K-Pop |
🌊 Who's Going To Ride “D's WAVE” With BIGBANG's DaeSung?
Sharmaine 🌸Mark your calendars—DaeSung is riding his way back to the spotlight with his first mini-album, “D's WAVE”, dropping on April 8! It's been a while since Falling Slowly was released back in 2024, and he's already whetting fans' appetites with a frosty promo photo that teases us about what to expect with the theme of the album. But Daesung isn't just dominating the stage—he's conquering YouTube too! His channel (@ZIP_DS) has passed 1.13 million subscribers within a year and won him Male Celebrity YouTuber at the 2025 Korea First Brand Awards.
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🚀 Billboard Korea Time-Travels To The ’80s With NJZ
Sharmaine 🌸What if Billboard Korea took over the '80s and the cover models were MinJi, Hanni, Danielle, HaeRin, and HyeIn? Check out the Billboard Korea 'I FEEL COKE' special issue, where the past collides with future icons in an amazing collaboration with the legendary Coca-Cola! Sneak a peek at hidden fun facts sprinkled on the cover—for each title has something to tell you!
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K-Drama & K-Movie & K-Variety |
🧶 Popcorn, Movies… and Knitting? CGV Theaters’ Cozy New Twist!
Mansata 🧚With streaming giants like Netflix and Disney+ at our fingertips, movie nights at home have become the norm. To bring back the magic of the big screen, CGV theaters are introducing a cozy new experience: Knitting while watching movies! Knitting may be a solo hobby, but not anymore! On the last Thursday of every month, grab your needles, enjoy a great film, and stitch alongside fellow movie lovers. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, it's the perfect way to unwind, connect, and create. One stitch at a time!
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🪼 Jellyfish, When You Need To Cry An Ocean
Mansata 🧚Love live theater and raw emotion? Don't miss “Jellyfish”! This touching play follows a 27-year-old woman with Down syndrome as she steps into the world of romance. Starring Baek JiYoon, an actress with Down syndrome herself, the performance is as authentic as it is moving. An ode to love, motherhood, and acceptance, “Jellyfish” will leave you breathless. As the cast beautifully puts it, "It’s a story of growth", but not just for the characters, for all of us.
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📺 “Buried Hearts” Continues To Rise With Park HyungSik Leading The Charge
Dyllan 🐼The current K-Drama lineup is filled with must-watch hits, but one series that has been taking over Korea is “Buried Hearts”. Its most recent episode garnered 12.3% viewership rating, making it one of the SBS dramas with the highest rating since 2020. And one of the central figures of the drama is Park HyungSik. During this time, many have praised him for his superb acting skills and the way he portrays the character Seo DongJu. The story is far from over, but fans are excitedly glued to their seats, waiting for the series’ next episode.
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Picture by Kpopmap at temple Myogaksa
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K-Fashion |
👗 Spring Is For Midi Skirts!
Dyllan 🐼After such a cold winter, everyone is gearing up to welcome spring in the hottest fits. One item that’s been seeing a surge in popularity is the midi skirt. Considered a staple in any wardrobe, it provides a trendy yet feminine aura to the wearer. Most recently, top star IVE’s Jang WonYoung sported a midi skirt for her airport look, further adding to its popularity.
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K-Travel |
🏞️ Get The Best Of Seoul With These New Scenic Observatories
Laure 🌼 Seven new locations offering breathtaking views of the city will be completed this year, with a total of 12 set to be finished by 2026. The Seoul city government announced that these observatories will blend seamlessly with nature, providing scenic viewpoints across the city's mountains. Would you be excited to visit the Namsan Sunset Observatory?
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🖼️ Art You Ready? Korea's Oldest Gallerie Art Fair Is Back!
Mansata 🧚Ready to dive into the art world? Prepare to be dazzled by the return of The Galleries Art Fair, Korea’s oldest and biggest art fair, coming back on April 16th. First unveiled in 1979, this legendary event will feature a fresh crop of artists handpicked by both experts and associations. If you haven’t seen Korean art yet, now’s the time! No art degree required, just show up, enjoy, and maybe even leave with a masterpiece or two.
