Home Ownership Among the Today’s Generation of Young Adults and the Rising Interest Rates of Loans

For people in their 20s and 30s, home ownership is becoming an increasingly distant dream. The ever-rising cost of housing, which makes even renting unaffordable, is making the goal of owning a home even more unrealistic. In fact, one respondent in their 20s from our interviews cynically said, “It’s hard enough to rent, let alone own, so it’s impossible.” Despite this, many 20-somethings said they would like to own a home...

KGU_Star

The Galleries Art Fair in Suwon was held from 26th to 29th June. Since its inception in 1979, the Korea Galleries Art Fair has been the nation’s longest-running art fair, offering a comprehensive view of the flow of contemporary Korean art and driving the growth of the domestic art market. Kyonggi University student Kang Su Hee exhibited her drawings in this art fair and here are her stories.Q: Where do you usually get your inspiration fro...

If Not Us, Then Who Will Believe?

On March 6, 2025, a mishap occurred in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do, where two KF-16 fighter jets belonging to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) accidentally dropped a total of eight bombs. As a result, 24 civilians and 14 military personnel were injured, and 166 buildings and vehicles were also damaged. It’s one of the most significant examples of civilian damage caused by military operations in South Korea. In response, the Chief of Staff...

Spring in Seoul

Timeline of emergency martial law under Yoon Suk-yeol December 322:28: President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a state of emergency and imposed martial law from the Yongsan Presidential Office.22:30: About 10 martial law soldiers entered the National Election Commission building in Gwacheon. 22:43: Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun convened a meeting of key military commanders.22:49: Lee Dong-hoon, the leader of the People Power Party, stated, “Th...

Credentialism: Is It a Cage for Young Generations?

November is a really important month of the year, especially for high school students in Korea. The reason is that one of Korea’s biggest exams, the “suneung,” is held in November. The suneung is the most common way to qualify for college and it has a considerable impact on the whole country. For example, at the time of the listening comprehension portion of the English exam, all airports pause takeoffs and landings, and if th...

Dating Abuse : It Is Not a Love Quarrel, It Is a Crime

Dating abuse means one-sided violence or a threat between lovers. Representatively, it includes physical violence such as assault, confinement, and murder or non-physical violence such as verbal abuse, neglect, monitoring and control, and threats. Since it usually occurs between lovers, there are many cases that are not reported to the police. Also, it sometimes can’t be reported to the police because of fear of revenge. For this reason, ...

A Close Look at the Birth Rate

One of the biggest topics in South Korea in 2024 is the problem of population decline due to the low birth rate. Until the 1970s, the total birth rate was so high that there was a slogan, “Let’s have only two children and raise them well, not distinguishing between son and daughter.” However, the current birth rate in Korea is so serious that it is difficult to find a precedent in terms of its level and duration. The total birt...

Dokdo, Korea's Beautiful Territory Coveted by Japan

On January 1, 2024, there was a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency assigned a tsunami warning and advisory throughout the whole country. According to the tsunami warning status map, Hokkaido and Tottori are displayed in yellow, and Dokdo is included among them. South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested against the Japan Meteorological Agency and demanded corrective measures, and various experts ins...

Crimes with Abnormal Motives: Pointing Out Blind Spots of the Law, False Media Reports, and Civic Awareness

What are crimes with abnormal motives, which are often dealt with in the news? The media previously referred to them as “Don’t-Ask-Why(Mudjima) Crime” because the crimes are based on unusual motivations. However, beginning in January 2022, the police began defining them as “Crimes with Abnormal Motives.” Police got rid of the term “Mudjima (Don’t-Ask-Why)” because the term can cause a misunderstand...

Overspending Among Regular People; Is Everyone That Rich?

These days, the MZ generation is familiar with ‘flex culture’ where people show off their consumption on SNS. Morgan Stanley, a global investment bank, said Korea’s per capita personal luxury spending of Korean ranks first in the world. Compared to last year, Korea’s personal luxury spending has increased by 24% to $16.8 billion, which is about $325 per person. This is also related to ‘YOLO culture’, in which ...