How We Research

This page walks through the steps a Korea, Lived article goes through before it is published.

1. Choosing what to write about

We look for topics that solve a real, specific problem for a first-time visitor, a Korean-entertainment newcomer, or someone learning everyday Korean language and customs — not topics chosen only because a keyword is popular.

2. Selecting sources

For each article, we identify the sources needed to support its claims, preferring official Korean government, transport, tourism, cultural, and language-authority sources, then reputable, editorially responsible secondary sources where no official source exists. See our Source Policy for the full hierarchy.

3. Verifying material claims

Any claim that could reasonably change or mislead a reader if wrong — a fare, a schedule, an entry rule, a cultural fact — is checked against a current source and recorded internally before the article can be considered ready. Claims that are purely stylistic or clearly opinion are not put through this process.

4. Checking freshness

Time-sensitive claims are reviewed against how quickly that category of fact tends to change, so an article’s Last Reviewed date reflects a genuine, recent check rather than a one-time write.

5. Clearing image rights

Every image on the site — real photography, an original diagram, or an AI-generated illustration — has its usage rights verified before publication. If we cannot legally use an appropriate image, the article is held rather than published with a placeholder or a misleading substitute.

6. Editorial review

A finished draft is checked for tone, structure, cultural accuracy, and whether it delivers on its promise to the reader before it is approved for publication.

7. Corrections after publication

Publication is not the end of the process — see our Corrections Policy for how we handle mistakes found after an article goes live.