Graphic News In series
Key issues and figures from Korean and abroad visualised.
Graphic News In series
Key issues and figures from Korean and abroad visualised.
[Graphic News] Prices of ingredients put squeeze on Dubai chewy cookie craze
Prices of kadayif and pistachios, the main ingredients in the viral Dubai chewy cookie, or “dujjonku” — popular especially with people in their 20s and 30s — have surged sharply, putting pressure on small business owners. Pistachio imports spiked to 372 metric tons in December last year, up sharply from 93 tons in August, while the import price per ton nearly doubled from $8,800 to $16,800. Kadayif prices also rose about 85 percent, from 13,000 won ($8.90) per kilogram late last year to around 2
Feb. 12, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Portugal leads world in wine consumption
The world’s highest wine consumers are not the French or Italians — it is the Portuguese, according to recent data. A 2024 report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Organization of Vine and Wine shows that Portugal’s average wine consumption was 61.1 liters per person, far above Italy (42.7 liters) and Luxembourg (41.8 liters) on a per capita basis. Portugal’s top ranking reflects the country’s long-standing wine culture. The top rankings are d
Feb. 11, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Lunar New Year table costs shift
An improved supply of fruits and vegetables has slightly lowered the cost of preparing the Lunar New Year ancestral table. According to the Korea Price Information Agency, the average cost for a four-member family is 296,500 won ($203) at traditional markets, down 1.98 percent from last year, and 406,880 won at major retailers, down 0.64 percent. Overall, fruit and vegetable prices fell. In traditional markets, three pears cost 18,000 won (down 33 percent), 400 grams of jujubes are 6,000 won (do
Feb. 10, 2026 - 08:00:03
[Graphic News] S. Korea’s key events at Winter Games
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the 25th edition of the Winter Games, will begin with an opening ceremony Friday at San Siro Stadium in Milan, officially launching the competitions that run through Feb. 22 across venues in northern Italy. The ceremony will carry the theme “Armonia” ("harmony") and feature performances and artistic segments designed to showcase Italian culture. According to reports from Korean media and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, South Korea’s Olympic delegatio
Feb. 6, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Majority of Koreans want more Paralympics broadcast coverage
The Korean Paralympic Committee has released the results of a nationwide survey examining public awareness of the Paralympics and demand for expanded broadcast coverage. The online survey was conducted by Micromill Embrain from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, polling 2,000 adults nationwide through quota sampling. According to the survey, 76.6 percent of respondents said they were familiar with the Paralympics, while 63.1 percent said broadcast coverage of the Games should be expanded. More than half (55.2 p
Feb. 3, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Apple leads global brand value rankings; Samsung is 8th
Apple has maintained its position as the world’s most valuable brand for a third consecutive year, while Samsung ranked eighth, down two places from a year earlier. According to the Global 500 rankings released by brand valuation firm Brand Finance, Apple ranked No. 1 in 2026 with a brand value of $607.6 billion, up 6 percent from $574.5 billion in 2025. The increase was driven by steady demand across the United States, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, reinforcing Apple’s top position. The to
Feb. 2, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics
Anticipation is building for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy’s first Winter Games in two decades. The 25th Winter Olympic Games will open on Feb. 6 and run through Feb. 22. In South Korea, interest is high not only because of the global competition but also due to recent Olympic history. At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, South Korea finished seventh in the medal standings with 17 medals, including five golds, eight silvers and four bronzes - its best result ever. At the 2022 Be
Jan. 30, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Korea posts world’s highest growth in AI adoption
South Korea emerged as the fastest-growing country in artificial intelligence adoption in the second half of 2025, signaling a major shift in the global AI race. The AI Economy Institute, a Microsoft-affiliated think tank, released “AI Diffusion Report: A Widening Digital Divide,” analyzing global AI adoption trends in the latter half of last year. According to the report, South Korea posted the highest growth rate among all countries, with AI adoption rising 4.8 percentage points, the largest i
Jan. 29, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Son, global stars take ‘last dance’ at 2026 World Cup
South Korean men’s national soccer team captain Son Heung-min is expected to headline the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the tournament likely marking his final appearance on soccer’s biggest stage. Now in his mid-30s, Son embodies the culmination of a golden era for Korean soccer, combining global stardom, leadership and consistency across four World Cups. FIFA’s “Last Dance” spotlight places him alongside some of the sport’s defining figures, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modri
Jan. 28, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Koreans value family over money for happiness
When Koreans think of happiness, “family” is what comes to mind first, according to a recent survey. McDonald’s Korea surveyed 1,034 adults aged 20 to 69 about their general perceptions of happiness. Among all respondents, 26.2 percent said they most strongly associate happiness with family, followed by "health" and "comfort." As for situations that make them feel happy, 27.6 percent said chatting with family members or friends, followed by eating delicious food and taking a good rest. Meals wer
Jan. 27, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] LoL most popular ‘PC bang’ game of 2025
The game most played in South Korean internet cafes, known locally as “PC bangs,” last year was League of Legends — or LoL — a recent report showed. N Media Platform, an integrated online marketing firm, released its 2025 data covering Jan. 1 to Dec. 14, detailing South Korea’s most popular online games, their genres, and user demographics. By individual game, LoL ranked first, accounting for 36.01 percent of playtime, followed by FC Online (9.06 percent), Battlegrounds (8.42 percent) and Valora
Jan. 26, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Art auctions rebound in 2025, led by Chagall
According to the Korea Art Price Appraisal Association and Artprice, the domestic art auction market’s transactions last year totaled around 140.5 billion won ($95.3 million), a 25.4 billion won increase from the previous year. Annual transaction values had steadily declined from 329.4 billion won in 2021 but rebounded for the first time in 2025. In total, 18,339 works of art were exhibited at auction, with 9,797 sold, resulting in a 53.42 percent successful bid rate, the highest in three years.
Jan. 22, 2026 - 08:00:04
[Graphic News] New York Yankees lead greatest sports teams list
British sports outlet GiveMeSport selected the 15 greatest teams in world sports history, calling the process extremely difficult given the fierce competitiveness of global sport. Soccer accounted for the largest share, with six teams making the list, including AC Milan’s late-1980s European champions, two legendary eras of Real Madrid, Johan Cruyff’s Ajax, Pele’s dominant 1970 Brazil and Barcelona’s 2008–2011 side led by Lionel Messi, which ranked first among soccer teams and second overall. Am
Jan. 21, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Russia captured less than 1% of Ukraine in 2025
Russia captured less than 1 percent of Ukraine’s total territory over the past year, highlighting the slowing momentum of its military campaign. According to battlefield analysis, Russian forces newly occupied 433,600 hectares, primarily in the Donetsk region, accounting for just 0.72 percent of the country’s overall territory. Despite sustained offensives, Moscow has struggled to translate heavy fighting into significant territorial gains. Analysts point to mounting Russian casualties, equipmen
Jan. 20, 2026 - 08:00:00
[Graphic News] Just 1 in 6 Americans back Trump’s Greenland bid: poll
Just 17 percent of Americans approve of President Donald Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland, and substantial majorities of Democrats and Republicans oppose using military force to annex the island, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The two-day poll, which concluded on Jan. 13, showed widespread concerns over Trump’s threats to NATO ally Denmark over Greenland, which has been a Danish territory for centuries. Trump has said Greenland is vital to US security and that Washington must own it to prevent
Jan. 19, 2026 - 08:00:00