Apple’s limited-edition accessory, the “iPhone Pocket,” created in collaboration with Japanese designer Issey Miyake, has received widespread criticism worldwide. The product is a minimalist pouch accessory designed to hold an iPhone and other small essentials. It can be worn as a wrist strap, crossbody bag, or attached to another bag. Apple has marketed it as "the most beautiful way to carry your iPhone," emphasizing its craftsmanship and design by Issey Miyake. However, the

Korean eyewear brand Sleeqsteel  has signed an MOU with Baraka Group, marking its entry into the Egyptian market. Baraka Group started in 1979 as a wholesale eyewear business and has since expanded into fashion retail and e-commerce, distributing eyewear brands across the Middle East and Africa. Sleeqsteel  is a premium eyewear brand with a 100% domestic production system and has experience in outsourcing production for brands such as Ray-Ban  and Gentle Monster . Ahmed Ragab

Korea’s major chicken franchise brands are turning their attention back to the burger market, responding to shifting consumer trends amid rising food prices. As dining costs soar and solo dining becomes more common, leading chicken franchises — including BBQ, bhc, and Kyochon — are diversifying their menus to appeal to value-conscious consumers. Though current offerings remain in a test phase, the companies plan to expand based on market reactions. bhc has launched three limi

The Korea National Park Service has issued a public appeal urging hikers to refrain from entering Seoraksan’s 1275 Peak, emphasizing that the area is an officially restricted zone. Located along the Dinosaur Ridge, 1275 Peak is not part of the designated hiking trail, yet it has gained popularity on social media as visitors climb it to post photos from the summit. This has caused growing concern for park authorities. The rocky peak rises about 20 meters above the official rou

Seoul’s historic Gwangjang Market in Jongno District is rapidly transforming from a traditional food market into a new hotspot for K-fashion and K-beauty. As Korea’s first permanent market, Gwangjang has long been a must-visit destination for tourists seeking authentic Korean street food like yukhoe (beef tartare) and bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes). But in recent years, its atmosphere has shifted dramatically — now, locals joke that visiting famous bakeries and then shoppin

Virtual idol group PLAVE releases their new single album PLBBUU  today at 6 p.m. KST. Following their charismatic image in February’s mini 3rd album Caligo Pt.1 , PLAVE now returns with a more playful and endearing concept. Their collaboration with Sanrio Korea has drawn strong attention from global fans while expanding the group’s distinctive virtual universe. The album includes three tracks: the title song “BBUU!”, “Hide and Seek,” and “Bongsoonga.” The title track features

Male consumers are emerging as a powerful growth driver in the K-beauty industry, prompting rapid investment and innovation among cosmetics companies. Once limited to basic skincare such as toners and lotions, the men’s beauty market is now expanding into color cosmetics, fragrances, and scalp care, establishing “men’s grooming” as a mainstream lifestyle trend. Recent data highlights this shift. According to Mintel, nearly half of Korean men aged 18 to 24 wear makeup, and 17%

境界を打破し感覚を刺激するビューティーブランド「ノック(Knock)」が、11月15日に公式ローンチを迎えます。 スキンケアブランド「ナンバーズイン(Numbuzin)」とメイクアップブランド「フュー(fwee)」を運営する株式会社ビナウが展開する新しいブランドで、女優ナナをミューズに起用し、公開前から業界の注目を集めていました。 今回のローンチでは、スキンケアとボディケアを融合した「メルトインボディトナー」、「シェイキングセラムミスト」、「シグネチャーブレンディングオイル」など、日常のルーチンに自然に溶け込む新感覚のビューティー体験を提案します。特に、オフライン店舗「ノックアーカイブ成寿（Knock Archive Seongsu）」を成寿洞（ソンスドン）にオープンし、製品体験だけでなく、グッズ購入やギフトワークショップなど、コミュニケーション型の空間として運営される予定です。 製品は11月14日からオンラインストアおよびカカオトークのギフト機能で購入可能となり、15日からはオフライン店舗でも購入できます。「誰もが一緒に楽しめるビューティー」を

On the 5th, K-pop group BABYMONSTER surprised fans by unveiling a mysterious image on YG Entertainment's official blog. The poster features figures whose identities are concealed by a perfectly placed mask, with striking long red hair creating a bold contrast that gives off an eerie sense of tension. This mysterious mood ties in with the previously released content "EVER DREAM THIS GIRL?", which had already intrigued fans with its black-and-white noisy portraits of the member

