[Herald Design Forum 2023] A.A.Murakami discusses sustainability in art

Coming from the two very different worlds of Tokyo and London, the artist duo of Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves have explored the possibility of sustainable material and low energy use through their work. At the Herald Design Forum 2023 at the Shilla Seoul on Tuesday, the duo called A.A.Murakami spoke on the topic of "Adventure Design and Ephemeral Tech," sharing their insight on thinking imaginatively on the issue of sustainability and making it desirable through art. “We w

Arts & DesignSept. 19, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids gear up for return: report

Stray Kids are set to make a comeback in November, according to a local media report on Tuesday. Label JYP Entertainment acknowledged that the band is preparing an album but added that the date is yet to be determined. Its last album was third studio album “Five-Star," which was rolled out in June and notched the top spot on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the main albums chart for 13 weeks in a row. The LP rewrote the K-pop sales record for its first week, selling over 4.61 million

K-popSept. 19, 2023

[Herald Design Forum 2023] Lina Ghotmeh integrates past with future in nature-friendly architecture

Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh cherishes the connection to the past and weaves it into her architectural creations for a sustainable future. With a deliberate focus on invoking memory, time, and space from the traces of the past, she aims to bridge the chasm between disparate time frames -- the past and the future -- ultimately unifying the human experience with nature in the realm of architecture. During her presentation at the Herald Design Forum on Tuesday, Ghotmeh expounded on her archi

Arts & DesignSept. 19, 2023

Seoul shares close lower on tech losses ahead of Fed's rate decision

South Korean stocks closed lower for the second consecutive day Tuesday, hit by sharp losses in semiconductor and major tech shares ahead of a US rate-setting meeting. The local currency slid against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 15.51 points, or 0.6 percent, to finish at 2,559.21. Trading volume was moderate at 455.9 million shares worth 7.6 trillion won ($5.7 billion), with decliners outpacing winners 577 to 302. Offshore and retail investors purchased 2.6

MarketSept. 19, 2023

South Korea frees Iran funds

The South Korean government confirmed Tuesday that it had transferred to Qatar Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks under US sanctions, as part of a prisoner swap deal that led to the US and Iran releasing five of each other’s detainees. Tehran’s access to $6 billion in oil revenue had been frozen since May 2019, when Washington, after scrapping the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, stepped up pressure to block hard currency from flowing into the Middle Eastern country. “

Foreign AffairsSept. 19, 2023

[Herald Design Forum 2023] Italian architect, designer Cristina Celestino discusses importance of relationships in design

Italian architect and designer Cristina Celestino, delivering a presentation titled “Intertwining Beauty and Sustainability: From Color to Materiality” at the Herald Design Forum 2023 at the Shilla Seoul on Tuesday, discussed how the design and planning of spaces stem from the relationships established in the design process. These relationships involve engagement with local history and culture, and a collaborative partnership with skilled local artisans, she told the audience. Cele

Arts & DesignSept. 19, 2023

[Herald Design Forum 2023] Diébédo Francis Kéré emphasizes role of architecture in sustainable future

Diébédo Francis Kéré, the winner of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize 2022, emphasized the role of architecture in creating a better future with inspiring stories of designing sustainable buildings. “In the past, it was a competition to create wealth. The decision-makers were forced to create space and investors would have to create space for us to live. But nowadays, together, we have to think, 'How will we achieve all of this with respect to sav

CultureSept. 19, 2023

20 companies pay fines rather than pay for day care

Twenty workplaces in Korea have failed to set up day care centers for employees' children in the last five years, even though they face fines of up to 200 million won ($153,000) per year if they keep failing to provide them, government data showed Tuesday. Under the Child Care Act and Equal Employment Opportunity and Work-Family Balance Assistance Act, businesses that have more than 500 workers or 300 female workers are required to either set up day care facilities, or pay nearby centers th

Social AffairsSept. 19, 2023

[Herald Interview] R&B musician Sole is proud of how far she has come

For singer-songwriter Sole, the last year has been a transformative period, opening up new challenges that she wouldn't have taken on before. One big challenge was creating her album, "A Love Supreme," which consists of remakes of original songs by other artists. The album was released Monday. A self-made musician who built her career up from the bottom, Sole has always tried to keep moving forward since her debut in 2017. Last year, just when she felt she had achieved stability i

K-popSept. 19, 2023

Posco Future M wins global certification for battery material standards

South Korean chemical and battery materials manufacturer Posco Future M announced on Tuesday that it has obtained the ISO 37301 certification, a global standard for compliance management systems, potentially reinforcing the company’s global credibility as a supplier of battery materials. It is the first company in the domestic battery materials sector to achieve this certification, which could give it a strategic advantage amid its recent expansions and partnerships with international batt

