Category: K-Travel

The world's biggest gaming trade show, Gamescom 2026, has kicked off its five-day run at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. This year's edition is shaping up to be the largest yet, with more than 1,600 companies from 67 countries in attendance, the entire large-format exhibition space sold out for the first time, and roughly 70% of exhibitors coming from outside Germany. Fans and industry insiders from around the world packed the venue for the preview show ahead of the official opening.

TV host Geoff Keighley emceed the Opening Night Live kickoff, where the roughly 5,000-seat venue filled up two hours before showtime, with latecomers stuck standing in the back. On stage, Keighley predicted this year's on-site attendance would top 350,000, and noted that despite layoffs, studio closures, and a spike in memory chip prices squeezing the industry, developers are still pushing out ambitious new games.

The show delivered a steady stream of major reveals. China's HoYoverse unveiled a new dark, live-action-style co-op action game. Microsoft dropped a trailer for its Xbox-exclusive shooter, locking in an October 6 release date. NetEase confirmed a global launch next January for its subculture-style game. Finland's Remedy showed off an action title launching September 24, while Ukraine's 4A Games revealed a new trailer for its next 'Metro' entry. 'Path of Exile 2,' published in Korea by Kakao Games, confirmed a full launch on December 11, and the show was rounded out by sequels, remakes, and reboots of racing, shooter, and strategy-sim franchises. Square Enix had the director of its Final Fantasy remake trilogy personally introduce the trailer for the series' final chapter, confirming a spring launch next year, while CD Projekt Red drew a huge ovation for announcing a fully overhauled remaster of its flagship title on September 29 — free for existing owners.

Korean publishers made their presence felt throughout. NCsoft locked in the official title for its space-broadcast-themed shooter, previously known only by a codename, now called 'Like or Die,' alongside a new MMORPG trailer and a lore reveal for its upcoming third-person shooter. Krafton showed five titles in total, including a sequel to its flagship franchise, plus a shooter set in the forests and small towns of the Pacific Northwest that blends battle royale with rules that shift from match to match. Pearl Abyss skipped a new-game announcement altogether, instead demoing 'Crimson Desert' on Samsung's booth using a new 6K gaming monitor; the title landed nominations in two Gamescom Awards categories, with winners set to be announced August 28. A Kakao Games subsidiary showcased a zombie-survival game set in medieval England at the business matchmaking hall, while the Korea Creative Content Agency ran a joint pavilion with 13 small and indie studios. Several National Assembly members also visited the show to check out global industry trends firsthand.

Chef Anh Sung-jae gained mainstream fame after appearing on a Netflix cooking competition show and has since run Mosu Seoul, a two-Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant in Seoul. The latest controversy involves a customer who handed their car to the restaurant's valet service — only to be fined for illegal parking.

On August 20, a user posted photos on social media that included an illegal-parking notice issued by the local district office. The poster, who also voiced disappointment with the food, called it absurd to be fined despite having used valet service. The exact timing of the violation and who was actually driving the car at the time remain unclear from what's been made public.

Mosu Seoul's lunch course runs about 320,000 won (~$230) and dinner about 420,000 won (~$300), with a corkage fee of up to 200,000 won (~$145) for guests who bring their own wine. Given those prices, online reaction has leaned sarcastic, with many joking that fine dining apparently comes with fine-sized bills at every turn — pointing to the irony of an unexpected parking cost on top of an already expensive meal.

This isn't the restaurant's first service controversy. In April, it emerged that a customer who ordered a 2000-vintage wine was instead served a 2005 vintage worth roughly 100,000 won less. The customer noticed and complained, but rather than apologizing immediately, the staff member reportedly offered to let them taste other vintages instead — a response that fueled criticism. Chef Anh later apologized on social media, saying the employee had been removed from wine-service duties.

Last December, a driver from an outside valet company hired by the restaurant reportedly scraped a customer's car against a building wall while parking it. The valet company initially covered 20 million won (~$14,500) in repairs, but a closer inspection later found more extensive damage, pushing the total repair estimate to around 70 million won (~$51,000) and triggering a dispute over who should cover the difference.

Seoul has been stuck under its highest-tier heat warning for four straight days, with tropical nights — when temperatures refuse to drop — running for more than two weeks. On August 6, an automated sensor in Yeongdeungpo District logged 40.0°C (104°F), while the official weather station reading hit this summer's high of 37.9°C (100.2°F). It's the first reading above 40°C since 41.8°C was recorded in Gangbuk District in August 2018, eight years ago — though because the sensor sits on a rooftop, it's treated as unofficial.

Experts point to the asphalt and concrete covering the city as the reason the heat won't break, even overnight. These surfaces don't absorb rainwater, so they lose almost none of the cooling effect that evaporation would otherwise provide — instead, they slowly release the heat they soaked up during the day well into the night, warming the air around them. By the city's own count, this kind of impervious surface grew from 28,613 hectares in 2000 to 30,353 hectares last year — an increase alone equal to roughly six times the size of Yeouido island.

Meanwhile, the street trees that could help cool things down are disappearing. Seoul's street tree count fell from 303,144 in 2015 to 288,877 in 2024, a 4.7% drop, and London planetrees — which cast wide shade and hold a lot of water — fell by more than 35% over the same period. Chinese fringe trees, which provide comparatively little shade, nearly doubled in number instead, a shift experts say has actually weakened the city's heat resilience.

