The Korea Times

Global popularity of 'KPop Demon Hunters' reshapes Korea's tourism map

Korea’s tourism landscape is undergoing a dramatic shift as the global success of Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” sends fans flocking to the country. The film’s record-breaking success is sparking new interest in destinations and experiences tied to Korea’s pop culture. Local businesses and tourism officials are already feeling the impact. Cafes, music studios and pop-culture-themed attractions report a surge in visitors eager to experience the world brought to life in “KPop Demon Hunters.” Hotels in major cities say bookings have spiked, with fans seeking to immerse themselves in the settings that inspired the film. The movie, directed by Korean Canadian Maggie Kang and released on June 20, has soared in popularity, amassing more than 236 million views and becoming Netflix’s most-watched film to date. One of the clearest signs of the shift can be seen at the National Museum of Korea. According to data released on Aug. 26, cumulative visitors from January through Aug. 25 surpassed 4.18 million, already exceeding the museum’s previous annual attendance re

Aug 31, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Global popularity of 'KPop Demon Hunters' reshapes Korea's tourism map

Society

Korea's first driverless shuttle to begin operation along Cheonggye Stream as early as next month

The Seoul city government will begin operations of Korea's first driverless shuttles as early as next month, city officials said on Sunday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government conducted a trial run of the shuttles on Friday along Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul. If confirmed to be safe and reliable over the next four weeks, the public will be allowed to use the services by the end of September. Developed by Korean firm Autonomous AtoZ, the vehicle can accommodate 11 passengers. It is also equipped with a wheelchair lift and a large display screen showing driving data and system status. The shuttle will operate along a 4.8-kilometer route from Cheonggye Plaza to Gwangjang Market, traveling under 30 kilometers per hour. The city government plans to start with two vehicles running on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but not on weekends or holidays. Rides will be free during the monthlong trial period. The city aims to expand the service to include nighttime operations and longer routes in the near future. A safety worker will ride onboard, as required under current automobile regulations. The

Aug 25, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea's first driverless shuttle to begin operation along Cheonggye Stream as early as next month

Society

Ruling party railroads pro-labor 'yellow envelope bill'

Korea’s contentious pro-labor bill — dubbed the “yellow envelope bill” — was approved at the National Assembly on Sunday, after nearly a decade of political tug-of-war. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) railroaded the passage, with 183 votes in favor and three against out of 186 lawmakers present, mostly DPK and minor liberal parties. Members of the conservative main opposition People Power Party boycotted the vote, following a 24-hour filibuster that ended earlier that day. The new law, an amendment to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, aims to broaden workers' rights in collective actions and negotiations with employers. It will take effect six months after promulgation. Under the revision, subcontracted and indirectly employed workers will be able to negotiate directly with parent companies on issues in which the parent company wields effective control, such as workplace safety. The legislation also expands the scope of labor disputes to include restructuring and mass layoffs, though not all business decisions — such as oversea

Aug 24, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Ruling party railroads pro-labor 'yellow envelope bill'

Society

Firefighter’s death spurs calls to bolster trauma care after disasters

Calls to overhaul and strengthen Korea’s trauma care system have intensified following the recent death of a firefighter who responded to the 2022 Itaewon disaster, highlighting wider concerns over the country’s preparedness for social emergencies. His death, the 160th official fatality linked to the crowd crush, has renewed criticism of Korea’s failure to provide adequate support for first responders and survivors grappling with long-term psychological trauma, despite its experience with multiple high-profile social disasters in recent decades. On Thursday, police confirmed that the body of a firefighter found Wednesday in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, after he had been missing for 10 days, showed no signs of foul play. Authorities said the 30-year-old appeared to have taken his own life, and at the family’s request, an autopsy will not be conducted. He left notes expressing sorrow to loved ones, but no will was discovered. The firefighter, who had served as a first responder since 2017, was dispatched to the Itaewon disaster site on Oct. 29, 2022. More than 150 people were killed

Aug 21, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Firefighter’s death spurs calls to bolster trauma care after disasters

People & Events

Yoon Moo-boo, Korea’s beloved ‘bird doctor,’ dies at 84

Yoon Moo-boo, a prominent ornithologist and educator known to many as Korea’s “bird doctor,” died on Friday at Kyung Hee University Medical Center in Seoul. He was 84. Yoon, who had a stroke in 2006 and suffered a recurrence in June, is remembered for his unwavering devotion to the study and preservation of Korea’s birds. He continued his work even after being confined to a wheelchair and developing partial paralysis that forced him to learn to photograph with his non-dominant left hand. Born in 1941 in the coastal town of Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, Yoon grew fascinated with birds as an elementary school student after encountering a hoopoe. He later remarked that, if born again, he would want to come back as a hoopoe, a testament to his lifelong affection for the creatures. Over a career spanning five decades, Yoon traversed the Korean Peninsula, amassing a staggering archive of 600,000 bird photographs and more than 1,300 reels of footage. Yoon held bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from Kyung Hee University and wrote his doctorate thesis on the geographic va

Aug 15, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Yoon Moo-boo, Korea’s beloved ‘bird doctor,’ dies at 84

Society

AirAsia blames bad weather for Incheon-bound flight's surprise Gimpo landing

The AirAsia flight that caused passenger confusion by making an unexpected landing at Gimpo International Airport instead of its original destination of Incheon International Airport on Wednesday evening made a safety-based “planned diversion” due to adverse weather conditions, according to the airline. Flight D7 506, which departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport earlier that day, had been scheduled to land at Incheon Airport. However, after circling over Korean airspace due to bad weather, the flight instead touched down at Gimpo at 8:08 p.m., about 20 kilometers away from Incheon, causing confusion and inconvenience. Videos taken on board showed a crew announcement stating the aircraft was short on fuel, describing the landing at Gimpo as an emergency measure while the captain assessed the possibility of flying to Incheon. However, several passengers later told local media that the crew failed to manage the confusion effectively during the two-hour delay, citing the lack of a clear announcement or apology in Korean about the landing. Even the cabin crew appeared “as confused

Aug 15, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

AirAsia blames bad weather for Incheon-bound flight's surprise Gimpo landing

Society

Who is Korea's gender equality minister nominee?

