Teams compete at the 2026 Wonju Dancing Carnival, a "citizen-participatory dance festival," in Wonju on Sept. 19. Running through Sunday, the festival features 122 participating teams — including 37 from overseas and 85 from Korea — holding competitions, themed performances and a fringe festival.YONHAP
Hello and happy Saturday!
In this weekend’s longer reads, we’ll take a closer look how higher prices at the grocery store are affecting Chuseok holiday meals, why recycling here is so darn complicated and what President Lee Jae Myung had to say at his recent press conference to address recent issues and controversies.
We’ll also learn about Jeju's festival celebrating its famed women divers, or haenyeo, and see why serious sticker shock over Apple's new foldable may be driving some iPhone faithful to finally consider switching to Samsung.
Here's what you need to know!
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Chuseok shoppers are cutting corners — and cuts of meat
On a recent Thursday afternoon, Kim Soo-min was standing in front of a pile of cabbages at a Lotte Mart in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul: Should she buy a whole cabbage or a precut quarter?
The whole cabbage was cheaper by weight, but the quarter cost less overall. She ended up picking the smaller piece. “I'll buy just what I need and save the 800 won [60 cents] for something else,” she told herself.
With the Chuseok harvest festival a week away, the holiday table is starting to look different, as shoppers look for ways to cut their grocery bills amid prices that show no sign of easing.
'Is this recyclable or not?': The story behind Korea’s notorious recycling rules.
In Korea, throwing away trash is rarely a one-step affair. It takes time and effort — from separating food waste from general waste to deciding what can be recycled and, finally, which recycling bin it belongs in. Walk into any apartment complex's neatly organized, bin-filled space, and you see an array of containers awaiting your diligent work: five or more bins each for plastic, paper, cans, vinyl, glass, Styrofoam, general waste and food waste.
And simply choosing a bin is not always enough. Korea's waste-sorting system comes with surprisingly specific rules — like removing the vinyl from plastic bottles and some neighborhoods require residents to flatten their cans and plastic bottles. So getting it wrong is common, even among Koreans who have lived with the system for years.
Lee apologizes over 'shortcomings,' rules out re-election bid at somber Blue House press conference?
President Lee Jae Myung's press conference on Friday was a somber affair, in which he apologized for his “shortcomings” and addressed various controversies contributing to his sinking approval ratings.
Lee’s signature banter, laughter and joking from previous pressers was missing this time around, as the president took a more serious tone, addressing blunt questions from reporters regarding his low approval ratings, controversial ministerial appointments and housing policy.
Take a deep breath: Jeju’s haenyeo festival dives into 10 years of Unesco heritage
JEJU CITY, Jeju — A festival celebrating Jeju’s haenyeo, or women divers, will take place this weekend as the centuries-old culture faces growing challenges from an aging population and a shortage of new divers.
This year’s theme looks back on the decade since Jeju haenyeo culture was inscribed on Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, under the title “Ten Years of Unesco Heritage: Stories carried on the sumbisori.” Sumbisori refers to the high-pitched, forceful breathing sound haenyeo make when they surface after diving.
Awe, then shock: Apple’s new foldable iPhone wows Korea, but huge price gap with Samsung also turns heads
Apple's first-ever foldable iPhone, the Duo, is stirring controversy in Korea even before it arrives. Local iPhone fans are counting down the days, but even some Apple faithful are balking at its sky-high starting price of 3.29 million won ($2,370). While almost everyone can appreciate Apple's latest sleek design, many in Korea are finding the price tag to be eye-watering.
Korean consumers are comparing the phone to Samsung's latest device with a passport-style design, the Galaxy Z Fold8, which sells for 1.01 million won less. That's a difference of about $730, hard for even die-hard Apple fans to completely ignore.
