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Korean Identities Beyond Borders

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BTS

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • BTS rejects new Grammys categories, won’t submit for awards this year

    Jul 29, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    BTS rejects new Grammys categories, won’t submit for awards this year

    submitted by /u/esporx [link] [comments]

    BTS
  • From Big 3 to Big 4? SM, YG, JYPE ent and HYBE

    Jul 28, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Hey! i know that because of BTS, HYBE is now if not the most but one of the most successful…

    BTS
  • New kpop stans – what got you into kpop?

    Jul 28, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    This question is to new kpop stans – for me it’s people who joined kpop in 2023 or later. 90%…

    BTS, Question
  • Jin, Unhurried: Inside ELLE Korea x Gucci’s Portrait of a Man Who Already Won

    Jul 27, 2026
    in Feeds
    Jin, Unhurried: Inside ELLE Korea x Gucci’s Portrait of a Man Who Already Won

    The room is dark wood and gold leaf — a hotel interior that looks older than the century it’s actually…

    BTS, Japan, K-pop, Military, Photography, Sex
  • Why is Exo’s tour so short? Do they still have demand to do a world tour like Bigbang?

    Jul 27, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    i’m not gonna compare them to other 3rd gen groups like bts and blackpink for obvious reasons and twice and…

    BTS, Military
  • underwhelmed after attending a concert of my ults

    Jul 27, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    not because of the way they performed, they were great. but I had SUCH high expectations of how happy I…

    BTS
  • Jungkook went to Stray Kids concert to support them!

    Jul 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I just got informed from a Telegram group that Jungkook went to Stray Kids concert and I’m so excited! I…

    BTS
  • seeing bts without my sister, what to tell her?

    Jul 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    i’m 25 and my sister is 18, i got her into bts when i was 17 so she was 10.…

    Advice, BTS, Social Media
  • The best dancers in KPOP – official list

    Jul 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    hi again!!! HERE WE GO WITH THE DOWNVOTESSS yesterday i made a post where you could recommend me the best…

    BTS
  • Have I lost my curiosity? I want to stan new music but can’t

    Jul 25, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I remember being the most INTO new things back in my early adolescence. That was the only time I remember…

    BTS, Curiosity
  • The best dancers in KPOP – let’s make a list!

    Jul 25, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    cześć!!!! będąc tancerką od 11 lat (hip hop / nowoczesny), niedawno wkręciłam się w kpop! Zaintrygowały mnie tancerki kpopowe, ponieważ…

    BTS, KT, LG
  • J-Hope, Time, and the Art of Becoming

    Jul 23, 2026
    in Feeds
    J-Hope, Time, and the Art of Becoming

    When Time Wears His Name Some artists enter a new era. j-hope makes the era feel illuminated. In the August…

    BTS, Celebrity, Gen Z, Japan, K-pop, LG, Question, travel
  • Could BTS generate around USD 1.5 billion in revenue in 2026? Here’s my breakdown.

    Jul 23, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I was bored the other day and started wondering how much money BTS could actually bring in during their 2026…

    Advertisement, BTS, Curiosity
  • What happens to city exclusive concert merch that doesn’t sell?

    Jul 22, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve been wondering about something ever since attending the BTS concert in Paris. I noticed that the Europe exclusive shirts…

    BTS, purpose
  • Charting vs elitism culture of kpop vs western fans

    Jul 22, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    This is just an observation I made which I found sorta funny so I wanted to share and know if…

    BTS
  • Genuine Thoughts About The Cortis Discourse?

    Jul 21, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    1) Cortis do not want a typical kpop fandom. I think their management is aiming for a global audience that…

    BTS, Gen Z, K-pop, Korean Guy, Perspectives
  • Lee vows diverse measures to stabilize property market

    Jul 21, 2026
    in News
    Lee vows diverse measures to stabilize property market

    President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday the government will adopt various measures on both the supply and demand sides to…

    BTS
  • Billboard’s ‘The 25 Best K-Pop Albums of 2026 (SO FAR) Ranked: Staff Picks’ is out. What are your thoughts on it?

    Jul 21, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    This is the link to the article. If you can’t access it, here’s the list in ranked order. ITZY, Motto…

    BTS, K-pop
  • The 3rd K-pop Soloists Rate! Back to 2013 and onward with Sunmi, Taemin, and more

    Jul 20, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Hello everyone! This rate, we’re excited to return to the world of k-pop soloists, arriving at some more contemporary big…

    Advice, BTS, K-pop, Survey
  • Most streamed kpop group songs each year on Spotify that are not by BTS, Blackpink, or Twice

    Jul 20, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Recently, I saw a post on another music sub with the most-streamed song on Spotify from each of the last…

    BTS, KT
  • What part/aspect of kpop really pulled you into being a fan/stan?

    Jul 20, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Recently I had become an atiny and was obsessed with ‘ice in my teeth’ performance. So, ofc I had to…

    BTS, LG, Suga
  • Why didn’t Jimin pick up the microphone on the first half of his bridge part during the Fifa World Cup halftime show?

