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purpose

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • Is aespa not putting too much effort into their dancing when performing on purpose?

    Jun 11, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    Any time an aespa show video pops up on my yt, i cant help but notice the lack of energy.…

    purpose
  • Trump’s eldest son invokes ‘Rooftop Koreans’ — LA Korean community responds: “Do not exploit our trauma”

    Jun 10, 2025
    in Community, Feeds
    Trump’s eldest son invokes ‘Rooftop Koreans’ — LA Korean community responds: “Do not exploit our trauma”

    As protests against the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants continued for a fourth day in Los Angeles (LA), the…

    Donald Trump, Ewha, Korean American, Koreans, Protest, purpose, Social Media
  • US monitors NPS, sovereign funds in expanded currency oversight

    Jun 6, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    US monitors NPS, sovereign funds in expanded currency oversight

    On June 5, South Korean won hit a seven-month high to the US dollar Washington will strengthen its monitoring of…

    Donald Trump, financial crisis, germany, Japan, purpose, Seoul
  • Help me pull off a Korean bbq party for 40 guests?

    Jun 6, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve always wanted to throw a big, farm table-style Korean BBQ feast in my garden, and I’ve finally decided to…

    family, Kimchi, Korean Food, purpose, travel
  • K-Pop Group i-DLE Captivates in ELLEgirl Japan May 2025 Pictorial and Gears Up for Exciting New Era

    Jun 3, 2025
    in Entertainment, Feeds
    K-Pop Group i-DLE Captivates in ELLEgirl Japan May 2025 Pictorial and Gears Up for Exciting New Era

    Photo Credits: Ellegirl Japan. Cube Entertainment In the dazzling world of K-pop, i-DLE continues to capture attention, this time gracing…

    BTS, Fame, family, Japan, K-pop, purpose, Social Media, Suga
  • Kpop fans have atrociously superficial view of singing

    Jun 2, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I know I’m gonna get hated but idc, as someone who takes singing preciously and not marketfully, and see all…

    Japan, Koreans, KT, purpose
  • Why Sulli fans dislike Choiza as a fan who saw the relationship in real time

    Jun 2, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve been seeing a lot of people downplay the Sulli/Choiza scandal recently because of their kpop idols interacting with Choiza…

    Celebrity, Military, Parents, purpose, Scandal, Sex
  • I want to immigrate to UK from Korea.

    Jun 2, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    Hello, I am a student in the Department of Radiology in Korea. I would like to work as a radiographer…

    purpose
  • There has to be a better way for multi stans.

    May 30, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I tried posting about this last night but I got scared when it hit a 57% downvote rate. Hopefully this…

    BTS, Discussion, purpose
  • Forever gonna be sick over how kpop stans reacted to Taeils case

    May 29, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    The amount of misinformation that people have just decided is fact??? Like that poor women has had her story decided…

    purpose
  • Top 75 Highest First-Week Sales for Idol Solo Albums on the Hanteo Chart

    May 26, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I initially did a post on this topic just over 9 months ago, and a lot of high-profile solo albums…

    BTS, LG, purpose, Suga
  • Shinsegae, Ascent Equity Partners weigh acquisition of C&C International

    May 25, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    Shinsegae, Ascent Equity Partners weigh acquisition of C&C International

    Shinsegae is Korea’s leading retail conglomerate South Korean retail giant Shinsegae Group is seeking to acquire local color cosmetics manufacturer…

    Discussion, Kakao, purpose, Seoul
  • Google partners with Samsung, Gentle Monster for new smart glasses

    May 21, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    Google partners with Samsung, Gentle Monster for new smart glasses

    Google CEO Sundar Pichai gives a keynote speech at the tech giant’s IO developer conference held at its headquarters in…

    Gen Z, purpose, Samsung, Samsung Electronics
  • Bill Clinton in Seoul to meet with MBK’s ByungJu Kim, business leaders

    May 21, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    Bill Clinton in Seoul to meet with MBK’s ByungJu Kim, business leaders

    MBK Partners founder and Chairman Michael ByungJu Kim Michael ByungJu Kim, co-founder, partner and chairman of Seoul-based private equity firm…

    Donald Trump, Japan, Korea Development, purpose, Seoul, Social Media
  • K-Pop Reddit thinks it‘s okay to hate on certain groups depending on how their fans behave on other platforms!

