SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s newlywed population slipped below the one-million mark for the second year in a row in 2024, a symbolic threshold for a country already preoccupied with its demographic future. Government data released Friday show just 952,000 couples had been married for five years or less last year—a 2.3 [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — With nationwide theater attendance still sluggish, South Korean cinema operators are increasingly turning to high-tech “special formats” — such as 3D, 4D, and premium immersive auditoriums — to give moviegoers a reason to return. Megabox, one of the country’s major multiplex chains, said Wednesday that revenue from its premium technology [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — A nostalgia-themed snack sweeping South Korean coffee chains has ignited a broader debate about overworked part-time employees, as the inexpensive treat’s popularity collides with the realities of short-staffed shops and intricate preparation demands. The snack, ramyeon-ttang — a microwaved, sweet-and-savory fried noodle dish priced at 1,900 won — has become [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — As demographic decline accelerates across South Korea, a new national survey suggests that a lack of appealing jobs is the single most important reason people are leaving regional areas — and choosing not to raise children there. The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) released the findings Thursday [...]
JEJU, Dec. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of visitors to Jeju Island are incorporating running into their travel itineraries, turning outdoor exercise into a popular part of the island’s tourism culture, according to new data released Wednesday. The Korea Tourism Organization’s Jeju office said its latest report, “Jeju Travel Through Data – Running Edition,” [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — The average amount South Koreans send as mobile wedding gifts has surpassed 100,000 won (US$68) for the first time this year, reflecting changing social norms and rising costs, according to new data from KakaoPay. In its annual “2025 Money Report” released Wednesday, KakaoPay said the average transfer made through its [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — CJ Olive Young, South Korea’s leading health and beauty retailer, plans to expand aggressively into wellness as consumer behavior shifts from traditional K-beauty purchases toward holistic health products, the company said Wednesday. In the first quarter of 2025, Olive Young will introduce “Olive Better,” billed as the country’s first omnichannel [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s heritage authorities and the Seoul metropolitan government have held their first round of preliminary talks to address a growing dispute over a controversial high-rise redevelopment project planned near Jongmyo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Director-general-level officials from the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), the Ministry of Culture, [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — Six out of ten South Korean college seniors and recent graduates who are searching for jobs say they are doing so only passively, with little expectation of being hired, according to a nationwide survey released Monday by the Korea Employers Federation. The survey, conducted between October and November among 2,492 [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — Rapper Jay-Z’s investment fund has joined hands with a South Korean asset manager to raise a private equity fund (PEF) that invests in Korean entertainment, beauty and lifestyle, officials said Tuesday. MarcyPen Capital Partners LLC, which is backed by the U.S. rapper, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with [...]