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

K-pop

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • Actor Park Ji-hoon recommends hand gripper to relieve stress

    Jun 1, 2026
    in News
    Actor Park Ji-hoon recommends hand gripper to relieve stress

    Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Singer and actor Park Ji-hoon recently revealed that one of the items he…

    Fame, K-pop, Stress
  • Melon just launched the Global-K Chart: Here’s the first ever ranking

    Jun 1, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Melon’s charts have traditionally been focused solely on domestic performance, but the platform has now introduced a new chart called…

    BTS, Japan, K-pop, LG, Question
  • Should Japanese terrestrial television impose a total ban on K-Pop idols? Rethinking the lopsided broadcasting dynamics between Korea and Japan.

    May 31, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    To clarify, there is no official law banning J-Pop in Korea. However, it is widely understood as an unwritten, taboo…

    Japan, K-pop, Perspectives, Question
  • Casual Chat – (May 31)

    May 31, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Welcome to ‘ Casual Chat! Here, you can talk about any topic you want; k-pop or not. Anything goes here!…

    K-pop
  • What are your top five K-Pop releases of 2026?

    May 31, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Curious to see what songs people bring up at the halfway stage of the year. I think there’s been enough…

    K-pop
  • describe your ult group without saying their name. the comments guess who it is

    May 31, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    fun time! describe your favorite k-pop group without using any strongly identifying facts in one sentence and redditors will guess…

    K-pop
  • What do you think is the best merch item in K-pop?

    May 31, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’m curious because I’ve always been fascinated by product design. Personally I think ILLIT’s light stick is pretty amazing and…

    K-pop
  • The Art of Being Jinyoung – Cosmopolitan Korea – June 2026 Issue

    May 30, 2026
    in Feeds
    The Art of Being Jinyoung – Cosmopolitan Korea – June 2026 Issue

    Park Jinyoung on reinvention after silence, the language of a comeback, and what it means to arrive — fully —…

    history, Japan, K-pop, KT, LG, Military, Question, Seoul, Teenager
  • What Are Some K-pop What Ifs That You Still Think About Today?

    May 30, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve always been obsessed with K-pop what ifs because some of them feel like they could’ve completely changed the timeline.…

    K-pop
  • K-pop fans need to learn empathy. People forget idols are humans on screen

    May 30, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Post the young ji and Jung won video, I feel the hate towards enhypen has intensified to another level. Yes,…

    K-pop, K-pop Fans
  • SEVENTEEN Joshua: The Gentleman Who Embodies K-Pop’s Future

    May 30, 2026
    in Feeds
    SEVENTEEN Joshua: The Gentleman Who Embodies K-Pop’s Future

    Vogue Singapore June 2026 Cover Story The Moment Everything Clicked When does Seventeen’s Joshua feel the most confident? When he’s…

    Advice, Japan, K-pop, Photography, Seoul, study, Tokyo
  • CORTIS’s MARTIN: The New Weight of the World

    May 29, 2026
    in Feeds
    CORTIS’s MARTIN: The New Weight of the World

    Martin of CORTIS arrives in Yves Saint Laurent and the temperature of everything shifts. A portrait of an artist stepping…

    Japan, K-pop, LG, Photography, Question, study
  • Am I the Only One Uncomfortable With “Cute” Male Idol Behavior?

    May 29, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    When I see a video of an male idol acting childishly or making supposedly cute expressions, I feel strange watching…

    K-pop
  • “I am living happily”: Former idol finds new life as flight attendant after group disbands

    May 29, 2026
    in News
    “I am living happily”: Former idol finds new life as flight attendant after group disbands

    It is a question that has crossed the minds of every K-pop fan at least once: What do idols do…

    Jeju, K-pop, Military, Question, Social Media
  • Why does the west consider Seo Taiji the creator of K-pop?

    May 29, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Koreans don’t even say this. JYP would be mentioned more. In fact the term gayo refers to Korean pop music,…

    family, K-pop, Koreans
  • Dragging 90 cards into tiers on a phone is misery, so I built a K-pop bias ranker that’s just tap-who-you-like

    May 29, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Ranking biases on TierMaker always falls apart for me on mobile. Dragging a wall of portrait cards into tiers with…

    BTS, K-pop
  • JEON SOMI Turns Vogue Korea x Buccellati Into a Study in Modern Stardom

    May 28, 2026
    in Feeds
    JEON SOMI Turns Vogue Korea x Buccellati Into a Study in Modern Stardom

    Cover Story Jeon Somi doesn’t simply pose for a camera; she turns the frame into a statement. In the Vogue…

    Gen Z, history, Japan, K-pop, study, travel
  • What is K-pop fans’ obsession with “GP” or “locals”?

