Koreana

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SPECIAL FEATURE 1 Where Modern Culture Took Off

Mokpo, gateway to the southwestern coast of the Korean peninsula, has long served as a strategic link between inland waterways and the sea. Its favorable location made it an important military stronghold in earlier centuries, and after the opening of its port in 1897, the city flourished as one of Korea’s four major ports and six largest cities. This legacy has made Mokpo widely known as the cradle of Korea’s modern culture.

Special Feature 2 A Port City of Endless Charm

Set against an enchanting harbor, Mokpo is one of Korea’s premier travel destinations, where stunning natural landscapes intertwine with a rich cultural heritage, giving the city an enduring charm.

SPECIAL FEATURE 3 Community Spirit Revives Historic City Center

Following the fate of other historical city centers, Mokpo’s old downtown declined as new-town developments picked up pace. But residents breathed new life into the area, turning it into a model of urban revitalization and a case study for city planners nationwide.

Special Feature 4 A Rich and Enduring Artistic Landscape

Mokpo has been the hometown and creative stage for many renowned figures in the arts. From literature and dance to the fine arts, traditional music, and popular songs, the city has produced an extraordinary range of talent across different disciplines. To trace the story of Mokpo’s artists is, in effect, to retrace the history of Korean art itself.

SPECIAL FEATURE 5 Nine Flavors that Define Mokpo

Few things are as memorable as an exceptionally good meal, and Mokpo has plenty of options to offer. Abundant seafood has shaped the city’s cuisine for generations, so much so that many travelers seek out its restaurants before visiting any famous landmarks. It is, without question, one of the nation’s most compelling gastronomic destinations.

Features

Arts & Culture

Entertainment 2025 AUTUMN

Pop-up Craze Sweeps the K-pop World Pop-up stores are so successful in promoting K-pop artists that they’re carving out a niche of their own. Once simple outlets for promoting new albums, they have evolved into brand-collaborative experiences and storytelling vehicles that bring an artist’s world to life, expanding their attraction beyond fandoms.

#Pop-up

Art Review 2025 AUTUMN

Everywhere and Nowhere Do Ho Suh, one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Korean art, is best known for fabric installations that recreate the façades of the homes he has lived in. Moving fluidly across sculpture, drawing, and video, he explores themes of home, physical space, emotional transference, memory, individuality, and collectivity.

#DoHoSuh

Brick by Brick 2025 AUTUMN

SoA: Crafting Shared Experience Founded in 2010 by Yerin Kang and Chi Hoon Lee, the Society of Architecture (SoA) group seeks to enhance the experience of everyday life through innovative approaches to design. Their work extends beyond architecture into collaborations with fields such as urban sociology, history, and art.

#SoA

Guardians of Heritage 2025 AUTUMN

Coolness Woven in Sweltering Heat Bordered by the West Sea and the Geum River, the Hansan region’s humid climate and fertile soil provide ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality ramie. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), Hansan ramie earned nationwide renown as a regional specialty and remains synonymous with ramie fabric to this day. In 1967, the art of weaving Hansan ramie was designated a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, and in 2000, Master Bang Yeon-ok was recognized as the official skill holder. She continues the tradition alongside other local women.

#BangYeon-ok

Interview 2025 AUTUMN

A Lantern Shining from Afar Insoo Lee is a director deeply in love with the language of playwrights. Grounded in thorough script analysis, she immerses herself in the worlds writers envision and brings them to life on stage. In the process, she keeps the door open for the creativity of actors and staff to thrive — always mindful that theater is a collaborative art.

#Insoo Lee

Focus 2025 AUTUMN

Anthologies Expand the Universe of Korean Poetry In the 1970s, anthologies of Korean poetry vaulted onto personal reading lists. Two titans — Changbi Publishers and Moonji Publishing Co. — took the reins in advancing the trend, introducing series titled Changbi Poetry Selections and MOONJI Poet Selections. Half a century later, their anthologies remain a fixture on the literary scene.

#Poetry

Entertainment 2025 SUMMER

Family Drama Brings On Tears Worldwide The Netflix original series When Life Gives You Tangerines follows a Jeju Island family through the turbulent tides of modern Korean history. Steeped in Korean sentiment and atmosphere, the drama surprisingly moved viewers not only at home but around the world.

#FamilyDrama #WhenLifeGivesYouTangerines

Art Review 2025 SUMMER

Drawing Out the Invisible Koo Jeong A transforms mundane materials into profound sensory experiences. Her work challenges conventional perception, exploring boundaries between presence and absence while rethinking how art engages with space and community.

#KooJeongA #OUSSS

LifeStyle

K-uisine 2025 AUTUMN

A Packet of Nostalgia Coffee mix — enjoyed simply by adding hot water — offers convenience in a cup. First introduced in the mid-1970s, it gradually entered the mainstream and is offered today by a wide variety of brands. Although consumption has declined since the 2010s with changing consumer tastes and perceptions, coffee mix remains firmly embedded in the daily lives of many Koreans.

#CoffeeMix

Books & More 2025 AUTUMN

Pursued by the Unknown “The Black Orb” By Ewhan Kim, translated by Sean Lin Halbert Serpent’s Tail, 2024 368 pages, £14.99 Pursued by the Unknown

#The Black Orb #Hail to the Music #Hanok Today

Another Day 2025 AUTUMN

Sensing the World through Bunjae Trees that grow in harsh environments, such as mountain crevices and cliffs, survive by twisting their branches, driving their roots deep below the surface, and stunting their size. This resilience inspired bunjae — the art of cultivating miniaturized trees. Bunjae artist and vendor Yu Sang-kyung nurtures trees that reflect a uniquely Korean sense of harmony and teaches how to care for them.

#Bunjae

K-uisine 2025 SUMMER

Cupbap: From Street Food to Youth Symbol In the early 2010s, as the cost of living soared, a quiet revolution unfolded at the street food stalls of Noryangjin, Seoul. In this neighborhood, cupbap — “rice in a cup” — was born, a meal that was fast, filling, and easy on the wallet. Emerging from the needs of its time, this simple dish evolved into a cultural icon. What began as simple survival food for hungry students has become a marker of Korea’s street food culture.

#food #cupbap #street

Books & More 2025 SUMMER

Future Dreams Meet Present Reality “Your Neighbour’s Table” By Gu Byeong-mo, translated by Chi-young Kim Wildfire, 2024 224 pages, £14.99 Future Dreams Meet Present Reality

#YourNeighbour’sTable #IndeterminateInflorescence #YeokSeong

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