3rd week of January

🇰🇷 X Marks The Gimbap - A Gimbap Treasure Map Right At Your Fingertips 🗺

Newsletter By Kpopmap

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Welcome to your one-stop destination for all K-Trends, Weekly Trends Newsletter by Kpopmap🌟

Dyllan 🐼 It seems like yesterday when we were just preparing to welcome 2025, and now, we’re already halfway through January. Everyone is still bundled up in order to combat the cold, but still manage to make their way to various festivals across the country. As it is the peak season for ice festivals, citizens across the country are enjoying bits of ice-fishing, skating across frozen waters, and creating an abundance of warm memories with family and loved ones. While political news continues to make headlines, people are trying their best to live their best life and continue making this year the best one yet.

Outside might feel freezing cold, but some of the latest trends can warm anyone up in a second. This includes everything from K-Pop reunions to delicious desserts. And although the trends in Korea move fast, we’re here to help and keep you up-to-date. Check out the rest of the newsletter to see what is new and trending around Korea.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Picture by Kpopmap at Eobi Ice Valley

📍 Kpopmap Newsletter brings you the news worth paying attention to in the whole K-World selected by Kpopmap’s editors. Get to know all the trends from last week that you don’t want to miss directly from Korea (Seoul, Jeju, and everywhere we travel to).

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K-Pop

✨ SM Entertainment Unveils Hearts2Hearts: First New Girl Group In 5 Years

J 🍿 SM Entertainment has announced the debut of its highly anticipated new girl group, Hearts2Hearts, marking the agency's first girl group launch since aespa in 2020. The eight-member group is set to debut on February 24, 2025, aiming to captivate global fans with a unique blend of music, performance, and visuals. The announcement was made during the SMTown Live 2025 concert, celebrating SM's 30th anniversary. Hearts2Hearts promises to deliver heartfelt messages and a mysterious musical journey that unites fans worldwide.

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💿 GFRIEND Are Officially Back With A New Album And Nostalgic Vibes

Dyllan 🐼Many people in the K-Pop community felt that GFRIEND’s contract conclusion happened much too soon. But to the joy of fans everywhere, they are finally back. GFRIEND have reinforced their position as a beloved girl group, along with the lasting impact they’ve had since debut. And as they clarified that they didn’t disband, but simply their group contract ended, many fans are hopeful that the girl group could do more activities together in the future.

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🧶 Simple Hobby Turned Merch Line - Welcome To Kkurochet

Dyllan 🐼Have you ever made something and thought “I could make merch with this”. Well, LE SSERAFIM’s Sakura has proven that you can turn your interest into a full-fledged merch line. Fans know how much Sakura loves to crochet and make things for her members. Now, in a surprising turn of events, the idol was given the opportunity to make her hobby into merchandise. She participated in everything from the design process to how the goods are made. Named Kkurochet, Sakura’s special crochet products are now available to purchase.

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K-Drama & K-Movie & K-Variety

🦑 From On-Screen To Reality - Get Ready For The Immersive “Squid Game” Experience

Dyllan 🐼Have you ever been curious how you would do if “Squid Game” was real? Well, wonder no more because Netflix is bringing the world-renowned series to life in Seongsu, Seoul. It will be an immersive experience that will offer a variety of different games, themed food and drinks, photo zones, and exclusive merchandise. “Squid Game: The Experience” made its debut in New York and was sold out for eight consecutive weeks. The Seoul iteration is expected to have similar results, so you’ll want to book your tickets the moment it’s made available!

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📖 Webtoon Platforms Joins Hands With Production Companies And Enter The K-Drama Space

YuJun 🍎In recent years, there’s been a surge of successful K-Dramas based off of webtoons or web novels. This upcoming year, the industry will continue to capitalize on the popularity and strong fanbase these webtoons and web novels bring. And now, it seems webtoon platforms are planning to work together with production companies to bring these dramas to life. Representatives have stated that since they have the best understanding of the series on their platform, they are able to effectively translate them into other content. So it seems webtoon and web novel-based K-Dramas have a bright future ahead

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Picture by Kpopmap at Nami Island

K-Fashion

⚾ It’s Time To Get Fashionable And Sporty With Your Favorite Sports Team

YuJun 🍎A new year warrants a new wardrobe, and as if the fashion industry knew this, a new trend is popping up among brands - sports team partnerships. Various clothing companies are currently teaming up with professional sports teams to produce all types of merchandise. As more young people begin to attend games in person, the popularity of team goods and related merchandise has been on the rise as a result. Now, even fashion platform Musinsa offers authentic uniforms typically worn by players.

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K-Food

🍰 A Dessert Also Popular In China Is Trending In Korea

Laure 🌼Known as the towel-shaped cake in Korea or máo jīn juǎn in China, this crepe filled with cream and fruits has become quite popular. It’s sold in convenience stores as well as at popular bakeries that put their own twist on the classic. Since it’s strawberry season, you can now find these cakes filled with fresh strawberries.

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🧄 An Never-Enough & Never-Ending Love For Koreans

Laure 🌼If you’re accustomed to eating Korean food, you’ll know just how much garlic is loved—often in generous portions. It’s present in nearly every dish, also raw in banchan (side dishes) at barbecue places, or mixed into condiments like gochujang or doenjang. The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture estimates that the average Korean consumed between 6 to 7 kilograms of garlic annually during the 2010s and 2020s.

