Most Popular
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Criminals who drugged teens' drinks with meth sentenced to up to 18 years
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Rival parties unite to form 4-way body to break med school standoff
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Korea to certify safety of EV battery from October
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Wartime sexual slavery victims file for Japanese govt. asset disclosure
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S. Korea logs current account surplus for 3rd month in July
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Producer Teddy's girl group Meovv debuts, showcasing dual feline charms
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Farewell summit: Yoon, Kishida pledge to keep momentum in revitalizing ties
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Man to pay W727m for opening plane door before landing
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Two Korean women arrested for stealing tourist's bag in Turkey
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Frieze Seoul sees slower sales, yet confirms stronger art scene in Seoul
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These creators barely speak Korean. But they make money out of it.
Seven African men with muscular torsos wearing blue sweatpants stand facing the camera. In unison, they say, “Happy birthday, Ye-jin” in Korean. In front of them, two men, also sporting the same look, hold a chalkboard with the same Korean line written on it. After the birthday shout out, they all start dancing along to “GANADARA,” a song by Korean singer Jay Park. This video message, posted on YouTube channel “World Surprise Video” last
May 17, 2022
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[Land of Squid Game] We’re gganbu!
In one of the episodes of the Netflix series “Squid Game,” an old man hands over his last marble to the lead character, Gi Hun, saying, “We are gganbu. Gganbu always share everything with each other, no matter what.” By handing over his last marble, he lets Gi Hun win. The term “gganbu” in the story means close companions, like blood brothers who share everything without expecting anything in return and who help each other in difficult situations. While g
May 16, 2022
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Quirks of Korean dating explained (1) Love confessions, a rite of passage for all couples
They say love is universal, but when it comes to dating culture, Korea has a different love language, according to five international couples that The Korea Herald interviewed. From love ‘confessions’ to matching outfits, here are some dating norms that set Korea apart. – Ed. For Koreans, confessing their love to a crush is deemed a crucial step for a romantic relationship to begin. Only when one party makes the confession, the so-called “some&rdquo
May 16, 2022
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Going solo: Korean body scrubs adapt to pandemic
For the first time in nearly two years, Bae Eun-jin, a 35-year old office worker in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, recently had a proper Korean sauna experience -- soaking her body in hot water and getting a full-body scrub. The only difference was that the bathhouse she visited was set up for a single customer only. “Since I was the only customer there, I felt safe from infection risks. I loved the quiet atmosphere without any distractions from other people,” said Bae, w
May 16, 2022
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Holler for Seollal: Holiday traditions burden some
* From waking up a dozing student to tidying up graves, online advertisements with unusual but real job descriptions offer a peek into the Korean society. The Korea Herald looks at some of these unusual ads. The following is the second installment. – Ed. Korea’s two biggest -- and longest -- holidays are Seollal and Chuseok, around which the hyperlocal community app Karrot Market is bustling with cries for help. The website usually operates a separate page for part-time jobs targe
May 16, 2022
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Mother seeks helping hand to wake up sleepy child
From waking up a dozing student to tidying up graves, online advertisements with unusual but real job descriptions offer a peek into the Korean society. The Korea Herald looks at some of these unusual ads. The following is the first installment. -- Ed. Last week, a self-proclaimed mother posted an ad on a hyperlocal online marketplace, looking to hire a helper for her high school son. Job description? Wake the boy up whenever he dozes off. “My son (high school freshman) studies for tw
May 11, 2022
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Korea Quiz (2) Squid Man
Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. Answer: b Netflix’s megahit series “Squid Game” didn’t just happen to have the ocean creature in its name. In South Korea, the invertebrate makes frequent appearances at school cafeterias, pubs and on dinner tables at home as a dish loved by people of all ages. In recent years, people use the word to jokingly describe one’s facial f
May 11, 2022
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Constitution bars presidents from seeking reelections in S. Korea: Why?
