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Korean Identities Beyond Borders

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history

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • Theme:Vocal Positions in K‑pop Girl Groups

    Sep 27, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    When we talk about “the greatest vocal member in K‑pop girl group history” or “the GOAT female idol vocalist,” who…

    history, Japan, Sex
  • Katseye having a young fanbase isn’t surprising for reasons other than their music

    Sep 27, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    The crowds at Katseye’s concerts had a lot of people talking about how young the fanbase is. However, i don’t…

    Discussion, history, study
  • Can we call RIIZE a flop after 4 years of career ?

    Sep 25, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I know “flop” is probably a strong word but I’m talking more about their overall impact and potential compared to…

    Discussion, history
  • In the history of K‑POP girl groups, who would you name as a truly great lead vocalist?

    Sep 25, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I don’t think being a lead vocalist is just about singing well. As the second or third vocal pillar, you…

    Discussion, history, LG, Question
  • CBX fans need to leave Suho alone (thoughts after seeing the SCoups Suho leader talk)

    Sep 22, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    As an old exo-l, i am so so tired of seeing people, esp on Twitter, fight about how EXO handled…

    history
  • Quiet Velocity: How &TEAM’s EJ and Taki Are Rewriting Pop’s Visual Code

    Sep 22, 2026
    in Feeds

    The Static Before the Thunder The shutter clicks, but the silence in the Seoul studio feels louder than the music.…

    history, Japan, K-pop, Seoul
  • Idols being quickly labeled as religious

    Sep 21, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I keep seeing lists, comments etc. labelling idols as religious (mostly Christian), in a manner that makes it seem like…

    history, Parents
  • Anyone else see parallels between idols and pro-wrestlers?

    Sep 19, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Both wrestlers and idols start training young for an opportunity which may or may not pay off with most never…

    history, K-pop, Peace, travel
  • BTS ‘Swim’ Hits 900 Million Spotify Streams in Record Time

    Sep 15, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    BTS’ “SWIM” becomes the fastest song by ANY group in HISTORY to reach 900 MILLION streams on Spotify in 144…

    BTS, history
  • Revisiting the discussion with all K‑pop girl group fans: Who do you think is the “greatest center in K‑pop girl group history”? My pick is Jennie from BLACKPINK — the King LeBron of girl groups.

    Sep 15, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    This is genuinely difficult. It’s true that Jennie performs almost every position at a high level, and as an ambassador…

    Discussion, history, Japan, LG
  • Hyunjin Rewrites American Heritage in GUESS Fall 2026 Campaign

    Sep 13, 2026
    in Feeds

    The Horizon Is Burning The sky over the California desert is bleeding a bruised, electric teal into gold, but nobody…

    history, Japan, K-pop, KT, Seoul, Stress, Tokyo
  • Within a few hours, Stray Kids will headline the Rock in Rio festival, the first K-pop artist to do so

    Sep 11, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Alongside Stray Kids headlining the Palco Mundo World Stage, Hwasa and Nexz will perform that day. For the first time…

    BTS, history, Japan, K-pop, Korean Art
  • Nuveen sees growing institutional opportunity in Korea’s rental housing

    Sep 11, 2026
    in News

    Global asset manager Nuveen sees Korea’s housing market becoming increasingly accessible to institutional capital as the country’s traditional lump-sum deposit…

    history, Seoul
  • Korea Heritage Service to hold ‘Heritage Week’ themed around Korean food culture

    Sep 9, 2026
    in News

    The Korea Heritage Service, together with the Korea Cultural Heritage Utilization Council, will run “2026 Korea Heritage Week” throughout October…

    history, Japan, Joseon, Korean Food, Seoul
  • Bangchan’s bubble messages reminded me just how hungry idols are for a domestic hit

    Sep 9, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’m not a STAY, but I came across his recent viral Bubble messages from a few hours ago, where he…

    history, K-pop
  • GPT-6 Astra aces Korean college entrance exam

    Sep 7, 2026
    in News

    An analysis showed OpenAI’s new artificial intelligence (AI) model earned a perfect score on the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)…

    history, Korean History, Korean Language, Question
  • GPT-6 Astra aces Korean college entrance exam

