🇰🇷 Amangchu, Hippie Perm, Caribbean Bay, Rain Boots, & More 🥭

ONGOING EVENT

Kim SooHyun, Kim JiWon, Lee JunHo…Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA) 2024 Is A Star Studded Event With Fierce Competition – Vote For Your Favorite Star & Make Them Win!

June 15-July 14

Weekly Giveaway for Kpopmap Subscribers: 6-months premium subscriptions for Spotify. 50 winners every week. You can be our next winner, so participate!

June 5-July 3

Giveaway: Get ROCKY's New Album Signed. (Event for all readers)

June 27-July 3

VISITKOREA has giveaway event for the amazing festival: “Have A Nice Trip 2024” (7/27~7/28). Participate and get free tickets.

June 14-July 4

K-Pop

📈 TWICE’s NaYeon Gains Another Accolade By Placing On The Billboard 200 Albums Chart

Dyllan 🐼TWICE’s NaYeon made her explosive return as a soloist through the album “NA”, with the title track ‘ABCD’. Her album entered the Billboard 200 albums chart, placing at no. 7. This made her the first K-Pop female soloist to have more than one album in the top 10 of the chart, earning praise from fans and critics alike. She’s certainly killing it as a soloist, both on local and international music charts.

💐 Kim JaeJoong’s “FLOWER GARDEN” Is In Full Bloom!

Ishani 🎀Legendary K-Pop artist Kim JaeJoong has made his comeback, and it is every bit as grand as you’d expect, if not more. “FLOWER GARDEN” is his 20th-anniversary album and his first full-length album to be released in South Korea in 2 years. Among the 14 songs on this album, one is a much-awaited collaboration with MAMAMOO’s MoonByul, which was promised on JaeJoong’s own YouTube talk show “JaeFriends”. The title track ‘Glorious Days’ is being showered with much love from fans all over the world. This record is a no-skip.

🎤 Where Did All The K-Pop Trainees Go?

Dyllan 🐼K-Pop has become a global phenomenal with an international reach that covers all corners of the globe. While this might be true, there have been reports of the number of K-Pop trainees decreasing. Experts believe that a change in career preferences, the slim likelihood to debut, and the appeal of becoming an influencer has greatly affected an individual's decision to become an idol. Due to these changes, companies have turned to international talents and auditions, while still making attempts to discover the next star within Korea.

🇵🇪 K-Pop No Longer Exclusive To Korea? Peruvian K-Pop Girl Group Has The Answer

Ishani 🎀This conversation finds new impetus every other day as the definition of K-Pop keeps evolving. K-Pop is more global than ever now, which is why it’s not surprising that an all-Peruvian girl group named BlingOne is making their entrance into the K-Pop scene. Earlier this year, the all-Japanese K-Pop girl group UNICODE also made their debut. As for BlingOne, the group was formed from the World K-Pop Center’s global audition “Click the Star”. They have just released the song ‘Kiss & Call’, which is sung in Korean and English.

🛍️ Support Your NCT DREAM Bias With The Release Of Their New Merch

Dyllan 🐼NCT DREAM are currently on their world tour, “2024 NCT DREAM WORLD TOUR ”, meeting fans from across the globe. They’ve shared behind the scenes content and a recap video, showing that they’ve been killing it, with NCTzens offering shouts of unrelenting support and joy. And good news keeps on coming, as the NCT subunit has released some special “DREAM( )SCAPE” merchandise for their beloved fans. These goods can be pre-ordered through certified retailers, which includes Kpopmap! So get yours today!

K-Dramas, Movies & Variety

👠 K-Plus CEO Who Discovered Byeon WooSeok Reveals Her Criteria

Ishani 🎀Ko EunYoung is the name behind stars like Cha SeungWon, Gang DongWon, Lee JongSuk, Nam JooHyuk, Jang KiYong, and Byeon WooSeok. She discovered them as models and prepared them for the world’s stage. Like the Midas touch, anyone she picked was sure to soar to success, but how did she pick them? For Ko EunYoung, innocent beauty and good character are absolute musts. Also, they should look good in school uniforms, regardless of their age. We will look forward to Ko EunYoung’s next pick!

