[Weekender] Traces of war, migration, otherness everywhere at Venice Biennale

VENICE, Italy -- Depending on where you live, you may or may not directly feel the effects of the world's wars in your daily life. But you will gain a stronger awareness of them walking around the Giardini in Venice, one of the main sites of the Venice Biennale, the world's oldest international art biennial. Though the Venice Biennale attracts artists, curators and art aficionados every other year -- an architecture biennale is held on alternate years -- this year feels different, with

Arts & DesignJune 29, 2024

[Weekender] Meet my green friends: Home gardening for healing, companionship

Lee Won-young, a 26-year-old graduate school student, has recently added a new routine to her busy life -- taking care of a potted plant that she called “Chris.” Chris sits by Lee’s desk in her room. Lee’s routine every Monday is to water her potted plant to make sure it survives another week. Throughout the rest of the week, Lee spends time moving her plant in different locations around the house to make sure it gets enough sunlight and putting it under an LED light to b

Social AffairsJune 22, 2024

[What to Stream] Thrillers to chase away tropical nights

Summer has now begun in earnest, bringing with it the challenge of mosquitoes and humidity that keep us awake late into the night. Forget about the heat outside by immersing yourself in the chilling scenarios of a well-made thriller. Chase away sleepless nights with a suspenseful plot and intense action, which will provide you with the perfect mental getaway. "Bird Box" on Netflix Starring a slew of renowned Hollywood actors such as Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich, "Bird Box&q

weekenderJune 15, 2024

[Weekender] IV drips: A quick energy shot for overworked Koreans

“Feeling burnt out? You’ve come to the right place,” the doctor said during my consultation at a clinic in Yeouido, Seoul's financial district, before prescribing what he called a “garlic injection.” As an average South Korean national, I am used to eating tons of garlic, but I wasn’t quite ready to have it injected into my veins. It turned out that the “garlic injection” wasn't actually a shot of garlic extract or anything similar. It&

Social AffairsJune 15, 2024

[Well-curated] Reflect on time through jewelry, postcards and seasonal cuisine

Rethinking gemstones Precious stones are valued for their beauty, which comes from the intricate patterns and translucency they possess. These gem-quality crystals require an almost infinite amount of time to develop. “Cartier, Crystallization of Time,” an exhibition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, is a search for the origin of such timeless beauty, visualized with jewel collections from the French jewelry house and private individuals. The roughly 300 pieces on view are themati

weekenderJune 14, 2024

[Weekender] K-food reaps benefits of subtler global marketing

Samyang Roundsquare, the South Korean food giant renowned for its spicy Buldak ramyeon series, acknowledged that it wasn't until 2014 that the company recognized the importance of social media marketing after a viral video by Joshua Daryl Carrott, creator of the YouTube channel Korean Englishman, showcasing Buldak products. “We cannot say that the very beginning of the Buldak series, which launched in 2012, was successful. However, as it gained more traction with the Buldak Challenge

weekenderJune 8, 2024

[Better Together] Where anyone who loves LG Twins is welcome

Kim Yong-ki, a passionate, 31-year-old LG Twins fan who has been heading to Jamsil Baseball Stadium -- the home turf for the Twins -- in Songpa-gu, southeastern Seoul, every baseball season since 2011, started watching baseball games with total strangers in 2023. He knew nothing about them, but that was not a problem as long as they were LG Twins fans. “‘LG Eopsineun Motsara’ -- meaning ‘No LG, no life’ in Korean -- is a live baseball game-watching crew whose member

CultureJune 1, 2024

[Weekender] 'Blood doesn't make family, love does'

When Jeon Sung-shin, 45, was looking to expand her family without going through childbirth again, she met her then 50-day-old daughter at an orphan care center 11 years ago. Jeon fell in love with her at first sight and knew adoption would be a beautiful way to build her family. Growing up with the family, Jeon's youngest daughter is now in the sixth grade and is a promising tennis player. But Jeon said rearing her hadn't always been easy, mainly because adoption still carries so much

Social AffairsMay 25, 2024

[Weekender] Geeks have never been so chic in Korea

The stereotypical nerd with glasses who gets straight As in school has never been so fashionable in South Korea. Once relegated to the corner of the school cafeteria, geeky individuals have stepped into the limelight, as the mainstream warms to the intriguing blend of their characters and fashion, encapsulated by the term, “geek chic.” The term is not new. But the fashion is undergoing a revival amid a growing appreciation for nerd-like qualities, making geeky style elements all th

