Category: South Korea

Business

Samsung Asked to Prepay $15 Billion in Power Bills as South Korea Races to Build Semiconductor Grid

SEOUL — South Korea’s state-run electricity giant is seeking a massive upfront payment from Samsung Electronics as the country scrambles to finance the power infrastructure needed for its expanding semiconductor and artificial-intelligence industries. Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) has proposed that Samsung Electronics prepay about 20 trillion won — roughly US$15 billion — for electricity through 2031, according to a report cited by Channel News Asia and South Korean media. KEPCO has also

September 3, 2026

South Korea

SOUTH KOREAN CAFE BANS GROUPS OF TEENAGE BOYS — AND A NEW “NO MALE STUDENT ZONE” DEBATE EXPLODES

A Korean café has sparked a heated debate over discrimination, business owners’ rights and teenage behavior after putting up a notice banning groups of middle and high school boys from using the establishment. The controversy erupted after a photo of the notice circulated on social media and online communities. The sign reportedly states that groups of male middle and high school students are prohibited from using the store, citing discomfort caused to other customers. The café attributed the d

September 3, 2026

China

China–Taiwan Tensions Spill Into South Korea’s Art World as Gwangju Biennale Faces Boycott Threat

A diplomatic dispute over a two-word name — “Taiwan Pavilion” — has erupted into a major controversy at South Korea’s Gwangju Biennale, with China’s participation now hanging in the balance just days before the prestigious exhibition opens. The dispute began after organizers initially changed the name of Taiwan’s exhibition from “Taiwan Pavilion” to “NTMoFA Pavilion,” referring to Taiwan’s National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Taiwan’s Culture Ministry and participating artists objected, saying

September 3, 2026

Entertainment

The K-Drama Ghosts That Will Break Your Heart: From Spooky in Love to Goblin

Not every K-drama ghost is there to scare you. Some are searching for justice. Others are holding on to unfinished love, protecting family members or waiting for one final chance to say goodbye. And that is exactly why some of Korea’s most memorable supernatural dramas can be far more emotional than frightening. Tatler Asia’s latest roundup revisits a collection of heartbreaking ghost characters—from the new 2026 fantasy romance Spooky in Love and supernatural legal drama Phantom Lawyer to tea

September 2, 2026

Politics

South Korea’s Lee Pushes for US–North Korea Dialogue as Trump’s Outreach Creates a New Opening

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is urging efforts to create the conditions for renewed dialogue between the United States and North Korea, arguing that even a small diplomatic opening could help move the Korean Peninsula away from decades of confrontation. Lee made the appeal on Sept. 2, 2026, as Seoul seeks to capitalize on signs that US President Donald Trump may be interested in reopening direct engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But there is a major obstacle: Pyongyang h

September 2, 2026

China

JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA ARE REWRITING THE NUCLEAR PLAYBOOK — AND NORTHEAST ASIA MAY NEVER BE THE SAME

TOKYO/SEOUL — Japan and South Korea are quietly changing the way Northeast Asia thinks about nuclear energy. For decades, nuclear power in the region was largely discussed through the lenses of electricity costs, climate policy and nuclear safety. Today, a different calculation is emerging: energy security itself is becoming a strategic security issue. Japan is restarting nuclear reactors after the Fukushima disaster, while South Korea is maintaining plans for new reactors and pushing aggressi

September 2, 2026

Entertainment

BTS’ Most Powerful Songs About Mental Health: 9 Tracks That Put Anxiety, Burnout and Self-Love Into Words

BTS has spent much of its career singing about ambition, heartbreak and success. But beneath the stadium performances and global fame is another recurring theme: what happens when the pressure becomes too much? A new Tatler Asia feature revisits nine BTS and member tracks that explore anxiety, burnout, isolation, self-doubt, depression, artistic exhaustion and the difficult journey toward self-acceptance. The selections stretch from the group’s early years to the Map of the Soul era, showing ho

September 2, 2026

South Korea

HOW KOREA’S NATIONAL MUSEUM TURNED ANCIENT ARTIFACTS INTO A COSPLAY SENSATION

From Buddhist sculptures to Bronze Age bells, Koreans are stepping inside the museum’s most recognizable treasures—and the unusual idea is turning cultural heritage into a viral spectator event. For decades, museums have largely asked visitors to do one thing: look at the artifacts. South Korea's National Museum of Korea is asking visitors to do something very different: Become them. Its “Dress Like a Museum Exhibit” event has transformed cultural heritage into a participatory costume-play c

September 2, 2026

Entertainment

Ji Ye-eun and Vata Are Getting Married: ‘Running Man’ Star to Tie the Knot in December

Two South Korean entertainment stars are taking their relationship to the next level. Actress and “Running Man” regular Ji Ye-eun and choreographer Vata are set to marry on Dec. 12, 2026, according to their respective agencies. The wedding date also falls on Vata’s birthday. From church friends to husband and wife The couple’s agencies announced the marriage on Sept. 2, saying Ji Ye-eun and Vata had decided to spend their lives together based on deep trust, love and mutual support. Vata’s ag

September 2, 2026

Politics

Trump-Kim Summit Could Happen ‘At Any Time,’ Seoul Says — But Pyongyang Just Drew a Nuclear Red Line

SEOUL — Nearly seven years after Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un last met face-to-face, speculation about another extraordinary US-North Korea summit is suddenly back — and South Korean intelligence officials believe the possibility should no longer be dismissed. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told lawmakers on September 1 that a meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un should be considered possible “at any time”, pointing to what it described as s

September 2, 2026