Euljiro has emerged as one of the most popular districts in Seoul thanks to a host of unique pubs, cafes and shops. A distinctive vibe resonates through its narrow alleys, best known for their old print shops. The Korea Herald’s interns visited Manseon Hof, a popular spot in Euljiro that is going strong on social media. Thanks to its surging popularity, thirsty hordes usually begin to appear ear...

An orb with a set of ears, blinky eyes and the voice and speech manners of a chatty child is making advances in dementia therapy at a hospital in Seoul. Named Bomy, the robot assists cognitive training for patients in the early stages, or at the risk of developing dementia. Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital’s Robot-assisted Cognitive Training Center opened its doors in April, and is heade...

The leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party had his head shaved Monday in front of Cheong Wa Dae, calling for the resignation of the justice minister, whose family has been implicated in corruption allegations. Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn followed suit after his party’s Rep. Park In-sook and independent lawmaker Rep. Lee Un-ju shaved their heads to protest President Moon...

When you take your seat in this seemingly ordinary Italian restaurant in Seoul, no waiter comes to the table with a menu. Bustling servers carrying plates of food are also missing. Touted as the nation’s first robotized restaurant, Merry-Go-Kitchen opened its doors in southeastern Seoul last month in collaboration with South Korean food-delivery unicorn Woowa Brothers. When the robot arrives at...

South Korea’s biggest dessert festival, the Seoul Dessert Fair, closed the doors on its 23rd event last weekend at the Setec exhibition hall in Gangnam, Seoul. (Shot and edited by Choi Ji-won / The Korea Herald) The three-day event ran Friday to Sunday and garnered more than 30,000 visitors. Around 240 dessert shop owners and individual sellers from around the country presented assorted confect...

People in Korea have shown mixed reactions to deepening boycotts of Japanese products prompted by Tokyo’s sudden export controls of high-tech materials to South Korea. In a Realmeter survey of 506 respondents, 54.6 percent were in support of the boycott campaign. On Thursday, “NoNo Japan,” an online community displaying consumer brands and products originating from Japan, was temporarily inacce...

JEJU CITY -- A 36-year-old man was killed at a pension in Jeju Island. His body was dismembered and disposed of in the sea. Police suspect his ex-wife, Koh Yu-jeong, of the crimes. The man, identified only by his surname Kang, leaves behind a 6-year-old son, whom he had not seen since his divorce from Koh in 2017. Koh, who took custody, did not allow his visits until the very day he died. On Ma...

California-based Blue Bottle Coffee has opened its first cafe in Korea on Friday, making Korea the second international market for the company. Blue Bottle’s 1,300-square-meter store in Seoul will be located in Seongsu-dong, an area referred to as the “Brooklyn” of Seoul, according to the company. “We tend not to open locations in the most commercial areas and we like to pick a location that ha...

In Seoul’s bustling college district of Hongdae, there is a pub by the name of Bonghwangdang, or the Phoenix Hall. With the neon Liverpool Football Club emblem and the liver bird sign, it makes a conspicuous statement as an LFC supporters’ pub. Bonghwangdang, which opened its doors in 2016, is where you will meet the city’s biggest Liverpool fans. On game nights, the underground pub is crowded w...

Deadlock between ruling Democratic Party of Korea and main opposition Liberty Korea Party over fast-tracking key bills turned to violent clashes overnight Friday. Violence sparked Thursday as Liberty Korea Party members formed human barricades in front of rooms on the second and fourth floors of the National Assembly, where the special committee on political reform and judiciary reform convene. ...

Yu Min-jung, a YouTuber specializing in spine-tingling ASMR videos, changes her role once or twice a week. From a late-night barber to a dermatologist, then from a scalp therapist to a caring friend removing makeup from a roommate’s face -- Yu becomes a “healer” for those craving sounds of comfort. Believed to be the first to make a Korean ASMR channel, Yu has been working as a full-time creator...

Seoul’s alleys are filled with eateries specializing in particular dishes. The Korea Herald takes you on a foodie trip to narrow alleys where decades-old establishments beckon diners with their secret recipes, often handed down through generations. - Ed. Brought to the table raw on a pan, diners have to wait for the marinated jjukkumi to cook fully. The mouthwatering sight and aroma make it diff...

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- For a foodie, enjoying fresh seafood is a must when lounging near the coast. A visit to the southern port city of Tongyeong, a four-hour drive from Seoul, is a chance to devour a wide range of seafood. Tongyeong is like no other port city here. It has many small islands nearby, and the surrounding waters are warm and shallow. Despite its abundance of fre...

Fires that started in Goseong-gun and Gangneung, both in Gangwon Province, spread simultaneously and burned through 525 hectares of forest, the equivalent of more than 735 soccer fields. The fire claimed 250 hectares in Goseong and Sokcho, 250 hectares in Gangneung and 25 hectares in Inje. (Video shot by Kim Arin, edited by Lee Sun-hye /The Korea Herald) As of Friday afternoon, total damages we...

Tucked deep into Seoul’s central district of Jongno lies Ikseon-dong, the latest hip hangout place in a city where fashion wears fast. At a glance, it is easy to see why the neighborhood’s photogenic cluster of modernized 20th century hanok, or traditional Korean houses, would appeal to the Instagram generation. Crowded on weekdays and weekends alike, Ikseon-dong is imbued with the fashionable a...