Social Media Minute

1. Korean citizens nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for defending democracy against martial law 2. Shimane prefecture faces backlash after promoting “Takeshima curry” before contested anniversary 3. A Seoul university professor sparks debate after warning they’ll give an F if parents protest grades

1. Zuckerberg testifies in landmark social media addiction trial 2. Norway curling team bring party pants back to Winter Olympics for ‘one-game’ tribute 3. Dog makes unexpected Winter Olympic debut during cross-country ski finish

Yerica talks about how students use A.I. to outsource thinking — and the awkward work of growing up.

Yerica talks about the argument over whether claims that philosophy departments will suddenly become highly valuable in the AI era are misleading.

Yerica talks about the debate over how independent a national AI model must be, focusing on whether AI should be built entirely from its own technology or can incorporate existing external components.

1. Korea’s 19th-century master map unfolded in full for the very first time 2. National Museum teams up with BLACKPINK for Pink Light Show and Audio Guide Project 3. Korea launches investigation into online ads that won’t close

1. ‘Life of Pi’ cancelled five minutes before curtain at GS Arts Center 2. Swiss job posting sparks backlash after saying “no gen Z applicants” 3. Britney Spears sells rights to music catalog for undisclosed sum

1. Starbucks becomes unintended luggage storage for flight attendants 2. Ukrainian skeleton racer insists on wearing banned helmet in tribute to war victims 3. Father and son doctors witness a woman’s birth — and her child’s — 35 years apart

1. Team Korea’s other national team is in the Kitchen, feeding athletes through the olympics 2. Bad Bunny makes history as Trump criticizes 'terrible' Super Bowl show

1. Milan–Cortina Olympics open with a ceremony spread across multiple locations 2. As Lunar New Year nears, Seoul steps up inspections on over packaged gift sets 3. Norovirus surges in Korea as cases are confirmed at the Winter Olympics

1. Korean military food is being redefined as private operators take over 2. Korean museum goods make their European debut during the Milan Winter Olympics 3. A familiar homework excuse takes an unexpected turn

1. Netflix’s live stream of BTS’s palace comeback concert is expected to draw more than 50M viewers 2. 2026 Winter Olympics begin with unfinished venues in Milan and Cortina

1. Should restaurants charge customers for extra banchan? Opinions show how divided people are 2. Humanoid robots are now something you can purchase at the supermarket 3. Amid record profits at SK Hynix, one employee chose a different kind of splurge

1. From Bad Bunny to the Dalai Lama, with K-pop in the mix, the Grammys show how wide the mainstream has become 2. A new English-language encyclopedia aims to explain Hallyu beyond K-pop and TV 3. Humanoid robots are now something you can purchase at the supermarket

1. A social network where humans can only watch, and the conversations are getting uncomfortable 2. A 13-year-old is recognized for his commitment to a 23-day winter fishing festival

1. ICE enforcement is putting Korean American communities on edge 2. Analysis finds Australia’s worst heatwave since 2019-2020 ‘black summer’ made five times more likely by global warming 3. France honors the the last street-corner newspaper seller in Paris with top award

1. President Lee raises the idea of a sugar levy for public health 2. Camping vans appear near Seoul’s private academy hub as temporary student rest spaces 3. Mattel unveils dolls based on Netflix’s animated film ‘K-pop Demon Hunters’

1. Cha Eun-woo addresses tax controversy amid questions over income reporting 2. Are there really not enough cremation facilities in Korea — or does it just feel that way? 3. Mexico’s president asks Korea for more BTS shows after fans miss out by the hundreds of thousands

1. Korea plans to launch a global school for Korean cuisine, aimed primarily at foreign learners 2. Alex Honnold scales Taipei 101 without ropes in a historic climb streamed live on Netflix 3. Seoul prepares to test-run its first street-level tram in nearly six decades

1. A job post offering to feed a middle school girl living alone is raising safety concerns online 2. A foreigner’s selfless act on a freezing mountain trail is resonating online 3. A Japanese TV reporter shows just how cold it is in Korea by freezing ramyeon in midair at the Han River

1. BTS cleared for Gwanghwamun comeback show as Seoul City gives conditional approval 2. From kimchi season to runway season, how Korea’s granny core went global 3. Graphic animal rights demonstration shocks passersby in London

1. Han Kang’s We Do Not Part shortlisted for major U.S. literary award 2. Gwangju becomes Korea's first test bed for self-driving cars 3. Parody MAGA hats become protest symbol in Greenland

1. Spain mourns victims of the deadliest train crash in more than a decade 2. Senior cafés are being tested as new community spaces in Korea 3. A 5,000-won cardboard playhouse becomes the surprise parenting hit of the winter break

1. A new audit shows many public-sector workers are turning down promotions 2. AI-generated books flood the market, raising questions about trust and oversight 3. Weight-loss drugs may end up saving U.S. airline companies hundreds of millions a year

1. A bitter cold snap sets in, with snow in the forecast 2. Chinese universities rise in global rankings as U.S. schools fall behind 3. Celebrity privilege? Musicians push back after Seo Hyun faces backlash over classical stage appearance