🎥 Goodbye To Wednesdays - Breaking Tradition In The Korean Film Industry

Dyllan 🐼Did you know about the unspoken rule in the Korean film industry? Until recently, movies in Korean cinema were primarily set for Wednesday releases. However, this trend is starting to change to better fit marketing strategies and be in line with streaming platforms who primarily release content on Fridays. Some films who’ve broken this tradition include box-office hit “Exhuma”, as well as recently released “Taro” and “Hijacking”. Although there are some cons, filmmakers and production companies choose to take the risk and continue this trend of breaking tradition.

🇰🇷 🇯🇵 Korea-Japan Drama Collaborations Continue With Ok TaecYeon X Isomura Hayato

Ishani 🎀Chae JongHyeop joined Nikaido Fumi for “Eye Love You”, Lee SeYoung joined Sakaguchi Kentaro for "What Comes After Love", Han HyoJoo joined Shun Oguri for “Romantic Anonymous”, and now 2PM’s Ok TaecYeon is joining Isomura Hayato for “Soulmate”. Large-scale creative collaborations between Korea and Japan seem to be emerging as a new trend, and we’re all for it as we get to see the biggest stars of K-Drama and J-Drama join hands to bring us something fantastic. TaecYeon will also be appearing in the film “La Grande Maison Paris” with Kimura Takuya.

🏆 Gang DongWon And Yoo Teo Were Just Invited To Join AMPAS & It’s A Huge Deal

Ishani 🎀Have you ever wondered who decides which movies win at the Oscars? It’s the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The AMPAS organizes the annual Academy Awards, known as the Oscars, to recognize outstanding achievements in the film industry. The Academy's membership, which is composed of industry professionals, votes on the Oscar nominees and winners in various categories. Korean actors Gang DongWon and Yoo Teo, who impressed global audiences with works like “Broker” and “Past Lives”, respectively, have been invited to be members of the AMPAS. Actors Song KangHo, Park HaeIl, Choi WooShik, Park SoDam and Cho YeoJeong are already members of the Academy.

K-Beauty

💆🏻‍♀️ The Comfortable Korean Hairstyle Of The Summer For Long Hair Girls Is …

Laure 🌼The Korean Hippie Perm (히피 펌) is one of the popular hairstyles for this summer. Long hair in hot weather is difficult to style, but this hairstyle will solve the issue for many. Giving off free and cute vibes, a few stars have already been seen with this hairstyle, such as NewJeans's Danielle, Nana, and JiYeon. They look gorgeous with their beautiful curls. Are you also tempted to try this Korean perm?

💄 Discover The Flexible And Sticking LED Mask, A New Beauty Technology

YuJun 🍎Korea is the land of new beauty technology, and recently, Fronics has developed a new LED mask that you can stick close to the skin. This mask has 3,770 micro-LEDs that are slimmer than a strand of human hair, giving it flexibility and making it adhere closely to the skin. According to their CEO, the light from the LEDs needs to adhere well to the skin to improve absorption, which differentiates their product from other brands. They are the only company in the world with a mask that has more than 1,000 micro-LEDs.

K-Travel

👙 Work Suits Off And Swimsuits On - Caribbean Bay Is Opened Early!

Dyllan 🐼Caribbean Bay made the announcement that they will be fully opened by the end of the June - three weeks earlier than expected! Being Korea’s iconic water park, guests are excited to submerge themselves and escape from the scorching heat. This decision was made due to the excruciatingly hot temperatures and rise in attendance. By June 29, all attractions should be available to visitors looking to cool off and have some fun.

👢 Time To Buy Rain Boots As Rainy Season Starts

Laure 🌼Last week, we talked about sun umbrellas. This week, Koreans are getting ready for the upcoming rainy season by buying rain boots. It also rained a lot over the weekend in Seoul, making these purchases even more urgent. All designs are available, and many pop-up shops are open for the rush at the beginning of the season. It will only be a matter of days until we see celebs wearing their prettiest boots on Instagram.

