Articles by Choi Jae-hee
Choi Jae-hee
cjh@heraldcorp.com-
N. Korea to impose harsher penalties on use of S. Korean slang
North Korea is clamping down on the use of South Korean slang and expressions, which experts in Seoul see as a response to the growing influence of South Korean dramas and films in the reclusive state. According to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, the communist regime has adopted new legislation that seeks to impose stronger punishment on its residents who taint the “Pyongyang standard language” with foreign influences. It was among the issues and agenda items d
Hashtag Korea Jan. 19, 2023
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Chase bunnies in Year of the Rabbit
2023 is the Year of the Black Rabbit. The furry, nimble animal, long associated with fertility and prosperity, has already been appearing at various places across Seoul, embodying Koreans’ wish for the year to be a fruitful one. Following are some of the places you can find the bunnies. Giant bunnies On a recent Tuesday afternoon, foreign tourists took pictures near a 12-meter-tall rabbit sculpture holding a traditional Korean lucky bag, set up at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul earli
Hashtag Korea Jan. 17, 2023
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[Ask a Lawyer] To marry a Korean, first prove your single status
Last year, South Korean singer-producer DJ Koo Jun-yup’s story of rekindling an old love with Taiwanese star Barbie Hsu made many swoon. Announcing his marriage with the ex-girlfriend, Koo, 53, said he was “resuming the love he had but couldn’t realize 20 years ago.” Through all the sweetness, the international star couple would have gone through some paperwork to become legal husband and wife both in Korea and Taiwan. Hsu, in particular, would have been asked to prov
Hashtag Korea Jan. 9, 2023
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Sleepless Monday as quake prompts phones to squeal in wee hours
In the wee hours of Monday, cellphones in homes and offices suddenly started making beeping sounds en masse in Greater Seoul. It was the emergency text alert for a 3.7 magnitude earthquake detected near Ganghwa County, Incheon. The earthquake occurred at 1:28 a.m. in waters about 25 kilometers west of Ganghwa County. It was the first quake stronger than 3.0 magnitude to hit the nation this year. No damage has been reported, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Many sleepers we
Social Affairs Jan. 9, 2023
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[Newsmaker] [My Hangeul Story] Hollywood actor Thomas McDonell's accidental affair with Korean language
American actor Thomas McDonell, best known for his role as Finn Collins in the US television network CW’s post-apocalyptic series “The 100,” has a rather peculiar presence on Twitter. One day in 2017, he made his first tweet in Korean. At that time, he was into tweeting in various languages to reach out to people from all over the world who were looking at his profile. His tweets are usually simple expressions -- "I'm bored," "Is this for real?" -- in
Hello Hangeul Jan. 8, 2023
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No car-free weekends in Sinchon until September
On weekends, a street from Sinchon Station to the main gate of Yonsei University in Seoul has turned into a K-pop mecca, where various performances and fan events draw crowds of young music fans from all over the world to the car-free zone. However, the lively scene is unlikely to continue from later this month, as the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided Thursday to lift the weekend traffic ban which had been in place for nine years. From Jan. 20 until September, all automobile vehicles except
Social Affairs Jan. 5, 2023
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[Ask a lawyer] What’s the difference between departure order and deportation?
In July last year, more than 60 Vietnamese were caught organizing, or taking part in, “drug parties” at nightclubs and karaoke bars in Busan and other southern cities. On top of any penalty they had received from Korean law enforcement, the foreigners were given an order to leave the country from the immigration authorities, along with a permanent reentry ban. For some, it was deportation, while others received a departure order. What is the difference? Here, Kim Ju-hyeong, a senior
Hashtag Korea Jan. 3, 2023
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It’s official: At least 15 otters living in Han River
In one of the world’s busiest metropolises, Seoul is home to over 9 million people and now, officially, at least 15 otters. Following a series of otter sightings along the Han River which cuts across the megacity, local authorities last week announced that 15 Eurasian otters are confirmed to be inhabiting there. The analysis, conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, is based on footage of surveillance cameras installed along the Han River. Otters, which are most active at night, wer
Social Affairs Jan. 2, 2023
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[Hello Hangeul] A snapshot of Korean language now
The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project which consists of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language and the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of its language within the league of world languages. – Ed. Korean has 81.7 million speakers around the globe, although most of them are found on the Korean Peninsula
Hashtag Korea Jan. 2, 2023
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[Ask a lawyer] Departure order as consequence of law breaking
From work contracts to marriage with a Korean citizen and accidental breaking of local rules and laws, foreign residents can find themselves in complicated legal situations. Ask a Lawyer covers the most common legal issues faced by expats in South Korea through Q&A with lawyers practicing in the very field. -- Ed. Last year, an Indian man had to cut short his stay in South Korea, originally planned for two years. The reason? He was caught driving under the influence of alcohol. The man, age
Hashtag Korea Dec. 26, 2022
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Starbucks aficionados flock to Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market
A Starbucks neon sign hanging on the wall of an old building emits a soft green glow in the midst of street vendors offering seasonal greens and traditional herbal medicines. Young couples and office workers walk past the food stalls surrounded mostly by elderly shoppers looking for a bargain as they head toward a hidden gem in the marketplace -- a new Starbucks store within Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market that just opened last week. Dubbed “Kyungdong 1960,” the new coffee shop is a
Culture Dec. 25, 2022
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Death of 'villa king' leaves hundreds with empty pockets
Bae, a 29-year-old jeonse tenant in Seoul is at risk of losing the 200 million won ($154,000) deposit she paid to the landlord surnamed Kim who was found dead in October. “My husband and I took out bank loans to rent the jeonse apartment after we got married. We thought it was a safe jeonse contract because there were no mortgage loans secured on this house. I never imagined that I may not get my deposit back because the landlord died,” said Bae, who tied the knot last year. Jeonse i
Social Affairs Dec. 19, 2022
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Onboard Seoul’s first self-driving bus
A slick and shiny mini bus moved smoothly toward the Cheonggye Plaza bus stop near Gwanghwamun Station, central Seoul. Four passengers, including this reporter, got on board. The vehicle with seven passenger seats had an airy, open feel, with an impressive panoramic glass roof and full-size windows on four sides. There was someone sitting in the driver’s seat, but his hands never touched the steering wheel even as the bus started moving. For much of the ride, which lasted 20 minutes or so,
Hashtag Korea Dec. 12, 2022
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[Subway Stories] Rice shops, tteokbokki and hipsters at Sindang Station
The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories, a Korea Herald series exploring the subway stations and surrounding areas across the city. -- Ed. In the ’70s and ’80s, before the proliferation of cafes and clubs in Seoul, the area near Sindang Station led a peculiar youth culture here -- hipsters hanging out at trendy tteokbokki restaurants where DJs play pop music. Nearly half a century later, the Sindang-dong neighborhood’s then-revolutionary tteokbokki scene may
Culture Dec. 12, 2022
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‘Bring my child back’: American fathers cry foul
On a late November afternoon, John Sichi was walking on a treadmill on a street in Seoul. The exercise equipment featured signs on both sides that read “I miss my children so much” in Korean. Next to it stood life-size photos of two toddlers -- a girl and a boy. It was the American father’s way of expressing his frustration with the South Korean authorities, whose inaction he said is preventing his children from returning to him, their custodial parent. “I had no more w
Social Affairs Dec. 7, 2022
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