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Controversy

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • Korea Zinc chair prepares cards up his sleeve to keep management control

    Nov 18, 2024
    in News
    Korea Zinc chair prepares cards up his sleeve to keep management control

    Korea Zinc Chair Choi Yun-birm speaks to the Korea Economic Daily at the company’s headquarters in Seoul on Nov. 17,…

    BTS, Controversy, family, Hyundai, Korea Zinc, LG, Protest, Seoul
  • Controversies/Scandals From 1st and 2nd Gen

    Nov 11, 2024
    in Community

    Seeing as Ryu Hwayoung is once again making headlines for comments regarding the T-ARA controversy, I was curious about more…

    Controversy, Scandal
  • Why is Kiss of Life’s comeback underperforming? The numbers are shocking

    Oct 24, 2024
    in Community

    As of right now, their recent title tracks ‘Get Loud’ and ‘Igloo’ are both out of the Melon Top 200.…

    Controversy, KT
  • “Korea exists solely due to the US’s mercy”

    Oct 22, 2024
    in Community

    Said by a korean with a Korean citizen living in Korea their entire life said this, worshipping their US citizenship…

    Controversy, Crime, family, history, Japan, Joseon, Korean History, Parents, Social Media
  • Doosan to resume Bobcat, Robotics merger with new ratio

    Oct 21, 2024
    in News
    Doosan to resume Bobcat, Robotics merger with new ratio

    The Bobcat S7X, the world’s first all-electric skid-steer loader (File photo by Doonsan Bobcat) South Korea’s plant and machinery powerhouse…

    Controversy
  • K-pop Sensation Jennie Kim Graces Harper’s BAZAAR US October 2024 Cover

    Oct 18, 2024
    in Entertainment
    K-pop Sensation Jennie Kim Graces Harper’s BAZAAR US October 2024 Cover

    Main Image Sources: Harper’s Bazar & British Vogue In a stunning display of global influence, BLACKPINK’s Jennie Kim has taken…

    Celebrity, Controversy, Fame, history, K-pop, K-pop Fans, Question, Seoul
  • I wish I cared about New Jeans/MHJ/Hybe controversy.

    Oct 15, 2024
    in Community

    Apparently a New Jeans member gave a speech in the Korean National Assembley and I am seeing all kinds of…

    Controversy
  • Restaurant in Tokyo under fire for banning Koreans, Chinese

    Oct 13, 2024
    in Community, Feeds
    Restaurant in Tokyo under fire for banning Koreans, Chinese

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

    Controversy, Discrimination, Koreans, Tokyo
  • Tsushima Shrine officially banned Korean tourists

    Oct 13, 2024
    in Community, Feeds

    submitted by /u/Smooth_Bee_7482 [link] [comments]

    Controversy, Tourist Ban, Tsushima Shrine
  • Turns out, the attacks against Kang Hyeong-wook were false allegations by a fired femcel

    Oct 13, 2024
    in Community, Feeds
    Turns out, the attacks against Kang Hyeong-wook were false allegations by a fired femcel

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

    Controversy, Kang Hyeong-wook
  • Korea Zinc offers higher share buyback price than MBK’s bid

    Oct 2, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Korea Zinc offers higher share buyback price than MBK’s bid

    Korea Zinc’s smelter in South Korea Korea Zinc Inc. will unveil a share buyback at a higher price than MBK…

    Controversy, family, history, Korea Zinc, Korean History, request, Seoul, Youngpoong
  • LX Pantos founder’s son sells shares to LX International for $37 mn

    Sep 16, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    LX Pantos founder’s son sells shares to LX International for $37 mn

    Aerial view of LX Pantos Incheon Airport Logistics Center (Courtesy of LX Pantos) The only son of LX Pantos Co.’s…

    Controversy, family, Korean Airport, Korean Comapny, LG
  • Liquidity crisis looms at S.Korea’s M Capital amid project financing mess  

    May 14, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Liquidity crisis looms at S.Korea’s M Capital amid project financing mess  

    Residential building construction site in Seoul (Courtesy of Yonhap) South Korea’s financing and finance leasing firm M Capital Co. is…

    BTS, Controversy, fail, Scandal, Seoul
  • Blackpink label YG to sell its drama production unit

    May 7, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Blackpink label YG to sell its drama production unit

    Mr. Queen, co-produced by Studioplex in 2020 (Courtesy of tvN)  K-pop sensation Blackpink’s label YG Entertainment Inc. is slated to…

    Controversy, Democracy, history, Joseon, K-pop
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Latest Korean News

  • Who’s who of global corporate titans to gather in Gyeongju for APEC CEO SummitOctober 20, 2025
    Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (center) meets with Samsung Chairman Jay… Read more: Who’s who of global corporate titans to gather in Gyeongju for APEC CEO Summit
  • BOK expected to hold rates steady as property, FX pressures mountOctober 19, 2025
    Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong (left) convenes a monetary… Read more: BOK expected to hold rates steady as property, FX pressures mount
  • In the Brooklyn of Seoul, K-eyewear brands battle for global attentionOctober 19, 2025
    Seongsu-dong, Seoul  Once home to shoe factories and metal workshops,… Read more: In the Brooklyn of Seoul, K-eyewear brands battle for global attention
  • US officials mull Trump-Kim Jong Un meeting during Asia tripOctober 19, 2025
    North Korean lead Kim Jong Un (Left) shakes hands with… Read more: US officials mull Trump-Kim Jong Un meeting during Asia trip
  • ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ track Golden rebounds to No. 3 on UK Singles ChartOctober 19, 2025
    HUNTR/X, the fictional K-pop girl group from Netflix’s animated film… Read more: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ track Golden rebounds to No. 3 on UK Singles Chart

Latest Community Feeds

  • North Korea eyes Southeast Asia for new friends – DWOctober 20, 2025
  • Do you make purple rice at home, and is it more expensive?October 20, 2025
  • I’m just sad about kpop music and all the “backgrounds”October 20, 2025
  • Help me what did i do wrong ( multigrain 21)October 20, 2025
  • What group/soloist’s lyrics stand out for you?October 19, 2025
  • Why is everyone so mad when some of us wanna know who’s gay?October 19, 2025
  • My go to meal. Kimchi fried rice with bacon.October 19, 2025
  • Miyeon / NMIXX cinematic universe continues to growOctober 19, 2025
  • These « expire » tomorrow but it’s such a good deal. Or is it?October 19, 2025
  • What can Korea learn from Israel regarding fertility and the birthrate?October 19, 2025
  • W KOREA Party and what it really means for the KPOP idols.October 19, 2025
  • Arrowroot starch noodles nutritional factsOctober 19, 2025
  • Private Onsen for couple?October 19, 2025
  • Seeking first hand experiences from students in South Korean universities – MS Biotechnology or other programsOctober 19, 2025
  • SM is wasting Red Velvet’s Irene potential (vent of an Irene stan)October 19, 2025
  • Appreciation of TWICE on their 10th AnniversaryOctober 19, 2025
  • Shrimp chips not what they used to be.October 19, 2025
  • Today’s Blackpink seems to follow too many trends and has lost part of what made the group specialOctober 19, 2025
  • Nmixx’s Blue Valentine has just reached their career high of #2 on Melon, this is quite likely their God’s Menu momentOctober 19, 2025
  • Klassic shitpostOctober 19, 2025

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (14,286)
    • Community (9,692)
    • Entertainment (992)
    • News (3,599)
  • 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