Watching YouTube, cooking become habits during pandemic: survey

During the COVID-19 pandemic, watching videos on YouTube, cooking and regularly washing hands became part of a new routine to Koreans and foreigners alike, according to a recent survey by the Corea Image Communication Institute. The CICI’s survey titled “Effects of COVID in our daily lives” involved 417 participants -- 214 Koreans and 203 foreigners who have visited or resided in Korea, with more than 57 percent of the participants in their 30s. On the question of newly deve

April 7, 2022

[Eye Plus] Once industrial hub Mullae-dong transformed into trendy go-to spot

Boisterous sounds from machinery and the clash of folded steel in Mullae-dong, southwestern Seoul, welcome visitors who pass by the vicinity. Mullae-dong was once home to steel foundries during the 1970s. Also dubbed as the “place that can make everything,” the area housed around 1,700 iron plants to manufacture South Korea’s components. But the nondescript neighborhood was left empty as factories started to close their doors.  But the emptiness didn’t last long.

April 2, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] The ‘Tea Bowl War’ and Korean potters’ impact on history

During the Japanese invasion of Korea from 1592 to 1598, many Korean potters and blacksmiths were forcibly taken to Japan, taking with them new pottery styles and cutting-edge technology to Japan. Many Korean potters, who worked as lowly tradesmen back home, found Japan a better home than Joseon, as they enjoyed upward social mobility, with some even entering the samurai class, which eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo period (1603-1867) in Japan. When news of a bette

April 2, 2022

Ahn Cheol-soo visits HYBE to talk ways to promote Korean culture

Presidential transition committee Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo visits the headquarters of HYBE, the K-pop powerhouse that manages BTS, in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. With an attempt to discuss ways to promote Korean culture, Ahn and the members of different subcommittees hoped to listen to what the new administration can do for start-ups and entertainment industry. Officials of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's transition team and HYBE continued the discussion on ways to provide sustainable environmen

April 2, 2022

S. Korean content creators poised for Hollywood

In response to expanding excitement for Korean content, particularly since Netflix’s “Squid Game” became an international sensation last fall, local content creators are being brought into the spotlight, poised to embark on Hollywood careers. Major South Korean drama production company Studio Dragon has agreed to co-produce a drama series with US company Skydance Television for Apple TV+ in the second half of 2021. Recognized for producing outstanding, hit dramas “Guar

April 1, 2022

[Well-curated] Feast for your eyes: Adults-only comics store, multimedia BTS show and cherry blossoms

Koreans today enjoy digital comics via computers and smartphones, but if you miss printed comic books and the joy of turning the pages, consider visiting Graphic this weekend. Within a 20-minute walk from Itaewon Station Exit 2 or Station Exit 1 on Subway Line No. 6, Graphic offers a quiet, cozy place for comic book fans. The three-story building is filled with graphic novels, comic books and art books in both Korean and English. With tables and chairs of different sizes and styles, the visit

April 1, 2022

No more delays: Wedding go virtual for virus-positive couples

   The omicron surge threatens to disrupt wedding plans of many couples here, but some are refusing to let it spoil the most important day of their life. Videoconferencing, livestreaming and emerging metaverse technology have made attendance possible even for those actively infected with COVID-19 -- including quarantined brides and grooms.  A couple’s non-face-to-face wedding photo went viral recently, aptly captioned “Wedding in virus times” by a guest who u

March 29, 2022

Cyworld to return with launch of cryptocurrency ‘DTR’

Cyworld, the dominant social networking site in South Korea throughout the 2000s before the era of Facebook, is set to reopen Saturday afternoon, as a social networking platform where users can use cryptocurrency to decorate their virtual spaces. Cyworld Z, the company that bought Cyworld last year, said Monday that the once-mighty homegrown platform will be officially re-released at 4:42 p.m. on Saturday through three app markets -- Google and Apple app stores, as well as One Store. Announci

March 28, 2022

[Weekender] Disputes surrounding new presidential office continue

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol announced that he would begin his term on May 10 as president of the Republic of Korea at the Ministry of National Defense compound in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. Cheong Wa Dae -- which has been the presidential office for 70 years, since South Korea’s inaugural President Syngman Rhee -- is to open to the public on the same day. 　 Putting an end to the legacy of the “imperial presidency” and to better communicate with people are reasons offered i

March 26, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Jjajangmyeon, Korean Chinese dish invented in Incheon by Chinese migrant workers

In the 19th and 20th century, Western missionaries introduced brick buildings to Korea. Most of the building work was done by overseas Chinese workers. The Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul was built with bricks by Qing dynasty “Hwagyo” (overseas Chinese) workers in the late 1800s. Ehwa Women’s University’s brick building was also built by Qing dynasty Hwagyo workers. According to Yi Jung-hee, a professor at Incheon National University, Qing dynasty workers were large-frame

