Mukbang's has been a popular method of entertainment for many Koreans over the years, and has also become popular in some Western markets, but are they worth enduring? Recently, mukbang star, Pan Xio Ting, terrifyingly passed away in the middle of her livestream. Please be advised that the below video can be distressing for some. For me, however, I found it to be fairly revolting. Of course, as part of my job in Korea, I have participated in several mukbangs myself, though when I have taken part it has not been about the excessive amount of food, and not even close to the duration of this content creator. It was more about the food, culture, and opinion. I am aware that over time since these videos started her success, it was addictive to keep them up. Sadly, she passed away, despite the circumstances, so our condolences at Doejon Media go out to her and her family at this time. Of course, the dark side of mukbangs has been discussed on serval channels before, including on more mainstream news channels throughout the world. Check out this video below. Mukbang has been a global craze in recent years. Many people love to watch mukbang videos, but there are many unknown dark sides behind them. This article will explore the psychological background of the mukbang phenomenon, the high-risk occupational nature of mukbang making, and the negative effects of mukbangs It has become clear that mukbang is more than just a visual representation of the act of eating food on screen. Every single facet of mukbang contributes, in some way, to the experience that its viewers have. As a result, it is not known at this time whether or not the recently emerged trend of watching videos of people eating food that they have prepared themselves, known as mukbang, is beneficial or detrimental, or to what degree the former affects the latter. Sadly, the effects of these videos on their audience need to be researched in order to gain an understanding of the reasons why people spend time watching mukbang videos. The time spent watching mukbang videos can range from watching a single video to watching multiple videos in quick succession, which really depends on the type of food, location, and creator. Check out my earlier mukbang in comparison. Having more recently spoken about my struggle with food and having gone through treatment in the past for an eating disorder (anorexia) though I am now recovered (mostly). The idea of eating excessive amounts of food is bewildering and I know for many other people, it is attractive. I just hope that this recent death makes global news, and that people are more careful moving forward. Let us know your opinion on mukbang's in the comments below. #mukbanger #mukbang #excessiveeating #socialdisorder #YouTube

This has now becoming a trend with the big three K-pop companies, YG Entertainment, HYBE, and Sm Entertainment focusing on the international audience. This past weekend, SM Entertainment revealed their all-British boy band "Dear Alice" . We introduce all the members and how fans are reacting to this news! Made in Korea: The K-pop Experience As we have covered previously in another article, Dear Alice was created through SM's new reality show Made in Korea: The K-pop Experience which was then later purchased by the British Broadcasting Co-operation or BBC). The show will be launched this month and will showcase the group as a total "music experiment". The boys were taken through the ropes as K-pop trainees and brought to reality as to what it takes to debut at a global level. If this sounds like fun, read on to find out more about the new members! Let's get to know Dear Alice! James Sharp Birthday: 2001 (23) Fun facts: He is an influencer and has over 1 million followers on TikTok! He has a passion for dancing and producing music is the oldest member of the group. Dexter Greenwood Birthday: 2002 (22) Fun facts: Dexter was in a three-year performing arts diploma class in theater. He loves acting and stage performance. He is a great dancer. Reese Carter Birthday: 2003 (21) Fun facts: Reece previously worked as a stage performer on cruise ships. Oliver Maratty Quinn Birthday: January 23, 2004 (20) Fun facts: Olly grew up singing in a choir. He graduated from Bird College in dance and musical theater. Blaise Landsbert-Noon Birthday: 2005 (19) Fun facts: Blaise is the youngest member of Dear Alice. He has been fascinated with acting, singing, and dancing since childhood and is passionate about dancing and photography. Mixed responses With all the hype around this all-British group, we wanted to know what fans thought! Here are some mixed opinions we came across! "It's giving one direction" "I don’t think they’re gonna make it. British kids calling themselves K-pop is like Korean kids calling themselves Jamaican Reggae." "I miss the old kpop fr" "Given their backgrounds in singing and dancing, hopefully they did well adjusting to SM's idol training." "omg I thought they were just there to experience the kpop idol training system kinda like how the children went to a diff country in World's strictest parents if that makes sense??? I didn't realize they were actually going to become a group! I'm wondering if only 100 days of training would be enough though unless they carry on getting training outside SM after the show as well. Also after a few years western media referring to groups as 'bands' always catches me off guard because in kpop bands now refer to groups who play instruments" So will you watch Made in Korea: The K-pop Experience ? What are your thoughts about an all-British K-pop group? Also, let us know who is your favorite member in the comments below! #DearAlice #MadeinKorea #kpopexperience #debut

