[Weekender] Bracing for summer heat in times of COVID-19

Meteorologists around the globe forecast this summer will be the hottest in decades and South Korea is no exception. As a result, the summer kits and plans of Koreans are already changing. To stem the spread of COVID-19, wearing face masks has become a part of “manners,” but people have started to complain about wearing them during the hot and humid summer season. Some people instead chose to buy masks made with mesh, cool fiber materials or artificial silk to stay cooler. Demand

Social AffairsMay 23, 2020

[Weekender] Tightrope walk between hair regrowth and side effects

The power people associate with lush hair is perhaps most palpable in the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. Samson, a man of formidable strength, is weakened after Delilah crops his hair -- the source of his strength. Abundant hair is a sign of youthfulness, health and vivacity. It is often associated with good looks, and many men who begin to lose it go to great lengths to reverse the course of balding. Currently, as far as pills go, there are more than 200 generic versions of finasterid

IndustryMay 16, 2020

[Weekender] Coronavirus takes silent toll on children

Children have their own set of problems and distresses amid the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak, experts say, as they are forced to forgo childhood necessities such as outdoor fun and play -- and, in some cases, are left unprotected from abuse and other fears. Battling COVID-19, the contagious respiratory illness caused by the new virus, happens in isolation for adults and kids alike, and the process is prone to place emotional strain on child patients, said pediatric infectious disease spe

Social AffairsMay 9, 2020

[Weekender] New social norms emerge in the age of COVID-19

As the number of new COVID-19 infection cases continued to fall, the government began applying a relaxed social distancing advisory starting April 20. Despite the eased guideline, many Koreans are still following “rules” that emerged following the virus spread. “While taking our lecture using ‘Zoom,’ we have to wear earphones,” Kim Ki-wook, a graduate school student told The Korea Herald. He explained that if the online livestreaming lecture participants d

CultureMay 2, 2020

[Weekender] From vintage furniture to Fendi: Flea markets go mobile

A 30-year-old woman living in an apartment complex in eastern Seoul turns on her phone, taps on the screen a few times then quickly heads off to a nearby post office to send a package. A day later, a 45-year-old man in the same neighborhood receives the package containing an Ikea lamp. Despite the novel coronavirus crisis that has weighed down the nation’s consumerism and economy in recent months, mobile flea markets have allowed Koreans to continue engaging in sustainable shopping whil

MarketApril 25, 2020

[Weekender] Make room for us: 5060 generation redefines aging

Yoo Seo-kyung turns 56 this year, but she doesn’t mind getting older. Yoo is excited about the year ahead as she just got into graduate school and now has a chance to delve more deeply into her handicraft hobby. Several years ago, Yoo retired from the private math academy she ran for 10 years. Running the place had become more difficult as she found herself facing an ever-widening generation gap with her teenage students. After retirement, Yoo took an interest in the craft of “ji

IndustryApril 18, 2020

[Weekender] Solidarity at time of crisis

The novel coronavirus is forcing people around the world to keep their distance physically, but that isn’t stopping them from standing united in the fight against the global pandemic. As neighbors, landlords or consumers, many people in Korea are reaching out to those hit harder by the COVID-19 outbreak. Youngsters have initiated a “good consumer movement” through social media platforms such as Instagram. When visiting a regular haunt -- whether it’s a cafe, hair s

Social AffairsApril 11, 2020

[Weekender] Brighten up home quarantine with home furnishings

As the COVID-19 situation draws out, many of us have been spending all day in our homes. Staying in can be boring, even stressful for some. Worse, we are not sure when this will ever come to an end. While we are at home, how about lightening up the mood by making some small changes to your home decor? Some changes can be made while staying in. And sometimes, small changes make a big difference.  Spring arrives with flowers The arrival of spring is a sure thing. The mercury is rising

CultureApril 4, 2020

[Weekender] How to raise W100m by 30: Millennial investment strategies

  It’s not a fancy car or a Louis Vuitton bag that Joung Hye-dan, a 27-year-old former nurse in Seoul, is interested in.  Once called a big spender by college friends, she transferred nearly 80 percent of her monthly income from her former job into 10 separate bank and investment accounts. She has now diversified her personal financial portfolio from regular deposits to peer-to-peer investing, profiting by 1.2 million won ($980) so far.  “I started my nursing career

MarketMarch 26, 2020

[Weekender] National Gugak Center goes online

While the National Gugak Center in southern Seoul remains closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the center continues to put on creative gugak performances and make them available online. As more people became more reluctant to visit concert halls out of fear of COVID-19, the center recently launched various online programs to offer quality gugak performances. One of the highlights is the virtual reality gugak experience.  On Thursday, the center released 37 clips on its YouTube chann

PerformanceMarch 19, 2020

[Weekender] Hyundai or Mercedes-Benz: Why is Korea’s car market so polarised?

