Most Popular
-
1
Confusion over alleged S. Korean drone intrusion: Who's behind it?
-
2
South Korean military has ‘nothing to confirm’ on North Korea preparing border artillery corps to shoot
-
3
Han Kang’s Nobel Prize opens new horizons for Korean literature
-
4
2 Filipinas who left pilot program cite overwork, excessive surveillance
-
5
Border tensions heighten as North Korea builds up drone incursion claims
-
6
K-pop song once recommended by Nobel laureate Han Kang returns to music charts
-
7
SK heiress weds Chinese American entrepreneur
-
8
Riize speaks out on Seunghan’s return
-
9
Busan film fest ends with lingering controversy over streaming platform presence
-
10
Korean chipmakers should not repeat mistakes of Toshiba, Intel: ex-ministers
-
[Weekender] Envisioning Korea in 2070 in births, deaths, marriages and immigration
A dynamic, cutthroat society that never rests -- that has been South Korea until now. Changes have taken place in this Asian country in recent decades at speeds no other nation could follow: from poverty to prosperity, from the ruins of colonial occupation and civil war to becoming a rising cultural superpower on the international stage. But at the same breakneck pace, Korea is leading the world into a future where the majority live past 90 years old and fewer people are working to keep the econ
March 11, 2023
-
[Korean History] The short-lived inter-Korean detente during early '70s
The 1970s was apparently an embodiment of paradox. The world’s two superpowers were at fierce competition with one another while also engaging in detente diplomacy on the surface amid a proxy war in Vietnam dragging on through the first half of the decade. On the Korean Peninsula, the two Koreas -- separated by the 38th parallel -- agreed on their first-ever accord, only to be followed by the most volatile confrontations. The July 4 South-North Joint Statement, or Communique of 1972, was t
March 8, 2023
-
[Korea Quiz] 'Winter Sonata,' the beginning of Hallyu
Find the answer at the bottom of the page. You may have discovered Korean dramas through Netflix. But well before the advent of streaming platforms, they were the main driver of Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, across Asia. And many say the phenomenon of the global popularity of Korean drama, music and pop culture was pioneered by 2002 KBS TV drama hit "Winter Sonata." The series has all the landmark cliches of K-drama. It tells the love story of Joon-sang, a businessman played by act
March 8, 2023
-
[Land of Squid Game] Covering up at the beach
Koreans tend to be very careful about their skin, which is why, for example, they use parasols in sunny weather. This carefulness extends to when they go to the beach as well. When visiting a beach here, people from overseas who enjoy the sun may be surprised to see how much skin Koreans cover up. It's common to see people wearing wide-brimmed hats and rash guards to protect their arms and legs from the sun. Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University's Busi
March 7, 2023
-
[Newsmaker] Crime victims, socially stigmatized open up on YouTube
Ondoni Ssem was previously just another popular fitness instructor on YouTube. But her online identity changed overnight when she uploaded a video late last month. In the video, she revealed herself to be the sole survivor of an infamous familicide that happened in Seoul’s satellite city of Yongin in 2017, in which her stepbrother killed her father, stepmother and younger brother. With her confession, the YouTuber with over 200,000 subscribers joined a growing group of individuals who are
March 6, 2023
-
[Hello Hangeul] Does it pay off to become fluent in Korean?
Mastering a foreign language requires a long-term commitment that can take years. Without the promise of it becoming a valuable asset to your professional or personal life, it can be difficult to stay committed. What are the rewards for attaining fluency in Korean? Will the time and energy learners put into learning the language pay off in some way other than being able to watch K-dramas without subtitles? To explore the benefits of learning Korean further, The Korea Herald spoke to four non-Kor
March 5, 2023
-
[Korean History] Daeyeongak Hotel fire, a nightmare on Christmas
On Christmas morning in 1971, a devastating fire broke out at the 21-story Daeyeongak Hotel in Seoul. It was filled with locals and foreigners who had spent Christmas Eve at the lavish hotel, which had only opened two years prior. When the blaze was finally brought under control after nearly eight hours, it was unclear immediately how many lives had been lost. Although over 100 were rescued, a far larger number was feared to have been killed. The next day's front page of The Korea Herald is
March 2, 2023
-
[Korea Quiz] Beloved alcohol
Find the answer at the bottom of the page. In South Korea, soju has long been loved for its accessibility and versatility. A bottle costs just under $1.50 and it pairs well with a wide variety of foods or other drinks. Think of the boilermaker known as "somaek," or any of the other variations. This vodka-like spirit also makes frequent appearances in Korean dramas, and it is over these green bottles of soju that friends catch up with each other and colleagues unwind after a long day at
March 1, 2023
-
[Newsmaker] Colonial-era place of torture now monument to sacrifice
Tiny was hardly even the word for it. The solitary confinement inside the buildings of Seodaemun Jail was barely wide enough for an average-sized man to enter, and would have been just long enough for one to lie down. On one side of the windowless cell was a small hole, which turned out to be possibly among the most depraved versions of a toilet. Built in 1908 near the end of the Joseon era, this notorious jail was a place where many Korean independence fighters were locked up, tortured and exec
Feb. 28, 2023
-
[Land of Squid Game] Sucking air between teeth