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🗺️ X Marks The Gimbap - A Gimbap Treasure Map Right At Your Fingertips

Dyllan 🐼When visiting Korea, one thing that’s practically on everyone’s to-eat list is most likely gimbap. And sometimes having it once is not enough. This is where Gimbap Zip comes in. The gimbap curator has developed a “National Gimbap Map Keyring” that’s NFC-enabled, offering you an entire map of gimbap restaurants with one tap of your phone. Additionally, if you show this keyring to one of the restaurants on the map, you'll also receive a discount.

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Picture by Kpopmap at Nami Island

K-Travel

🧊 The Winter Festival With Over 1 Million Visitors Just Opened

Laure 🌼The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival has just begun in Gangwon Province! Families and winter enthusiasts will be flocking to the festival, which runs from January 11 to February 2. Like other ice festivals of the season, visitors can enjoy ice fishing to catch cherry salmon and even eat it raw on-site. You can also try sledding, bobsledding, and ice soccer for a fun-filled winter adventure.

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❄️ Unforgettable Winter Adventure: Trekking On The Iced River

YuJun 🍎 From January 11 to 19, you can trek 8 km along the frozen Hantan River and take in the stunning UNESCO Global Geopark during Korea's icy winter season. Experience the unique frozen landscapes at the one-of-a-kind Cheorwon Hantangang Trekking on the River Festival.

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🏂 Winter Fun Awaits In Gangwon! Top 4 Winter Festivals To Explore In 2025

A$ap15 💸Gangwon Province, known for its snowy winters, hosts a variety of vibrant winter festivals. With breathtaking natural landscapes and thrilling winter activities, these festivals are perfect for creating unforgettable memories during the colder months. While January in Korea may be the coldest month, it’s also the most exciting time to explore the region’s unique festivities. Embrace the chill and let the fun begin!

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Picture by Kpopmap at Eobi Ice Valley

K-Society

📖 More Korean Words Are Entering The Oxford English Dictionary

Laure 🌼Korean culture continues to gain global recognition, with the Oxford English Dictionary recently adding seven new words: "noraebang," "maknae," "jjigae," "tteokbokki," "pansori," "hyung," and "dalgona." We can look forward to even more Korean words being added in the future.

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💼 Young Part-Timers Wants To Work Here These Days

YuJun 🍎While convenience stores remain the number one choice for young part-timers, the era of coffee shop jobs seems to have ended. This generation prefers working at pop-up event stores or trendy establishments like yogurt ice cream shops. Searches for "event staff" increased by 99.2% in 2024.

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K-Webtoon

🌊 K-Animation To Make Waves In 2025

Joseph 🐶Korean animation is about to make a significant impact in 2025, with several highly anticipated films targeting a wider audience beyond children. Upcoming highly anticipated Korean animated films include "Bad Girls: Run Hani", "Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning", and others. "Bad Girls: Run Hani": A high school sports drama airing 35 years after its first broadcast. "Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning": A 3D animated film modernized from the novel "Toemarok".

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Intern Diaries From SK

Theresa 👻Last week I had the chance to explore two amazing markets: Dongmyo Flea Market and Mangwon Market. Each offered a unique experience that made my day unforgettable! Starting at Dongmyo Flea Market, I felt like I’d stepped into a treasure hunter’s paradise. The alleys were bustling with vendors selling everything from vintage clothing to quirky trinkets. I spent hours rummaging through racks of retro jackets and discovering old-school cameras and records. Later, I headed to Mangwon Market, which had a completely different but equally vibrant atmosphere. The tantalizing smell of street food greeted me as soon as I entered. I couldn’t resist trying the freshly made hotteok (sweet pancakes) and some spicy tteokbokki from a bustling food stall. The stalls offered everything from fresh produce to handmade crafts, and the friendly buzz made it a joy to wander through. If you’re ever in Seoul, I can’t recommend these two markets enough. Each is a window into the city’s soul – from its history and culture to its delicious street food and vibrant community. Wear comfy shoes, carry some cash, and enjoy the adventure!

Q&A Corner

❔ Question: Is the K-Drama “When The Stars Gossip” budget really this high?:

💬It is indeed one of the most expensive K-Dramas in history, with an estimated production budget of 50 billion KRW. For comparison, "Alchemy of Souls" had an estimated budget of 40 billion KRW. The top two most expensive dramas are “Moving,” with a budget of 60 billion KRW, and "Arthdal Chronicles," with 54 billion KRW.

❔ Question: Where is this season’s ‘Paradise’ located for “Single’s Inferno 4”?

💬Now in its fourth season, “Single’s Inferno” has had to mix things up to keep things interesting for viewers. One of these changes comes in the form of ‘Paradise’ where contestants are able to rendezvous together to spend a night in luxury. For season four, ‘Paradise’ is located at the Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul. It gives off a different vibe from the previous seasons and offers a nice change of scenery, as this version of ‘Paradise’ also has a gorgeous view of Namsan Tower in the distance.

QUIZ OF THE WEEK 💗

QUIZ: Which Male K-Pop Idol Will You Spend Seollal With This Year?

Find out which idol will you be with during Seollal.

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