    Sep 7, 2026
    in News

    An analysis showed OpenAI’s new artificial intelligence (AI) model earned a perfect score on the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)…

    history, Korean History, Korean Language, Question
  • Seoul fireworks show attracts 1 million spectators

    Sep 6, 2026
    in News

    Some 1 million spectators visited the country’s largest annual fireworks show in Seoul, its organizers said Sunday, with many more…

    history, Seoul
  • Copying allegations against lesserafim’s each comeback

    Sep 6, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    The copying allegations against lesserafim each comeback are getting ridiculous. It shows two things: People don’t know what plagiarism is…

    history
  • Fireworks show to light up Seoul skies

    Sep 5, 2026
    in News

    Korea’s largest annual fireworks show is set to take place in Seoul on Saturday. The Seoul International Fireworks Festival, hosted…

    Chuseok, history, Medical, Seoul
  • Iconic by mistake symbolism/meaning – LSF specifically

    Sep 4, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I know, I know you thought you were done hearing about this song/MV. BUT HEAR ME OUT. I actually very…

    history
  • The timing of Lisa addressing the n-word incident

    Sep 4, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’m genuinely glad Lisa is speaking about the racism she’s experienced. But the way it’s being handled makes me uncomfortable,…

    apology, history
  • I feel like tuide’s debut is not so explosive compare to other hybe GGs

    Sep 2, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    It’s been almost 2 weeks now since their debut and they haven’t even enter top 100 on real time charts(…

    history
  • Which kpop acts will we see at Coachella this year?

    Sep 2, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Streets are saying BTS is being strongly predicted to headline Coachella 2027. The festival usually has 3-4 kpop or kpop-adjacent…

    BTS, history, Question
  • my very random kpop opinions bcos i’m too lazy to write paragraphs

    Sep 1, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    1: most kpop covers are really bad lol and i’m saying that as a member of a kpop cover team.…

    BTS, history, KT
  • What are the .5 gens and which groups fall into them?

    Sep 1, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve been on a bit of a journey this week, trying to get my perfectionist brain around the generation boundaries,…

    history
  • A nostalgic Korean lunchbox(Yangeun Dosirak)

    Sep 1, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    A nostalgic Korean lunchbox(Yangeun Dosirak)

    A nostalgic Korean lunchbox(Yangeun Dosirak). Simple and full of history. layers: rice, kimchi, sausage, myeolchi-bokkeum, all under crispy gim submitted…

    history, Kimchi, LG
  • How do native Koreans feel about redevelopment?

    Sep 1, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve lived in Korea for a while and have some close Korean friends but I wasn’t sure if this was…

    history, Koreans, Perspectives, Seoul
  • Gyeongju made me realize there’s so much more to Korea than Seoul

    Aug 31, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    Gyeongju made me realize there’s so much more to Korea than Seoul

    Loved the history and atmosphere in Gyeongju. It felt so uniquely Korean. What other places in Korea gave you this…

    history, Seoul
  • Do you think there are many AI bots impersonating Koreans on social media, especially on X(Twitter)?

    Aug 29, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve noticed an increase in rage-baiting accounts on X that appear to be AI bots or trolls impersonating people from…

    history, Japan, Koreans, Social Media
  • Would nonfans ever admit that they were wrong about Lisa’s achievements in between 2024 and 2025?

    Aug 29, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    In between 2024 and 2025, Lisa was experiencing a world wind of misinformation after rumors had exploded about her dating…

    BBC, family, history, K-pop, LG, LVMH, Question
  • Trump says US has entered deal with Venezuela to take control of 65 bil. barrels of oil reserves

    Aug 29, 2026
    in News
    Trump says US has entered deal with Venezuela to take control of 65 bil. barrels of oil reserves

    WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday said the U.S. has entered an agreement with Venezuela to take control of…

    Donald Trump, history, Military, request, Social Media
  • Which groups had the greatest second year (period between 1st anniversary of debut and 2nd anniversary) in K-pop history, in terms of achievements, quality of releases, and overall success? (Monster Sophomores?)

