Korea24 – 2021.08.06. (Friday)

News Briefing: South Korea extends current social distancing guidelines for another two weeks, meaning Level 4 for the greater Seoul region and Level 3 for the rest of the country. (Eunice Kim)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: In our penultimate Going for Gold, we discuss Team Korea’s disappointing loss to Team USA in baseball, but look forward to the women’s volleyball semifinal, as well as the rest of the Tokyo 2020 events for the final weekend.

In-Depth News Analysis (Weekly Economy Review): South Korea's consumer prices rose more than 2% for the fourth consecutive month in July. Meanwhile, online grocery delivery service Market Kurly has decided against an IPO in the US, and instead to go public on the Korea Exchange. Professor Yang Jun-sok from the Catholic University of Korea provides his thoughts on these developments.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee: Three minors who were caught joyriding three times in one week have been sent to a juvenile facility despite their young age ("촉법소년이라 괜찮네?" 까불던 아이들, 결국 시설로 간다). Meanwhile, a 300 billion won donation by the family of the late Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee is set to help sick children ("이땅에 아픈 아이가 없도록" '이건희 유산' 본격 뿌리 내린다). And quick-thinking actions by a part-time worker at a convenience store saved the life of a customer (편의점서 간호학 전공 알바생이 심장마비 손님 구해)

Movie Spotlight: Film critics Jason Bechervaise and Molly Kim provide their thoughts on the latest Warner Bros. and DC Comics supervillian film, The Suicide Squad. And with few local releases out this week, they will be reviewing a special 90-minute episode of the popular Korean zombie Netflix series set in the Joseon era, Kingdom: Ashin of the North. With this release, we also discuss the increasingly fluid landscape between cinema, streaming and TV industries.

Korea24 – 2021.08.05. (Thursday)

News Briefing: President Moon Jae-in has said South Korea will aim to become the world's fifth largest vaccine-producing nation by 2025. Meanwhile, the nation reports the fourth highest daily infection count to date, at 1,776 new cases. (Koo Hee-jin)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: Team Korea face USA in the men’s baseball event, after losing to Japan on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Team Korea falls behind in the women's golf, but 17-year old Seo Chae-hyun impresses in the women's Sport Climbing event.

In-Depth News Analysis (Korean Politics Digest): Affiliate Professor Kim Byung-joo from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Law Professor Cho Hee-kyung from Hongik University discuss the second TV debate among presidential aspirants of the ruling Democratic Party… as well as the leading opposition presidential contender Yoon Seok-youl’s surprise decision to finally join the main opposition People Power Party last week.

Korea Trending with Lee Ju-young: Over 160 customers from two kimbap restaurants of the same chain suffer from suspected food poisoning (분당 169명 식중독 마녀김밥...“두렵지만 숨지 않겠다” 사과). Meanwhile, lung x-rays of COVID-19 patients are showing the difference vaccines can make(뿌연 백신 미접종 환자 폐… 백신 맞은 감염자 폐는 깨끗했다). And former members of the K-Pop group Sistar, Hyolyn and Dasom, have teamed up again for a new song (효린X다솜, '둘 중에 골라' 티저 오픈…여름=흥행불패 신화 잇는다).

Explore Korea: Today is one for the foodies! Hannah Roberts from Moon Bear Travel will be introducing some of the most popular food and drink pairings in Korea, including Chimaek, Jeon and Makgeolli, and more.

Korea24 – 2021.08.04. (Wednesday)

News Briefing: South Korea’s COVID-19 tally has jumped to 1,725 new cases, the highest in a week. Meanwhile, the central government is mulling whether to change or extend social distancing curbs that expire on Sunday. (Eunice Kim)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: No new medals for Team Korea, but the women’s volleyball team make it into the semifinals, after a nail-biting win over Turkey. Mark wraps up the latest from the Tokyo Olympics.

In-Depth News Analysis: Triple gold medalist An San was recently the target of online attacks, saying she was a feminist and that she should be stripped of her medals. We speak to Seoul-based reporter Raphael Rashid on who is behind these attacks, and whether it points to a more concerning trend in Korean society.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee: McDonald’s Korea unit is facing criticism after allegedly serving expired foods (‘재고 폐기’ 않고 ‘재사용’…공수표된 맥도날드의 약속?). Meanwhile, CJ Group has emerged as a major competitor to acquire SM Entertainment ("SM, 4조면 팔릴까?"…다크호스로 떠오른 CJ). And New York is set to impose COVID-19 vaccination requirements for restaurants, gyms and other indoor facilities (뉴욕 “백신 안 맞으면 식당 입장 못해”…美최초 ‘접종 의무화’).

