The Korea Herald

[Weekender] Reinterpreting taxis in era of sharing economy

TransportFeb 7, 2019

Taxis are more than a means of transport for Koreans. They serve as a platform where people talk about life, societal changes and, of course, politics, with those behind the wheel. On top of their c...
[Weekender] How soon will flying taxis arrive here?

TransportFeb 7, 2019

It is the clash between taxi operators and carpooling services that is making headlines today. But automakers and tech startups around the world are already taking the next step, showcasing the lates...
[Weekender] Carpooling, an option not threat

TransportFeb 7, 2019

Amid the ongoing clash between taxi drivers and those moving to create new technology-based services, the head of a local ride-sharing company has called for ways to coexist, saying that carpooling i...
[Weekender] Why do Korean taxi drivers oppose carpooling?

Social affairsFeb 7, 2019

In tech-savvy South Korea, ride-sharing and ride-hailing mobile apps are an untouched market due to vehement protest from some 300,000 taxi drivers, who claim new technologies will ultimately wipe ou...
[Weekender] Startup innovation can solve Korea’s quagmire of aging society

IndustryJan 31, 2019

A key hurdle the Korean economy faces is the fast-aging population. One way to coax a soft-landing of this problem is to speed up deregulation so that local startups can carry out innovation and imp...
[Weekender] Pinning fresh hopes on ‘sandbox’ phenomenon

IndustryJan 31, 2019

It’s far from perfect, but South Korea’s latest adoption of a regulatory sandbox may provide some relief to the country’s startups, according to the head of one of the largest and oldest startup asso...
[Weekender] Korea, always in search of the next unicorn

IndustryJan 31, 2019

One of the Moon Jae-in administration’s primary goals has been to create jobs and rejuvenate the economy. However, failing to gain momentum, the nation’s conventional growth engines, such as semicond...
[Weekender] How long can the startup boom cycle last?

IndustryJan 31, 2019

South Korea is riding the global trend of high liquidity in the startup scene. Money is pouring into the sector, and investors are looking for the next big thing to invest in. However, concerns ling...
[Weekender] ‘I want to be pretty like mom!’

Social affairsJan 24, 2019

On a Friday afternoon, a customer enters a beauty spa that looks like the whole place has been dipped in pink. The difference from ordinary spas is that everything here at Shushu & Sassy is miniatur...
[Weekender] For you, anything: Children put on pedestals

IndustryJan 24, 2019

Baby care products have usually taken up only a small section at department stores in South Korea, with a handful of baby care stores filling about half a floor. But brands for babies and toddlers h...
[Weekender] When 1-year-olds learn coding

IndustryJan 24, 2019

South Korean parents’ enthusiasm for child education goes back as far as the moment they are born. It is common for parents to wonder whether they are doing enough for their children, and whether th...
[Weekender] A seer’s guide to marriage

CultureJan 17, 2019

It is undeniable that many things in life are determined by the circumstances of one’s birth -- nationality, genetics and socioeconomic class not least of all. Added to that list, it was the three-h...
[Weekender] How does saju experience measure up?

CultureJan 17, 2019

Fortunetelling. Is it frivolous entertainment, or a glimpse of another dimension? And is the saju any different from other fortunetelling methods I’ve tried over the years? I had a chance to find out...
[Weekender] Can ‘saju’ tell a person’s luck in a certain year? Believe it or not, Koreans think so

CultureJan 17, 2019

Whether you are a believer or a skeptic of divination, the following are questions you may ask a Korean “saju” reader: Is 2019 a good year to change jobs, start a business, or relocate to a new count...
[Weekender] Apartments - a national obsession

Social affairsJan 10, 2019

Apartments are everywhere in Korea. The country’s first apartment block was built as housing for employees of a construction materials maker in 1956. At the time, this type of building was a sight m...