Shortly after the Park Geun-hye administration took office, North Korea’s third nuclear test and the shutdown of the Kaesong Industrial Complex chilled inter-Korean relations. The Naro rocket succeeded on its third attempt, and audiences embraced “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” “Snowpiercer” and “Reply 1994.”
The year in Korea
JanOn its third attempt, the Naro rocket successfully placed a satellite in orbit. [Source]
FebNorth Korea conducted its third nuclear test. [Source]
FebPark Geun-hye was inaugurated as president. [Source]
AprThe Kaesong Industrial Complex shut down after North Korea withdrew its workers, reopening in September. [Source]
JulAsiana Airlines Flight 214 crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport. [Source]
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Around the world
MarArgentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope, taking the name Francis. [Source]
JunEdward Snowden revealed mass surveillance programs run by U.S. intelligence agencies. [Source]
Songs, shows & trends
Film
Lee Hwan-kyung – “Miracle in Cell No. 7” — A father-daughter tearjerker comedy that topped 10 million viewers. [Source]
Bong Joon-ho – “Snowpiercer” — An English-language sci-fi film with an international cast that drew wide attention. [Source]
TV
MBC – “Dad! Where Are We Going?” — Following celebrity dads on trips with their kids, it set off a boom in parenting reality shows. [Source]
Music
PSY – “Gentleman” — The follow-up to “Gangnam Style,” released amid worldwide anticipation. [Source]
TV drama
tvN – “Reply 1994” — Its story of college students in a 1990s boarding house extended the cable-drama boom. [Source]
SBS – “My Love from the Star” — Premiered in December and became a huge hit across Asia, especially China. [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