Most Popular
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Science Ministry expresses regret over Japan’s pressure on Naver
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Hostilities get out of hand as YouTuber murders another outside courthouse
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Yoon interacts with public for 1st time since election defeat
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[Weekender] Pet food makers bet big on ‘recession-free’ pet food market
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N. Korea says to deploy new multiple rocket launcher starting this year
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Seoul transit pass for travelers to be available starting July
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State-led adoption system to be established to ensure adoptees' well-being, minimize overseas adoption
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[Drama Tour] Romantic trip to ‘Queen of Tears’ filming spots
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Business moguls attend concert by Helene Mercier, wife of LVMH CEO
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Buddha's birthday lantern parade to light up Seoul
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[Herald interview] Former ambassador recalls harrowing escape from Mogadishu in 1991
The blockbuster film “Escape From Mogadishu,” released July 28, has drawn more than 1.85 million theatergoers, becoming the biggest box office hit so far in a year that is seeing many of the films originally set for release last year finally make it to screens despite the continued pandemic. The harrowing escape scene and the exotic location -- the film was shot in Morocco for three months last year before the pandemic halted virtually all international travel -- are certainly rivet
FilmAug. 12, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Weirdos change the world: KAIST chief
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology President Lee Kwang-hyung is hoping to put the institution on the global map, by starting with “failures.” KAIST is one of Korea’s leading universities, but its standing on the global stage remains far behind its local reputation. According to the QS Global World Rankings 2022, KAIST came in 41st spot as one of the two Korean schools along with Seoul National University to crack the top 50. KAIST’s standing among t
Social AffairsAug. 11, 2021
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[Herald Interview] A.C.E keeps moving higher, step by step
Boy band A.C.E, whose name stands for “Adventure Calling Emotions,” splashed into the music scene with bold ambitions on May 23, 2017. Its five members have come a long way since then, establishing an energetic presence and delving into unique performance styles. But the group’s path to stardom was not an easy one. Online reality shows and popular audition programs on television often function as gateways for K-pop idol-hopefuls looking to make their debut. But in 2016, A.C.
K-popAug. 9, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Young CEO sets sights on future of construction
It was Kim Hwang-su’s father who built Dongnam Construction Chemical from scratch and grew it into a leader in the local concrete admixture market. Now, the second-generation chief, 38, aims to take on the conservative industry with technological innovations. “I think my father had faith in the local constructions market,” said Kim, who took over as CEO in 2018, as he recalled memories of his father. “He believed there would come a time when our country also starts bui
IndustryAug. 8, 2021
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[Herald Interview] How Frances Cha wrote her debut novel ‘If I Had Your Face’
From plastic surgery, K-pop fandom to chaebol marriage and women at work. Frances Cha’s debut novel “If I Had Your Face” runs the gamut of hot topics in modern Korean society. The journalist-turned-novelist, who worked as travel and culture editor for CNN in Seoul, doesn’t only lightly touch on the subjects, she dives into each topic through the story of young women characters living in the same apartment in Seoul. Although Cha does not believe that doing thorough rese
BooksAug. 2, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Star screenwriter Kim Eun-hee returns with darkest ‘Kingdom’ episode
Living up to her nickname as the “Korean Agatha Christie,” screenwriter Kim Eun-hee came back with the darkest episode yet of the global hit Netflix series “Kingdom” (2019). “Kingdom: Ashin of the North,” which was released on July 23, centers around a new character Ashin (played by Jun Ji-hyun, or Gianna Jun, and Kim Sia) who is a lower-class tribe member living in what is now known as Hamgyong Province, North Korea. After Ashin finds out about her father&r
FilmAug. 1, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Bill allowing politicians to take babies to work look set to pass
After Rep. Yong Hye-in, 31, of the Basic Income Party, brought her 2-month-old son to her workplace on July 5, her photos went viral on social media. On the day, she held a press conference to urge the passage of her bill that would allow a lawmaker to enter a plenary session with an infant who needs nursing. Under the current law, only lawmakers, the prime minister, state council members and those authorized by the assembly speaker are allowed. When her photos made headlines, opinions were
PoliticsAug. 1, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Global zombie sensation ‘Kingdom’ director hopes to quench fans’ thirst
A single 92-minute episode of historical zombie thriller “Kingdom” was not meant to be a hit, according to director Kim Seong-hun, who has headed the series since 2019. “‘Kingdom: Ashin of the North’ is more like a prequel or a stepping stone for the next season,” Kim said during an online interview with a group of reporters on Wednesday. “I was very focused on expanding the “Kingdom” universe and explaining the story of Ashin, I was glad t
FilmJuly 29, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Lithium-metal batteries will save Li-ion industry: SolidEnergy Systems CTO
As lithium-ion batteries near their full potential, new challengers are preparing a coup d‘état with their next-generation technologies. If successful, the coup would render conventional lithium-ion batteries obsolete overnight and subvert decades-long industrial order led by Asian battery firms. Are the days of lithium-ion battery manufacturers coming to an end? SolidEnergy Systems, a Singapore-based battery developer, is one of the most threatening contenders, with its lith
TechnologyJuly 29, 2021
