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Jane Han

Korea Times Digital Content Reporter

Jane Han is the North America editor for The Korea Times. Based in Seattle, she has covered business, culture and social issues across the United States for over 15 years. She previously worked at The Boston Globe.

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South Korea

Yoo Jae-suk wins top prize at MBC awards, thanks Lee Yi-kyung after exit

The 2025 MBC Entertainment Awards closed Monday on a subdued note as veteran host Yoo Jae-suk captured the ceremony’s top honor, capping a year marked by controversy across the broadcaster’s variety programming. Yoo was named the grand prize winner at the year-end awards ceremony held at MBC’s Media Center in Sangam-dong, western Seoul. The win marked his ninth grand prize at MBC and the 21st of his career. “I received my first grand prize in 2005, and this one in 2025,” Yoo said in his acceptance speech. “No one knows what the future holds, but if it’s possible, I will keep doing my best and aim for 30.” He thanked fellow cast members and staff of “Hangout With Yoo,” including HaHa and Joo Woo-jae, and also expressed gratitude to former cast members Park Jin-joo, Lee Mi-joo and Lee Yi-kyung, who recently left the program. Yoo’s mention of Lee Yi-kyung drew attention, as the actor’s departure has remained a point of controversy. Lee stepped down from “Hangout With Yoo” last month following allegations related to his private life and later claimed that the prod

Dec 30, 2025By Jane Han
Yoo Jae-suk wins top prize at MBC awards, thanks Lee Yi-kyung after exit
World

Hiding cash in books? Remarks prompt debate among Koreans in US

SEATTLE — A controversial exchange about hiding U.S. dollar bills in books during a government policy briefing is drawing reactions from Koreans in the United States. Some say the remark exposed an obscure tactic they had not known existed, while others argue that the very idea of moving large sums of cash overseas raises more questions than answers. The exchange that set off the discussion occurred when the President Lee Jae Myung pressed the head of Incheon International Airport Corporation on whether such methods could slip through airport screening. The airport chief responded that detecting cash hidden inside books is difficult because security staff focus on dangerous items, while currency checks fall under customs. His remarks, widely shared online, helped fuel questions about how screening works and why certain concealment methods are hard to identify. The debate has spread quickly across Korean American forums and messaging groups, where some said they were surprised to hear such a specific method mentioned in a public setting. A few worried it could be misread as practical gu

Dec 17, 2025By Jane Han
Hiding cash in books? Remarks prompt debate among Koreans in US
World

Korea’s 'insane' English test becomes global talking point as readers weigh in

SEATTLE — The world is now taking a look at Korea’s college entrance exam — and arguing over whether the English questions were manageable puzzles or mind-bending traps. What began as a domestic controversy over this year’s unusually difficult English section has evolved into a global conversation, with foreign media dissecting the exam and readers abroad trying the questions themselves. Outlets including The Independent, the BBC and The Times of India have spotlighted sample items from the English test, inviting audiences to gauge just how challenging the material really was. Foreign media noted that the English section produced the lowest share of top scorers since the grading system was introduced. News that the exam chief resigned only intensified global interest in what made this portion of Korea’s College Scholastic Ability Test, or Suneung, so controversial. One widely shared reading passage asked students to identify the most logical conclusion in a paragraph based on Immanuel Kant’s philosophy of law. Another incorporated gaming terminology in a short text and requ

Dec 13, 2025By Jane Han
Korea’s 'insane' English test becomes global talking point as readers weigh in
South Korea

Seoul subway strike to begin Friday morning as talks collapse

Seoul Metro workers on subway lines 1 through 8 will launch a full strike starting with Friday’s first trains, a move that may disrupt morning commutes across the capital after overnight talks between the main union and management collapsed. The Seoul Transit Corporation Labor Union, representing more than 57 percent of all employees, announced around 3:30 a.m. that final talks with management had collapsed. Labor and management held last-minute negotiations on wages and collective bargaining at the company’s headquarters in Seongdong District on Thursday afternoon, but negotiations were suspended after about 40 minutes. The two sides continued working-level talks throughout the night, yet failed to narrow their differences and were unable to resume the main negotiation, leading to the collapse of the talks. Separate negotiations between the company and the two smaller unions are still underway. As of July this year, the main union accounted for 57.4 percent of unionized workers, followed by the No. 2 union at 16.4 percent and the No. 3 union at 12.6 percent.

Dec 12, 2025By Jane Han
Seoul subway strike to begin Friday morning as talks collapse
World

More US law firms begin reviewing Coupang after data leak

SEATTLE — More U.S. law firms are moving to scrutinize Coupang as the fallout from the company’s massive data leak continues to widen, adding fresh pressure on the e-commerce giant and drawing new attention from investor groups. In the past week, at least three additional firms have issued public notices announcing investigations into whether Coupang Inc. may have violated federal securities laws. Each notice encourages shareholders to reach out as the firms examine whether recent disclosures, including those addressing the breach and related leadership changes, contributed to investor losses. The firms have not announced formal filings, but their notices indicate that preliminary reviews are accelerating as investor interest grows. New York-based Rosen Law Firm urged Coupang investors to inquire about a potential claim, saying it is assessing whether the company provided misleading information to the market. Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, also based in New York, issued a similar alert, asking shareholders to contact the firm as it evaluates whether recent disclosures affected

