It’s Friday

🌥️High 27C and Low 14

October is coming up and are you concerned about where to go?

Here is the answer 👇️ 

 👀 Today’s Email about:

• Student suicides in Korea have doubled over the past eight years.

• Seoul has expanded its EMS discount to include foreign students and workers, providing them with more affordable international shipping options.

• BLACKPINK's Rosé has signed a solo contract with Atlantic Records.

NEWS 📰

Student suicides in Korea reached a record high of 214 in 2023, doubling over the past eight years.

The number of student suicides in Korea reached a tragic record of 214 in 2023, more than double the figure from eight years ago. This alarming rise, with middle school students accounting for nearly 40% of the cases, underscores the need for urgent mental health support tailored to young people. The data, released by Rep. Cho Jung-hun of the People Power Party, highlighted that while the overall national suicide rate has remained relatively stable, the rate among students has surged dramatically, rising from 1.5 suicides per 100,000 students in 2015 to 4.1 in 2023.

The increase in suicides among younger students is particularly concerning. In 2023, middle school students accounted for 43.5% of the total student suicides, compared to 33% the year prior. High school suicides, while still a significant portion, dropped to 49.5% of the total, with elementary school students making up the remaining 7%.

Key factors driving these suicides include mental health issues, which have seen an eightfold increase since 2015, family problems, interpersonal relationship struggles, and academic pressures. Despite the rising number of cases, schools appear ill-equipped to handle the growing need for mental health support. Only about three-quarters of schools have counseling rooms, known as "Wee Class," and the number of student counseling cases has surged by 40% over the past eight years.

Experts, including Professor Lim Myung-ho of Dankook University and Professor Hong Jin-pyo of Samsung Medical Center, emphasize the need for stronger suicide prevention efforts. They point to the dangerous impact of social media exposure on today's teenagers and call for better vigilance from educators and families.

Rep. Cho stressed the urgency of collaboration between the Ministry of Education, local communities, and families to strengthen mental health infrastructure and suicide prevention programs. Expanding school-family partnerships is seen as a critical step toward addressing this crisis.

Seoul has expanded its EMS (Express Mail Service) discount to include foreign students and workers, providing them with more affordable international shipping options.

International students and foreign workers in Seoul can now benefit from a 10 percent discount on express mail service (EMS) at post offices, with an additional 3 percent discount for online pre-registration, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced. This discount was previously limited to naturalized immigrants and multicultural families under the Multicultural Families Support Act.

Since the program's launch in 2011, around 87,000 fare discounts totaling approximately 380 million won have been provided to multicultural families. Now, the initiative has been expanded to include a wider range of foreign residents, including those on F-6, D-2, D-4, E-9, H-2, F-5, D-10, F-1, and F-3 visas.

Eligible individuals must present proper identification when visiting post offices to receive the discount. The initiative aims to make EMS deliveries more affordable and accessible to the growing number of international students and foreign workers in Seoul. Further details are available on the Seoul Hanultari and Seoul Foreigner Portal websites.

ENTERTAINMENT 🌄

BLACKPINK's Rosé has signed a solo contract with Atlantic Records.

Rosé, a member of the K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, is preparing for a solo career in the global music industry by signing a deal with the American record label Atlantic Records.

The singer's agency, The Black Label, announced this new partnership with the global label on Friday, suggesting upcoming solo activities.

Atlantic Records, part of Warner Music Group, is known for its diverse range of music and for representing several world-renowned pop stars, including Bruno Mars, Coldplay, and Ed Sheeran.

“The interest in the kind of synergy that Rosé, a globally loved artist, will create by collaborating with Atlantic Records is very high,” the agency stated in the announcement.

Rosé made her debut as the main vocalist of BLACKPINK in 2016 with the album "SQUARE ONE." The group, under the K-pop giant YG Entertainment, quickly rose to fame, earning international recognition. They have achieved a record-breaking career with 12 Guinness World Records, releasing hit songs such as "DDU-DU DDU-DU" (2018), "Kill This Love" (2019), and "How You Like That" (2020).

Rosé started her solo journey with the single "R" in 2021, becoming the second BLACKPINK member to pursue a solo career after Jennie. The title track, "On The Ground," was immensely successful, reaching the top of the Billboard Global 200 and placing at No. 70 on the Hot 100 chart, setting a new record for the highest ranking among K-pop female solo artists at that time.

Additionally, it broke the Guinness World Record for the most-viewed YouTube music video within 24 hours, a record that was later surpassed by her BLACKPINK bandmate Lisa later that same year.

Since releasing her debut single, Rosé has not put out any further solo albums. However, she signed a deal for solo projects with The Black Label, a hip-hop agency founded by producer Teddy, in June while also renewing her contract for BLACKPINK's activities with YG Entertainment.

Recently, YG founder Yang Hyun-suk hinted at BLACKPINK's comeback planned for next year.

Best Travel Guide about Korea on the Internet

Have you ever thought about The Lotte World Tower? What is the history behind it and how it became one of the tallest buildings in the world and how important it is in the economy of Korea?

BEST JOB POSTS TODAY 💼

See You Tomorrow,

Unravel Korea!