    Jul 20, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Don’t crucify me if that’s not the bridge of the song, I’m not a musician, but watching the halftime show,…

    BTS
  • Lots of groups will be touring in North America in second half, How many of it you will be attending? Do you have suggestions?

    Jul 20, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Now that the world cup has ended, a lot of Kpop groups are scheduled to tour NA now. IVE I…

    BTS, travel
  • What words or phrases related to kpop keep randomly popping into your head?

    Jul 19, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Not songs getting stuck, but words or expressions that you keep thinking or saying in situations that may or may…

    BTS
  • Who are the actual PROFESSIONAL DANCERS in Kpop

    Jul 19, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    These days, fans throw this term around and call anyone a professional dancer. There’s a big difference between being a…

    BTS, K-pop, LG, Question
  • “Even prison will not save you”: unmarried young Korean women feared sexual enslavement in Imperial Japan’s wartime labor conscription, but officials said evaders would be imprisoned and then conscripted anyway (September 1944)

    Jul 18, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    “Even prison will not save you”: unmarried young Korean women feared sexual enslavement in Imperial Japan’s wartime labor conscription, but officials said evaders would be imprisoned and then conscripted anyway (September 1944)

    By early 1944, months before Japan formally promulgated the Women’s Labor Volunteer Corps Ordinance in August 1944, reports from colonial…

    BTS, Discussion, Ewha, fail, family, Japan, LG, Military, Punishment, purpose, Question, Sex, travel
  • What are some songs where you prefer the remix over the original?

    Jul 17, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I usually prefer the original versions of songs, since that’s the version I am used to. But there are some…

    BTS
  • Western fans aren’t “owed” representation in K-pop, and that’s a good thing.

    Jul 16, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’m Korean, and I agree with most criticisms of the K-pop industry. It’s a highly exploitative and hyper-capitalist industry that…

    BTS, K-pop, K-pop industry
  • K-pop and K-pop adjacent acts on Luminate’s 2026 Mid-Year Report

    Jul 15, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Luminate just released its Mid-year report for 2026, and I thought it would be fun to look into some of…

    BTS, K-pop
  • I just don’t get why Cortis is so hyped up

    Jul 15, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    My cousins, friends, neighbours, and coworkers are obsessed with Cortis. They buy tons of their merch, stream their songs nonstop,…

    BTS, Sex, Social Media, travel
  • Best Asian Pop Music – early predictions

    Jul 14, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’m 90% sure the Best Asian Pop category will be televised since it’ll probably bring in a lot of viewers.…

    BTS, K-pop
  • SAINT SATINE: Four Became Three, But the Story Isn’t Over

    Jul 14, 2026
    in Feeds
    SAINT SATINE: Four Became Three, But the Story Isn’t Over

    There’s a moment right before a group debuts when the world hasn’t decided what to call them yet — not…

    apology, BTS, Discussion, Gen Z, Japan, K-pop, KT, LG, Peace, Photography, Seoul, Stress
  • 2nd gen groups songs are the best of all times change my mind

    Jul 13, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I feel like I’m gonna get a lot of hates and this post would get downvoted to oblivion but hear…

    BTS
  • Some new generation fans feel the need to constantly dunk on K-Pop related culture and it’s genuinely sad to see

    Jul 13, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    There’s a clip going viral of Karina and Winter in the variety show Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, also…

    BTS, K-pop, Koreans
  • K-pop seemingly being an unoriginal genre that rips off their sound from black art is a hot topic on certain online circles right now, with CORTIS usually being the target of this criticism. I have my own thoughts, but for those who agree with this, when‘s the last time K-Pop felt original to you?

    Jul 13, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I would usually cite anything from early 3rd gen groups and everything that came before as K-Pop‘s last “original” era,…

    BTS, K-pop
  • WORN WITHOUT APOLOGY: Juhoon, Seonghyeon & Keonho Take Paris in DAZED Korea x Dior

    Jul 13, 2026
    in Feeds
    WORN WITHOUT APOLOGY: Juhoon, Seonghyeon & Keonho Take Paris in DAZED Korea x Dior

    CORTIS’s August 2026 E-Edition cover proves the “creator crew” doesn’t need a full lineup to break the internet — just…

    apology, BTS, Japan, K-pop, Photography, purpose, study, Tokyo
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Latest Korean News

  • Ex-football player Park Joo-ho, wife Anna expecting 4th childAugust 14, 2026
    Former football player Park Joo-ho and his wife, Anna, have… Read more: Ex-football player Park Joo-ho, wife Anna expecting 4th child
  • Gunil leaves Xdinary Heroes after leaked audio controversyAugust 14, 2026
    Gunil has left Xdinary Heroes after acknowledging he made inappropriate… Read more: Gunil leaves Xdinary Heroes after leaked audio controversy
  • Flooding near Tokyo kills 4, disrupts travelAugust 14, 2026
    TOKYO — Record-breaking rainfall that pounded cities east of Tokyo… Read more: Flooding near Tokyo kills 4, disrupts travel
  • Why Kim and Trump should meetAugust 14, 2026
    Since U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to the White House,… Read more: Why Kim and Trump should meet
  • English edition of Confucian philosopher Yi Ik’s work published by Oxford University PressAugust 14, 2026
    A research team at Sungkyunkwan University’s College of Confucian Studies… Read more: English edition of Confucian philosopher Yi Ik’s work published by Oxford University Press

