The Daily Debrief | July 10, 2026
Congratulations! You’ve made it to Friday. Hope you had a great week. Here are the stories you need to know in Korea.
In today’s news, we look at why people complain about air conditioning temperatures on Seoul’s subway. We find out why jade jewelry is seeing a resurgence in popularity. Investors increase their skepticism over target prices released by brokerages.
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Too hot for some, too cold for others
One car, two climates: Why Koreans keep fighting over the subway’s temperature
What is happening on Seoul’s subway?
We’re in the middle of summer, a time when air conditioning becomes increasingly important not only on the subway but almost everywhere in Korea. Seoul Metro, a subway line operator, received over 1 million complaints last year, with around 790,000 of them being about temperatures. Some riders complain that the temperature is too hot, while others say it is too cold.
Why?
The complaints usually come during rush hour, when more commuters are frequenting subway trains. While the air conditioning is indeed active, many have complained that the temperatures were still too hot. A smaller percentage said the carriages were too cool. However, under standards set by the government, air conditioning is automatically set to 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer and 18 degrees Celsius in winter.
What can you do if you feel too cold on the subway?
If the temperature is too cold, you could bring extra layers, or move to carriages with weaker air conditioning. These differ on each subway line, but lines No. 2 and No. 9 don’t have carriages with weaker air conditioning. “Train temperature is automatically controlled to a government standard, and every department is doing its best to make the ride comfortable,” Seoul Metro said.
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Is BTS’s V making jade cool again?
Grandma’s jade jewelry is back in vogue
Jade is considered to be old fashioned in Korea?
Apparently so. In Korea, jade has held the impression of being a stone that was best left in grandma’s jewelry box. However, since BTS member V has started sporting jade rings on his fingers, jade jewelry has seen a comeback.
The email behind the trend
The rings worn by V came from a small shop in Jongno District, central Seoul, called Yeijak. Lee Jin-wook, the store’s owner, one day received an email from a person who identified themselves simply as a “stylist.” After sending around 30 jade rings in different styles and sizes to the stylist, BTS’s V appeared at a concert wearing seven of them on his fingers. After the concert, BTS fans have flocked to the store.
How has jade’s popularity spread in Korea?
Social media posts including photos of jade rings are increasing online, with more than 5,000 Instagram posts being tagged with “jade ring” in Korean. Searches for “jade ring” also increased online, achieving Naver DataLab’s highest score for a search term on June 17. Meanwhile, actor Lim Ji-yeon was also spotted wearing a jade ring with a floral motif in the SBS drama “My Royal Nemesis.”
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Doubt creeps in over forecasts
Can investors trust target prices? Skepticism grows as bullish calls persist.
What are investors skeptical about?
As concerns grow over the memory market possibly reaching its peak, brokerages are still remaining bullish, with some even raising target prices for chip stocks. Some investors, however, have expressed concerns that these forecasts may be inaccurate.
What are brokerages saying?
This week, KB Securities raised its target stock price for Samsung Electronics to 600,000 won ($397) from 530,000 won. A researcher from the company said demand for memory chips will grow “150-fold” as AI adoption spreads. Other brokerages also followed suit, staying bullish in their outlook.
Where is the criticism coming from?
Some skeptics note that target prices can sometimes lag behind actual market movements. “Brokerages and listed companies are connected through research, investment banking and institutional sales relationships, making it difficult in practice to lower target prices,” a representative at a securities firm said. “Even if a brokerage maintains a ‘buy’ rating, cutting its target price should effectively be read as issuing a ‘sell’ opinion,” they said.
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