Herald Interview In series
A series of in-depth interviews.
#Interview
# In-depth
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Herald Interview In series
A series of in-depth interviews.
Would you like to subscribe?
Born and raised in Korea, Egyptian wrestler pursues citizenship for shot at Olympics
Fouda Faris Ahmed has won four consecutive wrestling tournaments in South Korea. But the 21-year-old, who was born and raised in South Korea, cannot enter the country’s national team trials. An Egyptian citizen, Ahmed is seeking special naturalization so he can compete under the Korean flag and, he hopes, one day hear South Korea’s national anthem from an Olympic podium. “Whenever I imagine winning the Olympics or another championship for a country other than Korea, my heart does not pound,” Ahm
Sept. 1, 2026 - 14:25:27
Korea’s global seed vault takes on climate crisis
As climate change accelerates the loss of plant species and threatens food security, South Korea is seeking a larger role in safeguarding the genetic resources that could help crops and ecosystems survive a hotter, less predictable world. At the center of that effort is the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute, or KoAGI, which operates the Baekdudaegan Global Seed Vault and is expanding cooperation with international organizations, research institutes and governments. “The climate crisis and bio
Aug. 31, 2026 - 17:06:10
From 118 kg to a new life: A doctor’s journey with obesity drugs
For most of his life, cardiovascular surgeon Chang Hyoung-woo treated his obesity with the familiar prescription of diet, exercise and willpower. He even underwent surgery, losing 26 kilograms — only to regain nearly half of it. After his experience with a new generation of obesity drugs, Chang, 46, now argues that people with severe obesity should be offered medication as a primary treatment rather than being expected to rely on lifestyle changes alone. “For patients with severe obesity, diet a
Aug. 31, 2026 - 15:05:53
Korea needs ‘Korea rally,’ not memory rally: J.P. Morgan
J.P. Morgan Asset Management says Korea must turn its semiconductor-led surge into a broader “Korea rally” to attract foreign capital that stays beyond the memory cycle. “A trigger for more durable inflows would be evidence of broader earnings growth across non-memory tech, industrials, financials and consumer. In other words, a ‘Korea rally’ rather than a ‘memory rally,’ along with a wider uplift in turnover,” Alexander Treves, managing director at J.P. Morgan Asset Management and head of inves
Aug. 30, 2026 - 09:53:52
A couple brought together by music, Korea and now Wagner
French conductor Adrien Perruchon led the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra in a four-hour concert version of Richard Wagner's "Ring" cycle — four operas that run about 15 hours when performed in full — earlier this month. Singing the role of Brunnhilde was his wife, soprano Lee Myung-joo. It was the first time Perruchon had conducted the work in any form, and the first time Lee had sung the role. "Der Ring des Nibelungen" is among the most demanding works in the classical repertoire. The four oper
Aug. 28, 2026 - 13:42:37
Breaking the idol mold, Zelo on a path to find his own sound
Former B.A.P member Zelo is still figuring out exactly what “Zelo” should sound like. But after years of questioning habits and formulas he absorbed as a K-pop idol, the rapper-turned-solo artist says that picture is finally beginning to take shape. His latest single “Ela,” released late July, continues the direction he first introduced with “Cola Comigo” in March. Blending Latin-inspired rhythms with R&B and pop influences, the two releases mark what Zelo describes as the foundation of his new
Aug. 28, 2026 - 09:00:00
Why one size shouldn't fit all in golf
A 79-year-old former professional golfer watched his driving distance fall to around 170 meters with age. Reaching a par-5 green in two was no longer easy. For someone who had spent decades playing golf at a professional level, the loss of distance did more than hurt his pride. It was taking the fun out of the game. "People say golf is a fair game. I see it as an extremely irrational and unfair game," said Lee Hyung-kyu, CEO of Bang Golf, during an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Wed
Aug. 27, 2026 - 15:46:43
Aston Martin sees Korea rising to No. 2 in Asia-Pacific
