PC rooms or "PC bangs" are a ubiquitous sight on almost every block in Korea. Read about how PC bangs became so popular and how they reflect Korea's rapid technological advancement.
South Koreans are expressing an increasing sense of social isolation and loneliness in 2020 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
The big picture: With soaring housing prices, increasing youth unemployment, and a rapidly aging society, Koreans are struggling to maintain a sense of connection with others.
On March 16, the Korean government set a new precedent by mandating Covid19 testing for all employed foreigners in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas.
Driving the news: The decision was made based on a recent outbreak among foreign migrant workers and uptick in the proportion of total Covid19 cases attributable to foreigners.
Just like the United States, hipster culture in Korea originated from the younger generation wanting to escape “societal oppression” by the older generation.
Popular places are often referred to as hotple (핫플) in Korea. Hipsters call any place that best matches their taste and interests as being their own “hotple”.
Korea is confronting a widening gender divide. This is most clearly seen in the economically active population.
Why it matters: When it comes to gender workforce disparity, Korea has continued to focus on female workforce participation in favor of more controversial metrics such as gender pay gap.
The latest public data show how Koreans prefer to spend their leisure free time on the weekends and holidays.
The breakdown: Take a look at the data according to sex, education and income levels, age, marital status, and Seoul district. Find out what roles Korea's unique competitive culture and history play in how Koreans approach their hobbies.
Prices for apartment houses in Korea have risen by nearly 20% this year. As a result, the tax burden for home ownership in Korea is expected to surge, with taxes for multi-home owners in the Seoul metropolitan area increasing by more than double.
Why it matters: The Korea housing market is a fire growing out of control. Every year, tens of thousands of apartments are built to meet insatiable speculative demand, yet they remain unoccupied due to high prices, multi-home owners, and Korea's dwindling population
Read about the political spectrum, diversity, and history of Korea, including the different parties and political leanings of Korea's regions.
Zoom in: Today, South Korea has a flourishing culture of democratic control. Today we are going to introduce you to the major political parties in Korea and the role they play in Korean politics.