Experiencing Korean Food Beyond the Restaurant A foreign tourist returns to their accommodation after a day of sightseeing in Korea and opens a delivery app to order food they first …
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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Travel & K-Content Tourism
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Fashion
MUSINSA Opens ‘MUSINSA Station’ Pop-Up in Tokyo’s Harajuku Today, With 77 K-Fashion, Beauty Brands
by J. Haanby J. Haan‘MUSINSA Station’ Opens in Harajuku Today MUSINSA is opening a large-scale pop-up store called “MUSINSA Station in Harajuku” in Tokyo’s Harajuku district on August 21, 2026. The event runs at …
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Movies & Animation
Korean Animation ‘Gill’ Lands Europe, Asia Deals as Jung Hae-in, Kang Ha-neul Join Redub Cast
by J. Haanby J. Haan‘Gill’ Expands Into Key European and Asian Markets Korean fantasy animated feature “Gill” (Korean title: Agami) has signed new sales deals across major markets in Europe and Asia. Barunson E&A, …
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K-Food & Dining
Korean Restaurant Companies Operating Abroad Top 200 for the First Time, Reaching 203
by J. Haanby J. Haan203 Companies Operating in 77 Countries The number of Korean restaurant companies running stores overseas has topped 200 for the first time. According to the ‘K-Foodservice Overseas Expansion Status Survey’ …
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Society & Social Trends
Korea’s Gen Z Is Already Planning Fall Vacation: How ‘Playcation’ and ‘Mart Attack’ Are Reshaping Travel
by J. Haanby J. HaanPlanning for Fall in the Middle of Summer Heat Even as summer heat continues into August, Korea’s travel searches have already shifted to fall. Ahead of the Chuseok holiday in …
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K-pop & Fandom
BIGBANG Turns 20: At the Center of K-pop’s August Comeback Rush
by J. Haanby J. HaanA New Song on the Anniversary of Debut BIGBANG debuted on August 19, 2006. Exactly twenty years later, on August 19, 2026, at 6 p.m. KST, the group released a …
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Dating Culture
Government Scrutiny Grows for ‘Rotation Meetups,’ the Niche Between Dating Apps and Matchmakers
by J. Haanby J. HaanThe Government Takes a Closer Look at a New Kind of Meetup For the first time, Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will examine the operations of dating services …
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Skincare & Beauty Products
Korea’s Big Three Beauty Manufacturers Post Record Quarters as K-Beauty Exports Surge
by J. Haanby J. HaanThree Cosmetics Manufacturers, One Record Quarter Korea’s three leading cosmetics ODM (original design manufacturing) companies — Kolmar Korea, Cosmax, and Cosmecca Korea — each posted record-setting results for the second …
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K-Drama & Screen
Behind ‘Boss Kim’s’ 23% Rating: Why So Ji-sub Gave Gold to 300 Crew Members
by J. Haanby J. HaanA Gram of Gold After the Final Day of Filming When filming wrapped on SBS drama ‘Boss Kim,’ roughly 300 cast and crew members each received a small gold case. …
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Daily Life & Society
Sick Child, One Week Off: Korea’s New ‘Short-Term Parental Leave’ Starts August 20
by J. Haanby J. HaanOne or Two Weeks of Parental Leave, Starting August 20 Starting August 20, 2026, workers in Korea with children age 8 or younger, or in second grade of elementary school …
