Most Popular
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Jimin of BTS, actor Song Da-eun suspected to be dating, again
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What's next for the government's push in quota hike?
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Woman falls to death from acquaintance's home after exhibiting ‘unexplained' behaviors
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‘Malice should not undermine the system, social order,’ says Hybe's Bang
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N. Korea says it test-fired tactical ballistic missile with new guidance technology
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N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS
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Korean firms target EV charging market in US
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[Weekender] Geeks have never been so chic in Korea
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Seoul sees further jump in cost of dining out
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Teens banned from entering, working at 'hold 'em' pubs, cafes
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[Herald Interview] Gamelan music, an elixir for monotonous modern life
Indonesian Ambassador to Korea Umar Hadi (left) and gamelan composer Nyoman Wenten (third from right) pose at the premiere of “Bali: Beats of Paradise” at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California, on Nov. 7, 2018. (Indonesian Embassy)On the Indonesian island of Bali, music and dance are deeply ingrained in people’s daily chores and rhythms, effortlessly blurring the lines between work and leisure. Before going to school in the morning, children stop by the vil
Diplomatic CircuitJan. 21, 2019
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[Herald Interview] A rare glimpse of the ‘factorylike’ K-pop idol training system
Lee Jong-im, a pop culture expert and author of “Idol Trainees’ Sweat and Tears,” goes beneath the surface of the heavily fortified K-pop industry and lays bare some ugly truths about the challenging idol training system. Sitting down at a cafe in central Seoul, she shared valuable insight gained through months of research and numerous attempts at interviews since 2016 -- a time when idol training shows like Mnet’s “Produce 101” were just starting to gain a presence on South Korean TV.After docu
PerformanceJan. 18, 2019
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[Herald Interview] Hip-hop film seeks to show realities of life in the Philippines
For Philippine director Treb Monteras II, hip-hop has always been about politics and social issues, and no situation is more pressing today for the country than that of de facto martial law under authoritarian President Rodrigo Duterte.Director Treb Monteras II (Treb Monteras II)“Respeto” -- “respect” in both Tagalog and Spanish -- is the director’s first feature film, after helming more than 300 music videos since 2004. The main role of aspiring street rapper Hendrix is played by Abra, while th
FilmJan. 17, 2019
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[Herald Interview] Englishmen in Seoul, London and all over YouTube
Here are two Englishmen who are even more famous in Korea than they are back home. To define them, one needs to add one more word to their nationality and get rid of the plural. They are not just Englishmen, they are “Korean Englishman.” YouTubers Josh Carrott and Ollie Kendal -- Josh & Ollie -- are better known as “Korean Englishman” on the global streaming platform. With more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube, they are definitely big players in the new entertainment industry. The duo intro
PeopleJan. 17, 2019
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[Herald Interview] Audi Volkswagen steps up to support Korea’s Industry 4.0 drive
Determined to restore customer trust and committed to doing so by contributing to society, the head of the Korean arm of Audi Volkswagen said the automaker is on board with the South Korean government’s drive to promote future technologies and is planning to foster young professionals in the area of future mobility.In an interview with The Korea Herald, Rene Koneberg, a group managing director with Audi Volkswagen Korea, said the company would start providing educational and cultural opportuniti
MobilityJan. 15, 2019
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[Herald Interview] Imagining a bona fide global Korea
When Korea’s foremost civilian ambassador, Choi Jung-wha, walked along Paris’ Champs-Elysees Avenue last year, she was struck by familiar tunes sung in Korean.Young French people belted out K-pop band BTS’ songs in Korean, to the surprise of Choi, who first landed in France in the late 1970s for her studies. Back then, Korea, much less South Korea, was barely on the mental map of an average French person. But with the country’s continuing economic and cultural ascent on the global stage, the Kor
Diplomatic CircuitJan. 14, 2019
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[Herald Interview] Life beyond the lens
Lights, camera, action! There is always a sense of glamour in the fashion industry. Pricey labels, niche perfumes and expensive Champagne exude a certain “wow” factor. Here is fashion photographer Hong Jang-hyun, a man who must be living a life full of glamour. He is the first man you search for when planning a luxury photo shoot here. He is invited to every posh party and event, where he mingles with high-profile figures. Working with top celebrities and high-end fashion houses, those who do no
PeopleJan. 10, 2019
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[Herald Interview] Rolls-Royce Motor CEO attributes record sales to Asia, Korea
Strong business growth in Asia was behind the record-breaking sales of British luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce last year, particularly in China and South Korea, its head said in an interview with The Korea Herald. “Our growth was fueled by a strong Asian business and a Korean business. We have seen an uptake in your market by around 40 percent compared to the year 2017 and for that reason I am very satisfied with the results,” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, chief executive officer of Rolls-Royce Motor C
MobilityJan. 10, 2019
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[Herald interview] Changing lives, one building at a time
Taking the steep, narrow staircase to meet architect Seung Hyo-sang, or Seung H-Sang as his business card says, one almost fears for one’s life, tottering down the steps in heels with one hand against the wall for support in the semidarkness.Upon reaching the floor, there is a sigh of relief and a sense of salvation as one follows the sound of choral music to Seung’s office. It is a few days before Christmas, and there is something of a sacred quality to the space, crammed with bookcases and a l
