Most Popular
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Confusion over alleged S. Korean drone intrusion: Who's behind it?
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South Korean military has ‘nothing to confirm’ on North Korea preparing border artillery corps to shoot
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Han Kang’s Nobel Prize opens new horizons for Korean literature
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2 Filipinas who left pilot program cite overwork, excessive surveillance
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Border tensions heighten as North Korea builds up drone incursion claims
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K-pop song once recommended by Nobel laureate Han Kang returns to music charts
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SK heiress weds Chinese American entrepreneur
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Riize speaks out on Seunghan’s return
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Busan film fest ends with lingering controversy over streaming platform presence
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[News Focus] Momentum builds for 3-way summit by end of year
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Korean lawmakers, foreign diplomats launch pro-diversity campaign in Korea
Seven South Korean lawmakers, 25 diplomats and 15 envoys from 40 different countries as well as a Seoul-based civic group have joined forces to launch a pro-diversity campaign, calling for the equal treatment of multicultural families and diverse ethnic groups here, officials said on March 28. According to the Sunfull Foundation, which has been campaigning against online hate speech and cyber bullying and is now leading a movement called, “Respect for Multicultural Families and All Ethnic
March 29, 2023
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[Korea Quiz] Kim Jong-un's beloved daughter
Find the answer at the bottom of the page. Years before North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter, Ju-ae, made her first public appearance in November 2022, there were several indications of her existence. She first made her presence known to the outside world while still in the womb, when South Korean media in 2012 reported that Kim’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, appeared to be pregnant. This report was later confirmed the next year, when former NBA star Dennis Rodman visited the hermit
March 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
March 28, 2023
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[Land of Squid Game] Never pointing at others with index finger
As in many other cultures, pointing at someone with your index finger is considered extremely rude in Korea, mostly because it is associated with blaming someone for their actions or pointing out their mistakes. However, gesturing towards someone with one's whole palm upturned is considered respectful. Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University's Business School who is widely known as a multicultural educator and for his practical English teaching. This con
March 28, 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
March 24, 2023
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Five kinds of puppyhood in Korea
March 23 is "National Puppy Day," which was started in 2006 by dog lovers in the US to honor the cute furry animals that bring joy and happiness to humans. Here, The Korea Herald looks at the lives of five different kinds of pups in South Korea. 1. Pet dogs The daily lives of puppies in loving and caring homes in Korea revolve around one important routine – walking with their owners. As many Koreans live in apartments, which often lack outdoor space, regular walks are crucial f
March 23, 2023
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[Korean History] When Koreans lost a first lady
"History through The Korea Herald” revisits significant events and issues over seven decades through articles, photos and editorial pieces published in the Herald and retell them from a contemporary perspective. – Ed. Aug. 15 is a national holiday marking Korea’s liberation from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule in 1945. But the historic day for South Koreans turned into a nightmare 48 years ago in 1974, when then-first lady Yuk Young-soo was killed by a bullet meant fo
March 22, 2023
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[Korea Quiz] Kim Jong-un's past
Find the answer at the bottom of the page. North Korea’s Kim Jong-un is the leader of the most reclusive country in the world, but it has not always been that way. The youngest son of late Kim Jong-il, the former leader of the totalitarian communist state, he attended the Liebefeld Steinholzli school near Bern, Switzerland in the late 1990s. No one at the time knew that he was a son of the North Korean dictator, as he was disguised as a son of an employee at the North Korean embassy. His
March 22, 2023
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[Land of Squid Game] Never call me by my name
Not calling people by their given names is considered a part of Korean manners. In fact, doing otherwise is considered very disrespectful for some Koreans unless they are either in a close relationship with that person or they have a higher relative position. Most of the time, Koreans use titles when addressing one another, as in, Manager Kim or Director Lee. Relatively few people who are close to you will call you only by your given name. In professional settings especially, refrain from callin
March 21, 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
March 21, 2023
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[Hello Hangeul] Korean language teachers persevere to help learners around globe
Korean used to be a language spoken only on the Korean Peninsula and by nearly 10 million Koreans overseas. But in recent years, it has become one of the fastest-growing choices for foreign language learners around the world, thanks to the sweeping, universal appeal of Korean dramas, shows and pop music. Behind the rapid increase of learners are committed teachers with the passion to help earnest young people pursue their dreams despite various predicaments. Their pay depends on the country or t
March 19, 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
March 19, 2023
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[Korean History] Kim Dae-jung kidnapping: How future Nobel laureate nearly fell victim to junta
Kim Dae-jung, an opposition leader with a knack for public speeches, was the biggest threat to the military junta led by Park Chung-hee. Later, he served as the President of South Korea and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This file photo from 1973 was originally published in The Korea Herald.An opposition leader was abducted while in exile in a foreign land. His captors bound him up and weighed him down with heavy stones, preparing to throw him from a ship into the sea. It was then that fate
March 16, 2023
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[Korea Quiz] Don't call me that
Roughly equivalent to madam or ma’am, "ajumma" is, according to the National Institution of Korean Language, an informal way of saying "ajumeoni," an appellation for middle-aged women. For the unmarried women, being called an ajumma can be considered an insult because it implies that she no longer looks like an “agassi,” a single, young woman. Even those who fit the dictionary definition of ajumma -- married with children -- often express their dislike f
March 15, 2023
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[Survive & Thrive] Naturalization exam: How difficult is it?
To become a naturalized citizen of South Korea, applicants must have a basic knowledge of the Korean language, customs and culture, which is evaluated through a written test and an interview. The Korea Immigration and Naturalization Aptitude Test comprises of multiple-choice questions, a writing test and an oral test, which must be completed within 60 minutes. To pass, one must score at least 60 points out of 100. According to the Justice Ministry, Korean children in the fourth to sixth grades s
March 14, 2023
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'Banner politics' plaguing the streets
Last month, a college student on an e-scooter fell after her neck got caught on a thin rope from a political banner that was tied to a post, at a crossroad at around 9 p.m. in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. The vocal music major suffered an abrasion on her neck. She said she didn’t see the rope as it was too dark. Anyone who has passed through an intersection in South Korea, especially in Seoul, would have noticed large political banners, as well as many other placards advertising various businesses
March 14, 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
March 14, 2023
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[Land of Squid Game] Refusing gently
Koreans don't like to say “no” directly because they don't want to hurt the other person's feelings. They might give out some non-verbal cues to convey their refusal or disagreement. To avoid confrontation or rudeness, Korean conversations, as you might have seen in many K-dramas, are full of “Maybe...”, “I think it's possible that…” However, some foreigners who are accustomed to hearing a “no” that means “no”
March 14, 2023
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[Subway Stories] Take subway to Eden, pockets of nature in Seoul
Seoul, Korea’s bustling capital full of gridlocked streets and mile-high concrete buildings, is in fact the perfect city to bask in nature without having to travel very far. Covered with 6,685 hectares of forests, the heart of Korea boasts various urban parks surrounded by forests with sprawling trees and colorful flowers, most of which can be reached by subway. The following are some of the forest parks popular among Seoulites who crave a detox from the city. Seoul Forest A five-minute wa
March 13, 2023
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[Korean Dilemma] Bracing for super-aging society
Imagine 2050. Two out of five people in South Korea will be aged 65 or above. You will see more older people on self-driving buses and trains, although they may look much younger than those of their age now. More young people will be engaged in businesses that serve the old, like health care, clubs and cruise ships. Yet, the government and media are tormented by the notion that there will be too few young people to support the old. In a country where so many social problems stem from cutthroat c
March 11, 2023