Explore the Latest Stories
Explore the latest essays, analysis, and serialized fiction from Korea Insight Weekly.
We bring in-depth perspectives on Korea’s society, culture, and the future shaped by technology.
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“We could only watch the fire. We were all the same.”
The blaze at Hong Kong’s Tai Po “Wang Fuk Court,” which spread across multiple high-rise blocks during exterior renovation work, revealed a convergence of structural vulnerabilities: flammable construction materials, malfunctioning fire alarms, and resident warnings that had gone unheeded. This tragedy raises a pressing question—why do disasters built into the system keep repeating?
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Ep 01: PLUTO. Part 5 — Arc of Joan
Mika visits Dr. Jang’s sprawling mansion and discovers a massive stained-glass window depicting Joan of Arc — and the face in the artwork looks uncannily like her own. Drawn to this strange resemblance, Mika begins questioning Dr. Jang in search of clues about the Pluto incident.
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What Do Humans Live On in the Age of AI?
A growing divide defines the AI era: while some gain new high-skill opportunities, many workers fear AI as a quiet signal of future layoffs. This essay examines Korea’s rising anxiety, global restructuring trends, and what it means for human dignity and the right to live well in a world where machines take on more human…
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Ep 01: PLUTO. Part 4 — The Machine and the Mob
Inside Union Office No. 1, panic spreads as workers discover corrupted CCTV footage showing a robot-like figure carrying their leader’s body at Sector Five. Fear turns to fury as they smash a janitor unit in rage, while Mika captures every second from the hallway.
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NewJeans: A Year of Defiance, Defeat, and the Return of the ‘Five’
NewJeans is returning to ADOR after a year-long conflict involving lawsuits, injunctions, and internal disputes following Min Hee-jin’s dismissal. Their attempt to rebrand as “NJZ” and pursue independent activity collapsed after the court upheld ADOR’s exclusive contract through 2029. While the group’s creative identity—once shaped by Min Hee-jin—was widely praised as a breakthrough in K-pop,…
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Ep 01: PLUTO. Part 3 — The Hanging at Sector Five
A union leader is found hanged from a crane at Terra Motors Plant No.5. As chaos spreads between the Hard-line and Authentic Unions, tensions inside the factory begin to fracture beyond control.
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Stablecoins: To Use or Not to Use
Stablecoins ask the old question anew: What is money? In the name of innovation, monetary power is shifting — from nations to private hands.
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Ep 01: PLUTO. Part 2 – The Control Room
Two strikers rammed pipes into his chest like crowbars and heaved. A grotesque crack echoed — and the Movement Engine, his core, ripped free. The engine thrashed violently, white oil spraying in arcs.
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TO OUR PARTNERSHIP AND THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD!
On an autumn night in Seoul, three of the world’s most powerful CEOs shared fried chicken, beer, and a vision for the future of technology — a moment that would go down in history.
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Ep 01: PLUTO. Part 1 – The Riot
Through the line of retreating police stepped a towering humanoid, 2.5 meters tall, its metallic frame gleaming under the floodlights.