Most Popular
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Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
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Yoon's approval rating plunges to all-time low
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Will tug-of-war between doctors, government end soon?
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Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth
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Trilateral talks acknowledge ‘serious’ slumps of won, yen
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[Graphic News] More Koreans say they plan long-distance trips this year
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[KH Explains] Hyundai's full hybrid edge to pay off amid slow transition to pure EVs
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North Korea removes streetlights along cross-border roads with South
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Russia's denial of entry of S. Korean national unrelated to bilateral ties: Seoul official
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Farming households dip below 1m for first time in 2023
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[Weekender] World’s first EV expo kicks off on Jejudo
The International Electric Vehicle Expo, the world’s first exhibition solely dedicated to fully-electric vehicles, will be held from March 15-21 on Jejudo Island, with some 40 carmakers, battery suppliers and other EV-related companies joining from Korea and abroad. Seven carmakers ― Renault Samsung Motors, Kia Motors, BMW, Nissan, GM Korea, Mia Electric and Tajima ― will display their latest EV models during the weeklong program. The BMW i3, Nissan Leaf and the Mia minibus will make their Korea
IndustryMarch 14, 2014
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[Weekender] Jejudo an emerging test bed for future cars
The scenic Jejudo Island is emerging as mecca for the international electric vehicle market. Dozens of global powerhouses are gearing up to release state-of-the-art products on the southern island.BMW, Kia, as well as yet-to-be-introduced French brand Mia have all set their eyes on the “global test bed.” Carbon-free islandThe biggest attraction of Jejudo Island among electric vehicle companies is the state support.The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is giving 8 million won in local support
IndustryMarch 14, 2014
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[Weekender] Deja vu
The 1990s were a culturally vibrant decade that saw the birth of the legendary boy band Seo Taiji and Boys and first-generation idols like H.O.T. and Sechs Kies. It was the beginning of what we now call K-pop, and a period when Korean popular culture, especially movies and TV dramas, made great strides both in style and content. The decade is often hailed as Korea’s cultural heyday and continues to inspire popular culture. The culture of the ’90s first re-entered the Korean mainstream with the m
TelevisionMarch 7, 2014
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[Weekender] Old music bridges generations
In a popular cartoon on the Internet, a man in his early 40s holds a floppy disk and asks a young boy, “Have you seen one of these before?” to which the boy exclaims, “Wow, you made a 3-D model of the save icon!”Poking fun at the generational gap between the youth of today and the middle-aged, the cartoon is a reminder of the inevitable differences in culture and shared memories between different generations.However, at a small bar-club in Hongdae ― decorated with shelves full of old LP records,
PerformanceMarch 7, 2014
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[Weekender] Reliving good old days
When 41-year-old housewife Kim Soo-yeon recalls the early 1990s, it is with dreamy eyes and a hint of excitement in her voice. Her hero, late singer Kim Kwang-seok still roamed the stage, job prospects were bright as Korea’s economy continued to grow, and she was ready to enjoy what the world had to offer. “Those were my golden days. Back then, I felt like I could achieve anything,” Kim said. By the time she finished college in the late 1990s, however, the Asian financial crisis had struck and s
CultureMarch 7, 2014
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[Weekender] Analog-faced high-tech gadgets lure buyers
From digital cameras that feature designs from the 1970s to television sets with dials, a growing number of electronics brands are exploiting the nostalgic yearning for the past to attract people who miss the analog days. Ham Sun-hae is one of those consumers who find retro-inspired appliances a great fit for her home. “Even though I already have a television at home, I want another vintage-looking television set for decoration,” said Ham, a 35-year-old office worker. “I like the warm and cozy f
IndustryMarch 7, 2014
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[Weekender] Retro fever sweeps Korean consumers
Twenty-four-year-old college student Rho Jyong-ho has been all about retro these days.“Lately, I’ve been spending the majority of my weekends watching movies and dramas that are set in the 1990s,” said Rho. “Although I can relate to some things from when I was growing up, there are a lot more things that I can’t recall, probably because I was too young.”Rho is one of many people in Korea who are currently immersed in “retro fever.”The craze over retro products and culture that has been spreading
CultureMarch 7, 2014
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[Weekender] Chic, handy and green
Sacrificing style, convenience and utility for the sake of the Earth? That may not be necessary. Here comes a new breed of eco-friendly products that are functional, stylish and environmentally sound, to boot. From recycled clothes to biodegradable takeout coffee cups, eco-designers are diversifying green options so that we can throw away our Earth-polluting lifestyle. Armed with creative ideas and passion for the planet, they are a growing force, challenging the way products are conceived, prod
NationalFeb. 28, 2014
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[Weekender] Eco-goods carve out niche
In line with global efforts to curb their ecological footprints, a growing number of businesses at home and overseas have been introducing products designed to last longer and reduce waste. Some toothbrushes naturally break down on their own, while a rocking chair powers a smartphone or lamp. Used coffee grounds, which would otherwise go in the trash, are transformed into mushroom compost, mugs and even lamp shades; old banners and car seat belts become stylish yet strong clothes and purses. Wha
Arts & DesignFeb. 28, 2014
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[Weekender] Consumers to drive green market
