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2016 Gift Guide For Lovers of K-Pop, K-Drama, & K-Beauty

KultScene 2016 Holiday gift guide feat TWICE!It seems like the holiday season already began as far back as September, but for many of KultScene‘s readers it kicks off in earnest on Thanksgiving day when the Black Friday sales jump into action in the US (and much of the rest of the world!) Every year, we’ve greeted the busiest shopping season of the year with our K-pop-oriented gift guide and once again we’ve put our heads together and come up with some great ideas.

Albums and K-pop swag may be a lot of fun (all the lightsticks and posters!!) for the music fans, and you may be tempted to see if that drama you know they love is available on Amazon, but there’s so much more out there! Along with our recommendations, we’re offering a few discounts and giveaways throughout the next month, so make sure to check back throughout the holiday season!

Scroll below to see our rotating giveaways. Currently we’re giving away a Korea Curated Box, so scroll down to enter!

For The Masking Fiend

There’s a lot of K-beauty-oriented subscription boxes out there (and on this gift guide), but Piibu Subscription Box is the answer to every masker’s dreams. If you know someone who has ever tried the 10 masks in 10 days challenge, Piibu’s box filled with different masks is perfect for that. The monthly subscription box comes with a variety of masks from different Korean brands.

Price: $19-108, depending on the subscription plan

Piibu is offering KultScene readers a chance to win a box, so enter below (begins at midnight 11/24). However, this is only available for those in the US, sorry!

Update: Thanks to everyone who entered our Piibu giveaway! Congratulations Naomi Pangelinan for winning!

For People Who Love Wearing Their Fandom Hearts on Literal Sleeves

Everyone loves T-shirts, right? TeePublic gives artists an opportunity to sell their designs for $20, and there are some really great K-pop themed ones available through the outlet so just dig around a bit. We’re fans of designs by sittinginclover and dekoreate, but there’s a lot more K-related items on the site. The site is called TEEPublic, but you can also get the designs on a variety of items, like cell phone cases and mugs!

Price: Tees for $20

For the K-pop Inept

Just in case someone in your life is completely lacking all knowledge of Korea’s music industry, Woosung Kang‘s recently released The KPop Dictionary is probably a good place to start. Or, you know, take a look at our other fact-finding suggestions.

K-Pop Dictionary

Price: $6 for Kindle version, $13 for paperback copy


Also on KultScene: 2015 Gift Guide For Fans Of Korean Pop Culture

For The Skin Tone Perfectionist

For some people, sunscreen is all you need before leaving the house. For others, you better have your primer, foundation, powder, and setting spray. Most of us are somewhere in between. Missha makes it pretty easy, with their BB Boomer primer setting things up as a great base for whatever you’re dressing your face up with. (Plus, Alexis swears by their Time Revolution Essence!). Everything on Missha’s site is 30% OFF between Dec. 1-27 and there’s a lot of free gifts, including sheet masks and samples of some of their Time Revolution products.

Make sure to enter our Missha X KultScene giveaway! We’re giving three winners a gift set worth $90 featuring the BB Boomer, Missha’s Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule, Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence. However, only U.S. residents can participate since the prizes must be sent to an address within the country.

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Price: Regular $15, but on sale for $9

Thanks to everyone who entered our Missha giveaway! The winners have been notified.

For The Lipstick Loving EXO-Ls

Apparently, Sephora has shades in their Rouge Cream Lipstick line that sound suspiciously like they were named after songs by EXO, like “Call Me Baby” and “Lucky One.” It may or may not be related, but it’s a nice little token with an inside joke for anyone who wants a piece of K-pop in their makeup bag. [Let KultScene know if you find any other K-pop connections at Sephora!]

Sephora Lucky One EXO lipstick KultScene

Lucky One

Price: $12.50 each

For The Lipstick Loving Wino

No, I don’t mean a fan of WINNER (shout out to Inner Circle!). Style Korean has a lot of really cute products, but our favorite is their Labiotte Wine Tints. Or just buy them some soju or plum wine!

