Korea Living

Netflix viewers around the world are discovering a part of Korean history that many had rarely encountered through mainstream entertainment. 100 Days of Deception , known in Korean as 100일의 거짓말 , is a historical spy drama starring Kim You-jung, Park Jin-young, Kim Hyun-joo, Lee Mu-saeng and Jin Sun-kyu. Set in Gyeongseong—the colonial-era name for Seoul—in 1932, the story follows Lee Ga-kyung, a talented pickpocket who dreams of escaping poverty and beginning a new life overseas. Her life changes when she accepts a mission from an independence organization. Disguised as an interpreter trainee, she infiltrates the Japanese Government-General of Korea for 100 days to obtain secret information. The characters and central spy mission are fictional. However, the colonial system surrounding them is based on a real period of Korean history. Korean civilians walking near a colonial government building in 1932 Gyeongseong A Spy Story Built Around an Ordinary Woman Ga-kyung does not be...

In many Western countries, Spam is often viewed as cheap canned meat—something associated with wartime food, emergency supplies or a quick meal when nothing else is available. In South Korea, however, Spam has a very different image. Koreans serve it with rice, add it to kimchi fried rice, place it inside gimbap and use it as a major ingredient in one of the country’s most recognizable comfort foods: budae jjigae . So why do Koreans love Spam, and how did an American canned meat become part of Korean food culture? The answer begins with war, food shortages and the Korean ability to transform an unfamiliar ingredient into something completely new. Pan-fried canned ham served with rice, kimchi and Korean side dishes Spam Tastes Different When Eaten with Korean Food Spam is salty, fatty and rich. Eating it by itself may make it seem heavy or overly processed. Koreans rarely treat it as a complete meal on its own. Instead, it is normally combined with plain steamed rice, spicy ki...

A new Korean medical drama has attracted attention surprisingly quickly. Doctor X: Mafia in White , starring Kim Ji-won, premiered on SBS on October 9, 2026. Only two episodes have aired, but the series has already achieved double-digit television ratings, reached No. 1 on Netflix Korea and generated discussion among international K-drama fans. The drama began with a nationwide television rating of 11.4 percent. Episode 2 rose to 14.9 percent, with a reported peak of 17.4 percent during the broadcast. Those numbers are particularly impressive for a drama that has barely introduced its central mystery. So why has Doctor X: Mafia in White become popular so quickly? It is not because of one factor alone. Kim Ji-won’s return after Queen of Tears , a proven Japanese original, a powerful female lead, fast storytelling and a satisfying battle against hospital corruption have all contributed to its strong start. This article contains basic information about Episodes 1 and 2 but avoi...

Open an English menu at a Korean restaurant and you may see the same word repeated again and again: Soup. Miyeokguk is seaweed soup. Galbitang is beef short rib soup. Kimchi jjigae may be translated as kimchi stew, but some menus still call it kimchi soup. Jeongol is sometimes described as soup, stew, or Korean hot pot. They all contain broth, so calling them “soup” is not completely wrong. But to Koreans, guk, jjigae, tang, and jeongol are not simply four names for the same food . The name can tell you how much broth to expect, how strongly the dish is seasoned, whether it is served individually or shared, and whether it will arrive already cooked or continue cooking at your table. The distinctions are not governed by one perfect rule, and there are plenty of exceptions. Still, understanding the basic differences will make Korean restaurant menus much easier to navigate. Korean guk, jjigae, tang, and jeongol dishes served side by side The Shortest Explanation Here is the sim...

A growing number of travelers are arriving in Seoul with an unusual appointment already added to their itinerary: a personal color analysis. Instead of simply buying the same lipstick, foundation or outfit they saw on a K-pop idol, visitors want to discover which colors actually suit their own skin, hair and eyes. During a consultation, an analyst places different colored fabrics near the customer’s face and observes how each shade changes their overall appearance. The final result is usually described using a seasonal category such as spring, summer, autumn or winter. Many Seoul studios go further. They may recommend makeup shades, hair colors, jewelry metals, clothing combinations and products sold at Korean beauty stores. Personal color analysis is now promoted alongside Korean makeup, hair salons, scalp spas and skincare as a modern K-beauty travel experience. But how useful is it? How much does it cost in Seoul, and what should foreign travelers confirm before making a r...

K-beauty tourism in Seoul is no longer limited to filling a suitcase with sunscreen, sheet masks and lip tints. Foreign visitors are increasingly booking personal color consultations, Korean makeup sessions, hair salons, skin treatments and scalp spas as part of their travel itineraries. Instead of simply buying Korean beauty products, they want to experience how beauty and personal care services are actually performed in Korea. One of the fastest-growing experiences is the Korean scalp spa, also advertised as a Korean head spa, scalp treatment or scalp clinic. A typical session may include a magnified scalp examination, deep cleansing, exfoliation, steaming, shampooing, massage, a hair mask and a scalp ampoule. Some premium programs add red-light devices, waterfall rinses, upper-body massage or personalized hair treatments. It can be relaxing and visually impressive, which explains why scalp spa videos have become popular on social media. But the menus, prices and purposes o...