Most Popular
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Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
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Yoon's approval rating plunges to all-time low
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Will tug-of-war between doctors, government end soon?
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Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth
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Trilateral talks acknowledge ‘serious’ slumps of won, yen
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[Graphic News] More Koreans say they plan long-distance trips this year
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[KH Explains] Hyundai's full hybrid edge to pay off amid slow transition to pure EVs
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North Korea removes streetlights along cross-border roads with South
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Russia's denial of entry of S. Korean national unrelated to bilateral ties: Seoul official
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Farming households dip below 1m for first time in 2023
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Seoul Fashion Week appoints first director
Seoul Fashion Week announced Wednesday that it had appointed veteran fashion designer Jung Ku-ho as its first director. Jung will oversee Korea’s biggest fashion event for a two-year term, orchestrating and revamping fashion shows and related programs. “I will try my best to make SFW Asia’s representative fashion week that leads the fashion trends of Asia. If anyone wants to know about Asian fashion, they will have to come to the SFW,” Jung told The Korea Herald before the appointment ceremony i
May 20, 2015
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Changing the world one building at a time
MILAN ― An architect with an iconic status around the world, Rem Koolhaas’ cool piercing eyes and tightly pursed lips can intimidate. Sitting outside on the terrace of the ’60s Milan-inspired Bar Luce, created by director Wes Anderson of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” fame, at the Fondazione Prada’s new Milan venue, Koolhaas is busy texting and talking on the phone. When he is ready for our interview, a day after the media preview, Koolhaas explains with a slight grimace that he cannot shake hands b
May 15, 2015
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Ferragamo, Korean artist collaborate on scarves
Italian luxury fashion house Ferragamo collaborated with Korean artist Lee Sea-hyun for its collection of silk, cashmere and wool accessories. Lee is known for the “red landscape” images that depict North and South Korean scenes in delicate washes of crimson orange, reflecting Korea’s sociopolitical reality. His paintings have been exhibited internationally in the U.K., Switzerland, Amsterdam, New York and Seoul. The first partnership between Ferragamo and Lee began when the brand’s Asia-Pacific
May 13, 2015
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Chanel finds new inspiration in Korean aesthetics
The Chanel Cruise collection for 2015/16 was a tribute to Korean aesthetics. Models wore large braided wigs, or “gache,” a key accessory for women of noble birth during the Joseon period. The elegant decorations traditionally worn on the wigs were reinterpreted as brooches and accessories that added a Korean character to each look. Chanel Cruise Collection 2015/16 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Monday. (Chanel)Drawing on Korean traditional aesthetics, Karl Lagerfeld filled his latest co
May 6, 2015
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Hanok blends into public buildings
Nestled at the foothills of Mount Inwangsan, Cheongun Literature Library is an emerging tourist draw in Seoul.In a rare architectural style for a public building in Korea, the library’s faade exudes a traditional feel, in harmony with the surrounding mountain landscape. The Cheongun library is one of the latest architecture projects of the district office of Jongno. Starting from the restoration of Bukchon hanok village, the district has been spearheading efforts to popularize hanok in modern li
May 4, 2015
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The evolution of shopping spaces
Park Jae-hun, 25, heads over to a casual menswear shop in Itaewon to buy some short-sleeve shirts for the upcoming summer season. While browsing, he notices a shelf full of bath soaps by the wall and a display of sunglasses and backpacks nearby. Even though they are not what he originally intended to buy, Park is intrigued and looks through the items anyway. After shopping, he orders a drink and relaxes at the cafe inside the shop. The Series Corner flagship store in Itaewon has been decorated l
April 22, 2015
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Dreaming of a Korean craft renaissance
Throngs of foreign tourists stroll the streets of Insa-dong. The popular neighborhood in upper Seoul is famous for antiques, traditional crafts and art galleries and is considered a must-see location for those looking for a taste of “real Korea.” But most souvenirs sold in the area are anything but authentic. Choi Jeong-cheol, president of Korea Craft and Design Foundation, poses for a photo at the foundation’s gallery in Insa-dong, Seoul. (Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)Fans, wooden masks, traditio
April 17, 2015
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[Up & Coming] Humility and hard work make for mean designs
Up & Coming is a series of interviews with emerging artists in various fields of arts and entertainment. ― Ed. It would be easy to assume that the creator behind designs that have been called “youthful” and “rebellious” would have an equally boisterous personality. However, designer Kathleen Hanhee Kye flips this assumption on its head ― she is a calm yet driven, principled professional. The Korea Herald met with Kye at her cozy Sinsa-dong showroom just three days after her fall-winter show at
April 14, 2015
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Interior inspiration for springtime
For those seeking to primp up their living spaces in time for spring, inspiration could be found at the 21st Seoul Living Design Fair recently held at Seoul’s Coex Convention Center. Certain decorating trends stood out at the fair, which is currently Korea’s largest exhibition for interior and household-related brands. “Scandinavian patterns, industrial vintage and French antique are among the most popular styles in Korea today,” said Kim Hyung-rak, manager of home interior store Urban In. Frenc
April 8, 2015