Sometimes a Korean will make a hissing sound in response to a question. While some may interpret this as a negative response, or that their request is being denied, for Koreans, they are merely using this as a quick filler response while considering what they want to say. All they mean by sucking air between their teeth is, “Uhmm, let's see.” Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University who is widely known as a multicultural educator and for his practi
Feb. 28, 2023
-
[Hello Hangeul] The linguistic divide of Korea: the legacy of 'Malmoi' and decades of separation
Choi Seol, a North Korean defector, entered a stationery shop to purchase a stapler. She asked for "chaekjjipkke" -- which literally means bookbinder – as it was the only word she knew to refer to the stationary item. The store clerk was puzzled, and Choi left the store empty-handed after a few minutes of explaining what she wanted. Later, she learned that South Koreans refer to staplers as "hotchkiss," a Japanese loanword. She also recalls a conversation with a colleag
Feb. 26, 2023
-
[Korean History] Capture of US spy ship symbolizes US-N. Korea tensions
Deep in the heart of the North Korean capital Pyongyang, moored along the Pothong River Canal, is a US Navy ship that is featured as an exhibition of the "Victorious War Museum." The ill-fated vessel is USS Pueblo, the only active ship on the commissioned roster of the American Navy now held captive by another country. On Jan. 23, 1968, the world’s most powerful military was dealt an unexpected blow by the hands of a tiny communist state, when Pyongyang attacked the US Navy intel
Feb. 22, 2023
-
[Korea Quiz] BTS Jin's new role
Find the answer at the bottom of the page. Jin, a member of the popular South Korean boy band BTS, is currently serving in the Korean Armed Forces as a part of his mandatory military service. All able-bodied South Korean men are required to complete a period of military service, which lasts 18-22 months. Jin has joined the Army in December 2022 and is due out in June of 2024. As part of his service in the South Korean Army, the singer has been assigned the role of a drill instructor, responsible
Feb. 22, 2023
-
Korea-themed hot spots in heart of Vietnam
HANOI, Vietnam – In Hanoi’s hip Ho Tay Lake area, famous for its trendy restaurants and shops, stands an old-style Korean house with a large black tile roof, wooden pillars and stone walls. Inside, timber tables and chairs, matching walls covered in Korean handmade paper from the bark of the mulberry tree -- hanji -- exudes a warm and inviting atmosphere. Nestled in the hanok-style house, Ragacy is a cafe that specializes in Korean-style coffee and desserts. “Here reminds me
Feb. 22, 2023
-
[Land of Squid Game] Engaging in excessive small talk
Koreans regard it as somewhat unfriendly to deal with the specifics of business before establishing a rapport. In general, they like to engage in small talk before turning to the main topic. They may ask simple questions such as inquiring about your flight, the weather or even about whether you’ve eaten lunch or dinner. Westerners, feeling that time is money, generally want to conduct their business efficiently in the least possible amount of time. In particular, American businesspeople vi
Feb. 21, 2023
-
[Korean Dilemma] More cafeterias for children, a way of the future
Even with AI doing, or “assisting,” more and more human jobs in the future, there’s one thing we will continue to do every day even a hundred years from now: eating. Yes, there may one day be capsules containing all the necessary nutrients that we can gulp down when we can’t be bothered to chew. But gastronomy and conversing (or arguing) at the dining table are integral parts of human life that differentiate us from other animals, or robots. And it takes at least an hou
Feb. 21, 2023
-
[Subway Stories] Seoul’s central bus terminal is high-end and glossy, but some miss humble past
With the introduction of bullet trains in the mid-2000s, the usage of intercity charter buses began to decline rapidly in South Korea. Several bus terminals across the country have gone out of business since. The Seoul Express Bus Terminal is an exception. The terminal, which opened in 1981 in what is now one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Seoul, still teems with visitors. The terminal itself is a testament to Seoul’s rapid economic growth. Starting as a bus terminal in the middl
Feb. 19, 2023
-
[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Tale of a script: From invention to widespread adoption
In the winter of 1443, Korea’s native writing system called Hunminjeongeum, which means “the correct sound that teaches the people,” was born. Three years later, a book of the same name was published under commission of the king to explain how the novel writing system works and how it was created. Nearly six centuries have passed, and the writing system, now called Hangeul, is credited for South Korea’s near-100 percent literacy rate, with many taking pride in the scienti
Feb. 19, 2023
-
[Hello Hangeul] Western missionaries did not just spread the gospel, they spread Hangeul
Although Hangeul was created and adopted as the official writing system in mid-15th century, it took nearly 400 years for it to become widely used by the general public. Chinese script was still prevalent, as the ruling elites rejected King Sejong’s invention as a vulgar language of the underclass people. In the late 19th century and during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule of Korea, interest in Hangeul was renewed on the back of growing nationalist sentiments, and it was Western Christ
Feb. 18, 2023
-
[Newsmaker] ChatGPT not to be trusted on Korean names
Artificial intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT is all the rage, with the potential to change the way many people work. But for those hoping to get quick answers about Korea from the AI platform, it is not to be trusted, at least for now. As of Thursday, the bot developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI gives error-ridden answers to some basic questions about Korea, starting from the profile of Korea’s current President, Yoon Suk Yeol. For the question, “Who is President Yoon Suk Yeol?&rd
Feb. 16, 2023