Most Popular
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Yoon sorry for shortcomings but insists policies were right
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1 in 3 Koreans live alone, family types becoming diverse
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S. Korea ‘strongly’ protests Japan’s claim over Dokdo in diplomatic bluebook
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US 'incredibly concerned' about suspected NK-Iran military ties
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Korea, Japan finance chiefs vow to tame rampant FX market volatility
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Korean won weakens amid heightened uncertainty
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Seoul says will cut power to porn festival planned on Han River
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Sewol victims commemorated on tragedy's 10th anniversary
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K-pop group's manager dismissed for setting up spycam in theater dressing room
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Chanel, Louis Vuitton see muted growth in Korea
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[Weekender] Korean cosmetics companies vie for growing anti-aging market
Vying for the bigger pie in the lucrative and fast-growing anti-aging cosmetics market, Korean companies are spewing out reinvented products and brands using more natural ingredients and less chemicals. According to data compiled by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the production volume of functional cosmetics products by Korean cosmetics companies in 2016 increased by 15.3 percent on-year to reach 4.4 trillion won ($3.9 billion). Of the total functional cosmetics production, the production
IndustrySept. 8, 2017
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[Weekender] In search of youth
The term “babyface” has far wider connotations in the modern era than as a nickname for boxers and legendary bank robbers. Saying someone has a babyface may be the biggest compliment one can pay in a society that seems determined to stay forever young.Koreans enjoy a reputation for being well-groomed, with the country ranking No. 3 in the world in the number of cosmetic procedures done and No. 5 in the number of plastic surgeons, according to 2015 data by the International Society of Aesthetic P
TechnologySept. 8, 2017
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[Weekender] Secret to reversing aging? Think again
As people age, so do their looks. In the hopes of reversing the ravages of time, a growing number of people are willing to pay for the privilege: The anti-aging industry in South Korea is expected to gross more than 28.3 trillion won ($25.1 billion) by 2020. Yet aging is a natural process of life, and experts warn against manipulating the pace using therapies that have not yet been proven to have significant benefits. 123rfA growing number of beauty clinics across the nation are offering stem ce
TechnologySept. 8, 2017
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[Weekender] Earphones becoming standalone, convenient and smarter
In the premium earphone market traditionally dominated by high-end audio producers, smartphone giants have jumped into the race by integrating with their advanced handset technologies. Global smartphone makers Apple, Sony, Samsung and LG are luring music lovers with more standalone, convenient and smarter earphones, moving beyond sound quality by removing wires, adopting ergonomically designed headsets and integrating with software in their smartphones. Bundled, high-end earphones for smartphone
IndustrySept. 1, 2017
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[Weekender] Koreans shell out for high-end headphones
Audiophiles in Korea are shelling out for high-end headphones as technology for audio players continues to improve and headphones are marketed as accessories.“Once you hear a song through expensive headphones, it never really sounds the same after that,” said a 38-year-old businessman surnamed Kim, who was trying out a different headphones at the Sony store in the upscale Apgujeong area.“At first I thought that it was ridiculous to spend more than 100,000 won on a pair of headphones. But after t
IndustrySept. 1, 2017
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[Weekender] Plugging in
Beats, melodies, or words flow into your ears uninterrupted, and no one can touch what you picture with the sounds. Earphones and headphones divide a solitude space among multitudes on a busy street, mass transit or in a room full of people. With the ability to escape unwanted noise, earphones have long become a natural necessity in modern everyday life.(123rf)Portable devices like the Walkman began to nurture the culture of earphones in South Korea in the 1980s. For decades, the compact devices
TechnologySept. 1, 2017
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[Weekender] Kids go wild in ‘infant forests’
“Take a look at this pupa hanging from a leaf.” At the call of the guide, 5-year-olds crowded around to observe the cocooned insect hanging from a shrub inside the “infant’s forest” of Samcheong Park, in the center of the country’s busiest city, Seoul. Each with a magnifying glass in hand, the children freely explored their surroundings, poking at a slug and shrieking in delight at finding a spider hanging on a web in a tree. Amid the drone of city life and strictly planned classroom culture, mo
Social AffairsAug. 25, 2017
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[Weekender] Into Seoul’s urban woods
As Korea edges towards the crisp, cool weather of fall, more city-dwellers seek the refuge of nature in urban forests. Although not as lush and large as national parks, they are ready to cater to those who crave fresh air and a break from their routine life. Here are the big three city forests in South Korea’s capital. Statues are seen at forests in Seoul.Seoul ForestSeoul Forest, near Ttukseom Station on Subway Line 2, is on a 595,000-square-meter plot of land that opened in 2005 and is made of
Social AffairsAug. 25, 2017
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[Weekender] Urban forests offer greener life in Seoul’s concrete jungle
Seoul is probably more closely associated with stark concrete jungle than forests. However, the city is becoming greener as local governments turn to forests to battle pollution. Forests in urban areas work as filters for air pollutants and fine particles. According to the National Institute of Forest Science, a single tree can absorb 35.7 grams of fine dust particles in a year -- an amount that could fill an espresso cup. A coniferous tree can absorb up to 44 grams of air pollutants, and enviro
Social AffairsAug. 25, 2017
