Subject guide

Korean Newspapers, TV & Media

A guide for finding Korean newspapers, magazines, live TV broadcasts and audiovisual materials.

Welcome to the Sub-guide for Korean Newspapers, TV and Media. This Sub-guide is designed for students looking to locate, access and use newspapers, magazines, live TV broadcasts and audiovisual materials such as DVD’s, Blu-ray and CD’s which are either (1) in Korean or (2) about Korea.

The guide includes both sources offered through Leiden University Libraries as well as free sources and private subscription-based sources you can find on the web. In order to not replicate information in several guides, this sub-guide may refer you to a more specialized sub-guide for Korean Studies where appropriate.

This Sub-guide is a part of the General Subject Guide for Korean Studies. Please refer to the General Subject Guide for Korean Studies for information on searching, accessing and evaluating your sources, writing your thesis, and other general information.

In case something you would expect here is missing, a link is not working, or you have a suggestion for a website or resource to be included in this guide, please email the subject librarian.

Many Korean Newspapers can be read online for free, but some require a subscription or database access. Where relevant, the requirement for ULCN login is indicated.

North Korean News(papers)

For detailed information on newspapers, websites and blogs on and from North Korea, please see the sub-guide for North Korea.

South Korean News(papers)

Chosŏn ilbo Archive: This archive includes all issues of the Chosŏn Ilbo, from the first edition in 1920 up until the present. Login through ULCN is required.

Korea Integrated Newspapers Database System (KINDS): KINDS is an integrated full text searchable database for newspaper articles published from 1990 onwards. This database includes the following Korean newspapers:

경향신문 (including some scanned images from 1960-1989)
국민일보
내일신문
동아일보 (including some scanned images from 1960-1989)
문화일보
서울신문 (including some scanned images from 1960-1989)
세계일보
아시아투데이
한겨레신문
한국일보 (including some scanned images from 1960-1989)

Portal Service for Korean Newspapers: This website provides an overview of links to a wide variety of individual Korean newspaper websites. Search results can be refined by column or category (entertainment, sports etc.) If you don’t know exactly what newspapers are out there, or you wish to search the news within a certain topic or genre, this is a good place to start. The first time you search here the website will ask for your preferred search engine to display the results in.

Newsstand - 신문가게: Newsstand is a website with over 30 Korean newspapers and magazines full text searchable.

Korean newspapers in English

A number of Korean newspapers are published in English, or have an English-language section. Leiden University offers access to some of these through the below two databases.

Factiva: provides access to daily publications of over 2000 newspapers and 3000 journals from around the world, in English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and more. Korean newspapers included in this database are the Korea Herald, Yonhap English news, the Korea Times, The Joongang Daily, Maeil Business Newspaper, Chosŏn Ilbo, KBS news, Dong-a Ilbo, Hankook etc.
KPM Database: This database offers access to the Pyongyang Times, an English-language newspaper published in North Korea. Updated daily.
The Korea Times: Leiden provides access to the historical archive of the Korea Times, covering 1956 to 2016. The Korea Times is the oldest and most influential English-language newspaper in Korea today.

Korean Newspaper Archives

Naver News Library - 뉴스 라이브러리: Naver provides good navigation and display functionalities for accessing full text newspaper articles printed between 1920 and 1999. The newspaper articles are available with both the original print in Hanja and Han’gǔl, a version with just Han’gǔl and an image with the original newspaper article. At the moment you can find the following newspapers in this database:

경향신문 1946 – 1999
동아일보 1920-1999
매일경제신문 1966-1999
한겨레 신문 1988-1999

National Institute of Korean History – Newspapers 국사편찬위원회: Image reproductions of a number of historical Korean newspapers produced by NIKH.

공립신보) 1905-11-20~1909-01-27
동아일보) 1920-04-01~1962-12-31
부산일보) 1914-12-01~1944-03-31
시대일보) 1923-03-31~1926-08-31
신문스크랩자료 1928-04-17~1940-12-31
신한민보 1909-02-10~1945-12-27
자유신문 1945-10-05~1953-12-31
조선시보 1914-11-02~1940-08-31
조선중앙일보 1933-03-07~1936-09-04
중앙일보 1931-10-14~1933-03-06
중외일보 1926-11-15~1931-06-19

Newspaper Archives from 1896-1963 (古신문): Full-text Korean historical newspaper article database at BigKinds by the Korea Press Foundation.

