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

Tourism

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • Chicken dishes give wings to Chuncheon tourism, fuel local economy

    Sep 11, 2026
    in News

    CHUNCHEON, Gangwon Province — Famous for its stir-fried and grilled chicken dish, known in Korean as dakgalbi, Chuncheon has long…

    Fame, Tourism
  • Assembly cautions JYP founder over personal activities during U.S. trip

    Sep 10, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    The National Assembly reprimanded JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young for pursuing personal business while in the United States on an…

    K-pop, Tourism, travel
  • Korea, Japan seek new chapter in 40 years of tourism ties

    Sep 9, 2026
    in News

    Korea and Japan are marking four decades of tourism cooperation this week with talks in Mokpo aimed at turning a…

    Hyundai, Japan, Tourism, travel
  • Why foreign tourists are trading palaces for peaks in Korea

    Aug 30, 2026
    in News
    Why foreign tourists are trading palaces for peaks in Korea

    Overseas visitors to Korea are increasingly choosing mountain peaks over historic palaces. On Sunday, the trend was highlighted when 11…

    Busan, Tourism
  • In Korea, the checkup becomes the destination: medical tourism patients have grown to 2 million as of 2025

    Aug 25, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

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

    Medical, Tourism
  • Busan to host 2026 Medical Tourism Fair next week

    Aug 21, 2026
    in News
    Busan to host 2026 Medical Tourism Fair next week

    Busan Metropolitan City will host the “2026 Medical Tourism Business Fair” at Grand Josun Busan on Wednesday and Thursday, city…

    Busan, daegu, Jeju, Medical, Tourism
  • Busan’s Haeundae named South Korea’s first global tourism zone

    Aug 18, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    Busan’s Haeundae named South Korea’s first global tourism zone

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

    Busan, Tourism
  • South Korea Lighthouse Passport.

    Aug 18, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    South Korea Lighthouse Passport.

    South Korea introduced the National Lighthouse Passport program to promote coastal tourism and maritime heritage, encouraging travelers to visit historical…

    Tourism, travel
  • Riding K-culture wave, Korea secures massive Indian incentive tours

    Aug 18, 2026
    in News
    Riding K-culture wave, Korea secures massive Indian incentive tours

    Riding a wave of global cultural popularity, Korea is rapidly emerging as a premier destination for corporate incentive travel. The…

    KT, Seoul, Tourism, travel
  • Korea has a village that “rescued” centuries-old houses from demolition and rebuilt them in one place — and you can sleep in them

    Aug 13, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    Korea has a village that “rescued” centuries-old houses from demolition and rebuilt them in one place — and you can sleep in them

    Most travelers know about hanok — traditional Korean houses. Jeonju Hanok Village, Bukchon in Seoul, all of that. But there’s…

    BTS, Korean House, Peace, Question, Seoul, Tourism, travel
  • GKL, Gangnam Medical Tour Center team up to promote wellness tourism

    Aug 12, 2026
    in News
    GKL, Gangnam Medical Tour Center team up to promote wellness tourism

    Grand Korea Leisure (GKL) has partnered with the Gangnam Medical Tour Center to launch the K-Medical Wellness Experience Zone, an…

    Medical, Seoul, Stress, Tourism
  • What are the closest rural villages to Seoul?

    Aug 8, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    What are the closest rural villages to Seoul?

    Hi everyone! I’m going to Seoul in spring of 2027, and I was looking for recommendations for villages not too…

    KT, Seoul, Tourism
  • Record spending by int’l visitors drives Seoul’s new experience-first tourism strategy

    Aug 5, 2026
    in News
    Record spending by int’l visitors drives Seoul’s new experience-first tourism strategy

    Driven by record-setting visitor spending in beauty, wellness and local lifestyle, Seoul is reframing its tourism strategy around how its…

    Seoul, Tourism
  • Busan turns to tourism to save its female free-divers

    Aug 3, 2026
    in News
    Busan turns to tourism to save its female free-divers

    Along the rocky coastlines of Korea, the ancient art of the “haenyeo” — traditional female free-divers who harvest sea life…

    Busan, Tourism, travel
  • Seoul bets on hidden neighborhoods to keep tourists exploring longer

    Jul 31, 2026
    in News
    Seoul bets on hidden neighborhoods to keep tourists exploring longer

    Seoul is betting that its backstreets, markets and neighborhood landmarks can persuade visitors to linger beyond the city’s best-known attractions…

    history, Seoul, Tourism, travel
  • New express bus promises faster ride from downtown Seoul to Everland

    Jul 30, 2026
    in News
    New express bus promises faster ride from downtown Seoul to Everland

    A new express bus route linking downtown Seoul to Everland is set to slash travel times, giving residents and tourists…

    Samsung, Seoul, Subway, Tourism, travel
  • Foreign tourists’ spending in Seoul surges more than 50 % in H1: data

