Social Media Minute

1. Heavy drinking once defined campus life in Korea. Not anymore. 2. Hybe brings its K-pop training system to India with nationwide audition to launch new global stars 3. BTS appears on Jimmy Fallon Show, performs 'Swim' at Guggenheim Museum

1. South Korea rolls out nationwide spring travel campaign with free train fares, discounted stays, and regional vouchers 2. New study suggests cooking at home may help lower dementia risk among older adults 3. Airlines cut routes as fuel prices surge, leaving travelers scrambling after sudden cancellations

1. More Gen Z workers bring their parents into the job search as “career co-piloting” reshapes early careers 2. South Korean beauty trends drive dieting and cosmetic treatments in North Korea’s wealthy class 3. Thousands of cultural artifacts feared lost in Gaza as conflict fuels rise of looted “blood antiquities”

1. Middle East tensions raise concerns over South Korea’s official trash bag supply as raw material costs surge 2. AI-voiced pet videos take over social media as owners turn everyday dog moments into relatable mini-dramas 3. Banksy’s identity reportedly revealed, raising new questions about anonymity, value, and meaning in art

1. BTS comeback at Gwanghwamun shines spotlight on Korea’s cultural heritage 2. Actor Gong Yoo attracts massive crowds at Florence Korean Film Festival as global interest in Korean cinema grows 3. Teacher influencers gain popularity in Korea, but questions grow over boundaries and oversight

1. BTS' comeback could rival Taylor Swift's $2 billion tour earnings record 2. Seoul hair salons turn into tourist hotspots as K-beauty demand grows

1. BTS comeback in Seoul sparks debate as red replaces the group’s signature purple 2. National Pension caught in crossfire over Heeseung’s departure from Enhypen 3. Venezuela wins their first World Baseball Classic championship

1. BTS comeback livestream draws scrutiny as strict filming rules spark media backlash in Seoul 2. Seoul makes public transit easier for foreign visitors with cashless card payments across subway stations 3. Poor air quality continues across the Seoul area with dust soaring to four times normal levels

1. KPop Demon Hunters wins two Oscars, including historic song award 2. Coffee and night views at Deoksugung: “Night at Seokjojeon” debuts next month

1. Seoul City plans unprecedented building controls ahead of BTS comeback concert 2. Seoul breaks into global top 10 in Time Out’s 2026 ‘best cities’ ranking for the first time 3. New study strengthens evidence that COVID-19 likely originated in animals, not a lab

1. Seoul opens its first public museum devoted to new media art 2. Tipping debate grows among Korean travelers in Southeast Asia 3. René Redzepi steps down from Noma after abuse allegations

1. “K-Pop Demon Hunters” Song ‘Golden’ Set for Live Performance at the Oscars 2. Sponsors cut ties with Noma pop-up after abuse allegations against chef René Redzepi

1. Iran tensions push oil prices higher, raising concerns over airline fuel surcharges 2. JYP founder Park Jin-young is stepping down from the company’s board 3. Bank app glitch sends yen rate plunging; some users manage half-price exchanges

1. Yu Gwan-sun and Gil Won-ok named among NYT’s 100 women who shaped history 2. Salt bread and Dubai chewy cookie go global as Japan shows mixed reactions and UAE embraces trend 3. Korea House reopens after first major renovation in 45 years

1. “The King’s Warden” tops 11 million viewers, sparks tourism boom in Yeongwol 2. Film-inspired tourism spreads beyond Yeongwol

1. Two first-graders ride horses to school in unusual ceremony at rural Korean elementary school 2. New AI face-swap videos of K-Pop idols spark concerns over potential misuse 3. Korean Medical Association backs proposed tax on sugary drinks

1. BTS unveil track list for ‘Arirang’ featuring collaborations with Mike WiLL Made-It, Diplo, El Guincho and more 2. Daum web portal revives real-time popular search terms after six years 3. Michelangelo bust rediscovered in Rome after centuries of oblivion

1. Ten years after AlphaGo, Lee Sedol returns to historic match venue to join agentic AI campaign 2. Court rules job offer withdrawn by text four minutes later was unfair dismissal 3. The Pentagon Pizza Index spikes again ahead of U.S. strike on Iran

1. Middle East airspace shutdown leaves Korean tourists stranded and scrambling for a way home 2. G-Dragon’s “Lunar New Year” greeting sparks online firestorm among Chinese fans 3. Historical drama “The King’s Warden” surges past 9 million viewers, eyes 10 million milestone

1. After 117 years, Ahn Jung-geun’s severed finger remains missing 2. BTS Gwanghwamun concert puts Seoul police in a difficult position 3. In Buenos Aires public parks, some teens are exploring life on all fours

1. Park Chan-wook to lead Cannes jury, a milestone for Korean cinema 2. Supreme Court rules in favor of Korean luxury repair artisan in Louis Vuitton case 3. Lee Juck(이적) and Kim Jin-pyo(김진표) reunite as 'Panic' for first solo concert in 20 years

1. As temperatures rise, bomdong(봄동) bibimbap(비빔밥) becomes the season’s viral dish 2. Min Hee-jin(민희진) offers to give up 25.6 billion won to end dispute with HYBE 3. The rise of the sauna-run among young Koreans

1. Retailers move to cut sanitary pad prices after president raises cost concerns 2. Activists hang photo of prince Andrew in police custody inside the Louvre 3. Punch the baby monkey, who won the Internet's heart, is finally accepted by his troop

1. Historic Korean temple Bulguksa’s main hall to be dismantled for repairs 2. G-Dragon delivers video commencement address at KAIST 3. In K-pop standing sections, platform shoes are fueling a competition to see the stage

1. In Seoul, “hon-sul bars” are turning solo drinking into social connection 2. Cold morning temperatures return as dust and fine particle levels stay high 3. In a tough U.S. job market, some candidates are now paying to get hired