Monthly Archives: July 2025

K-Ramen for the Soul: Seoul’s Cozy Pop-Ups Fighting Loneliness

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Seoul has launched “정신 편의점” (mind convenience stores)—pop‑up spaces where people can relax, sip instant noodles, enjoy a foot spa, and find on‑site 상담 (counseling).

Pop-up spaces with TLC

With nearly 40 % of households now single‐person, these soothing pop-up refuges (mind convenience stores) help to ease 외로움 (loneliness) in a stigma‑free, welcoming environment.

In districts like Dongdaemun, locals frequent them to unwind between work or errands. Through massage chairs and supportive peer listeners, these stores offer a cozy corner for mental health care—combining convenience (편의) with compassion (공감). A creative, caring addition to Seoul’s vibrant urban life.

Facts:

“In Seoul, home to nearly 10 million people, single-person households have surged from 16% to nearly 40% of all homes in just over two decades.” Here’s a link to the study.

Vocabulary

정신 편의점 (mind convenience store) jeongsin pyeonui-jeom

상담 (counseling) sangdam

외로움 (loneliness) ui-loum

편의 (convenience) pyeonui

공감 (empathy/compassion) gonggam

Related Articles

-Bored alone and nothing to do

-Person who eats alone

-To be emotional

–Always single-person

–Divorced and single

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Where to chill with bingsoo in Seoul

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Looking to cool down in Seoul this summer? Try bingsoo (빙수, bing‑soo) — Korea’s ultimate shaved ice dessert! From the old-school pat‑bingsu (팥빙수, pat‑bing‑soo) at Taegeukdang (태극당) to towering matcha (말차) and mango (망고) “ice mountains” at trendy cafes and hotels, the Korea Times highlights where to go for both jeontongjeok (전통적, traditional) and hyeondaijeok (현대적, modern) flavors.

shaved ice desserts in Seoul

Don’t miss injeolmi (인절미) toppings or sweet red beans. Seoul’s bingsu game is strong — one bowl might not be enough!

Similar posts:

–Bingsoo shaved ice dessert

–Bingsoo still in-season

-Bingsoo gets an update at Seoul hotels

–Heat wave

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Teto vs. Egen: Korea’s Viral Love Language

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Since 2024, young Koreans have been embracing a viral “Teto‑Egen” (테토·에겐) personality test, comparing behaviors to testosterone (테스토스테론 teseu-toseu‑teu‑ron) and estrogen (에스트로겐 eseu‑teuro‑gen). The quiz classifies you into one of four types—teto man/woman or egen man/woman—based on traits like dominance, sensitivity, or expressiveness  .

Teto Test- Teto or Egen?

For example, a “teto woman” is bold and outgoing, while an “egen man” is gentle and appearance-conscious  . Results also give romantic‑compatibility insights: emotionally‑sensitive egen men often pair well with charismatic teto women, and strong‑willed teto men with caring egen women. A video on the subject. And more on the characteristics of each here. Types (타입스) — a widely-used personality test site in Korea, also featuring the Teto/Egen quiz.

On dating in Korea

Personality tests (MBTI, blood‑type, or Teto‑Egen) are common conversation starters on blind dates. Koreans often use them to assess compatibility—looking for traits that complement one’s own. Many couples bond over matching test types or opposite types. It’s a lighthearted way to break the ice and build rapport before dating more seriously.

Vocabulary:

–Dating

-Period of boredom in a relationship part one and part two

-Predict marital harmony part one and part two

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Fish-shaped pastries with ice cream

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SomiSomi is a Korean-American desert chain with 30 locations in the U.S. Founded in LA in 2016, the Korea chain specializes in a version of Japanese tayaki (fish-shaped deserts) that’s stuffed with soft serve ice cream and covered with a choice of toppings. Called bungeo‑ppang (붕어빵) in Korea, SomiSomi’s version is known as “ah‑boong” (아붕), a take on the dessert.

fish-shaped pastry
Milk&Peach ice cream and pastry stuffed with sweetened sesame. Ice cream covered in coconut flakes and crushed Oreo
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Korea Is the Next Hotspot for Global Investors

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South Korea’s stock market is slowly becoming the top pick in emerging markets (신흥시장, sinheung sijang) for the next decade.

Thanks to cutting-edge 기술 (gisul) technology stocks tied to the AI boom and a strong push for 기업 개혁 (gieop gaehyeok) corporate reforms, investors are taking notice.

Morningstar Wealth recently highlighted that these forces give Korean equities a durable 성장 (seongjang) growth edge. Morningstar is now projecting returns of 11–12% annually in USD over the next decade — a standout figure among both emerging and broader Asian markets — according to Mark Preskett, senior portfolio manager at Morningstar Wealth. With global investors growing bullish, Korean stocks 한국 주식 (hanguk jusik) could shine brighter than ever.

Related articles:

-Personal debt and credit part one, part two, and part three

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Korea’s Brightest Minds Leave Amid Pay Freezes and Poor Research Support

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South Korea is facing a serious brain drain (두뇌 유출), as many professors (교수들) at Seoul National University and other top institutions leave for overseas (해외) jobs. In 2025 alone, 56 professors started new careers abroad—many citing better research funding (연구 자금), work–life balance (일과 삶의 균형), and international collaboration (국제 협력). These trends highlight challenges in Korea’s academic system.

Top talent are leaving Korea

You’ll often hear 교수 이탈 (professor’s departure) or 우수 인재 유출 (top talent outflow) in news about academia.

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Fourth of July in Seoul.

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To celebrate both Korean summer (여름) and American-style fun, here’s some Fourth of July spirit in Seoul.

Celebrate the 4th of July in Seoul

One highlight is the retro-inspired Oldies 핫도그, topped with Cheetos powder, blending 스트리트푸드 (street food) flair with nostalgic Americana. Other menu items include a smoky 바비큐 버거 (BBQ burger) and ice-cold 맥주 (beer) or 콜라 (cola)—perfect for Korea’s summer 야외 나들이 (outings).

It’s a tasty reminder of how Korean and American cultures come together through food, fun, and festive vibes—even across the Pacific! See links for more info.

Looking for fireworks? There’s the upcoming Seoul International Fireworks Festival – September 27, 2025.

Vocabulary:

-Fireworks part one and part two

-Something you can’t pass up

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