Surging into 2018, dramas featuring returning stars and rising rookies are coming to light up viewers’ lives. Singer and actress IU will be the leading actress of upcoming tvN drama “My Ajeossi.” Lee Sun-kyun will be IU’s “ajeossi,” meaning middle aged man in Korea. The two will play a couple with a 20-year age-gap, that learns to heal each other’s old wounds. The drama will air in the first half of 2018 and Nara of K-pop act Hello Venus will be joining the cast.  IU (Yonhap)Jang Dong-gun is loo

Television Jan. 3, 2018

EXO’s Baekhyun apologized for his choice of words regarding depression. A supposed fan uploaded a clip from a conversation that she had with the singer at a fan event on Dec. 30. In the audio clip, Baekhyun could be heard saying, “I don’t know why people get depressed.”  (S.M. Entertainment)The singer was criticized for being inconsiderate of people who suffer from depression. The statement came as a shock for fans, especially since his label mate Jonghyun died by suicide last month and had suff

Performance Jan. 3, 2018

 Several drama awards ceremonies were held over the weekend, recognizing the the stars that shone in 2017. Suzy, winner of a best actress award for her role in SBS‘ “While You Are Asleep” (Yonhap)Every year, the three main television networks in Korea -- KBS, MBC and SBS – each host an awards ceremony to honor the best TV shows of the year. At MBC’s awards ceremony on Saturday, Kim Sang-joong won the grand prize for his role in “Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People.” This year, the winners were cho

Television Jan. 1, 2018

Students of Seoul National University will be able to eat a meal for less than $1 (1,075 won). The university announced Wednesday that “from next Tuesday, a 1,000 won lunch menu will be provided to its enrolled students. Previously, the 1,000 won menu was provided only at breakfast and dinner time.  Former student union leader eats the 1,000 won menu with the president of the university (Yonhap)An official from the university said that “it is a measure for the students to eat without a financial

Social Affairs Dec. 28, 2017

Local preschools and daycare centers might be banned from holding English classes under the Moon Jae-in administration. The Ministry of Education unveiled the “Early Childhood Education Renovation Plan” Wednesday, expressing concerns over the current education system for preschoolers and younger children. According to the announcement, the ministry is looking at banning English education in preschools, amid social arguments that preschoolers are stressed out from learning English and mathematics

Social Affairs Dec. 28, 2017

A branch of local bank Saemaul Financial Firm allegedly forced its female employees to resign after marriage. The head office is conducting an internal inspection on its branch at Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. Five female employees of the branch are thought to have resigned against their will.  (Yonhap)In an interview with a local news outlet, one of the former employees said, “When I started my work, I was forced to give a written promise to resign if I should get married. After reporting ab

Social Affairs Dec. 27, 2017

A local education office has suspended an elementary school teacher for a month following a drug charge. North Chungcheong Provincial Office of Education said Tuesday that an elementary school teacher in the district has been suspended from duty for the use of gamma hydroxybutyric acid, a psychotropic drug, with a friend.  (Yonhap)The teacher was arrested by police, though her indictment was suspended considering the small amount of the drug. An official from the education office said, “While th

Social Affairs Dec. 26, 2017

A war veteran admitted that some of the dispatched South Korean troops killed non-military locals during the Vietnam War (1960-1975). Korea sent troops to Vietnam during its civil war in an effort to push the communists back. There have been voices, both domestic and international, calling for the Korean government to recognize and apologize for the massacres of Vietnamese civilians by its troops, during the war.  Yoon Mi-hyang, chairman of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military S

Social Affairs Dec. 26, 2017

The Korean government recently deported 17 foreign nationals, to ensure the safety of upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, slated for February. Local daily Seoul Shinmun reported Monday, 17 foreigners, including nationals from Southeast Asia and Central Asia, were deported from Korea, believed to pose a terror risk.  An aerial view of PyeongChang Olympic Village (PyeongChang Organizing Committee)According to the government official, cited by the report, the government cooperated with 50 foreign i

Social Affairs Dec. 26, 2017

Christmas has become an expensive holiday for young people in Korea. Many restaurants dish out set course “Christmas Meals” at double usual prices. Lodgings are offered at exorbitant prices, amid a surge in demand. Clubs and bars are much the same, tacking on extra charges for Christmas tables. Even for those willing to fork out the money, all these are hard to come by, as rooms and tables are quickly booked.Amid skyrocketing prices, some women especially in their 20s and 30s are seeking out alt

Culture Dec. 22, 2017

The labor union of mailmen in Korea on Thursday protested against deliveries on Saturdays. The union gathered in front of Gwanghwamun Post Office in Seoul on Thursday to call for abolishment of the weekend delivery service.  (Yonhap)Korea Post abolished the service in 2014, but it restarted the service the following year after negotiations with the labor union. The union argued that terms of the agreement have been broken, and released the results of a recent survey of 3,547 mailmen across the c

Social Affairs Dec. 22, 2017

들소가 사자를 들이받았다. 심지어 가만히 쉬던 사자를 공격했다. 지난 7일 동영상 공유사이트 유튜브에 게재된 영상으로, 남아프리카공화국 크루거 국립공원에서 발생한 사건을 담았다. (사진=유튜브 영상 캡쳐)영상에서는 들소가 가만히 있는 사자를 냅다 들어올려 집어던진다. 사자는 맥을 못추고 나가떨어졌다.촬영자 베타브르 샤퀸느(22)는 “굶주리고 마른 암사자가 변을 당한 것“이라고 설명했다. 사자는 본래 무리지어 사냥하는 포식자다. 녀석들이 늙고 병약해져 무리에서 퇴출되면 사냥이 사실상 불가능해 굶어 죽는다는 보고가 있다. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

한국어판 Dec. 22, 2017

A news report has highlighted that more foreign men were found to have catcalled local women in the streets. Hankyoreh, a South Korean daily newspaper, reported Thursday that an increasing number of foreign men are catcalling in expat-friendly neighborhoods, such as Itaewon, Seoul. Catcalls are widely regarded as sexual harassment, consisting of unwanted comments and whistles from strangers, despite little legal sanctions on offenders domestically.  (Yonhap)According to the report, many local wo

Social Affairs Dec. 21, 2017

Supreme Court justice nominee Min Yoo-sook made her position clear on homosexuality. “I am not taking the view that favors homosexuality,” Min said during a parliamentary confirmation hearing Wednesday.  (Yonhap)Through a written response submitted to the National Assembly last Monday, she said, “Homosexuality, an individual’s sexual orientation, is not a matter to be resolved through banning or opposing.”She also made her stance on same-sex marriage, “The court ruled that same-sex marriage cann

Politics Dec. 21, 2017

Starbucks opened its biggest store in Korea in downtown Seoul, Wednesday, which is designed to do much more than simply serve coffee. Its former largest in the nation was the “Cheonho Rodeo branch” in Gangdong, Seoul.The 1,097 square-meter compound, named “The Jongno branch,” is located across the street from Bosingak, at Jongno Tower, Jongno-gu, one of the oldest districts in Seoul, dotted with traditional attractions. The store is four times larger than the average size of other branches in Ko

Food Dec. 20, 2017