Arts & DesignJan. 3, 2019
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[Herald Interview] Korean duo seeks to spread happiness through singing
YouTube is full of videos of cover songs, but not all amateur artists win over viewers. Coed duo Darlim&Hamabal however, was special from the start. When the two debuted on YouTube in December 2017, many saw their potential and predicted the duo would succeed.Darlim&Hamabal soon grew to become one of the most distinguished artists in Korea’s YouTube scene, garnering more than 184,000 viewers in a year. The team also made a name for itself among global music fans by singing J-pop and popular movi
PerformanceDec. 31, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Hungary can help inter-Korean ties, innovation with Central Europe’
Hungarian Ambassador to Korea Mozes Csoma is a fluent speaker of the Korean language and has written numerous books and papers on the country’s history and relations with Central European countries (Joel Lee/The Korea Herald)Hungarian Ambassador to South Korea Mozes Csoma speaks Korean better than any other language other than Hungarian. Korean being his first foreign language, he is about as good as a nonnative can get.He is so fluent that this interview was entirely conducted in Korean. As th
Diplomatic CircuitDec. 31, 2018
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[Herald Interview] How Imvely became South Korean women’s fashion and beauty icon
In just five years, a young and vibrant fashion brand has become a staple for young South Korean women. Im Ji-hyun, Imvely’s spokesperson and creative director, said it all started with a genuine interest in what to wear and how to put on makeup.“Like most other women, I have always been fascinated with clothes and cosmetics. But since I could not afford a variety of them, I often liked to play around with what I had and mix and match,” Im told The Korea Herald at her office in the Gasan-dong ar
IndustryDec. 27, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Digging deeper into Korean Wave’
One summer night in 2016, David Kim and Danny Kim were drinking at a pub. Then college students, they were interning at an advertising company and music distribution company, respectively. Company life was draining. They didn’t feel like they were making something of themselves. After hours of complaining, there came the question: Why don’t we make something of our own?YouTube was booming, and so was K-pop. The two noticed a dearth of K-pop content produced by Koreans in English. A few days late
PerformanceDec. 26, 2018
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[Herald Interview] 'Forgiveness key for South Korea to advance into the future'
John Linton has a list of titles that label him as “the first” in Korea. He was the first foreign national to pass Korea’s exam for medical practitioners in 1987, he was the first to introduce an ambulance vehicle here to treat patients while moving and he was the first to receive dual citizenship as an American and a Korean.Born to an American missionary family in the Jeolla provinces in South Korea, Linton has witnessed the ups and downs of Korean history and left his mark here and there -- ju
Social AffairsDec. 20, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Korea needs to change ways of reforming chaebol: FTC chief
It is easy to misread Kim Sang-jo, the chairman of the Fair Trade Commission, who is well known as an erudite economist and a passionate anti-chaebol activist. Ever since he was named to head the nation’s top watchdog in June 2017, views have clashed between those that forewarned an end to the heyday of South Korea’s conglomerates and those that impugned whether the “chaebol sniper” would live up to his nickname. Halfway through his three-year tenure, Kim has completed the exhausting task of con
IndustryDec. 18, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Investing in Ukraine’s IT, agriculture offers high returns’
Andriy Parubiy, chairman of the Ukrainian parliament Verkhovna Rada, believes that interparliamentary exchanges can open up diverse channels of cooperation between countries. It is what translates the abstract language of diplomacy into real connections and frank understanding, spanning the whole spectrum of national industries and communities. In order to elevate bilateral political relations and explore new avenues of prosperity, he signed a memorandum of understanding in Seoul on Wednesday wi
Diplomatic CircuitDec. 17, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘I do not paint to be an artist, but to make clothes’
Though some might not instantly recognize the name Song Zio, the brand Songzio Homme will ring a bell right away for many in Korea, especially men who enjoy quality fashion.Fashion designer Song Zio leads Songzio Homme, a contemporary menswear brand best known for its classic lined suits made with fine textiles.Despite the brand’s fame, it has not been easy for local consumers to wear Song’s creations. Founded in 1993, Songzio Homme halted its sales in Korea in the 2000s as it focused on the Par
Arts & DesignDec. 13, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘I learned how to love my fate’: Sohee of Elris
One gets the impression that Sohee has got the competitive showbiz world all figured out. In middle school, the current Elris member learned that “acceptance” was key to coping with the whirlwind life of a K-pop trainee. There were times when she almost succumbed to countless cut-throat competition in the course of making her debut, which she recalled as the “hardest thing” during her trainee years. But what always empowered her was the Latin phrase “amor fati,” meaning to accept and love everyt
PerformanceDec. 10, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Automation won’t reduce jobs but workers need to be protected in digital era’
The fear of losing jobs due to automation will not become reality, as innovation will continue to create jobs, according to World Bank Group Senior Director Michal Rutkowski. Still, nations should consider how to better protect workers in the changing work environment driven by technology advances, he added. The notion that automation makes traditional jobs obsolete has always been a source of frustration for blue-collar workers. With the advancement of artificial intelligence and robotics, the
IndustryDec. 9, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Korea is attractive market despite regulations: AmCham CEO
The Korea Herald is publishing a series of features and interviews on South Korea’s business environment for foreign companies and investors. This is the twelfth installment. -- Ed.Regulation is a topic that frequently comes up among foreign companies doing business in Korea. And that makes sense, as Korea ranks 51st among 67 countries on the FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. However, James Kim, chairman of the American Ch
IndustryDec. 3, 2018