Most Popular
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Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
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[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
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Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
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Students with history of violence will be barred from becoming teachers
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Probe of first lady on Dior bag allegations set to begin
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'Super Rich in Korea' will leave viewers appreciating Korea more: producers
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Top prosecutor pledges 'speedy, strict' probe into first lady's luxury bag allegations
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Medical feud leaves hospitals in financial crisis
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'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart
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Chip up cycle won’t stay long: SK chief
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Civic group calls for probe on Chun's family
A civic group on Wednesday staged a rally in front of a police station in Seoul where Chun Woo-won -- the grandson of former President Chun Doo-hwan -- is being investigated for drug crimes, calling for a greater focus on the junior Chun's other claims. The National Action to Judge Chun Doo-hwan said that rather than the junior Chun's drug crimes, investigators should prioritize his apology and reflection on the massacre that happened during the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in May 1980,
Social AffairsMarch 29, 2023
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Shamans, curses and superstitions in contemporary South Korea
In episode 15 of Netflix's "The Glory," the shaman character, who is involved in the antagonist Park Yeon-jin's shady family business, suddenly drops dead in the middle of performing a ritual, leaving viewers bewildered by the sudden plot twist involving a supernatural scene. Shamanism may appear out of place in a modern-day revenge thriller, but superstitions and shamanistic practices are not far removed from the daily lives of many Koreans, even in their tech-savvy and fast
CultureMarch 28, 2023
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Schoolyard nightmares extend their reach in digital age
"R-r-r-ring! R-r-r-ring!" Picking up the phone, I was greeted by a barrage of harsh words. “Why won’t you check your f---ing messages? You that eager to die? See what happens next,” Minji, my supposed “friend,” spat before hanging up. An alarm on my phone notifies me of an invitation to a chat room, the members of which seem to be in a competition to see who could be crueler to me. The above is content from “Cyberbullying Vaccine,” a mob
Social AffairsMarch 27, 2023
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[Hello Hangeul] Upgrade needed for teaching 'advanced' Korean
The soaring popularity of South Korean pop culture has fueled a boom in Korean language learning using songs and dramas in recent years. With the help of the media and internet, foreign learners are putting their best foot forward to get a better grasp of Korean colloquial expressions, new words and slang used by younger Koreans. Some learners also improve their linguistic knowledge by taking Korean language classes. Teachers often find introductory Korean courses easier to teach, but they often
Social AffairsMarch 26, 2023
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Two troubling trends in Korean med school admissions
A look at the recent-year admissions data of Korean medical schools has revealed two disturbing trends: Applicants try year after year to get into the program and those who succeed are mostly from Seoul and major cities. Three out of 4 students admitted into medical schools across the country in the past four years had taken entrance exams multiple times before they succeeded, an analysis by the office of Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kang Deuk-gu of 5,144 students enrolled showed. Repeat taker
Social AffairsMarch 24, 2023
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[KH Explains] Will grandson help locate Chun Doo-hwan’s slush funds?
The mystery of what happened to the bribes taken by late President Chun Doo-hwan have re-entered the spotlight after his grandson, Chun Woo-won, an accountant based in New York, made headlines last week by alleging that his family was living off the illicit funds. Chun was an Army general who seized power in a coup and led Korea as a dictator from 1980 to 1988. He was responsible for authorizing a massacre of demonstrators during the Gwangju Democratic Uprising before making himself president. Y
Social AffairsMarch 23, 2023
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Prosecution starts looking into 'black money’ confession of ex-president's grandson
South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday said they are reviewing allegations of illicit funds surrounding late ex-President Chun Doo-hwan’s family, sparked by Chun’s grandson’s recent confession on social media that his family was “living off black money.” According to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, the case has been allocated to the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Department to see if the disclosure made last week by Chun Woo-won -- the grandson in q
Social AffairsMarch 22, 2023
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[Korean Dilemma] Swearing on TV: How sensitive, or sensible, should we be?
Last week, a home shopping channel host blurted out an expletive on air. Upon mounting complaints from viewers, the nation’s broadcast media watchdog demanded an explanation from the channel before it decides on disciplinary action. The wealthy villains of the Korean revenge drama “The Glory,” which became one of Netflix’s most-viewed shows of all time less than a week after its season 2 release, hurl the most offensive swearwords almost every time they speak. Upon hearin
Social AffairsMarch 21, 2023
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Where does Korea stand on same-sex marriage?
