AI Glasses Top South Korea’s Google Trending Searches as Exam Cheating Fears, Political Controversy and Corporate Power Struggle Draw Attention
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AI-powered smart glasses topped South Korea’s Google trending searches on Nov. 11, as concerns grew that students could use the devices to cheat on the country’s highly competitive national college entrance exam. Political controversy, a corporate ownership battle and the discovery of an endangered mammal also attracted widespread attention.
The rankings were based on Google Trends’ real-time South Korean data. Search volumes are approximate estimates provided by Google, not exact counts, meaning the figures should not be used to make direct comparisons between every ranked term.
AI glasses raise concerns ahead of South Korea’s college entrance exam
The search term “AI glasses” ranked No. 1, with more than 2,000 estimated searches, as South Korea prepared for its 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test, commonly known as the CSAT. The nationwide examination, a major factor in university admissions, was eight days away.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education held specialized training for personnel assigned to prevent cheating involving smart glasses. During the session, a company representative wore a pair of the devices while reading an anti-cheating prevention guide.
Concerns also reached local government. A provincial lawmaker in North Chungcheong province warned during an administrative audit that AI glasses could be difficult to distinguish visually from ordinary eyewear. He called for stronger examination supervision. The Daejeon Metropolitan Council's education committee likewise urged officials to develop detailed procedures to prevent the use of sophisticated cheating equipment.
Lawmakers and journalists clash over derogatory remarks
Democratic Party of Korea Supreme Council member Choi Min-hee ranked second, with an estimated 200-plus searches, after apologizing for referring to photojournalists as a “pack of hyenas.”
Choi had posted photographs of journalists covering a Democratic Party lawmakers' meeting in a group chat involving local party members on Nov. 5, using the derogatory description. After the remarks became public, she apologized on Nov. 11 and issued a separate apology at a news conference at the National Assembly.
The Korea Photojournalists Association demanded that Choi withdraw the remarks and issue a public apology. It warned that it could pursue legal action over defamation and insult if appropriate measures were not taken. The Korea Video Journalists Association also joined the condemnation.
“Photojournalists do not exist to capture images that suit politicians' preferences,” the photojournalists' association said, emphasizing their role in monitoring those in power and documenting history on behalf of the public. Choi's office said it had confirmed that messages from the supporters' group chat were being leaked externally in real time. The chat was closed after the news conference.
Endangered weasel recorded in Chungju for the first time
The endangered Siberian least weasel, known in Korea as the Musan least weasel, ranked third with more than 200 estimated searches after authorities confirmed its presence in Chungju, a city in North Chungcheong province.
An unmanned sensor camera installed in the city's Suanbo-myeon area captured the animal during a 2026 wildlife habitat survey. It was the first confirmed sighting of the species in Chungju.
Listed as a Class I endangered wildlife species in South Korea, the animal is the country's smallest carnivorous mammal. It measures about 15 centimeters in length and weighs less than 100 grams. Its coat is brown in summer and turns entirely white in winter. The species was first recorded in 1927 in Musan, in what is now North Korea's North Hamgyong province.
Chungju's survey, which began in May across Suanbo-myeon, Dongnyang-myeon and Salmi-myeon, also identified five other endangered species: the Korean goral, Eurasian otter, Siberian flying squirrel, yellow-throated marten and leopard cat.
Hoban overtakes Cho Won-tae in Hanjin KAL ownership battle
Businessman Cho Won-tae, chairman of South Korea's Hanjin Group, ranked fourth with more than 500 estimated searches after a disclosure showed that Hoban Group had become the largest shareholder of Hanjin KAL, the holding company of the Hanjin conglomerate.
Hoban, through four affiliated companies, secured 13,814,053 shares, representing a 20.69% stake. That narrowly exceeded the 13,738,919 shares held by Cho and 18 affiliated individuals and entities.
Cho's side responded by announcing plans to purchase an additional 325,000 common shares of Hanjin KAL through an after-hours block trade beginning Dec. 3. Hoban has previously described its share acquisitions as ordinary investment, although the possibility of future management involvement has become a subject of industry speculation.
Attention is now turning to the company's annual shareholders' meeting scheduled for March next year, where the composition of its board could change.
The ownership contest has also fueled volatility in preferred shares. Hanjin KAL's preferred stock approached daily trading limits for six consecutive sessions from Nov. 2 to Nov. 9. The Korea Exchange designated the shares as an investment-warning issue on Nov. 6 and suspended trading for one day on Nov. 10. On Nov. 11, the stock initially surged 29.99% to 136,100 won before closing down 2.67% at 101,900 won. Korean Air preferred shares fell 24.77% to 28,700 won.
Entertainment, earthquakes and everyday issues round out the rankings
Television personality Kim Jong-kook ranked fifth with more than 500 searches after discussing a past bout of vestibular neuritis, a condition that caused severe dizziness, on the Nov. 10 episode of the travel program “The Travel Method of Real Men in Manado,” broadcast by SBS Plus and MBN.
Blackpink singer Rosé ranked sixth with more than 200 searches amid divided reactions to her live performance of “APT.” Some overseas responses were critical, while domestic audiences defended the performance.
The search term “earthquake” ranked seventh with more than 1,000 searches after a Japanese television announcer attracted attention for delivering breaking news just 10 minutes after an earthquake, wearing glasses and appearing without makeup.
“Oil” ranked eighth with more than 100 searches following a Korea-China-Japan petroleum technology conference in Jeju, where participants discussed cooperation on environmentally friendly fuels. “Smoking” ranked ninth with more than 1,000 searches amid complaints about cigarette smoke spreading from a designated smoking area beneath an elevated pedestrian walkway near Sintanjin Station.
The English-language search phrase “Veterans Day 2026” rounded out the top 10 with more than 500 searches. The interest was linked to reports of overseas restaurants offering free meals and discounts in connection with Veterans Day.
Overall, South Korean search interest on Nov. 11 reflected a mix of education security concerns, political accountability, corporate governance, environmental conservation and international news. The rankings represent a snapshot of real-time search activity rather than a definitive measure of public opinion.
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