    Jul 29, 2026
    in News
    Foreign tourists’ spending in Seoul surges more than 50 % in H1: data

    The number of foreign visitors to Seoul in the first half of this year increased by more than 20 percent…

    Medical, Seoul, Shopping, Tourism
  • From mountain peaks to film sets, foreign tourists redefine Seoul itineraries

    Jul 22, 2026
    in News
    From mountain peaks to film sets, foreign tourists redefine Seoul itineraries

    Foreign visitors are increasingly venturing beyond Seoul’s iconic shopping districts and royal landmarks, embracing filming locations, traditional markets and mountain…

    Seoul, Shopping, study, Tourism
  • Foreign tourism surge boosts Busan businesses as city targets 5 million visitors this year

    Jul 21, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    Foreign tourism surge boosts Busan businesses as city targets 5 million visitors this year

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

    Busan, Tourism
  • Ex-vice culture minister wins AI jazz music award

    Jul 12, 2026
    in News
    Ex-vice culture minister wins AI jazz music award

    Former Vice Culture Minister Yong Ho-seong won an artificial intelligence (AI) jazz music contest held in Montreux, Switzerland, on Friday…

    study, Tourism
  • “The bus stopped running.” A man who gave stranded Chinese students a ride receives a touching letter one year later. | ”버스 끊겼어” 당황한 중국 학생들 태워준 남성…1년 후 감동 편지[오따뉴]

    Jul 8, 2026
    in Community, Feeds

    A story has gone viral about a man who gave three Chinese students a ride to their hotel after they…

    Pohang, Social Media, Tourism
  • Sharing this in case anyone’s interested

    Jul 7, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    Sharing this in case anyone’s interested

    Not my event—just sharing since it’s a tourism event in Korea and I thought some people here might find it…

    Seoul, Tourism
  • shinan purple island

    Jul 4, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    shinan purple island

    Located in Shinan County, Purple Island is a unique travel destination where everything from the house roofs and roads to…

    Tourism, travel
  • Korea turns to K-beauty to fuel new wave of tourism

    Jun 24, 2026
    in News
    Korea turns to K-beauty to fuel new wave of tourism

    For international fans of Korean pop culture, matching the radiant skin of a K-pop idol or the precise styling of…

    K-drama, K-pop, Medical, Seoul, Tourism
  • To draw K-pop fans beyond Seoul, Korea leverages their ‘BIAS’

    Jun 24, 2026
    in News
    To draw K-pop fans beyond Seoul, Korea leverages their ‘BIAS’

    For millions of global music fans, a “bias” is not a prejudice but a favorite K-pop artist. Korea’s tourism officials…

    K-pop, K-pop Fans, KT, Seoul, Tourism, travel
  • Korea offers bus discounts to move foreign tourists beyond Seoul

    Jun 15, 2026
    in News
    Korea offers bus discounts to move foreign tourists beyond Seoul

    For the millions of foreign tourists who visit Korea each year, the boundaries of vacations are often defined by the…

    Seoul, Subway, Tourism, travel
  • Luxury hanok reshapes high-end tourism deep in mountains of Gangwon Province

    Jun 15, 2026
    in News
    Luxury hanok reshapes high-end tourism deep in mountains of Gangwon Province

    For global jet setters, Korea’s cultural footprint is typically defined by Seoul’s neon-lit corridors and K-pop spectacle. But a quiet…

    K-pop, Seoul, Tourism, travel
  • Netflix hit inspires Korea tourism push aimed at turning viewers into visitors

    Jun 11, 2026
    in News
    Netflix hit inspires Korea tourism push aimed at turning viewers into visitors

    Korea is betting that the power of a Netflix hit can do more than entertain audiences — it can also…

    KT, squid game, Tourism, travel
  • Korea pushes to make historic street markets more user-friendly

    Jun 10, 2026
    in News
    Korea pushes to make historic street markets more user-friendly

    Korea’s tourism authorities are turning their attention to traditional street markets, launching a standardized campaign Friday to target long-standing consumer…

    Busan, Tourism, travel
  • PM calls for crowd control measures ahead of BTS concert in Busan

    Jun 9, 2026
    in News
    PM calls for crowd control measures ahead of BTS concert in Busan

    Prime Minister Kim Min-seok told officials Tuesday to ensure crowd control and crack down on tourist overcharging, scalped tickets and…

    BTS, Busan, Seoul, Tourism
  • Seoul city gov’t audits homestays as tourism booms

    Jun 8, 2026
    in News
    Seoul city gov’t audits homestays as tourism booms

    For a decade, Seoul has nudged its residents to open their doors to foreigners, turning spare bedrooms and historic hanok,…

    Korean House, Seoul, Tourism
  • Indian star Priyanka Mohan named honorary ambassador for Korean tourism