March 26, 2022

[Weekender]History of Cheong Wa Dae

The site of Cheong Wa Dae dates back to Goryeo (918-1392) when the kingdom had royal palace halls at the site. During the Joseon era (1392-1910), the site was considered a sacred place. Located right outside Sihwamun, Gyeongbokgung’s north gate, it was a place where royal retainers pledged their loyalty to the king. According to annals from the reign of King Sukjong, the place was considered so sacred that no king dared to occupy the place despite its beautiful scenery. The land was la

March 26, 2022

[Well-curated] Hanok bakery, picnics on Han River and art to help Ukrainian refugees

Hanok-themed Solbangul Bakery About a five-minute walk from Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul is a new bakery shop that resembles a hanok, a traditional Korean house, which makes it hard to miss. A cute sign of the bakery’s mascot squirrel holding a pine cone welcomes customers, and they pass by an open kitchen located up front to the bakery. Solbangul Bakery sells over 20 different types of bread, tarts and sandwiches.  Loaves of rice mugwort bread, which has ssukgaetteok (mugwort ric

March 25, 2022

Marking 20th anniv., Tongyeong music fest to return this week

The Tongyeong International Music Festival (TIMF), a leading annual classical music gala in South Korea, will begin this year's edition Friday as it marks its 20th anniversary. The 2022 festival will run through April 3 in Tongyeong, on the southern coast, presenting some 30 classical concerts and performances under the theme "Vision in Diversity." The 2020 edition of TIMF was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has been held in-person since last year. The Tongyeong Festival

March 24, 2022

Artist Heo Wook’s artwork for ‘Special Concert for World Peace’ issued as NFT

An artwork created for the “2022 Special Concert for World Peace” is being sold as a non-fungible token on digital art platform and marketplace Evei starting Sunday. Drawn by artist Heo Wook, who graduated from Beaux-Arts de Paris with degrees in drawing, painting, architecture and multimedia, the main image is also featured in the poster for the March 23 concert co-hosted by The Korea Herald and the Seoul Arts Center. Based on Heo’s latest work “Cheom Cheom,” th

March 20, 2022

[Eye Plus] 100 years of pure water flows from Seoul’s fountain of life

Where water flows, life flourishes, and around a century back, the history of South Korea’s clean water began with Ttukdo Reservoir Water Purification Plant.  In 1903, two American businessmen, Henry Collbran and Harry Bostwick, were granted the rights to set up the water supply system by Emperor Gojong. The two men were also behind the nation’s first electricity supply. They transferred their patent right to Korea Waterworks Co., which started construction in August 1906. T

March 19, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Unmunsa Buddhist Nunnery University continues tradition of women’s role in Korean Buddhism

Women’s prominent role in Korean Buddhism goes way back in history. Becoming a Buddhist nun or monk was a common life options for the ruling elites of the Silla Kingdom and Goryeo Empire which lasted more than 14 centuries from 57 BC to AD 1392. Even kings and queens jettisoned their throne to become Buddhist monks and nuns during the Silla period, just as the Siddhartha Shakyamuni Buddha gave up his kingdom to become an enlightened one, some 2,600 years ago. The oldest surviving book

March 19, 2022

[Well-curated] Learn about hanok, dabble in painting this weekend

The Bukchon Traditional Culture Center, located within the Buckchon Hanok Village in Seoul, will resume its series of Saturday cultural events. Under the theme, “Bukchon’s New Spring, New Hopes,” the program for March focuses on making and sharing New Year’s resolutions. Events will consist of a mix of online and on-site exhibitions and programs. Kang Yong-hoon, a pen drawing artist specializing in calligraphy works of urban landscapes, will hold seminars on designing

March 18, 2022

Rebecca Solnit: ‘Rise of anti-feminism in Korea smacks of Trump-era racism’

Feminist author Rebecca Solnit has said the anti-feminism sentiments amplified by president elect Yoon Suk-yeol is similar to racism under the presidency of Donald Trump in the United States. “In a way this almost seems more analogous to racism in the United States,” Solnit said of the current political climate in South Korea during an interview on Tuesday. “Trump was elected because of his racism by racists and part of the racism is to claim that there is no racism: Black peo

March 17, 2022

Special concert to deliver tunes of peace for Ukraine

In hopes of sending out a message of peace across the globe for Ukrainian war refugees, a special evening concert will be held at the Seoul Arts Center’s concert hall on March 23. Co-hosted by The Korea Herald and the Seoul Arts Center, the “2022 Special Concert for World Peace,” will be led by the Seoul Pops Orchestra’s director and conductor Ha Sung-ho. Musicians onstage include 73-year old veteran vocal maestro Jang Sa-ik, 2022 Korea Opera Awards’ gold-winning

March 15, 2022

Not just to read, but to experience: National Library’s bold transformation

The National Library of Korea, located in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, announced the opening of an immersive literature content hall experience, Jisikui Gil, which means “Path to Knowledge” on Monday. This follows last year’s Culture Ministry initiative project, Shilgam Seojae, which successfully transformed a few of South Korea’s ancient writings and archived documents stored in the library into interactive contents using multidimensional technologies. This year’s p

March 14, 2022