People walk through a lotus garden in Gangneung, Gangwon, on June 25.YONHAP
Happy Thursday! Here are the stories you need to know in Korea.
In today's news, Korea suffered a disappointing loss against South Africa in their final match of the 2026 World Cup group stage. Spending time with one's mother is a growing trend for young Koreans. And a YouTuber is gaining attention for acing a math exam while using AI glasses.
What happened? A single goal was enough for South Africa to win the match and proceed through to the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup. The match winner was scored in the 63rd minute by South Africa's Thapelo Maseko, who slotted the ball past Korea's goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu. The result was extremely disappointing for Korea, which needed just a draw to secure progression to the next round.
What went wrong? Korea held most of the possession, according to match statistics, but was unable to turn the advantage into points. South Africa defended well, while Korea were unable to break their opponents down and later attempted to pump crosses into the box to no avail.
What happens next? With Korea finishing in third place in their group, they still have a chance of making it into the round of 32. According to the rules of this year's expanded competition, the top eight of the 12 third-place finishers will proceed to the next round. Korea now awaits the results of the other group stage games, which will decide their fate.
Spending time with one's mom is a trend now? On the online sphere, content featuring daughters spending time with their mothers is attracting attention. The term "eommisae" has been coined to describe the phenomenon, which is used to convey a wish that one's mother can stay exactly the same as she is forever.
What are some examples of this trend? One video featuring ILLIT's Wonhee shows off her relationship with her mother. "I only show my aegyo [cuteness] to my parents. My mom understands everything," said the singer. Another creator on Instagram showed off her mother-daughter relationship in a video."Unlike friendships, there is a kind of comfort that only family can provide," said the creator. "My mom and I spend a lot of time together. When we can't meet, we talk on the phone."
What's behind the trend? Experts say that the trend reflects a societal emphasis on well-being and family relationships. A psychology professor from Seoul National University says that strong relationships with parents can result in emotional stability. "The emotional support that comes from parents fosters emotional stability, and today that stability has become one of a person's valuable resources and assets," said the professor.
It looks like teachers have even more things to worry about these days? They do indeed. A YouTuber recently uploaded a video testing out how well AI glasses worked in exam situations. The video's creator, known as Techmong, used AI glasses to solve questions presented in a practice math test for the Korean College Scholastic Ability Test, or suneung. With the help of the glasses, he was able to complete the test in 18 minutes, with a score of 96 out of 100.
How do the glasses work? As demonstrated in the video, the YouTuber types a prompt into a smartphone app connected to the glasses and asks it to scan the questions in front of him. After scanning the questions on the exam paper, the answers appeared to the YouTuber and he was able to complete the test. He got only one question wrong due to a scanning error, but the video has raised alarm among the education community.
What does this mean? The use of smart glasses in exam situations is an area of real concern for teachers, with schools banning their use in exam rooms. Some schools are even considering getting metal detectors for classroom use to detect AI glasses. However, experts are calling for a more proactive response from the government. "We need educational alternatives — such as having students sign a voluntary pledge acknowledging penalties for possessing smart glasses, and strengthening punishments," said a professor from Seoul Women's University.
