The Korea Herald Series

Latest News

More sports
[Graphic News] Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Anticipation is building for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy’s first Winter Games in two decades. The 25th Winter Olympic Games will open on Feb. 6 and run through Feb. 22. In South Korea, interest is high not only because of the global competition but also due to recent Olympic history. At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, South Korea finished seventh in the medal standings with 17 medals, including five golds, eight silvers and four bronzes - its best result ever. At the 2022 Be
Jan. 30, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Korea posts world’s highest growth in AI adoption

South Korea emerged as the fastest-growing country in artificial intelligence adoption in the second half of 2025, signaling a major shift in the global AI race. The AI Economy Institute, a Microsoft-affiliated think tank, released “AI Diffusion Report: A Widening Digital Divide,” analyzing global AI adoption trends in the latter half of last year. According to the report, South Korea posted the highest growth rate among all countries, with AI adoption rising 4.8 percentage points, the largest i
Jan. 29, 2026 - 08:00:00
Soccer
[Graphic News] Son, global stars take ‘last dance’ at 2026 World Cup

South Korean men’s national soccer team captain Son Heung-min is expected to headline the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the tournament likely marking his final appearance on soccer’s biggest stage. Now in his mid-30s, Son embodies the culmination of a golden era for Korean soccer, combining global stardom, leadership and consistency across four World Cups. FIFA’s “Last Dance” spotlight places him alongside some of the sport’s defining figures, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modri
Jan. 28, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Koreans value family over money for happiness

When Koreans think of happiness, “family” is what comes to mind first, according to a recent survey. McDonald’s Korea surveyed 1,034 adults aged 20 to 69 about their general perceptions of happiness. Among all respondents, 26.2 percent said they most strongly associate happiness with family, followed by "health" and "comfort." As for situations that make them feel happy, 27.6 percent said chatting with family members or friends, followed by eating delicious food and taking a good rest. Meals wer
Jan. 27, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] LoL most popular ‘PC bang’ game of 2025

The game most played in South Korean internet cafes, known locally as “PC bangs,” last year was League of Legends — or LoL — a recent report showed. N Media Platform, an integrated online marketing firm, released its 2025 data covering Jan. 1 to Dec. 14, detailing South Korea’s most popular online games, their genres, and user demographics. By individual game, LoL ranked first, accounting for 36.01 percent of playtime, followed by FC Online (9.06 percent), Battlegrounds (8.42 percent) and Valora
Jan. 26, 2026 - 08:00:00
Culture
[Graphic News] Art auctions rebound in 2025, led by Chagall

According to the Korea Art Price Appraisal Association and Artprice, the domestic art auction market’s transactions last year totaled around 140.5 billion won ($95.3 million), a 25.4 billion won increase from the previous year. Annual transaction values had steadily declined from 329.4 billion won in 2021 but rebounded for the first time in 2025. In total, 18,339 works of art were exhibited at auction, with 9,797 sold, resulting in a 53.42 percent successful bid rate, the highest in three years.
Jan. 22, 2026 - 08:00:04
Baseball
[Graphic News] New York Yankees lead greatest sports teams list

British sports outlet GiveMeSport selected the 15 greatest teams in world sports history, calling the process extremely difficult given the fierce competitiveness of global sport. Soccer accounted for the largest share, with six teams making the list, including AC Milan’s late-1980s European champions, two legendary eras of Real Madrid, Johan Cruyff’s Ajax, Pele’s dominant 1970 Brazil and Barcelona’s 2008–2011 side led by Lionel Messi, which ranked first among soccer teams and second overall. Am
Jan. 21, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Russia captured less than 1% of Ukraine in 2025

