The Korea Herald

[Serendipity] Do not ignore Myanmar’s calls for help

ViewpointsApr 9, 2021

Since ousting the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup on Feb. 1, the military junta in Myanmar has killed more than 600 as the people of Myanmar continue to resist mil...
[Eye Interview] ‘All I did was get sick but suddenly I was turned into someone who had done a terrible thing’

PeopleApr 2, 2021

On March 22, 2020, Soh Chang-rok was diagnosed with COVID-19. Henceforth, he would be known as “Seongbuk-gu #13” to the public. That Soh was a professor at Korea University and a human rights expert ...
[Serendipity] Listen to what COVID-19 patients have to say

ViewpointsMar 19, 2021

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic. By then, the novel coronavirus first reported by China on Dec. 31, 2019, had spread to 114 countries and been give...
[Eye interview] ‘There are 50 million cooks in Korea’

Food&BeverageMar 12, 2021

Koreans take their food seriously. So much so that a typical greeting includes “Have you had your meal?” and phone calls more often than not end with a promise of a meal together sometime soon. Tele...
[Serendipity] Grandmothers do more than bake cookies

ViewpointsMar 5, 2021

Watching “Minari,” a largely autobiographical film by Korean American director Lee Isaac Chung, I recalled a young family who one Sunday joined a church service of mostly Korean and Korean American c...
[Eye interview] Swift as a flying fish, Leenalchi breaks new ground

MusicFeb 26, 2021

Take the most popular track from its album, “Tiger is Coming,” for example. A very short song in the original, “Tiger is Coming,” is reworked into an entirely different piece, more than five minutes ...
[Serendipity] Keep indie scene alive

ViewpointsFeb 19, 2021

Seollal, or Lunar New Year’s Day, typically means staying up until late at night the previous day and waking up at the crack of dawn to prepare the family breakfast. In our family, which does not hol...
[Eye interview] The unstoppable traveling chef

TravelFeb 5, 2021

Traveling has been perhaps Lee’s greatest teacher, the remote wilderness his school. At major turning points in his life, Lee took to the road and returned with a new insight and a new direction. Af...
[Serendipity] Cheer on the young

ViewpointsJan 29, 2021

Alas, before I have had a chance to decide on a New Year’s resolution, or decide whether to ditch the whole idea of making resolutions as suggested by some self-improvement gurus, we are nearing the ...
[Serendipity] An ode to office

ViewpointsJan 15, 2021

There was a spring in my step as I walked up the stairs to the office after the longest stretch away since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hollering “Best health for the new year!” to security...
[Serendipity] I love you. That is why I am staying away, for now

ViewpointsDec 25, 2020

I have been working from home for most of the last two weeks after the government implemented the Level 2.5 social distancing scheme. During the period, I have stepped outside the house on three occa...
[Serendipity] Got time? Keep records

ViewpointsDec 12, 2020

Like many people living through this pandemic year, I suddenly found myself with time on my hands as events and meetings were scheduled, rescheduled and, in most cases, canceled altogether. Once the...
[Eye interview] ‘Everyone is born with ability to do magic’

CultureDec 4, 2020

Magicians are variously called wizards and conjurers as well. “‘Wizard’ is a combination of art and wiz, wiz meaning wise. Wizard is a wise man,” Kwon explained. “The word ‘magician’ derives from the...
[Serendipity] Light at the end of the tunnel, for everyone

ViewpointsNov 27, 2020

Putting up the Christmas tree over the weekend, I was reminded once again of all the plans that came to naught this year, including long-planned trips. Among the ornaments that hang on the tree are ...
[Eye interview] German musician who put Tongyeong on international map

CultureNov 27, 2020

When I met Florian Riem, CEO of the Tongyeong International Music Foundation, for the first time at the Tongyeong International Music Festival in the spring of 2015, I noticed he was speaking through...