Most Popular
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1 in 3 Koreans live alone, family types becoming diverse
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Korea, Japan finance chiefs vow to tame rampant FX market volatility
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US 'incredibly concerned' about suspected NK-Iran military ties
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K-pop group's manager dismissed for setting up spycam in theater dressing room
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K-pop singer lost consciousness after being hit by foul ball, cancels show
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Korean Muslim YouTuber's plan to build mosque in Incheon goes viral
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[Kim Seong-kon] Democracy and the future of South Korea
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Why is Apple Pay struggling to get purchase in Korea?
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Yoon's office denies considering liberal figures for key posts
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Seoul says Fu Bao loan 'not going to happen'
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[Weekender] Four beaches to check out on east coast
Beaches along the East Sea draw vacationers for their soft sand and clear water. Below are The Korea Herald’s top four picks to check out this summer. Gyeongpo Beach, the biggest on East SeaThe Gyeongpo Beach located between the East Sea and Gyongpo Lake in South KoreaWith a sand beach stretching some 6 kilometers, Gyeongpo Beach is a sand bank located between the East Sea and Gyeongpo Lake. It is the biggest beach along the east coast, attracting an average 6.5 million people each summer. Loca
TravelJuly 21, 2017
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[Weekender] Olympics, vacation home boom revitalize coastal towns
GANGNEUNG/SOKCHO, Gangwon Province – Gangwon Province and its coastal towns used to be the less developed and less populated in South Korea. But that seems to be changing fast. With accessibility from the metropolitan area greatly enhanced and expected to improve yet more in the coming months, the once laid-back coastal towns and cities are seeing a property development boom, with a number of luxury hotels, resorts and apartment complexes being erected. The Seamarq Hotel in GangneungThe upcoming
TravelJuly 21, 2017
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[Weekender] Anglers go mobile for fishing
Mobile apps are expanding into fishing. More Korean hobbyists are using smartphone apps to minimize trouble and maximize fun while out angling. Not only do the apps make access to information easier, they also allow anglers to carry less in their bags and do more. App users can make reservations at fishing pedestals, find where to fish, remotely check the fishing conditions in real time and even digitally measure their catches and put them online to compete with other anglers.For a hobby convent
CultureJuly 14, 2017
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[Weekender] Fishing cafes hook young Koreans
With a growing number of Koreans in their 20s and 30s seeking alternative places to spend time together indoor fishing holes, known as “fishing cafes,” are gowing in popularity. A 22-year-old student surnamed Kim is one of those looking for a new way of passing time. Tired of the same old movies, restaurants and cafes, she chose a fishing cafe as a new place to entertain herself. Around 50 fishing cafes are located at university areas in Seoul, allowing the young to delve into a new source of en
CultureJuly 14, 2017
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[Weekender] Fishing widening its net in Korea
South Koreans have diversified their leisure activities in the years since the five-day workweek system was introduced in 2004. The increased leisure time is fueling the growth of various industries, and fishing is one of the key beneficiaries. Fishing was usually associated with Korean men, who dreamed of owning a framed photo of themselves holding a big catch. Indeed, fishing had been regarded as a conventional pastime among retirees and a narrow group of devotees, most of whom were men.The si
CultureJuly 14, 2017
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[Weekender] Online comunities help Koreans go fishing
South Koreans have long enjoyed fishing as a hobby. But the public notion about the pastime is that it’s for the elderly or those who have a lot of free time. Things are changing, though, as a growing number of online fishing communities are catering to Koreans in their 20s and 30s -- a group willing to go for a new hobby to relieve their stress. FMC members enjoy fishing at Gimpo fishery (Kang Pan-soo/FMC)Lee Ji-ah is a case in point. “I used to be easily swayed by unwanted thoughts before I st
CultureJuly 14, 2017
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[Weekender] Extravagant desserts, once banned, return to spotlight
Topping off a savory meal with something sweet has become a commonplace ritual all over the world. But long before cafes or bakeries flooded the streets of Korea, sweets were not used as desserts but rather spotlighted on their own, according to Lee Sun-mi, professor of Korean traditional cuisine at Sookmyung Women’s University’s Korean Food Institute. A plate of ripe persimmon and red bean paste (left) and iced yuja tea at Cafe Noshi (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)“Korean confectionaries, or
FoodJuly 7, 2017
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[Weekender] Taiwanese desserts gain ground in Korea
Move over macarons and Frappuccinos. Just as Starbucks made coffee drinks a daily essential for millions of Koreans and consumers around the world, authentic Taiwanese desserts are soaring in popularity here. Taiwanese dessert shop 315 Taiwan Cafe located on Teheran Street in Gangnam, southern Seoul (315 Taiwan Cafe)Seoul isn’t exactly home to the most authentic Taiwanese desserts. But if you take a chance and indulge in freshly crafted milk tea and munch on a heated Taiwanese pancake at 315 Tai
FoodJuly 7, 2017
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[Weekender] Bingsu, Korea’s heat-beating ice dessert
If Italy has gelato and France has sorbet, Korea has bingsu. It is a national dessert made of shaved ice, milk and condensed milk, and often topped with sweetened red beans or fruits. It is a dish beloved across generations, chilling their taste buds and slaking their thirst in the thick of summer. After a meal, Koreans like to go to a bingsu store to dive into a bowl of shaved ice, usually with friends or family. While the original “patbingsu” is made of ice, milk and red beans, more varieties
FoodJuly 7, 2017
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[Weekender] Deadly heat waves to be the norm by 2100
