VOICE FOR REFORMATION

Pastors from the Christian Leaders Fellowship hold a news conference in Seoul on Thursday to mark the 500 years since the Protestant Reformation. They spoke on Christian reformation and the future direction for churches. (CLF)

Oct. 26, 2018

[Weekender] Homeless animals in Korea: Finding homes for those who fall through the cracks

Emily Doran, an English teacher in Seoul, has found homes for more than 140 dogs over the past two years -- many of them “last-day dogs” from city shelters, where unclaimed strays can be killed after a 10-day holding period under South Korea’s Animal Protection Act. Her rescue group, Domo’s Friends, has more than 1,000 followers on Facebook. Doran is one of a number of advocates concerned about the animal rescue system in Korea and trying to mitigate its shortcomings through private efforts.  (H

Oct. 25, 2018

[Weekender] Seoulites seek coexistence with stray cats

Change is taking place on the streets of Seoul for human-cat cohabitation.The Seoul city government’s stray cat policy centers on population control, but there’s more to homeless cats’ lives than reproductive impediment. Where the city government fails to fill in, people who are in touch with their feline neighbors on a daily basis are paving the way for humans and street cats to live together.For as long as anyone can remember, cats have not been the most beloved animals in Korea, often perceiv

Oct. 25, 2018

[Trending] College student sweeps internet with comical videos

College student Baek Seung-heon, better known by his nickname, “Seungheonss,” has gained explosive popularity among younger people in Korea with his funny livestreaming and videos on social media platforms.  YouTube creator Seungheonss (YouTube channel Feel like Feel)The 21-year-old YouTuber’s debut was in 2014, when he uploaded his first dance video on a Facebook group called “Seungheonss and kids.” He launched the group to share fun high school memories with friends, but the videos of Baek dan

Oct. 25, 2018

Foreign students invited to Chungnam Univ. for ‘Hello, Mr. K!’

Foreign students will get a chance to experience Korean culture at an event at Chungnam National University in Daejeon on Thursday, the Korean Culture and Information Service said.The event, consisting of a forum to culturally engage foreign students in South Korea and a cultural concert titled “Hello, Mr. K!” is the fourth of its kind, having been co-organized by KOCIS and the Korea International Broadcasting Foundation every year since 2015. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism via Yonhap)

Oct. 24, 2018

Korea to hold cultural festival near DMZ this weekend

South Korea will hold a cultural festival at a former US army base near the inter-Korean border this weekend as part of efforts to transform the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone into a hub of peace-themed tourism, organizers said Monday.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Gyeonggi Provincial Government said they will co-host a fall seasonal cultural festival called "DMZ Transformation Peace Hanmadang" at Camp Greaves just south of the DMZ on Saturday and Sunday. (Yonhap)The f

Oct. 22, 2018

BTS to appear in videos promoting Seoul tourism overseas

K-pop superstars BTS will present seven different tourist themes in Seoul in a series of videos to be released this week, the Seoul city government said Sunday.The videos, titled "My Seoul Playlist" and bearing the slogan "Live Seoul like I Do," will be released on TV, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other media platforms, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. This image, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Oct. 21, 2018, shows a still from a video promoting tourism in Se

Oct. 21, 2018

[Photo News] Street styles we noticed at 2019 S/S Seoul Fashion Week

The shows are amazing at the 2019 S/S Hera Seoul Fashion Week, but the fun spills out to the streets. Brightly dyed hair was a visible trend at Dongdaemun Design Plaza on Friday, alongside see-through blouses, neon tops and transparent plastic bags.Oversized jackets, baggy pants, leopard print and fashionable eyewear also drew attention.  (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea He

Oct. 19, 2018

AGF 2018 to greet Korea’s anime and game buffs

Korea’s first crossover anime and game festival, Anime X Game Festival 2018, will be held at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, from Nov. 3-4　Fans will have a chance to meet top-rated Japanese voice actors such as Ayako Kawasumi (whose roles include Nodame in “Nodame Cantabile”) and Hiroki Takahashi at their live talk sessions. Singer ASCA & halca will also perform. (Screenshot from Youtube)Booths with character goods and comic books as well as collaboration cafes are also open.Early bird tick

Oct. 19, 2018

Jikji Korea festival to wrap up three-week run Sunday

Jikji Korea International Festival, an annual cultural event in honor of the world's oldest extant book printed with movable metal type, will conclude its 21-day run in the central South Korean city of Cheongju on Sunday. Printed at the Heungdeok Temple in Cheongju in 1377, "Jikji" is the abbreviated title of "Jikjisimcheyojeol," a book on the Zen teachings of great Buddhist priests. In that year, two disciples of Ven. Baegun completed the publication of the book written by him using movable met

