[Weekender] Farewell to 2016

In 2016 South Korea struggled with a historic triple whammy -- political chaos set off by a presidential scandal, ever-deepening economic difficulties and diplomatic and security woes in the wake of North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile tests. This year posed pressing tasks of propping up the slowing economy. As workers have lost jobs, household debt began soaring. Industries that were once part of the mainstay of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, such as autos, shipbuilding and shipping, sta

PoliticsDec. 30, 2016

[Weekender] Charity fundraising meets ICT

Salvation Army’s red Christmas kettles and bell ringers landed here in 1928 and have withstood South Korea‘s harsh winters ever since. It seems though, it won’t be long before they disappear and are replaced with digital gadgets, as donors now tend to prefer convenient digital charity over traditional paper money donations.In line with the trend, fund organizers are rolling out easy and creative digital methods to draw more tech-savvy donors.They range from applications to digital gift certifica

IndustryDec. 23, 2016

[Weekender] Talent donation sets new trend for community service

 Lee Bo-ra, a 39-year-old housewife with three kids in Seoul, volunteered to read tales for children at a community cultural center in her neighborhood every Saturday for about a year. “I didn’t know that what I was doing was donating my ‘talent’ at the time, because I thought I was simply doing some community service,” said Lee, a professional narrator with a private license for fairy tale reading. “Now I recognize it can be a good way of serving my neighbors with my skill.”Students of a fine a

IndustryDec. 23, 2016

[Weekender] Donations, for all, by all

Come Christmas season, charity pots and kettles are pulled out to remind people that the holidays are a time of giving, even to someone they don’t know.But for 31-year-old office worker Song Jung-yup, donating is not just a year-end event, it’s something that can be done throughout the year.“When you say donation, people tend to think it should be something massive. But I think anyone can help out depending on their financial status,” said Song, who has been making a 5,000 won ($4.20) monthly do

Social AffairsDec. 23, 2016

[Weekender] Convenience stores’ private brands hit big

Convenience stores have long been a part of South Korea’s quick, fast-changing lifestyle, and they have now taken a step further by producing their own private brands.What makes their private brands work is the convenience store chains’ wide distribution capacities.Omori Kimchi stew ramen released by local convenience retail brand GS 25 and instant noodle maker Paldo. (GS Retail)Most convenience retail brands do not spend large sums of money on ads for their private brands, because promotion is

IndustryDec. 16, 2016

[Weekender] At your convenience

Ethan Kim, a 33-year-old marketer living in Seoul, says he cannot remember the last time he was in a grocery store.“I do most of my shopping online,” he says. “Everything else, I buy at a convenience store near my house. I usually stop and get something for dinner on my way home from work.”As the number of single-person households continues to rise in Korea, convenience stores have become the new offline retail outlets of choice, a rare sector of growth in a sluggish retail climate. According to

IndustryDec. 16, 2016

[Weekender] Convenience stores team up with services firms

Korean convenience stores, arguably a slump-free business in times of weak local demand, are increasingly teaming up with services firms to attract more customers and to differentiate their business models, industry officials said.The latest move came from Korea’s biggest convenience store franchise GS Retail, which joined hands with budget telco service firm Annex Telecom to sell a low-cost USIM card.A user of Ticket Monster’s mobile shopping app TMon picks up her delivered product at a CU conv

IndustryDec. 16, 2016

[Weekender] The art of writing in spotlight again

The rapid adoption of digital devices in recent years is reshaping the concept of writing. A growing number of people view writing as a synonym of typing on PC or taking notes on their smartphones. For tech-savvy people, a traditional pen is nothing but an outdated and inconvenient tool. But this tech-oriented perspective is yet to convert the growing group of calligraphy enthusiasts with a penchant for beautiful writing. Calligraphy is making a comeback in Korea. Signs in favor of what people h

CultureDec. 2, 2016

[Weekender] Hangeul calligraphy goes mainstream

There was a time when Chinese character calligraphers criticized Hangeul calligraphy for being “too unsophisticated.” Luckily, a few calligraphers ignored the comments and mastered their craft in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Looking back, they served as the trailblazers for the now-burgeoning market for Hangeul calligraphy.“Years ago, the term ‘Hangeul calligraphy’ was virtually nonexistent among graphic designers,” Kang Byung-in, one of the first-generation Hangul calligraphy gurus, told The K

CultureDec. 2, 2016

[Weekender] Beautiful writing goes beyond words

Nestled in the design books section of Kyobo Book Center in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, calligraphy workbooks are displayed in a separate stall as a special collection.　According to Kyobo Book Center, calligraphy books began gaining traction since 2012, with the number of new publications and demand for them steadily growing each year.A reader flicks through books in the calligraphy section of Kyobo Book Centre in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. (Lim Jeong-yeo / The Korea Herald)In 2013, eight new books on calligra

