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Lifestyle vlogger Sissel embraces motherhood in Korea

New mother and YouTuber Sissel is no stranger to self-reinvention. Once a model, skin care brand ambassador, life coach and beauty vlogger, she’s now shifted her focus to a simpler pursuit: building a joyful life on and off camera, with her 1-year-old son, Noa, in tow. Her sunny life mission, she said, is to “never wake up on a Sunday dreading Monday.” That relentless optimism might raise some eyebrows, but she doesn’t mind. She continues to strive for a healthier and happier life for herself and her family. And to the 877,000 subscribers of her YouTube channel, @sisselabs, Sissel embodies a grounded, family-centered version of foreigner success in Korea. A leap of faith Though Sissel’s ideal life plan had her starting a family in her home country, falling in love changed everything. She decided to build a stable life for herself in Korea. When she first arrived in Seoul from Denmark seven years ago, Sissel was far from the established content creator she has grown into today. Jumping into that industry was a self-confessed “chancy” move at a time when foreign creators in K

Dec 13, 2025By Emily Serby
Lifestyle vlogger Sissel embraces motherhood in Korea

Push to make Seoul a city worth moving to ― and staying in

Seoul is widely recognized as a popular destination for international students, yet experts contend the capital city is falling short on a core economic metric: the retention of high-skilled workers. This emerging gap threatens future productivity and global competitiveness. Speaking at the “Global Talent Strategy Forum: Seoul, Your Next Chapter” on Wednesday, scholars and industry executives cautioned that, without bold migration policies and corporate reforms, Seoul could remain little more than a training ground for competing global hubs. They called on officials to pursue policies that both draw foreign talent and keep it in the city. The event, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, was held to evaluate the city’s position in the global competition for talent and discuss ways to improve it. It came months after U.K. higher‑education agency QS named Seoul the world’s best city for overseas study, a ranking built on its safe environment and affordability, among many other factors. Speakers at the forum said that while those strengths have made Seoul a magnet for st

Dec 10, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Push to make Seoul a city worth moving to ― and staying in

Immigrants account for over 5% of Korea's population in 2024

People with a migration background accounted for more than 5 percent of Korea's total population in 2024, marking a slight increase from the previous year, government data showed Monday. As of Nov. 1, 2024, there were 2.72 million people with a migration background in Korea, taking up 5.2 percent of the country's total population, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Data. The figure marked a 0.3 percentage point increase from the corresponding tally for 2023. This marks the first time the statistics ministry released a registration-based census survey on the population with a migration background. Korean nationals accounted for 24.8 percent, or 672,000, of the total population with a migration background in 2024, while foreigners took up the remaining 75.2 percent, or 2.04 million. Of the Korean nationals with such background, 381,000 were second-generation immigrants, while 245,000 were naturalized or acknowledged citizens. By gender, 52.5 percent of the migratory population were male, and 47.5 percent were female. By age, those in their 30s accounted for 24.3 percent of the migrat

Dec 8, 2025By Yonhap
Immigrants account for over 5% of Korea's population in 2024

Australian ambassador reflects on Korea and Australia’s long-standing relationship

Australian Ambassador Jeff Robinson delivered a lecture hosted by the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea on Dec. 2, giving an unscripted talk about Australia-Korea ties, as well as his own connections with Korea going back four decades. While studying at Australian National University in the early 1980s, Robinson, a former member of RAS Korea, entered Australia’s first university-level Korean language program, which had begun in 1981. "There were five students, and I was one of them," he recalled. "Because I was studying Korean, I met a lot of Korean students who were studying in Australia,” under what was known as the Columbo plan, which “paid for a lot of people from primarily Asia to come to Australia to learn skills that they could take back to their own country.” In early 1984 he came to Korea to study “at the encouragement of my Korean friends.” His friends introduced him to Korean "suljip," or drinking establishments, and also afforded him the opportunity to experience the kindness of Koreans. “Once you get past the language and cultural barriers, I actually think th

Dec 5, 2025By Matt VanVolkenburg
Australian ambassador reflects on Korea and Australia’s long-standing relationship

4th RAS youth forum to explore Gen Z's 'K-slang'

The Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea will host an event on "K-Slang: The Echoes of Our Lives," featuring 11 university students who will discuss three slang terms representing their generation on Tuesday. The event is the fourth Youth Panel held by RAS Korea. Beginning in 2022, the format was launched by Seoul Women's University professor David Tizzard, who worked with students to create the event. Last year, he made the presentation a part of his university course, inviting students to put together and promote the presentation. This is the second year that this format will be used. The 11-member team has prepared a lecture that will run for about one hour, along with a 30-minute question period, focusing on three K-slang terms selected by the student participants. One such term, selected by Yoon Seong-eon, is "weh-mo jeong-byeong," which combines the Korean words for appearance and mental illness or obsession, describing an unhealthy obsession with one's appearance. "Recently, 'weh-mo jeong-byung' has become one of the most frequently used slang terms among women in their 20s in Korea.