    Aug 29, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    We talk about monster rookies a lot, but what about monster sophomores? They are no longer eligible for ‘Best New…

    history, K-pop
  • How well do you guys think Day By Day, Sexy Love, and Number 9 would had performed if the scandal didn’t happened?

    Aug 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I am going to be honest, I have fallen into a T-ara rabbit hole the past week. Recently I was…

    Controversy, history, Question, Scandal, Sex
  • How do you guys thin Day By Day, Sexy Love, and Number 9 would had performed if the scandal didn’t happened?

    Aug 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I am going to be honest, I have fallen into a T-ara rabbit hole the past week. Recently I was…

    Controversy, history, Question, Scandal, Sex
  • Don’t you feel that companies play too safe with gg’s?

    Aug 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    And at the same time they are too greedy with appealing to mainstream lol. I want to debate about this…

    history, K-pop, KT
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Latest Korean News

  • [PHOTOS] Back on top: S. Korea ends 8-year wait for handball goldSeptember 27, 2026
    South Korea’s Gim Bo-eun attempts a shot during the women’s… Read more: [PHOTOS] Back on top: S. Korea ends 8-year wait for handball gold
  • Excessive questions from relatives top list of Chuseok irritationsSeptember 27, 2026
    Excessive personal questions and interference from relatives have been named… Read more: Excessive questions from relatives top list of Chuseok irritations
  • Expert advises against drastic measures to shed off weight gained during ChuseokSeptember 26, 2026
    Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. While many people… Read more: Expert advises against drastic measures to shed off weight gained during Chuseok
  • Fruitful reunion: Jeon Do-yeon reemerges as Lee Chang-dong’s muse in ‘Possible Love’September 26, 2026
    Director Lee Chang-dong’s new film, “Possible Love,” is generating buzz… Read more: Fruitful reunion: Jeon Do-yeon reemerges as Lee Chang-dong’s muse in ‘Possible Love’
  • [PHOTOS] S. Korea bows to fans after 5-0 loss to JapanSeptember 25, 2026
    South Korea’s Kim Jin-uk pitches during the first match of… Read more: [PHOTOS] S. Korea bows to fans after 5-0 loss to Japan

Latest Community Feeds

  • Need help hosting a cupsleeve event! Any tips or ideas would be appreciatedSeptember 28, 2026
  • Looking for more “dreamcore” recommendationsSeptember 28, 2026
  • Why does “Crash” by Allday Project sound so familiar?September 28, 2026
  • Doosan Enerbility outpaces Siemens Energy in US gas turbine ordersSeptember 28, 2026
  • LATAM is definitely an potential market for kpop – and more groups should do concerts thereSeptember 28, 2026
  • If HYBE were to make a supergroup like SuperM who would be in it?September 28, 2026
  • Which groups do you think would thrive more with fewer or more members? If fewer, who are the must-haves? If more, who would you recruit?September 28, 2026
  • TXT’s performance livestream was incredibleSeptember 28, 2026
  • i-dle’s Soyeon becomes the first 4th-generation soloist to achieve a Perfect All-Kill (PAK) with “I’m gonna TOESA”September 28, 2026
  • What do you think matters most for a K-pop group to be successful?September 28, 2026
  • Saw this crazy building in Seoul… I can’t stop laughing😂September 28, 2026
  • South Korea demands apology from Ukraine over disclosure of North Korean POW transferSeptember 28, 2026
  • Question about restoring Korean citizenship after renouncing itSeptember 28, 2026
  • Four of the best domestic charting GGs(minus aespa) are having comebacks in the same period!September 28, 2026
  • I get these kind of sweet feelings by seeing an idol often🥺September 27, 2026
  • How to deal with anxiety related to stanningSeptember 27, 2026
  • Songs where the sub vocal actually show off their vocal ability?September 27, 2026
  • I don’t like BBC’s article on Bigbang and their legacy.September 27, 2026
  • Nana and her lip filler being destroyed by the public (societal pressures as usual)September 27, 2026
  • any groups that released their own web rhythm games?September 27, 2026

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (26,078)
    • Community (19,455)
    • Entertainment (988)
    • News (5,251)
  • 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