Korea Book Club: Our literary critic Barry Welsh introduces Bora Chung's CursedBunny, a dark, imaginative and highly acclaimed collection of short stories, published by Honford Star and translated by our other regular contributor Anton Hur. The stories presented include surreal horror, dark fairytale-inspired fantasy stories, robots and artificial intelligence, ghost stories, and much more besides.

Korea24 – 2021.08.03. (Tuesday)

News Briefing: The first two confirmed cases of the Delta Plus variant in the country were identified as breakthrough infections with both patients having received the AstraZeneca vaccine before contracting COVID-19. Meanwhile the number of people who have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose in the nation has topped the 20-million mark. (Koo Hee-jin)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: South Korea celebrated its 6th gold medal of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with gymnast Shin Jea-hwan winning the men’s vault event on Monday night. We cover that and take a look at the remaining events Team Korea is competing in, as the end of the Games closes in.

In-Depth News Analysis: North Korea is once again putting pressure on South Korea over the annual joint military drills with the US. Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, released a statement on North Korean state media on Sunday, warning Seoul that the summertime exercises will undermine the future of inter-Korean relations. We’ll speak to the former deputy commander for the First ROK Army, retired Lieutenant General Chun In-Bum, to get his thoughts on the situation.

Korea Trending with Lee Ju-young: A study has shown how those infected with COVID-19 may experience early symptoms differently depending on their age and gender (40세 이하 후각상실·60대 이상 설사…코로나19 초기 증상 18가지). We then talk about a man who posed as a delivery person to force his way into someone's house and attempt to rob them ('택배기사 위장' 강남 아파트에 가스총 쏘고 들어간 20대 강도). And finally, veteran actor Kim Yong-gun is being sued for allegedly attempting to force his younger girlfriend to have an abortion (39살 연하 여성에 피소된 김용건 "출산과 양육에 최선").

Touch Base in Seoul: Joining us on the line this week, we have Dr. Raimund Royer, the first westerner to become a licensed doctor of traditional Korean medicine. He tells us about his first experience of Korean medicine in 1987 when he was visiting Korea as a tourist, and how that led to his decision to become a practitioner, passing the state-run test in 1999. We also ask him about how Korean traditional medicine works, and whether it could become more globally available.

Korea24 – 2021.08.02. (Monday)

News Briefing: President Moon Jae-in has announced South Korea will move up its first-shot vaccination timetable. This comes as South Korea passes the milestone of 200,000 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. (Koo Hee-jin)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: We round-up a busy weekend for Team Korea, including South Korea’s first medal for women’s gymnastics, a final bronze medal in fencing, and a new Korean record in the high jump.

In-Depth News Analysis: South Korea is struggling to subdue a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, with the daily caseload remaining above 1,000 since July 7th. The increasing number of the highly transmissible delta variant has also put authorities on alert. To discuss the current situation, Dr. Bryan Kim, an epidemiologist for the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee: Details have been released on how the new round of COVID relief cash payments will be given out and where the money can be spent (1인당 25만원 국민지원금, 어디서 쓸 수 있나). A Supreme Court ruling has stated that the amount of compensation for a drunk driving accident victim should be based on the income that the victim would have earned as a medical professional (음주차에 숨진 의대생, 대법 "의사로 벌었을 수입까지 배상해야"). And former member of EXO, Kris Wu faces charges of rape in China ('엑소' 출신 크리스 강간 혐의 체포…"최고 사형 구형 가능“).

Special Olympics Interview: A member of South Korea’s Rugby Sevens team, Andre Jin Coquillard, also known by his Korean name Kim Jin 김진, joins us in the studio for a special interview. He will be talking about his experience of competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics amid the COVID-19 pandemic, what it was like to come up against rugby powerhouses like New Zealand and Australia, and what it meant to represent South Korea.

Korea24 – 2021.07.30. (Friday)

News Briefing: COVID-19 vaccinations for people in the 18 to 49 age group will begin on August 26, according to the state vaccine task force on Friday. Meanwhile, former Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl joined the main opposition People Power Party(PPP) on Friday, a month after declaring his presidential bid on June 29. (Koo Hee-jin)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: Archer An San has made history by becoming the first Korean to win three gold medals in a single Summer Olympics, after she won the women’s individual event on Friday. Meanwhile, shooter Kim Min-jung and judoka Cho Gu-ham earned Team Korea two more silver medals.

