🇰🇷 The Hottest K-Foods This Summer Are Gnocchi Bar Summer Fruits & Ashotchu 🥭

K-Pop

👨‍🏫 From Artist To Professor – BIGBANG’s G-Dragon Adds On A New Title

Dyllan 🐼BIGBANG’s G-Dragon hasn’t been too active, but every bit of news about the star becomes a trending topic among the K-Pop community and beyond. This time, the iconic leader is making headlines due to his appointment as a visiting professor of KAIST for the department of mechanical engineering. Being one of the most prestigious universities in the country, to have G-Dragon hold the title of visiting professor is huge. Together, they hope to incorporate technological advancements such as AI, robots and the metaverse with K-Culture to create a new era of the Hallyu wave. Now, where do we sign up to take a class from Professor G – I mean, Professor Kwon.

🎖️ The Best Is Yet To Come – D-2 Until BTS Jin Is Discharged From The Military

YuJun 🍎The first BTS member is finally being discharged from the military! BTS’ Jin will be discharged on June 12th, immediately returning to promotional activities with his participation in the annual BTS Festa. Many ARMYs and non-ARMYs alike have been looking forward to the return of BTS because it only marks the continuation of all things bright for the group and the members as individuals.

📈 BTS’ RM Breaks Yet Another Record On The Billboard Charts

Dyllan 🐼Despite currently being on hiatus to carry out his mandatory military service, BTS’ RM made sure ARMY wouldn’t miss him too much with the release of his second solo album, “Right Place, Wrong Person”. It dropped to the roars and praise of fans across the globe. With their help, the album was able to enter the Billboard 200 at no. 5, making it RM’s third to do so. This also makes him the first K-Pop solo artist to have two consecutive albums among the chart’s top five. It’s always a special occasion to be the first to accomplish anything – so congratulations to RM on his accomplishment!

K-Drama & K-Movie

💖 “King The Land” Revealed To Be The Most Watched K-Drama From The 2nd Half Of 2023

Ishani 🎀Netflix recently released their latest engagement report from the 2nd half of 2023. According to the data, “King The Land” was the most-watched K-Drama and the 20th most-watched TV show on Netflix worldwide during the 2nd half of 2023. “Mask Girl” was the second most-watched K-Drama during that time, followed by “Celebrity”. Some other insights we observed include that global fans were most interested in female-driven stories from Korea, “Squid Game” and “True Beauty” still remain hot, but Korean films are falling behind.

👑 First “Pyramid Game”, Now “Hierarchy” Aims To Turn The Status Quo On Its Head

Kay 🥑2024 seems like the year of breaking the status quo in K-Dramas. First, we had “Pyramid Game” which saw huge success earlier in the year as the cast toppled the hierarchy imposed on them in the narrative… Now we have “Hierarchy” as the talk of the K-Drama town, doing the same thing. Using motifs such as centering a chandelier on the floor instead of the ceiling, the drama shows the fragile power dynamics in the hierarchical society that many Koreans have to deal with and choose to either conform to or overcome.

🎥 A Movie From 1960 Has Been Dubbed The Greatest Korean Film Of All Time

Ishani 🎀“The Housemaid”, directed by Kim KiYoung, has been selected as the greatest Korean film of all time. This decision was made by 240 movie industry professionals in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Korean Film Archive’s establishment. Many new Hallyu fans may not have watched “The Housemaid” yet, so now would be a great time to revisit this classic psychological thriller. The second and third places are occupied by Bong JoonHo, a modern legend in filmmaking, with his films “Memories of Murder” and “Parasite”. Both films star Song KangHo in the leading role.

💧 Even Weeks After Its Conclusion, “Queen Of Tears” Remains At The Top Of Netflix

Dyllan 🐼Recently, we were hit with the “Lovely Runner” craze, which is still going strong. But did you know that “Queen Of Tears” is managing to do the same? So much so that it’s set a new record of being the only K-Drama on Netflix to enter the Netflix Top 10 (Non-English) for 13 consecutive weeks. It seems fans still can’t get over Baek HyunWoo and Hong HaeIn’s gripping love story – and if we’re being completely honest, we’re still thinking about “Queen Of Tears” too.