The history of Korean people spans across thousands of years, but the Republic of Korea, aka, South Korea, is relatively young, with its history punctuated by military dictatorships and struggles to establish a truly democratic system. The presidential system itself has undergone multiple changes along the way, and several of the nation’s leaders have had less-than-fortunate endings. Here are four facts about the South Korean presidency that you may not have known before. 1) “2
May 10, 2022
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[Subway Stories] Jongno 3-ga is where old meets new
The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories -- a newly launched Korea Herald series exploring subway stations and their surrounding areas across the city. – Ed. Jongno 3-ga has 16 exits with three subway lines running through the station. The sheer number speaks volumes for the significance of Jongno-gu, which is central to the lives of people in Seoul. Meaning Bell Street, with the bell in the name referring to Bosingak that sits at Jonggak intersection, Jongno is one of the busiest
May 8, 2022
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Korea Quiz (1) Children’s Day
Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. Answer: c Korean children have Christmas in the middle of the year -- on Children’s Day. On May 5 every year, children get special treats, which usually include presents, and go on family outings to amusement parks, zoos and the like. It has been a public holiday since 1975. There is no school for children, and all salaried workers -- regardless if they have a child or not
May 4, 2022
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Hidden meaning of Korean term “agassi” leads to murder
An error in a mobile translation application recently prompted a 35-year-old Chinese man in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, to murder a Korean resident. On Sunday, the Jeonju District Court delivered a 20-year prison term to the foreigner charged with killing his female coworker’s Korean husband, according to court officials. It was the Korean term “agassi” that triggered a fistfight between the two men of different nationalities, which eventually turned deadly.&
May 3, 2022
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YouTube’s top five 'K-tour' channels
Virtual walking tours have emerged as an alternative to quench a thirst for travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, letting people explore far-flung destinations from the comfort of their own homes. YouTube channels centering on such virtual tours produce videos intended at giving viewers the vivid feeling of walking through an ordinary neighborhood in Seoul and other areas in the country. To diversify their content and attract more viewers, these creators are adding new features like time-lapse
April 24, 2022
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[According to the law] (3) Seeking refuge in S. Korea
From international marriages, political asylum to run-ins with the law, there are a myriad of legal problems that foreign nationals can get embroiled in. The Korea Herald takes a look at some of the cases involving legal disputes of foreigners in South Korea. The following is the final installment. -- Ed. The Refugee Act stipulates that anyone within South Korean territory has the right to apply for refugee status, and according to a recent ruling, that includes the airport transit area. I
April 20, 2022
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[According to the law] (2) International marriages gone wrong
From international marriages, political asylum to run-ins with the law, there are a myriad of legal problems that foreign nationals can get embroiled in. The Korea Herald takes a look at some of the cases involving legal disputes of foreigners in South Korea. The following is the second installment of a three-part series. -- Ed. For decades, there has been a custom of Korean bachelors from rural agricultural towns finding brides in lower-income countries with the help of international marriag
April 19, 2022
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According to the law (1): Translation hiccups for foreigners in court
From international marriages, political asylum to run-ins with the law, there are a myriad of legal problems that foreign nationals can get embroiled in. The Korea Herald takes a look at some of the cases involving legal disputes of foreigners in South Korea. The following is the first installment of a three-part series. -- Ed. The Act on Citizen Participation in Criminal Trials, introduced in 2008, states that anyone, regardless of nationality, has a right to receive a jury trial. It states
April 18, 2022
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[Subway Stories] Thrift shops, hipsters and Chinese god of war at Dongmyo
The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories, a Korea Herald series exploring the city’s subway stations and surrounding areas. -- Ed. Dongmyo Station on Subway Lines No. 1 and 6 takes its name from a shrine for a Chinese god of war -- Guan Yu. Most visitors, however, are indifferent to the pavilions that stand behind the shrine’s stoned wall, and do not seem to question why the Han Dynasty warrior, later deified as a god in China, is enshrined there. Wha
April 11, 2022
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YouTube’s top five Korean teachers for English-speaking viewers
Buoyed by the popularity of Korean cultural products, a Korean language learning frenzy is spreading around the world. Unlike in the past, when most Korean learners studied for practical reasons like for academic research or jobs, more people now seem to do so out of interest in the country itself. As of 2020, some 1,669 elementary, junior high and high schools in 39 countries have opened and operated Korean classes, with about 160,000 students enrolled, according to Education Ministry data. I
April 6, 2022
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YouTube’s top five English teachers for Korean viewers
Long gone are the days when we had to sign up for early morning in-person English classes to learn from native speakers. YouTube, which has countless videos with a focus on English education, has emerged as the most useful tool for those who want to outgrow textbook-based language learning. Offering a wide range of subjects from scripts of US television series to video blogs of daily life in English-speaking countries, many channels target general learners who need a guide to English grammar
March 29, 2022
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[Subway Stories] Daerim, a hub of Korean Chinese culture hoping to shake negative image
The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories, a Korea Herald series exploring the city’s subway stations and surrounding areas. -- Ed. An exotic scene created by the mixture of Korean and Chinese culture unfolds when walking out of Exit 12 at Daerim Station on subway lines No. 2 and 7 in southwestern Seoul. Large restaurants with colorful signs written in Chinese sell hot pot and lamb skewers, dishes that have become increasingly popular among Koreans in recent years. Small shops f
March 20, 2022
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[Subway Stories] Samgakji becomes home to K-pop, K-beauty powerhouses
The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories -- a newly launched Korea Herald series exploring subway stations and their surrounding areas across the city. – Ed. Located in Yongsan in central Seoul, Samgakji Station sits one stop away from Noksapyeong Station, where people would ride past to go partying in Itaewon or head to dine out at restaurants in Gyeongnidan and Haebangchon. It is also within walking distance of Sinyongsan and Yongsan stations. Stuck between the more popular d
March 13, 2022