With the 2024 Seoul Waterbomb Festival over, we want to know, was it really worth it? We give you our personal experience if the price is worth the entry! I was supposed to go to attend this years Waterbomb Festival this year, but it was not possible. Now, I've been to many concerts in the past, and I attended the 2023 Waterbomb in Daegu and I have to say that it was worth it. Let's check out some of the highlights from this year's festival so far! Also, special guests Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman surprised the crowds at this year's Seoul event including K-drama's very own Cha Eun Woo ! Videos were posted throughout social media, which showed Hugh Jackman, being introduced as Wolverine as he held a water gun; the actor struck a pose as fans in the crowd sprayed water in his direction. "We love you! We love you Seoul," he said in one video, speaking to the audience as Waterbomb made a heart sign with his hands. The actors made the event more popular virally due to their followers on social media, especially during this time. In regards to the ticket price for the 2024 festival, prices are around the 110,000 - 154,000 KRW mark, which is roughly 100 - 130 USD. Personally, I think that for a 540 minute show, the price is very reasonable, due the various artists that you are able to see perform, let alone being able to have fun with water guns and cool off in the summer heat. The ticket price is worth it in my opinion. Let's check out that magic moment! Of course, the Waterbomb Festival is so much more than watching your favorite performers. You are also able to have a water fight with your friends and other attendees, get involved with celebrity water fights since there are cannons on stage, and upgrade your ticket to a VIP table, where you can enjoy a side view of the stage and bar area, or even enjoy a variety of food from the food stalls. All these options at the event make it a stand-out date of the year, and an event not to be missed! The weather during the Waterbomb Tour was also very hot and humid, especially in Daegu so many tickets sold out for the festival, more so than in other years. The amount of water that was used during the festival was a great way to cool down during the summer heat, and I have to say that it looked refreshing! I really think for the thousands of fans that attended this year's event, it was for sure worth it. For the artists and special guests, I can only imagine the feeling of performing to so many people at once, how amazing it must have truly felt. I am definitely looking forward to 2025's Waterbomb Festival. Are you? Let us know in the comments below if you attended Waterbomb 2024, and tag us in your photos and videos! #waterbomb2024 #waterbomb #marvel #hughjackman #ryanreynolds #deadpoolwolverine

K-pop global sensation NewJeans performed during the halftime show between Tottenham Hot Spurs (from the Premiere League) and FC Bayern Munich (from the Bundesliga League) on Saturday, August 3, 2024! Read on to find out more details on their performance and watch them! Set as the halftime performance show during the Coupang Play Series at Seoul World Cup Stadium, the group performed hits "Attention", "Hype Boy", "ETA" , and "Super Shy" along with a string of backup dancers and a huge billboard broadcasting the lyrics for fans to sing along! Let's take a look at their full performance! Hyein is officially back! Maknae Hyein is officially back with the group as she participated in the full halftime show and a fun halftime show activity! Let us know your thoughts on NewJeans' performance and Hyein returning from her injury! #NewJeans #Tottenham #BayernMunich #halftimeshow #attention #hybeboy #ETA #SuperShy

Blackpink is set to reunite for a 2025 world tour! Here are all the details while we wait in anticipation! Dojeon team's Lewis (a blink, by the way) expresses his excitement for this long overdue comeback! Over the years the K-pop band Blackpink have gained a huge international following and in my opinion they have really helped to put Korea on the map globally. I remember hearing one of their songs for the first time when I lived in the UK, and the beat, style, and even vocals caught my attention, I also think as far as created bands go, their chemistry is really good as well, which I believe is a big factor in their success. Let's check out one of the girls' best-rated hits! With their 2025 upcoming tour confirmed, I am so excited and cannot wait for this! I really wanted to go to their previous tour, but with my schedule and ticket availability it was not possible. Without further ado, let's check out the teaser! The announcement of BLACKPINK’s comeback was made just before the group’s 8th anniversary on August 8, which will be commemorated by a “OUR AREA WITH BLINK” fan sign event. This will be their first public appearance together in almost a year, as the four have been busy with commitments in their solo careers. The group is currently creating a new album, scheduled to be released by the end of this year! We wonder what genre it will be. Maybe you can help us out? What do you think? The founder then confirmed that BLACKPINK stars Jisoo , Jennie , Rosé , and Lisa will reunite for a world tour in 2025. "There will be a highly anticipated comeback from BLACKPINK, and it will also be the year BLACKPINK starts their world tour". Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. #blackpinkbornpink #bornpink #bornpinktour #bornpink_incinemas

