브
  • The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty 조선 왕조 실록
  • The Daily Records of Royal Secretariat of Joseon Dynasty 승정원 일기
  • 朝鮮王朝実録 (東京大学東洋文化研究所)
  • Korean Image Archive (한국 이미지 자료원)2,400 historic, original photographs of Korea (primarily focus on images captured pre-1970, and 35mm color slides) are available for research, presentation, lectures and other forms of scholarly works.
  • Sajin Taehan Min’guk (사진 대한민국)a collection of photographic records that vividly capture the people’s daily lives and social changes.
  • Academy of Korean Studies [한국학 디지털 아카이브]

Bibliographies and Indexes

  • 한국학술지인용색인 Korea Citation Index
  • KORCIS: 한국 고문헌 종합 목록 (국립중앙도서관)Korean Old and Rare Collection Information System
  • 近代朝鮮関係書籍データベース (東京大学東洋文化研究所)
  • 한국 잡지 박물관 DB