Society9 min
Korean military service: length, exemptions, realities
18 to 21 months depending on the branch, a seven-grade fitness exam, vanishingly rare exemptions: how South Korean conscription works and what it costs.
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JournalKorea Korea
Korea
Korea
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Korea
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.
8 articles
Society11 min
Palli-palli: The Culture of "Hurry, Hurry" That Keeps Korea Running
Bullet delivery, the world's fastest internet, the Miracle on the Han River: inside palli-palli, the national reflex that built Korea and sometimes broke it.
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Business & Tech13 min
Chaebols: History, Structure and Succession of Korea's Giants
The anatomy of chaebols: zaibatsu roots, circular shareholdings, low-capital family control and billion-dollar successions at Samsung, Hyundai and LG.
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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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Society6 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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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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