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🐈 Bring A Furry Companion On Your Next Korea Getaway
Dyllan 🐼 Enjoy your next trip to Korea with a furry friend! As the country continues to expand its pet-friendly infrastructure, more travelers are starting to bring their beloved pets. Everywhere from the airport to hotels and cafes have started to offer pet-friendly services that have made traveling with a pet easy and stress-free. It’s even possible to wear matching hanboks together with your fur friend. With all these options available, you can bring your pet on your next Seoul searching adventure.
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🌼 Everland’s Carnival Is Blooming With Sanrio’s Cuteness
Sharmaine 🌸Everland's hit spring flower festival is back again, and it's bigger, brighter, and even cuter than before. The "Flower Carnival" will run until June 15 with an expanded tie-up with Sanrio. Nine Sanrio characters will make the festival colorful. Everland’s Four Seasons Garden will feature 1.2 million flowers and 11 Sanrio-themed zones. Some of the festival highlights include a 7-meter-tall Cinnamoroll-themed snack shop, a Hangyodon-themed game center, and a rotating Keroppi wish fountain. In celebration of fortuneteller Kuromi’s 20th birthday, there will be a special tarot card reading zone using Kuromi-themed tarot cards. The festival is going to be a magical mix of floral beauty and Sanrio fun!
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Picture by Kpopmap at Dongdaemun
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K-Food |
🍯 Your Favorite Idol’s New Yogurt Ice Cream Menu Is Here!
Laure 🌼You probably know about the famous Yoajung for its Yogurt Ice Cream, but have you heard of Yogurt Purple? Starting March 17, this other Yogurt ice cream franchise is launching new flavors in collaboration with the Yakgwa brand Janginhangwa. You can enjoy two types of Yogurt Ice Cream featuring these Korean honey cookies, one of which even includes Dubai Chocolate. Who knows, this might just become your favorite idol’s go-to flavor.
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🌸 Time To Enjoy The Sweet Cherry Blossoms Menu, Korean Style
Laure 🌼Starting March 13, for one month, the Korean dessert brand Sulbing is offering a special cherry blossom-themed sulbing. Not only does it look beautiful with its white and pink hues, but it also sounds absolutely delicious. Just be careful—this menu is only available at the Seokchon Lake East and Gyeongbokgung Station stores, which are perfect spots to enjoy cherry blossoms!
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🥛 Yes, The Greek Yogurt Craze Is Still Going Strong, Here’s The Proof
YuJun 🍎If you’ve been following the trends in the Kpopmap newsletter, you probably remember that Greek yogurt has been a hit in Korea lately. Well, it seems Korean customers are craving even more! Gong Cha is offering a new menu featuring creamy Greek yogurt: Greek Yogurt & Grapefruit Milk Tea Crush, Greek Yogurt & Strawberry Milk Tea Crush, and Greek Yogurt & Milk Tea Crush. Fun fact: They had this menu 3 years ago but decided to bring it back this spring!
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K-Society |
❄️ Mountains Covered In Thick Snow With 30-40cm Of Snowfall
🌼 LaureSpring has arrived, bringing afternoon temperatures of 16-18°C in Seoul. However, the country has yet to fully embrace the season and its blooming flowers. Last weekend, heavy snowfall was recorded, with 30-40 cm accumulating in Gangwon. The snowstorm blanketed the ground and mountains in white.
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☕ Decaf Coffee Is Brewing Up Big In Korea
Sharmaine 🌸It is not always possible to balance pleasure and well-being, but the trend of “healthy pleasure” is making it possible for all—particularly coffee lovers. With growing demand to be able to enjoy the daily cup without the jitters, decaf coffee is gaining growing popularity. Decaf coffee bean importation grew 7.7% last year, reports the Korea Customs Service, and Ediya Coffee saw 40% growth in sales last February. With growing demand coming from health-conscious consumers, night owls, and new mothers, decaf is going places in Korea's coffee scene!
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⚽ K League Fever? Cheer, Chicken, & Beer!
Mansata 🧚Visiting Korea? Don’t miss the thrill of a K League match! From passionate chants to a stadium filled with vibrant team colors, the energy is contagious. Enjoy the iconic combo of fried chicken and beer while cheering alongside die-hard supporters. Alone or with friends, you’ll never feel out of place, the crowd's enthusiasm will sweep you up. Wear your team’s colors, scream your heart out, and make every moment count. As Daegu FC says: “Live the goal!”
