Author: GIKorea

Korea is one of the places in the world where EV’s actually make sense due to the shorter distances between cities:

Electric cars accounted for 9.3 percent of newly purchased cars in South Korea last year, data showed Monday, hovering above that of other major counterparts, including the United States and Japan.

The electric vehicles (EVs) took up 162,507 of 1.74 million cars sold in South Korea in 2023, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The ratio marked a significant rise from just 1.9 percent tallied in 2019.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

My kids have done their part to contributing to Shin Ramyun’s popularity because they love eating it. I on the otherhand would rather eat Chapagetti:

Shin Ramyun was the bestselling instant noodles in South Korea last year and Saeukkang was the top selling snack, data showed Sunday.

Retail sales of Shin Ramyun of Nongshim, available in both packaged and cup noodle forms, amounted to 383.6 billion won (US$287.8 million) last year, topping the list of instant noodles, according to the data compiled by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp.

Nongshim’s Chapagetti came in next with 213.1 billion won in sales, followed by Jin Ramen with 209.2 billion won and Buldak Ramen, known as hot chicken flavor ramen, with 147.2 billion won.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

This is a huge amount of stolen money for a country as poor as North Korea to acquire:

U.N. experts say they are investigating 58 suspected North Korean cyberattacks between 2017 and 2023 valued at approximately $3 billion, with the money reportedly being used to help fund its development of weapons of mass destruction. And the high volume of cyberattacks by North Korean hacking groups who report to the Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea’s primary foreign intelligence organization, is reportedly continuing, the panel of experts said in the executive summary of a new report to the U.N. Security Council obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

The report covering the period from July 2023 to January 2024 and reflecting contributions from unidentified U.N. member nations and other sources, was sent to the 15-member council as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has raised tensions in the region. He is threatening to annihilate South Korea if provoked and escalating weapons demonstrations. In response, the United States, South Korea and Japan have strengthened their combined military exercises.

Stars and Stripes

You can read more at the link.

These outfits remind of the ones the so called fitness influencers wear to the gym and then complain they are being objectified by men looking at them. Here is a reality check for people who dress like this, men are not objectifying you, you are objectifying yourself because you know these provocative outfits will lead to more clicks and attention not so called female empowerment:

Huh Yun-jin of K-pop girl group LE SSERAFIM with no-pants look / Captured from Instagram

The K-pop industry is known for its pioneering and bold fashion statements, but the recent emergence of the “no-pants” look — where individuals wear micro shorts or pair briefs with tights — has ignited a contentious debate.

One of the singers at the forefront of this hot yet controversial trend is Huh Yun-jin, a member of girl band LE SSERAFIM. The 22-year-old generated buzz after sporting only gray briefs and black tights under a pink puffer jacket in a teaser for the group’s upcoming EP, “Easy,” unveiled on YouTube, Jan. 26.

K-pop act (G)I-DLE also grabbed headlines for making a similar wardrobe choice, with all four members putting on bodysuits with no pants in the music video for its latest release, “Super Lady,” which came out on Jan. 29. SISTAR19, a sub-unit of the now-defunct girl group SISTAR, and Lisa of BLACKPINK also displayed pants-free fashion, which has been in vogue around the globe since last year.

In the U.S., a legion of high-profile stars including Taylor Swift and Kendall Jenner are known as the pioneers of this trend.

The pantless look, however, is not without its controversies, especially in the K-pop universe where a large portion of fans are teenagers.

Concerns have been raised about the potential for young fans to blindly imitate these styles, with some critics arguing that this trend represents the commercialization of sexuality masquerading as fashion innovation.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

Please leave anything you want to discuss in the comments section.

With the high cost of living being a digital nomad in South Korea may not be as appealing as in other more affordable countries. Additionally this visa is not open to freelancers which most digital nomads normally are:

About a month has passed since the highly-anticipated workcation visa for digital nomads was launched, but the visa is off to a slow start. 
  
Just seven people applied for the visa as of Jan. 31, according to the Ministry of Justice.  

The workcation visa, or the F-1-D, was introduced in a trial run on Jan. 1 for foreigners to work remotely in Korea over a longer period. Applicants must be employed at a company abroad, working remotely for their company. Applying for a job within Korea is strictly prohibited.  
  
The visa allows a one-year stay, which can be extended for another year for a total two-year stay. Without a visa, many foreigners can only stay in Korea for up to 90 days. 
  
One obstacle is that the visa isn’t currently open to freelancers, who make up a large portion of the digital nomad population.

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

Now the Russians are making nuclear threats on behalf of the Kim regime:

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, greets North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui in a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Jan. 16. [AP/YONHAP]

Russia’s top envoy to Pyongyang said that North Korea may decide to conduct a seventh nuclear test if the United States continues taking “provocative steps” in the region. 
  
“I think whether or not there will be another nuclear experiment in North Korea depends on how the military-political situation on the peninsula will unfold,” Russian Ambassador to North Korea Aleksandr Matsegora said in an interview with Russia’s state-controlled TASS news agency Wednesday.  

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

Some expert believe all the war rhetoric directed at South Korea from Kim Jong-un may be because of pressure he is facing domestically from millenials:

The group of people who believe fear-driven barking is more convincing than the war scenario highlights North Korea’s internal factors as a source of Kim’s belligerent behavior. They argue that such behavior serves to deflect attention from domestic issues and challenges. Inside this school of thought, views are divided. Some argue that economic frustration is a key driver of North Korea’s escalating saber-rattling.

Others argue that the primary driver behind North Korea’s increasing saber-rattling is not just a food shortage but a more fundamental concern. According to this perspective, Kim Jong-un is deeply troubled by South Korea’s cultural influence, which has become widespread, especially among teenagers and millennials in their 20s and 30s. This group, often referred to as the “Jangmadang Generation,” grew up experiencing elements of capitalism through their parents’ involvement in markets to make ends meet. They believe that if not adequately controlled, this cultural influence could pose a serious threat to the regime.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but uncontrolled access to outside information has always been a major threat to the Kim regime. Keeping the North Korean people isolated and indoctrinated with only regime propaganda is a must to maintain the current system of power.