 

Price: $9 each

For The K-pop Fan Always Losing Their Headphones

Psy apparently tested these adorable brightly colored earbuds from Soul Electronics. So if that celebrity endorsement matters to you, here you go! They come in a variety of different neon hues so can suit just about anyone’s taste. (And maybe buy an album or two with them?)

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Price: $50

For The K-Beauty Confused

What the heck is the 10 step solution? If your giftee, or yourself, are befuddled by the nuances of K-beauty skincare, the BomiBox is the perfect place to begin. Each box comes with eight full or deluxe sized Korean beauty products, ensuring that you’ll have a diverse range of items to peruse as you dig further into K-beauty.

Bomibox KultScene

Price: $37, but if you use the code KULTSCENE you get $2 off each order you make. For life!

Thank you everyone for entering and congratulations, Briana Fortunato!


Also on KultScene: 2014 K-Pop Inspired Gift-Giving Guide

For The Cuddle Buddy

Zombie Mamma makes some adorable K-pop plushies, specialized upon request. So if you know someone who wants to be able to brag about sharing a bed with their favorite Korean star… Here’s your chance! Contact Zombie Mamma through her Facebook page.

Zombie Mamma K-pop plushies

Price: Prices range from $50-$60, depending on how elaborate you want to get with the hair, outfit, etc.

For The Burgeoning Anthropologist

K-beauty and K-pop is good and all, but is that really what Korea’s all about? Definitely not! Korea Curated and Inspire Me Korea are two different subscription boxes that bring a little bit of Korean culture straight to your front door.

Korea Curated offers subscription boxes featuring Korean items that aren’t typically sold outside of Korea. Each month’s box can feature anything and everything, filled with things such as Korean snacks, toys, artwork, socks, craft projects, and more. (Plus it’s run out of Korea by a married couple, Cory and Marie, which you know it’s filled with love!) If you use the code KULTSCENE, you’ll get 20% off your first order.

Korea Curated boxes KultScene gift guide

Price: $43-75, depending on the size of the box.

Inspire Me Korea, on the other hand, offers the most diverse Korean subscription boxes around with their monthly culture boxes geared to both men and women, plus they also feature a beauty box. It’s UK based, but don’t worry, they ship their boxes around the world. If you use the code KULTSCENE you can get 10% off your first order.

Inspire Me Korea Box KultScene Gift Guide

Price: £13.99-40 (about $18-100 USD), depending on the subscription

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For The Foodie

Watched Let’s Eat or Drinking Alone? There’s so much food, how can you not want to try some Korean food firsthand? We spoke to the women who started Crazy Korean Cooking years ago, but they have these DIY kits that we think would be a great addition to any kitchen pantry.

They also have a great option to get meals shipped directly to your door , and if you use the code KULTSCENE you can get 25% off your first order. Or, if you’re looking for something more stocking-sized, there’s also the A Very Crazy Korean Christmas Gift set filled with some fun items, ranging from food to kitchen gloves. (Literally!) If you’re interested in that, use the code KULTCRAZY to get 10% off. Both codes expire on Dec. 18, so decide which delicious-looking foodstuff you want soon! There may be times when you want to get drinks such as Soju in very cute mugs. If you’re a K-pop and K-drama series fan, you could get custom mugs with photo of your favourite singers or stars making it even more personal to you.

DIY Crazy Korean Cooking

Price: $19-85

What’s your ideal holiday gift, either for yourself or for others? Share your thoughts (and pictures of your holiday shopping!) about this article in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

8 Korean Shows To Cuddle Up With This Holiday Season

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December is the holiday season throughout much of the world, and even if you’re not celebrating anything and Dec. 25 is just a normal day, there’s something about holiday films and television shows that just fit this time of year. Christmas in South Korea is more of a couple’s holiday and Christmas (let alone Chanukah or Kwanzaa) is not particularly popular in K-dramas and Korean reality shows. But the ideas of the season – being with family and friends- is easy enough to find. So if you’re with your loved ones, or trying to hide from them, this December it’s time to watch some of these seasonal Korean dramas.

