Most Popular
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Yoon, Lee end first talks with differences, agree to meet more
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What is Hybe’s next move?
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China outpaces Korea in smaller OLED shipments for 1st time
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[Grace Kao] Hybe vs. Ador: Inspiration, imitation and plagiarism
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Samsung Electronics Q1 operating profit soars; chip biz returns to profit
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Samsung chief bolsters ties with Germany’s Zeiss
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[Herald Interview] Mom’s Touch seeks to replicate success in Japan
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Police to open alleged stalking probe over pastor over Dior bag scandal
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'Queen of Tears' finale sets record viewership ratings as tvN's most-watched series ending
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Alleged portrait of Empress Myseongseong on show for first time
A Joseon-era portrait of a woman dressed in a traditional garment is on display in Seoul, with the gallery claiming it to be a painting of the last queen of Joseon.The alleged drawing of Empress Myeongseong (1851-95) -- also known as Queen Min -- is on display at Daboseong Gallery in Jongro-gu, central Seoul until Aug. 31. It is part of a special exhibition of 300 artifacts from the late Joseon Dynasty, which include writings by independence fighters and items used by the last royal family of Ko
Aug. 15, 2017
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Changdeokgung to open for night-time tour
The Joseon-era palace of Changdeokgung will be offering evening tours from Aug.31 to Nov. 5, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday.According to the state-run agency, the “Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace” commences at 8 p.m. and lasts about two hours. The tours will be held from Thursday to Sunday each week, and will be held twice a day on Oct.7, Oct.14 and Oct.21. On those days, the first tour will start at 7 p.m., and the second tour at 8:00 p.m. Visitors visit Changdeokgung d
Aug. 14, 2017
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Hallyu’s future; limitations and sustainability
In the 1990s, Korea’s popular culture begin to expand overseas, mostly to other Asian countries. It was during this time that the government begin emphasizing the potential of culture industry.The term Hallyu (Korean wave), which was coined by the Chinese media in 2000 to describe the onslaught of Korean dramas and pop songs there, was quickly adopted by Korea too to refer to Korean entertainment content. Today, it is used to describe a gamut of content and products of Korean origin.K-pop artist
Aug. 14, 2017
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Legislative gap adds to uncertainty for animal cafes
A lone capybara sits behind a glass pane in its enclosure. Surrounded by coffee-sipping patrons in a cafe, it is a long way from its native home of South America. Animal cafes in Korea are becoming increasingly numerous, and the wildlife on display increasingly diverse. For example, in some of Seoul’s most popular establishments, you can now meet meerkats, raccoons, fennec foxes and even wallabies. But is it a good idea to keep animals in cafe environments? A capybara at an animal cafe (Chantel
Aug. 11, 2017
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Wellspring of creativity and drive
Be careful what you say, his mother had warned him as a young boy. “What I said had a funny way of coming true,” said Jung Ku-ho recently in an interview with The Korea Herald at a cafe in Itaewon, Seoul. Divine intervention probably has little to do with Jung’s trailblazing success as a fashion designer and, now, creative director. Rather, creativity, drive and being at the right place and at the right time probably explain Jung’s ability to realize his dreams, as far-fetched as those dreams ma
Aug. 11, 2017
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‘Peek under Joseon woman skirt’ invites public fury
“Don’t miss the opportunity to take a peek under this Joseon beauty’s skirt,” reads the description to a parodic adaptation of “Portrait of a Beauty,” a classic masterpiece by late Joseon Kingdom artist Shin Yun-bok. In the parody installation, the portrayed woman’s skirt is replaced with a piece of clothing that could be lifted by the viewers. Below the skirt, the woman’s bare legs and underwear are realistically painted.(Instagram)Alive Museum in Seoul, where the controversial parody work was
Aug. 10, 2017
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Musicals to watch out for in coming months
Foreign and local musical productions will continue to entertain fans well into the second half of the year.Among the most anticipated musicals in Seoul this year is the US production of “Sister Act,” which will open at Samsung Electronics Hall at Blue Square in Seoul on Nov. 25 and run until Jan. 21, 2018.The show is a musical adaptation of the smash-hit 1992 comedy film of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg. Its plot revolves around a singer, Delores, who unintentionally witnesses a murder
Aug. 10, 2017
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[Photo News] Comic Con wraps up with fans wanting more
Comic and game fans across the country had a field day last weekend, as the international pop culture festival known as Comic Con landed in Korea for the first time.Comic Con Seoul 2017 allowed the some 40,000 fans to geek out from Friday to Sunday, featuring an extravaganza of subculture never before seen here.It presented business opportunities as well, as total of 113 companies and artists hosted various comic, movie, animation and game related content at 345 booths. Renowned actors Mads Mikk
Aug. 9, 2017
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Slimy ‘liquid monsters’ captivate Korean adults
Poke it and the dents slowly disappear; stretch it, and the strings droop lazily; mold it all back together, and it returns to its original shapeless blob form, evoking a strange sort of satisfaction. Such is the quality of slime, a squishy, glue-based substance that has become a sweeping global fad of late. Online clips featuring the multicolored, dough-like form -- which comes in all sizes and can be transparent, opaque, glittery or gravelly -- have been appealing to a wide audience, free from
Aug. 9, 2017
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Whitewashing? Racism rampant in Korean job market
Despite ongoing efforts to embrace multiculturalism in Korea, racism against non-whites and non-Koreans is still common here, particularly in the job market for English teachers.An advertisement looking for teachers to work at an English camp was posted on Seoul Craigslist on Tuesday. Native-speaking English teachers pose in this photo, which is not directly related to the article. (EPIK)There was one glaring problem, a phrase that clearly stated “No Black.”The employers who posted the ad could
Aug. 9, 2017
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[Seoul Saunter] Hagwon, road to freedom, or serfdom?