Dec 5, 2025By Jon Dunbar
4th RAS youth forum to explore Gen Z's 'K-slang'

Itaewon Global Village Center hosts 3rd 'Living in Seoul Talk Series'

Itaewon Global Village Center will host the third "Living in Seoul Talk Series" on Dec. 13 to provide basic information to foreign residents of Seoul, including health insurance coverage, tenants’ rights, visa changes and basic labor laws. "With the consistent flow of foreigners coming to Seoul, almost half of the population of South Korea calls this city their home. Seoul has also become the host to a growing number of citizens from different parts of the world," the organizers said in an online invitation. "The talk aims to provide a venue for foreigners to learn the essential details of living in the city to ensure their stay is pleasant and worry-free. It will also be a good venue to meet fellow foreigners and integrate into their respective communities. All foreigners, especially those who hold E (employment) visas, are encouraged to join." People who choose to attend can join any or all of the sessions. This includes the first session in the morning on Korea's national health insurance and other types of private insurance, by Park So-young, a licensed life insurance planner with

Dec 4, 2025By Jon Dunbar
Itaewon Global Village Center hosts 3rd 'Living in Seoul Talk Series'

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Busan's Beer Shop offers so much more

BUSAN — Tucked away down an alleyway in Jeonpo-dong, Busan’s hippest neighborhood, is Beer Shop, a restaurant serving one of Korea’s best sandwiches. Owned by Gorilla Brewing co-founder Andy Green and Park Ju-hee, Beer Shop originally opened in Gorilla’s (now defunct) Gwangalli taproom location on the first floor. It functioned as a bottle shop for many different breweries and had some food for guests, too. This eventually morphed into leaving the seaside district entirely and setting up shop in Jeonpo, with the intention of opening “a place similar to back home," according to Green, "a trendy, modern pub that catered to craft drinkers and regular drinkers, too.” In 2021, Green watched Jeonpo becoming more trendy and, with its proximity to Seomyeon’s nightlife, he decided to pull the trigger and open a restaurant here in what used to be someone’s house. With the redesign work done, it’s completely impossible to tell that a family used to live here. Beer Shop’s signature dish is the pastrami sandwich. What makes good pastrami? “Good meat, good bread, good sauce," Gr

Dec 4, 2025By Kevin Grabb
[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Busan's Beer Shop offers so much more

Nasub brings creativity to Busan’s Gwangalli Beach nightlife

BUSAN — Opened in April this year, Busan’s Nasub has quickly become one of the city’s hippest spots, ideal for enjoying a midday coffee by the sea or a few cocktails before heading out to the clubs. Located along the shores of Gwangalli Beach, with a sweeping view of Gwangan Bridge, Nasub offers a relaxed coastal atmosphere where guests can enjoy sets from some of the best DJs from Busan, Seoul and occasionally abroad. Founded by the former owner of Nyapi — one of Seoul’s most recognized underground clubs — Nasub infuses Busan’s laid-back charm with a touch of Seoul’s creativity. It’s a place to unwind with good cocktails, scenic views and a carefully curated menu designed for sharing among friends. The founder explained the idea behind Nasub simply: “I wanted Nasub to be a place where people could stop by for a moment of relaxation, whether they were excited by the ocean view or just looking for a break. Soothing sounds, good lighting, a delicious drink and conversation flowing naturally. A place that’s stylish yet easygoing, atmospheric yet comfortable. Fortunate

Dec 3, 2025By Daniela P. Solano
Nasub brings creativity to Busan’s Gwangalli Beach nightlife

Seoul Comics Week gathers 14 graphic artists, creators, animators

Seoul Comics Week returns for its second year, bringing together some powerful names in the industry during a four-day event hosted at Dice & Comics Café (DCC) in eastern Seoul from Dec. 11 to 14. "The event celebrates the growing creative exchange between Korean and international comic scenes, spotlighting artists who have worked across both K-comics and American comics industries," Joey Croner, owner of DCC and organizer of Seoul Comics Week, said in an online invitation. The VIP list includes about 14 comics creators from Korea and abroad. This includes artists Derek Hunter ("Adventure Time" and "Bat-Fam"), Ryan Benjamin, Agnes Garbowska ("My Little Pony" and "Teen Titans Go"), Jung Min-ku, Lee Jee-hyung, Park Jae-kwang ("Batman: The World" and "Joker: The World"), Danny Kim, Dexter Soy ("Nightwing" and "Red Hood"), Travis Moore ("Nightwing"), Tokitokoro ("Jeff the Landshark"), Kangto Lee and webtoon artist Joanne Kim, as well as writer Jeon In-pyo ("Batman: The World" and "Joker: The World") and comic book legend Bob Layton (creator of the modern "Iron Man," "War Machine" and "Ant-

Dec 2, 2025By Jon Dunbar
Seoul Comics Week gathers 14 graphic artists, creators, animators

German artist's cultural contributions result in Seoul honorary citizenship

Anna Rihlmann, better known as Anna Yoon, a German-born freelance artist working in theater and film, was one of the 17 foreign residents to be granted honorary citizenship of Seoul on Nov. 26. The city government awarded the honor to nationals from 16 countries in recognition of their contributions to enhancing the city’s culture, economy, welfare, technology, civic life and international image. Rihlmann has lived in Korea for 11 years and considers herself a Seoul citizen. She served as a reporter for the Korean Cultural Center in Berlin, promoting Seoul to German-speaking audiences. She has also reinterpreted traditional Korean folktales through theater, contributing to Seoul’s creative arts scene. Q: How has living in Seoul shaped your personal or professional journey? Rihlmann: I have been interested in Korean culture since high school, particularly in Korean cinema. I visited Seoul for the first time during high school through a church exchange program. I still have so many memories of experiencing Korean culture. I had a huge lack of sleep, but I was never so happy in my life

Dec 1, 2025By Bereket Alemayehu
German artist's cultural contributions result in Seoul honorary citizenship
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