[Weekender] Work -- a bike ride away

For urban commuters who have to scramble daily through the traffic-jammed city or spend a heavy monthly allowance on taxi rides, the low cost and less-stress alternative of taking a bicycle to work is tempting.The idea, of course, involves a number of concerns: Do I have to purchase a bicycle and safety equipment? Is it safe to ride a bicycle on downtown main streets? What if it rains unexpectedly? Can I ride in my business attire? An office worker rides a rental bike in Yeongdeungpo-gu on his w

PoliticsApril 21, 2017

[Weekender] Travel Bits

Gwangju Royal Ceramic Fest Gwangju Royal Ceramic Festival is held annually in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, where royal ceramic ware was first created during the Joseon period. Launched in 1998, the festival is comprised of various programs such as performances, exhibitions, and hands-on activities. The festival is held from April 22 to May 7, and the visiting hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. It is open to visitors of all ages and there is no admission fee. A separate admission fee is requir

TravelApril 14, 2017

[Weekender] Unmanned services: pros and cons

Despite the positive elements of unmanned services for making life more convenient and saving time, concerns are also rising over the technology-backed services replacing jobs and causing security concerns.Seoul National University has been operating unmanned security systems by reducing the number of security guards.The college has installed surveillance cameras and sensors at 25 buildings designed to raise the alarm only in case of an emergency. Currently it has 180 guards, but they are expect

IndustryApril 14, 2017

[Weekender] Young, busy Koreans prefer spending time at unmanned stores

People passing by the streets of Bangbae-dong, a neighborhood in southern Seoul, look back to check out the unusual atmosphere in the Newdle 365 store, one of few unmanned convenience stores in the city. The store, having seven vending machines and no cashier, is crowded with students during busy afterschool hours, but there is no need to wait for long as customers can easily purchase products with the press of a button.  The Newdle 365 store at Bangbae-dongLocated next to a primary school, the

IndustryApril 14, 2017

[Weekender] Doing without humans

Lee Bom, 34, is one of a growing number of unmarried people in South Korea, and aside from her colleagues at work, she can go a full day without talking to anyone.Due to her long working hours, Lee orders all her groceries online. As she usually doesn’t get home until late at night, her items are delivered to Smile Box, an unmanned parcel pickup and return service. The box is installed at a GS25 convenience store near her house and is opened using a verification code on her smartphone.Lee enjoys

IndustryApril 14, 2017

[Weekender] Air pollution thrust onto presidential election agenda

Environmental issues have rarely received attention in South Korean elections, but the nation’s worst-ever air pollution in the first three months of this year has changed that. With slightly over a month left to the May 9 presidential election, major contenders are releasing pledges on tackling the aggravating fine dust problem, facing conspicuously growing public awareness and voter demand. With a slew of mobile apps providing nearly real-time updates on air quality, many pollution-conscious c

Social AffairsApril 7, 2017

[Weekender] Rising market shields consumers from fine dust

Fighting pollution is no longer a seasonal task, and consumers are now preparing for an ongoing war against fine dust.According to South Korea’s biggest discount store chain E-mart, sales of air purifiers increased on-year by 86.1 percent during the week of March 17 to 23. Masks registered a 21 percent on-year increase in the same week. Due to popular demand, online retailer Coupang has created a “Spring Season Fine Dust Impenetrable Defense” category that consists of 170 products, ranging from

IndustryApril 7, 2017

[Weekender] Hazy future of South Korean skies

South Korea is more shrouded in dust than ever. In three months this year, the country has seen 85 ultrafine dust advisories issued, more than double in the same period last year, which had 41. With ominously gray skies, low visibility and warnings about the health effects of airborne dust, South Koreans have become increasingly anxious.A high-rise building in downtown Seoul is shrouded in fine dust on April 3. (Yonhap)This has given rise to a breed of citizens raging their own battles against a

Social AffairsApril 7, 2017

[Weekender] Rising market shields consumers from fine dust

Fighting pollution is no longer a seasonal task, and consumers are now preparing for an ongoing war against fine dust.According to South Korea’s biggest discount store chain E-mart, sales of air purifiers increased on-year by 86.1 percent during the week of March 17 to 23. Masks registered a 21 percent on-year increase in the same week. Due to popular demand, online retailer Coupang has created a “Spring Season Fine Dust Impenetrable Defense” category that consists of 170 products, ranging from