🌻 After Spring Cherry Blossoms, It’s Summer Sunflower’s Time To Shine

YuJun 🍎If spring in Korea is all about the cherry blossoms, sunflowers are making summer their own. The newest hotspot for young people in Korea is the Minrak Seaside Park at Gwangalli Beach in Busan. It’s the perfect photo spot as it boasts a field of radiant sunflowers spanning 1,800 square meters. There, you’ll find 13,750 sunflowers, painting the landscape in bright colors. Of course, yellow sunflowers are a must, but you’ll also see red and white sunflowers! Korea sure knows how to celebrate their blooms. If you want to witness this sunflower field yourself, you could try planning your trip next month because that’s when the flowers will be in full bloom

🌃 Secrets Out On This Beautiful Getaway Spot To See The Seoul Nightscape

YuJun 🍎 In Korea, there are some hidden gems that only locals may know about. But with the enthusiasm to share all of Korea’s beauty to the rest of the world, VisitSeoul TV has released some info on a beautiful getaway spot, Dalmajibong Park, located near exit 1 of Oksu station. Here, you can experience the night time views of Dongho Bridge, Seongsu Bridge, and Lotte World Tower - all in one place. Having multiple levels, there is even a spot that’s frequently used as a filming spot for K-Dramas!

🏊 Upgraded Return For An Exciting 2024 Urban Water Park At Han River

Laure 🌼One of the best outings in Seoul is back this year, and it's upgraded! Seoul has now opened its Urban Water Park with outdoor pools and a water playground at the Han River on June 20. For kids, friends, and families, this is exciting news, offering a way to avoid the summer heat at an affordable price. Last year, the park attracted no less than 210,000 visitors. This year, they have made some upgrades, including real-time updates on water quality and the use of nature-friendly materials.

K-Food

🍞 Loving Bread? Make Its Healthy

Laure 🌼Koreans are consuming more bread. Data from Statistics Korea and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that per capita daily bread consumption rose by 6.6 percent, from 18.2 grams in 2012 to 19.4 grams in 2020. However, the trend has now upgraded. Koreans are asking for healthier bread options, such as meal bread, gluten-free varieties, less sweet options, those made with better quality ingredients, high-protein bread, and those containing grains and seeds for added nutrition, as well as bread made from rice flour. These healthier options are becoming more popular, and bakeries are creating more of them to meet the demand.

🥭 Amangchu? Welcome Mango Cubes In Ice Tea

Laure 🌼Ediya Coffee has revealed their new menu of summer drinks, which is garnering attention not for its use of mango, which is common, but for incorporating mango into iced tea. They are offering peach iced tea topped with real mango cubes, enhancing the drink's sweetness. This beverage is named Amangchu (아망추) and will be available starting June 28th. Are you curious to try it?

K-Society

⛔ A Battle Of Generations - Welcome To The “No-20s Zone”

YuJun 🍎The age Koreans become an adult is 20, a joyous age that should open the doors to bars, clubs, and other forms of nightlife. However, one bar near Hongik University has become a “No-20s Zone” at both of its branches. Even cafes have started to impose this rule due to students only purchasing one cup of coffee and staying for up to 9 hours to study. This has become a generational conflict, not only for those in their 20s, but all ages as “No __ Zone” store policies have popped up across the nation, with businesses banning everyone from children to those in their 40s and 50s. Professionals hope this problem of exclusion and segregation based on age can be reevaluated and see an end.

☕ Koreans Love Coffee But They Want It Cheap

YuJun 🍎With rising prices, Koreans are seeking ways to economize on their expenses. They refuse to give up on their beloved take-out coffees and drinks, but they are becoming more selective about where they spend their money. The popularity of low-cost coffee franchises is skyrocketing, offering drinks like a 2,000 KRW americano (approximately $1.48 USD). For instance, Mega Coffee saw a 110.7% increase in sales in 2023 compared to 2022.

Fan Spotlight Of the Week

ENHYPEN Are Vampires Taking All Risk For A Special Girl In New Video

Kiaya 😇, ENGENE from CanadaENHYPEN has released a 12-minute-long video titled "UNTOLD Concept Cinema" that looks just like a movie! The cinematography, story, and acting are all amazing, so make sure to check it out. In this captivating video, the members portray vampires on a mission to fetch Chloe (representing ENGENEs, or ENHYPEN fans) while being hunted by the entire world. Don't miss out on this thrilling experience!

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