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[Weekender] Korean DJs should be wary of popularity, never get lazy as trend setters: DJ Juncoco
As the clock ticks past midnight in the crowd-packed clubs of Gangnam-gu DJ Juncoco, who draws enormous cheers from avid clubbers, is getting ready to step into the DJ booth. As one of the most in-demand DJs today, he is treated like a rock star at weekend club parties. The pulsating and sassy electro dance music he spins under the colorful LED lights doesn’t let clubbers slow down. His tunes, which show a touch of moody French style EDM and old-school pop melodies, compel the clubbers to jump
CultureAug. 18, 2017
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[Weekender] Unique ecosystem of Korean ‘night’
Booming music blasting from the speakers, flocks of people drenched in alcohol and excitement flailing about into the night; nightclubs are normally thought of as places for music-lovers and partygoers to cool off and let their troubles roll by.But the nightclub culture in Korea is divided into two main factions -- what locals call “night” and “clubs.” (123rf)“Clubs” are basically the same as most nightclubs found around the world. They have a dance floor, a few tables and people socialize as t
CultureAug. 18, 2017
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[Weekender] Seoul and adventurous after-hours
It started out with cabarets and discotheques in the 1980s, when Korea saw an unprecedented economic boom. Seoul’s nightlife has been growing and thriving ever since, giving birth to a myriad of clubs with different themes.(D.Bridge)Back then, nightclubs were places for people to dance and performers to put on shows. Cabarets were home to the middle-aged, usually featuring a live band and bluesy tunes. Dubbed “colatheques,” some venues would offer upbeat music and a lively social atmosphere with
CultureAug. 18, 2017
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[Weekender] Stature of cats ‘catapults’ in Korea
In South Korea, cats had been shunned for their association with evil forebodings and bad luck. In the early 1990s, for instance, my mother did not allow me to have a cat because their cries, sounding like a newborn, would give her goosebumps.Cats don’t warm up to people as instantly as dogs do. This led some people to believe cats to be disloyal and aloof. Cats were also thought to be spiritual. When a cat stared in to the vacant air with their glowing narrow-slit pupils, the superstitious bunc
CultureAug. 4, 2017
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[Weekender] Upscale feline products cater to delicate tastes of cats
A growing number of South Korean cat moms and dads are willing to go the extra mile to satisfy the delicate preferences of their four-legged companions. Cat owners used to make do with mass-produced pet supplies, but nowadays, a wave of custom-made feline products are allowing cats to live a life of luxury.An Instagram photo of social media feline star Ddulggae eating an Alaskan halibut snack received a flurry of comments from some of her 73,000 followers, who expressed avid interest in the prod
CultureAug. 4, 2017
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[Weekender] Special cafe for rescued cats offers chance for adoption
As the number of cat owners in South Korea goes up, so does the number of abandoned cats. Some 250,000 cats were abandoned or lost in 2016, according to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. Only 30 percent of them were adopted by new owners. The reason for the low adoption rate is the persistent prejudice against abandoned cats. People assume that rescued cats were abandoned for negative reasons, such as mental or physical issues. Earth Cat Cafe, located near Ewha Womans University in Seoul,
CultureAug. 4, 2017
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[Weekender] Webtoon helps readers overcome prejudice against cats
When Chae Yu-ri first encountered two abandoned kittens in 2003, her heart fluttered with joy and excitement. Chae, then 26, grew up on a farm with animals and had always wished to have a cat. She brought the sister cats to her house and named them Bbotto and Zzagoo. Cartoonist Chae Yu-ri and ZzagooTo cherish every moment with those adorable creatures, Chae started to draw them in a cartoon. Named after the kittens, “Bbo-Zza-toon” was first published on Chae’s blog in the same year. Fourteen yea
CultureAug. 4, 2017
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[Weekender] Support for parents of twins grows with rising twin population
When Lee Hye-jeong learned she was having twins, she felt overwhelmed.“I had not expected twins, and all of a sudden I was hearing about all the additional risks that were associated with having twins,” she said. Faced with unexpected hospital fees and double efforts needed for child care, Lee sought out additional support offered by the government. Government support for parents of twins is growing as the number of twins rises in Korea, including paid maternity leave and free nutritional supple
Social AffairsJuly 28, 2017
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[Weekender] The ins and outs of twinhood
Wherever they go, they naturally draw attention. One day they may fight like there’s no tomorrow, but in the end they are each other’s best friend. Twins, whether identical or fraternal, are becoming more common in Korea, partly because more women are getting married at an older age, increasing the likelihood of having children via medically assisted reproduction, which raises the chances of multiple births. The latest data from Statistics Korea shows that 16,166 twins were born in 2015, account
IndustryJuly 28, 2017
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[Weekender] Twin bliss
“Four out of 10 kids that I saw today at a kids cafe were twins, and they were all fraternal,” wrote an anonymous mom in a post on an online community that has 2.6 million moms and wannabe moms as members.Another mom replied to the post, saying, “It’s because more women are having babies through in vitro fertilization these days. I envy those mothers who got two birds with one stone.” Such dialogue is common nowadays in South Korea, which faces a decreasing economically productive population.Ind
IndustryJuly 28, 2017
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[Weekender] Explore the east
GANGNEUNG/SOKCHO, Gangwon Province -- Just a two-hour drive from the sleepless metropolis that is Seoul, South Korea’s eastern coast feels like a different world: white sandy beaches, laid-back shore towns and surfers paddling in the sea.No wonder beaches along the East Sea are popular holiday destinations for locals seeking to escape the city. Songjiho Beach, located in Goseong County, Gangwon Province, some 200 kilometers east of Seoul.“We often come to the beaches off the East Sea as the wate
TravelJuly 21, 2017