    May 28, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Like… why is it treated as this ultimate standard of success? Isn’t the whole point of the music industry to…

    K-pop, K-pop Fans
  • Who was more influential overall: 2NE1 or TWICE?

    May 28, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I always see K-pop fans say 2NE1 changed girl groups forever because of the whole girl crush image/style and how…

    Japan, K-pop, K-pop Fans
  • DRIVE TO THE TOP: ALPHA DRIVE ONE IS K-POP’S MOST ELECTRIFYING NEW FORCE

    May 27, 2026
    in Feeds
    DRIVE TO THE TOP: ALPHA DRIVE ONE IS K-POP’S MOST ELECTRIFYING NEW FORCE

    Eight Boys. One Destiny. Zero Limits. There is a moment, somewhere between the first note and the final pose, when…

    Fame, history, Japan, K-pop, KT, LG, Photography, Social Media, Tokyo
  • What’s the best brand × K-pop idol collaboration ever?

    May 27, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Some idol-brand pairings genuinely fit so perfectly that they completely elevate the brand’s image. For me especially I like Jeonghan…

    K-pop
  • Looking for K-Pop Artists to collaborate with!!

    May 27, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Hey I’m an artist with 700k monthly listeners on Spotify. I’ve been working on a K-Pop song and I’m looking…

    K-pop
  • ✨️FORBES KOREA TOP 10 BIGGEST K-POP EARNERS OF 2025-26✨️ This recent article is going viral on Korean Internet bc of how crazy the amounts are so I converted it to USD so we can be shocked over here too 😆 hope somebody else finds it interesting!

    May 27, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    1) 🥇 BTS – $222M 2) 🥈 BLACKPINK – $100M 3) 🥉 G-DRAGON – $61.6M 4) JIN – $34.6M 5)…

    BTS, K-pop
  • Physical album designs and lightsticks should actually look good considering how expensive K-pop merch is

    May 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’m not rlly a fan of Blackpink, Baemon, TXT, Ateez, Monsta X, and BTS’s physical album designs this year except…

    BTS, K-pop
  • Rating every K-pop performance that I have been to in 2026

    May 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I moved to Seoul in February and since then I have been to several different K-pop performances, from encore concerts,…

    K-pop, Question, Seoul
  • Best selling K-Pop albums in 2026 so far (US pure)

    May 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    #1 ARIRANG —BTS (530K+) #2 GOLDEN HOUR : PART.4 —ATEEZ #3 THE SIN : VANISH — ENHYPEN #4 KPop Demon…

    BTS, K-pop
  • STILL HERE, STILL US: WANNA ONE RECLAIM THE MOMENT

    May 26, 2026
    in Feeds
    STILL HERE, STILL US: WANNA ONE RECLAIM THE MOMENT

    The Cover Ten individual covers. One unified story. For the June 2026 digital edition, ELLE Korea does something that feels…

    BTS, Global Expansion, Japan, K-pop, LG, Military, Photography, purpose, Seoul, Social Media
  • For you, what is your K-POP 2025 SOTY (Song of the Year)?

    May 26, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Until now, I still don’t know the song that really stood out for the year 2025. If you’re going to…

    K-pop
  • Are K-pop fans (“sometimes”) delusional?

    May 25, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    One thing I’ve noticed in K-pop fandoms is how some fans interpret literally every small action an idol does as…

    K-pop, K-pop Fans, Warning
  • Why I believe Cortis will become the leader of 5th gen boygroup

    May 25, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    The Anatomy of a Generational Ruler: Why CORTIS is Destined to Follow Big Bang, BTS, and Stray Kids If you…

    BTS, history, K-pop, K-pop industry, Suga
  • Sometimes I wanna go into the kpop industry but then I literally see everything about it and I am like nah

    May 25, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Had to delete and reupload because of a grammatical mistake in the title. Here’s the thing: when I was 12,…

    Discussion, K-pop, K-pop industry, Parents
  • XG: The Signal

    May 25, 2026
    in Feeds
    XG: The Signal

    The dress arrives before the music does. That is the only way to describe the moment Maya steps into frame…

    Demographics, fail, Japan, K-pop, LG, purpose, Seoul, Teenager, Tokyo
  • If you were to manage k-pop concert when it comes to organization what would you fix/focus on?

