[Weekender] Behind the scenes of Korean food crazes

Besides the enduring popularity of Korean staples, a series of food crazes has been providing fresh gustatory excitement in Korea, however temporary their popularity may be. These trending foods span a wide array of categories, ranging from beverages and snacks to bread and noodles. Some are fleeting fads, while others become consistent sellers in the food industry. And then there are also those relinquish their momentary fame to other emerging culinary sensations. Currently reigning supreme are

Sept. 23, 2023

[Weekender] Why Korean managers can’t turn a 'Blind' eye on employee feedback

This April, tragedy narrowly averted a GS Construction Consortium’s apartment construction site in Geomdan New Town, Incheon. The upper layers of an underground parking garage, designated as a children's playground, gave way, triggering a chain collapse. While no casualties were reported as the accident happened late at night, the subsidence revealed a grim scenario had it occurred post-completion. A month later, GS Engineering & Construction, the builder, admitted to omitting ste

Sept. 16, 2023

[Weekender] Hiking, a newfound hobby for young Koreans

Hiking has long been considered a popular activity for the middle aged or retirees looking for ways to spend their days in a healthy and low-cost way in South Korea. But the charm of climbing has extended to younger generations, with major trekking trails across the country filled with people in their 20s and 30s. Once regarded as nothing but arduous and time-consuming, hiking has become a favorite weekend activity, says Han Min-seon, a 28-year-old writer in Seoul. "I enjoy climbing Bukhans

Sept. 9, 2023

[Eye Plus] Nongak is a 'lifelong friend'

“Gochang nongak first came into my life at a college traditional music band. Since then, I've gone to Gochang every summer and winter to learn the music,” said Kim Mi-jung, a kkwaenggwari player of Gochang nongak, a type of traditional farmers’ music developed in Gochang-gun, North Jeolla Province. The kkwaenggwari is a metal percussion instrument or gong with a radius the length of the span of one's outstretched hand, and a wooden mallet. With its high-pitched tone,

Sept. 9, 2023

[Weekender] Storytelling grannies share their love with children

Contagious laughter broke out among a group of 6-year-olds as 78-year-old Yang Moon-jah energetically narrated a Korean folktale about a fart competition between a man and a woman. The septuagenarian delivered the tale with impeccable clarity, ensuring every word resonated throughout the entire 20-minute storytelling session. Officially known as an "iyagi halmeoni" in Korean, which translates into "storytelling grandmother," Yang boasts nine years of storytelling experience w

Aug. 26, 2023

[Eye Plus] ‘Nongak brings me joy. It is an escape from life's heaviness'

“When I started learning 'gochang nongak,' it was completely different from anything I had learned before," said Jeong Ha-rin, an amateur gochang nongak performer from Busan. “Now, gochang nongak brings me so much joy. It became an escape from life's heaviness and seriousness,” Jeong added. Gochang nongak is a type of traditional music developed by farmers in Gochang, North Jeolla Province. “My father was a member of the Korean traditional art's c

Aug. 26, 2023

[Weekender] 'Old money' rises as the new black in fashion

The “old money” fashion trend that has been spreading globally has reached South Korea. As of Thursday, the hashtag #oldmoney accrued over 8.5 billion views on TikTok, with #oldmoneyaesthetic and #oldmoneyoutfits amassing 3.8 billion and 1.4 billion views, respectively. Old money refers to wealth that is deeply rooted in tradition, or wealth that is inherited rather than acquired through personal earnings. In this regard, the idea behind the old money look means looking like someone

Aug. 19, 2023

[Weekender] Retreats and reads: Glimpse into Korean presidential summers

In the sweltering heat of South Korean summers, even the most powerful figures in Korea -- its presidents -- yearn for summer respite. Delve into the history of presidential summer vacations, their reading rituals that give the public a sneak peek into their minds and the seemingly unbreakable jinx of interrupted summer breaks. Obligatory reading list South Korean presidents like to reveal their summer reading lists, and their book picks often become bestsellers for the season. From these summ

Aug. 12, 2023

‘Tradition is a part of life, rather than something special’

Oh Hai-sun, 25, first joined a nongak crew as a middle school student. There he fostered his interest in the traditional Korean music genre. “I have never lost a day to practice performances with my friends every lunchtime. I enjoyed the moment. We participated in a series of competitions and won some prizes, which also increased my interest in nongak,” Oh said. Oh plays jing for Gochang Nongak, traditional music created and developed by farmers in the coastal county of Gochang, Nort

Aug. 12, 2023

[Weekender] Hurry up and wait

People started arriving one after another holding parasols to line up at the entrance of Kokkili Bagel, a local bakery in Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul, a little after 7 a.m on July 29. Though the door was closed and the lights were off, more bagel lovers gathered and formed a long line that stretched to the street’s end as it neared 8:30 a.m., the bakery’s opening time. They were all there to do their Kokkili Bagel “open run” that morning. Origins of 'open run�

Aug. 5, 2023

[Weekender] A fish with a dozen names

The newest snack craze in South Korea is Meoktaekkang. Convenience stores nationwide are selling out of the fish-flavored snack from local food company Nongshim. For those who may find it hard to understand what the name means, meoktae is one of the many names that Koreans use to refer to Alaska pollack, which is among the most consumed fish here. The "kkang" derives from Nongshim’s signature snack, the shrimp-flavored Saewookkang. The fish, whose most widely recognized Korean na

July 29, 2023

[Weekender] S. Korea ranks third in terms of passport power: What does it mean?

