Growing up Korean American, I never questioned why toilet paper was a perfectly normal housewarming gift. But as I got older, I started bringing fancy candles and soaps instead. So why is this unusual tradition still so popular in Korea? And what other gifts are considered lucky—or unlucky?

One thing I've noticed since moving to Korea is how rarely I encounter body odor, even on crowded subways. From an unexpected genetic connection to pleasantly scented hair, here's what I discovered.

Every autumn, Korea's ginkgo trees turn a spectacular golden yellow—and leave behind a notoriously unpleasant smell. But for one Korean American childhood, those fallen seeds were something worth collecting.

Of all the things I remember from childhood summers in Korea, one of the most vivid is also one of the least glamorous. A nostalgic story about Busan, sewer smells, and the strange details that stay with us.