    May 14, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    K-Pop Reddit thinks it‘s okay to hate on certain groups depending on how their fans behave on other completely unrelated…

    BTS, fail, K-pop, purpose, Social Media
  • Help with a Korean legal form

    May 13, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I have a legal/real estate question regarding property in Korea. My father-in-law, who lived in Korea, passed away recently. My…

    Parents, purpose, Question
  • MBK’s Lotte Card sale gains momentum amid Homeplus fallout

    May 11, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    MBK’s Lotte Card sale gains momentum amid Homeplus fallout

    Lotte mobile card interface (Courtesy of Lotte Card)  North Asia-focused private equity firm MBK Partners’ second attempt to exit Lotte…

    Controversy, fail, Hyundai, Lotte, purpose, Samsung, Shinhan Card, Shopping
  • About the Soojin references and the rebranding of Idle

    May 6, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I’m gonna be honest here, and I also want to specify that I’m a Idle fan, so that I don’t…

    purpose, Scandal
  • Korea’s Sono to sell Air Premia stake to focus on other LCC

    May 6, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    Korea’s Sono to sell Air Premia stake to focus on other LCC

    (File photo by Air Premia) South Korea’s top resort operator Sono Hospitality Group has decided to sell its entire stake…

    fail, family, purpose, request, Seoul
  • When in S. Korea, it’s a ritual: Foreigners make stops at CU, GS25, 7-Eleven

    May 5, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    When in S. Korea, it’s a ritual: Foreigners make stops at CU, GS25, 7-Eleven

    CU at Incheon International Airport “When you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair,”…

    Chinese Tourists, coffee, Japan, K-pop, Korean Food, KT, Lotte, Lotte World, purpose, Seoul, Shopping, Social Media, Tourism, travel
  • DB Insurance becomes Daol Investment’s No.2 shareholder

    Apr 22, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    DB Insurance becomes Daol Investment’s No.2 shareholder

    Daol Investment & Securities is part of Daol Financial Group, which also oversees asset management and private equity businesses DB…

    purpose
  • Does the length of a song determine its quality?

    Apr 21, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I’ve seen a lot of discussion on the length of songs in kpop and how songs are becoming “too” short…

    Discussion, purpose
  • LG Energy Solution clinches multi-billion-dollar ESS deals in Japan, Europe

    Apr 15, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    LG Energy Solution clinches multi-billion-dollar ESS deals in Japan, Europe

    A bird’s-eye view of LG Energy Solution’s  standalone battery plant in Arizona LG Energy Solution Ltd. has secured a string…

    Discussion, Japan, KT, LG, LG Energy, LG Energy Solution, purpose, Samsung, Seoul
  • Profound Moments in Chan, Changbin and Han’s Lyrics

    Apr 14, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    This post was inspired by somebody asking about 3RACHA’s outlook on life. I wanted to highlight some of their interesting…

    Discussion, Ewha, Fame, Medical, purpose, Question, stabbing
  • Kia to build North America-targeted electric pickup model

    Apr 9, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    Kia to build North America-targeted electric pickup model

    Song Ho-sung, chief executive of Kia, delivers a presentation at 2025 Kia CEO Investor Day Kia Corp., South Korea’s second-largest…

    driver, Hyundai, Kia, purpose
  • Kakao Entertainment scraps IPO; seeks new buyer

    Apr 8, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    Kakao Entertainment scraps IPO; seeks new buyer

    Kakao installs an outdoor billboard for Kakao Webtoon in Thailand (Courtesy of Kakao Entertainment) Kakao Corp., South Korea’s largest mobile…

    BTS, K-pop, Kakao, purpose
  • Samsung’s Q1 profit beats expectations; Q2 outlook murky on tariffs

    Apr 8, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    Samsung’s Q1 profit beats expectations; Q2 outlook murky on tariffs

    Samsung’s booth at MWC 2024 Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest memory chipmaker, posted a stronger-than-expected first-quarter operating profit on…

    history, Hyundai, Nvidia, purpose, Samsung, Samsung Electronics
  • Full text of the Constitutional Court’s reading of the verdict on Yoon’s impeachment/removal

    Apr 5, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    Below is an AI translation of the reading of the verdict, followed by the original Korean text. Thanks to u/Lazy-Bicycle8741…

    Democracy, Discussion, fail, history, Justice, Lawmakers, LG, martial law, Military, Politics, purpose, Question, request, Warning
  • WINNER’s Mino admits to neglecting duties as social service worker

    Mar 31, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    In December 2024, just before his scheduled discharge, a report came out alleging that Mino frequently skipped work, showed up…

    Military, purpose, Question
  • Thoughts on more K-Pop idol mobile and PC games?

