Category: Seoul

That is a question the Korea Times was asking people recently in Itaewon:

Nearly two years have passed since a deadly crowd disaster during Halloween weekend shocked the world on Oct. 29, 2022. That traumatic event led to 159 deaths and left permanent scars in central Seoul’s multicultural Itaewon area. As Halloween 2024 approaches, many are questioning whether the neighborhood will see a return to what was once one of the most vibrant and profitable weekends for local businesses.

Yet business owners and event organizers in the area said they are not yet prepared to resume Halloween celebrations as they did in the past.

“I think Halloween is naturally going to be slightly toned down for a while, particularly in Itaewon,” Ali Zahoor, co-organizer of Seoul Drag Parade, said.

“Seoul Drag Parade has a couple of Halloween-themed shows planned,” Heezy Yang, another co-organizer, added. “But we tried to choose dates and locations for them cautiously and respectfully, considering what happened in Itaewon.” (…………..)

“It hasn’t been discussed yet because we’re still a while away,” he added, “but I imagine everybody is sort of waiting to see what everyone else does, and talk to the other bar owners — ‘What are you planning on doing?'”

Last year, there was a widespread fear among foreign residents of Korea, as well as Itaewon business owners and anyone else who enjoys Halloween, about being singled out and made out to seem insensitive over Halloween.

Once again, Walsh acknowledged this fear is still a concern this year.

“Nobody wants to be in the media at the club,” he said. “We know that the wounds are still sore with the families, and I’m sure the media are gonna be looking for somebody that’s sticking out. And as a foreigner, I don’t want to be sticking out. Even the Koreans don’t want to stick out either.”

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

I don’t think a wild boar wandering onto the grounds of Changdeok Palace should be considered a “rampage” as described in this article:

A view of Changdeok Palace in Jongno District, central Seoul [JOONGANG PHOTO]

A wild boar went on a rampage at tourist destination Changdeok Palace, a Unesco World Heritage site, and was later killed on Tuesday. 
  
The Changdeok Palace Management Office killed a wild boar around Seonwonjeon Hall in the rear garden of the palace grounds at around 1 p.m. Tuesday, working together with a wild boar capture team, according to the National Heritage Service. 
  
The wild boar was estimated to be about 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) long and weighed 90 kilograms (198 pounds). 
  
The animal was first discovered through CCTV footage on Sunday by the Changdeok Palace Management Office, and the case was reported to emergency authorities who conducted a search. Jongno District officials and hunters tracked the wild boar’s movements, but were initially unable to find the animal.  
  
A backyard tour of the palace scheduled from 10 a.m. that day was halted, and search operations continued on Monday, a regular day off for the palace. 
  
The management office and capture team members ran another operation at 11 a.m. Tuesday using hunting dogs, finding and killing the wild boar about two hours later.

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link, but I have hiked all over Korea and have never seen a wild boar and here one shows up in the middle of Seoul.

Considering all the people that ride the Seoul subway system it still loses money and is now relying on selling station naming rights in order to make money:

Seoul Metro, the operator of Subway Line Nos. 1 through 9 within the capital, announced Aug. 12 that it had sold the co-naming rights for several subway stations, including Seongsu Station, Gangnam Station, Yeouinaru Station and Sangbong Station, through a bidding process held from July 25 to Aug. 6.

Co-naming rights to Seongsu Station and Gangnam Station were acquired by CJ Olive Young, a health and beauty retailer under CJ Group, and Haru Plant Dental Clinic for 1 billion won ($740,000) and 1.11 billion won, respectively. The co-naming rights to Yeouinaru Station sold for 222 million won, while the price for Sangbong Station was not disclosed due to confidentiality issues.

The prices for Seongsu and Gangnam stations, in particular, set new records, surpassing the previous high of 870 million won for Euljiro 3(sam)-ga Station, purchased by Shinhan Card in 2022.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

It didn’t take long for the Seoul government to backtrack from this idea:

A rendered image of the proposed National Monument Space in Gwanghwamun Square, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government (The Seoul Metropolitan Government)

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will reconsider its plan to erect a 100-meter-tall flagpole with a giant Taegeukgi, or South Korea’s national flag, in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Mayor Oh Se-hoon said during a press briefing held at the city hall on Thursday.

The mayor said he would take public opinions before pushing ahead with the plan to create the National Monument Space featuring the large flagpole, initially announced on June 25 on the 74th anniversary of the 1950-53 Korean War.

“We will gather extensive feedback with an open mind to ensure that the National Monument Space reflects the collective will of the people and stands as a significant landmark in Gwanghwamun Square,” Oh said.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

The few times I have gotten off the subway at Jamsil Station makes me believe this finding is accurate; it is a very busy subway station:

Jamsil Station on Seoul’s Subway Line No. 2 has replaced Gangnam Station of the same line as the capital’s busiest station, with over 150,000 passengers using the station per day, Seoul Metro said Thursday.

Jamsil Station in southeastern Seoul served a daily average of 155,229 passengers in the first four months of this year, compared with Gangnam Station with a daily average of 151,607 passengers, according to Seoul Metro’s analysis of traffic at all stations on Lines 1-9.

Gangnam Station in southern Seoul had long ranked as the capital’s busiest station.

Gangnam and Jamsil are traditionally crowded because the subway is faster and more convenient there than cars due to severe traffic congestion.

Other busy stations with a daily average of over 100,000 passengers include Hongik University Station on Line No. 2 (147,356), Guro Digital Complex Station on Line No. 2 (106,564), Seoul Station on Line No. 1 (105,265), Sillim Station on Line No. 2 (103,582) and Samseong Station on Line No. 2 (101,475), the operator said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Receiving a $7 a month apartment in Seoul is definitely like winning the lottery even if it is tiny:

The studio apartment Choi Soul recently scored might have the cheapest monthly rent in Seoul: 10,000 won, or about $7.

“After I got the text message informing me I got it, I stared at it over and over again for a week straight,” said the 24-year-old college student. “I felt like I could finally start saving for my future.”

The brand-new unit is compact — 226 square feet — but comes furnished with an air conditioner, induction cooktop, refrigerator, laundry machine and plenty of cabinet space.

Choi, who moved in last week, only had to order herself a bed.

Part of a new public housing complex in Seoul’s Dongjak district called Yangnyeong Youth House, the heavily subsidized studio was built for people like her: young South Koreans struggling to find a place to live.

Home to 10 million people, Seoul has one of the most expensive housing markets in the world. The median price of an apartment has doubled in the last 10 years to around $685,000.

LA Times

You can read more at the link, but I wonder if building small studio apartments like this for young people in the U.S. would help the housing issue there? I suspect young people would probably complain about the size. It seems like everyone expects to have a big house and fancy car right out of college now adays.