Two of Korea’s biggest online fashion platforms turned Seongsu-dong, Seoul’s trendiest retail district, into the stage for an unusually public marketing feud in June 2026. Zigzag opened a pop-up store …
Hana Suh
Hana Suh
Covers daily life, work culture, and social trends for KoreaUpClose. INTJ. Takes both sides of an argument seriously, including the side she disagrees with.
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Dramas
JTBC’s Workplace Comedy ‘New Employee Chairman Kang’ Breaks Into June’s Top 10 Chart
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhRounding out the lower half of Fundex’s June 2, 2026 TV-OTT topicality top 10, JTBC’s workplace comedy-drama “New Employee Chairman Kang” (신입사원 강회장) secured a spot in the rankings, joining …
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Dating Culture
Korea’s MZ Generation Redefines Romance Around ‘Efficiency’ Over Lifelong Commitment
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhA recognizable shift is underway in how Korea’s MZ generation — millennials and Gen Z, roughly those in their 20s and 30s — approach dating, according to trend analysis circulating …
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Daily Life & Society
Seoul Rolls Out AI River-Safety Cameras and Reopens Nodeul Island in July 2026
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhSeoul’s city government has kicked off July 2026 with a cluster of new public-life policies, the most technically notable being AI-powered CCTV cameras installed along Han River walkway sections, designed …
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Variety & Reality Shows
Netflix Confirms a New Unscripted Format Built Around Yoo Jae-suk for Its 2026 Korea Slate
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhNetflix has confirmed “Yoo Jae-suk’s Camp” as part of its 2026 Korea unscripted lineup, giving Korea’s most prominent entertainment personality his own dedicated Netflix format as part of a broader …
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Neighborhood Guides
A Jungnang-gu Alley Market Wins Government Funding as Korea’s ‘Promising Commercial District’ Program Expands
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhThe alley-style shopping district around Mukdong Dokkaebi Market in Seoul’s Jungnang-gu has been selected as a target site under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ 2026 “Promising Alley Commercial District” …
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K-pop & Fandom
IVE’s Jang Won-young Tops June’s Girl Group Brand Rankings as Aespa’s Ad Deals Wobble
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhIVE member Jang Won-young topped Korea’s June 2026 individual girl-group brand reputation rankings, with the group’s overall brand data volume climbing 23.16 percent month-on-month, extending IVE’s run as one of …
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Gaming & Esports
Korea Locks In Its 11-Event Esports Roster for the 2026 Asian Games
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhThe Olympic Council of Asia has finalized an 11-event esports program for the 2026 Asian Games, four more than were contested at the previous Hangzhou Games, with Korea’s national esports …
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Daily Life & Society
Korea Rolls Out Its First Nationwide Flood-Closure Navigation Alerts Ahead of Monsoon Season
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhKorea has launched what officials describe as the country’s first nationwide navigation-integrated alert service for flood-related road closures, notifying drivers in real time through map and navigation apps when underpasses …
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Web Novels
Naver Series Overtakes Kakao Page as Korea’s Web Novel Platform of Choice
by Hana Suhby Hana SuhNaver’s web novel platform Series has pulled ahead of longtime rival Kakao Page in Korea’s domestic web fiction market, according to 2026 usage data, as Kakao Page’s monthly active user …
