Most Popular
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Concerns raised over S. Korea’s plan to hire foreign-licensed doctors
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[Feature] Ignorance about Africa still rampant in Korea
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Spate of Army deaths sparks safety concerns
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UAE becomes 1st Arab country to sign free trade pact with S. Korea
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Special counsel bill on death of Marine fails to pass in Assembly revote
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S. Korean biz leaders meet with UAE president
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Hyundai Motor hires ex-Porsche engineer to lead high-performance push
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Korean shows most-viewed of Netflix's non-English titles: report
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Samsung Electronics union declares first-ever strike
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Cheap shot? Soju by the glass gets mixed reactions
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[Eye Plus] Flights of fancy at Joseon archery range
On a chilly day in December, a group of people gathered in a grass field in downtown Seoul to practice what was one of the most sought-after pastimes in the Joseon era: archery. After notching their arrows, the archers stood aimed at a target about 150 meters away. Only silence dominated the freezing wind blowing through the range. They let out their breath as in few seconds, one arrow was fired from a seasoned archer who has been practicing for 10 years. With a buzzing sound cutting across t
Jan. 3, 2019
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Story of 12 animal guardians
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a rat, Michael Jackson was a dog. His little sister Janet is a horse and Beyonce is a rooster, as is her husband Jay-Z.No, the “King of Pop” was not literally man’s best friend, but he is represented by the cuddly animal in “sibiji,” the 12 Chinese zodiac animals thought to represent worldly elements.“Sibiji” -- or just jiji -- refers to the units allocated to various elements in the world, such as the year, lunar month, each day divided into 12 and 12 separate porti
Jan. 3, 2019
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Kim Ki-duk accusers cleared of false accusation
An actress and producers of a TV show that accused filmmaker Kim Ki-duk of sexual assault have been cleared on charges of false accusations, which had been filed by Kim himself.Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Thursday that it has decided not to indict on charges of false accusations the actress who publicly claimed that Kim had coerced her into a sex scene and slapped her, or the producers of MBC’s investigative journalism show “PD Notebook” that aired her claims. Kim had admitte
Jan. 3, 2019
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Culture Minister says more foreign visitors a major goal for 2019
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-hwan on Wednesday said one of the biggest goals for this year is to boost the number of foreigners visiting Korea to 18 million, the highest-ever total.“It may be a burden (to attract 18 million foreigners), but we will take the responsibility of pursuing this,” Do said in his New Year’s address. “Officials have said that such goals have been set under the premise that inter-Korea relations will continue to improve and more group tourists will visi
Jan. 2, 2019
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Culture complexes curate interest, taste and lifestyle
In recent years, the term “culture complex” has often been seen on social media. Postings showing people spending time at these spaces are shared often, attached with hashtags that read “culture life,” “leisure time” and “relaxation.”Culture complexes have risen as popular city destinations for young Seoulites. Buildings housing exhibition halls, cafes, restaurants and design shops bill themselves as culture complexes. According to last year’s “Where to Live,” a book by Yoo Hyun-joon, an archite
Jan. 1, 2019
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Culture Ministry apologizes for blacklist, gets blasted for insincerity
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday issued another apology for the blacklisting of cultural figures under past administrations, but the press conference was mired by complaints from participating artists that the ministry lacked the resolve to prevent a repeat.Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan, speaking at a press conference in Seoul on the topic of its year-end report, confirmed that penalties would be imposed against 131 officials involved in the blacklisting scandal -- 68 from t
Dec. 31, 2018
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Celebrate year’s end at local hotels
With the year almost at its end, local hotels are rushing out parties, packages and promotion deals to attract excited guests willing to spend some extra money. As the same old countdown events can be mind-numbing, hotels have prepared their own luxurious events. While staying warm and cozy amid the hospitality of hotels, guests can fully feel the excitement of greeting 2019. Grand Ambassador Seoul Associated with Pullman’s entertainment pub Gran·A hosts Adieu 2018! Bubbly Midnight party. The pa
Dec. 26, 2018
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Korea decides on future passport design
Korea’s Culture Ministry decided on a design for the country’s future passports, Friday. The passports will be issued starting in 2020.The next generation of South Korean passports will come in three colors -- navy for ordinary citizens, gray for government officials and red for diplomats.For enhanced security and greater impact resistance, the ministry said it has decided to use a durable transparent plastic called polycarbonate thermoplastic. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)The Minist
Dec. 21, 2018
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Bookstores sell more than just books
You are what you read -- and perhaps where you read at. In recent years, bookstores have been disappearing at a fast rate. Aside from major franchise bookstores in downtown areas, many small, neighborhood bookstores have closed, forced out in the digital era. But lately, bookstores have been returning in different forms. New bookstores sell more than just books, offering a wide range of goods from stationery, food and drinks to various merchandise -- anything related to lifestyle. The trend star
Dec. 20, 2018
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Skating at heart of the city: Seoul Plaza Ice Rink opens Friday