Consumer pressure will mean that designers who incorporate green ideas into the way products are conceived, produced and consumed will prevail in future, according to Kim Dae-ho, author of bestsellers “Eco-Design” and “Eco-Creator.”From active recycling to zero waste disposal, people and businesses will value products that are designed in ways that harm the environment less and deliver more socially responsible messages, he said. Kim has identified a school of people who are motivated by environ
NationalFeb. 28, 2014
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[Weekender] Sustainable design gaining traction
The concept of eco-design, adding environmental value to design or vice versa, is taking root in Korea as people open their eyes to the importance of the environment and eschew instant gratification when it involves products that pollute.Recognizing the huge economic potential of eco-design, the government is running various programs to help businesses and individuals commercialize their creative eco-friendly ideas. Marketers are utilizing this concept on their own by focusing on an expanding se
NationalFeb. 28, 2014
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[Weekender] Biomimicry: Seeking answers from nature
The scene of a blind man walking along a street using a white cane may be a familiar sight, but these days his cane might have a secret edge ― an advantage made possible by a process that took place over tens of millions of years. The cane, developed by a U.K.-based company, is fitted with ultrasound emitters and detectors that mimic the echolocation ability of bats. The device uses ultrasound waves to detect obstacles ahead and above the user, beyond the cane’s reach, and vibrates to alert the
TechnologyFeb. 21, 2014
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[Weekender] Learning through imitation
Explanations of biomimicry often begin with the Shinkansen bullet train in Japan.The train was successfully rocketing along at record speeds. But there was a hitch: When they exited a tunnel, they created a sonic boom because of air pressure differences.Engineers modeled the front of the train after the beak of a kingfisher, which moves rapidly and smoothly between air and water, massively reducing noise pollution. This is the classic image of biomimicry ― engineers and designers looking to natu
TechnologyFeb. 21, 2014
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[Weekender] Saving our blue planet
Every day, thousands of factories gush smoke into the air and millions of cars gulp gasoline, with billions of people exhausting the limited resources on the solitary blue planet.Traditionally, human society has depended on the consumption of depletable assets, such as oil and coal. Like the mice in the book “Who Moved My Cheese,” people have just kept on using the resources in the false belief that they will somehow last. With side effects of economic growth such as the greenhouse effect, air p
TechnologyFeb. 21, 2014
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[Weekender] The natural look
The Menelaus Blue Morpho is a curious creature. A butterfly of Central and South America, its wings have no pigment, but they shine in a brilliant, iridescent blue. This is because the surface structure of the wings gives them their color, which changes when viewed from different angles. “This natural process, which is called structural color, is caused by diffraction, interference and scattering of light on the surface structure,” said Hwang Kyung-hyun, a researcher at the Korea Institute of Ma
TechnologyFeb. 21, 2014
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[Weekender] Sejong: A city built in nature’s image
Cities and nature are often considered worlds apart. The former is the epitome of man’s desire to conquer the latter, using concrete and steel to build a world unintended by Mother Earth.Nonetheless, Lee Choon-hee ― an expert of urban planning and engineering ― said it is possible to construct cities that harmoniously exist with nature. The prime example, he says, is the recently-created administrative town of Sejong, in central Korea.“There had been many new towns created (by the government), b
TechnologyFeb. 21, 2014
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[Weekender] Luxury refashioned
In the 1990s, the nation’s surging middle class wanted to show off its wealth and started indulging in foreign luxury brands. These were the years when Louis Vuitton’s Speedy tote earned the nickname “3-second bag” for being almost ubiquitous on Seoul streets. “Unlike in other countries where ‘It Bags’ are enjoyed mostly within the fashion community, they became a national fever in Korea at the time,” said Lee Ji-hyun, a fashion magazine editor. After two decades, Korean shoppers’ expensive tast
IndustryFeb. 14, 2014
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[Weekender] Classic designer brands make room for ‘swag-fake’
The fashion industry has long been dominated by a black-and-white theory that only genuine articles from classic designer brands have value. Anything that’s a knockoff ― a “fake” ― was immediately dismissed as low-class. This obsession with authentic designer products, however, was accompanied by a sense of snobbery, and those who found this repellent have gone the other way to advocate fakes and copycats. The popularity of imitation brands in Korea has become such that people no longer seem to
IndustryFeb. 14, 2014
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[Weekender] Woo Young-mi seeks homegrown fashion in Paris
What makes luxury goods stand out among fashionable items? What makes a luxury a luxury?Chinese fashion columnist Wang Er Song says in his book “Luxury Attitude” that it is the buyers’ respect for the goods. “What makes a luxury a luxury is the abundant value it contains and people’s respect for that value, the stories behind it,” he writes. WOOYOUNGMI, a Korea-based menswear brand, fulfills these conditions perfectly. Having started with a small boutique brand, Solid Homme, in 1988, designer W
Arts & DesignFeb. 14, 2014
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[Weekender] Conglomerates foster own luxury brands
Korean conglomerates are gearing up to nurture the future Louis Vuitton or Chanel, which will not only secure them with profits but also a luxurious corporate image and high social status. Hoping to become the next Bernard Arnault of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy or Francois Pinault of Kering, business tycoons and their heirs are vigorously buying up designer brands or nurturing future star designers. LVMH owns Louis Vuitton, Dior, Saint Laurent, Donna Karan and Celine, among others, while Kering
Arts & DesignFeb. 14, 2014