easykorean

[easykorean]

Empty your mind, fill your belly with cake.

Tucked along the peaceful Yangjae Stream in Dogok-dong (도곡), you’ll find a charming lineup of cafés, bakeries, and restaurants perfect for a relaxing stroll or a quiet bite. One standout is Sim Jae (心斋), a specialty dessert café known for its creative fusion-style cakes sold by the slice. While this location focuses on cakes, Sim Jae’s other branches also serve up tarts, bagels, brownies, and a…

[easykorean]

Korean herbal drink for fatigue

유자쌍화 (Yuja Ssanghwa) is a Korean herbal tea that blends yuja (yuzu citrus) with ssanghwa, a traditional tonic made from multiple medicinal herbs. AI artwork in our style Continue reading Korean herbal drink for fatigue

[easykorean]

iPhones and Apple Watches to support Apple Pay for Public Transportation

It was announced on 6/16/2025 that T-Money, a rechargeable pre-paid transportation card in Korea, will soon support Apple Pay. This means that you’ll soon be able to add a digital T-Money card to your iPhone and Apple Watch. Continue reading iPhones and Apple Watches to support Apple Pay for Public Transportation

[easykorean]

Chicken galbi rice bowl

Spicy stir-fried chicken rice bowl (닭갈비 덮밥). A comforting meal during the current heavy rain. Boneless skinless chicken thigh marinated in a gochujang-type sauce (Korean red chili paste) with garlic, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and sometimes ginger. 닭갈비 덮밥 Continue reading Chicken galbi rice bowl

[easykorean]

Seoul Gangnam’s Gaepo Neighborhood.

Nestled next to Dogok-dong, Gaepo-dong (개포동) is another affluent neighborhood tucked away in Gangnam, Seoul. Known for its top-tier public schools, lush parks, and the scenic Yangjaecheon Stream, Gaepo offers a peaceful charm with cozy coffee shops and tree-lined streets that bloom beautifully throughout the seasons. Gaepo-dong on a lazy Saturday morning (Guryongsan Mtn in the…

[easykorean]

Summer begins June 20.

As summer 2025 kicks off on June 20, warm weather and early seasonal activities are underway in Seoul. Dogok (도곡동), one of the 25 neighborhoods in Seoul’s upscale Gangnam District, is joining in the seasonal spirit. A banner reads, “Dogok Early-Summer Picnic” (도곡 초여름 피크닉). Dogok early summer neighborhood picnic Continue reading Summer begins June 20.

[easykorean]

Monsoon season to begin early

South Korea’s monsoon (rainy) season, known as jangma 장마, runs late June to late July. It’s the most uncomfortable time of the year to be in Korea – intense bursts of rain and persistently high humidity. 2011 and 2022 were especially heavy monsoon years where parts of Gangnam suffered severe flooding. Our car, along with hundreds of other vehicles, suffered massive water damage in 2011 and again…

[easykorean]

President Lee to discuss reciprocal tariffs with Trump.

Korea has elected Lee Jae-Myeong as President (이재명 한국 대통령) and he will soon begin negotiating tariffs with President Trump of the U.S.. In particular, Lee is looking to make adjustments to Trump‘s planned 25% reciprocal tariffs. These reciprocal tariffs are expected to take effect July 8, 2025 as they are currently on a three-month suspension. Korean citizens, 18 and older, aware eligible to…

[easykorean]

Power bank safety rules in effect for air travel.

New power bank rules, which went into effect on 3/1/2025, are slowly rolling out – with plans for eventual individual inspection and approval to carry. In January 2025, a malfunctioning power bank was likely responsible for a fire on an Air Busan flight. Signage at Incheon Airport At Incheon Airport, there are information tables setup next to each security checkpoint for departing passengers.…

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Second day of presidential elections ends with 34.74% of the votes.

South Korea provides its citizens with a public Holiday for the (Presidential) Election Day. May 29-30, 2025 were in-person pre-election days with 3,568 elections booth open across the country, including at major transportation hubs such as Incheon Airport. So far, 34.74% of the population has voted. Continue reading Second day of presidential elections ends with 34.74% of the votes.

[easykorean]

Q1 ‘25 reverse in low-birth rate.

The Korea Herald today shared some data from Statistics Korea: the number of babies born in the first quarter of 2025 rose by 7.3 percent compared to the same period last year. That makes it the highest first-quarter increase recorded since the agency began tracking the figure in 1981. …South Korea continues to have the lowest fertility rate in the world. Continue reading Q1 ‘25 reverse in…

[easykorean]

Easy to Learn Korean 1 - Places to eat.

Continue reading Easy to Learn Korean 1 – Places to eat.

[easykorean]

A hot summer.

2015 is shaping up to a hot summer. The Korea Herald quotes a Korean meteorologist predicting, “… that this summer will be as hot as last year, based on climate forecasts from Korean and Japanese meteorological agencies and the World Meteorological Organization.” The article suggests that Seoul temperatures remain high because of “… the urban heat island effect [which] includes surface…

[easykorean]

Up early in Seoul?

According to the Korea Times, the Seoul subway will start 30 minutes earlier, at 5am, starting August 1, 2025. Subway use continues to grow and we coveted that here. (We enjoy the subway during the hot summer months though some outdoor bus stops are cooled.) Want to learn vocab and culture regarding subway etiquette? Asking directions and more asking directions.

[easykorean]

Massive fire at Gwangju tire plant.

A massive fire broke out at the Kumho Tire plant in Gwangju on Saturday 5/17. The fire was fortunately contained by the next day. According to the Korea Herald, “…As of Sunday, 462 firefighters and 168 pieces of equipment had been dispatched to the scene.” Kumho Tire is consistently listed among the top 15 global tire manufacturers. “[They] posted sales of $860 million during the first quarter of…

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Inflation drives Koreans back to the buffet.

According to an article in the Korea Herald today, “buffet chains are making a comeback as dining costs continue to rise in Korea.” The articles continues with interviews of several people describes waiting in long lines to get into buffets. As COVID nearly ended the rein of buffet restaurants, Koreans are now returning to find value and endless choices at them. The “price gap between…

[easykorean]

Bus ridership continues to drop in Seoul

“Over the last 10 years, average daily bus ridership in Seoul has fallen by 19 percent, from 4.57 million in 2014 to 3.73 million in 2024, according to official city data released in April.” An article in the Korea Herald today describes the steady decline in passengers on Seoul buses over the past 10 years. The Seoul city government is required to subsidizes private bus companies when they are…