A year of both legislative and presidential elections, it ended with Park Geun-hye elected as Korea’s first female president in December. The Yeosu Expo opened and Sejong Special Self-Governing City was launched, while PSY’s “Gangnam Style” became a worldwide sensation.
The year in Korea
AprThe 19th National Assembly elections were held. [Source]
MayThe Yeosu Expo opened under the theme “The Living Ocean and Coast.” [Source]
JulSejong Special Self-Governing City, a new administrative hub, was officially launched. [Source]
SepHydrofluoric acid gas leaked at an industrial complex in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, causing casualties. [Source]
DecPark Geun-hye won the 18th presidential election, becoming Korea’s first female president-elect. [Source]
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Around the world
JulThe Summer Olympics were held in London. [Source]
Songs, shows & trends
Music
PSY – “Gangnam Style” — The first YouTube video to pass one billion views, it became a global phenomenon. [Source]
TV drama
tvN – “Reply 1997” — Its portrait of late-1990s idol fandom kicked off a wave of nostalgia. [Source]
Film
Lee Yong-joo – “Architecture 101” — A romance about memories of first love that struck a chord with audiences. [Source]
Choi Dong-hoon – “The Thieves” — An all-star heist film that drew more than 10 million viewers. [Source]
Choo Chang-min – “Masquerade” — A historical drama starring Lee Byung-hun that drew 10 million viewers. [Source]
Kim Ki-duk – “Pietà” — The first Korean film to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. [Source]
Year League: the best year
Sources
Each [Source] link points to the Wikipedia article for that item. Wikipedia content is available under CC BY-SA. More about this year on Wikipedia