    Jun 6, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    Indian star Priyanka Mohan named honorary ambassador for Korean tourism

    submitted by /u/Beginning-Passion676 [link] [comments]

    Tourism
  • China, South Korea agree to more flights per week as tourism to Japan dwindles

    Jun 5, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    China, South Korea agree to more flights per week as tourism to Japan dwindles

    submitted by /u/Beginning-Passion676 [link] [comments]

    Japan, Tourism
  • From K-pop to K-glow: lasers, facial firming drive South Korea’s new tourism wave

    Jun 4, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    From K-pop to K-glow: lasers, facial firming drive South Korea’s new tourism wave

    From article Just over 2 million foreigners visited South Korea last year for medical treatment, nearly double the 2024 figure…

    K-pop, Medical, Tourism
  • Korea legalizes telemedicine for foreign patients to boost medical tourism

    May 26, 2026
    in News
    Korea legalizes telemedicine for foreign patients to boost medical tourism

    Korea is expanding medical frontiers beyond its physical borders, legalizing telemedicine for international patients in a bid to solidify its…

    LG, Medical, Tourism
  • Gwangju residents call for Shinsegae chairman’s resignation, launch Starbucks boycott

    May 23, 2026
    in Community, Feeds
    Gwangju residents call for Shinsegae chairman’s resignation, launch Starbucks boycott

    Civic groups in South Jeolla Province and Gwangju have jumped into action, alleging that Shinsegae Group, the parent company of…

    apology, coffee, Controversy, fail, history, Japan, Protest, Punishment, Shopping, Tourism
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 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 Ukraine Warning

Latest Korean News

  • Fed rate hike will likely push borrowing costs on credit cards, mortgagesSeptember 16, 2026
    WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve just raised the cost of… Read more: Fed rate hike will likely push borrowing costs on credit cards, mortgages
  • US Fed chair says inflation has been ‘too high’ for ‘too long’September 16, 2026
    WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that… Read more: US Fed chair says inflation has been ‘too high’ for ‘too long’
  • ‘We’re losing control,’ says AI pioneer Yoshua BengioSeptember 16, 2026
    MONTREAL — The Canadian computer scientist considered one of the… Read more: ‘We’re losing control,’ says AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio
  • Wall Street gyrates after Fed hikes interest rate to battle inflationSeptember 16, 2026
    NEW YORK — Wall Street whipsawed on Wednesday after the… Read more: Wall Street gyrates after Fed hikes interest rate to battle inflation
  • Iran hesitates to enforce headscarf rules amid war, economic pressuresSeptember 16, 2026
    Women sit at outdoor cafes without headscarves and wearing crop… Read more: Iran hesitates to enforce headscarf rules amid war, economic pressures

Latest Community Feeds

  • I wanna start listening to kpop,but a bunch of top songs are in korean.How do i start listening to those type of songs? I’ve just started to listen to those songs as I’m a boy and since most of my guy friends,hate kpop,I used to hate it also. But now i have started listening to top kpopSeptember 17, 2026
  • “Abe Shinzo’s Real Killer Was Korean?”… Absurd Plot Discovered in Japanese Film SourceSeptember 17, 2026
  • Gov’t vows to end outdated dance ban at live music venuesSeptember 17, 2026
  • Who counts as ‘true middle class’ in Korea?September 17, 2026
  • Your favorite and least favorite KPOP live concert performances?September 17, 2026
  • Is there an English equivalent of 빙썅?September 17, 2026
  • I love visiting art museums 🎨September 17, 2026
  • Lee Chang-dong of “Possible Love” wins the first-ever Ebert Director Award at TIFF for a Korean filmmaker… unanimous praiseSeptember 17, 2026
  • Film photography in BusanSeptember 17, 2026
  • Over 300 Korean Workers File Claims Over Georgia ICE RaidSeptember 17, 2026
  • 4 member groups look so visually flat and I hate the symmetry trapSeptember 17, 2026
  • groups that openly talked about not wanting to do an “easily-viral” title track (this year possibly)September 17, 2026
  • Notable western rich super fans in kpop or the lack of them?September 17, 2026
  • Cortis selling power is actually insane….September 17, 2026
  • i-dle Soyeon’s “I’m gonna TOESA” has reached #1 on Melon Top 100September 17, 2026
  • What issue do us western fans see with Kpop that are just parts of Korean Society and Norms?September 17, 2026
  • My personal opinion on the K-pop girl group concerts I’ve attended.September 16, 2026
  • K-pop fans expecting 4th and 5th gen girl groups to match the touring numbers of Blackpink and Twice is already setting them to a higher standard.September 16, 2026
  • Bts fans gotta be the weirdest fans out there.September 16, 2026
  • 100,000 North Koreans on Student Visas earns $800 million annually for regimeSeptember 16, 2026

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (25,779)
    • Community (19,218)
    • Entertainment (988)
    • News (5,202)
  • 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