In the era of high inflation, significant changes in travel spending patterns have been observed in South Korea. An analysis of South Korean travelers' search data from January 1 to September 30 revealed a growing trend toward cost-effective group travel, rather than solo trips. Additionally, instead of long-haul European vacations costing over 1 million KRW, there has been a notable shift towards more affordable trips to Japan and Southeast Asia, priced between 300,000 to 40

Busan is on track to become the first city in South Korea to reach 3 million foreign tourists in a single year. This shift in Korea's tourism landscape, which was once centered around Seoul, is largely attributed to the APEC summit held in Gyeongju at the end of October. The summit wasn’t just another international event—it played a key role in creating a new tourism belt linking Busan and Gyeongju. Gyeongju Bulguksa Temple As of October 2025, the number of foreign tourists v

Girl group H1-KEY will take the stage for a special performance at the Korea-Japan Dream Players Game 2025 supported by DAISO , held at Es Con Field Hokkaido in Japan on October 30. The event commemorates the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan and aims to strengthen friendship and trust through sports and cultural exchange. Legendary baseball players from both nations will participate, with H1-KEY adding star power to the event through

The era of leggings—once the face of the global athleisure boom during the COVID-19 years—is coming to a close. Once hailed for blurring the line between casualwear and activewear, leggings have rapidly fallen out of favor as Gen Z’s fashion preferences shift toward looser silhouettes. The rise of “relaxed-fit” styles has even hit the spandex industry, the very foundation of the leggings trend. Hyosung TNC, the world’s largest spandex manufacturer, has seen its third-quarter

A new virtual idol group inspired by traditional Korean folktales, Saryeonghwa  (四靈花), will officially debut on November 13. Produced by subculture-focused label GRIM Production, the group follows last year’s debut of WISHes  and is gaining attention for its unique storytelling rooted in a deeply Korean worldview. The group consists of four members — Cheongmok, Biwha, Maehwarin, and Baekhee — whose name Saryeonghwa  means “four spiritual beings coming together to bloom as one

Once celebrated in the mid-2010s as a declaration of “I’m still young,” the term “Young Forty” represented a generation of 40-somethings who embraced change and enjoyed trends. Seen as leaders in fashion, beauty, and wellness, they became a key consumer group for brands promoting messages like “style has no age.” The phrase “Young Forty look” became popular, symbolizing the idea that age was just a number. But recently, that positive image has turned sour. Internet memes like

JYP Entertainment’s global girl group GIRLSET will return on November 14 with their new digital single Little Miss . On October 31, JYP revealed the album cover art via the group’s official social media channels, announcing GIRLSET’s long-awaited comeback. The digital single Little Miss  and its title track of the same name will showcase the group’s vibrant energy and musical versatility. In the teaser image, the members hold unique weapons and strike confident poses reminisc

2PM member and actor Ok Taec-yeon has announced that he will marry his longtime partner. His agency, 51K, stated on November 1, “Actor Ok Taec-yeon has promised to spend his life together with someone he has been seeing for a long time.” The wedding will take place privately next spring in Seoul, attended only by close family members and acquaintances. The agency added, “As the bride-to-be is a non-celebrity, we ask for your understanding that specific details will remain pri

Millennial Works has opened a K-POP idol theme park, The Next Idol , powered by its proprietary AI technology. The pop-up store runs until November 9 at the Iconic Square on the 4th floor of Hyundai Department Store Pangyo. Based on the “Virtual Academy” concept from Millennial Works’ own IP, Nextworks , the experience allows visitors to step into the world of K-POP trainee life alongside popular virtual characters. The pop-up consists of three main zones — the Trainee Zone,

BTS member V turned heads in Los Angeles with a stunning reinterpretation of traditional Korean attire blended with modern fashion elements. On October 26 (local time), V attended Vogue World: Hollywood 2025  at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, invited personally by Vogue ’s U.S. editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. V arrived wearing a long gray coat paired with a gray hat reminiscent of a traditional Korean gat , completing the look with a striking red traditional knot tied aroun

The K-pop group CRAVITY has unveiled the tracklist for their upcoming album. On the 28th, their agency, Starship Entertainment, shared the tracklist for their 2nd full-length album Dare to Crave : Epilogue , set to release on November 10. According to the tracklist, the album consists of 15 songs, combining 12 tracks from their previously released album Dare to Crave  (released in June) with 3 new tracks. The album will feature the title track “Lemonade Fever,” along with new