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K-pop

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • 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
  • I Can’t Listen to ZB1’s ‘V for Vision’ Without Doing the Fan Chant

    May 24, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    ZEROBASEONE recently released their album “Ascend-” with the title track “TOP 5,” and honestly, the song is so good. I’ve…

    K-pop
  • I didn’t expect Seventeen to pull me back into K-Pop

    May 23, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve been a part of the K-Pop community for six years now and I don’t think I’m alone — nor…

    BTS, Discussion, K-pop, K-pop Fans, KT, LG
  • Looking for Kpop (or like Korean rock, is that a thing?) recs

    May 23, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    So I absolutely love manwahs and instead of being patient and waiting for English translations I’m tryna learn Korean so…

    family, K-pop, purpose
  • The Importance of Vocal Direction in K-pop

    May 23, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    This year, I’ve been thinking a lot about vocal direction (or, how those in the studio during the recording process…

    K-pop
  • An appreciation post for the k-pop groups/artists who came to the Korea Uni festival!!

    May 22, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    HOLYYY I have watched most of Kpop groups and their performances and their mics were on and they were ready…

    K-pop
  • Why does HYBE seem to be taking the lead over Live Nation in BTS’s touring setup?

    May 22, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Has anyone else noticed that HYBE seems to be the main promoter/organizer for BTS’s ARIRANG tour, with Live Nation more…

    BTS, K-pop
  • How did you first get into K-pop and what music did you listen to before?

    May 21, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    I’m curious how people discovered K-pop and what their music taste was like beforehand. What group/artist got you into it…

    K-pop
  • REAL Korean K-pop fans: What’s your opinion on non-Koreans debuting as K-pop idols?

    May 21, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Specifically Non-east Asians: Southeast Asians, South Asians, Blacks, Whites, etc… Do you think K-pop is losing its “K” or are…

    K-pop, K-pop Fans, Koreans
  • Never losing appreciation for Xiah Junsu

    May 21, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    Can we just take a moment to appreciate how perfect of an artist Kim Junsu is? I was a huge…

    K-pop
  • BORN THIS WAY, REBORN EVERY ERA: G-DRAGON OWNS VOGUE KOREA — AND THE WORLD

    May 21, 2026
    in Feeds
    BORN THIS WAY, REBORN EVERY ERA: G-DRAGON OWNS VOGUE KOREA — AND THE WORLD

    THE COVER THAT STOPPED THE INTERNET Before the ink was dry, before the first collector’s copy shipped from Seoul, the…

    Celebrity, Gen Z, Japan, K-pop, KT, LG, Military, Photography, purpose, Question, Seoul, Social Media, Stress, Teenager, Warning
  • NO LABELS, NO LIMITS: YEONJUN TAKES THE WORLD HIS WAY

    May 21, 2026
    in Feeds
    NO LABELS, NO LIMITS: YEONJUN TAKES THE WORLD HIS WAY

    TXT’s Choi Yeonjun lands Harper’s BAZAAR Men China — and the cover couldn’t fit him more perfectly THE FRAME BEFORE…

    Affinity, Discussion, history, Japan, K-pop, KT, purpose, Social Media
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Latest Korean News

  • Korean dramas put successful parents on trialSeptember 19, 2026
    “Why aren’t they turning them on, the police lights?” Actor… Read more: Korean dramas put successful parents on trial
  • Tired of fast fashion trends? ‘Elegant minimalism’ takes over this fallSeptember 19, 2026
    Understated beauty is in. Following the rise of “quiet luxury”… Read more: Tired of fast fashion trends? ‘Elegant minimalism’ takes over this fall
  • 선테크-에코매직, 전략적 업무협약(MOU) 체결September 19, 2026
    ㈜이선테크와 친환경 유증기(VOCs) 액화 회수 솔루션 선도기업 에코매직㈜이 지난 8월… Read more: 선테크-에코매직, 전략적 업무협약(MOU) 체결
  • Global rate-hike cycle in view as central banks take on inflationSeptember 18, 2026
    FRANKFURT — The prospect of a new global interest rate-tightening… Read more: Global rate-hike cycle in view as central banks take on inflation
  • Wall St mixed as benchmark Treasury yields reach 5%, oil takes a pauseSeptember 18, 2026
    NEW YORK — Wall Street was mixed on Friday as… Read more: Wall St mixed as benchmark Treasury yields reach 5%, oil takes a pause

Latest Community Feeds

  • My Thoughts and interpretations on Yeonjun’s No Labels Pt. 01 mv and albumSeptember 19, 2026
  • What actually makes a K-pop label good or bad at marketing/promoting? (ex: HYBE & JYPE)September 19, 2026
  • How k netizen treat foreign members in a kpop groupSeptember 19, 2026
  • Close your eyes’ newest song “Open your eyes” is insanely good! Thoughts?September 19, 2026
  • Why do kpop groups with fluent English speakers not sing/speak the English parts?September 19, 2026
  • Weekly Social Media ThreadSeptember 19, 2026
  • My thoughts on why tuide’s debut failed to resonate with the publicSeptember 19, 2026
  • I tend think that casual non-fans hold Blackpink to a higher standard when it comes to their solo releases in K-pop.September 19, 2026
  • Time Out Has Named Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga the Coolest Neighbourhood on EarthSeptember 19, 2026
  • When a beloved tree began withering away, locals suspected a killer in their midstSeptember 19, 2026
  • Raphael Rashid, out and Second Vice President of the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club, on the role he may have played in getting “Seoul’s LGBTQ+ district” (quote), where he lives, named as coolest neighbourhood in the world – and why he’d like to take that backSeptember 19, 2026
  • South Korea justice nominee withdraws in Lee’s second cabinet setback as polls slideSeptember 19, 2026
  • which group is each company’s current biggest money maker?September 19, 2026
  • Are there any other successful soloist from iz*one besides Yena / how did Yena achieve solo success compared to her other members?September 19, 2026
  • WTF Are ya’ll doing with your 된장/쌈장/고추장 flip-top lids?September 19, 2026
  • Korean marinated olives 🫒September 19, 2026
  • Best made-in-house kimbap flavor at Hmart?September 19, 2026
  • Carrot kimchiSeptember 19, 2026
  • spicy marinated crabSeptember 19, 2026
  • BESTie’s Love Options is going super viral in SK right nowSeptember 19, 2026

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (25,854)
    • Community (19,275)
    • Entertainment (988)
    • News (5,217)
  • 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