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Kakao

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • Korean stocks diverge: Winners, losers of Yoon’s martial law debacle

    Dec 4, 2024
    in News
    Korean stocks diverge: Winners, losers of Yoon’s martial law debacle

    The Kospi index ended down 1.4% at 2,464.00 on Wednesday South Korean stocks showed clear divergences on Monday amid a…

    BTS, Donald Trump, fail, Jeju, Kakao, Lawmakers, POSCO, Tourism, travel
  • Is Kakao winding down IST entertainment?

    Dec 1, 2024
    in Community

    The big recent news was the departure of the Boyz, who are leaving at the end of December. But really,…

    Kakao, Military
  • Korea Zinc’s role questioned in SM Entertainment stock manipulation case

    Nov 28, 2024
    in News
    Korea Zinc’s role questioned in SM Entertainment stock manipulation case

    Korea Zinc’s headquarters in Seoul When OneAsia Partners, a Seoul-based private equity fund operator, revised part of its PEF Havana…

    BTS, fail, Kakao, Korea Zinc, purpose, Question, request, Seoul
  • SM’s UK K-pop group Dear Alice to debut with Gamma

    Nov 27, 2024
    in News
    SM’s UK K-pop group Dear Alice to debut with Gamma

    South Korea’s SM Entertainment Co. partnered with the US-based music label “Gamma.” to globally debut its first British K-Pop boy…

    K-pop, Kakao
  • Looking to get t-shirts printed

    Nov 18, 2024
    in Community

    Hello looking to get some t-shirts printed with just letters on the front and back for my place of work,…

    Kakao, Naver
  • not to get too political but do you guys think china will lift the kpop ban anytime soon?

    Nov 16, 2024
    in Community

    from what i know, it’s mostly the concerts and dramas that have been banned/restricted, but fanmeetings and magazine features are…

    Kakao, Politics
  • Sending USD from Korea

    Nov 16, 2024
    in Community

    My friends are trying to pay me back for something in USD and we are trying to figure out what…

    Kakao
  • Salesforce outage disrupts businesses across Asia Pacific

    Nov 15, 2024
    in News
    Salesforce outage disrupts businesses across Asia Pacific

    (Courtesy of Getty Images) Salesforce Inc., the world’s top customer relationship management (CRM) platform, is grappling with a major service…

    Hyundai, Japan, Kakao, LG, LG Electronics, Seoul
  • What to do about stalkers

    Nov 14, 2024
    in Community

    I don’t know if there’s an actual gang or human traffickers in gayang (I’m not sure about the poverty or…

    Crime, Kakao, Subway
  • Kakao Mobility, Samyang Logistics partner on fulfillment services

    Nov 12, 2024
    in News
    Kakao Mobility, Samyang Logistics partner on fulfillment services

    Kakao Mobility Corp., South Korea’s most popular ride-hailing app operator, said on Monday that it partnered with logistics firm Samyang…

    Kakao, Samyang, Seoul
  • Not Delivered Verification message in KakaoTalk

    Nov 8, 2024
    in Community

    Hello everyone. I’m from the Philippines and it’s my first time creating a KakaoTalk Account. The reason why I’m creating…

    Kakao, study
  • KakaoBank, SCBX to open internet bank in Thailand

    Nov 4, 2024
    in News
    KakaoBank, SCBX to open internet bank in Thailand

     Yun Hoyoung, CEO of KakaoBank (left) and Arthid Nanthawithaya, CEO of SCBX South Korea’s KakaoBank Corp. said on Sunday it…

    Kakao
  • Self-driving tech startup RideFlux raises $1.9 mn in Series B

    Oct 31, 2024
    in News
    Self-driving tech startup RideFlux raises $1.9 mn in Series B

    RideFlux self-driving car (Courtesy of RideFlux) RideFlux Inc., a South Korean autonomous driving technology startup, has raised 26 billion won…

    Busan, driver, Hwaseong, Jeju, Kakao, Seoul
  • So my friend try to create kakaotalk account but it’s didn’t work. So we try many works for him to do it but never went through?

    Oct 30, 2024
    in Community

    To be honest I made kakaotalk account years ago with just my email address. Nowdays it’s seem it impossible to…

    Kakao
  • South Korea’s Viva Republica drops Korean IPO plan, seeks US debut

    Oct 29, 2024
    in News
    South Korea’s Viva Republica drops Korean IPO plan, seeks US debut

    Toss is a leading fintech app in Korea Viva Republica Inc., a leading South Korean fintech unicorn and operator of…

    Kakao, KT, Samsung
  • How can I know if I’ve been blocked on kakao ?