High temperatures can kill a person in a number of ways, and each year reports of an elderly individual dying during a heat wave makes the headlines in South Korea. However, such incidents could become a regular occurrence with summers set to be filled with killer heatwaves by 2100, should carbon dioxide emissions increase at the current rate, researchers warn. (123RF)According to research, led by Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Seoul will have up to 67 days of deadly heat wave
Social AffairsJune 25, 2017
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[Weekender] Frogs, flowers in January -- Climate change's impact on Korea
The Korean Peninsula can’t escape global warming. Every year heat wave warnings come earlier and earlier, and record temperatures no longer come as a surprise. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Korea’s annual average temperature has increased by 1.7 degrees Celsius between 1912 and 2008. In comparison, the global average saw an increase of 0.74 degrees Celsius over the same period. Korea’s faster climate change is thought to have been aggravated by rapid urbanization. “About
Social AffairsJune 25, 2017
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[Weekender] Korea reeling from climate change
The Korean Peninsula is heating up at an unparalleled pace. As the air and sea temperatures rise, pollack, cod and other staple fish are on the verge of extinction, while mackerel, anchovy and squid are becoming ubiquitous and cheaper. Apple orchards are being replaced by tangerine, banana and kiwi farms. Summer birds like white and night herons are spotted all year round. Double rice harvest, which was once possible on the southernmost island of Jeju only, is spreading to upper regions. The ave
Social AffairsJune 25, 2017
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[Weekender] Sweltering, early summer changes Korean life
Closet reorganization has long been a seasonal chore for South Koreans, but climate change is prompting some people to do away with the cumbersome task. South Korea’s once distinctive four seasons, spread out almost evenly over 12 months, seem to be giving way to two long and seasons of extreme heat and cold, with short transition periods in between. “I no longer put short-sleeved shirts into boxes. It feels like summer comes right after winter now,” said a 32-year-old office worker Kim Jin-hee.
Social AffairsJune 23, 2017
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[Weekender] Korea turns corner on going meat-free
In South Korea, revealing that you are a vegetarian would often be met with blank looks, as the country is not exactly veggie-friendly -- at least until recently. There are signs that Koreans are beginning to take vegetarianism more seriously, as they are increasingly exposed to reports of the destructive impact that meat consumption can have on their health, on animals and on the planet. “When I was young, I wondered why human beings destroy the environment when trees, mountains and other ani
Social AffairsJune 16, 2017
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[Weekender] Vegetarian-friendly eateries to visit in Seoul
Aparna Balakumar, a 21-year-old Australian student visiting South Korea, says she was a little nervous about coming to the country for the first time, fearing that her food options might be limited as a vegetarian. But after weeks of hunting in Seoul, she learned there are a significant number of vegetarian communities here and an increasing number of places to go that are vegetarian-friendly, with many of them located in districts frequented by foreigners such as Itaewon.“Plant in Itaewon, for
IndustryJune 16, 2017
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[Weekender] Vegetarianism becomes a matter of environmental choice
Withstanding the difficulties and inconveniences of being a vegetarian can derive from healthful or dietary purposes, but for many it is also about the environment.A 2011 report titled “Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change and Health” broke down common food by their total carbon dioxide emissions, including both production and postproduction factors such as transportation. Lamb and beef loomed large at 39.2 and 27 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilogram produced, respectively. Following that we
Social AffairsJune 16, 2017
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[Weekender] Being vegetarian in Korea
Being vegetarian in Korea is difficult, and being vegan is just putting undue hardships on oneself -- or so go the few dozen conversations I’ve had over the last few years in Seoul since I switched to a pescatarian diet. In truth, a diet in which you cut out large swathes of food is going to be difficult anywhere -- so I hear from gluten-free and paleo diet friends alike. But Korea may be a unique situation. “What can you eat at a Korean restaurant?” I asked a vegan friend. “Mostly plain bibimba
Social AffairsJune 16, 2017
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[Weekender] Korea’s favorite emoticons and their stories
Koreans are avid users of emoticons on mobile chats, and an interesting trend here is that popular emoticons are mostly characters with made-up life stories behind each of them.According to Kakao Corp, the operator of the country’s largest mobile messenger with around 42 million users, the most consumed emoticon series features Kakao Friends -- a group of eight different characters led by Ryan the lion. As of early June, a total of 28 emoticon packages featuring Kakao Friends are available for p
IndustryJune 9, 2017
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[Weekender] Receptions of emoticons different by generation
Emoticons on mobile messengers have pandered to young South Koreans’ taste, becoming an inseparable part of their lives. But in a nation lush with ready-made emoticon packages, which cost some 3,000 won ($2.67) per package, perceptions or reactions to them can differ between generations, sometimes causing communication issues. Bae Hyeon-ji, 27, as many others her age, has a penchant for emoticons she finds “cute and fresh.” Having three to four new emoticon bundles ready for use each year, Bae,
TechnologyJune 9, 2017
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[Weekender] A brief history of emoticons
Some are flashy, some move, and some even make sounds. Emoticons have become an inseparable means of delivering feelings and messages for mobile messenger and online users worldwide.Some 92 percent of the world’s online community are estimated to use emoticons, increasingly known by their Japanese name emoji, with over 6 billion of them sent every day, according to the 2015 Emoji Report released by marketing platform Emogi.They have developed alongside wireless telecommunications devices. The or
TechnologyJune 9, 2017