Recent Blog Posts
Busan's Canal Shark 'Bukangi' Outlasts Two Rescue Attempts
A shark of about 3.5 metres has stayed in an artificial canal at Busan's North Port Waterfront Park (북항 친수공원) since September 18, and two attempts to guide it out to sea have failed. Authorities are now monitoring the animal without further intervention while crowds continue to fill the park.
Korea Adds Hangul and Roman Names to Foreigners' Records
From October 29, Korea's resident-registration records will show foreign residents' names in both Hangul and Roman script. At present a foreign resident's name appears only in Roman letters on the resident-registration record and only in Hangul on the family-relations register (가족관계등록부), which makes it harder to confirm that two documents describe the same person.
Busan’s Cashless Buses: What Happens If You Only Have Cash?
Busan began a three-month cashless-bus pilot on October 1, covering 542 buses on 35 routes. Riders are being asked to use transit cards or other non-cash payment methods, but the city has provided a fallback for passengers who arrive with cash alone: board first, then pay by bank transfer. The arrangement is described in Busan’s English-language announcement.
Busan Gijang Studios Seeks Launch Film for Nov. 1 Trial
The Korean Film Council's Busan Gijang Studios (부산기장촬영소) will run a five-month trial from November 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, before a formal opening planned for the first half of 2027. Until October 6 at 11 a.m., the council is accepting applications for the one feature film that will launch the facility with its rental fees waived.
What to Do If You Lose Something on the Seoul Subway
If you lose an item on a Seoul Metro train, tell station staff immediately. Give the train time, car location and a clear item description. If it is not found that day, search the police found-property portal and contact the center responsible for your line.
- Read more about What to Do If You Lose Something on the Seoul Subway
- Log in or register to post comments
Seoul Luggage Storage: Subway Lockers vs T-Luggage
For a few hours of luggage storage in Seoul, start with a subway locker near the station you will return to. Choose a staffed T-Luggage counter if you need help or your suitcase will not fit an available locker. Before paying, check three things: the compartment size, the total charge for your stay, and the last time you can collect your bag. Storage is only useful if you can reach it before your next train.
- Read more about Seoul Luggage Storage: Subway Lockers vs T-Luggage
- Log in or register to post comments
Korean Phone Verification Not Working? A Guide for Foreigners
If Korean phone verification is not working, first identify where it stops: your details are rejected, the text message never arrives, PASS fails, or only one website has a problem. Each points to a different next step. Receiving a code proves you can receive a message; it does not necessarily mean your line supports Korean mobile identity verification.
Korea's Unpaid Wage Penalty Rises to 5 Years on Oct 8
Korea's maximum criminal penalty for employers who withhold wages rises on October 8, from three years in prison or a 30 million won fine to five years or 50 million won. The increase follows a record year for unpaid wages: 2.0679 trillion won in 2025, owed to 262,304 workers, according to Ministry of Employment and Labor figures reported in September.
- Read more about Korea's Unpaid Wage Penalty Rises to 5 Years on Oct 8
- Log in or register to post comments
“What Should You Know Before Learning Korean?” | Easy Korean Speaking ep6
Let’s do some more street interviews! I asked Koreans what they think learners should know before they start studying Korean, and got a wide variety of answers. Here’s what they said (with minimal editing).
Matpok: Korea's School Bullying Counter-Report Problem
About one in five school violence hearings in Korea now involves a counter-report known as matpok (맞폭), in which both students in a dispute are accused of bullying. Herald Business, citing Education Ministry data obtained by lawmaker Jung Seong-guk, reported that 5,464 of 30,667 hearings in the 2024 school year had accused parties on both sides. The tactic has spread alongside a rule that makes bullying records count in university admissions.
- Read more about Matpok: Korea's School Bullying Counter-Report Problem
- Log in or register to post comments
Korea's October Holidays & Two Three-day Weekends in a Row
Two of Korea's five national holidays fall in the same week this year: Gaecheonjeol (개천절) on Saturday, October 3, and Hangul Day (한글날) on Friday, October 9. Because Gaecheonjeol lands on a Saturday, Monday, October 5 is a substitute holiday, and Hangul Day opens a second three-day weekend that runs through October 11. The 31st Busan International Film Festival opens on October 6, between the two breaks.
Breaking the Eye-Level Habit: A Beginner’s Field Guide to Street and Travel Photography in South Korea
South Korea is a playground for photographers. Within a single afternoon, you can pivot from framing jagged coastal fishing boats to capturing the geometric layers of a mountain temple, ending the night under the neon-drenched pulse of urban apartment towers.
Yet, after shooting here for a few years, a creative rut often creeps in: Stand there. Camera up. Eye level. Click.
How Buddhism Became a Lifestyle Trend with Young Koreans
Buddhist-themed pop-up stores, meditation classes, and merchandise have become a regular draw at Korean shopping malls in 2026, aimed mainly at shoppers in their twenties and thirties. The trend, known as hip Buddhism (힙불교), is growing at the same time as the number of Koreans who identify as Buddhist continues to fall.
Why Electric Cars Are Winning Over Koreans in Their 20s
Koreans in their twenties registered 11,844 new electric cars from January through August 2026, a 130 percent increase from the same period last year. The figures come from market tracker CarIsYou and were reported by Korea JoongAng Daily on September 26. Across all age groups, EV purchases rose 84.2 percent over the same period, so the youngest adult buyers are moving to electric at roughly twice the market pace.
Location:How Chuseok Family Gatherings Are Changing in Korea
Chuseok remains one of Korea's most important family holidays, but the meaning of gathering is changing. Surveys released around the 2026 holiday show that many people still value family contact while questioning intrusive conversations, demanding rituals, and the assumption that everyone must celebrate in the same way.
- Read more about How Chuseok Family Gatherings Are Changing in Korea
- Log in or register to post comments
Too Nervous to Speak Korean? Try These. | Into Korean
People have told me they’re too nervous to speak Korean, and wonder what they should do. Well I used to have this same problem when I was a beginner, and even later on after I started improving. In this new episode of my podcast “Into Korean” I share my own experiences with feeling anxious to speak Korean, as well as chat with a guest (Sami from Australia) who shares her experiences with language anxiety.
- Read more about Too Nervous to Speak Korean? Try These. | Into Korean
- Log in or register to post comments