Society5 min
Ulzzang: the style born from a Korean photo contest
Ulzzang, aegyo-sal, circle lenses, V-line: where this Korean style comes from, what it actually requires and why the word has aged in Korea.
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Read the culture of China, Japan and Korea, then learn the language with our spaced-repetition platforms. The journal is the door in; learning is where it leads.
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The Kotoba Interactive journal.
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Arts6 min
K-indie: Korea's alternative scene, from Hongdae to Spotify
Crying Nut, Jang Kiha, Hyukoh, wave to earth, Parannoul: the story of Korea's independent scene, its clubs, its labels and its way out through abroad.
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Society
69- Korean convenience stores: GS25, CU and the pyeonuijeom empire
- Honey skin: the vocabulary of Korean skin finishes
- K-beauty, J-beauty, C-beauty: three schools of skincare compared
Culture
37- KTX: how South Korea's high-speed train works
- Flea markets and vintage in Japan: the second-hand guide
- Vertical scrolling: the grammar webtoons invented
Traditions
36- Chinese numbers: why 4 frightens and 8 sells
- Matsuri: a guide to Japan's great festivals
- Chang'e and the cowherd: China's four great folk legends
Arts
34- Tatsuro Yamashita and Mariya Takeuchi, the city pop couple
- Studio Trigger, MAPPA, ufotable: the studios that matter
- Hayao Miyazaki: Biography and Work of a Master
Recent entries
All entriespersonnalitechine
Lao Tzu (老子)
Legendary Chinese sage. Founding figure of Taoism, presumed author of Tao Te Ching.
1
personnalitejapon
Yasuke
First African samurai in history (16th century). Servant of Oda Nobunaga who became a legend.
3
gastronomiechine
Bubble Tea (Naicha)
Taiwanese drink that became a global phenomenon. Milk tea with tapioca pearls.
3
conceptchine
Confucianism
Chinese philosophy founded by Confucius. System of thought centered on ethics, rites and social relations.
2
conceptjapon
Cosplay
Art of dressing up as fictional characters. Culture born in Japan that became global.
1
studiojapon
Broccoli
Japanese entertainment company. Creator of franchises like Uta no Prince-sama and Galaxy Angel.
gastronomiecoree
Banchan
Korean side dishes served with main meal. Kimchi is the most famous.
1
conceptcoree
Nunchi
Korean art of social reading. Ability to perceive others' emotions and thoughts through subtle cues.
5
Lifestyle
All lifestyleFive ways in
The table, beauty and brands, festivals, screens, games. Each door opens on its entries, its articles and its lists.
Food & recipesRecipes to cook tonight, and the dishes that explain a culture.
Beauty & brandsSkincare houses, everyday retail names and cult stationery.
Festivals & seasonsWhat is being celebrated right now, and the calendar that decides it.
Screens & stagesAnime, manga, dramas, cinema, music, and the people behind them.
Video gamesThe franchises, the makers and the places where Asia plays.Asian kitchen
Authentic recipes from China, Japan and Korea, step by step.
Asian beauty
K-beauty, J-beauty, C-beauty: the brands that matter, explained.
The map
Browse Asia with a fingertip
Japan’s 47 prefectures, the provinces of China and Korea. Click a territory: what to see there, what people eat, what is made there.
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