From the Scene In series
Stories told from where they are happening.
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From the Scene In series
Stories told from where they are happening.
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Seoul begins self-driving shuttle service along Cheonggyecheon
Autonomous shuttles offer glimpse into future of public transportation, yet a bit slow On a street near Cheonggyecheon — a stream in central Seoul — a slick and shiny nine-seater bus moved toward the Cheonggye Plaza bus stop near Gwanghwamun Station on Subway Line No. 5 in central Seoul. However, this wasn’t just any regular bus. Named “Cheonggye A01,” the bus is the country’s first driverless, self-driving shuttle, which began its operations to the public Tuesday. While the city had introduced
Sept. 23, 2025 - 15:19:52
Halal on display: MIHAS 2025 wraps with milestones
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- In equal parts trade forum and cultural celebration, the Malaysia International Halal Showcase 2025 closed with momentum Saturday, surpassing its 4.5 billion Malaysian ringgit ($1 billion) sales target to reach 4.97 billion ringgit. Alongside trade deals, halal-themed activities powered the four-day showcase and set Malaysia’s growing halal economy in motion. The most vibrant hub of the showcase was the expansive halal exhibition floor, where 2,400 booths and exhibitors
Sept. 22, 2025 - 14:55:38
Korean liquors compete for spot at APEC summit's gala dinner table
A special tasting event featuring traditional Korean alcoholic beverages was held Friday in Seoul, ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit set for Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The event, hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs at a hotel in Seoul, brought together officials from APEC member economies, including diplomats based in Korea, to sample and vote on a toast beverage for the summit’s gala dinner. A total of 12 candidates we
Sept. 22, 2025 - 11:03:29
Why Perplexity built a low-key coffee shop in Seoul’s most upscale district
There's almost nothing about Cafe Curious that suggests it was created by a Silicon Valley AI startup. Located in Cheongdam-dong, one of Seoul’s most upscale neighborhoods, the space opened on Sept. 3. From the outside, it looks like just another sleek coffee shop with glass doors, dark stone walls and a small sidewalk sign. The name Curious appears modestly on the corner of the building. But this is not a typical cafe. It's the first physical location operated by Perplexity, the generative AI c
Sept. 16, 2025 - 08:30:00
From AI tarot to K-pop trainee role-play, SKT’s new Seongsu hub courts Gen Z
SK Telecom is bringing back its T Factory experience zone, with a new location opening Friday in one of Seoul's trendiest neighborhoods, offering a mix of AI-powered installations, K-pop trainee role-play and pop-up cultural events. The venue is surprisingly large given its location, tucked discreetly into a backstreet in Seongsu-dong. The space is more than twice the size of its Hongdae predecessor, covering 2,150 square meters across three floors and an annex. SKT said the zone reflects its de
Sept. 4, 2025 - 13:29:03
Kim, Jang advance to runoff in People Power Party leadership race
CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province — The main opposition People Power Party is set to hold a runoff vote to determine its next leader, as former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo and Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok emerged as the two finalists for the party’s leadership election Friday. The party did not disclose individual rankings or vote shares, only announcing that Kim and Jang had secured the top two spots among four candidates. Reps. Ahn Cheol-soo and Cho Kyoung-tae were eliminated. The first round of vo
Aug. 22, 2025 - 18:38:34
K-beauty at speed: Inside Olive Young’s urban fulfillment hub
The country that gave the world K-beauty is not only a leading beauty maker but also a master of delivery, reaching customers within hours, often within just one. At the forefront of this delivery revolution is CJ Olive Young, Korea’s largest beauty platform, whose online marketplace, connected to a nationwide network of 1,300 stores, is powered by a same-day delivery service, Oneul Deurim. This reads as both “today’s delivery” and “today’s dream,” as “derium” sounds similar to “dream” in Englis
Aug. 21, 2025 - 14:23:19
Typhoon winds, silent roads: Hyundai Motor reveals future of EV testing
HWASEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday unveiled its latest electric vehicle innovations at the Namyang R&D Center in Gyeonggi Province, with a focus on breakthroughs in aerodynamics, thermal management and ride comfort. A standout reveal was the “Aero Challenge car,” a prototype EV designed to achieve world-leading aerodynamic performance. Comparable in size to the Ioniq 6 sedan, the vehicle has already recorded a drag coefficient of 0.144 — beating the previous record o
July 24, 2025 - 10:58:41
LS Electric targets 50% output boost at Vietnam plant
HANOI, Vietnam ― LS Electric aims to boost production capacity by 50 percent to $60 million at its facility in the city of Bac Ninh, just east of Hanoi, Vietnam, by expanding output for battery control panels and electrical protection devices. This strategic initiative is part of LS Electric CEO and Chair Koo Ja-kyun’s commitment to Southeast Asia, the world's second-largest market for electric power systems after North America. “(On July 14,) Koo approved the construction project for a three-st
July 21, 2025 - 15:11:41
Inside PUBG Seongsu: Krafton’s new flagship in Seoul
A gaming and lifestyle hub has opened its doors in the heart of Seongsu, Seoul's burgeoning cultural district, welcoming not only gaming fans but nearby residents and the wider community as well. PUBG Seongsu is a multifaceted cultural space dedicated to Korean gaming company Krafton’s blockbuster shooter, PUBG: Battlegrounds. The venue, which operated as a pop-up space since last summer, is housed in a repurposed former leather factory that once supplied military goods. It has since been transf
July 13, 2025 - 14:38:36
UN Command turns 75, reaffirms commitment to peace on peninsula
PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province — Canadian Army Lt. Gen. Derek Macaulay had a simple message for the two elderly Korean veterans seated in front of him at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek on Tuesday: "Sunsaengnim, kamsahamnida" — "Thank you, sirs," in Korean. Macaulay, deputy commander of the United Nations Command, expressed his gratitude to retired Col. Kim Hong-su and former Sgt. Hwang Soo-gon, both of whom served in the 1950-53 Korean War. His Korean-language greeting opened the 75th anniversary c
July 9, 2025 - 14:18:18
Seoul’s 1st water bus offers scenic commute, but its not all plain sailing
Seoul’s new public transit addition promises a more comfortable and scenic alternative to the city’s infamous rush-hour traffic, but issues like limited connectivity, engine noise and onboard heat remain challenges to address. Hangang Bus, a ferry set to ply Seoul's main river, held its first trial run Tuesday with applicants who wished to experience the service ahead of its official operation in September. Though the ferry was designed to operate a route with stops in Magok, Mangwon, Yeouido, J
July 2, 2025 - 14:37:36
Hyundai's new open lab brings future cars closer to drivers
In a sleek showroom on a bustling street in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, visitors this week gripped futuristic steering wheels, rearranged the seats in cars like puzzle pieces, and slipped behind the wheel of a Genesis GV70 for a simulated urban drive -- all part of Hyundai Motor Group’s new push to let the public help shape the cars of tomorrow. Hyundai will officially open the facility, dubbed UX Studio Seoul, on Thursday as part of efforts to advance next-generation mobility and bring its latest techno
July 2, 2025 - 14:29:07
Statue of Peace finds permanent home in Bonn
BONN, Germany — On the count of three, “Frieden” — the German word for “peace” — echoed through a crowd of 50 people gathered on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Bonn. As the Statue of Peace emerged from beneath a purple veil, paper butterflies fluttered in the sunlight behind the bronze figure, symbolizing remembrance and resistance. The unveiling marked the official installation of a statue commemorating the victims of Japan’s wartime military sexual slavery, euphemistically referred to as “comfo
June 30, 2025 - 11:27:13
Seoul bids goodbye to 'Squid Game'
"Squid Game" swept through Seoul on Saturday night as a large-scale parade featuring towering character installations and figurines from the Netflix megahit marched through the heart of the city, drawing crowds of eager fans along Sejong-daero. Co-hosted by Netflix and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the parade kicked off at around 7:50 p.m., about 20 minutes behind schedule. Held to celebrate the premiere of the show's third and final season, which debuted on Netflix on Friday, the processio
June 29, 2025 - 13:24:52