    Mar 27, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I know there’s already existing mobile games centered around k-pop idols, but it would be cool to have some variation…

    Fame, K-pop, mobile game, purpose
  • SoftBank-backed Yanolja raises stake in Modetour as No. 2 shareholder

    Mar 27, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    SoftBank-backed Yanolja raises stake in Modetour as No. 2 shareholder

    Yanolja is Korea’s top travel platform South Korea’s top travel and accommodation booking platform operator Yanolja Co. has increased its…

    family, purpose, Question, Shopping, travel
  • Countries are more than regimes

    Mar 22, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I follow a Russian vlogger who visited North Korea last year and on one of her North Korea reels someone…

    Curiosity, history, North Korea, Politics, purpose, Question
  • Respect is earned, not demanded — A lesson from BTS

    Mar 22, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    Amidst all the negativity swirling around lately, I feel like sharing something inspiring — a reminder of what it looks…

    BTS, family, Justice, purpose
  • A question for (ex-)fans of Jung Joon Young: How did you process the revelations about his crimes

    Mar 21, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    TW: sexual violence Hey everyone, I’m currently working on a paper for university. It’s for a seminar about fans and…

    Crime, K-pop, purpose, Question, Sex, study
  • Seulgi “Praying” is exactly the Seulgi ballad I have been hoping for

    Mar 20, 2025
    in Community, Feeds

    I don’t have too much to say about this but need to say something Seulgi is my ult vocal because…

    LG, purpose
  • Kia to release PV9 in 2029, retains CEO for 3 more years

    Mar 14, 2025
    in Feeds, News
    Kia to release PV9 in 2029, retains CEO for 3 more years

    Kia’s PV5 concept (Courtesy of Kia)  Kia Corp. will launch a new purpose-built vehicle (PBV) model every two years, with…

    Hyundai, Kia, purpose
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Latest Korean News

  • Mirae Asset wins antitrust approval for Korbit dealJuly 9, 2026
    Mirae Asset Group said Thursday that its planned acquisition of… Read more: Mirae Asset wins antitrust approval for Korbit deal
  • Hyundai Card tests stablecoin in live cross-border corporate paymentJuly 9, 2026
    Hyundai Card has completed what it said was the first… Read more: Hyundai Card tests stablecoin in live cross-border corporate payment
  • NewJeans sued for alleged copyright infringement in USJuly 9, 2026
    K-pop group NewJeans’ hit song “ETA” has become the subject… Read more: NewJeans sued for alleged copyright infringement in US
  • KEZAD offers risk buffer for K-biz as Korea-UAE CEPA opens opportunitiesJuly 9, 2026
    As geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz persist, uncertainty… Read more: KEZAD offers risk buffer for K-biz as Korea-UAE CEPA opens opportunities
  • Neo-liberalism and women’s livesJuly 9, 2026
    The emergence of one-person households as the most common household… Read more: Neo-liberalism and women’s lives

Latest Community Feeds

  • Good on Jungwon finally issuing an ultimatum to “ENHYPEN is 7” fansJuly 10, 2026
  • Korea to Include New Nuclear Plants in 12th Power Plan for AI HubsJuly 9, 2026
  • Rescenes popularity/momentum and what that means for thier futuresJuly 9, 2026
  • What Are The Best Languages To Learn For A Global Group?July 9, 2026
  • Hybe survival shows (at least the ones I watched) favor the visuals and never let anyone who’s better than them (or clashes with them) debutJuly 9, 2026
  • Indonesia Drops KF-21 Co-Production, Will Buy Direct from South KoreaJuly 9, 2026
  • Kimchi, made in China: how South Korea’s national dish is being priced out at home | South KoreaJuly 9, 2026
  • What should I do about this GO situation?July 9, 2026
  • Can someone explain the downfall of i-dle?July 9, 2026
  • What Do You Think About Ssireum?July 9, 2026
  • After leaving one member, why the rest of the group faces harrasment?July 9, 2026
  • What’s a K-pop choreo that looks easy but actually a lot harder than it seems?July 9, 2026
  • South Korea’s Supreme Court upholds prison sentence for YoonJuly 9, 2026
  • [ANNOUNCEMENT] CHANGES TO BANNED TOPICSJuly 9, 2026
  • Why some fans do not get how parasocial relationships in kpop space works?July 9, 2026
  • Vietnamese outpace Chinese in arrivals to S. Korea for 1st time in 2025July 9, 2026
  • Five layered pork belly.July 9, 2026
  • GogiganjeongJuly 9, 2026
  • Non Korean, just love Korean foodJuly 9, 2026
  • First time making Kimchi help please!July 9, 2026

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (23,226)
    • Community (17,093)
    • Entertainment (988)
    • News (4,870)
  • 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

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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