A ruling last month by a high court in Seoul has resurrected the debate on same-sex marriages, which, unlike in many other countries, is a topic rarely-discussed in South Korea. The judgement acknowledged people in same-sex partnerships as eligible dependents for national health insurance coverage under a partner’s subscription, a decision which was hailed by sexual minorities and their advocates, and denounced by naysayers, including conservative Christian groups. “Common-law marria
Social AffairsMarch 20, 2023
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Korea's luxury fever nurtures label-loving kids
In Netflix's hit drama “The Glory,” the mother-in-law of the main villain, Yeon-jin who led the bullying against protagonist Dong-eun in high school, dressed her newborn granddaughter in a red Gucci onesie. Even though the baby would grow out of the clothes in a matter of weeks, she swaddled her grandkid with luxury clothes, saying, “You need to stand at a different starting line to get ahead of others.” While not to the extreme of the fictional character, the same b
Hashtag KoreaMarch 19, 2023
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Ex-president’s grandson apparently does drugs on YouTube livestream
Grandson of the late former President Chun Doo-hwan, Chun Woo-won, who recently made headlines for publicly accusing his family of various felonies, broadcast himself taking what appeared to be drugs early Friday. The 27-year-old started streaming himself on YouTube around 5:40 a.m., Korean time, at his New York home and apologized for what he said were his family’s crimes, with a vow to donate half of his assets to society. He also showed himself donating $52,265 to UNICEF. After reiterat
Social AffairsMarch 17, 2023
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New 'maid cafe' stirs up debate
A new Japanese-style "maid cafe" opened in Seoul on Wednesday, sparking controversy, with some raising concerns that the cafe's costumes and theme of female servers being dressed as anime-style "maids" could be degrading and commercializing sex. Located in Mapo-gu, the so-called "maid cafe" welcomes customers with overly accommodating waitresses dressed in ruffled miniskirts and fishnet stockings. A total of 28 workers or "maids" serve food and drinks whil
Social AffairsMarch 16, 2023
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[Newsmaker] Ex-president Chun Doo-hwan's grandson slams his family
A grandson of the late former President Chun Doo-hwan alleged that his family was living on illicit funds, has committed crimes and called his grandfather a “slaughterer,” in a shocking Instagram disclosure Tuesday. Chun Woo-won, the second son of the ex-president’s son, Jae-yong, uploaded video clips and posts on his Instagram account, in which he introduced himself as such and confessed the purported wrongdoings of his family. The posts included photos of his family, the in
Social AffairsMarch 15, 2023
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[Newsmaker] [What should I call you?] Will 'nim' do?
Honorific titles can be tricky in many cultures, but can be particularly baffling in South Korea -- where various factors like social status, age, work experience and even social prejudice can be factored in. This series delves into the myriad of ways people address each other in the Korean language. -- Ed. President Yoon Suk Yeol scrapped Korea’s traditional way of counting age, in which a person is considered one at birth, and grows a year older on the first day of the new year. The re
Hashtag KoreaMarch 14, 2023
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[Newsmaker] Hankook Tire halts fire-hit Daejeon plant
Hankook Tire and Technology has stopped production altogether at its Daejeon plant after a fire burned some of the factory buildings and left severe damage, the South Korean tire manufacturer said Monday. Although buildings in one of the two factory complexes were not damaged by the fire, a Hankook Tire official explained that the company is shutting down its operation for the day as part of safety measures. "We don't know when the plant will resume operation at the moment," the o
MobilityMarch 13, 2023
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[Newsmaker] Korean parents turn to foreign schools as alternative to 'Daechi hell'
Like many parents, the ultimate goal that Cho Mi-jin, a 47-year-old mother in Seoul, has in mind is for her children to enter a prestigious university. But she does not want her children to endure the intense competition and grueling years they would have to go through in public schools and private cram schools -- locally known as hagwon -- for that one common goal: admission to top universities through a high score on the Suneung, Korea's college entrance test. Instead, she has come up with her
Social AffairsMarch 13, 2023
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[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Korean adoptees discover lost identities through language
The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project, which consists of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language, as well as the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of its language within the league of world languages. -- Ed. When John Tae-shik Ha, a Korean adoptee to Sweden, first learned his Korean name some three decades ag
Hello HangeulMarch 12, 2023
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[Newsmaker] Over half of Netflix users in Korea will drop service if account sharing is banned: survey
As global streaming service Netflix began a crackdown on account sharing in other countries, many Korean Netflix users said they would leave the service if the ban were enforced in Korea according to a survey. In February, a new plan charging additional fees for sub-accounts rolled out in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. The plan, which makes users set a "primary location" to match their account activity, is expected to be introduced in more countries in the coming months, incl
CultureMarch 10, 2023
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[Newsmaker] BTS' Suga marks birthday with donations for Turkey, Syria
Suga of BTS donated 100 million won ($75,700) to support relief efforts in Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the major earthquakes there. Global NGO Save the Children on Thursday said Suga delivered the 100 million won fund to the organization to help the children who have been affected by the disaster. The producer-rapper of BTS turned 30 on Thursday. The organization added that Suga's donation will be used to buy blankets, mattresses, stationery and other relief supplies and deliver th
K-popMarch 9, 2023
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[Newsmaker] [From the Scene] From meat to companion: 200 pups freed from dog farm in Asan
ASAN, South Chungcheong Province – A serene countryside village in Asan, located in central South Chungcheong Province, was filled with hysterical barking and sometimes whining as rescuers entered a dog meat farm on Wednesday. With fear and anxiety in their eyes, the dogs on the farm -- most of whom had never experienced meaningful interactions with humans -- seemed confused. Rescuers carefully went into narrow, dirty cages and moved the dogs into mobile kennels one by one. "It's
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2023