Latest Community Feeds

  • Gunsan SunsetAugust 15, 2026
  • Crimson Desert did so well that developer Pearl Abyss reported 94% increased labor expenses due to “performance bonus payments” made to 1,035 employeesAugust 15, 2026
  • Sumin may be more well-known as a songwriter and producer in the Kpop world, but her new solo album dinnermode is outstanding and needs to be heardAugust 15, 2026
  • i actually prefer kpop idols natural hair colour over their coloured hairAugust 15, 2026
  • If you’re a guy and ever thought about a KPop dance class…August 15, 2026
  • Chinese People Celebrate Korea’s Liberation Day/광복절(光復節)August 15, 2026
  • Question about mandatory military servceAugust 14, 2026
  • An inside look at SK Hynix $720 billion AI-fueled buildout that’s taking over South Korea – CNBC.comAugust 14, 2026
  • Grammys May Reconsider New Asian Pop Award After BTS Withdrawal: ‘Some Artists Feel This Category Isn’t Representing the Music They Create’August 14, 2026
  • Colonial wealthAugust 14, 2026
  • ‘I lost $14,000 in a month’: Investors hit by Korean stock market’s wild swingsAugust 14, 2026
  • [ANALYSIS] ‘Yellow envelope law’ could derail chip cluster project: law expertsAugust 14, 2026
  • Bad time to be a Villian and Army… Just ventingAugust 14, 2026
  • aespa and their MBTIs – things you’ve seen/noticed?August 14, 2026
  • NBA YoungBoy moves to South Korea, will ‘never’ return to USAugust 14, 2026
  • Korean retail investors poured $4.6 billion into US stocks just before the Kospi reboundedAugust 14, 2026
  • Stray Kids “RUN IT” deserved to be a title trackAugust 14, 2026
  • There is a disconnect between negative social media sentiment for a Kpop group and their realityAugust 14, 2026
  • Leaving a fandom, what doesn’t it mean exactly ?August 14, 2026
  • Korea is better than I ever could have imaginedAugust 14, 2026

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (24,623)
    • Community (18,254)
    • Entertainment (988)
    • News (5,051)
  • History (41)
  • People (16)

History of Korea

  • Exploring Ancient Korea: A Journey into Pre-HistoryOctober 12, 2017
    Introduction to Pre-Historic Korea The timeline of ancient Korea before documented history is a fascinating yet challenging area of study.… Read more: Exploring Ancient Korea: A Journey into Pre-History
  • The Rise and Fall of Go Joseon and the Emergence of the Three KingdomsOctober 19, 2017
    Introduction to Go Joseon The Go Joseon dynasty, often considered a pivotal era in Korean history, emerged around the end… Read more: The Rise and Fall of Go Joseon and the Emergence of the Three Kingdoms
  • The Rise and Fall of Korea’s Three Kingdoms: A Story of Power, Conflict, and UnificationNovember 30, 2017
    Introduction to the Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms period in Korea, encompassing approximately from the 1st century BCE to the… Read more: The Rise and Fall of Korea’s Three Kingdoms: A Story of Power, Conflict, and Unification
  • Choe Chi-wonFebruary 14, 2018
    Introduction to Choe Chi-won Choe Chi-won, born in 857, stands as a notable figure in Korean history, specifically during the… Read more: Choe Chi-won
  • King Gwanggaeto the GreatMay 14, 2018
    Introduction to King Gwanggaeto King Gwanggaeto the Great, a pivotal figure in Korean history, ruled from 395 to 413 CE… Read more: King Gwanggaeto the Great
  • Won HyoOctober 14, 2018
    Introduction to Won Hyo Won Hyo, a prominent figure in Korean history, is celebrated for his profound impact on the… Read more: Won Hyo
  • Jang BogoApril 14, 2019
    Introduction to Jang Bogo Jang Bogo, a prominent historical figure from the Silla Dynasty, played a pivotal role in shaping… Read more: Jang Bogo
  • GyebaekApril 14, 2019
    Introduction to Gyebaek Gyebaek is a prominent historical figure in Korean history, particularly known for his role as a general… Read more: Gyebaek
  • King MuryeongSeptember 14, 2019
    Introduction to King Muryeong King Muryeong, reigning from 501 to 523 AD, stands as one of the most influential monarchs… Read more: King Muryeong
  • The Rise and Fall of the Goryeo Dynasty: A Precursor to the Joseon EraJanuary 3, 2020
    Introduction to the Goryeo Dynasty The Goryeo Dynasty, established in 918 AD by the notable general Wang Geon, marks a… Read more: The Rise and Fall of the Goryeo Dynasty: A Precursor to the Joseon Era

Open Korea

Open Korea

Korean Identities Beyond Borders

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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