Delivery man on a motorcycle in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do Province Korea was the perfect test bed for new delivery services, due to its cutting-edge technology, dense population and abundance of food, groceries and other things to be delivered by hand. And then the pandemic struck early in 2020, flipping many industries upside-down – and the role of the delivery industry became ever more important.   Demand for home delivery services went up early in the pandemic, as people tr

Training program organized by the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation / Courtesy of the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation In 2018, Korea successfully hosted its first Winter Olympics, the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games and the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.   About four years have passed since then, yet the country continues to uphold the Olympic spirit by spreading its vision for sports throughout the world, even against the odds during the COVID-19 pandemic. &n

Posters for Coupang Play’s comedy show “SNL Korea” and Tving’s series "Work Later, Drink Now" / Courtesy of Coupang Play and Tving The streaming market here is booming, and local over-the-top (OTT) services like Tving, Wavve and Coupang Play are working vigorously to gain a foothold in the competitive streaming war in Korea. How? By releasing killer content to attract subscribers and compete against the major player, Netflix.   Retail company Coupang’s streaming service,

KOCCA Music Studio opened in December last year by Korea Creative Content Agency / Courtesy of KOCCA Metaverse, a term referring to a collective, virtual space that combines virtual and augmented reality, is becoming more prevalent in Korea’s arts and entertainment scenes, offering audiences a chance to comfortably enjoy artwork or performances in the digital realm.   Seoul Performing Arts Company, a state-run organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

gettyimagesbank Although Europe is recognized as the origin of April 1 as a day for practical jokes, April Fools’ Day has certainly caught on in Korea.   Known here as  Manujeol , it is most commonly celebrated in classrooms – based on stories shared. And most of the pranks pulled are harmless… usually. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the day much more subdued over the past few years.   Typically, classmates will team up for lighthearted gag

Seokjeon Daeje being performed in front of Sungkyunkwan's Daeseongjeon, March 16, 2016 / Photo by Jon Dunbar ● Ancient Confucian ceremony is kept alive at Korea’s oldest university  ● It will take place March 5 this year, despite the COVID-19. At the foot of Bugaksan Mountain on the edge of central Seoul, Korean Confucianists keep a centuries-old tradition alive. On March 5 this year, 64 musicians and 64 dancers will enact a serene, somber and graceful perfo

A scan from a page in "K FOOD: Secrets of Korean Flavors Part Four" dealing with namul, or Korean wild herbs ● Who can dispute the health benefits of Korean plants and wild herbs? ● A new book out gives an outline of what they are. The Korean language has nearly 300 terms that include the word “namul.” Translated as “edible raw grasses or leaves,” this simple word with a complex meaning appears in or as a substitute for countless delicacies produced from namul. N