IndustryApril 7, 2017

[Weekender] Lifelong courses help with second careers

Shim Jae-chul, 57, had to find a new way to make a living when he lost his job three years ago. To restart his career, Shim chose to take online courses to obtain an electrician’s certificate. “I had to find a new job to support my family. However, people who are old like me have problems learning as quickly as young people,” Shim said. “Online courses let me review materials repeatedly. I can even slow down the speed (of the lectures), which is great!” The Ministry of Education and National Ins

Social AffairsMarch 24, 2017

[Weekender] Lifelong learning takes first step in Korea

About 40 percent of South Korean adults aged under 70 have received college-level or higher education, according to a recent report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.The figure is far above the OECD average of 30 percent.The Paris-based organization also said its 34 member countries (currently 35) posted 40.8 percent in the proportion of adults that had participated in various types of lifelong learning such as not-for-credit courses by universities, lessons at priva

CultureMarch 24, 2017

[Weekender] MOOC gains ground despite low completion rate

Harry Smith has seized every opportunity to learn during his 50-year career. After he was diagnosed with kidney cancer, he took to Coursera, a massive open online course platform, to keep learning and taking courses from top-rated universities for the first time in his life. “I want to learn new things because that’s what brings joy to my life,” he said in a contribution article on Coursera.  Harry Smith, a student on Massive Open Online Course platform Coursera, talks about his learning experie

Social AffairsMarch 24, 2017

[Weekender] Ordinary Joes see lifelong education as a way up, way out

That life is a never-ending learning process is a hackneyed idea, but it carries with it the idea that learning is down to the individual.Once compulsory education is over, it is completely up to them to decide on what and how to educate themselves.Korea’s academic pressures are notorious. Starting from an early age, students struggle to meet the expectations of their parents and teachers. If they hit the end goal of getting in to a good university and landing a reputable job, they often conside

Social AffairsMarch 24, 2017

[Weekender] Minimalist lifestyle: Detoxing mind and body

Being a minimalist is confined not only to reducing the possessions of material things but giving up on unnecessary and superficial social relationships in life, according to an author who wrote a book in Korean about how to live a minimalist life and take care of domestic work.“Having deep relations with two people is more comfortable and (psychologically) healthier than having superficial relations with 10 people. Because you don’t say much and say only necessary things to a person you deeply

CultureMarch 17, 2017

[Weekender] Minimalist consuming is not about quantity

The idea of minimalism is often perceived in a quantitative sense. However, in today’s consumer market minimalism is not about buying less but about buying better, and retail players are scrambling to present items and services that can encourage spending by appealing to consumers’ sense of value. Minimalist storage and decoration items available at Ikea (Ikea)“Today’s consumer does not care about the perception of others. Everything is focused on finding happiness for the self, for defining one

IndustryMarch 17, 2017

[Weekender] The art of living with less

For most people, moving is always an immense hassle. However, it took only two hours for 37-year-old Kim Yoon-jin and her family to pack up their belongings and move out of their residence in Seoul last month.“Granted the hired moving professionals were very speedy, our move took even less time because we own less things,” said Kim who considers herself a minimalist with little materialistic desires.There was a time when Kim cared deeply about things like making more money and living in a bigger

IndustryMarch 17, 2017

[Weekender] Travel bits

Yangpyeong Strawberry FestivalThe Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservations are required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 teams can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. Visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, Japanese and Mandarin

TravelMarch 10, 2017

[Weekender] Walk across a land frozen in time

CHEORWON, Gangwon Province -- Venturing deep inside the remote county of Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, one finds the village of Gimhwa-eup, just a stone’s throw away from the inter-Korean border.Here lies the Demilitarized Zone, a no man’s land set as a buffer zone between the Koreas on July 27, 1953 when the US, representing the United Nations Command, and North Korea reached an armistice agreement that brought a truce to the Korean Peninsula.Nearly 64 years on, the DMZ remains uninhabited, save

TravelMarch 3, 2017

[Weekender] Travel bits

Yangpyeong Strawberry FestivalThe Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservation is required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 teams can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. For more information, visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, J

TravelMarch 3, 2017

[Weekender] Stranger places: out-of-the-ordinary destinations

For those weary of typical travel itineraries -- looking at landscapes, eating local food, sightseeing -- The Korea Herald recommends a number of unique, and somewhat strange, places to visit, ranging from interesting accommodations to unusual places of interest. Robotic comfortsIn Nagasaki, Japan, there is a hotel staffed almost entirely by robots, from automated employees at the reception desk and electric bellboys to droid waiters at a restaurant. 　Upon entering the futuristic establishment,

TravelMarch 3, 2017