by Cherrys Delos Reyes When we think of Christmas, we often picture family gatherings, joyful celebrations, and most importantly, tables filled with delicious food. Just like Filipinos, Koreans also celebrate the Christmas season, and Christmas Day is recognized as a national holiday in South Korea. Many Koreans spend this time with their loved ones, whether … Continue reading K-MAS Dishes: Korean Dishes You Might Love This Christmas Season

By Perinda, Ekata Jace D. ‘Tis finally the season! Yes indeed, one of the longest seasons/celebrations in the Philippines, the Christmas season is finally here. With that being said, the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines is proud to present “Light the Season: a Korean-Philippines Lantern Display” not only in the KCC Building but also … Continue reading KREW TRIES: Jinju Lantern & Philippine Parol Making Workshop

Korean Culture in PH Holiday Shopping The holiday season in the Philippines always comes with excitement, long gift lists, and the warm anticipation of celebrations with loved ones. But over the past few years, another trend has found its way into Filipino Christmas shopping: Korean-inspired gifts. Whether it’s K-dramas setting the mood, idols influencing fashion, … Continue reading K-Mas Gifts: Korean Trends Taking Over Filipino Christmas Shopping

by: Ixara Jozen Mateo Han Kang’s The Vegetarian is a profoundly poetic and unsettling novel that delves into themes of mental illness, repression, identity, trauma, and the consequences of challenging societal expectations. Originally published in Korean in 2007 and later translated into English by Deborah Smith in 2015, the book garnered international recognition, winning the … Continue reading Review of Han Kang’s The Vegetarian

By Ixara Jozen Mateo Personal reflection, literary interpretation, cultural insight, and emotional resonanceThe first time I picked up The Trunk, I didn’t expect it to take up so much space in mythoughts. I had been carrying around my own “trunk,” the expectations, obligations, andquiet pressures that come with being a woman navigating work, relationships, and … Continue reading Book Review: The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-ryeong

By: John Paul Serraon A festival. A memoir. An upbeat. These were the three sensations that defined my experience at this year’s celebration—an event where two cultures gracefully merged in the heart of the Philippine capital. On this stage, Korea and the Philippines met not just in performance, but in spirit, turning the evening into … Continue reading A Day in the Life at the Philippine-Korea Exchange Festival 2025

By: Gica Austria As the famous saying goes, “You eat with your eyes first”. This strongly persists in today’s time of digital media wherein the eyes are heightened as the gateway of information, and thus greatly influences the food we eat–or, more so, the desire to. For November, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the … Continue reading Massiseoyo, Malinamnam: A “Bon Appetit” Cultural Exchange at the KCC Philippines’ Kitchen

Growing up, one of my favorite snacks to bring to school was Pepero, those thin biscuit sticks coated in delicious chocolate. I loved munching on them during breaks or sharing them with friends. I thought I’d eventually outgrow my fondness for Pepero, but even now, I still find myself reaching for a box. It’s a … Continue reading It’s Pepero time!: Unpacking the Korea’s November Tradition

The full moon shines bright during Chuseok — a symbol of unity and abundance. Every autumn, as the air turns crisp and the leaves paint the streets in gold, Korea begins to glow under the light of the full moon. This special time marks Chuseok (추석) — Korea’s Harvest Festival — a celebration filled with … Continue reading Celebrating Chuseok: Korea’s Harvest Festival

by Judy Arias The first time I read The Vegetarian, it wasn’t for a book club. I was reading Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 back then, and my editor-in-chief at the magazine where I worked asked me if I had ever read Han Kang. I said no, so I downloaded it on Kindle. That was my … Continue reading My Second Read of “The Vegetarian” Changed How I See It

The Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines regularly holds workshops for K-enthusiasts in the country and one of them is the recent “Brush Off the Demons: Korean Lyrics Calligraphy Workshop” held last October 10-11, as a part of the Chuseok and Hangeul weeklong celebration. The center welcomes everyone to various activities with the theme of … Continue reading Brush Off The Demons to Protect the Honmoon; Learning Korean Calligraphy in Celebration of the Hangeul Day

By: Gica Austria Do you remember your first encounter of Hangeul? Whether it be from a comfort K-Drama series, searching the lyrics of a K-Pop song, or even strolling along the aisles of K-Marts, the intricate writing that we come to know as Hangeul is celebrated every 9th of October. But before its inception, Koreans … Continue reading Honoring Hangeul Day and Celebrating Korean Women in Literature

