[Land of Squid Game] Sucking air between teeth

Sometimes a Korean will make a hissing sound in response to a question. While some may interpret this as a negative response, or that their request is being denied, for Koreans, they are merely using this as a quick filler response while considering what they want to say. All they mean by sucking air between their teeth is, “Uhmm, let's see.” Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University who is widely known as a multicultural educator and for his practi

Feb. 28, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] The linguistic divide of Korea: the legacy of 'Malmoi' and decades of separation

Choi Seol, a North Korean defector, entered a stationery shop to purchase a stapler. She asked for "chaekjjipkke" -- which literally means bookbinder – as it was the only word she knew to refer to the stationary item. The store clerk was puzzled, and Choi left the store empty-handed after a few minutes of explaining what she wanted. Later, she learned that South Koreans refer to staplers as "hotchkiss," a Japanese loanword. She also recalls a conversation with a colleag

Feb. 26, 2023

[Korean History] Capture of US spy ship symbolizes US-N. Korea tensions

Deep in the heart of the North Korean capital Pyongyang, moored along the Pothong River Canal, is a US Navy ship that is featured as an exhibition of the "Victorious War Museum." The ill-fated vessel is USS Pueblo, the only active ship on the commissioned roster of the American Navy now held captive by another country. On Jan. 23, 1968, the world’s most powerful military was dealt an unexpected blow by the hands of a tiny communist state, when Pyongyang attacked the US Navy intel

Feb. 22, 2023

[Korea Quiz] BTS Jin's new role

Find the answer at the bottom of the page. Jin, a member of the popular South Korean boy band BTS, is currently serving in the Korean Armed Forces as a part of his mandatory military service. All able-bodied South Korean men are required to complete a period of military service, which lasts 18-22 months. Jin has joined the Army in December 2022 and is due out in June of 2024. As part of his service in the South Korean Army, the singer has been assigned the role of a drill instructor, responsible

Feb. 22, 2023

Korea-themed hot spots in heart of Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam – In Hanoi’s hip Ho Tay Lake area, famous for its trendy restaurants and shops, stands an old-style Korean house with a large black tile roof, wooden pillars and stone walls. Inside, timber tables and chairs, matching walls covered in Korean handmade paper from the bark of the mulberry tree -- hanji -- exudes a warm and inviting atmosphere. Nestled in the hanok-style house, Ragacy is a cafe that specializes in Korean-style coffee and desserts. “Here reminds me

Feb. 22, 2023

[Land of Squid Game] Engaging in excessive small talk

Koreans regard it as somewhat unfriendly to deal with the specifics of business before establishing a rapport. In general, they like to engage in small talk before turning to the main topic. They may ask simple questions such as inquiring about your flight, the weather or even about whether you’ve eaten lunch or dinner. Westerners, feeling that time is money, generally want to conduct their business efficiently in the least possible amount of time. In particular, American businesspeople vi

Feb. 21, 2023

[Korean Dilemma] More cafeterias for children, a way of the future

Even with AI doing, or “assisting,” more and more human jobs in the future, there’s one thing we will continue to do every day even a hundred years from now: eating. Yes, there may one day be capsules containing all the necessary nutrients that we can gulp down when we can’t be bothered to chew. But gastronomy and conversing (or arguing) at the dining table are integral parts of human life that differentiate us from other animals, or robots. And it takes at least an hou

Feb. 21, 2023

[Subway Stories] Seoul’s central bus terminal is high-end and glossy, but some miss humble past

With the introduction of bullet trains in the mid-2000s, the usage of intercity charter buses began to decline rapidly in South Korea. Several bus terminals across the country have gone out of business since. The Seoul Express Bus Terminal is an exception. The terminal, which opened in 1981 in what is now one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Seoul, still teems with visitors. The terminal itself is a testament to Seoul’s rapid economic growth. Starting as a bus terminal in the middl

Feb. 19, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Tale of a script: From invention to widespread adoption

In the winter of 1443, Korea’s native writing system called Hunminjeongeum, which means “the correct sound that teaches the people,” was born. Three years later, a book of the same name was published under commission of the king to explain how the novel writing system works and how it was created. Nearly six centuries have passed, and the writing system, now called Hangeul, is credited for South Korea’s near-100 percent literacy rate, with many taking pride in the scienti

Feb. 19, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Western missionaries did not just spread the gospel, they spread Hangeul

Although Hangeul was created and adopted as the official writing system in mid-15th century, it took nearly 400 years for it to become widely used by the general public. Chinese script was still prevalent, as the ruling elites rejected King Sejong’s invention as a vulgar language of the underclass people. In the late 19th century and during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule of Korea, interest in Hangeul was renewed on the back of growing nationalist sentiments, and it was Western Christ

