Idolization of English pronunciation

Heated debates ensue in Korea whenever K-pop idols like Jang Won-young introduce themselves in English or South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers an English speech. The discussion is around an element that supposedly has a large influence in determining the speaker's English proficiency — the public figures’ English pronunciation. Praised are the ones who imitate the smooth American intonation or posh British accent; those who fail to do so are viewed as terrible English s

ViewpointsAug. 23, 2024

From Manila and Seoul: Have you heard of Kopinos?

As borders become more open around the world, the possibilities for creating connections with people from different countries increase. In this generation, there are a growing number of children with mixed heritage and multiple nationalities. Among these, the term "Kopino" has been coined, combining "Korean" and "Filipino." A moment that has stuck with me my whole life was the first time a complete stranger called me a “Kopino.” At age 12, I had no idea

ViewpointsAug. 23, 2024

[Robert Fouser] 'Dynamic USA' and 'Welcoming Korea'

The switch from President Joe Biden to Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate for US president brought an instant change in atmosphere to the campaign for the White House. Former President Donald Trump, who had previously looked younger compared to Biden, suddenly looked old and has struggled to regain his postconvention dominance. Harris, meanwhile, has pulled ahead in the national polls and will get another bounce from this week’s Democratic convention. The change at th

ViewpointsAug. 23, 2024

1 killed, 4 in cardiac arrest in hotel fire in Bucheon

BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province (Yonhap) -- One person was killed and four others were in cardiac arrest following a fire at a hotel in Bucheon, just west of Seoul, on Thursday, police said. According to the Gyeonggi Province firefighting headquarters, the fire began on the eighth floor of the nine-story hotel at 7:39 p.m. "We're currently putting out the fire and trying to rescue people, so we haven't determined the exact number of casualties," a firefighting official said. "

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Police launch probe into threats posted on German Embassy's website

Police said Thursday they have launched an investigation into threatening messages posted on the website of the German Embassy in Seoul. Nearly 100 messages have been posted on the website since Tuesday, including threats to install explosives at the embassy or blow up key facilities, such as Seoul Station and Asan Medical Center, according to Namdaemun Police Station. The texts were written in German, Korean and Japanese, police said. The messages did not indicate when the explosions would take

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Yoon pledges overhaul of athlete environment

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday pledged to carry out an overhaul to ensure fair chances for young athletes and to create a better training environment, as he and his wife Kim Keon Hee hosted a dinner for South Korean Olympians who competed at the Paris Games. Some 270 participants -- including athletes and family members, as well as coaches, members of sports associations and other staff -- attended the event at Shilla Seoul. According to the presidential office, Yoon told participants he wo

PoliticsAug. 22, 2024

In South Korea, 'communist party' joke leads to espionage investigation

A group of vacationers inadvertently triggered a national security investigation after a photo of their gathering with a banner jokingly referring to it as a "Communist Party" meeting circulated online. The image, which showed approximately 20 individuals including children under a banner reading "Inaugural Korean Communist Party Family Summer Camp," quickly spread across online forums, leading multiple concerned citizens to file espionage complaints with the authorities. On

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

'No divorce planned' between Frieze Seoul, Kiaf after five-year contract

Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul held a joint press conference in Seoul ahead of the collaborating fairs in early September, with all eyes on whether the local and global art fairs will continue their partnership as they pass the halfway mark of their five-year contract. “There is no such marriage that one continues on one hand while preparing for a divorce on the other,” said Hwang Dal-sung, president of the Galleries Association of Korea, on Thursday in Seoul. “I expect our part

Arts & DesignAug. 22, 2024

Explosion at Gwangju dental clinic; no casualties

A man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of causing an explosion that led to a fire at a dental clinic in Gwangju, some 270 kilometers south of Seoul. The suspect, 79, brought a makeshift explosive comprised of four canisters of butane gas and a container with flammable material to the reception area of the clinic, located on the third floor of a building in Seo-gu, western Gwangju. He set fire to the material at 1:14 p.m. Thursday, setting off a chain of explosions that forced some 90 people to

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Gyeonggi leads the way with 4.5-day workweek pilot