By KCC Marigold Mind Laundry is a simple but warm story about healing. The author uses the idea of “laundry” to show how our minds get full of stains —regrets, sad memories, shame— that we wish we could just wash out. The marigold flower in the title feels like hope: small, bright, and brave. The … Continue reading Marigold Mind Laundry by Yun Jungeun : A Healing Read

As the Korean wave continues to sweep the globe, K-beauty has captured hearts worldwide—including here in the Philippines. Gone are the days when the only options are expensive shipping fees and “pasabuy” services (asking someone to buy on your behalf) to get the latest Korean skincare and makeup trends. Today, flagship stores and local retailers … Continue reading How to Experience K-Beauty for Free in Korea

By: Gail Mariel Ordiales Introduction to Gugak Just as the Philippines has a rich tradition of folk and indigenous music, Korea also takes great pride in Gugak (국악)—a collective term for Korean traditional music that reflects the nation’s history, emotions, and cultural identity. It encompasses a variety of styles, from the elegant and formal sounds … Continue reading Learning Gugak: A Cultural Workshop Journey

Featuring Search: WWW (2019), Be Melodramatic (2019), Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 (2019), Under the Queen’s Umbrella (2022), and When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) by Cherrys Delos Reyes For the longest time, women have been relegated to the sidelines, portrayed as those who need saving, waiting for a knight in shining armor. In many stories, … Continue reading The Gentle Revolution of Women-Centered Korean Stories

Reviewed by Cherrys Delos Reyes “That’s why people try to make sense of their own. In the end, everyone’s life is different, according to the meaning they find.” – An excerpt from Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum, translated into English by Shanna Tan, offers a … Continue reading Read Slowly, Live Softly: A Book Review of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum

What was once a pandemic thing has now become an everyday comfort combo. I can’t distinctly recall how I first encountered samgyeopsal or soju in the Philippines. I am sure, however, that it was through a Korean drama. Previously, we had to get creative when we wanted to watch English-subtitled K-dramas, but in 2016, they … Continue reading How Pinoys Became So In Love with Samgyeopsal and Soju in the Philippines

By: Ruth Montallana When thinking about life, I’ve always believed that the most cruel feeling a human could ever experience is the thought of being forgotten by the people who love you, and the pain of forgetting those you love and treasure the most. After reading Kim Young-ha’s novel Diary of a Murderer, this belief … Continue reading Book Review: Diary of a Murderer and other stories by Kim Youngha

By Eloisa Arce How many times have you found yourself craving after watching a K-Drama scene or any video content of your favorite K-Pop idols snacking on some Korean food? I am definitely not exempt from this, and as a person swept by the Hallyu wave for quite some time now, I was naturally curious … Continue reading KREW TRIES: Tteokbokki Cook-Off

By: Sherwin Nasol K-Influencer, Your Manila Geek Chingu The author at the set of 2007 K-Drama, ‘Coffee Prince’ There’s something special about sitting down with your loved ones, snacks in hand, and getting lost in a good story. For many Filipinos, that story often comes from a Korean drama. Whether it’s a romantic comedy, a … Continue reading K-Dramas as Everyday Comfort: How Binge-Watching Korean Series Brings Filipinos Closer

By: Celine Arambulo As someone who reads comics, web novels, graphic novels, manga, and manhwa on a daily basis, one genre always appeals to me: fantasy. After years of reading and watching fantasy stories, I often catch myself wondering: what would it really be like to suddenly wake up in another world? In Korea, this … Continue reading Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy-Fantasy, Feels, and Full-On Fangirling

By KCC Library The Rainfall Market is a quiet, moving story about how people carry pain, sadness, and small hopes. The story follows a little girl who visits a mysterious market that only appears when it rains. In this strange but gentle place, people don’t sell ordinary things, but memories, feelings, and moments from their … Continue reading Where Rain Brings Healing : A review of The Rainfall Market by You YeongGwang

By Rebecca Mendoza | K-Influencer, Home Cook, K-Culture Enthusiast As someone who fell in love with Korean food through dramas and cultural immersion, I’ve always been fascinated and curious by the flavors that bring hansik (traditional Korean cuisine) to life, especially the deep, flavorful foundations that make Korean food so unique. One question that lingered in my … Continue reading Discovering the culinary heritage of Korea through ‘Jang ‘

By KCC Counsel Culture is not an easy book, but it is a very human one. It follows Haesoo, a therapist whose life slowly falls apart after she becomes the target of public anger. Just one careless comment, and suddenly she loses everything, her job, her friends, and her reputation. Now, she lives alone, writing … Continue reading What It Means to Try Again: A Book Review of Counsel Culture by Kim Hejin