Korea is poised to reinvigorate its long-stalled gender policy agenda after President Lee Jae Myung nominated Won Min-kyong, a veteran women’s rights activist and attorney, as the new minister of gender equality. Won, 53, is a well-known family law expert with over 20 years of work on behalf of women and children. Her nomination comes after the Lee administration’s troubled first attempt to fill the post with Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Rep. Kang Sun-woo, who withdrew her candidacy last month amid abuse of power allegations and public criticism over her perceived insensitivity and lack of expertise on gender equality issues. Won's selection comes after the ministry endured a 17-month leadership vacuum under the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which initially pledged to abolish the ministry, then largely sidelined its functions. Lee has pledged to restore the ministry, vowing not only to fill the ministerial void but to also expand it into a “Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Empowerment,” targeting deeper support for the marginalized and improved protection for you

Aug 14, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Who is Korea's gender equality minister nominee?

Society

Lee vows workplace reforms to build stronger social safety net, reduce industrial deaths

The Lee Jae Myung administration will bolster Korea’s social safety net, centering efforts on safeguarding people from industrial accidents that have long plagued the nation, the State Affairs Planning Committee announced, Wednesday. The moves represent a cornerstone of the president's state agenda and mark a decisive response to Korea’s persistently high industrial fatality rates. The announcement was made during the committee’s national address on the five-year state agenda at Cheong Wa Dae, the former official presidential office. The committee, headed by Chair Lee Han-joo, was established on July 16 with a 60-day mandate to craft the new administration’s core policies, following Lee’s victory in the snap presidential election and the assumption of office without the usual two-month transition period. According to the report, the government aims to strengthen the nation’s safety net by implementing more effective industrial accident prevention measures, expanding workers’ compensation coverage and significantly reducing fatalities in the labor sector. Korea’s death rat

Aug 13, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Lee vows workplace reforms to build stronger social safety net, reduce industrial deaths

Travel & Food

Will Hangang Bus become must-do activity for tourists in Seoul?

On a warm Tuesday morning, the Yeouido pier hummed with joyful excitement, as families, older couples and foreign visitors gathered for one of the final trial runs of Seoul’s Hangang Bus. At Yeouido Dock, just a three-minute walk from Exit 2 of Yeouinaru Station, staff in bright pink jumpsuits greeted arrivals as they passed through subway-style turnstiles. “Welcome to Hangang Bus,” they said, ushering passengers onto the city’s first-ever waterborne public transportation service. The vessel used for Tuesday’s trial, Hangang Bus 101, was a single-deck, 150-ton boat built low to slip under the Han River's bridges. The boat featured 199 seats facing panoramic windows that frame the skyline and riverside parklands, each equipped with fold-out seat tables and life jackets. Passengers, many with smartphones and cameras in hand, chatted and waved to others on the riverbank as the boat quietly pushed off toward Ttukseom, 18 kilometers away. “Congratulations on being chosen from hundreds to join today’s trial!” a crew member announced over the speakers as the engines hummed quiet

Aug 13, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Will Hangang Bus become must-do activity for tourists in Seoul?

Society

Korea moves closer to legalizing nonmedical tattooing after 33-year ban

Korea is on the verge of ending its decades-long ban on tattooing by nonmedical professionals, with a landmark bill set for debate in the National Assembly later this month which could transform an underground art form into a regulated, recognized profession. Tattooists from across the nation and union leaders rallied outside the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday, urging lawmakers to pass the proposed Tattooist Act ― a legislative bill that, after decades of prohibition and legal wrangling, could finally legalize professional tattooing by people other than medical doctors in Korea. The revision bill will be formally brought forward for discussion in a legislative subcommittee of the Assembly again on Aug. 20 after previous botched attempts to pass the idea into law. “For 33 years, our work has been treated as a crime,” said Lee So-mi, vice chair of the Tattoo Union under the Federation of Korean Chemical and Textile Food Workers’ Union. “We are asking the National Assembly to recognize our sacred right to labor and protect the safety of 13 million tattoo consumers. It’s time

Aug 11, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Lee Hae-rin

Read more

Global popularity of 'KPop Demon Hunters' reshapes Korea's tourism map

Korea's first driverless shuttle to begin operation along Cheonggye Stream as early as next month

Ruling party railroads pro-labor 'yellow envelope bill'

Firefighter’s death spurs calls to bolster trauma care after disasters

Yoon Moo-boo, Korea’s beloved ‘bird doctor,’ dies at 84

AirAsia blames bad weather for Incheon-bound flight's surprise Gimpo landing

Who is Korea's gender equality minister nominee?

Lee vows workplace reforms to build stronger social safety net, reduce industrial deaths

Will Hangang Bus become must-do activity for tourists in Seoul?

Korea moves closer to legalizing nonmedical tattooing after 33-year ban

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