Most Popular
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[Weekender] Can't get a date? Try a temple ... or city hall
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Schools brace for impact of record-low enrollment
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Try Seoul’s cheap, fulfilling street grub at Gwangjang Market
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Day laborers, low-income earners fear lonely death
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[Hello Indonesia] Green growth cements Korea-Indonesia ties
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Concerns over bedbugs rise among pet owners
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Seoul City to operate autonomous night bus
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North Korea threatens consequences after South Korea launches 1st spy satellite
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[Hello Hangeul] Inside the Korean language classroom in Madrid
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[KH Explains] Why foreign investors continue to be net buyers despite short selling ban
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[Weekender] Warm delights on cold nights: Street snacks make a comeback
Even in the chilly winter season, when the air gets cold and the sun sets fast, there are still good reasons to take a walk: warm, delicious street snacks. As winter approaches, street vendors attract customers with sweet and savory snacks that one can hold in a hand and enjoy while walking along the street. "The cold, dark way home from work in winter feels even more exhausting than in mild weather, but when I find a street snack truck or a vendor, it really cheers me up," said Lee Hy
weekenderNov. 11, 2023
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[Weekender] Pop-up store on a date?
Showcasing exclusive content and top-notch merchandise at a pop-up store has become a must for many brands in Korea as a means of promotion. Pop-ups open for a brief period to reach new customers by giving them an opportunity to experience the brand and strengthen the brand loyalty of existing clients. Though commercial, such fleeting spaces have also become one of the most sought-after date spots for friends and couples here, developing into a new kind of playground, particularly for millennial
CultureNov. 4, 2023
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[Weekender] The dedication of marrying oneself: Why some Koreans throw 'sologamy' weddings
Kim Seul-ki, a manager at Lush Korea, has publicly declared her commitment to singledom by holding a solo wedding. “Now that everyone knows I’ve declared sologamy, questions about my marital status just naturally dissipated. It’s very satisfying and I can’t think of any negative sides to it,” Kim, 39, said, recalling her marriage to herself last year. “It made me feel like my perspective on life and my values could be accepted as they are,” she added. Ki
Social AffairsOct. 28, 2023
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[Eye Plus] Haegeum music filling in the blanks of life
“Haegeum is like ink that has permeated into my life,” Kim Sae-jin said. Kim majors in haegeum at the Korea National University of Arts, a special educational institution to foster artists. Haegeum is a traditional Korean string instrument that is played by pulling the bow across its two strings. It is also nicknamed the “ggaeng-ggaeng-i” for its high-pitched sounds. The haegeum's body consists of a soundbox made of bamboo and oak, a bamboo bar and two tuning pegs. T
CultureOct. 28, 2023
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[Weekender] Indie bookstores thrive in reading-reluctant Korea
Despite consistently falling reader engagement, independent bookstores are surviving -- and even thriving -- in South Korea. "Over the last decade, we've seen a pretty sharp drop in the number of people picking up at least one book a year – down from 72.2 percent in 2013 to just 46.9 percent in 2021. But when you consider all the different ways people can get their info these days, maybe that's not quite the disaster it seems," said Baek Won-geun, the brain behind 15 of
ConsumerOct. 21, 2023
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[Weekender] Community festivals bring autumn to life
Step into the crisp autumn air, as a multitude of community festivities in Seoul are poised to breathe life into the foliage season this month. Taking place from Oct. 13-22, visitors can enjoy the fall scenery and weather through a walk in the park and a gala concert. Alternatively, immerse yourself and learn more about Korean culture by taking part in evening events or visiting the Bukchon Hanok Village. Here is a list of some of the fall festivities set to take place in Seoul. Gyeongchun Lin
weekenderOct. 14, 2023
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‘Nongak is a friend’
“Nongak is close as a friend to me. I experienced happiness, anger, sorrow and joy, developing love with it,” said Jeong Hyun-ji, who plays the sogo -- a small, traditional Korean hand-held drum -- in the Gochang Nongak Cheongchun Gutpae. Gochang Nongak Cheongchun Gutpae is an official youth troupe that performs Gochang Nongak, the traditional music created and developed by farmers in the coastal county of Gochang, North Jeolla Province. “I always swim into the meaning of nonga
CultureOct. 14, 2023
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[Weekender] Waiting on the North: Unified Korean dictionary project's long journey
How long does it take to create a dictionary? The first comprehensive German dictionary, compiled by the Brothers Grimm in 1838, took more than 120 years to complete. In 1911, during the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula, the quest to create the first-ever Korean dictionary began. The dictionary was published in 1947, two years after Korea's liberation in 1945. Another quest to create an extensive and comprehensive Korean dictionary called "Gyeoremal-Keunsajeon” has bee
CultureOct. 7, 2023
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[Eye Plus]Geomungo, a beloved ancient instrument, still captivates
“The geomungo has been called ‘baekakjijang,’ which means the ultimate instrument,” Park Chae-won said, introducing her instrument. Park is a Korean music major specializing in the geomungo at Seoul National University. The geomungo is an ancient Korean instrument with a hollow wooden body and six silk strings. It is played with a pencil-sized bamboo stick called a suldae. Since being invented by Wang San-ak, a prime minister during Korea’s Goguryeo kingdom (37 B.C.
