Hitting the $10 Billion Mark 19 Days Earlier Than Last Year South Korea’s agricultural and seafood exports have just crossed the $10 billion threshold in a record-breaking 253 days. The …
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
85% of Dating Youth Want to Marry: The Real Hurdle is Starting the Relationship, Not the Desire
by J. Haanby J. HaanYouth Who Want Marriage but Aren’t Dating The clearest split in Korean young adults’ intention to marry comes down to one thing: whether they’re currently in a relationship. A report …
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Variety & Reality Shows
‘Naengmyeon’ Rings Out After 17 Years: How Infinite Challenge Became a Generational Festival
by J. Haanby J. HaanMyung-ca Drive Returns to the Gyeongju Night As Jessica appeared next to Park Myung-soo and the familiar intro of “Naengmyeon” started playing, the Gyeongju Civic Stadium felt like the summer …
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K-pop & Fandom
RESCENE Revitalized by Zena’s Trot: How ‘An-Won-Jal-Bu’ Rewrote the K-Pop Success Formula
by J. Haanby J. Haan‘Silla Princess’ Zena Takes the Chuseok Stage As Zena takes the microphone in her hanbok-inspired outfit and updo, the screen feels less like a standard idol vlog and more like …
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Tradition & Heritage
A World Connected by Masks: Andong International Mask Dance Festival Opens September 24
by J. Haanby J. Haan27 international performance groups from 23 countries gather in Andong The 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival will take place for 11 days from September 24 to October 4 in …
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Webtoons & Web Novels
Naver Webtoon Pivots to Direct Ad Sales in Japan, Targeting Game Companies at Tokyo Game Show
by J. Haanby J. HaanLine Manga takes direct control of its ad sales in Japan Naver Webtoon’s Japanese platform, Line Manga, is shifting its local advertising business from an agency-outsourced model to direct sales. …
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Society & Social Trends
Chuseok Charye: Two out of Three Households Now Skip the Ritual
by J. Haanby J. HaanPlans for Charye drop from 40.4% to 27.3% in just one year Only 27.3% of South Korean households plan to observe charye (ancestral rites) during Chuseok in 2026. This is …
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Gaming & Esports
Korea’s LoL Team Sweeps the US 3-0, Then Battles Back to Beat Vietnam 3-1
by J. Haanby J. HaanSouth Korea Wraps Up All Three Sets in Around 20 Minutes Each The South Korean League of Legends (LoL) national team swept the United States 3-0 in their first tune-up …
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Joseon’s Dangerous Wager Unfolds Again After 23 Years The 2003 film Untold Scandal, which captivated adult audiences in Korean theaters, has returned 23 years later as a Netflix series. While …
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Skincare & Beauty Products
SUNGBOON EDITOR and Milk Touch Expand K-Beauty Lineup Across 600+ US Target Stores
by J. Haanby J. HaanAvailable in Over 600 Target Stores and Online Across the US Korean beauty brands SUNGBOON EDITOR and Milk Touch have officially hit the shelves at Target Beauty Studio, the major …
