Most Popular
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South Korea confirms North Korea’s latest spy satellite launch failed
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Financially active women bear fewer children, report finds
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Leaders agree to revive 3-way cooperation, reaffirm security efforts
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[Feature] Ignorance about Africa still rampant in Korea
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S. Korea's exports set to maintain growth in May: trade minister
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Aespa breaks silence on Hybe chairman’s remark to ‘crush’ them
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Special counsel bill on death of Marine fails to pass in Assembly revote
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Korea ushers in new space era with KASA launch
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South Korea flies fighters near border over North Korean spy satellite alarm
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S. Korean biz leaders meet with UAE president
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[Weekender] Indoor plants as natural air purifiers
Amid all the talk about the danger of airborne ultrafine particles, Shin Gi-bbeum opted to bring indoors some plants that are known to purify the air, instead of purchasing costly air-purifying machines.“Why invest in electronic air purifiers when you can have houseplants at home to clean and filter the air naturally and inexpensively?” said the 53-year-old housewife.“Beyond air quality, looking at green plants just make me feel better,” she said, adding growing plants is her way of fighting str
Social AffairsJan. 13, 2017
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[Weekender] The rules of drinking alone
All lawyer Kim Eun-hye, 29, wanted was to be alone with a glass of wine after a draining day of consulting with clients, wading through legal paperwork, sitting through a tense office dinner and losing a case. Instead of heading home to an empty fridge, Kim decided to drop by Goya, a quiet bar near her house in Yeonnam-dong.“I guess I come here when I feel like having a nice drink, but don’t have the energy to engage in forced conversation with people who can’t offer good advice,” she said, orde
CultureJan. 6, 2017
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[Weekender] ‘Honsul,’ the art of savoring the tipsy self
With a pensive gaze, Park Si-in sips an old fashioned, a whiskey-based cocktail, at a dim, jazzy bistro nestled in a gentrified alley in Seoul. “I don’t think about anything,” she says. “I come here to empty and organize my thoughts. I need it, regularly and personally. Drinking alone is actually enjoyable.” Beside her, Kang Dong-wan, a university student majoring in graphic design, chatters with a bartender. “The bar acts as a sort of a mental hospital, a healing space,” explains Kang, in an in
CultureJan. 6, 2017
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[Weekender] Table for one, please
One of the newest cultural trends sweeping the nation is all about the art of being alone. From eating, drinking, shopping and living solo, this new trend seems to defy the once cultural norm of “togetherness.” With the phenomena of “honsul” and “honbap” -- meaning to “drink alone” and “eat alone,” respectively -- there no longer appears to be social stigmas attached to requesting a table for one. Nor is there a corresponding gasp of dismay or pity for one going to a bar solo and enjoying a coc
CultureJan. 6, 2017
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[Weekender] Headline-makers of 2016
Choi Soon-sil Choi Soon-sil attends her first trial at the Seoul Central District Court on Dec. 19. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)It would be hard to find a South Korean adult now who does not know who Choi Soon-sil is. The woman, once shrouded in secrecy, is President Park Geun-hye’s friend of 40 years and the central figure of a sweeping corruption and peddling of influence scandal that sparked massive protests in South Korea and eventually led to the president’s impeachment on Dec. 9. A d
NationalDec. 30, 2016
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[Weekender] Farewell to 2016
In 2016 South Korea struggled with a historic triple whammy -- political chaos set off by a presidential scandal, ever-deepening economic difficulties and diplomatic and security woes in the wake of North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile tests. This year posed pressing tasks of propping up the slowing economy. As workers have lost jobs, household debt began soaring. Industries that were once part of the mainstay of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, such as autos, shipbuilding and shipping, sta
PoliticsDec. 30, 2016
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[Weekender] Charity fundraising meets ICT
Salvation Army’s red Christmas kettles and bell ringers landed here in 1928 and have withstood South Korea‘s harsh winters ever since. It seems though, it won’t be long before they disappear and are replaced with digital gadgets, as donors now tend to prefer convenient digital charity over traditional paper money donations.In line with the trend, fund organizers are rolling out easy and creative digital methods to draw more tech-savvy donors.They range from applications to digital gift certifica
IndustryDec. 23, 2016
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[Weekender] Talent donation sets new trend for community service
Lee Bo-ra, a 39-year-old housewife with three kids in Seoul, volunteered to read tales for children at a community cultural center in her neighborhood every Saturday for about a year. “I didn’t know that what I was doing was donating my ‘talent’ at the time, because I thought I was simply doing some community service,” said Lee, a professional narrator with a private license for fairy tale reading. “Now I recognize it can be a good way of serving my neighbors with my skill.”Students of a fine a
IndustryDec. 23, 2016
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[Weekender] Donations, for all, by all
Come Christmas season, charity pots and kettles are pulled out to remind people that the holidays are a time of giving, even to someone they don’t know.But for 31-year-old office worker Song Jung-yup, donating is not just a year-end event, it’s something that can be done throughout the year.“When you say donation, people tend to think it should be something massive. But I think anyone can help out depending on their financial status,” said Song, who has been making a 5,000 won ($4.20) monthly do
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2016
