International Collaboration Leads to Arrests On August 13, 2026, Naver Webtoon announced the shutdown of three global, English-language illegal webtoon and comic distribution sites, along with the arrest of their …
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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Webtoons & Story Content
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K-pop & Fandom
An Idol Union Reduced to Two: The ‘Broadcast Wall’ Higher Than Contracts
by J. Haanby J. HaanAn Attempt That Started at the National Assembly and Stalled at the Seongnam Branch On September 30, 2024, Bang Min-soo, formerly known as C.A.P from the group Teen Top, attended …
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Gaming & Esports
Gen.G Clinches 1st Place in LCK Regular Season on Head-to-Head Record… Play-In Stage Begins
by J. Haanby J. HaanTied at 19-7, Head-to-Head Record Decides the Top Spot Gen.G Esports has wrapped up the 2026 League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) regular season in first place. Both Gen.G and …
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Neighborhood Guides
Global Flagships Converge on Hannam-dong… The Center of Gravity in Fashion Retail Has Shifted
by J. Haanby J. HaanThe New Face of Massimo Dutti Opens on Itaewon-ro At the newly opened Massimo Dutti store at 266 Itaewon-ro in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, you’ll find a scene quite different from your …
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Travel & K-Content Tourism
Korea Welcomes a Record 2.09 Million Visitors in July, with Taiwan Leading the Growth
by J. Haanby J. Haan2.09 Million Visitors in July, a New Monthly Record Foreign tourists visiting Korea in July 2026 hit a record monthly high of 2,093,223. According to the ‘July 2026 Korea Tourism …
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Fashion
SATUR Rides an 83% Sales Surge to Launch Its Fall Collection in Five Asian Countries at Once
by J. Haanby J. HaanA Fall Collection Arriving Simultaneously in Five Countries Contemporary fashion brand SATUR officially launched its Fall 2026 collection across South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China, and Thailand on August 21, 2026. …
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Language & Literature
Korean Literature’s Overseas Sales Hit a Record 3.58 Million Copies in Five Years, Led by Han Kang’s ‘We Do Not Part’
by J. Haanby J. Haan3.58 Million Copies Sold Across 40 Languages According to statistics released by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) on July 28, 2026, Korean literary works sold a cumulative …
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Society & Social Trends
Honsul Bars and Street Games: Why South Korea’s 20s and 30s Are Choosing ‘Loose Connections’
by J. Haanby J. HaanWalking In Alone, Finding Fleeting Friendships On August 12, 2026, at 9:00 PM, about 10 customers were sitting along an L-shaped counter with around 20 seats at a “honsool” (solo …
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Movies & Animation
Chuseok Showdown: Yoo Hae-jin’s ‘Assassin(s)’ and Byun Yo-han’s ‘Tazza: Song of Beelzebub’ Open the Same Day
by J. Haanby J. HaanTwo Korean Blockbusters to Premiere Simultaneously on September 23 The mystery thriller Assassins, starring Yoo Hae-jin, and the crime film Tazza: Song of Beelzebub, starring Byun Yo-han, are set to …
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K-Beauty & Fashion
Inside Musinsa’s ‘Mubupe’: How Fashion x Beauty Collabs Drove a 650% Sales Surge for Indie Brands
by J. Haanby J. HaanSeongsu-dong’s Excitement Revealed First at the Media Preview At the pre-release event for the media held in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on August 20, visitors carrying pink bags and event staff …