Gyeonggi Province is pushing forward with South Korea’s first pilot four-and-a-half-day workweek program aimed at improving people's work-life balance, quality of life, happiness and ideally, the falling birth rate. Korea's most populous province has allocated an initial budget 250 million won ($186,971) for the program, part of an annual investment of 10 billion won pledged for the initiative. In a press conference last Wednesday, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon unvei

PoliticsAug. 22, 2024

Seomjae applies for patents for AI-based learning system

Seomjae, a Seoul-based education solutions developer, announced Thursday that the company applied for three patents for its AI-based learning system earlier this month. One of the patents is an AI technology that automatically analyzes and summarizes online lectures and captures lecturers’ characteristics using a neural network system. The technology can offer personalized data to its users by systematically summarizing lecture content and carrying out an in-depth analysis of the lecturers

IndustryAug. 22, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink hits 900m views of debut music video

Blackpink’s music video for its debut song “Whistle” has garnered 900 million views on YouTube as of Thursday, said label YG Entertainment. It is the group’s 10th video to achieve the feat. “Whistle” is the lead track from its debut single “Square One” which also included its mega-hit “Boombayah.” The music video for the latter surpassed 1.7 billion views on the platform. The quartet swept all music charts at home when it brought out

K-popAug. 22, 2024

Government to hold ‘K-Community Challenge’ for foreign participants

The Korean government has launched the “K-Community Challenge” competition for foreigners, set to run until Sept. 22, officials said Thursday. The contest is being promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. This initiative invites participants to submit videos showcasing performances and demonstrations across four categories: Joseon pop, "sogochum" (Korean folk dances) "taekwonm

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Woman gives birth in ambulance after 4 hospitals turned her down

South Korean rescue officials said Wednesday that a pregnant woman recently gave birth inside an ambulance after four hospitals refused to take her in because they lacked the necessary medical staff or beds in their emergency rooms. According to Jincheon Fire Station in North Chungcheong Province, the woman called an ambulance at 1:31 a.m. on Aug. 15 after she went into labor. The rescue workers reached out to the four nearest hospitals in Cheonan and Cheongju, but all four said they did not h

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Agency raises caution on faulty weight-loss drugs

The state-run consumer protection agency said Thursday that it has received 203 complaints about weight-loss drugs since 2021, raising caution about using such medications. The number of requests for government intervention on consumer damages related to antiobesity medication has been on the rise, from 17 in 2021 to 44 in 2022, 85 in 2023 and 57 from January to June of this year, according to the Korea Consumer Agency. The number of such complaints in the first half of this year increased, comp

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Head-on collision of 2 vehicles in New Zealand kills 3 South Korean skiers

A head-on collision of vehicles on a New Zealand highway killed three South Korean skiers and seriously injured two other people, local police and South Korean sports officials said. The van and a four-wheel-drive vehicle were traveling in opposite directions before crashing at an intersection near the rural South Island town of Geraldine, the district’s police inspector Vicki Walker said. The collision Wednesday killed three of the van’s passengers and critically injured another p

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Diaspora journey of running for US Congress

More than 100 politicians of Korean descent from across the globe gathered in Seoul this week for the 10th Global Korean Politicians Forum to connect and discuss items on the agenda such as security, welfare and education. Among those is a name to watch in US politics: 40-year-old David Kim, a children’s court attorney and activist, who is currently running for Los Angeles’ 34th Congressional District. In a community brimming with the cultural vibrancy of Korean Americans, Kim stands

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Experience the magic of Korean crafts in just 1 hour

Signing up for hagwon, private academies in South Korea, or applying for weekly cultural programs at local community centers have been some of the go-to ways for Koreans to learn new skills and techniques. While those traditional options often require a significant time commitment, a growing trend has emerged: one-day classes. These short-term programs offer a convenient and efficient way to explore diverse hobbies and discover new passions. From flower arranging and jewelry making to perfume

TravelAug. 22, 2024

Korea unveils trade roadmap to tackle protectionism in mega election year

South Korea has set a goal to secure the most extensive free trade agreement network and to establish a risk management system to handle growing geopolitical uncertainties in a "super election" year, the Industry Ministry said Thursday while announcing the country's new trade policy roadmap. In a ministerial meeting on economic affairs, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other ministers reviewed the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's trade achievements of the past two years and intr

IndustryAug. 22, 2024