The local entertainment industry has grown rapidly amid the endless expansion of hallyu in the form of K-pop, Korean dramas, movies and more.Although the Korean entertainment business may still be in its infancy compared to the breadth of those overseas like Hollywood, it has nonetheless bred some very wealthy performer-turned-producers and entertainment company CEOs, who are now worth billions of won in assets. The Korea Herald has dug deeper into the four most famous moneybags in Korean show b

April 7, 2014

When one asks market analysts, “What’s up with Naver?” they exclaim, “Everything’s up!”Most significantly, the company’s earnings have skyrocketed, which in turn has driven up its stock price.This positive momentum led Lee Hae-jin, the founder of the search giant, to receive a fatter paycheck and become richer, joining the upper echelon of Korean billionaires who include Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee.Lee, Naver’s chairman of the board, has a 4.64 percent stake in the search portal and was paid a

April 7, 2014

(A scene from the movie 'Shopperholic')It is difficult to satisfy materialistic people who constantly want more even when they have the latest gadgets and newest cars. It has long been believed that materialistic people are less happy, and a recent study from Baylor University, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, has proven that materialistic people are in fact more likely to be miserable and depressed.The research team used a set of survey questionnaires to conduct

April 7, 2014

(A scene from the movie 'Grown Ups')In swimming pools, chlorine is added for hygiene purposes -– to stop microorganisms from developing. However, when chlorine combines with urine, harmful chemicals are produced such as cyanogen chloride (CNCl) and trichloramine (NCl3), which can also be found in chemical weapons.According to a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, when uric acid in urine interacts with chlorine, “volatile disinfection byproducts” are generated, whic

April 7, 2014

An unnamed local display maker is reportedly making sample display panels for Apple’s iTV, which is expected be mass-produced next year, analysts said this week. “The company is making 65-inch organic light-emitting diode sample panels for Apple’s iTV in collaboration with Apple,” said Lee Seung-woo, an analyst at Seoul-based IBK Securities. “However, it is not certain whether Apple will use it for the mass production of its long-rumored iTV as it is still running tests,” he added. Speculation h

April 6, 2014

An immediate breakthrough in relations between Samsung Electronics and SoftBank appears unlikely as Japan’s third-largest mobile carrier’s release of the Galaxy S5 has yet to be decided. Instead of carrying Samsung products, SoftBank has chosen to team up with Samsung’s rival Apple. This has made it increasingly difficult for the Korean tech firm to succeed in the Japanese market. “We (SoftBank) have not sold Samsung smartphones before,” said Yusuke Abe, a public relations official from the Japa

April 6, 2014

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) ― Scientists have uncovered a vast ocean beneath the icy surface of Saturn’s little moon Enceladus.Italian and American researchers made the discovery using Cassini, a NASA-European spacecraft still exploring Saturn and its rings 17 years after its launch from Cape Canaveral.This new ocean of liquid water ― as big as or even bigger than North America’s Lake Superior ― is centered at the south pole of Enceladus and could encompass much if not most of the moon. Encelad

April 6, 2014

BERLIN (AP) ― After concluding that global warming almost certainly is man-made and poses a grave threat to humanity, the U.N.-sponsored expert panel on climate change is moving on to the next phase: what to do about it.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, will meet next week in Berlin to chart ways in which the world can curb the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say are overheating the planet.It is also trying to give estimates on what it would cost.In the third repor

April 6, 2014

Korea University researchers have collided matter and antimatter particles in a study that could provide essential information on why antimatter is almost nonexistent. Using a linear particle accelerator, researchers smashed an electron into a positron ― the antimatter version of an electron ― at nearly the speed of light, producing a type of subatomic particle called a charm quark meson. This charm quark meson is made up of two smaller particles ― a “charm” quark and an “up” antiquark ― and exi

April 3, 2014

Hwang Young-soon, 61, recently heard a creaking sound from her knees while climbing a mountain. Pain in her knees lasted more than three weeks and caused them to swell up. She was later diagnosed with gonarthrosis, a knee joint disorder. Gonarthrosis refers to all inflammation that occurs in the knee joints. It mostly starts from damage to the overlying cartilage or gristle, caused by either aging, injuries or even infection. While minor pain and a creaking sound signal the disease, the shape of

April 3, 2014

In the spring, the changes in daily temperature and windy weather lead to an unstable biorhythm and can cause reduced body defense. In addition, it is the time of the year when school and kindergarten starts. Hence, children spend more time with their friends, and are more exposed to respiratory infections. Pollen, which is an important cause of allergies, is also more abundant in the spring, so allergic symptoms are also more common during this season. Children have a weaker ability to control

April 3, 2014

Perhaps it is not surprising that a gap exists between Silicon Valley IT firms such as Google and Facebook and conventional Korean conglomerates in their perceptions of LGBT ― lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ― issues at the workplace.Google, for instance, has long supported the LGBT community by holding seminars and conferences on LGBT rights. As a case in point, the Internet giant put up a rainbow-colored logo on its website during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi in protest against the

April 3, 2014

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― After insisting that space relations wouldn’t be altered by earthly politics, NASA on Wednesday said it was severing ties with Russia except for the International Space Station.NASA employees can’t travel to Russia or host visitors until further notice. They’re also barred from emailing or holding teleconferences with their Russian counterparts because of Russia’s actions in Ukraine, according to a memo sent to workers.Activities related to the space station are exempt. NASA a

April 3, 2014