Not so free: The irony of Korea’s ‘free size’ fashion

Free size in South Korean fashion is a label that fits the industry better than the consumer Choi A-ra, 24, entered university with a goal: to fit into "free-size" clothing. "In places like Hongdae or Gangnam Station's underground shopping centers, most of the pretty clothes I wanted to buy only came in 'free-size,'" she said. "Back in high school, I was overweight — 170 centimeters and 65 kilograms — so my goal was to lose 10 kilograms to fit into them." She reached her target weight. But even

March 12, 2025

Where industry meets artistry

Imagine a neighborhood in Seoul where metal workshops collide with colorful street art. It’s an unexpected fusion — industrial and artistic, raw yet creative — but somehow, it works. Welcome to Mullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Just five minutes from Mullae Station’s exit 7, this neighborhood hums with energy. Spot a metal giraffe? You’re in the right place. Keep walking, and you’ll find a giant welded mask — an iconic sculpture representing Mullae’s ironworking legacy. Old-school steel shops

March 11, 2025

Police investigate possible starvation deaths of 63 cattle

Police are investigating the possible starvation deaths of 63 cattle found in a barn in Haenam, South Jeolla Province. According to Haenam Police on Tuesday, a local resident reported to the police on Monday that several cattle appeared dead in the barn and requested an investigation. The resident noticed a lack of activity at the site and said he did not know the owner. When police arrived, they discovered that 63 of the 67 cattle had died. The barn’s owner, a man in his 30s, reportedly told po

March 11, 2025

Aftermath of bombing in Pocheon

The residents of the Pocheon village accidentally bombed by South Korean fighter jets on Thursday are now dealing with the aftermath. The accident happened ahead of this year's Freedom Shield exercise, an annual training drill conducted with the US military. The incident injured 29 people — 15 civilians and 14 soldiers. The village is now covered in debris, with broken glass and destroyed homes. Many residents have been left without a place to stay. Emergency teams are helping the victims while

March 7, 2025

Nearly 3,300 workers earned over W119 m per month in 2024

Nearly 3,300 workers in South Korea earned more than 119 million won ($82,000) per month last year, according to government data released Friday. A total of 3,271 employees paid the highest possible monthly health insurance premium in 2024, according to data from the National Health Insurance Service, obtained by Rep. Kim Sun-min of the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee. In South Korea, employees pay health insurance premiums based on their salaries and employers and employees spl

March 7, 2025

Left-wing party reports ex-PM to police for warning of riots if Yoon is removed

A progressive party has reported former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn to the police, accusing him of inciting insurrection over his remarks warning the the Constitutional Court of “uncontrollable riots," should it decide to confirm President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. “In a democratic society, there is no freedom to incite insurrection,” said a spokeperson for Jinbo Party, a minor opposition progressive party that filed the complaint, holding a press conference in front of Seoul’s Jongno Police

March 6, 2025

Govt. workers search through trash for 8 hours to find woman's lost money

W18.28m in cash recovered; woman thanks sanitation dept. employees Imagine throwing away 26 million won ($17,800) by accident — money you had saved for your son’s surgery. Just as you’re about to lose hope, government workers from the sanitation department step in, spending hours digging through trash to help, asking for nothing in return. That’s exactly what happened to a woman in her 60s in the city of Sejong. According to city officials, a panicked call came in at around 10 a.m. on Feb. 24. C

March 5, 2025

Gim prices fall slightly after yearlong climb

After more than a year of steadily rising prices, gim, crispy dried seaweed, has finally seen a slight decline in cost. According to data released Tuesday by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, the average retail price for 10 sheets of dried gim stood at 1,400 won ($0.96) as of Feb. 28. That marks a decrease of 27 won from the previous week and 76 won from the prior month. Despite the drop, prices remain high — 25 percent above last year’s 1,119 won. For 12 consecutive months, gim

March 4, 2025

South Koreans consumed 30kg of pork per person in 2024

The average South Korean consumed an estimated 30 kilograms of pork last year, according to data released Monday. South Korea’s livestock cooperative designated March 3 as Samgyeopsal Day — the date referring to the three layers of fat that give the cut its name — to promote sales of pork belly, with local retailers often running special discounts. According to data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute, last year’s per capita pork consumption marked a 6.8 percent increase from the five-year a

March 3, 2025

Meet the minds behind little Seoul in Minnesota

Look to Sup sogui Hosu to find next generation of Korea's friends, say professors, executive behind Korean language village in the US What’s the best way to learn Korean? Binge-watching K-dramas? Singing along to K-pop? Hanging out with a Korean friend? While these might help, nothing quite compares to living in Korea, where the language surrounds you 24/7. But for Americans who can’t pack up and move halfway across the world, there’s Sup sogui Hosu — a Korean language village in the middle of M

March 2, 2025