South Korea

Not Working Pays More Than Working in South Korea

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Split scene showing a person relaxing at home with a higher government benefit payment on their phone on the left, versus the same person exhausted at an office desk with a lower paycheck on the right, representing South Korea unemployment benefit exceeding minimum wage take-home pay

In 2026, South Korea has an unemployment benefitproblem that sounds like a joke — but isn’t. If you’re unemployed in South Korea right now,the government pays you ₩1,981,440 per month. If you’re working full-time at minimum wage?Your take-home pay is ₩1,947,880 per month. You read that right. In South Korea,not working pays more than working. … Read more

A Chinese Robot Just Entered a Skyscraper Marathon in Seoul — Because No Korean Robot Was Good Enough

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Sleek white humanoid robot in running gear standing at the bottom of a skyscraper stairwell looking up at 123 floors of stairs stretching to a vanishing point, representing robot ROI competing in Lotte World Tower stair climb

Every April, hundreds of athletes gather at thebase of Lotte World Tower in Seoul —555 meters tall, 123 floors —and race each other to the top. 2,917 stairs. Straight up. This year, one of the competitors doesn’t have lungs. Meet ROI — The Steel Marathon Runner ROI is a Unitree G1 humanoid robot,manufactured in China. … Read more

9 Tutoring Academies, $3,500/Month, 4 Hours of Sleep — The Brutal Reality of Getting Into Seoul National University

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Aerial night shot of Daechi-dong Gangnam Seoul streets lined with brightly lit hagwon tutoring academy signs stacked floor after floor in every building, with students visible through windows studying late at night

A freshman at Seoul National University’s Collegeof Dentistry — one of the most competitive programsin South Korea — just pulled back the curtain onwhat it actually takes to get in. The answer is both fascinating and deeply troubling. Meet the Student From Daechi-dong Daechi-dong is a neighborhood in Seoul’s Gangnamdistrict. If you know anything about … Read more

South Korea Is Cracking Down on “Medical Shopping” — Visit the Doctor 300+ Times and Pay 90% Yourself

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Crowded South Korean hospital corridor with a bold 300-visit warning sign on the wall, representing the government's new policy to penalize excessive medical shopping

South Korea has one of the world’s most generous publichealthcare systems. But the government just drew a hard lineagainst people who abuse it. Starting in 2027, if you visit a doctor more than 300 timesin a single year, you’ll pay 90% of your medical billsout of pocket — for every visit beyond that threshold. What … Read more

South Korea Is Handing Out Up to $180 in Cash — And Even Six-Figure Earners Qualify

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Korean family of four sitting together at home smiling at a smartphone showing a government subsidy payment notification, representing the high oil price relief fund

South Korea’s government just announced one of its biggest cashhandout programs in recent years — and the income threshold toqualify is surprisingly high. Here’s everything you need to know. What Is This Payment? The South Korean government is distributing a “high oil pricerelief payment” to help citizens cope with surging energy costs. The program targets … Read more