Passports are far more than just simple travel documents that verify a holder's personal information. In fact, the thin, palm-sized booklets also function as the barometers for a nation's status on the international stage -- in that some passports have the power to allow its holder to gain access to international destinations without extra entry requirements, such as visas, while some passports don't. In this regard, a recent report showed that South Korean passports are one of th

July 22, 2023

[Weekender] The sweet truth: Dissecting sugar-free products

For Kim Hyo-jung, a 31-year-old office worker in Seoul, who is one of many health-conscious consumers looking to avoid sugar and added calories at every turn, sugar-free drinks have long been a fact of life. “Who doesn’t know too much sugar is bad for you? I don't think I am being particularly picky because almost everyone around me (thinks) like me,” Kim said, adding that finding sugar-free soft drinks hasn’t been too hard. For some time, sugar-free or zero-sugar pr

July 15, 2023

[Eye Plus] Sound of the 'janggu' 'echoed in my heart'

Performers wearing hats that look like huge flower bouquets walk in single file while beating rapidly on instruments slung over their shoulders. Thunder-like sounds from the leather drum skins reverberate across the auditorium, filling the space with booming rhythms. Among the instruments, the sounds of the "janggu," a traditional percussion instrument consisting of a two-headed drum covered with leather and carried with a sash, moved Lee Chang-geun to become a performer of "Gocha

July 15, 2023

[Weekender] Chilling tales and haunted trails: unlocking thrilling summer adventure

As summer sweeps across the country, the allure of sandy beachfront getaways and outdoor adventures beckons. Paradoxically, it is precisely during these sizzling months that haunted mansions and ghost houses reclaim their attraction to thrill-seekers and the curious. Brace yourself as you step into the haunted corridors of these popular attractions, for what awaits is a bone-chilling immersive encounter that will send shivers down your spine. A twist on the traditional concept of a haunted house

July 8, 2023

[Eye Plus] Pansori: bridging tradition and the modern world

"Pansori" was the most difficult art form to master, says Choi Su-in, a 23-year-old student with experience in piano, flute, drawing and ballet. The complexity of pansori only instilled her with grit and determination, and eventually led her to major in pansori at Seoul National University. “I found myself improving more when training in pansori than when compared to other arts. Perhaps that is what attracted me to it,” Choi said. Originating from the southwestern part of K

July 1, 2023

[Weekender] 'Dive into fantasy': Korean aquaphiles turn to art of mermaiding

One of Kim Sun-min's new joys in life is to visit the local diving pool in Ilsan, a northwestern satellite city of Seoul. It is where the 42-year-old content marketer can become the mythical creature of her dreams -- a mermaid -- for at least a few hours a week. "Mermaiding might seem like wearing a costume and posing for a photo underwater to outsiders," Kim told The Korea Herald at the Mer Freediving Center in Ilsan. "But it's actually a combination of art and sports -

July 1, 2023

[Weekender] Tennis launches strong serve at golf in Korea

Tennis is the new black, and the sport is giving golf a run for its money in South Korea. Koreans' expenditure on tennis-related commodities rose by 440 percent compared to 2019, according to BC Card's analysis of the credit card spending of its some 42 million users. Data compiled by the big data center at credit card firm Shinhan Card also showed the amount of spending at tennis courts jumped by 336 percent, compared to the same period in 2019. And companies have been swift to jump o

June 24, 2023

[Weekender] A guide to surviving ‘jangma’ this summer

South Korea is expected to see more precipitation this summer. With “jangma,” or the monsoon season, just around the corner, concerns have been growing fast not just because of the possibility of heavy rainfall ruining the hard-earned summer holidays but because of lessons learned from last year. The country was deluged with severely heavy rains last year, leaving nine dead, hundreds in Seoul displaced and over 2,800 buildings damaged. This year, experts advise not to panic, even if

June 17, 2023

[Eye Plus] Taepyeongso and piri: Heros of Korean traditional music ensembles

“The taepyeongso and piri are both heroes in Korea’s traditional music ensemble. But they are tricky to play,” said Park Seong-bin, a student majoring in the Korean traditional wind instruments at Seoul National University. The taepyeongso has a funneled metal end which produces a high-pitched sound widely loved by people during the Joseon era (1392-1910) and starred in a diverse array of events from royal ceremonies to performances by peasants. The piri, on the other hand, has

June 17, 2023