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[Herald Interview] ‘Escape from Mogadishu’ took burden off my shoulders: Jo In-sung
For top actor Jo In-sung, “Escape from Mogadishu” was the movie that he could enjoy filming, as the burden of playing the sole lead role was lifted off his shoulders. “In previous films, nobody told me that I should feel pressured but I felt responsible,” Jo said during an interview via Zoom with a group of reporters. “When filming a movie, there are things that the leading actors should take care of. They have to make sure that the staff is doing okay. They also
FilmJuly 29, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Kim Yoon-seok returns as ordinary man in ‘Escape from Mogadishu’
For veteran actor Kim Yoon-seok, the absence of a hero in the action-drama movie “Escape from Mogadishu” directed by Ryoo Seung-wan was the reason he decided to join the cast. “It is easy for war movies to have a single hero that saves everyone. This movie did not take that road,” Kim said during an interview with a group of reporters via Zoom. “Escape from Mogadishu” is based on a real-life event involving South and North Korean diplomats in Somalia who
FilmJuly 28, 2021
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[Herald Interview] In pandemic drive, procurement agency opens door for SME exports
South Korea’s central government procurement agency has been stepping up efforts to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the health sector eyeing on the international procurement markets in the pandemic era. And its support is adding momentum to the nation’s exports of pandemic-related goods, a state-led recovery model from the virus, its chief said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. “Since last year, local SMEs producing quarantine products such as face
EconomyJuly 25, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Jimmy Brown, the Korean who sings of love in English
Listening to the first few lines of indie R&B artist Jimmy Brown’s recent release “Yours,” you might not figure that he is Korean, let alone a Korean with only a year’s experience of living abroad. Brown, whose real name is Lee Ji-won, will be an unfamiliar name to most Korean listeners, as he has rarely promoted himself or his songs outside his social media and streaming platforms. He has occasionally caught the eye of the general public -- when BTS’ Jimin
K-popJuly 25, 2021
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[Herald Interview] ‘Beetlejuice’ the ideal comedy musical: actor Jung Sung-hwa
The seemingly effortless improvisations and ad-libs during the musical “Beetlejuice” belie the meticulous planning down to the minor details and countless practices that went into the show, stage actor Jung Sung-hwa said. Inspired by the iconic 1988 Tim Burton film of the same title, the musical began its Seoul run at the Sejong Center on July 6. Jung plays the lead role Beetlejuice in the show, the lonely ghost who has been living in the Netherworld for 9.8 billion years by himsel
PerformanceJuly 22, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Group14 CEO eyes batteries of tomorrow
What battery manufacturers want is simple: to make their batteries more powerful. To this end, battery makers are taking various efforts to innovate their recipes, including putting more nickel inside cathodes or silicon in graphite anodes. They also form technological partnerships, and the latest example is the joint venture created by SK Materials and Group14 Technologies. On Monday, SK Materials, SK Group’s industrial gas manufacturing arm, announced its $52 million investment i
TechnologyJuly 22, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Opposition leader against opening up to refugees
Lee Jun-seok, 36, the youngest-ever leader of the nation’s main opposition People Power Party, has been outspoken on a number of sensitive issues since taking office last month. Sitting down with The Korea Herald on Monday, he candidly spoke about hot topics like refugees, immigrants and North. When asked about the nation’s immigration policies, Lee said that South Korea should accept immigrants who can help the nation’s economy, but should be cautious about refugees. &ldqu
PoliticsJuly 20, 2021
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[Herald Interview] ‘Japan never admitted a thing’
On Wednesday, single-person protests took place in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul calling for an apology from the Japanese government and demanding it redress its colonial sexual slavery. Unlike the 1,400th demonstration that garnered thousands of people on site, due to the pandemic the 1,500th protest was held in the form of one-person protests -- still watched by thousands of people around the world online. The Wednesday protests first began on Jan. 8, 1992 and have been held every
Social AffairsJuly 14, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Sculptor Yi Hwan-kwon casts light on vanity of things with shadows
Sculptor Yi Hwan-kwon’s works easily catch people’s attention. His signature sculptures, made using 3D scanning techniques, create distorted illusions that provoke curiosity and are readily recognized by many people. While he has gained much popularity with his iconic sculptures, it hit him one day that he was finding it difficult to put his works into words. He then became skeptical about his own work. “Over the past several years, I strived to search for something. I don
Arts & DesignJuly 13, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Scaling legal service with tech touch
More industries are being disrupted by technology, and more companies in South Korea are operating across multiple jurisdictions, often leading to complexities in international legal disputes. This is reshaping the way Korean law firms deliver legal services to domestic clients, by exploring new industrial trends, organizing its lawyers and creating new legal services for clients in response to the trends, a top attorney of a Korean full-service law firm said. “Corporate clients increa
MarketJuly 13, 2021
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[Herald Interview] Author Yun Ko-eun sees her Dagger-winning ‘The Disaster Tourist’ as being genre fluid
Contrary to the typically mysterious, keen and dark image of crime fiction writers, not a hint of grimness could be found in the appearance of Yun Ko-eun, 42, the winner of this year’s CWA Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger, who appears bright, positive and full of energy. The CWA Daggers, established in 1955 by the Crime Writers’ Association, are presented as awards for the best in crime writing in 11 categories, including fiction and nonfiction. Yun is the first Asian to be recog
BooksJuly 12, 2021