Society5 min
Suneung: The Day When Korea Holds Its Breath
The Suneung, South Korea's university entrance exam, is more than a test: it's a national event that determines destinies and reveals a society's obsessions.
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The Kotoba Interactive journal.
Editorial features on the cultures, history and languages of Asia. Filter by culture, by topic, or search for what inspires you.
43 articles
Society5 min
Hagwon: Inside Korea's Private Academy Phenomenon
Hagwon, the ubiquitous private academies in South Korea, shape the daily lives of millions of students. A deep dive into a parallel education system, between excellence and excess.
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Society5 min
Chaebols: The Family Empires That Rule South Korea
Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK... Understanding the chaebols, these sprawling family conglomerates that shape the economy, politics, and daily life of South Korea.
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Pop Culture8 min
The five generations of K-pop: from Seo Taiji to NewJeans
A complete guide to the five generations of K-pop. From Seo Taiji and Boys to NewJeans, a look back at thirty years of Korean pop evolution: key artists, innovations and global impact.
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Food6 min
Pojangmacha: under Korea's orange street food tents
Discovering Korean pojangmacha: history, atmosphere, signature dishes (tteokbokki, odeng, somaek) and their place in popular culture and K-dramas.
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Society6 min
Ondol: the Korean floor heating that invented a way of life
History and workings of Korean ondol: the underfloor heating that shaped architecture, sleeping habits, cuisine and daily life in Korea.
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Culture4 min
Nami Island: nature escape and K-drama legend in the heart of Korea
Discover Namiseom, Nami Island in Gapyeong: the legendary Winter Sonata filming location, metasequoia lanes, culture and tourism in South Korea.
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Culture9 min
Boys Over Flowers: How a Japanese Manga Became a Korean and Global Phenomenon
From Hana Yori Dango to Boys Over Flowers, a look back at the history of a franchise that crossed borders, languages, and screens, from shojo manga to the most widely exported K-drama of the 21st century.
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Food7 min
Chopsticks: Etiquette and Differences in Japan, Korea and China
The chopstick guide for Asia: Chinese origin, Japanese shapes, Korean metal, table manners and taboos to know in Japan, Korea and China.
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Language7 min
Hangeul: The Korean Alphabet Invented by King Sejong
The story of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet created in 1443 by King Sejong. Origins, how the jamo work, syllable blocks, and why it can be learned in a morning.
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Society6 min
Lucky numbers and taboos in Asia: the 8, the 4 and the rest
Why 8 brings luck and 4 brings fear in China, Korea and Japan: homophones, tetraphobia, missing floors, license plates and phone numbers sold for a fortune.
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Arts6 min
Pansori: Korea's opera of a single breath
Discovering pansori, the Korean epic chant: the singer and his drum, han, the great tales, the UNESCO listing and its surprising revival.
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Arts5 min
Samulnori: when four drums become a storm
History and meaning of samulnori, Korean percussion: four instruments, the peasant roots of pungmul, cosmic symbolism and the move from street to stage.
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Society5 min
The haenyeo: the sea women of Jeju
History of the haenyeo, the traditional women divers of Jeju Island: free-diving harvest, matriarchal society, the sumbisori breath and threatened UNESCO heritage.
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Society5 min
K-beauty: the Korean skincare routine that conquered the world
Understanding K-beauty: the ten-step routine, glass skin, sheet masks, signature ingredients and the philosophy of Korean skincare.
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Traditions5 min
Talchum: the satirical masked dance of Korea
History and meaning of talchum, Korean masked dance theatre: tal masks, satire of the powerful, village rites, regional variants and UNESCO heritage status.
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Traditions5 min
Ssireum: the traditional wrestling of Korea
History and rules of ssireum, Korean traditional wrestling: the satba belt, the sand ring, the bull prize, the Cheonha Jangsa title and UNESCO heritage status.
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Food5 min
Korean barbecue: the convivial art of gogi-gui
History and codes of Korean barbecue (gogi-gui): the table-top grill, samgyeopsal, galbi, bulgogi, the art of ssam and the conviviality of the Korean table.
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Food5 min
Soju: The History and Etiquette of Korea's National Spirit
The history of soju, Korea's national spirit: its Mongol origins, the rice ban, the Jinro brand, the etiquette of the glass and soju's place in Korean culture.
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Traditions6 min
Jesa: the rite of the ancestors at the heart of Korea
Discovering jesa, the Korean ancestral rite: its Confucian roots, the offering table and its rules, the charye of Chuseok and Seollal, and its evolution today.
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Traditions5 min
Seollal: the Korean Lunar New Year
Traditions and rites of Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year: the journey home, ancestral charye rite, the sebae bow, tteokguk soup and the yutnori game.
