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Lee Hae-rin

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.

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K-pop

Why 'Idol Star Athletics Championships' is still K-pop holiday essential

K-pop's long-running holiday TV ritual, “Idol Star Athletics Championships” (ISAC), is celebrating its 15th anniversary this Chuseok, reminding fans and its audience why the show remains a holiday classic. This year’s special, airing in three parts from Monday through Wednesday, brings together a record 374 idols from 61 K-pop groups, cementing its reputation as one of the largest and most lively spectacles in Korean pop culture. The appeal of ISAC lies in is engaging blend of celebrity and sports competition. For fans used to seeing their favorite stars grace music shows and red carpets, ISAC offers an entirely new perspective. From track sprints, ssireum (traditional Korean wresting) to revived penalty shootouts and taking shots at gold in pistol shooting, the program offers fans a candid and unscripted glimpse into idols’ teamwork, rivalry and personalities that are rarely seen in traditional idol promotions. While ISAC has become part of Korea’s Chuseok tradition, with many families making it a holiday viewing ritual, its history is also marked by persistent criticism over

Oct 7, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Why 'Idol Star Athletics Championships' is still K-pop holiday essential
Sports

Born in Germany, playing for Korea, Castrop ignites debate on Korea's football locker room culture

Jens Castrop, the first foreign-born, mixed-race player to join Korea’s national football team, ignited debates across Korea’s football fan communities after comments about Korea’s locker room culture, bringing public’s attention to potentially lingering hierarchies in the squad. Castrop’s interview with Germany’s Kicker, published Monday, spurred headlines questioning whether a “kkondae culture” — a term for outdated, patriarchal seniority — remains alive in Korean football. Born in Germany to a Korean mother and a German father, Castrop grew up representing his birth country at the junior level. This August, the Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder switched his footballing allegiance from Germany to Korea and his inclusion under coach Hong Myung-bo marked a fresh turn for the Taegeuk Warriors. His versatility, shown in friendly matches against the United States and Mexico, immediately impressed both fans and coaching staff. “Everyone in Korea is polite. You bow your head when you greet and respect for elders is very strong,” Castrop told Kicker. He went on to de

Oct 7, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Born in Germany, playing for Korea, Castrop ignites debate on Korea's football locker room culture
Society

PHOTO Chuseok exodus begins

Travelers heading home for Chuseok board a train at Seoul Station, Thursday, a day before the extended seven-day holiday begins. Korea Times photo by Lim Ji-hoon

Oct 2, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
[PHOTO] Chuseok exodus begins
Society

Isolation, poverty push older adults to forefront of Korea’s crime statistics

Korea is seeing a rise in crime among older adults, with those aged 60 and older now making up the largest share of criminal suspects — a trend driven by the country’s rapidly aging population. Data from the National Police Agency’s 2024 crime statistics show that individuals aged 60 and older accounted for 18.8 percent of all criminal suspects last year, edging past the 18.3 percent attributed to people in their 20s. A decade ago, older adults made up just 8.8 percent of suspects — less than half their current share. In contrast, the proportion of suspects in their 20s, 40s and 50s declined over the same period. Experts attribute the rise in elderly crime to Korea’s rapid demographic shift. The population of older people has expanded rapidly, leading to more social interaction — and sometimes friction — between older Koreans and the broader public. Korea entered “super-aged” status in 2024, with more than 20 percent of citizens over 65. Crimes committed by older adults are often tied to basic economic needs. The latest figures show people aged 60 and up accounted for a s

Oct 2, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Isolation, poverty push older adults to forefront of Korea’s crime statistics
Society

Online sellers criticized for promoting Chinese attire as hanbok ahead of Chuseok

Controversy is growing in Korea after it emerged that several online retailers have been marketing Chinese traditional garments, known as hanfu, as “Chinese-style hanbok” ahead of the Chuseok holiday. The issue came to light after professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women’s University voiced concerns on social media, revealing that searches for “hanbok” on major platforms yield numerous products marked as “Chinese-style hanbok” and related items. Seo said the mislabeling conflates Korean hanbok with Chinese hanfu, denouncing it as “absurd” and an affront to Korea’s cultural heritage. Angry online users quickly joined the conversation, asserting their criticism was not about banning sales of Chinese garments, but about demanding clear distinction between hanbok and hanfu in product listings. “The two garments carry distinct traditions and have significant differences, and must be labeled accurately,” one observer argued. Hanbok and hanfu, while both Asian traditional clothing, originate from different historical and cultural contexts and are distinct in style. Hanbo

Oct 2, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Online sellers criticized for promoting Chinese attire as hanbok ahead of Chuseok
Society