Hashtag KoreaMay 18, 2024

[What to Stream] Get VIP seats to superstars' concerts

Tired of the endless struggle with pricey tickets, cramped schedules, and the headache of snagging coveted concert seats? Now you can groove to concerts by some of the world's favorite artists right from your living room. Here are three shows to tune into this weekend. "Fujii Kaze Love All Serve All Stadium Live" on Netflix Fuji Kaze, one of the hottest Japanese singer-songwriters at the moment, skyrocketed to international fame from his beginnings as a piano-playing YouTuber. S

weekenderMay 18, 2024

[Weekender] Pet food makers bet big on ‘recession-free’ pet food market

Kwon, an office worker in her 30s residing in Seoul raises a small white Maltese called Seolgi. She says that she is increasingly feeling the pinch from prolonged inflation that has also hit the prices of her dog's food. A 20-kilogram bag of dog food, equivalent to about a month's worth of food for Seolgi, was priced at 38,000 won ($28) last year, but now the price has reached more than 44,000 won. However, Kwon said she has no intention of reducing her spending on her beloved companio

weekenderMay 11, 2024

[Weekender] Korean psyche untangled: Musok

Shamanism. It resonates with Koreans -- in private. Rarely is it endorsed openly, however. Accusing someone of having acknowledged its power in any official capacity forces the person to counter the assertion, at all costs. How this plays out in real life was on vivid display last week. K-pop giant Hybe, the company behind BTS, cornered its sublabel Ador Chief Executive Min Hee-jin over plotting to take independent the lucrative subsidiary that manages popular girl group NewJeans. A shaman was i

CultureMay 4, 2024

[Weekender] How DDP emerged as an icon of Seoul

When the Dongdaemun Design Plaza first opened its doors in March 2014, the structure, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, was met with mixed reviews. Replacing a baseball stadium built in 1959 and another sports stadium dating to 1925 nestled in the fashion retail district of Dongdaemun, the DDP faced criticism for its perceived lack of harmony with its surroundings, with some likening it to "a spaceship that crash-landed in Seoul." Now, a decade after it opened, the DDP has finally s

Social AffairsApril 27, 2024

[What to Stream] Take a break with heartwarming, rib-tickling sitcoms

Escape from the stresses of daily life this weekend by binging on light-hearted sitcoms that feature colorful characters and comically relatable moments. After another week of hard work and dedication, marathon your way through clever wordplay and emotionally engaging scenes in some of these widely popular sitcoms available on streaming services. "The Office" on Coupang Play An American mockumentary sitcom based on a popular British series of the same name, created by English comedia

weekenderApril 20, 2024

[Weekender] Why aren't K-pop stars cashing in on cosmetics?

K-beauty is trending globally. Many Korean celebrities, particularly K-pop stars, command vast, devoted fan bases, influencing fashion and beauty trends. Combine the two and one might naturally assume there would be numerous cosmetic brands launched by Korean stars, similar to Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics or Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty in the US. The reality, however, is quite different. Korean stars might be the faces of top beauty brands, but they rar

Hashtag KoreaApril 20, 2024

[EYE] 'Dogs cherish time with human companions, visually impaired or not'

It was a serendipitous encounter on the subway back in the mid-1990s when young veterinary college student Park Tae-jin first laid eyes on an assistance dog accompanying a passenger he assumed was blind. "Having never witnessed such a scene before, I felt compelled to follow the person and the dog," said Park, now general director of Samsung Guide Dog. At that time, there were only around 10 guide dogs in South Korea, he explained. This seemingly coincidental event helped set his car

Hashtag KoreaApril 20, 2024

[Weekender] How young Koreans find peace of mind in pet stones

Some perhaps remember a stone slab from director Bong Joon-ho’s Academy Award-winning film “Parasite,” which Ki-woo, one of the main characters, holds onto throughout the film. In the film, his friend Min-hyuk delivers the stone, stolen from his grandfather’s collection, telling Ki-woo the stone will bring wealth to his family. The stone, which is known as "suseok" or scholar’s rock here, is a collectible item that was prominent among scholars during the J

CultureApril 13, 2024

[What to Play] Songs that perfectly capture spring in full bloom

Spring is in full bloom in South Korea. If you are beginning a lazy weekend, here are some songs that will motivate you to get out of bed and enjoy the warm breezy weather to the fullest. Sole - “Ride” Start your morning by playing this R&B number released in November 2017 by singer-songwriter Sole. Sole debuted in 2017 with this single and made a name for herself by becoming a member of WSG Wannabe, an all-female project group created on MBC reality show "Hangout With Yoo.&

weekenderApril 13, 2024

[Weekender] Jeju commemorates its deepest scar

The home of the late Jin A-young sits overlooking the rocky shores at Weolryeong-ri 381, Hanrib-eup in Jeju City, in the west of Jeju Island. The unassuming house, preserved in almost the exact state as it was when Jin died on Sept. 8, 2004, at the age of 90, is about the only earthly remnant of her life, torn apart by the massacres that took place there over half a century ago. On a table in her home was a dust-covered pack of antacids, one of her daily necessities. Jin had suffered from chro

CultureApril 6, 2024

[Drama Tour] Sewoon Shopping Center, home of Geumga Plaza in 'Vincenzo'

Seoul may be a shopper’s paradise with its numerous mega shopping complexes spread throughout the city -- the Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, the beloved shopping district of Myeongdong in Jung-gu and Songpa-gu's Lotte World Tower & Mall, to name a few. These shopping complexes and districts attract visitors of all ages with luxury brands, trendy dining spots and eye-catching pop-up stores, not only enriching the shopping experience for shoppers but also transforming the surrounding are

TravelMarch 30, 2024