👏 Madame Tussauds Hong Kong Unveils Brand New Wax Figure For Yim SiWan

Ishani 🎀The immensely talented Yim SiWan attended a special showcase for his brand new wax figure, which will grace Madame Tussauds Hong Kong starting June 2024. The wax figure is seen in Yim SiWan’s own outfit from the 74th Cannes Film Festival and look life-like. However, when the singer-actor stood next to it, no one could deny that Yim SiWan is even more handsome than his wax figure. Still, the wax figure is incredibly well-made and will certainly offer a fantastic experience for fans.

Previously, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong has revealed wax figures of several other Hallyu icons such as SUPER JUNIOR’s Choi SiWon, 2PM’s Nichkhun, EXO’s Lay Zhang, TVXQ!, Huang Zitao, Lee JongSuk, Suzy, Kim SooHyun, Hyun Bin, Kim HyunJoong, Kim WooBin, GOT7’s Jackson Wang and more.

🌌 “Squid Game” Star Lee JungJae Leads Another Global Franchise With “Star Wars: The Acolyte”

YuJun 🍎After ruling Netflix with “Squid Game”, Lee JungJae is ready to dominate Disney Plus with their latest release “Star Wars: The Acolyte”. The prestige of the “Star Wars” franchise pairs perfectly with Lee JungJae’s extensive experience as an actor and gives us a fantastic show that’s worth the watch. Lee JungJae plays Master Sol in the show, a respected Jedi Master, and was cast in this role after creator Leslye Headland saw him in “Squid Game”. Master Sol is also the first Asian Jedi Master in the “Star Wars” universe. “Star Wars: The Acolyte” is a mystery thriller show, which Lee JungJae believes will pique the interest of viewers all over the world.

📣 HyeRi Is Back & Ready To Greet The Silver Screen!

Ishani 🎀HyeRi is making her much-anticipated screen comeback, and this time, it’s with the youth film “Victory”! Set in 1999, colored in the 90s aesthetic we know and love, “Victory” will tell the story of how PilSun (HyeRi), MiNa (Park SeWan), and SeHyun (Jo ARam) form a cheerleading squad in a small town and run towards their dreams. The three talented young actresses have been highly praised for their skills and are raising anticipation for their bright dynamic. “Moving” actor Lee JungHa will also be making his film debut with this movie. “Victory” will hit the screens in August in South Korea.

K-Fashion

🤔 Is It Really Y2K Fashion If You’re Not Rocking Hoop Earrings? K-Pop Idols Answer

Kay 🥑What goes around comes around and the same goes for fashion trends. We’ve seen Y2K fashion’s comeback and the various homages to it from the K-Pop world. Someone is trending every other day for imitating the looks of Korean Y2K icons like Lee HyoRi or Kim HeeSeon, and the ‘fits keep on serving nostalgic energy. In the spirit of this, the queencard of Y2K jewelry, the hoop earring is back! Idols have been rocking these magical ring accessories everywhere, especially in their stage outfits and concept photos. These idols include NewJeans, KISS OF LIFE’s Natty, aespa, TWICE, and ARTMS’ Choerry.

K-Beauty

💄 Calling K-Beauty Enthusiasts! Celebrate All Things K-Beauty At A Month Long Festival

Dyllan 🐼The start of June saw the kick-off of a month-long K-Beauty Festival which will be held all over Seoul. The locations where you can find various events are Gwanghwamun, Hongdae, Seongsu, and Myeongdong. There, you’ll be able to participate in wellness programs, receive consultations, and even have a chance at special gifts by simply showing a receipt of your K-Beauty purchases. If you’re coming to Korea soon, make use of this month-long event and elevate your K-Beauty knowledge, collection, and application to the next level.