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Traditions6 min
Hanbok: The History and Symbolism of Korea's Traditional Dress
All about the hanbok, Korea's traditional dress: origins, jeogori and chima, obangsaek colors, etiquette, modern revival, and rental at Seoul's palaces.
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Culture5 min
Hallyu: How the Korean Wave Conquered the World
The history of hallyu, the Korean wave: the birth of the term, K-dramas, K-pop, Parasite and Squid Game, soft power and the state strategy behind a global phenomenon.
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Society9 min
Valentine's, White Day, Black Day: Love Across East Asia
From Valentine's to White Day and Black Day, how Japan, Korea, and China reinvented love holidays. Plus: the horror game White Day.
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Food5 min
Makgeolli: Korea's milky rice wine
History and secrets of makgeolli, Korea's cloudy, fizzy rice wine: nuruk fermentation, the farmers' drink, rainy-day pajeon pairing, and trendy revival.
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Traditions5 min
Korean shamanism: muism, the mudang and the gut ritual
Discovering Korean shamanism (muism): the mudang, the gut ritual, the spirits, its prehistoric roots, its survival and its presence in today's Korea.
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Society11 min
Pepero Day: November 11, Korea's Beloved Snack Holiday
On 11/11, South Korea celebrates Pepero Day. History of Lotte's iconic snack, marketing genius, Pocky Day rivalry, and cultural phenomenon.
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Culture5 min
The hanok: the genius of the traditional Korean house
History and secrets of the hanok, the traditional Korean house: ondol underfloor heating, maru wooden floor, curved tiled roofs, hanji paper and harmony with nature.
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Language10 min
Oppa, Senpai, Gege: Titles That Shape East Asian Society
Oppa, Noona, Hyeong, Senpai, Kohai, Gege, Jiejie: understanding the honorific titles governing social relationships in Japan, Korea, and China.
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Society5 min
Taekwondo: The History and Philosophy of the Korean Martial Art
The history of taekwondo, the Korean martial art: its origins after 1945, the unification of the kwans, the ITF/WTF rift, the belts, the poomsae and the Olympic path.
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Society10 min
Karaoke: From Japan to the World, the Art of Singing Together
History of karaoke, from its invention in Japan to noraebang culture in Korea and KTV in China. How a machine changed our evenings.
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Pop Culture5 min
K-pop: the history and backstage of the Korean industry
The history of K-pop: from Seo Taiji to global idols, the agency system, the fandoms, Korean soft power and the hidden side of a finely tuned industry.
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Society6 min
The jjimjilbang: the Korean sauna that never sleeps
Discovering the jjimjilbang, the 24-hour Korean public bathhouse: hot and cold baths, heat rooms, matching uniforms, baked eggs, body scrubs and the etiquette of nudity.
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Arts11 min
The Ultimate Guide to Japanese, Korean and Chinese Culture
An illustrated dictionary of works, genres and traditions from Japan, South Korea and China. From Cardcaptor Sakura to Boys Over Flowers, everything explained in one article.
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Society11 min
Ib, Mad Father, Misao: Asian Indie Horror Games
From Ib to Mad Father, Misao to White Day: explore the Japanese and Korean indie horror games that terrified a generation through pixel art, dread and unforgettable storytelling.
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Language10 min
Land of the Morning Calm: Why Korea Is Really the Morning Bright
'Land of the Morning Calm' is a mistranslation. Joseon, Korea's ancient name, actually means 'morning freshness.' A linguistic and historical investigation.
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Society5 min
Korean age: why Koreans were one or two years older
Understanding Korean age: born at one, aging on New Year's Day, the three coexisting systems and the 2023 reform that made a whole country younger.
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Food11 min
Banchan: The Small Dishes That Define Korean Dining
Banchan, the small shared dishes at every Korean meal, carry centuries of philosophy, fermentation science and seasonal wisdom. A deep dive.
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Culture5 min
Webtoon: how Korea reinvented the comic
History and codes of the Korean webtoon: from manhwa to vertical mobile scroll, the Naver and Kakao platforms, the free model and adaptations into global K-dramas.
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Traditions6 min
Chuseok: the Korean thanksgiving under the full moon
Understanding Chuseok, the great Korean harvest festival: its ancestral rites, songpyeon, the full moon, the return to the village and the ganggangsullae dance.
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Philosophy14 min
Nunchi: The Korean Art of Reading the Room
Nunchi, Korea's subtle art of sensing emotions and unspoken cues in any group, rooted in Confucian philosophy, modern social code and a global success tool.
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