What AI saves in time, Yoon Seok-kwan invests in creativity [Herald Design Lounge 2026]

For artificial intelligence artist Yoon Seok-kwan, who is better known as “Keepkwan,” the creative process begins away from the keyboard. He walks through Seoul Forest, takes photographs and sketches. Recently, he took up pottery and bonsai — the traditional Japanese art of growing, pruning and shaping miniature trees in small pots — to rediscover the joy of working with his hands. “These help me develop the experience and judgment that guide my work,” he said in a talk titled “Human Mode On” at

2026-10-06 13:48:03:00

Herald Design Lounge offers fresh perspectives on creativity, AI [Herald Design Lounge 2026]

From design professionals to aspiring students, attendees of the 2026 Herald Design Lounge found fresh ideas to bring back to their projects and studies. Held on Friday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul under the theme “Beyond Visuals,” the event brought together some 400 creators working in graphic design, architecture and artificial intelligence. Visitors heard about how established designers and artists approach their work, giving them new ways to think about their own work. Lee Jung-min, a

2026-10-06 12:00:00:00

This playground angel keeps Seoul’s slides sparkling

Most people walk past a grimy playground slide or a dirt-caked park bench without a second thought. Cho Hee-jae stops to see if it needs cleaning. Since May, the 30-year-old has spent his spare time traveling across Seoul and northern Gyeonggi Province to scrub apartment playgrounds and other public facilities, paying for the work himself. “I would pass dirty playgrounds and other public facilities and think, ‘I wish someone would clean those,’” Cho said in an interview with The Korea Herald on

2026-10-04 16:00:00:00

S. Korea faces Japan again in bid for fourth straight Asian Games soccer gold

Asia’s two strongest soccer powerhouses, South Korea and Japan, will meet for the third straight time at the Asian Games with gold on the line Saturday, as coach Lee Min-sung also looks to lead the side to Korea’s fourth consecutive gold medal. Korea rallied past China 2-1 on Wednesday, while Japan beat Uzbekistan 9-8 on penalties to reach the final the same day. Saturday’s match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Toyota Stadium, east of Nagoya, Japan. Korea will look to Swansea City midfielder Eom Ji-su

2026-10-03 09:00:00:00

Jang Se-yun wanted to be noticed. Now she wants more than Asian Games silver

Jang Se-yun wanted people to know her name. But the 23-year-old judoka arrived at her first Asian Games knowing her better-known teammates would draw most of the attention. She understood why, but being overlooked still hurt. “I understood why I got less attention. I hadn’t competed at the Olympics, and this was my first Asian Games,” Jang told reporters after winning a silver medal in the women’s -52-kilogram judo event on Wednesday. It was South Korea’s first judo medal of the Asian Games. “Bu

2026-10-01 16:45:53:00

True Crime (16) Rise of a drug kingpin behind bars

Park Wang-yeol left South Korea a failed businessman and accused of fraud. Then came a triple murder in a Philippine sugarcane field, two prison escapes, and an international drug ring run from behind bars that stretched back into South Korea. Repatriated in March, after years of efforts by South Korea, Park was escorted at the airport by several police officers and surrounded by journalists. Seemingly unfazed, he recognized a reporter who had interviewed him while in prison in the Philippines a

2026-10-01 08:00:00:00

Korea dominates one kind of archery. Another has proven harder to conquer

For South Korean sports fans, archery has long been almost synonymous with gold. The country has dominated the sport on the Olympic stage, where its women have won every team title since the event was introduced in 1988. At the Asian Games, Korea has been just as formidable. But an important distinction can get lost in that success: Korea's archery dominance is, above all, a recurve story. In compound, a separate discipline that uses bows fitted with pulleys and magnifying sights, the landscape

2026-09-30 17:56:54:00

Shuttlecock queen An Se-young reigns at Asian Games

An Se-young barely slowed down on her way to Asian Games gold. She won every single match throughout the tournament, finishing with a 2-0 victory over Japan's Akane Yamaguchi on Tuesday. The 24-year-old beat Yamaguchi 21-17 in the first set and 21-9 in the second, becoming the first player to win back-to-back Asian Games gold in women's singles since the sport was introduced in 1962. “It feels like a dream. I am so happy, and thinking about all the work I have put in until now makes me emotional

2026-09-29 17:48:02:00

S. Korean relay team overcomes two ruling glitches to take bronze, set national record

At the Asian Games taking place in Japan, South Korea’s men’s 4x100-meter relay team had to appeal its way into the final — then appeal again after finishing third to get their bronze medals. The team of Seo Min-jun, Joel Jin Nwamadi, Daniel Biwesa and Lee Jae-seong crossed the finish line third in a national record of 38.43 seconds on Monday evening. China won gold at 38.17 seconds, with Taiwan taking silver in 38.32. Thailand finished fourth in 38.49. But when the official results were posted,

2026-09-29 11:37:49:00

At 17, Kang Jun-i eyes Olympic gold — and a trick of his own

After winning South Korea’s first Asian Games skateboarding gold, Kang Jun-i is already looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The 17-year-old would love another gold, but he has his own goal: invent a trick no one has seen before and put it on display in front of the world. Speaking at a press conference in Nagoya, Japan a day after winning the men’s street final, Kang said the victory still felt “unreal.” He had slept only two or three hours and received more than 100 congratulatory m

2026-09-28 15:53:02:00