    Oct 29, 2024
    in Community

    How is it possible to know when someone blocked you ? I know you can either block messages and hide…

    Kakao
  • Kakao Mobility to launch outdoor robot delivery

    Oct 28, 2024
    in News
    Kakao Mobility to launch outdoor robot delivery

    Kakao Mobility Corp., South Korea’s largest taxi-hailing app operator, said on Monday that it signed a business agreement with Robotis,…

    Kakao, Seoul
  • Kpop Fans are Massive Hypocrites Who Just Pretend They Care About “Morals” to Hate on Idols

    Oct 27, 2024
    in Community

    Why are so many people using the current HYBE drama to just send even more hate to idols who are…

    Kakao, Naver, Sex, Social Media
  • Instagram poised to crack Korean webcomic market

    Oct 23, 2024
    in News
    Instagram poised to crack Korean webcomic market

    (AP file photo via Yonhap)  Big tech’s encroachment on the South Korean webcomic market, largely dominated by local players in…

    Global Expansion, Kakao, Koreans, Naver, Seoul, Social Media, Survey
  • Kakao to launch AI messenger service Kanana in H1 2025

    Oct 22, 2024
    in News
    Kakao to launch AI messenger service Kanana in H1 2025

    Kakao CEO Chung Shina presents Kanana at the if(kakaoAI) 2024 conference on Oct. 22, 2024 (Coourtesy of Kakao)  South Korea’s…

    fail, Kakao, Korean Language, Naver, Seoul
  • Kakao Mobility, Samsung C&T to co-work on robot, parking solutions

    Oct 18, 2024
    in News
    Kakao Mobility, Samsung C&T to co-work on robot, parking solutions

    Kakao Mobility Corp., South Korea’s largest taxi-hailing app operator, announced on Friday that it signed a business agreement with Samsung…

    Kakao, Samsung, Seoul
  • Assaulted in Korea

    Oct 17, 2024
    in Community

    So I have a bit of an issue. I was recently hanging out with a friend who assaulted me physically…

    Kakao, Sex, Social Media
  • LG Uplus to support AI startup creation

    Oct 16, 2024
    in News
    LG Uplus to support AI startup creation

    South Korea’s LG Uplus Corp. said on Wednesday that it launched the startup support program Shift, which aims to discover…

    Kakao, LG, LG Uplus
  • K Bank aims to turn into AI-based investment platform: CEO

    Oct 15, 2024
    in News
    K Bank aims to turn into AI-based investment platform: CEO

    K Bank CEO Choi Woo-hyung speaks at a press conference ahead of the internet bank’s planned IPO K Bank, the…

    BTS, driver, Kakao, KT
  • Why Korea’s teens are abandoning KakaoTalk for Instagram

    Oct 13, 2024
    in Community, Feeds
    Why Korea’s teens are abandoning KakaoTalk for Instagram

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

    Kakao
  • Kakao enters emergency mode after founder’s arrest

    Oct 13, 2024
    in Community, Feeds
    Kakao enters emergency mode after founder’s arrest

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

    Kakao
  • FTC fines Kakao Mobility $55 mn for alleged unfair taxi-hailing service

    Oct 2, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    FTC fines Kakao Mobility $55 mn for alleged unfair taxi-hailing service

    A Kakao T taxi in Seoul (File photo by News1) South Korea’s antitrust body fined Kakao Mobility Corp., the country’s…

    driver, Kakao, Korean Technology, LG, Punishment, request, Seoul, travel
  • KakaoTalk to adopt full-screen ads as sales, profit growth stunted

    Sep 23, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    KakaoTalk to adopt full-screen ads as sales, profit growth stunted

    KakaoTalk is Korea’s top messenger app Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea’s dominant messenger and chat app KakaoTalk, will…

    Advertisement, Kakao, Naver, request, Samsung, Samsung Electronics
  • S.Koreans spend longest time on YouTube in the world

    Sep 19, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    S.Koreans spend longest time on YouTube in the world

    (Courtesy of Getty Images) YouTube was the most popular app among South Korean smartphone users, a study found, as they…

    Kakao, Koreans, Naver, study
  • Mobility firms, banks replace battery, K-culture stocks in KEDI 30 Index

    Sep 12, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Mobility firms, banks replace battery, K-culture stocks in KEDI 30 Index

    ETF (Courtesy of Getty Images) Mobility, financial services and biotech companies have elbowed out battery and entertainment stocks in the…

    BTS, Hyundai, Kakao, Kia, Korean Comapny, Korean Semiconductor, Korean Technology, LG, LG Electronics, LG Energy, LG Energy Solution, LG Innotek, Naver, POSCO, Question, Samsung, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Survey
  • OpenResearch gets $7.5 mn seed round

    Sep 12, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    OpenResearch gets $7.5 mn seed round

    Former Kakao Brain CEO Kim Il-Doo OpenResearch, an AI search service founded by former Kakao Brain CEO Kim Il-Doo, said…