Heatstroke cases and deaths are climbing fast, too. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency data show cumulative heatstroke cases at 2,665 through August 5, including 23 deaths — both already above last year's full-year totals. The heat forced the KBO to scrap all 15 games scheduled across five stadiums from August 7 through 9, with play set to resume August 11, and President Lee Jae-myung has classified the situation as a national-scale climate disaster, directing officials to concentrate resources on protecting vulnerable populations.

A weekend dip in the upper-level pressure trough should bring temperatures down slightly, though they'll still run above the seasonal average. Next week, Typhoon Dolphin — the season's 13th — could shave off another 2-3°C as it passes through the East China Sea, but forecasters warn the heat may snap back once it clears. The Korea Meteorological Administration expects daytime highs around 35°C (95°F) to persist across the greater Seoul area for roughly the next ten days.

As of August 6, 2026, an extreme heat warning covers roughly 20 areas across the greater Seoul metro region and Jeolla provinces. The Korea Meteorological Administration says daytime highs could reach 39°C (102°F) with a heat index above 38°C (100°F) — hot enough to pose a genuine risk to life.

The heat isn't letting up after dark, either. Seoul is now on its 13th consecutive tropical night — a stretch when overnight lows never dip below 25°C (77°F) — and the nationwide streak is closing in on a record. Last night, Seoul's low held at 29.1°C (84.4°F), the highest anywhere in the country, followed by Seogwipo (29.0°C/84.2°F), Cheongju (28.8°C/83.8°F), Incheon (28.4°C/83.1°F) and Jeju (28.1°C/82.6°F); Jeonju and Busan both stayed in the high-27°C (81°F) range. Even usually milder spots on the east coast and in the mountains couldn't escape it — Gangneung (25.6°C/78.1°F), Hongcheon (25.2°C/77.4°F) and Sokcho (25.1°C/77.2°F) all crossed the tropical-night threshold.

By day, Yangju in Gyeonggi Province hit 40.4°C (104.7°F) and Hanam reached 40.1°C (104.2°F), both above the 40°C mark. Seoul climbed to 39.2°C (102.6°F) and Gwangju in South Jeolla Province hit 39.8°C (103.6°F). That's roughly 9°F hotter than the typical range of 28-33°C (82-91°F) for this time of year. With no rain in the forecast for the next 10 days or so, forecasters expect the heat to persist. President Lee Jae-myung reportedly called the heat wave a national disaster-level event and ordered an all-out response.

The Seoul city government tightened its emergency operations after a heat warning that had been limited to the southeast and southwest of the city three days ago expanded citywide within a single day. Outdoor work on city-contracted projects has largely been suspended, street-cooling water trucks have increased their runs, and officials are focusing outreach on vulnerable residents. Nationally, both the number of heat wave days and tropical nights this summer are tracking toward record territory, fueling concern that the climate crisis has crossed from an abstraction into everyday life.

Even so, Han River Park has been packed after dark as people look for relief. Past 8 p.m., with temperatures still above 30°C (86°F), the Yeouido Han River outdoor pool was crowded with swimmers dancing to music blasting from speakers. One visitor with a young child said she felt comfortable bringing her kid since only non-alcoholic drinks are sold there. A visitor in her 20s, on her third trip, said the pool made the heat far more bearable. Nearby, under Seogang Bridge, the Han River 'Bam-ping' night-camping area was dotted with tents lit up under bright lights; one father who came with his kindergarten-age son said the water made things noticeably cooler than during the day.

The heat isn't letting up, and now all of Seoul sits under the country's most severe heat warning. The alert kicks in when the heat index tops 35°C for more than two straight days and is forecast to climb to a 38°C heat index, or an actual temperature of 39°C — a threshold serious enough that even healthy adults are advised to stay indoors. By late morning, the Jongno district weather station had already cleared 33°C, with Sindaebang-dong in Dongjak hitting 34.8°C and the Gangnam-Geumcheon corridor pushing 34.7°C — much of downtown flirting with the 35-degree mark.

The expanded warning wasn't limited to Seoul. Goyang, Osan, Hanam, Anseong, southern Paju and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, along with Jeonju in North Jeolla and Jangseong and Gokseong in South Jeolla, all received the same top-level alert at the same time. Some southern regions had it worse for longer: Boseong, Yeosu and Gwangyang in South Jeolla have been under the warning since Aug. 1, and Suncheon, southern Gokseong and eastern Gwangju since the day before — meaning the heat has been piling up in the south for days.

The government is treating this as serious business. Chairing a Cabinet meeting, President Lee Jae-myung declared the current heat wave a national disaster and stressed that workers' legal right to stop work in dangerous conditions needs to be a real, enforced protection — not just a rule on paper. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety sent emergency alerts urging people to avoid unnecessary outings, stay hydrated, and check in on vulnerable neighbors, including elderly residents and people with chronic conditions.

The toll is climbing. Korea's disease control agency counted 18 new heat-related patients in Seoul in a single day, and the cumulative count since mid-May now stands at 185, including two deaths. In response, Seoul has kept its heat crisis alert at Level 2 and expanded its response operation to eight task teams.

On the ground, Seoul has turned roughly 4,000 senior centers and community welfare facilities into cooling shelters, plus more than 400 convenience stores and banks serving as "climate commute shelters," alongside emergency evacuation sites and rest areas for outdoor workers. Around 180 misting stations are spraying cooling fog across the city, and water trucks are out spraying down streets. Forecasters expect the heat and tropical nights to continue for now.