Pro-ana online groups are also found in KakaoTalk open chat rooms. The group members go on fasts together or share images of super skinny models in an effort to motivate themselves. The pro-ana movement has been an emerging trend in online spaces in recent years, with teenage girls posting about their stick thin bodies and looking for “ana buddies” who also hail eating disorders as a lifestyle c...

The “Korean age” system came into the limelight Tuesday following leading presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol’s pledge to make the use of the international age system mandatory for all administrative matters. Alongside the international age calculation that measures how many years and months that a person has lived since his or her birthday, the nation has kept its unique way of counting a newb...

Aiming to further cement its rising global profile as a soft power nation, South Korea is set to introduce a new visa program this year to draw global cultural talents. Dubbed the Hallyu visa in reference to the Korean Wave of films, TV dramas and music sweeping across the world, the new program is designed to support the entry of foreigners eager to learn about the Korean culture and entertainm...

Also, watching the sunset and twinkling stars in the night sky from a quiet and peaceful island offers unforgettable memories to take home.

From Monday, Korea’s vaccine pass regime is expanded to department stores and big supermarkets measuring 3,000 square meters or more. Following a weeklong grace period, people will be asked to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result before entering the retail outlets. The recent expansion of the vaccine pass mandate to those stores, announced Dec. 31, 2021, is part of the g...

The South Korean government’s vaccine mandate on youths attending cram schools is facing strong backlash from parents and private academies. The vaccine pass system for people aged 12-18 using cram schools, reading rooms, study cafes and other private educational facilities faces a delay, after a local court issued an injunction on the controversial measure. Its introduction had already been pos...

“A 225ml of Byredo body lotion is being sold between 70,000-80,000 won at local department stores, so it was a real bargain,” she said. A quick search of popular secondhand marketplace platforms show that Yoon is not alone in trading hotel freebies. The number of postings on Joonggonara selling skin care amenities from hotels sharply rose from 550 in 2019 to 950 in 2021, data showed. Lim, a ...

Trees and plants adorn twinkling light displays at the Herb Island in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, inviting visitors to a winter fiesta. Flowers may not be in abundance due to the winter weather, the botanic garden is full of spectacular lights and holiday cheer at night, making it a perfect spot to celebrate the Yuletide season. Fairy-tale houses, which are surrounded by a vast field of herbs, ...

At the turn of the year, South Korea’s 10-year-old gaming curfew on minors under the age of 16 will be lifted. From midnight Friday, Koreans can play through the night as the anti-addiction system, introduced in 2011, is abolished, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Friday. Previously, those aged 16 or younger were banned from playing online computer games between midnig...

A since-deleted video on mobile app Snapchat showed participants -- many not wearing masks --- seated at round tables as they are served meals, with female performers dancing along to a song by girl group Blackpink. At that time, such an event was allowed with a maximum capacity of 499 people, if all are fully vaccinated or have received a negative PCR test result. The USKF said the medical uni...

Seoul police are investigating a local firm for falsely advertising itself as the University of Oxford’s affiliate in charge of admissions. “The University of Oxford has promoted countermeasures against the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. It launched the ‘Oxford Graduate School Management Center’ in South Korea in charge of helping international students, especially from Asian countries with their ...

“Before I received briquettes today, I turned on the gas heater even though I was worried about fire risks. But it wasn’t enough to keep my room warm, with cold air coming through the wall,” said Lee Geun-bok, 84, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years. “Thanks to the volunteers, I think I can stay warm until March,” Lee said. By Choi Jae-hee ( cjh@heraldcorp.com )

Then why’s the delay? Toss Bank pointed to regulatory issues. “We couldn’t launch banking services for foreigners right after Toss Bank’s launch in October as the FSC requested additional plans for security enhancement. We’re asked to clarify on the steps the company has taken to guard against financial fraud, especially money laundering,” a company spokesperson told The Korea Herald. “Discuss...

Wearing earphones while walking alone at night could make you a target for crime, warned a leading Korean crime expert. “It’s important to be alert at all times. I never park my car in dark areas and wear earphones in alleys,” said Lee Soo-jung, a criminal psychology professor at Kyonggi University, during an episode of MBC TV’s “Radio Star” that aired on Wednesday. “Always be aware of your surr...

South Korea’s tightened vaccine pass regime has spawned fierce backlash from individuals remaining unvaccinated, with some attempting to get around the rules with fake certificates. On neighborhood-based secondhand marketplace Carrot Market, a now-deleted posting offered to pay 50,000 won ($42) to fully vaccinated people lending their Naver ID and password earlier this week. Naver, the country’...