20 Food Companies Discount 4,765 Products Ahead of Chuseok On September 8, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs gathered key food industry figures at the Korea Food Industry …
J. Haan
J. Haan
I'm J. Haan, the writer and editor behind KoreaUpClose. Each story is built from vetted local and international reporting, official sources, and public data — not just trend recaps.
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Dating Culture
Why the “36 Questions That Lead to Love” Are Resonating in Korea’s Blind Date Culture
by J. Haanby J. HaanChanging the Awkward First Questions on a Blind Date When two people sit down together for the first time, conversations usually start with safe, basic information like jobs, hobbies, and …
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Variety & Reality Shows
Yoo Jae-suk Tops September Variety Star Brand Reputation Rankings… What Lee Sun-min’s Rise Reveals
by J. Haanby J. HaanYoo Jae-suk Takes First, Lee Sun-min Follows in Second Yoo Jae-suk secured the number one spot in the variety star brand reputation rankings for September 2026, according to the Korea …
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K-pop & Fandom
LE SSERAFIM Returns After 4 Months… The Global Growth Trajectory of ‘Made My Night’
by J. Haanby J. HaanThe Second Single, Released on September 11 LE SSERAFIM dropped their second single, “Made My Night,” on September 11, 2026. According to their label, Source Music, the music video for …
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Tradition & Heritage
Seoul’s Palaces Open for Chuseok: How to Prep for Free Admission to the Four Grand Palaces and Jongmyo Shrine
by J. Haanby J. HaanChoosing to plan your Chuseok palace outing in advance Families visiting Seoul during the 2026 Chuseok holiday might want to plan an outing to the historic palaces, touring Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, …
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Webtoons & Web Novels
Webtoons, Games, and AI Converge: Changwon Content Convention Opens on the 12th
by J. Haanby J. HaanExperiencing webtoons, games, and AI all in one place The ‘2026 Changwon Content Convention’, an interactive event where visitors can experience webtoons, games, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality under one …
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Society & Social Trends
Half of Unemployed Youth Are Experiencing Burnout: The Link Between Prolonged Job Searches and Career Anxiety
by J. Haanby J. HaanBurnout hits 52.7% of unemployed youth More than half of the young people looking for work in South Korea have experienced burnout. According to an analysis of the Office for …
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Gaming & Esports
8 Days to the Asian Games: Faker-Led LoL National Team Aims for Back-to-Back Titles
by J. Haanby J. HaanSouth Korea’s Quest for Back-to-Back Titles Just Eight Days Before the Games Begin The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games open in Japan on September 19. With eight days left as of …
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Dramas
‘Even the Lottery Winner Goes to Work’: How Workplace Fantasy Reflects Reality
by J. Haanby J. HaanIf You Head Back to the Office Even After Striking It Rich An office worker suddenly strikes it rich, yet shows up to work the next day just like always. …
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Skincare & Beauty Products
Korean Cosmetics Exports Surpass $1.3 Billion in August, Setting a Record High for the Month
by J. Haanby J. HaanCosmetics Exports Surpass $1.3 Billion South Korea’s cosmetics exports reached approximately $1.31 billion in August 2026, setting a new all-time high for the month. According to provisional data from the …