Aston Martin has launched three high-performance S models in Korea in its largest-ever local product rollout, betting that the country could soon become its second- or third-largest market in the Asia-Pacific region. The British luxury carmaker unveiled the DB12 S Super Tourer, Vantage S sports coupe and DBX S SUV, as it seeks to accelerate its expansion in Korea. Neil Hughes, head of product management at Aston Martin, said the broad product update reflects Korea’s rapid emergence as an importa
Aug. 26, 2026 - 00:00:00
Korea stock rally opens door to rerating: Nomura economist
Korea's stock market may be starting to shed its long-standing discount, but the Kospi's sharp rally has yet to translate into a market rerating, according to a senior Nomura economist. "We believe Korea is beginning to move beyond the traditional 'Korea discount,' but it is too early to call it a sustained premium," Park Jeong-woo, Nomura's senior economist for Korea and Taiwan, said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. Despite the Kospi's strong gains, Park said valuations suggest inve
Aug. 25, 2026 - 15:37:28
Pianist Kim Saehyun looks beyond virtuosity after Long-Thibaud win
For 19-year-old pianist Kim Saehyun, the year since his Long-Thibaud Competition victory has been a period of rapid expansion, both in music and beyond it. In 2025, at 17, he won the competition in Paris by unanimous decision, sweeping the audience, press jury and Paris prizes as well. About a month later, he performed at a peace concert marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day at the Arc de Triomphe. Since then, he has toured internationally while pursuing bachelor's and master's d
Aug. 25, 2026 - 15:06:48
The reluctant architect of Korean stand-up
Danny Cho did not come to Korea chasing a Korean Dream. When the Korean American stand-up comedian moved to Seoul in 2017, the plan was far less ambitious: stay two years to escape the routine that had drained him at home. "So the reason why I moved to Korea, it was supposed to be a temporary thing, like two years, and it was not to do stand-up in Korean," Cho told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul on Aug. 13. “It was because I was burnt out." Korea was supposed to be a detour. Instead,
Aug. 20, 2026 - 18:14:12
Kim Hye-soo: ‘I know myself well — and what I still need to work on’
South Korean screen icon Kim Hye-soo has been billed as a major force in film and television for nearly four decades. Throughout a career defined by fierce, charismatic and intelligent roles, she has carved out a legacy, frequently upstaging her male co-stars in a sector long dominated by male-driven narratives. Defined by a sultry authority and the gravitas of a seasoned screen veteran, Kim has showcased a formidable range since her 1986 debut, spanning heist masterminds, gamblers, and a charis
Aug. 20, 2026 - 14:23:39
League of Legends champion DRX sets sights beyond gaming
DRX, the Korean esports organization behind the 2022 League of Legends World Championship run that popularized the phrase “unbreakable spirit,” is setting its sights beyond gaming. Korean shows backed by its subsidiary are set to debut in the fourth quarter, marking the first major step in DRX’s bid to become an entertainment group, said CEO Yang Sun-il. “The boundaries between content such as games, K-dramas and films have already collapsed,” Yang said in an interview with The Korea Herald at t
Aug. 20, 2026 - 13:08:40
Sopranist Samuel Marino gives Handel a Korean myth
When Samuel Marino read the Korean folk tale of Princess Bari — a royal daughter abandoned at birth who years later crosses into the underworld to save the parents who cast her out — he thought of Handel. "The connection between Handel and Bari is simply this: being left behind," Marino said in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Aug. 14, hours before his first rehearsal for an upcoming concert. "Handel wrote so many operas about characters like that — abandoned. So when I read the st
Aug. 20, 2026 - 10:35:30
NPS must lead Korea’s governance reset: expert
South Korea still has a long way to go to eliminate the Korea discount, with the National Pension Service positioned to drive the next phase of corporate governance reform, governance specialist Park Yoo-kyung said. Park spent 17 years overseeing responsible investment and corporate governance in the Asia-Pacific region at APG, the asset manager for Dutch pension fund ABP. She currently serves as a board member and audit committee chair at the Tara Climate Foundation. She has also been nominated
Aug. 19, 2026 - 15:35:42
