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Claire Lee
For Claire Lee's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
The salvaged Sewol ferry (back) on display at a port in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province on Tuesday, as South Korea marks the 10th anniversary of the country's worst-ever maritime disaster.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Apr 16, 2024
South Korea marks 10th anniversary of Sewol ferry disaster
Families called out the names of the deceased and threw flowers into the water, followed by a moment of silence.
A voter casts their ballot at a polling station in Seoul early on Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Apr 10, 2024
Opposition projected to retain majority in South Korean parliament
The Democratic Party and its satellites are forecast to win between 184 and 197 seats, up from 156 in the last parliament.
Korean Canadian director, playwright and screenwriter Celine Song walks on the stage to pose for photos after a screening of her film, "Past Lives" in Seoul last week.
CULTURE / Film
Mar 7, 2024
Oscar-nominated Korean diaspora film follows 'lives we leave behind'
"Past Lives," which marks Celine Song's debut as a director, is one of several recent films that address the Korean diaspora.
A live projection from a microscope displays a magnified image of a bedbug during a lecture on bedbug control at the Korea Pest Control Association in Seoul on Nov. 28.
ASIA PACIFIC / Science & Health
Dec 19, 2023
South Korean blockchain engineer fights bedbugs with data
Self-professed insectophobe maps out reported infestations on a website that also displays real-time news reports to keep track of the outbreak.
South Korean Lee Kyung-woo was sentenced to life in prison in October for the kidnapping and murder of a 48-year-old woman over a crypto dispute.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Dec 13, 2023
Crypto and ketamine: The murder that shocked South Korea
Case resembling K-drama plot emerges in safe and almost drug-free country where violent killings are rare.
South Korean writer Eun Seo-ran
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Oct 6, 2023
Adopt a friend: South Korean writer's unusual route to family
Single-person households now account for 41% of all households, official figures show — with that set to grow in coming decades.
South Korean lesbian couple Kim Kyu-jin (left) and her wife, Kim Sae-yeon, pose with a "pregnant woman" badge during an interview in Seoul last month.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Aug 6, 2023
South Korea couple beat same-sex barriers to parenthood
To fight its abysmal birthrate, Seoul offers fertility treatments, cash bonuses and free child care, but only for straight, married couples.
A "No Kids Zone" sign written in Korean hangs on the glass door of a cafe in Gimpo, South Korea.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jul 24, 2023
Lawmaker on crusade against South Korea's 'no-kid zones'
Seoul spends billions to encourage citizens to have more babies, offering subsidies, babysitting services and infertility treatment, but fertility rates continue to drop.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
May 29, 2023
No glory for bullies: South Korea's school violence epidemic
A phenomenon is sweeping the country, with people who were bullied publicly naming and shaming the perpetrators of school violence decades after the alleged crimes.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2023
Netflix to invest $2.5 billion in South Korean content
South Korea has cemented its status as a global cultural powerhouse in recent years, thanks in part to the explosive success of the hit Netflix series 'Squid Game.'
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Mar 3, 2023
'Wholesome' South Korean reality TV proves a hit worldwide
South Korean reality shows such as 'Physical: 100' and 'Singles Inferno' are shaping up to be the next big thing to woo audiences overseas.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 8, 2022
The weakest link? North Korea's crumbling air force
Pyongyang has long condemned joint military exercises by Seoul and Washington, calling them rehearsals for an invasion — but it has appeared especially sensitive to air force drills.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 6, 2022
Candlelight vigils mourn victims of Seoul crowd crush
Law enforcement officials have conceded that there was insufficient safety planning, and opposition politicians have accused the government of not taking responsibility.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 12, 2022
South Korea pardons Samsung boss 'to help the economy'
Billionaire Lee Jae-yong was released on parole in August 2021 after serving 18 months in jail, just over half of his original sentence.

Longform

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.
For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on