공립신보: 1905 - 1909
국민보: 1913 - 1963
권업신문: 1912 - 1914
단산시보: 1925
대공보: 1938 - 1946
대동공보: 1909 - 1910
대한매일신보: 1904 - 1910
대한민보: 1909 - 1910
독립신문 - 상해: 1919 - 1945
독립신문 영문판: 1896 - 1899
독립신문: 1896 - 1899
매일신문: 1898 - 1899
매일신보: 1910 - 1945
북미시보: 1944 - 1946
선봉: 1914 - 1937
시대일보: 1924 - 1926
신한국보: 1909 - 1911
신한민보: 1909 - 1924
조선중앙일보: 1933 - 1936
중앙일보: 1931 - 1933
중외일보: 1926 - 1931
태평양주보: 1930 - 1947
한민: 1936 - 1938
해조신문: 1908
협성회회보: 1898
황성신문: 1898 - 1910

National Digital Library of Korea – Partner Library Access: students and staff of Korean studies have access to the digital content for partner libraries of the National Library of Korea. This includes access to over 4,336,041 pages from 50 historic newspapers published up to 1950.

You can access the NLK’s Digital collection in the following way:

Go to (student webstie)
Click ‘Remote Workplace’
Login using your ULCN credentials
Go to ‘Apps’ on the top of your screen
Scroll down
Click “The National Library of Korea’

Korean historic magazines, newspapers and gazettes - 근현대 연속 간행물: This site by the National History Compilation Committee provides full text images of 103 historic magazines, 104 newspapers, and 3 official government gazettes published form the late 19th to the early 20th century)

Korean historic magazines and newspapers - 한국 근현대 신문자료: This database is compiled of a large number of historic newspapers published between 1905 – 1931. Search results are compiled of images from specific dates that the user can browse through. Newspapers you can find in this database include:

공립신보
동아일보
부산일보
시대일보
신문스크랩자료.
신한민보
자유신문
조선시보
조선중앙일보
중앙일보 (1931–1933)
중외일보,

Japanese Newspapers from the Occupation Period (1910 – 1945)

Some individual newspapers from the occupation period can be found in the online catalogue of Leiden University Libraries. The sources below are in English (E) or Japanese ( J)

Kobe University Library Newspaper Clippings Collection: digital images of newspaper clippings provided by Kobe University Library. This searchable database contains full-text of the articles as well as images, limited to the pre-1945 period. A rather unique feature is that this database contains newspapers published in Japanese colonies.
The Asahi Shinbun: The Asahi Kikuzo Visual database has the historical issues of the Asahi Shimbun, from the first edition in 1879 up to the end of the occupation of Korea and beyond. You can set the interface to ‘English’ and search for categories, certain era’s, headlines etc.
The Hoji Shinbun Digital Collection: currently the world’s largest online archive of open-access, full-image Japanese American and other overseas Japanese newspapers. This collection today contains over eighty newspapers titles published in Hawaii and the Americas. Most publications present a mix of content in Japanese and English, with formats and the proportionality of Japanese/English often changing as a reflection of shifting business and social circumstances.
The Japan Chronicle: The Japan Chronicle was an English language newspaper published between 1902 and 1940.
The Japan Times: the archive of the English language newspaper ‘The Japan Times’ contains over 500,000 pages published between 1897 and 2018, making it one of the longest running English language newspapers in Asia.
The Yomiuri Shimbun: this database has the historical issues of the Yomiuri Shimbun, from the first edition in 1874 up to the end of the occupation of Korea and beyond. You can set the interface to ‘English’ and search for categories, certain era’s, headlines etc.

Leiden University Libraries has a sizeable collection of Korean DVD’s and Bluerays. Below follows a short overview of how you can effectively find and access these materials.

Finding Korean-language movies in the library catalogue

Go to the library catalogue
Click on ‘advanced search’
Select under ‘material type’ – ‘Audiovisual’
Select under ‘language’ – ‘Korean’
Select under ‘publication date’ the timespan within which you wish to search (optional)
Enter a simple dot mark in the ‘Any field’ section, and click on enter.

If you are searching for a specific title in Korean, please read the General Subject Guide for Korean Studies on locating Korean language material.

If you wish to know which movies have been added to the collection lately, please check the tab “New Arrivals” below.