High schooler Jini Kim’s mother couldn’t escape a heavy-hearted and guilt-ridden feeling for her daughter.A third-year student, Jini studies from dawn to dusk, day in and day out, to secure competitive scores in school and in the nationwide university entrance examination held in November. “I feel so sorry for her,” the mother told The Korea Herald in Daechi-dong in southern Seoul, a mecca of private educational academies, known as hagwon here. “Forget about play!” she lamented. “Jini has barely
Aug. 7, 2017
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Paper boat challenge scheduled on Han River
A paper boat rowing race will take place between Aug. 11 and 15 at Jamsil Han River Park in Seoul. The race, as unusual as it sounds, has annually taken place since 2014. Participants are invited to build their own boats out of cardboard box and row 1 kilometer across the Han River. Photo provided by the Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentThose interested can sign up for this year’s race via Gmarket by purchasing the materials needed to build the paper boat on the day at a price of 60,000 won ($53). T
Aug. 6, 2017
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[Eye Plus] In scorching heat, ice is selling like hotcakes
“The hot and the cold are both so intense, put’em together, it just makes sense!” -- “In Summer,” “Frozen” OSTWithout fail, there is one place that becomes frantically busy when the summer season strikes, and increasingly busier with the rise in temperature -- the ice factory. At the ice factory in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, run by food company Pulmuone, blocks of ice are inspected, cut up and shipped out to retailers. Orders doubled the usual amount in recent days, according to production ma
Aug. 4, 2017
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[Weekender] Stature of cats ‘catapults’ in Korea
In South Korea, cats had been shunned for their association with evil forebodings and bad luck. In the early 1990s, for instance, my mother did not allow me to have a cat because their cries, sounding like a newborn, would give her goosebumps.Cats don’t warm up to people as instantly as dogs do. This led some people to believe cats to be disloyal and aloof. Cats were also thought to be spiritual. When a cat stared in to the vacant air with their glowing narrow-slit pupils, the superstitious bunc
Aug. 4, 2017
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[Weekender] Upscale feline products cater to delicate tastes of cats
A growing number of South Korean cat moms and dads are willing to go the extra mile to satisfy the delicate preferences of their four-legged companions. Cat owners used to make do with mass-produced pet supplies, but nowadays, a wave of custom-made feline products are allowing cats to live a life of luxury.An Instagram photo of social media feline star Ddulggae eating an Alaskan halibut snack received a flurry of comments from some of her 73,000 followers, who expressed avid interest in the prod
Aug. 4, 2017
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[Weekender] Special cafe for rescued cats offers chance for adoption
As the number of cat owners in South Korea goes up, so does the number of abandoned cats. Some 250,000 cats were abandoned or lost in 2016, according to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. Only 30 percent of them were adopted by new owners. The reason for the low adoption rate is the persistent prejudice against abandoned cats. People assume that rescued cats were abandoned for negative reasons, such as mental or physical issues. Earth Cat Cafe, located near Ewha Womans University in Seoul,
Aug. 4, 2017
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[Weekender] Webtoon helps readers overcome prejudice against cats
When Chae Yu-ri first encountered two abandoned kittens in 2003, her heart fluttered with joy and excitement. Chae, then 26, grew up on a farm with animals and had always wished to have a cat. She brought the sister cats to her house and named them Bbotto and Zzagoo. Cartoonist Chae Yu-ri and ZzagooTo cherish every moment with those adorable creatures, Chae started to draw them in a cartoon. Named after the kittens, “Bbo-Zza-toon” was first published on Chae’s blog in the same year. Fourteen yea
Aug. 4, 2017
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Culture Ministry launches ‘blacklist’ investigation committee
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday officially launched a government-civilian joint committee to investigate the previous administration’s blacklist of cultural figures.The committee, co-headed by Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan and artist Shin Hak-chul, consists of 21 local artists and four ministry officials. Its three subcommittees are respectively charged with investigation, drawing up measures to prevent such blacklists in the future and compiling a white paper on the scanda
July 31, 2017
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[Eye Plus] Kimchikan, a kimchi museum that comes to life
Nestled in the heart of Insa-dong, Kimchikan offers Koreans and tourists alike a deep dive into the world of Korea‘s most famous food.The museum is run by food company Pulmuone, which makes and sells kimchi. It has been operating since 1986, but has been at its current location since just 2015. When it moved from its previous location at Coex to Insa-dong, the museum received a major face-lift. Instead of the traditional museum style of showing kimchi-related artifacts behind glass, Kimchikan ma
July 28, 2017
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New breed of fragrance brands capture scent of Korea
If someone asked you what Seoul’s Gangnam area smelled like, how would you answer?“Very woody and very glamorous,” said Kim Su-hyang, creative director of her eponymous perfume brand Soohyang. A burst of citrus for the 24/7 shopping crowds of Dongdaemun. Sharp notes of patriotic red pine for Namdaemun, South Korea’s first designated National Treasure. Florals to evoke the lilac trees that bloom every April in chic Hannam-dong. Kim Su-hyang at the flagship Soohyang store in Gangnam (Soohyang)Sooh
July 28, 2017