    Kakao
  • Korea’s AI, robot startups shine despite funding drought

    Sep 10, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Korea’s AI, robot startups shine despite funding drought

    A humanoid robot provides information to a visitor for at a technology event in Seoul on June 19, 2024 (File…

    Kakao, Korean Comapny, Korean Robotics, Korean Technology, Seoul
  • No Korean firms make it to Korea’s top five mobile games list

    Sep 6, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    No Korean firms make it to Korea’s top five mobile games list

    Ares-Rise of Guardians, a popular MMORPG released by Kakao Games on July 25, 2023 No South Korean game titles developed…

    germany, Kakao, Korean Comapny, mobile game
  • Hoban partners with Kakao, Bear Robotics for robot-based services

    Sep 6, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Hoban partners with Kakao, Bear Robotics for robot-based services

    Hoban Construction Ltd. announced on Friday that it has signed a business agreement (MOU) with Kakao Mobility and Bear Robotics…

    Kakao, Korean Comapny, Korean Robotics, Korean Technology
  • Kbank aims for IPO at a $4 bn valuation in Q4

    Sep 6, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Kbank aims for IPO at a $4 bn valuation in Q4

    Kbank, a South Korean online bank, is preparing to list on the main bourse Kospi at an estimated corporate value…

    HD Hyundai Marine Solution, Hyundai, Kakao, Korean Comapny
  • Naver Map sees 30% increase in foreign user base

    Sep 2, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Naver Map sees 30% increase in foreign user base

    The foreign users of Naver Map, the map service of South Korea’s online platform giant Naver Corp., have a 30%…

    Japan, Kakao, Naver, Survey, Tourism, travel
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Latest Korean News

  • Cameroonian educator’s first book tells story of overcoming hardship, aims to inspire childrenFebruary 7, 2026
    After leaving Cameroon and coming to Korea more than 25… Read more: Cameroonian educator’s first book tells story of overcoming hardship, aims to inspire children
  • Teen figure skater surprised with own composure in Olympic debutFebruary 7, 2026
    MILAN — Before taking the ice Friday afternoon for her… Read more: Teen figure skater surprised with own composure in Olympic debut
  • Korean flag bearers feel honored to represent country at opening ceremonyFebruary 7, 2026
    MILAN — When South Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan was… Read more: Korean flag bearers feel honored to represent country at opening ceremony
  • US call for S. Korea’s ‘primary’ defense role fuels expectations for OPCON transferFebruary 7, 2026
    WASHINGTON — With a new U.S. defense strategy calling for… Read more: US call for S. Korea’s ‘primary’ defense role fuels expectations for OPCON transfer
  • Inflation, hygiene woes hit Korean banchan cultureFebruary 7, 2026
    Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. A heated debate… Read more: Inflation, hygiene woes hit Korean banchan culture

Latest Community Feeds

  • White Rice with Unknown GrainFebruary 7, 2026
  • Kimchi JjigaeFebruary 7, 2026
  • Did LSF’s open display of their struggles help them with gathering a western audience?February 7, 2026
  • Bibimbap lunchFebruary 7, 2026
  • Herb SaltFebruary 7, 2026
  • when was fansigns created/popularized in kpop?February 7, 2026
  • President Lee Publicly Slams Chamber of Commerce Report as ‘Fake News,’ Prompts Immediate ApologyFebruary 7, 2026
  • Which K-pop idols do you admire the most ?February 7, 2026
  • Korean BBQ in Seoul WinterFebruary 7, 2026
  • Solo dateFebruary 7, 2026
  • Seafood Kalguksu & Korean green onion pancake with musselsFebruary 7, 2026
  • Made my first Bibimbap!!February 7, 2026
  • I love Ban Chan!!! Help me chooseFebruary 7, 2026
  • Does “What It Sounds Like” (K-Pop Demon Hunters) remind anyone else of “Leave Me Too” by Josh Ross?February 7, 2026
  • (I know this is blasphemy) I love Korean Mul Naengmyun cold noodles. I also love Japanese Soba cold noodles. I also love to make Korean Mul Naengmyun using Japanese Soba noodles, it’s great! Anyone else try Mul Naengmyun but with Soba Noodles? – Not my photoFebruary 7, 2026
  • Cho Kuk “It is a big mistake to think of an easy victory in elections, intoxicated by the president and the Democratic Party’s approval ratings”February 7, 2026
  • Not a dive but I understand how dives feel about this comeback-February 7, 2026
  • home_Korean ramyeonFebruary 7, 2026
  • How do I store sulppang so that it stays soft, I got it from hmart and it’s so goodFebruary 7, 2026
  • Korea Buldak-miyeok-tang-myeon(Spicy Chicken Seaweed Soup Noodle)February 7, 2026

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (17,634)
    • Community (12,493)
    • Entertainment (988)
    • News (4,109)
  • 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

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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