The Seoul Plaza Ice Rink, an iconic winter attraction in the city, will open Friday with upgraded facilities. The ice rink will operate through Feb. 10 for a total of 52 days, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday. An artist’s impression of Seoul Plaza Ice Rink (Seoul Metropolitan Government)The rink’s design has been changed for the first time since it opened four years ago. It has also been expanded from 1,166 to 1,897 square meters, 1.5 times its previous size.In addition,
Dec. 18, 2018
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Korea seeks to build K-pop arena in Seoul
South Korea said Monday that it will push to build a K-pop arena in Seoul as part of a broader effort to attract more foreign tourists and create jobs in the cultural sector.The Ministry of Economy and Finance said the project worth about 500 billion won ($442 million) in Changdong, northeastern Seoul, could be financed by private companies, though it did not provide any details.The move comes as K-pop, which mostly features choreographed dances by boy and girl groups, has gained ground not only
Dec. 17, 2018
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Government rolls out 3-year plan to boost creative content market
The government on Thursday announced a plan to strengthen the country’s creative content market by creating an ideal environment for creators, investing in state-of-the-art content and supporting the export of content by 2022.Officials highlighted that most local companies in the creative content market are small in size and suffer from a lack of funding, infrastructure and manpower. To address these issues, the government seeks to increase investment in the sector from 350 billion won ($311 mil
Dec. 16, 2018
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[Eye Plus] Time stops at way stations
For South Koreans living in a country where the old is compulsively replaced with the new, finding a place that no longer serves its original purpose but has maintained its true form is a venture. Still, there are unexpected nooks in and near bustling Seoul where time seems to go very slow, allowing you to quietly evoke past memories. These are way stations.Way stations are relatively small train stations, set apart by the absence of a stationmaster and the lack of passengers. As time went by, n
Dec. 13, 2018
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[Weekender] Survival guide: How to battle winter’s chill
After a drizzly day in early December that pushed temperatures in Seoul well below minus 10 degrees Celsius, office worker Lee Ja-yoon, 30, finally finished preparing her house for the full-fledged winter chill likely to last at least through February. Lee started with her wardrobe. She took out the wool coats and replaced them with a long padded coat -- the ankle-length garments became ubiquitous in Korea during last winter’s biting cold -- as well as thermal underwear, fur-lined leggings and g
Dec. 13, 2018
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Cheerleaders protest online sexual harassment
Cheerleaders have pointed out sexual harassment prevalent online, particularly the Ilbe Storehouse.Baseball team Samsung Lions cheerleader Hwang Da-geon said in a post on her Instagram on Monday, “Cheerleader as an occupation is fun, but is this the price I have to pay? I can’t bear to look at the dirty comments section.” (Instagram)Hwang, 18, says she has been sexually harassed by online comments uploaded to online community Ilbe Storehouse. Aside from the comments, she said people have been se
Dec. 12, 2018
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[Weekender] Massage no longer taboo or luxury
In South Korea, the image of massage services has long been negative, viewed in relation to illicit sexual service providers. Either that, or massages were seen as the prerogative of the elite at posh and luxurious spas.Now, with growing interest in health services amid increasingly sedentary lifestyles and the consequent branching out of massage to become more affordable and accessible, it has become a common way to relieve stress and pain for many Korean urbanites. In Seoul, you can easily fin
Dec. 6, 2018
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Century-old hanok welcomes new souls
Hanok, or traditional Korean buildings, being turned into hip cafes and restaurants are no longer newsworthy, as the touristy areas of Bukchon, Seochon and Samcheong-dong are dotted with these amalgamations of old and new. What is unique about a hanok in Dongdaemun that recently opened as a cafe-lifestyle shop is that it is very old -- more than 100 years old. The J.Hidden House, situated on a backstreet in Dongdaemun -- the fashion hub of Seoul with the Zaha Hadid-designed Dongdaemun Design Pla
Dec. 5, 2018
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Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I expresses support for Korea’s unification
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, widely considered the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, expressed support for South Korean President Moon Jae-in‘s efforts to bring reunification of Koreas closer to reality.Visiting Korea to lead a special service commemorating the 50th anniversary of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Seoul, Bartholomew said the Orthodox community around the world is praying for a peaceful reunification of the peninsula. This marks the fourth time he has visi
Dec. 4, 2018
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N. Korean paintings show another side of hermit kingdom
In spite of recent efforts to denuclearize North Korea, the image of the communist state remains unfavorable for most people around the world. From the country’s brash threats to its human rights record to the unpredictability of its young leader, dealing with Pyongyang has never been an easy task.However, Teresa Song, a South Korea-born British entrepreneur, says she wants to promote another side of the country through paintings depicting the country’s relatively-untouched nature. Teresa SongT
Dec. 2, 2018
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[Weekender] Finding the Buddha inside through templestay
Buddhist temples are religious places, but temple stays offer participants a chance to look into themselves and find inner peace, regardless of their religion.For a one-day inner journey, I recently headed out to Heungguksa, located on the mountain ridges of Nogosan in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, an hour drive northwest of central Seoul. Heungguksa (By Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)Because the trip was rather short, I was not expecting much seclusion. Compared to other temples, Heungguksa is mu
Nov. 29, 2018