Russia captured less than 1 percent of Ukraine’s total territory over the past year, highlighting the slowing momentum of its military campaign. According to battlefield analysis, Russian forces newly occupied 433,600 hectares, primarily in the Donetsk region, accounting for just 0.72 percent of the country’s overall territory. Despite sustained offensives, Moscow has struggled to translate heavy fighting into significant territorial gains. Analysts point to mounting Russian casualties, equipmen
Jan. 20, 2026 - 08:00:00
WorldNews
[Graphic News] Just 1 in 6 Americans back Trump’s Greenland bid: poll

Just 17 percent of Americans approve of President Donald Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland, and substantial majorities of Democrats and Republicans oppose using military force to annex the island, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The two-day poll, which concluded on Jan. 13, showed widespread concerns over Trump’s threats to NATO ally Denmark over Greenland, which has been a Danish territory for centuries. Trump has said Greenland is vital to US security and that Washington must own it to prevent
Jan. 19, 2026 - 08:00:00
K-pop
[Graphic News] Blackpink’s Rose tops ‘world’s most beautiful faces’ list

Blackpink member Rose has claimed the top spot on TC Candler’s “100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2025.” The US-based film site announced the annual list through its official YouTube channel, which highlights female celebrities worldwide based on global fan votes. Several K-pop stars also ranked high on the list. Karina of Aespa ranked 8th and Jisoo of Blackpink was 11th. Nana, who previously placed 1st two years in a row in 2014 and 2015, was 18th. Other notable entries included Twice’s Tzuyu (20th),
Jan. 15, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Seoul dining prices rise 3-5% in 2025

The average prices of eight popular dining-out menu items in Seoul increased by roughly 3-5 percent in 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier, adding to the cost-of-living burden for consumers. Gimbap saw the steepest rise, with the average price of a single roll jumping 5.7 percent, from 3,500 won in November 2024 to 3,700 won in November 2025, dimming its image as a cheap and convenient meal option. A bowl of kalguksu rose 4.9 percent, from 9,385 won to 9,846 won, while a kimchi jji
Jan. 14, 2026 - 08:00:00
Soccer
[Graphic News] K League hits record gate revenue

The K League continued its surge in popularity for a third consecutive year, setting new records for both total gate receipts and average revenue per spectator in the 2025 season. The Korea Professional Football League announced that combined gate revenue from K League 1 and K League 2 reached 46.09 billion won ($31.4 million), the highest since official records began in 2013 and an 8.3 percent increase from 2024. Gate receipts have risen sharply over the past three years, from 34.4 billion won
Jan. 13, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Parents prioritize children’s health over academics: survey

Parents place greater importance on health than academic achievement for infants and young children, according to a survey of 1,500 parents conducted by the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education. The most valued early childhood trait was “being healthy,” cited by 33.1 percent of respondents, followed by “being socially harmonious” at 26.1 percent. Other traits parents hoped their children would develop included creativity (17.5 percent), independence (15.1 percent) and emotional sensitivit
Jan. 12, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] Shrimp Crackers top Korea snack sales

Nongshim’s Shrimp Crackers, known in Korean as “Saewookkang,” emerged as South Korea’s top-selling snack in the first half of 2025. According to the Food Industry Statistics system, sales of Shrimp Crackers reached 57.8 billion won, holding the top spot in snack sales for the second consecutive year. Sales dipped 1 percent from the same period in 2024 but still led all snack categories. Industry officials credited the product’s staying power to Nongshim’s collaborative marketing, including a lim
Jan. 8, 2026 - 08:00:00
Social Affairs
[Graphic News] KakaoTalk gifting service used nearly 200m times

KakaoTalk’s gifting service was used nearly 200 million times in 2025, the company said. Data showed approximately 189 million gifts were sent as of Dec. 17, translating to an average of 540,000 gifts per day. The service offers 640,000 types of gifts from some 8,700 brands. The most popular item was a Starbucks gift certificate, followed by certificates from leading food delivery app Baemin, discount retailer E-mart and beauty chain Olive Young. The gifting service was most heavily used on Nov.
Jan. 7, 2026 - 08:00:00