Workplace communication: To emoji or not to emoji?

In today‘s digital landscape, emojis contribute a great deal to communication, but how well do they translate to the corporate world? For some, these symbols are efficient tools for communicating in the workplace, while for others, they seem unprofessional. Over 60 percent of workers in South Korea

Sept. 10, 2024

Traditional Korean masks

Find the answer at the bottom. Hahoe is a traditional clan-based village in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, known for having the oldest surviving masks for mask dance dramas in South Korea. Eleven Hahoe masks have been passed down, representing different characters in a stage play, including a li

Sept. 10, 2024

[Weekender] Feeling lazy but craving tteokbokki? Try a meal kit

A quiet revolution is sweeping through one of Korea’s most iconic street foods: tteokbokki. Once the beloved snack of schoolgirls and the young at heart, these chewy rice cakes drenched in sweet and spicy sauce have transcended their street food origins, thanks to the relentless innovation of the local meal kit industry. At an E-mart outlet in central Seoul, Korea's largest discount store chain, which this reporter visited on Aug. 27, there were over 20 different varieties of ready-to

Sept. 7, 2024

Banknotes

Find the answer at the bottom. Portraits of people featured on a country’s banknotes are a reflection of the country‘s pride, identity and heritage. They often depict prominent figures from the past such as national leaders, scientists, artists or activists who have made significant contributions to

Sept. 5, 2024

How your tech choices show your age in South Korea

“Are you cool with Android?” Kwon Jung-hyeon, a soon-to-be middle school student, hesitated and shook his head. At 12, he said he had never considered using a mobile device that wasn’t an iPhone. Chae Yeon-woo, a 14-year-old middle school student, already owns an iPhone and iPad. She said if she could get a smartwatch, she would choose an Apple Watch to add to her collection. For her, the Samsung brand feels "bland,” catering to people of all ages but not appealing

Sept. 3, 2024

Patriarchal values lose hold: Korean fathers want to change but lack role models

From patriarchal provider to balancer between work and family, Korean fatherhood is starting to change Oh Yoon-suk, a 43-year-old office worker in Busan, addresses his father -- but not his mom -- using honorifics. “I call my mother ‘eomma,’ but with my father, it’s always been ‘abeoji,’” he explain

Sept. 1, 2024

Should parents flaunt their children‘s college achievements?

In South Korea, where getting into a top college is often seen as the golden ticket to success, a simple bumper sticker bearing an elite school‘s logo has ignited a fiery debate. The debate centers around the nation‘s undisputed top school, Seoul National University, and its “proud parent” bumper st

Aug. 27, 2024

National flag

Find the answer at the bottom. In the center of the South Korean national flag, known as the Taegeukgi, there is a yin and yang symbol with red on the top and blue on the bottom. The four corners of the flag feature groups of black bars, each with a specific meaning: The top left bars, the “geon,” s

Aug. 27, 2024

Daebak!

Find the answer at the bottom. “Daebak (대박)” is a Korean slang term used to express excitement, amazement or approval. The word originally means “jackpot,” often resulting in significant financial success, such as winning the lottery or a film becoming a mass box-office hit. In colloquial Korean to

Aug. 21, 2024

‘Ojirap,’ navigating the fine line between care and intrusion

Often viewed as meddling in another‘s business, the caring spirit behind ojirap shows concern, desire to help Kim Eun-hye, 36, instantly regretted mentioning she had gone on a blind date over the weekend. Immediately after her remarks, the usually dull lunchtime conversation with her senior colleagu

Aug. 19, 2024

AI a tool, not a threat, says 31-year-old AI filmmaker

Kwon Han-sl‘s award-winning short horror film, made with six AI tools, opens up new narrative film genre How might AI alter filmmaking? Young South Korean filmmaker Kwon Han-sl has shown the impact could be massive. The 31-year-old spent five days last summer working with over six AI tools to create

Aug. 17, 2024

Umbrellas on hot, sunny days make perfect sense

A common sight in South Korea on sunny days used to be of older women holding frilly parasols. But in the past few years, the deadly summers associated with climate change have made parasols no longer the choice of just a single demographic. In fact, more Koreans of all ages and genders are spotted using regular umbrellas on sunny days this summer, which experts say makes perfect sense, as the current heat wave has already claimed 24 lives here. Not only do people resort to ordinary umbrella

Aug. 15, 2024

These young Koreans redefine cool careers

For a long time, the image of most blue-collar jobs in South Korea is of work for people who don't have what it takes to get office jobs. With 76.2 percent of Korea's high school graduates going on to higher education, white collar work has firmly established itself as the preferred option. But as what were known in the past as “decent jobs” are diminishing quickly, college graduates find themselves in an ever-intensifying competition. This frustration has also given rise a

Aug. 14, 2024

Kimchi jjigae vs. doenjang jjigae: Korean stew rivalry seems settled

Kimchi jjigae or doenjang jjigae? South Korea's media has long pitted the two against each other, though the choice has always been more or less a toss-up for Koreans. But while the two stews remain daily favorites, recent years have seen the scales tip towards one in particular. That is, these two representatives of Korea's jjigae repertoire no longer enjoy equal popularity, which in part mirrors broader shifts in taste and culinary trends in Korean society. Kimchi jjigae as today

Aug. 13, 2024

Fire and water

Find the answer at the bottom. In Korean, water and fire serve as powerful metaphors that convey various meanings beyond the literal. Water, being a shapeless liquid, is used metaphorically to signify weakness or a lack of substance. The phrase, "mureul meokda," (물을 먹다) which literally means "to dr

Aug. 13, 2024