Editorial Policy

Who writes for HallyuMate

HallyuMate is run by a small independent team. Mina Park (K-pop & K-drama) and Daniel Oh (K-food) are pen names used by our editor — the opinions under them are real and the editor's own.

The editor approves every piece before it goes live and is accountable for it. Questions and corrections go to hello@hallyumate.com.

How we source stories

We report from primary Korean sources wherever they exist — agency statements, official press releases, broadcaster announcements, and Korean-language reporting from established outlets.

When a story is sourced from another outlet, we say so and link to the original. When a claim comes from a single unverified source, we either label it clearly as unconfirmed or we do not publish it. We do not aggregate rumours.

How we fact-check

Names, dates, titles, chart positions and quotes are checked against a primary source before publication. Quotes translated from Korean are checked against the original-language source.

Where a fact could not be independently confirmed, we say that in the article rather than quietly rounding it into certainty.

Corrections

We correct errors promptly and visibly. Substantive corrections are noted on the article itself rather than silently edited away, so readers can see what changed.

If you have found an error, email hello@hallyumate.com with the article link and what you believe is wrong. We review every report and aim to respond within two business days.

How we use AI

We use AI tools in our newsroom, and we would rather tell you exactly how than leave you guessing.

Articles are drafted with AI tools from primary Korean sources the editor selects, in the voice and with the views of the byline. Each draft is checked against those sources and approved by the editor before publication — nothing on the site is published automatically.

We do not use AI to invent quotes, sources or facts, and every factual claim links to its source.

Independence and affiliations

HallyuMate is an independent outlet with no ownership ties to any agency, label, broadcaster, or streaming service. No company reviews our coverage before publication.

Some articles contain affiliate links, which may earn us a commission. These never influence our editorial judgement, and affiliate links are always marked as such.