Editorial Policy
How we write
Every article starts with a real question readers ask about Korean culture or products. We define what a reader needs to understand or decide, research Korean- and English-language sources, and include the original Korean name where it helps readers verify a label, menu, place, product, or cultural term. We do not claim to have visited, purchased, or tested something unless that experience actually occurred and can be supported by editorial records.
Who is responsible
Articles are published by the What the Korea Editorial Team in Seoul. The team is responsible for the research brief, final wording, source selection, Korean-language checks, safety and uncertainty notes, corrections, and publication decision. That responsibility remains with the team even when software or AI assists part of the workflow. Bori and Hodu are editorial characters, not fictional substitutes for the people accountable for the site.
Our research process
- We define the article's main question and the practical decisions it should support.
- We identify claims that require verification, including names, dates, figures, health or safety information, historical statements, and changing schedules or product details.
- We check Korean terminology in its original context rather than relying on a literal translation alone.
- We compare each important claim with a source that directly supports it and narrow the wording when the evidence covers only a particular time, place, product, or study.
- A human editor reviews the complete article, links, limitations, and reader guidance before publication.
How we choose and use sources
We prefer primary sources such as Korean government agencies, museums, universities, peer-reviewed research, official brand instructions, and direct statements. News reports are used for recent events, interviews, or additional context. A company source can establish what that company says, sells, or instructs; it is not automatically independent proof that a product is effective. A study of an ingredient, procedure, laboratory model, or different formula is not presented as proof of every retail product using a similar term.
Sources are linked at the end of the relevant article so readers can inspect them. Where evidence is limited, disputed, promotional, or likely to change, the article states that limitation instead of presenting an assumption as fact.
What we add beyond a summary
Our articles are not intended to be stitched-together source summaries. Depending on the subject, the editorial contribution may be a Korean label-reading guide, a decision-focused comparison, a step-by-step verification method, a warning about a common misunderstanding, or an explanation of how a practice changes by setting. We avoid padding articles with repeated conclusions, generic checklists, or facts that do not help answer the reader's question.
Independence
Editorial decisions are made independently of advertisers and affiliate partners. We never accept payment for positive coverage. When an article contains affiliate links, it is clearly disclosed — see our Affiliate Disclosure.
Updates & corrections
Products, schedules, prices, and trends change. Publication dates record when an article was first published; updated dates are changed only after a material editorial review, not to make an unchanged article look fresh. A material update may add new evidence, correct a factual statement, revise practical guidance, or recheck time-sensitive information.
If you spot an error, email contact@whatthekorea.com — verified corrections are applied promptly. The editorial team decides the correction wording and is accountable for the revised page.
AI assistance
We may use AI tools for outlining, translation support, comparison prompts, or identifying questions that require research. AI output is never treated as a source or evidence of first-hand experience. It may not make the final decision about facts, safety language, source quality, corrections, or publication. Every published article is reviewed, fact-checked against the references shown on the page, and edited by a human before it goes live.