Are you planning a trip to Korea in August? Here is what you need to know about coming to Korea in the peak travel season on a budget! We have great news for you! Korea has many summer festivals and events, especially in August! Each region holds different festivals that offer unique experiences for foreigners —try to determine what kind of festival you want to participate in. August is a vacation month in Korea, so there will be many festivals and events held in each region—so it’s worth a visit to check out local events. You don’t need to worry about what to do in August. We have the answers for you! For example, are you a big fan of listening to classical music in an open area? Are you looking for a good spot to get tanned while traveling in Korea? Or do you want to go wild and enjoy music while splashing water at other participants? Well for me, August is about doing all the amazing outside and free things that Korea has to offer, I have previously written about Pohang , and the amazing beaches and skywalk there! Also, Yeosu is the perfect escape from the big cities and for me feels more like the real and local Korea. I actually moved to Korea in August 2020, and sadly as it was COVID time, I was unable to make the most of what Korea has to offer, though the areas within the city of Seoul were in full bloom and beautiful, especially Olympic Park , Seoul Forest , and along the Han River . The dramatic monsoon rains typical of Korea in July have passed, but you can still expect blisteringly hot weather in Korea in August. There is some relief in sight this month though. In 2024, 말복 (the last of the 3 dog days of summer), falls on August 14th, and travel around South Korea gets progressively more comfortable from this day onwards, so I have made sure to mark this in my calendar. Wherever you visit in Korea, be sure to keep cool, and with the many beautiful cafes and countless convenience stores , it is always possible. Also, Koreans have food for summer, which if you have checked out one of my previous articles, you will be sure to try the Samgyetang (ginseng chicken) which will help to cool your body temperature down. Connecting with nature through hiking and camping is popular year-round in South Korea, including in the summer. Avoid the highest temperatures by hiking early in the day or choosing a location in the mountains or along the coast where the weather is more temperate. For visitors to South Korea's major cities, the same advice applies: mornings and evenings are the best time to venture out, while sweltering afternoons are best spent enjoying an iced coffee at one of the country's famous cafés, which I have become custom to since I have lived here. August offers the last opportunity to attend one of the country's popular summer festivals. At the end of July and beginning of August, tourists can participate in Boryeong's Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach, when the region's mineral-rich mud is trucked onto the beach from the mudflats. The Busan Sea Festival, held around the same time, brings thousands of visitors to party at Busan's beaches. Smaller regional festivals, such as the Muju Firefly Festival and Bonghwa Sweetfish Festival, offer an opportunity for tourists to learn about the unique characteristics of each of South Korea's eight provinces.  Whatever your budget and interest, visiting Korea in August will allow you to enjoy and experience the country at one of the best times. Let us know in the comments below if you plan to visit Korea in August. #summertime #summerfun #SouthKorea #festivals

