Articles by Choi Jae-hee
Choi Jae-hee
cjh@heraldcorp.com-
[Newsmaker] What are arsonists thinking?
Just before 11 a.m. on June 9, a 53-year-old man surnamed Chon walked into a five-story building in Daegu, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul, holding two plastic bottles. His destination was the office of a lawyer who shared the office space with several others on the second floor of the building. There, he took out a backpacking knife and wielded it at the lawyers and paralegals he encountered. Two men were stabbed. Chon then set the office on fire, with flammable liquid
Social Affairs June 23, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Could Korea’s gun control offer any lessons?
A police officer in South Korea is awaiting punishment after he lost his bullet holder with six rounds of ammunition in it on May 18. The incident, belatedly revealed to the media, made headlines, as he belonged to a special police unit in charge of security services for the office of President Yoon Suk-yeol in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Criticism ensued over the police‘s lax management of firearms and slack discipline. In the aftermath, the police unit’s leader was replaced on Wedne
Social Affairs June 22, 2022
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As tasty as narcotics?
Korea is known as a relatively drug-free nation, where most people have no experience whatsoever of drugs. But when 31-year-old David from Canada recently browsed restaurant menus on a local food delivery app, he couldn’t help but wonder: Do people know what narcotics are actually like? From kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), kalguksu (knife-cut wheat flour noodles) to tteokbokki (spicy rice cake), a variety of food and beverage items were being sold with a reference to &ldq
Social Affairs June 16, 2022
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Guys, get a fancy car to sign up for Korean dating apps
If you’re a single man and looking for love and marriage through dating apps in Korea, you’d better have at least one of these: A diploma from a high-ranking university, a high-paying job, a sizable net worth, or at least a luxury car. These are the requirements for men to be qualified for a matchmaking service at the Gold Spoon app, which has more than 470,000 members. “We thoroughly evaluate male candidates’ financial ability by looking into their employment contra
Social Affairs May 30, 2022
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[Food] Omakase adds new flavor to Seoul’s food scene
“Omakase” is a traditional Japanese dining style where guests leave their menu choices up to a chef. Literally meaning “I will leave it to you” in Japanese, omakase in Korea usually refers to a high-end dining experience at a Japanese restaurant’s sushi counter. The chef prepares one piece of fish at a time and introduces its name and origin. Recently, non-sushi items, from tempura, coffee and pork, have also found their way into the local omakase scene. The
Food May 28, 2022
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Exotic desserts attract sweet tooths in Seoul
A craving for sweet foods and hunger for exploring new flavors are diversifying Seoul’s dessert cafe scene. From British Cornish pasties to Turkey’s traditional milk cream “kaymak,” here are three dessert cafes that reporters of The Korea Herald visited to help you expand your taste palate. Meet Turkish version of clotted cream It was around 1 p.m. on Thursday afternoon and a group of people -- mostly young women -- were lining up in front of a Turkish ba
Culture May 23, 2022
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Quirks of Korean dating explained (6) Negative views of unmarried cohabitation
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. In some Western countries, moving in together is considered an important step for a couple trying to take their relationship to the next level. But in Korea, an unmarried couple living together is tab
Culture May 23, 2022
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[Subway Stories] Royal tombs along subway lines
The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories, a Korea Herald series exploring the city’s subway stations and surrounding areas. -- Ed. On a subway map of Seoul, some stations have names that end in the same Korean letter, romanized as “reung,” or “neung.” Signifying the burial mounds of kings and queens, the stations are where the royal mausoleums from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) lie, a reminder of Seoul’s long history as the capital city.
Travel May 23, 2022
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Quirks of Korean dating explained (5) Always connected
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. Whether through phone calls or text messaging, Koreans like to stay connected with their loved ones throughout the day, asking each other where they are, what they’re doing and what they&rs
Culture May 20, 2022
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Quirks of Korean dating explained (4) Jealous of opposite-sex friends
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. Jealous of opposite-sex friends Some Koreans are particularly sensitive to their partner‘s opposite-sex friends, believing that men and women cannot be true friends and sexual attraction is bound
Culture May 19, 2022
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This is what balconies are for
A typical Korean apartment unit comes with an enclosed balcony that is attached to the living room or the master’s room. This semi-outdoor space serves many purposes. It can be a laundry yard, a storage space for all your odds and ends, as well as a fire escape. However, it is often the most underused area in a Korean home and many households choose to get rid of it for extended indoor space. In the past few years, as a deadly virus forced many to stay indoors, a new tre
Social Affairs May 19, 2022
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Quirks of Korean dating explained (3) Crazy for love milestones
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. Crazy for love milestones On KakaoTalk, the almost-ubiquitous messaging app for Koreans, it is not difficult to find users who display the number of days they have been together with someone on
Culture May 18, 2022
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Quirks of Korean dating explained (2) Twinning outfits
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. The following is the second installment. – Ed. In Korea, many young couples express their love through fashion -- by wearing matching outfits in public. A search on Instagram with the hashtag &l
Social Affairs May 17, 2022
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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
Social Affairs May 17, 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
Social Affairs May 16, 2022
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