Dec 12, 2025By Jane Han
More US law firms begin reviewing Coupang after data leak
Entertainment

Overseas fans split over Cho Jin-woong's retirement after past crime resurfaces

SEATTLE — When news broke last week that Cho Jin-woong would retire from acting, it hit like a thunderbolt. Many international fans were caught off guard, unsure how a teenage crime from decades ago could suddenly end a long and respected career. Reactions abroad have been complicated. Some viewers felt shocked and disappointed. Others tried to understand the context in Korea, where public figures are often expected to uphold strict personal standards. Many said they needed more information before deciding how to feel. The story has raised difficult questions about how societies balance justice, accountability and the possibility of change. Supporters have been vocal, with one international fan writing on a popular Reddit thread, “It seems like he did his time and cleaned his act up. Unless there are additional instances of misconduct for which he wasn’t punished already, it’s a real shame he’s had to quit acting for this.” Another commenter questioned Korean cultural expectations, saying, “Is rehabilitation or forgiveness considered unobtainable?” A third added, “What

Dec 9, 2025By Jane Han
Overseas fans split over Cho Jin-woong's retirement after past crime resurfaces
South Korea

Samsung scion’s near-perfect college exam score reaches Korean parents in US

SEATTLE — A story about Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin’s son receiving a near-perfect score on the national college entrance exam has already made headlines in Korea, but the buzz did not stop there. The news quickly leapt across the Pacific and began circulating among Korean moms in the U.S., where parents are reacting with equal parts envy and fascination. Parents abroad said they were struck by how a Samsung scion managed to excel within Korea’s intensely competitive school system. Many expressed surprise that he stayed in Korea for his entire education rather than joining the steady stream of students heading overseas, especially the U.S. Park Sun-young, chair of the new Truth and Reconciliation Committee, praised both the result and the family’s approach to schooling in a widely shared post. She wrote on Facebook that the senior at Whimoon High School “missed only one question on the CSAT this year” and had remained “first in his class” since middle school. CSAT refers to Korea's College Scholastic Aptitude Test. Park contrasted Lee’s parenting with what she describe

Dec 5, 2025By Jane Han
Samsung scion’s near-perfect college exam score reaches Korean parents in US
World

Coupang’s data breach starts drawing US legal attention

SEATTLE — Coupang may be heading into a new phase of legal pressure in the U.S. as investors begin to assess the fallout from the massive data breach that exposed personal information linked to more than 33 million customer accounts. The breach has already drawn intense scrutiny in Korea and contributed to a decline in Coupang’s share price. A New York–based investor rights firm, DJS Law Group, has opened an investigation into whether Coupang may have made misleading statements or failed to disclose information related to cybersecurity risks that could be important to investors. Such inquiries are often a precursor to a class action lawsuit. "The investigation focuses on whether the company issued misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors," DJS Law Group said in a statement, Tuesday. U.S. litigation firms commonly monitor major data incidents and sharp stock moves for signs that a company failed to properly warn investors about known vulnerabilities. Coupang’s share price movement following the breach disclosure suggests conditions that c

Dec 4, 2025By Jane Han
Coupang’s data breach starts drawing US legal attention
World

Coupang US headquarters quiet as Korea presses for answers

SEATTLE — The global headquarters of Coupang sits tucked in the heart of downtown Seattle, quiet and unassuming despite the storm of controversy unfolding an ocean away. The building rises sleek and glassy above the street, its windows reflecting its surroundings. A discreet sign identifies the company behind Korea’s dominant e-commerce empire, but there are no crowds outside and no visible signs of concern. Delivery vans don’t line the block. From the street, it is hard to imagine that this is the command center of a company facing major scrutiny in Korea following a massive data breach. In Korea, consumers are organizing to take part in legal action and asking for clear answers after their personal information was exposed. But here, the scene appears unchanged. Coupang’s U.S. media relations team had not responded to inquiries from The Korea Times as of Tuesday (local time). The difference is noticeable. For Korean users, the company’s name is fueling online discussions and calls for accountability. Yet at its U.S. hub, there is little outward indication of those concerns. W

Dec 3, 2025By Jane Han
Coupang US headquarters quiet as Korea presses for answers
World

When data leaks, Korea reacts while US litigates on autopilot

SEATTLE — A massive data leak has stirred anger and anxiety across Korea, but in the U.S., a similar breach would more likely set off a wave of automatic class action notices than public outrage. The breach, now considered one of the largest in Korea’s digital history, has shaken public trust in a platform that millions rely on for groceries, household goods and fast delivery. Users rushed to community sites to check whether their names, addresses or purchase histories had been compromised, and many questioned how closely the company had safeguarded the data behind its rapid rise. In the United States, where some of the world’s largest data breaches have occurred, public reaction is usually more subdued. A 2025 survey by Varonis found that 64 percent of U.S. adults have never checked whether their information was exposed in a breach, despite repeated incidents involving retailers, credit bureaus and social media companies. More than half said they would not know what steps to take if they learned their data had been compromised. Conversations on Reddit point to a kind of collectiv

Dec 2, 2025By Jane Han
When data leaks, Korea reacts while US litigates on autopilot
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