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Samcheong-dong, Garosugil emerging as hot spots for beauty shoppers
Seoul’s Samcheong-dong and Garosugil, prized for their eclectic cafes and small fashion boutiques, were relatively unknown to beauty shoppers from overseas. That may soon change. Both are rising as the new hot spots in Seoul for foreign tourists, set to rival the current top district Myeong-dong.Belport in GarosugilSamcheong-dong, north of Myeong-dong, has seen some 10 large-scale cosmetics businesses open since 2011.Innisfree Jeju House, a cosmetics store and organic cafe owned by beauty conglo
April 8, 2015
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Milan Design Week to showcase Korean crafts
Korean sophistication, artistry and craftsmanship will be exhibited during Milan Design Week, one of the world’s largest showcases for design and craftworks.A total of 192 craftworks by Korean artisans will go on display under the title, “Constancy and Change,” at the Triennale Design Museum from April 14-19. It is the third straight year that Korea is holding the exhibition during the Milan Design Week, which brings together innovative designs from around the world. Red dry lacquered bowl by K
April 7, 2015
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[Herald Interview] Managing director of COS stresses timeless design, functionality
In the era of fast fashion, the life cycle of clothing is becoming shorter. People consume clothes as if they are disposable goods, driven by the supply of low-cost, trendy clothes offered by fashion giants such as Zara and H&M. However, the philosophy of COS goes against this fashion trend ― it believes fashion and longevity should go hand-in-hand, said Marie Honda, managing director of the company, a sister brand of H&M. “We have an approach to design that is timeless and permanent. Garments s
March 29, 2015
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Social influence on fashion
Menswear at Seoul Fashion Week has never been so diverse in styles and ideas as in the 2015 fall and winter collections. Designers presented an interesting mix of styles from streetwear and traditional tailoring to avant-garde while exploring the relationship between social and political issues and fashion during the two-day menswear show on Friday and Saturday. In contrast to previous collections for the chilly season, many collections featured diverse colors that delighted the eyes of fashion
March 22, 2015
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[Weekender] ‘For new look, think outside the box’
For many people, the coming of spring brings an urge to renew their home interiors. But decorating can be a daunting challenge for those who have not kept up with the latest trends. Revamping one’s home doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune or require much knowledge about what’s in vogue, according to veteran interior designer Kwon Soon-bok. A new look can start with a simple change. One just needs to think outside the box, she suggests. “Don’t buy furniture first. Use your own furniture first. It
March 20, 2015
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[Weekender] Inside Korea’s DIY home decor craze
It may come as a surprise how many young people in Korea know their way around a power drill. One example is Kim Ji-eun, a 33-year-old woman who was carefully drilling a small oval into a rectangular piece of wood at Intro M Wood Shop in Dobong-gu, Seoul. “I’m making a cellphone dock. The hole is for the charger,” she explained as she flipped the switch to get the drill going again. As she blew the wood shavings off the finished block, she said she had been coming here for about a year. At Intro
March 20, 2015
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Design meets humans
The oversized, domineering gate of rusty steel topped by the nameplate Devil’s Door is never meant to make guests feel at ease. Inside, an awe-inspiring interior of the top-flying brewpub in southern Seoul welcomes beer lovers longing for new tastes, choice and experience. The 10-meter-high ceilings, retro benches and chairs, brick wall art and a web of vintage metal pipe lamps combine to create the feel of a cottage brewery that has breathed a new life into an old abandoned factory in Brooklyn,
March 20, 2015
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Calligrapher to fashion world’s inviting hand
PARIS (AFP) ― His hand is steady and sure as it delicately traces the contours of the biggest names in the world of style: the celebrities, the magazine editors, the clients. Nicolas Ouchenir is a calligrapher, a member of a rarified profession whose ink appears on the must-have invitations of Europe’s fashion shows.He may not personally meet all the VIPs attending the catwalk parades. But his personalized flourish to them, deliberately evoking the elegance of times past is carried close in thei
Jan. 21, 2015
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Style (re)solutions: 6 steps to up your fashion, beauty game
Where there’s a resolution, chances are there’s a style solution to help conquer it.Before you let winter doldrums and self-defeat drown your goals for the new year, check out some of these simple beauty and fashion tips for looking and feeling your best in 2015.If you want to ...Get in shape: Weight loss tops the list of most-common resolutions each year and often is among the most commonly broken ones, too. What you wear ― and how you wear it ― can help you look more slim and trim. Opt for tai
Jan. 21, 2015
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Gucci salutes France in first post-Giannini show
MILAN (AP) ― The fashion curtain call is part of the ritual of the runway show, with each designer’s personality reflected in that final bow.Some, like Miuccia Prada, appear in the doorway for a nanosecond. Donatella Versace walks a good 10 meters out to salute the crowd, while Giorgio Armani stands perfectly lit in the darkened stage entrance. Monday was to be Frida Giannini’s last bow as creative director at Gucci’s menswear after a decade at the Florentine house ― but that was not to be. The
Jan. 20, 2015
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Milan Fashion designers celebrate normality
MILAN (AP) ― Tactile fashion set the trend on Sunday, the second day of Milan Fashion Week previews for next autumn and winter menswear. Designers are luxuriating in mohair, cashmere and heavy knits, enveloping men in rich, luxurious knitwear, including oversized scarves, chunky sweaters and slumping caps. Dark shades dominate, with some flashes of pink, purple and red offering contrast and whimsy. Here are some highlights: Gender interplay Miuccia Prada’s mostly black-on-black collection create
Jan. 19, 2015