Oct. 19, 2018

[Eye Plus] Sinpo-dong, where old meets new

Dubbed Incheon’s “Myeongdong,” one of the busiest shopping districts in Seoul, Sinpo Market in the port city Sinpo-dong is blooming with new energy. (Photographed by Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)Dating back to the late 19th century, the historical market was formed as Korean vendors started selling fresh vegetables and fish to the Japanese, Chinese and Westerners who settled near the port. Now home to about 160 stores, the market has been Incheon’s most crucial cultural and economic center for

Oct. 18, 2018

[Trending] TVXQ’s Yunho rises as icon of relentless passion

K-pop idol Yunho of TVXQ has become an icon of positive energy and can-do spirit, inspiring many of the nation’s frustrated young people.  (JTBC) The veteran singer, who made his debut more than 15 years ago and has been performing ever since, recently appeared on various TV programs and shared his self-empowerment tips.Yunho’s morning routine, which he revealed on MBC’s “I Live Alone” in March, starts with dance practice. As soon as he gets out of bed, he turns on the TV, plays his concert vide

Oct. 18, 2018

Sharing life with furry friends through ‘PetTube’

After spending a hard day at work or school, many hit YouTube in search for pet-related videos. In Korea, these furry creatures can be referred to as “LAN cable pets,” or “online pets.” Those who want to live with a furry companion but who are not in a situation to do so have recently turned to YouTube to meet their dream pets online. In recent years, pets have become heavyweight players on the online platform. According to YouTube, total hits on dog-related videos from January to July increased

Oct. 17, 2018

Changgyeong Palace to stay open at night starting next year

Changgyeong Palace, one of the four main Korean palaces, will stay open till 9 p.m. all year round, starting next year, for those who love to enjoy its night views, the head of the government office that manages the palaces said Tuesday.The Cultural Heritage Administration has allowed nighttime sightseeing of two palaces located in central Seoul -- Gyeongbok and Changgyeong -- on a limited basis. This year, Changgyeong Palace will open for night tour programs for 70 days and admit only 3,500 vis

Oct. 16, 2018

Koreas to resume Manwoldae dig around next week

South and North Korea are presumed to resume the joint excavation of an ancient palace site in North Korea as early as next week, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.The joint dig of Manwoldae, where the remains of the royal palace of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) once stood, has been considered both a symbolic and substantial step for the two Koreas to reconcile their differing views on Korean history.Officials said North Korean scholars told their South Korean counterpart

Oct. 15, 2018

Hanbok designer to receive top culture honors post-death

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday announced that it will present the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest honor of its kind, to late designer Lee Young-hee, who specialized in the Korean traditional hanbok.Lee, who passed away on May 17 aged 82, was one of the best-known designers in the country.“For the past 40 years, she contributed to promotion of hanbok culture, its modernization and worldwide proliferation of hanbok while also educating those who followed in her

Oct. 15, 2018

[Photo News] ‘We Dance’ at Han River

“We Dance Festival” took place at Yeouido Hangang Park on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. The festival comprised of ballet, urban, jazz, tango, salsa and swing dance, flash mobs and open dance lessons. Guerrila performances of B-boy breakdancing and jazz dance were held from 1 p.m., followed by 500 swing dancers and a live band performed for the 6 p.m. opening show.Between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., 39 dance teams spanning six genres of dance, selected to perform through prior contest, held a relay perf

Oct. 14, 2018

[Weekender] Rapidly-expanding universe of BTS merchandise sweeping global market

As BTS’ rising global presence sends its brand value soaring the group is putting out an ever-expanding array of merchandise.At the forefront of the endeavor is Line Friends’ BT21 -- a collection of characters created by BTS members and related merchandise. BT21’s official site says BTS falls in line with the global character brand’s keywords: global, millennials and trending.Fans formed a line from early dawn when BT21 was officially released at Line Friends flagship store in Itaewon on Jan. 8.

Oct. 11, 2018

After renovation, JW Marriott Seoul aims for high-end luxury with fewer but bigger rooms

JW Marriott Seoul announced Wednesday that it is now fully ready for business with a new sports complex and two penthouse rooms.The hotel located next to the Express Bus Terminal reopened in August after an extensive eight-month renovation, but some of the hotel’s key facilities and rooms were not ready at the time. Radu Cernia, general manager of JW Marriott Seoul, speaks during a media briefing Wednesday. (JW Marriott Seoul)“Traditionally, a (hotel) renovation is not done by closing down the w

Oct. 11, 2018

[Photo News] Korea celebrates Hangeul’s birthday

Tuesday is the annual Hangeul Day that commemorates the creation of the Korean alphabet in the 15th century, with events scheduled throughout the country.Hangeul, which can be translated into “writings of Koreans,” was created by King Sejong of Joseon in 1443 and was promulgated three years later. As the king himself wrote upon the promulgation, it was created to help commoners read and write. Up until that point, the Korean language existed without a writing system and people had to use Chinese

Oct. 8, 2018