    May 24, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    So far I’ve been to 2 big k-pop concerts and I couldn’t help but think that the merch situation could…

    K-pop
  • I think some STAYs can be weirdly unusual towards SKZ

    May 24, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Recently I’ve been seeing STAYs across my timeline bashing Bang Chan for asking them to respect the members of TWICE.…

    K-pop
  • what is one thing that becomes less interesting the longer you are a k-pop fan?

    May 24, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    can i start? for me it’s concept pictures and videos. i used to obsess over them and got rly hyped…

    K-pop, KT
  • FIXED ON GREATNESS: MINGI x MCM IS THE COLLAB K-POP FASHION NEEDED

    May 24, 2026
    in Feeds
    FIXED ON GREATNESS: MINGI x MCM IS THE COLLAB K-POP FASHION NEEDED

    “He doesn’t just wear fashion. He rewires it — frame by frame, drop by drop, like every look is a…

    BTS, Celebrity, Japan, K-pop, Lotte, Photography, purpose, Seoul
Next Page→

Advice automotive Bibimbap BTS Busan Celebrity Cheese Controversy Coupang Crime Curiosity Discussion Donald Trump driver Ewha fail Fame family Gen Z germany Global Expansion history Hyundai Japan Jeju Jjigae Joseon Justice K-pop K-pop Fans K-pop industry Kakao Kia Kimchi Korean Comapny Korean Food Koreans Korean Semiconductor Korean Technology KT Lawmakers LG LG Electronics LG Energy LG Energy Solution Lotte martial law Medical Military Naver North Korea Nvidia Parents Peace Photography Politics Pork POSCO Protest purpose Putin Question request Samsung Samsung Electronics Scandal Seoul Sex Shopping SK Hynix Social Media Soju Stress study Suga Survey Tokyo Tourism travel Warning

Latest Korean News

  • Overshadowed by KOSPI rally, bank stocks pin hopes on rate hikesJune 1, 2026
    Banking stocks have largely remained on the sidelines despite the… Read more: Overshadowed by KOSPI rally, bank stocks pin hopes on rate hikes
  • Confusion grows over CU’s purported offline expansion in ChinaJune 1, 2026
    Confusion emerged over CU’s purported offline store plan in the… Read more: Confusion grows over CU’s purported offline expansion in China
  • Actor Park Ji-hoon recommends hand gripper to relieve stressJune 1, 2026
    Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Singer and actor… Read more: Actor Park Ji-hoon recommends hand gripper to relieve stress
  • Workers at Celltrion launch first union in company’s historyJune 1, 2026
    Workers at Celltrion, a Korean bio firm, launched a labor… Read more: Workers at Celltrion launch first union in company’s history
  • Samsung Electronics’ market cap surpasses $1.32 tril.June 1, 2026
    The market capitalization of top-cap Samsung Electronics surpassed 2 quadrillion… Read more: Samsung Electronics’ market cap surpasses $1.32 tril.

Latest Community Feeds

  • Regardless of all the mess, the MEOVV EP is kinda good.June 1, 2026
  • The best 고기덮밥June 1, 2026
  • MEOVV DDI RO RI MV got delayed for more than 30 MINUTES ???? what’s happeningJune 1, 2026
  • Hanwha Aerospace vows full investigation into deadly explosion at Daejeon facilityJune 1, 2026
  • Why did TREASURE release a full English title track on a Monday?June 1, 2026
  • Creamy Without Cream — Korea’s Beloved Perilla Seed NoodlesJune 1, 2026
  • ChickenJune 1, 2026
  • Literature about the Korean DMZJune 1, 2026
  • 🐷🐷June 1, 2026
  • Gopchang (Korean Grilled Beef Intestines) for dinner tonight!June 1, 2026
  • Sungsimdang(성심당), Korea’s most legendary bakery in DaejeonJune 1, 2026
  • Hmmm…. thinking whose group were like theirs?🤔June 1, 2026
  • I too, am representing the KBO in America. Go Doosan, from Coors Field in Colorado.June 1, 2026
  • Melon just launched the Global-K Chart: Here’s the first ever rankingJune 1, 2026
  • Kimchi pork belly fried rice with gimJune 1, 2026
  • I feel kinda underwhelmed by pureflow eraJune 1, 2026
  • intro to hug by svt and off my face by JBJune 1, 2026
  • My lunch TodayJune 1, 2026
  • Korean meatJune 1, 2026
  • Kimchi rice ballsJune 1, 2026

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (21,477)
    • Community (15,584)
    • Entertainment (988)
    • News (4,679)
  • 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

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