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Unprecedented ballot shortage in Korean local elections sparks chaos, outrage

[팟캐스트] (796) 논란의 ‘21세기 대군부인,’ 뭐가 문제였을까?

진행자: 박준희, Chelsea Proctor Inside 'Perfect Crown' controversy: Why its portrayal of Joseon royal rituals sparks outrage in Korea 기사 요약: 최근 종영한 아이유, 변우석 주연 드라마 “21세기 대군부인”은 즉위식과 다도 장면 등에 중국식 예법을 연상시키는 설정이 등장하면서 역사 왜곡 논란에 휩싸였다. [1] “Perfect Crown,” one of the biggest K-dramas of the first half of 2026 starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, is facing mounting backlash over its depiction of royal traditions, with potential repercussions including the repayment of government production funding. mounting: 점점

[Brahma Chellaney] Cost of Trump's crony diplomacy

In most democracies, a leader outsourcing high-stakes diplomacy to family members and business associates would provoke outrage. But US President Donald Trump has faced little pushback for doing so, with many downplaying his crony diplomacy as mere “heterodoxy.” The long-term consequences will be severe. Instead of relying on the secretary of state and the professional diplomatic corps, Trump has placed pivotal diplomacy largely in the hands of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his business par

Shinsegae Chief Bows Head for Starbucks ‘Tank Day’ Marketing

[Politics] : Anchor: Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin has apologized for a recent marketing campaign at Starbucks Korea that invited public outrage by bringing up painful memories from history. The coffee chain, which Shinsegae licenses and operates, attempted to promote large tumblers from its “Tank” series ... [more...]

Police Question More Accusers in Case against Shinsegae Chairman Chung

[Domestic] : Police are questioning additional complainants in a case against Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin after a Starbucks Korea marketing campaign sparked public outrage on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. According to the Public Crime Investigation Unit at the Seoul ... [more...]

Police Speed Up Investigation of Shinsegae Chief over Starbucks Korea’s ‘Tank Day’ Promotion

[Domestic] : Police are accelerating their investigation into Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin after a Starbucks Korea marketing campaign generated public outrage on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. On Friday, police questioned the head of a civic group who’d filed a complaint ... [more...]

Inside 'Perfect Crown' controversy: Why its portrayal of Joseon royal rituals sparks outrage in Korea

“Perfect Crown,” one of the biggest K-dramas of the first half of 2026 starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, is facing mounting backlash over its depiction of royal traditions, with potential repercussions including the repayment of government production funding. The series performed strongly during its broadcast run. According to Nielsen Korea, the final episode, which aired on May 16, recorded a nationwide rating of 13.8 percent, up 0.3 percentage points from episode 11’s 13.5 percent, marking a ser

Man arrested for threats against Starbucks customers, as 'Tank Day' controversy grows

A man in his 60s is under investigation for public intimidation, police said Friday, after he posted a threatening message against people using Starbucks products. The man on Wednesday posted that he will "kill anyone carrying around Starbucks coffee," according to the Uijeongbu Police Station. He told police that he did not actually intend to kill anyone when he wrote the post. The incident is part of a widespread boycott of Starbucks Korea, which sparked outrage Monday with its "Tank Day" mark

Shinsegae Chair Apologizes for Offensive Starbucks Promotion

[Culture] : Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, which licenses and operates Starbucks Korea, has issued a public apology after the coffee chain sparked public outrage with a marketing campaign that evoked painful memories of a brutal military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1980. In a statement on ... [more...]