CultureOct. 2, 2023
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[Weekender] Behind the scenes of Korean food crazes
Besides the enduring popularity of Korean staples, a series of food crazes has been providing fresh gustatory excitement in Korea, however temporary their popularity may be. These trending foods span a wide array of categories, ranging from beverages and snacks to bread and noodles. Some are fleeting fads, while others become consistent sellers in the food industry. And then there are also those relinquish their momentary fame to other emerging culinary sensations. Currently reigning supreme are
weekenderSept. 23, 2023
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[Weekender] Why Korean managers can’t turn a 'Blind' eye on employee feedback
This April, tragedy narrowly averted a GS Construction Consortium’s apartment construction site in Geomdan New Town, Incheon. The upper layers of an underground parking garage, designated as a children's playground, gave way, triggering a chain collapse. While no casualties were reported as the accident happened late at night, the subsidence revealed a grim scenario had it occurred post-completion. A month later, GS Engineering & Construction, the builder, admitted to omitting ste
weekenderSept. 16, 2023
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[Weekender] Hiking, a newfound hobby for young Koreans
Hiking has long been considered a popular activity for the middle aged or retirees looking for ways to spend their days in a healthy and low-cost way in South Korea. But the charm of climbing has extended to younger generations, with major trekking trails across the country filled with people in their 20s and 30s. Once regarded as nothing but arduous and time-consuming, hiking has become a favorite weekend activity, says Han Min-seon, a 28-year-old writer in Seoul. "I enjoy climbing Bukhans
weekenderSept. 9, 2023
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[Eye Plus] Nongak is a 'lifelong friend'
“Gochang nongak first came into my life at a college traditional music band. Since then, I've gone to Gochang every summer and winter to learn the music,” said Kim Mi-jung, a kkwaenggwari player of Gochang nongak, a type of traditional farmers’ music developed in Gochang-gun, North Jeolla Province. The kkwaenggwari is a metal percussion instrument or gong with a radius the length of the span of one's outstretched hand, and a wooden mallet. With its high-pitched tone,
CultureSept. 9, 2023
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[Weekender] Storytelling grannies share their love with children
Contagious laughter broke out among a group of 6-year-olds as 78-year-old Yang Moon-jah energetically narrated a Korean folktale about a fart competition between a man and a woman. The septuagenarian delivered the tale with impeccable clarity, ensuring every word resonated throughout the entire 20-minute storytelling session. Officially known as an "iyagi halmeoni" in Korean, which translates into "storytelling grandmother," Yang boasts nine years of storytelling experience w
weekenderAug. 26, 2023
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[Eye Plus] ‘Nongak brings me joy. It is an escape from life's heaviness'
“When I started learning 'gochang nongak,' it was completely different from anything I had learned before," said Jeong Ha-rin, an amateur gochang nongak performer from Busan. “Now, gochang nongak brings me so much joy. It became an escape from life's heaviness and seriousness,” Jeong added. Gochang nongak is a type of traditional music developed by farmers in Gochang, North Jeolla Province. “My father was a member of the Korean traditional art's c
CultureAug. 26, 2023
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[Weekender] 'Old money' rises as the new black in fashion
The “old money” fashion trend that has been spreading globally has reached South Korea. As of Thursday, the hashtag #oldmoney accrued over 8.5 billion views on TikTok, with #oldmoneyaesthetic and #oldmoneyoutfits amassing 3.8 billion and 1.4 billion views, respectively. Old money refers to wealth that is deeply rooted in tradition, or wealth that is inherited rather than acquired through personal earnings. In this regard, the idea behind the old money look means looking like someone
NewsmakerAug. 19, 2023
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[Weekender] Retreats and reads: Glimpse into Korean presidential summers
In the sweltering heat of South Korean summers, even the most powerful figures in Korea -- its presidents -- yearn for summer respite. Delve into the history of presidential summer vacations, their reading rituals that give the public a sneak peek into their minds and the seemingly unbreakable jinx of interrupted summer breaks. Obligatory reading list South Korean presidents like to reveal their summer reading lists, and their book picks often become bestsellers for the season. From these summ
PoliticsAug. 12, 2023