Average 5% Price Increase on 127 Bread and Cake Items Starting August 25 Starting August 25, Paris Baguette will raise the prices of 127 items, including 86 types of bread …
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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K-Food & Dining
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Dating Culture
A 30-Hour Matchmaking Retreat Run by Monks: Why Korean Youth Are Heading to Temples
by J. Haanby J. HaanTwo Young Koreans Who Came to Mount Palgong in Search of a Match Kim A-kyung, who goes by the Buddhist name Seonhyeji, took part in a matchmaking event held at …
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Variety & Reality Shows
How ‘Battle of Fates’ Became a Hit and Spun Off Into ‘House of Fates’
by J. Haanby J. HaanThe Next Journey for Fate Readers Who Finished Competing A survival show that brought together Korean shamans, saju masters, face readers and tarot readers to compete against one another is …
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K-pop & Fandom
G-Dragon’s Birthday Becomes an Exhibition Opportunity for 50 Young Artists
by J. Haanby J. HaanA 500 Million Won Birthday Gift for Young Artists G-Dragon’s agency, Galaxy Corporation, donated 500 million won (about $353,000) to the Juspeace Foundation to mark his birthday on August 18. …
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Tradition & Heritage
‘A Place to Resolve Worries’: Three Temple Restrooms Head Toward National Heritage Status in Korea
by J. Haanby J. HaanThree Century-Old Temple Restrooms Head Toward Heritage Status On August 4, 2026, the Korea Heritage Service announced plans to designate three Buddhist temple restrooms — the “cheukgan” at Seonamsa Temple …
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Webtoons & Web Novels
AI Translation Lowers the Language Barrier for K-Webtoons, Opening the World Stage to Niche Titles
by J. Haanby J. HaanWorks That Had to Wait Their Turn to Be Translated For Korean webtoons to reach readers abroad, a title had to go through selection, translation, lettering, and local review, in …
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Society & Social Trends
How Korea’s 8 Million Single-Person Households Became a Way of Life, Not a Phase
by J. Haanby J. HaanPeople Who No Longer Find Being Alone Uncomfortable Deciding who to have dinner with, how to spend the weekend, or how to decorate an apartment on one’s own terms is …
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Gaming & Esports
Dplus KIA Gets Revenge on T1 at Home Ground, Fueled by a Comeback From Payment-Delay Scandal
by J. Haanby J. HaanRevenge Completed a Week Later, on T1’s Own Turf When the first game of T1’s Home Ground event wrapped up on August 14, Dplus KIA’s (DK) chance at revenge looked …
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Dramas
‘Flex X Cop 2’ Opens Higher Than Season 1 at 6.1%, But Loses the Timeslot to ‘Married Woman Killer’
by J. Haanby J. Haan‘Flex X Cop 2’ Opens Higher Than Season 1 SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama “Flex X Cop 2” premiered on August 7 with a nationwide rating of 6.1 percent, up 0.3 percentage …
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Skincare & Beauty Products
Sephora Launches ‘Olive Young K-Beauty Edit’ in 500-Plus U.S. Stores Today, With 19 Korean Brands
by J. Haanby J. HaanOlive Young’s Curation Arrives in Over 500 Sephora Stores Starting August 20, CJ Olive Young is rolling out the ‘OLIVE YOUNG K-Beauty Edit’ across more than 500 Sephora stores nationwide …