Watching Korean movies from the library collection

Due to Dutch copyright law, students are not allowed to take audiovisual material outside of the library for personal viewing off-site. If you wish to watch movies from the library collection, you are required to do this on-site. For watching movies by yourself or in a group, the library offers two spaces:

The Media Room (Ground floor). On the ground floor, the UB offers a media room equipped with computers with DVD and Blu-ray players. The 4 individual seats are available on a first come, first served basis. Leiden University students and staff may book a group unit for 2-4 people at the UB information desk. The media room is not a private room; it is shared with other students. The use of headphones is mandatory.
The Vos Cinema Room (Asian Library, 2nd floor). For more information about using and booking the Asian Library Cinema Room, click here.

Watching live Korean television is a great way to learn the language, staying up to date on current events, and of course, be entertained. You can find many options to watch live TV broadcasts from Korea, both in the library and online.

Korean live TV in the Asian Library

The Asian Library offers three channels by YTN which you can view in the Vos Cinema Room in the Asian Library. Detailed information on the use of the panel will be posted here soon.

Korean live broadcasts online

The following is a list of the major channels from Korea that offer free, live broadcast

Arirang TV: Arirang TV, operated by The Korea International Broadcasting Foundation, is an international English - language network based in Seoul. Interviews conducted in Korean are often subtitled instead of having a voice-over.
Korea Central TV live: Korea Central TV Live is broadcasted from Pyongyang, North Korea. The broadcast is currently in beta mode through KCNA Watch website. The stream is not 24/7, so check the website for information on broadcasting days and hours.
KBS: Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) is the flagship public broadcaster of Korea. KBS features the news, comedy shows, drama’s and more. The ‘on air’ site includes an overview of which programs are scheduled for the day. Some shows will not be available for view outside of Korea due to copyright restrictions.
KBS World: International broadcast channel by KBS, covering topics in and about Korea as well as world events in general.
TV Chosun: TV Chosun (TV조선), officially Chosun Broadcasting Company (주식회사조선방송), is a nationwide television network owned by the Chosun Ilbo (조선일보), the largest newspaper company in South Korea. It broadcasts news, dramas, variety shows, documentaries, music shows, and other programs. The headquarters is located in Jung District, Seoul.
YTN: YTN is the first 24/7 Korean news channel in the world to be broadcast throughout South Korea. YTN programming consists of a mix of live news bulletins, live broadcasts from major breaking news, commentary panel programs and overnight replays.
Yonhap News TV: Yonhap TV is part of Yonhap News Agency, a government-funded news company. The live broadcasts streams news reports 24/7.

Many students watch Korean drama series and movies in their free time, either on campus or at home. There are a number of legal ways in which you can watch Korean series and movies online.

Free Resources

The following resources are offered through the library or otherwise available for free.

Kanopy: Kanopy is a streaming service with documentaries and movies. Though not in Korean, Kanopy has a small selection of historical and contemporary documentaries about Korea.
Asian Film Online: Over 270 entries of Korean movies and documentaries, the vast majority of which feature graduation projects by students of the Korea National University of Arts.
Korean Classic Film: A Youtube channel run by the Korean Film Archive, with over 110 classic Korean films from the 1930’s onwards.

Resources with individual subscription requirement

The following resources are not subscribed to by the University, nor are they for free. The streaming services listed below offer a legal way of watching Korean series and movies, for a relatively small price per subscription.

Netflix: Netflix offers a limited selection of Korean movies and series with English subtitles. The content offered on Netflix is updated and expanded regularly, and not all series are available in all regions. If you want to see which Korean series and movies are available through your Netflix subscription, simply search for ‘Korea’. You get a list of suggestions, including the option ‘Explore titles related to:” for sub-genres, or just ‘Made in Korea’.
Rakuten VIKI: Rakuten Viki is one of the global leading platforms for Asian entertainment and culture. The collections of TV shows and movies they offer have been translated into 200+ languages by an active community of avid fans. Currently the site offers over 400 shows from Korea.

For North Korean Movies and TV series, please refer to the sub-guide North Korea.

The library acquires several new movies a year, which are either (1) in Korean, (2) produced in Korea, or (3) about Korea. Curious to know which movies have arrived recently? Check out the link below.

General Subject Guide for Korean Studies
Subject Guide Film and Literary Studies
Subject Guide: Journalism and New Media