Honolulu, HI — Come and experience the flavors and culture of Korea at the 20th Annual Korean Festival Hawaii. The festival takes place over two days - August 2 and 3, 2024 . The first day is a special movie night screening, and the second day is an all-day festival celebrating everything Korean. As one of the larger and more vibrant cultural festivals in Hawaii, the Korean Festival will again celebrate and share the exquisite food, music, dance, and culture of Korea with thousands of Hawaii residents and Island visitors. On August 2, the festival starts at Consolidated Ward Theaters with a special screening of the Korean movie Night of the Assassin . Movie night is from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. There will be a meet and greet with actor SHIN HYUN JOON , who will be in attendance for the screening. The main festival event is on August 3 and will take place at the Kakaako Mauka Gateway Park from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The event features flavorful Korean foods, various Kids and Family Activities, as well as booths offering handcrafted products both locally made and imported from Korea. Scrip will be sold for food, products, and for most onsite activities. The headline act of the festival is the K-pop Female Group Spia who will be performing to close the festival at 5:00pm. There will be non-stop entertainment on stage from both local and performers from Korea. Special performances from Korea include Jung Art & Company (who will also be doing a Korean fashion show) and the Arang Go Go Janggu Team. Entertainment also includes a Taekwondo performance, various Hawaii-based KPOP Dance Groups, Korean Farmers Music Association, Halla Huhm and more. There will also be two eating contests - Kimchi and Jajangmyun (Korean noodle dish). The popular KPOP Song and KPOP Dance Contest will also be part of the festivities. The festival will be filled with food stalls serving delicious Korean cuisine such as Kimchi , Korean Pancake, Kalbi, Mandoo, Bibimbap , Tteokbokki , Korean BBQ Chicken and many more for attendees to enjoy. 2024 Participating Restaurants include 88 Mart, BO Hawaii, Cheehoo Treats, Cho Go Jip, Family Jjang, Jagalchi, Hawaii Christian Church, Khan Skewer, New Community Baptist Church, and Yomie’s Rice x Yogurt. This annual festival unites the community as more than 500 volunteers representing more than 40 Korean and other local organizations come out to support the event. Over 20,000 Hawaii residents and visitors are expected to attend this year’s Korean Festival. Net proceeds will be used to improve the Korean community as well as the local community through trade and tourism missions, support of business-friendly legislation, student scholarships, free seminars regarding personal finance for senior citizens and immigrants, taxation and business regulations, and other community outreach and service projects. Hawaii Korean Chamber of Commerce, established in 1940, is one of the oldest Korean organizations in the State. The Chamber’s mission is to perpetuate goodwill within the Korean community. This year, the Hawaii Korean Chamber of Commerce Foundation will take the helm in organizing and orchestrating the Cultural Festival. #KoreanFestival #hawaii #hallyu #koreanculture #shinhyunjoon

The July Boiler Room Festival in Seoul was abruptly shut down due to overcrowding, canceling Peggy Gou's performance. The much loved Seoul Boiler Room Festival, was sadly cut short three hours earlier due to safety reasons which sparked from it becoming overcrowded. With the late-night venue hosting many performers and DJs, the performances were set to run from 9 pm on Saturday, July 27 and 4 am on Sunday, July 28, 2024, however at 1 am KST, just before world-class DJ Peggy Gou was set to perform the venue was shut down. The star took to social media, and said that she was "So upset and heartbroken" and that she was "working on rescheduling the performance". The concerns around overcrowding stemmed from the sad Itaewon crushing tragedy on October 29, 2022, where many people died, so I can understand that extra precautions were taken at this event. But was it a step too far, since there were no casualties? Check out this video for a snippet into the Boiler Room's famous festival antics. Peggy Gou's Instagram: Let us know in the comments below if you were at the Boiler Room festival, and if so tag us in your photos. #PeggyGou #BoilerRoomFestival #DJ

After two long years of waiting, Apple TV+'s Pachinko is back for season 2! We tell you everything you need to know for this highly-anticipated upcoming series! Bringing back an all-star cast with Lee Min Ho , Kim Min Ha , and Anna Sawai ( Shogun 2024) among some of the very best veteran actors in all of K-dramaland, Pachinko Season 2 is bound to capture our hearts and our emotions. Let's take a look at the trailer! Continuing with the tragic heartbreaking tale of a Korean family living under harsh environment and discrimination in Osaka, Japan, this "Best International Drama" by the Edinburgh TV Awards will surely tug on your heartstrings. The 8-episode series will premiere on August 23 and will run until October 11, 2024. Not to mention, New Zealand/Japanese actress, Anna Sawai, just came off a stunning performance in her role as Toda Mariko in the epic television series Shogun . Take a look at her interview with Seth Myers where she explains her freedom into make her character her own (from 7:37). Comment below with your thoughts on Pachinko Season 2 ! Are you excited? #Pachinko #Pachinkoseason2 #leeminho #annasawai #kimminha

In a perfectly timed teaser, Netflix dropped the teaser for Squid Game 2 during the 2024 Paris Olympics ! We break down what fans are saying and could there be a third season? Read on to find out! Netflix released the official premiere date for Squid Game 2 on August 1, 2024! The teaser is a must-watch in perfect synchronization with the 2024 Paris Olympics! Check it out! Depicting a track and field event, but overtaken by the Squid Game contestants, some of them falling to their deaths, the official date announcement is both exciting and fun to watch! At the end of the teaser, we are given a hint that there might be a third season! Season 2 will drop on December 26, 2024, and the third season will conclude in 2025! The long wait is finally almost over and fans couldn't resist but make hilarious comments! " Ok. I gotta go to cancel Christmas trip this year!" "This is it people!! Get your hype boots on!!" "Can't wait!!!! Hell yeah. Personally would love to see a Squid Game in every country" We can finally confirm that there will be two more seasons! Let us know in the comments what you're looking forward to the most in season 2! #SquidGame2 #LeeJungJae #KContent #SquidGame