Anti-China rallies increase in Korea amid visa-free tourism policy

An increasing number of anti-China rallies are being held in areas of Seoul such as the shopping district of Myeong-dong and neighborhoods with large Chinese immigrant populations, especially after the nation began a new visa-free entry policy for Chinese tour groups. Over the past months, protesters aligned with conservative civic groups — mostly right-wing supporters of former President Yoon Suk Yeol — have staged demonstrations. Some participants even showed aggressive behavior, tearing down banners depicting the Chinese ambassador’s face, shouting slogans such as “China Out” and confronting foreign tourists with hostile remarks. Demonstrators have also linked their grievances to various alleged crimes by Chinese nationals, intensifying the wave of animosity. According to data released by Rep. Chung Choon-saeng of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party on Wednesday, the number of anti-China rallies in Seoul’s Myeong-dong area — where the Chinese Embassy is located — was 20 in 2022, 15 in 2023 and 13 in 2024. But the number has surged to 65 this year, including those reporte

Oct 1, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Anti-China rallies increase in Korea amid visa-free tourism policy
Others

Yeosu set to showcase World Island Exhibition next year

Preparations are underway in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, as the southwestern port city readies to host the world’s first government-backed international island exhibition next year. The 2026 Yeosu World Island Exhibition, set to run next year from Sept. 5 to Nov. 4, will be the first of its kind to focus on the diverse cultures and economic, environmental and historical significance of islands under the theme “Islands, Connecting the Sea and the Future.” Known for its beautiful coastal scenery, Yeosu has one of Korea’s most famous island clusters featuring 365 islands. Eight major exhibition halls, including the landmark theme hall and island marine ecology hall, are under construction at the main venue on Dol Island's Jinmo area, with additional facilities for island-themed outdoor performances and eco-friendly city gardens also underway. Visitors will be able to experience the region’s natural wonders and participate in hands-on island living at event venues on Geumo Island and Gae Island, complete with camping, trekking and local food and culture experiences. A highlight of

Oct 1, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Yeosu set to showcase World Island Exhibition next year
Others

Ieodo Int'l Seminar discusses strategies to counter maritime security threats in East Asia

JEJU ISLAND — Leading experts on maritime law and sea disputes convened on Korea’s southern resort island of Jeju last week to explore new strategies for resolving escalating territorial conflicts across East Asia. At the ninth edition of the Ieodo International Seminar, held between Sept. 25 and 27, experts and scholars underscored Ieodo’s evolving role. Once regarded as a regional symbol, the submerged reef located off the southwest coast of Jeju Island now stands at the center of international maritime interest, requiring global engagement with Korea’s aim to maintain peace and stability throughout the region. This year’s seminar, themed “New Strategic Responses to Maritime Security Threats in East Asia,” gathered a diverse group of academics from Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines, each lending expertise to urgent debates about maritime challenges in East Asia. “Today, Ieodo has grown beyond being a subject of academic interest or a regional symbol; it has become a maritime space that draws the attention of the international community,” Koh Choong-su

Sep 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Ieodo Int'l Seminar discusses strategies to counter maritime security threats in East Asia
Others

US eyes partnership with Korea for maritime radar in waters claimed by China

JEJU ISLAND — A U.S. Special Operations Command official identified a Korean research group as a potential partner for a grant to install a powerful maritime radar in the waters southwest of Jeju Island around Ieodo, a submerged reef where Korea has maintained a science station to monitor the seas. The suggestion came after China was found setting up structures in the West Sea, where Ieodo is located and where the two countries’ exclusive economic zones (EEZs) overlap. The Ieodo Research Society, a civilian think tank with close ties to Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, received inquiries about the possibility of a $150,000 grant to install the radar, according to people familiar with the discussions. “I have a $150,000 U.S. government grant to provide partners with enhanced maritime domain awareness radar. We would be able to set up and run a server and push all of the data to whomever you chose. I would like to discuss further,” the official said in an email to the think tank, obtained by The Korea Times. The official added that improved monitoring of the undelimited

Sep 28, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
US eyes partnership with Korea for maritime radar in waters claimed by China
Travel & Food

K-pop DJ party scheduled in historic Seoul neighborhoods

The Seoul Tourism Organization will host the “Visit Seoul Club” DJ event on Sept. 28 and Oct. 11, showcasing the city’s nightlife and cultural venues with K-pop remixes and interactive activities. The upcoming hybrid online-offline celebration is aimed at amplifying Seoul’s official tourism brand, Visit Seoul, introducing both residents and visitors to new urban experiences. The first event, scheduled for Sunday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., will take place at Ewha Mart, a quirky local supermarket just a two-minute walk from Anguk Station Exit 1 on Subway Line 3. With its modest exterior typical of a local community hub, Ewha Mart will allow participants to engage with the city’s lively local scene, a city experience that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions. On Oct. 11, the fun moves to Seoul Hiking Tourism Center in Samcheong-dong, located in a traditional hanok at the foot of Mount Bukak. The site, celebrated for its cultural importance and scenic walks, allows visitors to explore Seoul’s historic architecture while enjoying a peaceful break from the city’s fast pace. The

Sep 25, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
K-pop DJ party scheduled in historic Seoul neighborhoods
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