Korea Times Digital Content Reporter
Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
A mother wishes her daughter good luck on the sidewalk leading to the test site at Ewha Girls' Foreign Language High School in Jung District, Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
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Korean pharmacies, renowned for their high-quality yet affordable products, have become must-visit destinations for foreign tourists interested in skincare. They are also increasingly favored by consumers seeking gentle, clinically tested formulations that address acne, pigmentation and post-procedure recovery. Foreigners’ medical spending in Korea has seen a sharp rise in recent years. According to the Korea Tourism Data Lab, the number of medical transactions by international visitors jumped nearly fivefold — from 593,577 in 2020 to 2,929,831 in 2024. In August alone, over 309,000 cases were recorded. Pharmacies accounted for the largest share of this spending, making up nearly 59 percent of all foreign medical consumption in the first half of the year, followed by dermatology clinics at 22 percent. The total amount spent at pharmacies during this period also surpassed 60 billion won ($43 million). Reflecting this trend, online travel platform Creatrip recently added a pharmacy category, joining hands with recommended pharmacies across Seoul and Busan that offer foreign tourists i
Kim Hong-up, an ex-lawmaker and the second son of former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kim Dae-jung, died on Wednesday. He was 75. The exact cause of his death has not yet been confirmed, but Kim reportedly suffered from complications related to kidney disease. Kim served as a key aide to his late father during the elder Kim's turbulent years in the main opposition party under military dictatorship. In 1976, Kim Dae-jung was imprisoned for supporting the Declaration for Democratization, a statement calling for an end to authoritarian rule. Kim Hong-up and his mother, Lee Hee-ho, led a campaign to save the former president’s life. He was arrested again in 1980 and sentenced to death, which was commuted in 1982, when he was exiled to the United States. Kim Hong-up accompanied him during his time in the U.S. and served as director of the Korea Democratic Human Rights Research Center, working to raise international awareness of the human rights situation in South Korea. In 1997, he helped his father to win the presidential election. Kim Dae-jung served as the president of Korea fr
From left, actors Lee Byung-hun, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Park Hee-soon, Son Ye-jin and director Park Chan-wook pose on the red carpet at the 30th Busan International Film Festival at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap
Bang Si-hyuk, chairman and founder of K-pop powerhouse HYBE, appeared before police on Monday for questioning on allegations of unfair trading linked to the company’s initial public offering (IPO). During his appearance for questioning, Bang apologized for "causing concern" due to his personal matters. "I will fully cooperate with the investigation," he said. Bang and several former HYBE executives are under investigation for violating the Capital Markets Act. Police suspect that during HYBE’s IPO process, they misled existing shareholders into believing there were no plans for a listing, inducing them to sell their shares to a private equity fund’s special purpose company. HYBE later pursued the IPO, and police allege that Bang illicitly gained roughly 190 billion won ($140 million) through the private equity fund’s share sale. Police began investigating the case late last year, searched the Korea Exchange in June to seize documents related to HYBE’s listing and raided HYBE’s headquarters in July. Separately, the Financial Supervisory Service’s special judicial police are a
A handcrafted metal turtle ship model which President Lee Jae Myung offered to U.S. President Donald Trump as a gift in Washington, D.C., Monday. The ship, modeled after the battle ship of Admiral Yi Sun-sin of the Joseon era (1392-1910), represents the shipbuilding cooperation between Korea and the U.S. Courtesy of presidential office
Spectators were forced to evacuate the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul on Sunday afternoon after a bomb threat was reported at around 2 p.m., with special police forces mobilized to the scene, officials said. Police evacuated everyone from the arena and searched for a purported explosive device. However, no explosives were found and no one was injured. K-pop boy group THE BOYZ's "THE BLAZE" World Tour concert in Seoul, originally scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at the KSPO Dome, was postponed to 6 p.m. due to an inspection of the venue’s internal facilities. "We inform you that the inspection has been completed. The venue will be opened to ticket holders from 4:45 p.m. and the concert will begin at 6 p.m. We sincerely apologize for making you wait outside in hot weather. Cool water will be handed out around the venue, so please take note," the group's agency Onehundred posted on X.
What do Mickey Mouse, Pikachu, Marvel superheroes, Hello Kitty and the cast of beloved Korean variety show “Infinite Challenge” have in common? This year, they are leading a pop-culture parade across Korea’s marathon scene, transforming fitness into a festival of fandom and fun. Forget grueling finish lines — 2025 is all about themed running events where costumes, character encounters and Instagram moments take center stage. From dashing through Yeouido Park with Mickey and Minnie at the inaugural Disney Run, to grabbing limited-edition merchandise at the Sanrio Cutie Run to embarking on a mission-filled Pokemon Run along Jeju’s scenic trails, these events are more parade than race. It is not just pop culture icons making waves — Korea’s entertainment legacy joins the party, too. The Infinite Challenge Run turns nostalgia into exercise, bringing the beloved variety show’s cast and fans together for immersive experience zones and a festival-style concert in Busan. Let’s take a look at five of Korea’s most unique running events planned for the second half of this year.
When the summer sun turns up the heat in Seoul, with temperatures pushing past 37 degrees Celsius and humidity reaching around 80 percent, it is the perfect excuse to discover the city’s indoor attractions. Even as the Korea Meteorological Administration issues heat wave warnings, Seoul offers countless ways to stay cool and entertained without braving the sweltering streets. Here are some of the best indoor places to explore in Seoul during the summer. 1. The Hyundai Seoul The Hyundai Seoul is a cultural hub and home to a wide variety of dining and shopping venues. Directly connected to Yeouido Station (Lines 5, 9) via an underground passage, the mall regularly hosts pop-up events at Creative Ground (B2 level). Japan’s largest discount retailer, Don Quijote, is holding a pop-up booth until Aug. 1. The mall features the stunning Waterfall Garden, a 12-meter-high indoor waterfall surrounded by lush greenery, and the expansive Sounds Forest, one of Korea’s largest indoor gardens, bathed in natural light from a 20-meter-high glass ceiling. These spaces offer a refreshing, nature-inspir
Koreans consume about 1.6 times more sodium than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Tuesday. According to surveys conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the average Korean consumed about 3,136 milligrams of sodium a day in 2023, far more than the WHO’s recommended 2,000 milligrams a day. The average sodium intake for men was 3,696 milligrams per day while the average for women was 2,576 milligrams per day. Results showed that noodles, dumplings, kimchi and soup were among Koreans' main sources of sodium. “We need to make continued efforts to reduce sodium intake by cooking with less salt,” the ministry said. The WHO calls sodium reduction one of the most cost-effective strategies for addressing chronic conditions such as heart disease. Meanwhile, Koreans’ daily sugar intake was estimated at 35.5 grams in 2023, making up 7.7 percent of their total caloric input. The figure was less than the 10 percent recommended by the WHO. However, sugar intake was significantly higher among female children,