In-Depth News Analysis (Weekly Economy Review): Economics Professor Yang Jun-sok from the Catholic University of Korea provides his thoughts on President Moon Jae-in’s calls for the swift execution of the supplementary budget to help small businesses and those worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. We also discuss Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki’s controversial warnings of a housing bubble amid a looming interest rate hike.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee: A high school teacher has been arrested for illegally filming over 100 students and coworkers (학교 화장실 '몰카' 피해자만 116명…30대 남교사 구속). Meanwhile, the founder of Kakao Corporation Kim Beom-soo has become the richest man in Korea ("카카오 김범수, 이재용 제치고 한국 최고부자 등극"). And actor Park Seo-jun has reportedly joined the cast of the latest Marvel superhero film, ‘The Marvels.’ (박서준, '캡틴 마블2' 출연 유력…'아마데우스 조' 역 거론)

Movie Spotlight with Jason Bechervaise and Darcy Paquet: Our critics review Ryoo Seung-wan's latest action drama film, ‘Escape from Mogadishu’, based on a true story during the onset of the Somali civil war in the early 1990s when North and South Korean diplomats were trying to evacuate Mogadishu. It stars Kim Yoon-suk, Jo In-Sung, Huh Joon-ho and Koo Kyo-wan. Plus, we look at ‘Gull’ the debut feature by director Kim Me-jo, about a woman in her sixties after she is sexually assaulted and struggles to come to terms with what happened. The film won the Grand prize for the Korean section at the Jeonju International Film Festival in 2020.

Korea24 – 2021.07.29. (Thursday)

News Briefing: Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said North Korea appears to be preparing to open the door to dialogue. Meanwhile, the Unification Ministry said it plans to use the restored communication lines between the two Koreas to discuss setting up a virtual meeting system with North Korea in order to hold dialogue under safe conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Koo Hee-jin)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: South Korea’s fencing ‘Avengers’ grab gold in the men’s team sabre event, retaining their Olympic title. In the pool, teen swimming sensation Hwang Sun-woo comes fifth in the 100m freestyle event, but shows promise for 2024.

In-Depth News Analysis: Affiliate Professor Kim Byung-joo from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Law Professor Cho Hee-kyung from Hongik University discuss Wednesday’s TV debate between the presidential contenders from the ruling Democratic Party. Plus they discuss when they think the leading presidential contender for the opposition bloc, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, might join the main opposition People Power Party.

Korea Trending with Lee Ju-young: A heartbreaking letter written by a mother of a teenager who reportedly took his own life due to school violence issues goes viral ("일주일만 슬퍼해줘" 극단선택 아들의 부탁, 엄마는 거절했다). Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has upheld a six-year prison sentence for disgraced judo Olympic silver medalist Wang Ki-chun for sexual abuse of minors (왕기춘 징역 6년 확정…"햄버거 사줄 게" "집안 일 좀" 제자 2명 성폭행). And Olympic archer Kim Woo-jin has wowed fans with his extraordinary composure as shown by his heart-rate numbers during his matches (자는 거 아냐? 양궁 김우진 심박수 화제, 상대 선수의 절반).

Explore Korea with Andy St. Louis: Andy introduces the ‘Young Korean Artists 2021’ exhibition at the MMCA Gwacheon. This year marks the 40th anniversary of MMCA’s inaugural young artists exhibition, which has spotlighted some of the country’s most promising up-and-coming artistic talents over the years. Renowned artists such as Lee Bul, Suh Do-ho, Moon Kyungwon and Lee Hyungkoo have all been featured in this important exhibition series. This year 15 artists are presenting some 140 works of sculpture, painting, photography, ceramics, video and installation art. They include works by Yoon Jiyoung, Hàn Yohan, Woo Jeongsu, Nam Jinu, Hejum Bä, Shin Jungkyun, and more. The exhibition is on view through September 22.

Korea24 – 2021.07.28. (Wednesday)

News Briefing: The daily COVID-19 count in South Korea hits another record high of 1,896. Government officials have said tougher quarantine measures may be adopted if numbers persist. They have also assured the public that vaccinations will proceed as planned, despite reports of a hiccup in delivery schedules. (Koo Hee-jin)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: We discuss Team Korea’s latest silver and bronze medals in fencing and taekwondo at Tokyo2020, as well as swimmer Hwang Sun-woo setting a new Asian record in the 200m freestyle on the way to the finals.

