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46% of Koreans accept foreign nationals as members of society: poll

Nearly half of South Koreans are open to regarding foreign nationals as members of society and have become more accepting of North Korean defectors and migrant workers, a poll showed Tuesday.

Mar 19, 2024By Kwak Yeon-soo

46% of Koreans accept foreign nationals as members of society: poll

Show celebrates birthday of Studio HBC owner

Ryan Goessl, owner of The Studio HBC in central Seoul's Haebangchon neighborhood and conductor of Camarata Music, is celebrating another trip around the sun with a show featuring six bands this Saturday.

Mar 19, 2024By Jon Dunbar

Show celebrates birthday of Studio HBC owner

Jewish celebration of Purim in Seoul held to support relief efforts in Gaza

As the festive air of spring is beginning, the Jewish community in Seoul gears up for their annual celebration of Purim. This year, the spotlight falls on a unique collaboration between two organizations: Hakehillah Korea and Crash Landed, bringing together tradition and modernity in a colorful amalgamation. Purim, a springtime holiday, commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people from the hands of the wicked Haman, as recounted in the Book of Esther. Celebrated with joyous parties, the reading of the Megillah (Book of Esther), and indulging in sweet treats like hamantaschen, Purim is a time of merriment and remembrance. Additionally, dressing in costumes is a common tradition, symbolizing the disguises worn by Esther as she concealed her identity on her journey to becoming queen and ultimately saving her people. Hakehillah Korea, a progressive Jewish community, takes the lead in organizing the Purim festivities. With a commitment to inclusivity, Hakehillah welcomes Jews from all walks of life, embracing diversity and providing a home for those seeking connection with their Jewish i

Mar 19, 2024By Chantal Terblanche

Jewish celebration of Purim in Seoul held to support relief efforts in Gaza

PHOTOS Craic 'n' roll: Irish community invites all to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Sindorim

More festivities are underway on Sunday. Visit @irishassockorea on Instagram for more information.

Mar 17, 2024By Jon Dunbar

[PHOTOS] Craic 'n' roll: Irish community invites all to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Sindorim

Jessica Ko forges own path in Korea's indie hip-hop scene

By Daniel J. Springer Imagine that you are not quite out of high school yet. You live in a sleepy lay-low go-slow suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota, so your life overall is almost annoyingly predictable and pretty tame. High school blurs by, you’ve just turned 17, and you’re kind of done with it and this little frozen burg you’ve called home for as long as you can remember. So, you decide to change things up and head off the beaten path — and by “off the beaten path,” we’re not talking about an impromptu flight with friends to Florida for some rays, or a wild weekend in New York. No, in rapper Jessica Ko’s case, we’re talking about flying halfway across the world to stay permanently and train to become a K-pop star, and all this before she'd even legally become an adult. Just for reference, most people at that age have just found enough courage to look at themselves in the mirror so they can pop their zits effectively. But in the competitive K-pop trainee system, that’s borderline elderly. “Minnesota was a blur compared to all the memories I’ve made in Korea,” Ko t

Mar 15, 2024

Jessica Ko forges own path in Korea's indie hip-hop scene

Seoul Gaels seek new players as 2024 Gaelic football season approaches

Seoul Gaels, one of a handful of Gaelic football teams in Korea, is getting ready for the 2024 season, and as part of its preparations, the team is looking for more players to join in the fun. The team will hold a Family and Friends Day on March 23, followed the next week by its first official practice session on March 30. Both events will take place starting at at 3 p.m. at Eonnam High School in southern Seoul's Seocho District.

Mar 14, 2024By Antony D. Antoniou

Seoul Gaels seek new players as 2024 Gaelic football season approaches

INTERVIEW Anti-war Russians unswayed by Putin's guaranteed presidential victory

Over the past couple of years, a Russian national, who identified herself only with her first name Aleksandra, has participated in nearly 100 protests across Seoul denouncing Russia's aggression in Ukraine. The 28-year-old is among a small group of Russians who take to the streets every Saturday or Sunday, brandishing pickets with slogans such as "No to war" and "Russia without Putin."

Mar 14, 2024By Lee Hyo-jin

[INTERVIEW] Anti-war Russians unswayed by Putin's guaranteed presidential victory

Folk musicians gather for old-time jam sessions in Seoul

Somebody posts on a quiet Facebook group that it's time for another old-time jam session. Usually, there's no more than a week's notice, and at the anointed time and place, a group of musicians versed in various folk traditions come together to make music. There are core participants who show up almost every time, but they're welcoming of newcomers, and each time is a little different.

Mar 12, 2024By Jon Dunbar

Folk musicians gather for old-time jam sessions in Seoul

Soiree Seoul presents improv jam

The Soiree Seoul is returning after a brief break with its third-ever event, this time turning the spotlight on improv comedy.

Mar 12, 2024By Jon Dunbar

Veteran Gwangju band marks 10 years full of Malarkey

By Daniel J. Springer The typical life cycle for a rock band tends to go in several familiar patterns, pretty much all of them featuring the band’s survival teetering on a knife’s edge at all times. Members leave or quit for whatever reason, creative differences cause splits and/or the band just fades away due to lack of interest. Here in Korea, an inevitable fact of life for expat musicians is that people who are here to work are not here forever, adding an extra dynamic bit of transience to that mix. For anyone living in Gwangju and paying attention to the local music scene, Malarkey has been a stalwart on the live front for many years now. Whether rocking their own sets of originals and covers, playing as the wrecking crew for the likes of Lizz Kalo and artists of other genres, or just plain throwing it down at a wild party, Malarkey is distinctive because they are professional, flexible and can just plain jam. The latter is very much a distinctive feature especially here, as younger, less experienced bands can often take days or even weeks to feature new songs in a set, with many

Mar 11, 2024

Global Community

Global Community

46% of Koreans accept foreign nationals as members of society: poll

Show celebrates birthday of Studio HBC owner

Jewish celebration of Purim in Seoul held to support relief efforts in Gaza

PHOTOS Craic 'n' roll: Irish community invites all to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Sindorim

Jessica Ko forges own path in Korea's indie hip-hop scene

Seoul Gaels seek new players as 2024 Gaelic football season approaches

INTERVIEW Anti-war Russians unswayed by Putin's guaranteed presidential victory

Folk musicians gather for old-time jam sessions in Seoul

Soiree Seoul presents improv jam

Veteran Gwangju band marks 10 years full of Malarkey

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