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Culture
[Weekender]History of Cheong Wa Dae

The site of Cheong Wa Dae dates back to Goryeo (918-1392) when the kingdom had royal palace halls at the site. During the Joseon era (1392-1910), the site was considered a sacred place. Located right outside Sihwamun, Gyeongbokgung’s north gate, it was a place where royal retainers pledged their loyalty to the king. According to annals from the reign of King Sukjong, the place was considered so sacred that no king dared to occupy the place despite its beautiful scenery. The land was la
March 26, 2022 - 16:01:00
Social Affairs
[Weekender] The great gate debate

A vote took place at one of the most expensive apartment complexes in central Seoul last May. “Due to the indiscriminate actions of passersby within the complex, damage to residents such as trash throwing, unauthorized use of facilities, theft accidents and pet excretion continues to take place,” read the notice for the vote, asking residents to express their opinion through the poll on the installation of fences and a gate to limit the access of strangers. Of 1,148 households in
March 19, 2022 - 16:01:18
Culture
[Weekender] Deliver us...pretty much everything

When 65-year-old retiree Kim Ji-yeon decided to move to the outskirts of Seoul, she found that shopping for groceries could become a sizable hurdle for a senior couple living in a town several transfers away from the nearest retail store. Solution? Delivery apps. “There’s pretty much everything on Coupang, from food to daily necessities. There are also applications run by retail stores like E-mart or Costco, so I don’t really have to go shopping,” Kim said, adding that
March 12, 2022 - 16:00:34
[Weekender] Unity and coalition stand as key challenges for the next president

Whoever wins the 20th presidential election on March 9, the winner faces the complex task of bringing unity among South Koreans -- a pledge repeated by almost all recent presidents -- and measure out policies to bring naysayers to the table for the next five years. The race so far has largely been centered on mudslinging and denunciations, especially between ruling party candidate Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea and his main opposition rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Part
March 5, 2022 - 16:00:51
Industry
[Weekender] Available at touch of button, mental care apps empower patients

Han Na-yeon, a pseudonym for a 34-year-old office worker, experienced an anxiety attack during a job interview six months ago, almost having a breakdown in front of interviewers. This encounter preceded a months long period of depression and repressed anger. Beginning to wonder if she had anxiety or some other issue, she delved into various online communities in an attempt to get to the bottom of her problem. Following a readily available online test, she was presented with a diagnosis of atten
Feb. 26, 2022 - 16:01:09
Market
[Weekender] Investing in the metaverse: Look before you leap

Touted as the next big thing, the metaverse has been undeniably the talk of the global town since last year. The metaverse frenzy accelerated further when Facebook changed its name to Meta in October. Hoping to take the lead in the new online virtual world, all sectors regardless of their specializations have jumped on the metaverse bandwagon. This has led to lofty projections luring individual investors. The global metaverse market is forecast to reach $829 billion (993 trillion won) in 202
Feb. 19, 2022 - 16:01:15
Social Affairs
[Weekender] How South Korea went from ‘test, trace, treat’ to ‘let it spread’

South Korea is determined to go easy on omicron, which is behind the ongoing record surge in COVID-19 patients, in the hope that the new dominant variant will not be as bad as the ones that came before. But is this reckless?　 The rationale for the shift to the omicron response plan is that the new variant is less threatening than its predecessor, delta, the government says. Messaging from health officials surrounding omicron has been consistently hopeful. Son Young-rae, spokesperson for th
Feb. 4, 2022 - 13:04:30
Culture
[Weekender] Making tteokguk gets trendy in pandemic times

Yu Kyoung-suk found joy by making special tteokguk, or rice cake soup, this year. As the year became 2022, he came up with a fancy tteokguk -- topped with flower-shaped dumplings and jidan (egg garnish) -- to share with his wife and their two sons. He squeezed juice from beets and carrots to add colors to the dumpling dough to make a special tteokguk this year. “When the New Year comes, Koreans eat tteokguk made using rice cake slices from garaetteok (a stick of long rice cake) which sy
Jan. 30, 2022 - 10:28:32
Culture
[Weekender] Tteokguk with jidan, beef topping