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[Weekender] Convenience stores’ private brands hit big
Convenience stores have long been a part of South Korea’s quick, fast-changing lifestyle, and they have now taken a step further by producing their own private brands.What makes their private brands work is the convenience store chains’ wide distribution capacities.Omori Kimchi stew ramen released by local convenience retail brand GS 25 and instant noodle maker Paldo. (GS Retail)Most convenience retail brands do not spend large sums of money on ads for their private brands, because promotion is
IndustryDec. 16, 2016
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[Weekender] At your convenience
Ethan Kim, a 33-year-old marketer living in Seoul, says he cannot remember the last time he was in a grocery store.“I do most of my shopping online,” he says. “Everything else, I buy at a convenience store near my house. I usually stop and get something for dinner on my way home from work.”As the number of single-person households continues to rise in Korea, convenience stores have become the new offline retail outlets of choice, a rare sector of growth in a sluggish retail climate. According to
IndustryDec. 16, 2016
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[Weekender] Convenience stores team up with services firms
Korean convenience stores, arguably a slump-free business in times of weak local demand, are increasingly teaming up with services firms to attract more customers and to differentiate their business models, industry officials said.The latest move came from Korea’s biggest convenience store franchise GS Retail, which joined hands with budget telco service firm Annex Telecom to sell a low-cost USIM card.A user of Ticket Monster’s mobile shopping app TMon picks up her delivered product at a CU conv
IndustryDec. 16, 2016
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[Weekender] The art of writing in spotlight again
The rapid adoption of digital devices in recent years is reshaping the concept of writing. A growing number of people view writing as a synonym of typing on PC or taking notes on their smartphones. For tech-savvy people, a traditional pen is nothing but an outdated and inconvenient tool. But this tech-oriented perspective is yet to convert the growing group of calligraphy enthusiasts with a penchant for beautiful writing. Calligraphy is making a comeback in Korea. Signs in favor of what people h
CultureDec. 2, 2016
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[Weekender] Hangeul calligraphy goes mainstream
There was a time when Chinese character calligraphers criticized Hangeul calligraphy for being “too unsophisticated.” Luckily, a few calligraphers ignored the comments and mastered their craft in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Looking back, they served as the trailblazers for the now-burgeoning market for Hangeul calligraphy.“Years ago, the term ‘Hangeul calligraphy’ was virtually nonexistent among graphic designers,” Kang Byung-in, one of the first-generation Hangul calligraphy gurus, told The K
CultureDec. 2, 2016
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[Weekender] Beautiful writing goes beyond words
Nestled in the design books section of Kyobo Book Center in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, calligraphy workbooks are displayed in a separate stall as a special collection. According to Kyobo Book Center, calligraphy books began gaining traction since 2012, with the number of new publications and demand for them steadily growing each year.A reader flicks through books in the calligraphy section of Kyobo Book Centre in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. (Lim Jeong-yeo / The Korea Herald)In 2013, eight new books on calligra
CultureDec. 2, 2016
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[Weekender] Ajae rise as key customers in trendy modern industries
Gone are the days of men waiting in the resting area while their wife or girlfriend shops for them. South Korea’s middle-aged men are redefining their culture from the outdated and unattractive image embedded in the term “ajeossi,” to a younger and less formidable “ajae.”The new trend is also filtering into industries that were once considered sanctuaries for women, such as fashion, cosmetics and even plastic surgery.(123rf)Industries that traditionally focus on the younger generation, such as g
IndustryNov. 25, 2016
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[Weekender] Ajae, the new middle-aged man
Brian Bae, 40, recently wrote on his Facebook wall, “I can’t believe it’s the 20th anniversary of the launch of Diablo -- yet more evidence that I’ve become an ajae.” Diablo is a popular role playing video he had taken up as a college student. Now he is the father of two children and holds a senior position at his company. A few years ago, he might have been called “ajeossi,” an appellation for middle-aged men in Korean, but his youthful fashion style
Nov. 25, 2016
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[Weekender] Middle-aged men's fashion loosens up
What was once a staple outfit for middle-aged men -- dress shirts and stoic suits -- is now considered outdated as they opt for a less formal look.Nowadays, it is more common to see men in their 40s wearing sweatshirts or crew neck knits, slacks and sneakers as they go to work or spend a day with their kids.The transformation of the traditional “ajeossi” style is now widely referred to as the “ajae” phenomenon. Both words refer to middle-aged men, with the former carrying an outdated connotation
Nov. 25, 2016
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[Weekender] Best places for winter bird-watching
Migratory birds visit South Korea from around October as the air begins to grow cool, heralding the change in season. These winged guests come annually from Russia, China and Mongolia, flying without rest for 15 hours per day to spend a “warmer” winter on the peninsula and nurture new life.Their arrival here makes winter prime time for bird-watching, with several spots that are especially popular. These sites are usually near river basins and deltas, where rivers meet the sea. A flock of migrat
Social AffairsNov. 18, 2016
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[Weekender] Arrival of winter guests
CHEORWON, Gangwon Province -- From October, hundreds of winged guests arrive at Cheorwon, a rural town near the northern border. On a long, arduous journey to southern wintering grounds, about 800 cranes make a stopover at Cheorwon for its some 10,500 hectares of rice fields, which provide abundant food and resting places for them. Kim Su-ho, a local vet for wild birds with over 20 years of experience, says he is able to tell the difference between cranes that have been there before and those vi
Social AffairsNov. 18, 2016