[Weekender] Back in the day: Sweet memories of picnics

In South Korea, spring outings are a grand, communal affair that bring people together. Schools, churches, companies and various social clubs and communities start planning way before spring arrives. It is one of the biggest annual events. The culture of grand picnicking can be traced back to “hwajeon nori” during the Joseon era (1392-1910) -- a picnic enjoyed mostly by women on the third day of the third lunar month. “Young Joseon wives would travel to an attractive outdoor site and pitch a ten

CultureMay 3, 2019

[Weekender] Picnic rentals: Skip the hassle, enjoy the season

Sometimes, the best picnics happen on the spur of the moment. And South Korea’s thriving picnic rental services, conveniently clustered near popular destinations, make last-minute outings a breeze. You can have a perfect day out in the sun, without the early-morning packing hassle that exhausts you even before setting off or shelling out on fancy picnic gear you may only use once or twice a year. Rent the shade Camping has become commonplace in Seoul, especially in parks along the Han River that

CultureMay 3, 2019

[Weekender] Branded pop-ups liven up retail scene

Branded pop-up stores play an increasingly important role in South Korea’s retail scene as a source of creativity, innovation and a brand new consumer experience. Many customers associate pop-ups with an experience different from what they expect from conventional brick-and-mortar stores.  (Louis Vuitton)“If this were a regular shop, I wouldn’t have stepped inside,” said Nam Yong-il, who visited LG Uplus’ fifth-generation-themed pop-up in Gangnam, Seoul, earlier this week. “But since it’s a pop-

IndustryApril 26, 2019

[Weekender] Spring in full bloom at open-air markets

It is the best season for outdoor markets right now -- whether they are flea markets, farmers’ markets or art markets. On weekends, stalls sprout up on streets and in parks, beckoning visitors to come enjoy a pleasant spring day at a lively marketplace. Some of them draw larger crowds, as they have made a name for themselves via word of mouth and social media. These markets have their home turf, but they also tour. They put up notices about upcoming dates and locations on social media, then shop

TravelApril 26, 2019

[Weekender] Night market gets glam makeover in Yeouido

Seoul’s Bamdokkaebi Night Market, which runs every Friday and Saturday at four locations in the city, is perfect for those who want a casual night out.At Cheonggye Stream, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Banpo and Yeouido, the city-operated weekend markets beckon visitors with their eclectic selection of food stalls, music and atmosphere -- their own glammed-up versions of the Korean traditional street market. From May onward, a fifth location will be added -- Oil Tank Culture Park in Mapo-gu. Bamdokka

CultureApril 26, 2019

[Weekender] ASMR, the art of anti-stimulation

Technology is taking its toll on the digital generation, evidenced in the rise of ASMR, or particular videos designed for listening. ASMR -- autonomous sensory meridian response -- is a relatively new internet phenomenon for disconnecting in an increasingly hyperconnected world. With ASMR, listeners are not looking to be entertained. They want to be sedated. It’s the art of anti-stimulation.　　 This image shows screenshots of some of the more popular ASMR videos on YouTube. One ASMR content creat

CultureApril 19, 2019

[Weekender] ASMR: The feel-good world made of unexpected sounds

If you haven’t heard of ASMR, believe us, it is huge. On YouTube, videos of people whispering in their microphone, or creating certain sounds that are supposed to trigger an “autonomous sensory meridian response” -- a tingling sensation that typically starts from your scalp and moves down your spine -- are aplenty. And they are being watched tens of millions of times globally.  (Illustration by Nam Kyung-don)In South Korea, never too far behind a global trend, ASMR has really caught on recently.

CultureApril 19, 2019

[Weekender] Bring spring to the table with bom namul

In South Korea, now is the time to enjoy fresh spring greens, or bom namul.Found everywhere from mountain slopes to roadsides, these wild plants come in many varieties and each has its own unique charm. Although some namul are now cultivated and therefore available year-round, the arrival of freshly foraged leaves -- plentiful and cheap for just over a month -- at local markets is a welcome harbinger of spring.  (Yonhap)“For me, it’s naengi (shepherd’s purse) that tells me winter is almost over,

FoodApril 12, 2019

[Weekender] Eat your namul, for your health and the Earth’s

Plant-based eating is emerging as a healthier and more sustainable alternative amid repeated global warnings about climate change. For most South Koreans, however, the concept is pretty familiar. Despite recent Western influences, for centuries Koreans have been a plant-loving people. “We are indeed a namul people,” said food and nutrition professor Jung Hye-kyung of Hoseo University, referring to edible wild plants and the important role they have played in the Korean diet throughout history.Th

