Not quite objects, not just rituals—Icons are the cultural shorthand of Korean life. From convenience store staples to ceremonial details, they reveal what lingers in memory.
It’s not every day you stumble across a naturally carbonated spring. In France, there’s Badoit. In Italy, San Pellegrino. These are more than just mineral waters — they’re bottled expressions of terroir, tradition, and time. And in Korea, there’s Chojeong. Tucked away in the countryside of Cheongju, Chojeong is home to a spring that has…
Korean Everyday Icons #3 Open any drawer in Korea and you’ll probably find one. You don’t remember when you picked it up. Maybe it signed a lease. Or filled out a delivery form. Or added a name to a list. The pen isn’t special. But it’s always there. Its name is Monami 153. Though most…
Before idols ruled the charts, Korean music hit its creative peak. Today, K-pop commands a global fanbase, captivating audiences across continents with synchronized performances and high-concept storytelling. But nearly 30 years ago, back in 1995, Korean pop music marked a very different kind of peak — a golden age that captured the spirit of a…
In 2000, one song would forever alter the course of Korean pop music. At the time, J.Y. Park was an emerging producer, fresh off the success of g.o.d, a group he had carefully crafted into a national sensation. With their emotional storytelling and melodic hooks, he had begun to define his signature style. But producing…
Korean Everyday Icons #1 Binggrae’s Banana Flavored Milk has been a staple in Korean households for over 50 years, first introduced in June 1974 to encourage milk consumption at a time when dairy was unfamiliar to many Koreans. Bananas were an import-restricted luxury, making the banana-flavored milk an instant hit, offering both a new taste…
When I think about the most authentic Korean streetscape, it’s not the sleek landmarks designed by world-renowned architects, nor the hanoks, which, while cherished, are few in number. It’s the villas—the low-rise, multi-family buildings that have shaped Seoul’s residential fabric since the 1970s. Unlike high-rise apartment complexes, which feel closed off from the streets, villas…
From Steel Frames to Skyward Dreams: A Legacy Forged in Modernity I studied architecture in university. My four years spent in Rome, Italy, preceding college, probably had the biggest influence on this choice. When I was studying in Illinois, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier were described as masters of modern architecture for the US…