”Winter Sonata”

The title says it all, but this drama is more than just about the snow. “Winter Sonata” was the start of all things Hallyu, or at least the K-drama portion of it. Released in 2002 featuring Bae Young Joon and Choi Ji Woo, this drama is all about first loves, memory loss, evil mothers, and all the good things that will take you off into a wintery K-drama wonderland.

”Answer Me 1988”

If you are watching this show, you know that the first snow is the perfect time for a kiss. And if you’re not watching it, why not? “Answer Me 1988” is a feel good, family-oriented drama filled with nostalgia. The characters don’t celebrate Christmas, but do celebrate the new year and it’s like the winter, and family bickering, never ends in this feel-good show.


Also on Kultscene: Top 50 Korean Songs of 2015

”She Was Pretty”

This and “Answer Me 1988” were two of the dramas that multiple members of KultScene’s staff just couldn’t stop watching this year. “She Was Pretty” put a large emphasis on the greater realm of relationships, which is exactly what you want to snuggle up with in the dark days of the winter. The lovable, laughable relationships between the characters played by Hwang Jung Eum, Choi Si Won, and Go Joon Hee is just the thing to make you value friendships during the winter months and holiday season, beanies and all. (“She Was Pretty” is also part of Viki’s 12 Days of Oppa, so definitely don’t miss out on all of their offerings!)

”You Who Came From The Stars”

The story of an alien and actress falling in love surpasses time and the seasons, but much of this drama takes place in winter months. A key moment takes place as the two main characters (played by Jun Ji Hyun and Kim Soo Hyun) freeze their butts off ice fishing. There’s support from friends, mysterious villains who could easily double for the Grinch, and just a lot of shiny things that look like they’d fit right in place on a Christmas tree.

”The Return of Superman” & “Dad, Where Are We Going?”

These two family-oriented reality shows aren’t dramas, per say, but… We’ll throw them on this list anyway. The variety shows are all about family’s playing around together, enjoying one another’s company. And the kids are freaking cute. You can watch summer episodes if the winter months are getting you down, but when these adorable children stars play in the snow with their dads… Our hearts just go to mush.


Also on Kultscene: K-Drama’s Latest Trend: Alzheimer’s Disease

”The Winter, That Wind Blows”

This heart wrenching drama about mistaken identities and disabilities takes a backdrop to the winter weather. The warm family relationships, and the lack of, will make you look towards those around you and appreciate all the good things in life. And you may even find yourself hoping that some of the jewelry Song Hye Kyo wears makes it way into a prettily wrapped box this holiday!

”White Christmas”

What better way to end this list than with something called “White Christmas”? But this drama isn’t all about the presents and religious aspects of Christmas. “White Christmas” may take place during the last week of December, but it’s also the least feel-good holiday cheer drama. Which could be the perfect recipe for some people! No, this 2011 drama is a school-based murder mystery featuring young stars like Kim Woo Bin, Sung Joon as more.

What’s your favorite holiday-oriented K-drama? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

2015 Gift Guide For Fans Of Korean Pop Culture

EXO ChristmasWhile it seems like the holiday season begins earlier and earlier each year, the Friday after Thanksgiving is the traditional kickoff for those of us living in the United States. Some of you may have already started putting together your wish lists or have started shopping, but in case you are looking for some K-pop or K-drama inspired presents, KultScene has you covered with our 2015 gift guide.

For The K-Beauty Obsessed

Korean masks – $2-$25
This is perhaps the most obvious choice on the list when it comes to K-beauty lovers. Have your choice from any of the masks we tested out earlier this year. Seriously, there’s way too many options out there, so just have your go at whatever happens to catch your eye
Glass Nails$2
Glass nails are the biggest thing out of Korea since K-pop, and are the trend that we most have our eye on. It’s cheap, and fun, and a great small item to include in any gift basket.102615-korean-glass-nails-lead
Chosungah 22 Flavorful Lipstick in Guava Tint Jello – $18
This is not only a beautiful, well-lasting shade to color your lips with, but the lipstick looks like jello. It may look like jello, but don’t start eating it just because it’s flavored.  The Chosungah 22 product is also a lip balm and has a lot of vitamins to help keep lips smooth.

chosungah22_flavorfullipstick_guavatintjello_900x900 Colored Hair Dye – $7-$$ (drugstore versus professional)
Red, green, pink, blue, galaxy… What color hair do you think you or your loved one deserves to wear next year? Korean stars have surpassed the normal blondes, reds, and browns, and it’s now your turn to help someone get a new ‘do.
The Little Book of Skin Care by Charlotte Cho– $14
The Soko Glam founder published her book earlier this year, following the rise in popularity of K-beauty. This is the newest, most updated guide for getting that special beautiful Korean skin, and what we’re all hoping to get this season.