In-Depth News Analysis: K-pop phenom BTS have topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart once again, with their previous no.1 ‘Butter’ replacing ‘Permission to Dance’. We’ll speak to Bernie Cho, President of the Korean music artist and label services agency DFSB Kollective, about this latest feat, as well as K-pop’s place on US radio.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee: A new digital identity verification service is set to be launched early next year (내년 상반기부터 주민등록증 없어도 스마트폰으로 신분확인). Meanwhile, more details on a sexual assault case that took place in broad daylight on a subway train has come to light after the victim came forward to the media (텅 빈 지하철 안에서 성폭행 시도…급박한 탈출). And US gymnast Simone Biles makes a shock exit from events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics ("전 세계가 내 어깨에"…그 무게에 주저앉은 바일스·오사카).

Korea Book Club with Anton Hur: This week we discuss a sci-fi thriller called 평형추 or ‘Counterweight’, by the mysterious author Djuna. The identity of the author is unknown, but he/she/they have built a reputation as a popular and prolific film critic and writer of speculative fiction. This latest work centers around the construction of a ‘space elevator’ in a future society, and it explores themes of colonialism as well as delivering on dramatic action scenes.

Korea24 – 2021.07.27. (Tuesday)

News Briefing: The two Koreas have re-established their communication hotline, 13 months after North Korea unilaterally severed the channel. This surprise development is said to be the result of multiple letters between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un since April. (Koo Hee-jin)

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: We cover Monday’s bronze medal win for Tokyo-born judoka An Changrim. Then we take a look at some promising young stars who fell short on Tuesday but have shown exciting potential.

In-Depth News Analysis: We connect with Dr. Go Myong-hyun, senior fellow at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, to discuss the re-establishing of the communication hotline between the two Koreas and what that could signal for inter-Korean relations, as well as North Korea-US nuclear negotiations.

Korea Trending with Lee Ju-young: A group of lawmakers have proposed a bill that places restrictions on property purchases by foreign buyers (“중국인 부동산 취득에 상호주의 적용”…태영호, 법안 대표 발의). Meanwhile, the search for missing climber Kim Hong-bin was suspended yesterday upon his family’s request, but the body of another South Korean climber Heo Seung-gwan who went missing in 1999 has been found (‘김홍빈 실종’ 브로드피크서 22년 잠든 허승관씨 시신 찾았다). And finally, an Argentine fencer who lost out on a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, still had something to celebrate, after a surprise on-camera marriage proposal (아르헨티나 펜싱 선수, 올림픽 생방송 인터뷰 중 깜짝 청혼받아).

Touch Base in Seoul: Joining us in the studio this week is Julia Mellor, an Australian who came to South Korea in 2006, and soon discovered her love for Korean traditional alcohol, or sool. This passion eventually led her to start her own business, The Sool Company, dedicated to the education of sool and the craft of brewing. We’ll speak to her about her business, and what makes sool so special.

Korea24 – 2021.07.26. (Monday)

News Briefing: South Korea recorded its highest ever Monday COVID-19 tally of 1,318 new cases, with infections outside the capital region making up 40% of total for the first time during this latest fourth wave. (Eunice Kim)

In-Depth News Analysis: Last week the National Assembly approved a 34.9 trillion won extra budget, including emergency relief payouts of 250k won for 88% of households. Economics Professor Shin Se-don from Sookmyung Women’s University joins us to provide his analysis on the decision.

Going for Gold with Mark Wilson-Choi: It’s a gold rush for Team Korea in archery, as they win 3 out of 3 gold medals so far. Mark updates us on the latest, including 3 bronze medals for Team Korea as well, and what to look out for on Tuesday.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee: Taekwondo star Lee Dae-hoon announces his retirement shortly after losing out on a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics ("도쿄올림픽이 선수로서 마지막" 태권 스타 이대훈, 은퇴 선언). Meanwhile, researchers have found that the hot weather in Korea this summer has led to a drop in the number of mosquitoes (“요즘 모기가 별로 없죠”…모기도 더위 먹나요?). And we also have the latest on another flood that has hit Belgium (폭우로 200명 사망한 서유럽에 열흘 만에 또 ‘폭우’).

Special Tokyo 2020 interview: In lieu of our regular Monday Sports Round-up today, we’ll be speaking to Lee Joosun (이주선), the Deputy Manager of the Main Press Center at Tokyo 2020, responsible for foreign press. She was also part of the organizing committee for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, so she’ll be taking us behind the scenes at Tokyo and talking about the differences with Pyeongchang, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic situation.