Korea Water Resources Corp., better known as K-water, is giving an impetus to its smart water management system in a bid to increase water and energy efficiency in water supply systems by making use of advanced ICT technologies. The state-run water resources management corporation adopted the Smart Water Management Initiative, which underlines the convergence of information, communication and te...

In author Kim Jung-hyun’s 1997 best-selling novel “Father,” which sold more than 2 million copies, its protagonist is a father who is never home. A public servant in his 50s, the father, named Jeong-su, has spent most of his time at work ― unable to attend any of the milestone events of his children. He missed their school entrance ceremonies, convocations and countless birthday dinners. As his...

It put an end to daily quarrels. After months of an agonizing search for an alternative, a 38-year-old father of 1-year-old twins made an “unthinkable” decision to become a stay-at-home dad for the next year. Lee Dong-hoon joined the pioneering 4.4 percent of fathers in the country that spurned conventional thinking and took a leave of absence. The day he became the “mom,” he saw his wife ― who...

Seven pairs of fathers and children pile up colorful sand in glass bottles at a public child care center on a Saturday in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. Laughter fills the room as the dads help the kids finish their masterpieces. Clutching the sand-filled bottle in one hand as a souvenir, and holding the father’s hand in the other, the children return home beaming. This simple activity class is a p...

Working mother Kim Jin-ha rarely watches TV, but she’s grateful for one reality show ― “Superman is Back.” The show, which features celebrity dads caring for their young children without the help of their wives, somehow motivated Kim’s husband to spend more time with their 4-year-old daughter. His involvement in child care gradually improved his relationship with Kim as well. “When we first got...

A wedding typically marks the beginning of a marriage. It is also the end of months of preparations. However, for many Koreans the wedding is neither the beginning nor an end. While many aspects of Korean society has undergone rapid changes, and westernization since the Korean War, weddings and marriages continue to be influenced by traditional values and customs more than other areas of life. ...

“Thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife!” If only having someone’s hand in marriage was as simple as Shakespeare put it. What was once widely construed as the culmination of love and happiness, wedding ceremonies have become a commercialized extravaganza in Korea, often forcing couples to seek financial support from parents and take loans from banks. Down the long list of things to tic...

In Korea and elsewhere, couples tend to rely on the kindness of their parents to pay for a wedding. But the burden is increasingly getting heavier for Korean parents, who are culturally and traditionally obligated to pay for an expensive wedding ceremony and, in many cases, chip in to buy a house for the newlyweds. It is a baffling situation for most Korean parents, many of whom have retired or ...

More than a decade ago, the local film “Marriage Is a Crazy Thing” created a sensation in Korean society, where family-oriented values still prevail. The 2002 film revolves around a woman who chooses to wed a wealthy doctor over a man she actually loves, but secretly continues to have an affair after her loveless marriage. Challenging the centuries-old perception of marriage, the rather provoca...

Preparing for a foray here last year, Ikea, a global home furnishing giant, did some research on Korean consumers, collecting as many images of their homes as possible. What it ended up with were hordes of images of almost identical-looking apartment units: white wallpaper, cookie-cutter room and furniture layouts and, above all, the decided lack of decorative items. Lee Yu-rim, who runs home i...

For many people, the coming of spring brings an urge to renew their home interiors. But decorating can be a daunting challenge for those who have not kept up with the latest trends. Revamping one’s home doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune or require much knowledge about what’s in vogue, according to veteran interior designer Kwon Soon-bok. A new look can start with a simple change. One just need...

It may come as a surprise how many young people in Korea know their way around a power drill. One example is Kim Ji-eun, a 33-year-old woman who was carefully drilling a small oval into a rectangular piece of wood at Intro M Wood Shop in Dobong-gu, Seoul. “I’m making a cellphone dock. The hole is for the charger,” she explained as she flipped the switch to get the drill going again. As she blew...

The demand for home decor items is growing among Koreans today, in a sensation that has been dubbed the “candle effect.” A spinoff of the “lipstick effect,” which refers to a hike in consumption of cosmetic goods during recession, the newly coined term indicates the increasing popularity of small home decor items such as scented candles, cushions and figurines that are more affordable than furni...

Sixty-year-old housewife Choi Sun-hee recently visited Hanssem Flag Shop in southern Seoul to buy some stools for her new house. The interior of the store was arranged like an actual house, with the spaces filled with items ranging from wardrobes and beds to smaller products such as vases, coasters and lamps. Choi was impressed with the design and function of the stools. But what she really lik...