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Also on KultScene: K-Pop Inspired Gift-Giving Guide

For The Super K-Pop Fans

iTunes Gift Card – $10+
Don’t laugh. Nowadays, there’s Spotify and YouTube to listen to your favorite K-pop tunes on, but nothing beats owning a whole album the day it’s released and listening to it again and again and again.
YG Entertainment Apparel– $5+
This is perfect for any YG-stan out ther, or really anyone who likes some of K-pop’s biggest acts. YG Entertainment, one of South Korea’s largest entertainment agencies, recently started selling their merchandise directly to overseas consumers. Don’t miss out on your chance to get some of your own Big Bang or 2NE1 hoodies, CDs, or more.

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Concert Tickets – $50+
It’s every K-pop fan’s dream to see their favorite idols live. There have been more overseas concerts than ever before in 2015, and A Pink (U.S), INFINITE (U.S), and Beast (Australia) are just some of the few acts going outside of Asia in the near future. If you or anyone you know loves listening, dancing, singing, and breathing K-pop, tickets to a K-pop concert near (or far) is a good gift. Tickets vary in price, but the experience is priceless.
CDs & Concert DVDs – $20+
Even better than songs on your computer or phone are K-pop albums that you can hold and cherish for all eternity (or until you run out of space on your shelves.) K-pop CDs and other sorts of merchandise can be purchased on a variety of websites, so a quick Google search or Amazon search is  sure to turn up a lot of options. Or, if you live near a Korean community, check out their local bookstore and you may be surprised.

For The Fashion Gurus

Retro black chokers – $7
The 90’s are back in full force, and it began first in Korea before coming west earlier this year. The stylish black necklaces (recently seen on EXID) are back and you definitely want to get your hands on one before the trend goes back into the past.

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Beanies a la Siwon in “She Was Pretty” -$10
Anywhere you looked in the second half of the year, it was almost impossible to miss Super Junior’s Siwon being absolutely everywhere. One of his biggest roles was in the drama “She Was Pretty,” and, along with all of the ridiculousness of his character, came one really amazing orange beanie.
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Flared Jeans – $30
Going back to our retro styles that are in, flared jeans join the high-waisted trend that have been in for a while now to great some sort of uber nostalgia jeans. You can get flared jeans from anywhere, but these cute ones from H&M are currently on sale and sure to make anyone look good.

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Also on KultScene: Questions We Have After The End of ‘Sassy Go Go’

For The Foodies

Maangchi’s Cookbook – $17
Want to learn how to cook authentic Korean food? Blogger and YouTuber chef Maangchi released her cookbook “Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking: Authentic Dishes for the Home Cook” was released in May. So grab a copy and start cooking some of her mouth watering recipes.

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Dolsot pot – $38
If you’re looking for a real Korean cooking expereince, getting one of these authentic Korean stonewear pots is the way to go.

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For The Readers

“A Geek In Korea $13
Daniel Tudor’s guide to Korea is a great intro to the country you may have been introduced to by K-pop and K-dramas. Here’s your chance to get an inside take on the whole world of Korean pop culture.

a geek in korea daniel tudor review book korean kpop korea
“In Real Life” – $13
Lawrence Tabak’s young adult novel is about E-games, a side of Korean pop culture that usually doesn’t come into contact with fans of Korean music, dramas, and films, but it is a major part of Korean society and a fun read.

in real life esports book tabak
“Hello, I Love You” – $14
Katie M. Stout’s debut novel is all about romance, cultural understanding, K-pop, and idols. What more is there to want?

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Happy holidays from KultScene!

What are you buying this season? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.