Stray Kids and other well-known K-pop stars get multiple unexpected features at the 2024 Paris Olympics! Read on to find out how they were featured and which athletes love K-pop! With Korea doing so well at in the 2024 Paris Olympics , and with the rise in K-culture globally, there is no doubt in my mind that K-pop has also taken center stage with Korea's National team. As I have mentioned in some of my other articles, the Korean Government is trying to make 2024 the year to visit Korea, to gain world influence, and to promote Korean culture globally. It has been said that K-pop is taking over the 2024 Paris Olympics. Why? Well during the women's artistic gymnastics qualifying round, 29-year-old Mexican athlete, Alexa Moreno , wowed viewers and K-Pop fans alike with her incredible floor routine set to a medley of Stray Kids songs! Not to mention, she is a STAY (the official fandom of Stray Kids)! Watch her routine! Starting with the powerful beats of “S-Class” from the group’s album 5-Star , Moreno aced flips and moves before transitioning into Oddinary  hit “Maniac.” Finally, she ended her routine with somersaults over  Rock-Star ‘s “Lalalala”, earning huge applause from the crowd in the arena. For me, I think it is is great that athletes from other countries are using K-pop and the upbeat backing tracks that most of the singles have in their routines. That said, millions of viewers are tuned in around the world to watch the games, and due to this performance, thousands of STAYs were shocked to hear the group's music during this particular performance of the Mexican gymnastic floor routine. It was later discovered that the popular athlete (who has over 300,000 Instagram followers) has been a fan of the group for years now, mentioning how much they’ve influenced in her in past interviews. This was interesting for me to hear, and I think it is such ain good thing for music of different cultures to play into the games. Which other athletes will use K-pop in their performances, or which K-pop music would you like to hear played at the Olympic games? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. #StrayKids #STAY #AlexaMoreno #gymnastics #2024ParisOlympics

With the exciting news that the originally disbanded girl group FIFTY FIFTY is returning with four new members , we finally get to understand why ATTRAKT decided to have Keena return with a second chance! Read on to find out why! In a mysterious teaser "Silouhette" that was released last week, many fans took to online forums to guess who the new members of FIFTY FIFTY will be! Fans speculated Chanelle Moon and Yewon from Belift Lab's reality series R U Next . But with the success of FIFTY FIFTY's hit song "Cupid" , fans are worried if the group will be able to replicate the unique atmosphere with its new members. Let's take a look at "Cupid" for a refresher! Keena debuted as a singer, not a rapper! If you look at "Cupid", you will realize that Keena is in charge of the rapping part of the song, however, you might be surprised to know that she actually debuted as a singer first! Among the first generation FIFTY FIFTY members, Keena was the only member to release a song before their debut! In the OST for the K-drama The Running Mates (2019), Keena participated in the production of the song "Take Back My Life" under her real name Song Ja Kyung! Fans were so taken aback by Keena's amazing vocals and singing ability that they wondered why she was only rapping for FIFTY FIFTY. You'd be even more amazed as to why ATTRAKT decided to debut Keena as a rapper when you hear/watch her cover of Changmo's "Selfmade Orange" ! "She is such a great vocalist, but her rap is next level." — Fans amazed at Keena's rapping ability Her rapping skills surprised fans as they made comments such as, "She is such a great vocalist, but her rap is next level." So Keena simply didn't rap because she was a bad singer, but she had to give up singing to become a great rapper! It is because of her amazing abilities that ATTRAKT decided to have Keena become the center of the new group! To add further context as to why Keena was brought back we can come back to the creation of their hit single "Cupid". If you watch the making-of video for "Cupid", you can see that Keena was active in the writing of the song giving her 6.5% share in the copyright for "Cupid" (highlighted in green)! So are you impressed by Keena's abilities as much as we are? Let us know in the comments below with your thoughts! #ATTRAKT #FIFTYFIFTY #KEENA