IndustrySept. 19, 2023

TvN's ‘My Lovely Liar’ sweeps international viewing charts

Despite its muted performance in Korea, "My Lovely Liar" has swept viewing charts overseas. Cable channel tvN's latest fantasy, romantic comedy series has topped multiple video streamers’ charts for TV series in more than 140 countries, according to the broadcaster, which is run by entertainment giant CJ ENM. The 16-part series soared to the No. 1 slot on Rakuten Viki’s viewership chart for two consecutive weeks after its premiere on July 31 in more than 130 countri

TelevisionSept. 19, 2023

[KH Explains] Why Korean battery makers’ mass hiring still ‘not enough’ for tech race

The nation's top three battery makers have gone on a hiring spree, and it shows no signs of stopping. LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On have hired thousands of new employees during the first six months of this year alone, but the mass hiring fell short of easing the talent shortage to keep up with their business expansion at home and abroad. According to their regulatory filings in August, LG Energy Solution, the largest among the three, hired 1,688 workers in the January-June perio

MobilitySept. 19, 2023

Sunmi to release new album next month

K-pop diva Sunmi is returning with a new album next month. She recently finished shooting the music video for her upcoming album, according to Abyss Company on Tuesday. This comeback comes a year and four months after the singer released her digital single “Heart Burn” in June of last year. All of Sunmi’s previous releases -- such as “Gashina,” “Heroine,” “Noir,” “LALALAY,” “Pporappippam,” and “Tail” -- hav

K-popSept. 19, 2023

DSP Media to debut new girl group Young Posse next month

DSP Media is launching a new girl group called Young Posse on Oct. 18. The agency dropped a teaser clip for the group’s debut on its social media accounts on Tuesday. In it, a frog is drinking a soda in front of a diner and five girls appear on skateboards. The new girl group consists of five members and the name of the group derives from the Latin verb “posse,” which means "to be able." Young Posse is expected to introduce music and performances that break K-pop norm

K-popSept. 19, 2023

[Our Museums] Cheongju Early Printing Museum chronicles birth of publishing

CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province -- In the digital age we live in, it is easy to forget the origins of communication and information dissemination. The Cheongju Early Printing Museum in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, is a testament to the importance of printing throughout history, long before smartphones and laptops became commonplace. The museum shows how people conveyed their thoughts, ideas and stories through the tangible and enduring medium of print. Opened in March 1992, the mus

CultureSept. 19, 2023

PM says willing to meet Xi during China visit

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday he is willing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of his official visit to attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou in China. Han expressed hope for his official engagement, as he confirmed on Tuesday plans for a two-day visit to Hangzhou beginning Saturday. "It would be a great opportunity if I, as prime minister, were to make a visit and send friendly signals ... about the relationship between

Social AffairsSept. 19, 2023

Posco E&C targets tenfold valuation growth by 2035

Construction and engineering firm Posco Eco & Challenge unveiled on Tuesday a new vision to multiply its corporate valuation tenfold by 2035, zeroing in on its renewed commitment to spearheading growth in the eco-friendly space. Under the vision, it is aiming to reach 25 trillion won ($18.9 billion) in sales and 2 trillion won in operating profit by 2035, which would help boost its corporate value, the firm said. “Using Posco E&C's sturdy foundation as the bedrock, we are layi

TechnologySept. 19, 2023

[Herald Design Forum 2023] Design experts discuss 'design for coexistence' at Herald Design Forum

The 13th Herald Design Forum opened Tuesday under the theme of “Design for Coexistence, Exploring New Perspectives on Coexistence,” bringing together renowned designers from across the world to Seoul. “This year, we wish to focus on a realm that traditionally has not been the mainstream of the design world,” said Jeon Chang-hyeop, CEO and publisher of Herald Corp, in his opening remarks. “Taking a step back from the traditional design that we are all used to, we hop

Arts & DesignSept. 19, 2023

LG Energy Solution raises $1b from green bond sales to finance battery projects

South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution said Tuesday it has raised $1 billion worth of global green bonds to finance its global production facilities. It marks the company's first foray into the global green bond market. Green bonds are bonds specifically designed to provide capital to industries and projects combating climate change, including batteries, an alternative to fossil fuels. This $1 billion bond comprises two portions: $400 million set to mature in 3 years and the remainin

IndustrySept. 19, 2023

Samsung’s guide dog school marks 30th anniversary

Samsung Group’s guide dog school, which began operations after the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s new management declaration in September 1993, celebrated its 30-year anniversary Tuesday. Samsung held a ceremony commemorating the occasion at Samsung Guide Dog School in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, sharing gratitude for the late chairman’s insights, philosophy and passion for his dogs. Lee Kun-hee established Korea’s first school for dogs, aimed at training them for work with the vis

IndustrySept. 19, 2023