Kimchi no more 🍛?

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 👀 Today’s Email about:

• Kimchi at risk? Climate change threatens Korea's beloved cabbage dish.

• Tickets for paid seats at the Busan Fireworks Festival are now on sale.

• Han So-hee responds to her mother's involvement in illegal gambling operations.

NEWS 📰

Is Kimchi at risk? Climate change threatens Korea's beloved cabbage dish.

Korea's beloved kimchi is under threat due to climate change. Rising temperatures are making it harder to grow napa cabbage, the main ingredient in kimchi, which thrives in cooler climates. Traditionally grown in mountainous areas with summer temperatures below 25 degrees Celsius, napa cabbage is now struggling as temperatures rise.

Experts like plant pathologist Lee Young-gyu warn that cabbage needs specific cool temperatures to grow well, between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius. As temperatures increase, farmers notice the cabbage's core rotting and roots becoming mushy, affecting kimchi production.

The area of highland cabbage farms has shrunk dramatically over the past 20 years, from 8,796 hectares to just 3,995 hectares. By 2090, it's predicted that highland cabbage farming in Korea might disappear altogether due to higher temperatures, unpredictable weather, and more resilient pests.

The kimchi industry also faces competition from cheaper Chinese imports, which are increasingly served in restaurants. To address these challenges, the government is using climate-controlled storage and scientists are developing new cabbage varieties that can withstand warmer climates. However, farmers like Kim Si-gap worry that these new varieties might be more costly and may not taste the same.

Kimchi is a staple on Korean tables, and the possibility of not being able to grow napa cabbage in the future is both shocking and saddening for those who rely on this traditional food.

Tickets for paid seats at the Busan Fireworks Festival are now on sale.

Tickets for the 19th Busan Fireworks Festival, scheduled for Nov. 9, went on sale at 2 p.m. Monday. The festival, a major annual event in Busan, offers paid seating in two categories: R seats with tables and chairs for 100,000 won ($75), and S seats with just chairs for 70,000 won. These seating areas are located on the beach in front of the Aqua Palace Hotel and Homers Hotel in Gwangalli.

Tickets can be purchased through YES24 or the Busan Bank mobile app, with all proceeds going toward enhancing the festival experience, including the fireworks display, spectator facilities, and event security.

Early bird tickets, released on Aug. 21, sold out in just 20 minutes, highlighting the high demand. Last year, all 8,200 paid seats were also sold out.

The Busan Fireworks Festival started in 2005 as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit celebrations and has since become a signature event, attracting around 1 million visitors annually. This year’s festival will feature an upgraded fireworks display using Gwangan Bridge, along with pre-programs like Fireworks Street and a Fireworks Talk Show, culminating in the International Invitational Fireworks Show and the Busan Multi-Fireworks Show at Gwangalli Beach and Dongbaek Island.

ENTERTAINMENT 🌄

Han So-hee responds to her mother's involvement in illegal gambling operations.

Han So-hee's agency, 9ato Entertainment, issued a statement on Tuesday addressing concerns about her mother's involvement in illegal gambling operations. The agency clarified that the matter is entirely related to Han's mother's personal decisions and has no connection to the actress herself.

This statement follows a report by TV Chosun that prosecutors had arrested Han's mother for allegedly operating 12 illegal gambling establishments across the country since 2021. The agency noted that Han So-hee learned about the situation through the news and is deeply distressed.

This is not the first time Han has faced issues related to her mother's actions. In 2020, Han revealed on her blog that she only became aware of her estranged mother's debts after turning 20 and had tried to repay them out of filial duty, though it led to more complications. In 2022, her agency disclosed that Han's mother had secretly used a bank

The series was written by Choi Yu-na, a divorce lawyer who began the project as a webtoon in 2019. She juggled her legal career and family responsibilities while crafting the script over five years. The show reflects a growing trend in K-content, where divorce-themed dramas are increasingly popular, driven by societal changes and the normalization of divorce. However, while these dramas offer deeper explorations of marital issues, some critics argue that reality shows on the same topic often oversimplify and sensationalize these complex issues.

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