K-Travel

🎆 The Night Sky Is Set To Become Even Brighter As Haman Nakhwa Festival Becomes A Monthly Event

YuJun 🍎The Haman Nakhwa Festival is a beautiful display of fireworks that bridges the gap between past and present. The event has been used in a number of different K-Dramas, and was actually held earlier this year on May 14th and 15th, attracting 8,000 visitors on both days. Now, the county has joined hands with the Korea Tourism Organization to offer more opportunities to enjoy Korean-style fireworks. Starting from June 29 and besides July and August due to safety concerns, the event will last until November of this year.

K-Food

🍜 The Hottest (Pun Intended) Chinese Noodle Dish In Korea Will Come In Ramyeon Form Soon!

Kay 🥑‘Maratang’ is so hot in Korea (pun intended) that top food company Ottogi is officially turning it into a ramyeon! That’s right, the Chinese noodle dish that has become one of Koreans’ favorite soul foods will now become more accessible as an instant meal. In fact, Paldo has previously released a maratang-inspired ramyeon and Ottogi has also tested out the flavor with its low-cal cup noodle range before. It looks like there’s some competition among the different food product companies. For a glimpse of their most competitive ramyeon brands, check out Kpopmap's Ramyeon Ideal Type World Cup! Play, comment your favorite ramyeon, and stand a chance to win a box delivered to your doorstep!

🥭 Get Your Share Of Summer Fruits At Gnocchi Bar

Dyllan 🐼One of the highlights of traveling to Korea are the tasty delicacies. And with the changing of seasons, stores and restaurants are bound to have special items! Gnocchi Bar, located in Hannam-dong, is introducing a brand new seasonal menu, effectively turning the restaurant into a summer fruit market. You can choose between choices like strawberry burrata salad, corn basil soup, and gno-bokki – gnocchi served like tteokbokki. This menu will be available until the second week of August.

☕ Ashotchu? Fusion Drink That Sounds Like A Sneeze Is Now Joined By Others As Staple Beverages

Kay 🥑Have you heard the word ‘ashotchu’ (아샷추 in Korean) before? Whilst it sounds like a sneeze, it’s actually the Korean slang for a fusion drink that went viral on social media and has since become the norm in Korean cafes. Ashotchu is a mixture of iced tea and an extra shot of coffee espresso. Whilst it sounds questionable at first, the drink has gained huge popularity for being surprisingly tasty. In recent weeks, the fusion trend has expanded to other beverage combinations like ‘bae-shotchu’ which is the combination of a popular pear juice with an espresso shot, or ‘ddal-shotchu’ which is an extra espresso shot added to the classic strawberry latte drink.

K-Society

🏳️‍🌈 Love Wins Yet Again As 150,000 Celebrate The Seoul Pride Parade Despite The Usual Backlash

Kay 🥑The LGBTQIA+ community in Seoul filled the bustling city streets once again to celebrate Pride. Despite authorities trying to block the event by several means, including venue restrictions, the event proved once again that, no matter what, love always wins. Approximately 150,000 gathered for the Pride Parade and celebrated chins-up, ignoring conservative protestors with signs stating “no same-sex marriage”. Despite the usual backlash, the parade was a colorful and wonderful display of queer culture in Korea.

K-Webtoon

📱 Popular Webtoon “I’ve Become A True Villainess” Gets Audio Drama Adaptation!

Ishani 🎀The beloved romance fantasy webtoon “I’ve Become A True Villainess” is getting an audio drama adaptation! Fiction Podcast “Meet Cute” is collaborating with Manta Comics to bring you an audio drama adaptation of “I’ve Become A True Villainess”, slated for release on June 11, 2024 on all major platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. “I’ve Become A True Villainess” is an isegye manhwa where our protagonist, a college girl, gets transported into the world of the novel she had been reading but not in the body of the main character. She is the villainess of the webtoon, and she must figure out how to survive. Adaptations of webtoons in different mediums, like audio dramas, definitely open up a new avenue for the future of webtoons.