Preserving Tradition: The Role of Filipino K-Friends & KREW in Promoting Seollal

By KREW John Axel Orencia In Korea, Seollal, or Korean Lunar New Year, is one of the most important and extensively observed holidays. It is the start of a new year based on the lunar calendar, and a time for cultural traditions, family get-togethers, and ancestral respect. While family plays a central role during Seollal, …

KREW STANS: K-pop songs recommendation to listen to!

By Sarah Jessica Mercado As the rainy season is here, wouldn't it be so good to stay in your room and listen to some K-Pop songs as you read or lie down? As a fan girl who grew up with the 2nd Gen of K-pop, I am pretty stuck with the discography of some groups …

Celebrating Dano through the Art of Korean Traditional Fan Painting

By KREW John Axel Orencia  Photo KCC Philippines and John Axel Orencia       Dano, alongside Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) and Seollal (Lunar New Year), is among the most prominent traditional festivities in Korea. However, Dano is not celebrated as widely today as it once was. In light of the changing trends in celebrations, it is worth noting …

Step into the Royal Ball: IVE’s The First Fan Concert, “The Prom Queens,” sets Manila aglow

By: Hannah Amor Nothing is more remarkable for a fan than attending your idol's first concert. It is a great way to show that you were there with them before they got famous. That is how every Filipino DIVE felt when IVE made their dreams come true last June 17.  IVE – a sextet girl …

Korean Healthy Lifestyle: As seen on K-Food

Koreans are renowned for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet. The concentration on diet in Korea is backed up with exercise, contributing to the nation's reputation for young-looking skin and being fit at any age. Throughout history, people have used food as medicine, and Korean culture continues to value food as a source of health, …

Korean Healthy Lifestyle: As seen on K-Show

A good amount of exercise combined with a healthy meal, regardless of their schedule, is a must for Koreans and this trend is becoming more popular worldwide thanks to social media’s influence and to the numerous shows that can easily be accessed globally. Getting In Shape Kang So Yeon featured in a JTBC show “Unnies …

[KREW Says] Netflix K-Food Journal: Chef Paik and Pork Belly (Samgyeopsal 삼겹살)

Discover Korean Food & Culture through Chef Paik's shows on Netflix, a four-post series. Korean Pork Belly Rhapsody Image screenshot from Netflix Learn from Chef Paik, first generation restauranteurs, food critics, and researchers on how pork meat 돼지고기 became inseparable with Korean life through this limited docu-series. "We live our lives with pigs", said the …

[KREW Says] Netflix K-Food Journal: Chef Paik and Cold Noodles (Naengmyeon 냉면)

Discover Korean Food & Culture through Chef Paik's shows on Netflix, a four-post series. Korean Cold Noodle Rhapsody Image screenshot from Netflix Journey with Chef Paik as he takes you through various naengmyeon 냉면 restaurants across South Korea. In the two-episode docuseries, you will learn about the cultural significance of 냉면 in the history of …

[Krew Says] Dojang: Introducing the Korean Personal Stamp

One thing I love about Korea is how it is able to preserve and even smoothly integrate the traditional into the modern. For instance, Hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) is worn during weddings today. A traditional stamp is used when signing a certain contract or any written agreement in Korea. That’s what I will be introducing …

[KREW Says] Crochet With Me: DIY K-Pop Lightstick Cover

  K-pop fans have their own ways of "dressing-up" their lighsticks. While some would go down the more common route with holographic stickers, others would go as far as opening the lighstick to fully customize it from the inside. If you want to keep things simple and commitment-free, though, lightstick covers or hoods are an …