Samsung to exclusively stream Jonas Brothers’ concert tour in 17 countries

Samsung Electronics announced Monday that it will exclusively stream the Jonas Brothers’ 20th anniversary tour, "Jonas 20: Greetings from Your Hometown," through its free streaming platform Samsung TV Plus. The broadcast will span 17 countries, including South Korea, the United States and France, strengthening Samsung’s growing presence in the global Free Ad-supported Streaming TV market. Kicking off with the group’s MetLife Stadium concert in New Jersey on Aug. 11, Samsung TV Plus will stream f

Aug. 4, 2025

9 out of 10 Koreans watch videos while eating alone, survey finds

A recent survey by Baedal Minjok (Baemin), South Korea’s leading food delivery platform, found Friday that 91 percent of people watch videos -- such as TV or streaming content -- while eating alone. The findings come from Baemin’s “My Solo Dining Skill” campaign, a celebration of surpassing 1 million users of the platform’s “han-geureut (one bowl)” category. The company launched the service in late April to cater to the growing number of single-person households, removing minimum order requireme

Aug. 1, 2025

[Photo News] Musinsa opens Gangnam flagship

South Korea’s largest online fashion platform Musinsa said Thursday it will open its Gangnam store, located in Gangnam-daero, on Friday, marking its fourth offline concept store and first in a year since Musinsa Seongsu DaelimChanggo. Spanning three floors and featuring around 130 brands and 6,000 products, the store will offer curated sections including unisex, women’s and footwear. (Musinsa)

July 31, 2025

Orion to recall Cham Carp Cakes due to potential mold contamination

Orion, a major South Korean confectionery company, said Thursday it will recall all of its Cham Carp Cakes, a popular fish-shaped pie, due to potential mold contamination. The company has notified the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the issue and requested that retailers halt sales of the product. All units produced before Wednesday are subject to the recall, Orion said, estimating that around 1.5 billion won ($1.1 million) worth of the product has already been distributed to the market. The

July 24, 2025

LG Uplus unveils new lineup of foreigner-specific mobile plans

LG Uplus has rolled out a set of limited-time promotional mobile plans designed exclusively for foreign residents, offering generous international calling, data, and roaming perks tailored to their everyday needs. The new lineup, unveiled on Wednesday, includes seven monthly plans ranging from 37,000 won to 85,000 won (approximately $27 to $62). All plans come with free international calling of up to 90 minutes per month, as well as enhanced roaming benefits when subscribers travel abroad. Custo

July 24, 2025

Would you wait hours to have watermelon sliced? In Korea, many do

At Hyundai department stores in Seoul, long lines are nothing new. Shoppers regularly queue for designer handbags or the latest dessert trends. But this summer, one of the longest lines is for the watermelon -- or more precisely, to have it cut. At seven Hyundai locations, including The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, customers wait for hours to have their fruit sliced and packed into containers, ready to be eaten or stored in the refrigerator. The service, called “Fresh Table,” was launched in 2021 a

July 24, 2025

Consumer sentiment hits 4-yr high in July on hopes for economic stimulus: BOK

South Korea's consumer sentiment rose to a fresh four-year high in July, driven by optimism over the government's supplementary budget and other measures to prop up the economy, and robust exports, the central bank said Wednesday. The composite consumer sentiment index stood at 110.8 this month, up 2.1 points from June, according to a survey conducted by the Bank of Korea. It marked the highest level since June 2021, when the index reached 111.1, and the fourth consecutive monthly increase. The

July 23, 2025

Nexon's Maple Con goes global for 20th anniversary

Nexon said Tuesday that it will host “Maple Con 2025,” a global festival celebrating its hit game MapleStory, in Taiwan this August and in the US this October. The event was first held in December 2024 at Kintex in Ilsan, just outside of Seoul, attracting 10,000 visitors over three days. This year, the event will expand overseas to celebrate the 20th anniversary of MapleStory’s service in both Taiwan and the US. The game has earned massive global popularity, reaching approximately 150 million re

July 22, 2025

Officals warn of rise in fake 'Made in Korea' labels

A record wave of low-cost clothing from China is pouring into South Korea, and much of it is being illegally disguised as Korean-made. Last year, South Korea imported more Chinese apparel than ever before. According to the Korea Customs Service, the country brought in $4.83 billion worth of clothing from China, up 50 percent from 2020. With the rise in volume, the authorities are seeing a surge in a deceptive practice known in Korea as "label switching." Imported garments arrive with tags that s

July 22, 2025

Shinhan Bank starts Sunday operations for foreign nationals

Shinhan Bank announced Friday that it will begin Sunday operations at three of its branches — Dongdaemun, Suwon Station and Onyang Banking Center — starting July 20, to better serve foreign residents in Korea. The initiative is aimed at foreign national workers and residents who have difficulty visiting banks on weekdays. The selected branches will operate every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering services such as bank account openings, debit card registration, internet banking and overseas

July 18, 2025

Haribo opens Asia's 1st offline store in S. Korea

German confectionery company Haribo opened a dedicated offline store in South Korea on Wednesday, marking the brand's first standalone outlet in Asia as it seeks to meet growing demand in the region's fourth-largest economy. Haribo, the world's leading manufacturer of fruit gummy products, has sold its products in South Korea for more than a decade. In early 2023, it established Haribo Korea Ltd. to expand its presence in the local jelly gum market. South Korea has become Haribo's largest market

July 16, 2025

Toss Pay rides travel surge with fourfold overseas growth

Viva Republica, operator of mobile financial platform Toss, announced Tuesday that overseas transaction value via Toss Pay surged by four times in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Available in 55 countries worldwide, Toss Pay helps users make payments by simply scanning a QR or barcode, without the need for separate currency exchange. Transactions are instantly converted into local currency from users’ linked accounts, and users can both use and earn Toss Points when

July 15, 2025

Bad news for drinkers as soju, beer prices rise in Korea

After several months of decline, the consumer price indexes for soju and beer at restaurants and bars in South Korea are beginning to rise again. According to data released Tuesday by Statistics Korea, the consumer price index for soju served at restaurants rose 0.1 percent in June from a year earlier to 115.75, marking the first increase in 10 months. The index is based on 2020 prices, with a reading above 100 indicating a rise in prices. The index for beer served at restaurants also rose, clim

July 8, 2025

[Graphic News] Egg prices to stay high in Korea

Egg prices in Korea have climbed to their highest levels in nearly four years and are expected to remain elevated in the near term. As of last month, the average retail price for a tray of 30 large eggs reached 7,034 won, surpassing 7,000 won for the first time since July 2021. According to a report by the Korea Rural Economic Institute, the farm gate price for 10 large eggs this month is projected to rise by 12.4–18.5 percent year-on-year, reaching between 1,850 and 1,950 won. Compared to the f

June 30, 2025

Convenience stores compete with ultracheap options as restaurant prices soar

As food prices keep climbing in South Korea, more people are reaching for ultra-cheap convenience foods to balance their everyday costs. Some of the most popular items now sell for less than 1,000 won (74 cents). Convenience store chains like CU and GS25 are seeing a boom in low-cost, ready-to-eat items that appeal especially to students, office workers, and low-income families. At CU, nearly one-third of all ready-made meal sales from January to April came from residential neighborhoods, signal

June 26, 2025