Basic ingredients - 400 grams rice cake slices (tteokguk tteok) - 130 grams minced beef - 2 green onion stalks - 2-3 eggs For beef seasoning - 1 tablespoon soy sauce - 1 tablespoon sesame oil - 1 teaspoon minced garlic - 1 teaspoon sugar - pepper to taste - a little cooking oil to coat frying pan For soup - 5 cups of dried kelp (dashima) broth - 1/2 big spoon soup soy sauce - 1 small spoon minced garlic - salt and pepper to taste Directions - If rice cake slices
Jan. 29, 2022 - 16:01:02
Travel
[Weekender] Finding peace in winter wonderland

Unlike last winter, South Korea’s high vaccination rate has given people courage to step outside and participate in outdoor activities. Skiing and snowboarding remain popular choices, but this winter, people are seeking out less extreme activities such as hiking and fishing in search of serenity. “Just standing on the top of Mount Halla on Jeju Island was a breath of fresh air for me,” said Lee In-ho, a 36-year-old office worker in Seoul. Lee had been delaying the planned h
Jan. 22, 2022 - 16:01:20
Social Affairs
[Weekender] Kids still under threat of abuse as improvements remain weak

A 20-month-old baby girl in Daejeon was murdered in June after months of physical and sexual abuse, apparently from her stepfather, and neglect by her biological mother. The toddler’s body was found in a cooler at the stepfather’s house with severe bruises and scars apparently from the abuse. Her stepfather was reported to have beaten her for more than an hour on the day of her death just because she was annoying him by crying too much. The stepfather reportedly testified during th
Jan. 15, 2022 - 16:00:38
Arts&Design
[Weekender] What to expect in the Korean art scene next year

South Korea’s art scene has enjoyed an unprecedented booming year in 2021 with art fairs and auction houses seeing record-breaking sales. This trend was backed by emerging younger collectors who are increasingly embracing the arts as part of their culture. The late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection donated to the country also triggered an interest in art, with people lining up to see the artworks given to two national museums. On top of that, internationally renowned ga
Jan. 1, 2022 - 16:01:36
Consumer
[Weekender] As pandemic continues, Christmas home parties evolve

For Kim Yo-sup, a 23-year-old student in Seoul, Christmas last year was a nightmare. Being forced to stay at home, a Zoom Christmas party was his only practical option to celebrate the holidays. Come this holiday season, he is determined to avoid a repeat of last year. “Before COVID-19, I used to party outside on Christmas Eve until Christmas with my friends. Last year, I was living with my parents. So I was extra careful and met my friends through Zoom on Christmas. This year, I will be
Dec. 25, 2021 - 16:00:51
Culture
[Weekender] Working remotely? Why not from Jeju?

JEJU ISLAND -- When Hong’s company, a marketing consultancy based in Seoul, announced a return to remote working early December, the 31-year-old decided to escape the confines of his studio apartment. After getting permission from his boss, he packed up and left for Jeju, with his laptop in tow. “I had Zoom meetings and phone calls with my boss and other business partners whenever necessary,” Hong told The Korea Herald at a beachside vacation home on the western coastal vil
Dec. 18, 2021 - 16:01:34
Politics
[Weekender] Candidates miss the target with younger voters

They come from very different upbringings and career backgrounds, but Korea’s two main presidential candidates are united in one area: They are both failing to appeal to young voters. Democratic Party of Korea nominee Lee Jae-myung and Yoon Suk-yeol from the People Power Party have both struggled to shed the kind of “kkondae” image that the under-40s find repellent, and their election pledges have failed to inspire them. Kkondae is an expression describing a condescending per
Dec. 11, 2021 - 16:00:52