It is not an exaggeration to say that out of every 10 cars you encounter on the roads of South Korea, six or seven of them are Hyundai or Mercedes-Benz. Although car brands and models have diversified over the years in a country where a car is owned by every 2.4 people, the brand everyone thinks of when it comes to domestic cars is Hyundai. In the case of imported cars, Mercedes-Benz maintains the largest share of the pie. Despite the latest coronavirus pandemic, sales of imported vehicles co

MobilityMarch 19, 2020

[Weekender] Love in a time of coronavirus

Roses are red, violets are blue. The season of love is here, and the coronavirus is too. “I was supposed to get married on White Day but I delayed it to this fall due to the coronavirus,” a bride-to-be commented on Naver blog Make My Wedding, a popular online community with more than 38,997 members who are preparing for weddings. In Korea, White Day, which falls on March 14, sees men giving candy to women. On Valentine’s Day, women typically give chocolate to men. “I

CultureMarch 13, 2020

[Weekender] Handmade masks comfort marginalized people amid serious shortage

When Park Jin-ryoung, a Daegu resident, saw people waiting in line for hours to buy a face mask -- a must-have survival item in the city, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of COVID-19 cases in South Korea -- her thoughts went to people in need. So she took out her sewing machine. She visited offline and online stores to buy the materials she needed to make 120 fabric face masks: elastic braids, wire cords, filters and fabric. Park and her two daughters -- whose elementary school graduatio

CultureMarch 12, 2020

[Weekender] How coronavirus has changed way Koreans exercise

As the new coronavirus spreads throughout the nation, more and more people are reluctant to go to the gym for a workout. The situation worsened Thursday, when the city of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, said 80 people had tested positive for the virus after taking Zumba classes at local fitness centers or coming into contact with people who took those classes. “I used to take Zumba lessons at a fitness center near my home. Since last week, the center temporarily closed down and I

TechnologyMarch 6, 2020

[Weekender] Keeping safe from virus

Wearing face masks on buses and subways -- and even at the office -- has become the new normal in South Korea amid the coronavirus outbreak. People are washing their hands and sanitizing the surfaces they’ve touched as often as possible, and personal hygiene products are in high demand. In the face of scarcity, some people have opted to make their own masks and sanitizers, while retailers have introduced some products that are out of the ordinary, such as an “anti-coronavirus ha

Social AffairsMarch 5, 2020

[Weekender] Survival diary of Korean internet cafes

An internet cafe in South Korea goes by many names, but there is one unwritten rule that can’t change. PC room, PC bang or whatever they are called, fees must stay around 1,000 won ($0.85) per hour. “Long ago, when people played StarCraft, they were willing to pay 2,000 won per hour,” said Kwon Young-mi from the marketing team of Sante PC, the No. 2 PC room franchise with 147 outlets in Korea. “However, as franchised and large-scale PC rooms came in, competition g

IndustryFeb. 28, 2020

[Weekender] The ‘Parasite’ impact

  For Jeon Da-jung, a 35-year-old office worker who often commutes through the neighborhood of Buam-dong, central Seoul, the concrete staircase that leads to the nearby Jahamun Tunnel didn’t mean much to her. But “Parasite,” from the acclaimed South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, completely changed her mind. By using the urban landscape as a metaphor for the deepening social divide between the haves and the have-nots, it opened her eyes to the reality of Korea today, she

FilmFeb. 21, 2020

[Weekender] At home, safe from the virus

Since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed last month, many South Koreans have put their social lives on hold, choosing to stay home most of the time. When they have to step outside, many cover their faces with masks, guarding against the possibility of contracting the potentially deadly coronavirus from strangers. Masks and hand sanitizers are everywhere, from subway trains to wedding halls. Movie theaters are empty, graduation ceremonies are canceled and more meals are being delivered

Social AffairsFeb. 13, 2020

[Weekender] Forgotten stories behind Jeongwol Daeboreum traditions

“I crack nuts with my family on Jeongwol Daeboreum. I am not sure why, but I guess the tradition is supposed to shoo away some bad ghosts and bring good luck,” Kang Min-woo, 26, said. “I do know that there are some other Jeongwol Daeboreum traditions, but I do not celebrate them.” Saturday is “Jeongwol Daeboreum” or “Daeboreum,” a traditional holiday marking the first full moon of the Lunar New Year. However, traditions are slowly fading, especia

CultureFeb. 6, 2020

[Weekender] Does screen-free parenting work?

Annie Jeong has always been concerned about her 3-year-old son’s exposure to digital devices. She became more worried recently after learning about the rise of screen-free parenting. But such a scheme is a tall order, she said. With digital-driven education permeating classrooms across South Korea, the use of digital devices and software has become a necessity for the future generation. “I’m worried that my kid might be in trouble in the future if he grows up tech-free,&rd

CultureJan. 30, 2020