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📝 Find Peace With Pen, Paper, And Your Favorite Book
Dyllan 🐼A few months ago, you might have heard the term “text hip”, a trend that deemed reading as trendy and cool. Now, a new trend is brewing: “writing hip”. Fueled by the success of text hip, as well as author Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win, writing has become a rising hobby among many people in this digital age. They find the act of writing down passages from a book, simply known as “pilsa”, to have a meditative effect, providing a sense of calm and peace. People have also found writing to aid in a digital detox and to help develop their intellectual abilities, among many other upsides.
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Intern Diaries From SK |
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Theresa 👻Last weekend, the weather was perfect—20 degrees and feeling like spring. I took full advantage of it with a moonlit hike up Inwang Mountain, enjoying the city views under the night sky. The air was crisp but not too cold, making it the perfect evening escape. The next day, I had a picnic by the Han River, soaking up the warm sun and fresh air with good food and a slow, relaxed afternoon by the water. But just when it felt like spring had arrived, Monday came with a surprise—snow. Going from T-shirts to winter coats overnight was a shock, but that’s Seoul’s spring for you. Hopefully, the warmer days stick around soon!
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Picture by Kpopmap at Dongdaemun
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Q&A Corner |
❔ Question: Do you know why the K-Drama “When Life Gives You Tangerines” had production costs of around ₩60 billion?
💬Are you also a fan of the hit Netflix drama “When Life Gives You Tangerines”, starring IU and Park BoGum? Since its release, it has been trending widely. Did you know its production costs are estimated at ₩60 billion (around $41 million USD), making it one of the most expensive K-Dramas in history?
Only “Moving” had a similar budget, while “Arthdal Chronicles” followed with ₩54 billion, and “When the Stars Gossip” with ₩50 billion. But why was “When Life Gives You Tangerines” so expensive?
Beyond casting top Hallyu actors, the production team built an entire village set for Dodong-ri, which appears as a small fishing village in Jeju but was actually filmed in Andong. The team constructed about 80 buildings, including traditional thatched houses, basalt stone walls, a port, and four fishing boats, with large-scale CGI used for additional effects. However, due to high maintenance costs, the set has since been demolished.
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❔ Question: Where can you go if you’re a fan of customization and crafting?
💬All across Korea, the customization trend is starting to take over, which means good news for crafters everywhere! Amidst this trend, various stores are being highlighted for their services.
SangSang Madang’s Design Square offers various products from accessories to craft supplies and stationery items. For those that love to journal and own a personal diary, Rihoon Mansion is an excellent option and is located in Yeonnam-dong. In Seongsu, crafting enthusiasts will find Tag, a store where its customers can make their very own keychains and keyrings. With locations in Yeonhui and Seogyo, Object Sangga is the perfect place for decorative patches that people can put on anything from tote bags to handy pouches.
As this trend continues, there will certainly be more shops to help with anyone’s crafting and customization needs.
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❔ Question: Why Are More Southeast Asians Debuting As K-Pop Idols?
💬Spring is just on the horizon, with its official start date being March 20th. And with spring comes cherry blossom season, one of the busiest yet most beautiful times for a traveler to visit Korea.
Korea used to gaze at China and Japan in the 2010s, seeking new faces. Today? It's Southeast Asia's time in the limelight. The K-Pop industry, previously dominated by Thai idols, is now spreading like fire across the country, with agencies eyeing Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Why? Southeast Asia has a large number of social media users.
When something went viral on TikTok in a Southeast Asian nation, it spread all over the region. And the 630 million people living in the region are active social media users, which made them surpass the global average in social media engagement with K-Pop.
Just for example, the Korean indie band called Wave to Earth, which is not that popular in Korea, became viral in Thailand, and now they are on a world tour. These are very important data that Korean entertainment companies are aware of and taking into consideration. Because of the power of the number of supporters on social media, more Southeast Asian idols may debut in the future.
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QUIZ OF THE WEEK 💗 |
QUIZ: Which Male K-Pop Maknae Will You Play Video Games With?
We tell you which K-Pop Maknae will play video games with you. Take the quiz
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