Feb. 18, 2023

[Newsmaker] ChatGPT not to be trusted on Korean names

Artificial intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT is all the rage, with the potential to change the way many people work. But for those hoping to get quick answers about Korea from the AI platform, it is not to be trusted, at least for now. As of Thursday, the bot developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI gives error-ridden answers to some basic questions about Korea, starting from the profile of Korea’s current President, Yoon Suk Yeol. For the question, “Who is President Yoon Suk Yeol?&rd

Feb. 16, 2023

[Korean History] NK commandos’ failed attempt to assassinate Park Chung-hee in 1968

"History through The Korea Herald” revisits significant events and issues over the seven decades through articles, photos and editorial pieces published in the Herald and retell them from a contemporary perspective. – Ed. It was one of the most daring infiltrations by North Koreans into South Korea after the war of 1950-53 -- 31 commandos on a mission to break into the presidential office in Seoul and assassinate then President Park Chung-hee. On the night of Jan. 21, 1968,

Feb. 16, 2023

[Korea Quiz] Subway-accessible hikes in Korea

Find the answer at the bottom of the page. South Korea’s territory is 70 percent hills and mountains, hence the passion for hiking shared by so many Koreans. In Seoul, an ultramodern metropolis of 9.7 million, there are 14 mountains with a height of over 300 meters. Many of their hiking trails can be reached by public transportation -- which is partly why you can spot so many people in colorful hiking outfits on the subway trains or buses. The Bukhansan National Park, one of Korea's m

Feb. 15, 2023

[Survive & Thrive] Becoming a Korean

Survive & Thrive is a weekly series offering a guide to living in South Korea for those born outside of the country. – Ed. According to the latest government data, there are 210,990 naturalized Koreans in South Korea, making up for roughly 0.4 percent of the population for the nation. Each year, around 10,000 people become naturalized citizens, with recent figures being 11,752 in 2021, 13,400 in 2020 and 8,813 in 2019. There are basically three types of naturalization: general, simpl

Feb. 14, 2023

[Land of Squid Game] Leaving quickly after eating

When Koreans are dining at a restaurant, as soon as everyone is finished eating, they generally move to a different location for coffee or drinks. Westerners, on the other hand, like to stay put for a few minutes after dining to give their meal time to settle, and then they may switch to a different location. Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University who is widely known as a multicultural educator and for his practical English teaching. This content is based on his

Feb. 14, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Herald Interview] ChatGPT shows limitations in East Asian languages, but not for long: linguist

  ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot taking the English-speaking world by storm, is being called by many as a mind-blowing “game changer.” For now, East Asian countries, which use their own search engines and platforms different from the rest of the world, are spared by the immediate impact, although it won’t be long before AI is trained to get information from them as well, according to Jieun Kiaer, a professor of Korean linguistics at the University of Oxford.

Feb. 13, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Yonsei vs Sogang: A closer look at decades-old rivalry in Korean language education

Among those considering coming to Korea for language study, two university-run language institutes have long been considered the best options. Associated with and located on the main campuses of Yonsei University and Sogang University, they take pride in providing the “most immersive learning experience.” Here’s a closer look at the archrival language institutes, whose competition for reputation has brought about benefits to not just learners but the field of Korean language

Feb. 12, 2023

[My Hangeul Story] Korean has given me great opportunities: K-pop fan-turned-Korean teacher

Nura Ezzatie is a social media influencer with at least 182,400 followers on TikTok. Outside the social media world, she is a secondary school teacher in her native country of Malaysia. Neither of the two would have been possible, had she not embarked on a journey to teach herself Korean more than a decade ago. In 2010, then at age 18, Ezzatie discovered the world of K-pop through Super Junior. Watching all kinds of Korean TV shows starring the idol group almost every day, she decided to learn

Feb. 12, 2023

[Herald Interview] For Korea's first world barista champion, failure was path to success

Jeon Joo-yeon’s path to becoming the first South Korean to win the World Barista Championship is a typical “passion leads to success” story. In 2008, then a social welfare major at a local college, she started a part-time job at a big coffee shop in her hometown of Busan. At first, she did not even touch coffee cups. She was part of the shop’s online sales team. Slowly but naturally, she gravitated toward making coffee. In 2009, she made up her mind to become a barista.

Feb. 12, 2023

[Weekender] ‘Come grab coffee by the sea in Busan’

BUSAN -- South Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan is a popular holiday destination for those seeking to enjoy quality seafood and relax at the beach. But in recent years, tourists have been flocking to the city to get a taste of something different -- coffee. Global coffee competition winners are opening up cafes in Busan, with a shared goal of transforming the city into the next coffee hub like the Australian city of Melbourne. At the forefront of the movement is barista Jeon Joo-ye

Feb. 11, 2023