FoodApril 12, 2019

[Weekender] From vintage to sportswear, retro is in vogue

The retro fever can be best felt at the Dongmyo market, one of the biggest flea markets in Korea where fashionista visitors have sharply increased since last year. “Visitors surged suddenly after September last year, after the market was featured on several popular TV shows,” said Park Choon-ha, a vintage clothes shop owner at the market. Vintage clothes, shoes and accessories are displayed at the Dongmyo street market in Seoul on March 29. (Choi Ji-won/The Korea Herald)On a recent Friday aftern

Arts & DesignApril 5, 2019

[Weekender] In love with #retro

Fashion trends come and go. What was once old-fashioned suddenly comes back in style, as nostalgia for the good old days brings back elements of the past. But the latest retro trend here is being fueled more by curiosity than nostalgia, with its main followers being youths born and raised in this era of dizzying technologies. Locally dubbed “new-tro,” this craze is reaching far beyond the boundaries of fashion and design. In Ikseon-dong, the retro mecca of Seoul, young people dressed up in retro

CultureApril 5, 2019

[Weekender] Sejong Institute looks beyond classroom walls

Aspiring Korean speakers are virtually all over the world now, thanks to the borderless travel of Korean pop culture. To reach them, the King Sejong Institute plans to go beyond its physical limitations and provide an extensive range of online classes, said Kang Hyoun-hwa, chief of the state-run institution that oversees some 170 Korean language centers worldwide. “On a recent business trip, I looked down from the airplane window on the so many islands that make up Indonesia. Then it struck me.

CultureMarch 29, 2019

[Weekender] Korean: A rising language

When King Sejong invented Hangeul, the Korean alphabet and writing system, hoping to “broadly benefit mankind,” he couldn’t have possibly meant people on the other side of the planet. But five centuries later, thanks to YouTube, video calls and mobile apps, the Korean language is being taught in places far, far away from its native land. On DuoLingo, a hugely popular free language-learning app with over 300 million users worldwide, some 3.3 million are taking the Korean course.“It is the sixth-m

CultureMarch 29, 2019

[Weekender] Fan translators break through K-pop’s language barrier

K-pop speaks Korean -- for the most part -- but not all its fans.In addition to K-pop’s nonverbal appeal, the language barrier is being broken down by a network of fans who translate Korean content into other languages in real-time. BTS performs at MBC Plus x Genie Music Awards 2018 (Park Hyun-koo, The Korea Herald)Jessica Cuadros Marquez, who manages the BTS fan organization of Peru, said Spanish-speaking fans depend on reliable fan accounts that have a track record of producing quality Spanish

PerformanceMarch 28, 2019

[Weekender] Inside South Korea’s boom in preschool English books

In a country where 4 in 10 adults read less than one book written in their native language per year, an unlikely segment of the book market is thriving: English books for children. Lee Seung-a, an 8-year-old elementary student, is one contributor to this boom. A child reads an English picture book inside Mapo English Literacy Center, a public library of English books for children in central Seoul. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)Currently on a challenge to read 1,000 English books, she tries to

CultureMarch 22, 2019

[Weekender] Snapshot of English book scene in Korea

When it comes to English books, there are three types of readers in South Korea: expats, Korean elites and language learners. For retailers and distributors, the first is the most difficult consumer group to target as their tastes in books are just as diverse as their backgrounds. The most lucrative and competitive market, on the other hand, is that for young English learners, as Korean moms -- always willing to reach into their pocketbooks for their children’s education -- wake up to the power

CultureMarch 22, 2019

[Weekender] Yongsan redevelopment weighs on Itaewon’s future

Much of Itaewon’s future hinges on Korean landlords who expect their long wait for investment gains to finally pay off in the coming years. With a former US base to be turned into a huge public park, many expect the onset of the “Yongsan era,” with the area rising to match Gangnam’s status as an upscale residential and commercial district. But in that transformation, Itaewon’s unique features as a lively, culturally diverse and expat-friendly neighborhood could be lost. While the anticipation fo

Social AffairsMarch 14, 2019

[Weekender] Itaewon: Present and future

Some say Itaewon has lost its soul and is now just another soulless hangout place for young Koreans. Others say the neighborhood has become safer and trendier -- suitable for a wider audience. And if you stand in the right place, you can still find the same expat-led culture thriving, they say. Whichever side one takes, the talk resembles the typical debate that erupts whenever a neighborhood gets gentrified. A less developed area with its unique characteristics and a vibrant local community get

TravelMarch 14, 2019

[Weekender] Itaewon’s identity wanes in the wake of gentrification

Late on a Saturday afternoon, Itaewon was nothing like the way it is described in most Seoul tourism books. People could be seen walking down the street in sparse numbers. Stores were almost empty. Some had gone out of business and displayed “for rent” signs in their windows. Granted, this neighborhood is better known for its nightlife, but it was too quiet for a place once known as a “magnet” for expats and locals alike. An owner of a souvenir shop on the neighborhood’s main street told The Kor

CultureMarch 14, 2019