CultureDec. 2, 2016

[Weekender] Ajae rise as key customers in trendy modern industries

Gone are the days of men waiting in the resting area while their wife or girlfriend shops for them. South Korea’s middle-aged men are redefining their culture from the outdated and unattractive image embedded in the term “ajeossi,” to a younger and less formidable “ajae.”The new trend is also filtering into industries that were once considered sanctuaries for women, such as fashion, cosmetics and even plastic surgery.(123rf)Industries that traditionally focus on the younger generation, such as g

IndustryNov. 25, 2016

[Weekender] Ajae, the new middle-aged man

Brian Bae, 40, recently wrote on his Facebook wall, “I can’t believe it’s the 20th anniversary of the launch of Diablo -- yet more evidence that I’ve become an ajae.” Diablo is a popular role playing video he had taken up as a college student. Now he is the father of two children and holds a senior position at his company. A few years ago, he might have been called “ajeossi,” an appellation for middle-aged men in Korean, but his youthful fashion style

Nov. 25, 2016

[Weekender] Middle-aged men's fashion loosens up

What was once a staple outfit for middle-aged men -- dress shirts and stoic suits -- is now considered outdated as they opt for a less formal look.Nowadays, it is more common to see men in their 40s wearing sweatshirts or crew neck knits, slacks and sneakers as they go to work or spend a day with their kids.The transformation of the traditional “ajeossi” style is now widely referred to as the “ajae” phenomenon. Both words refer to middle-aged men, with the former carrying an outdated connotation

Nov. 25, 2016

[Weekender] Best places for winter bird-watching

Migratory birds visit South Korea from around October as the air begins to grow cool, heralding the change in season. These winged guests come annually from Russia, China and Mongolia, flying without rest for 15 hours per day to spend a “warmer” winter on the peninsula and nurture new life.Their arrival here makes winter prime time for bird-watching, with several spots that are especially popular. These sites are usually near river basins and deltas, where rivers meet the sea.  A flock of migrat

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2016

[Weekender] Arrival of winter guests

CHEORWON, Gangwon Province -- From October, hundreds of winged guests arrive at Cheorwon, a rural town near the northern border. On a long, arduous journey to southern wintering grounds, about 800 cranes make a stopover at Cheorwon for its some 10,500 hectares of rice fields, which provide abundant food and resting places for them. Kim Su-ho, a local vet for wild birds with over 20 years of experience, says he is able to tell the difference between cranes that have been there before and those vi

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2016

[Weekender] Where to experience traditional Korean liquor hands-on

For those eager to learn about the history and making of traditional Korean alcohol, Seoul has a number of places dedicated to showcasing local liquor. One such place is The Sool Gallery, nestled in Seoul’s traditional neighborhood and tourist hotspot of Insa-dong. The Sool Gallery is a traditional Korean liquor exhibition and tasting room that opened its doors last year. Catering largely to tourists and foreign travelers, the gallery provides educational programs about traditional drinks run by

FoodNov. 11, 2016

[Weekender] From Grandma’s home to store shelves, Boksoondoga makgeolli goes global

ULSAN -- A recipe for homemade rice wine that started out as one humble grandmother’s hobby is now well on its way to becoming one of the country’s top brands. Architect Kim Min-kyu and mathematician Kim Min-kook took their grandmother’s recipe for Korean rice wine -- known as makgeolli -- and established Boksoondoga brewery last year just outside Ulsan.Min-kook focused on the science of said makgeolli, systemizing a larger-scale fermentation process, while his older brother Min-kyu focused on t

TravelNov. 11, 2016

[Weekender] Traditional liquors diversify, enrich tastes in Korea

Before the colonial Japanese government imposed its liquor tax law here in 1909, the country’s alcohol scene was varied and vibrant, with local breweries concocting their own beverages.Korea’s rapid, centralized modernization in the postwar years produced a handful of drinks -- soju, beer and makgeolli in particular -- that quenched the thirst of industrialists and salarymen alike. Korea’s traditional liquors, including takju (opaque, coarsely fermented drinks), yakju (filtered rice wine), soju

CultureNov. 11, 2016

[Weekender] Unfortunate legacies of Korean presidents

South Korea has had 11 presidents -- six of them directly elected -- but nearly all saw a gloomy end to their terms. Three were forced to step down, one was assassinated and another jumped to his death after retirement. Most had their legacies tainted by scandals and two of them were put behind bars.President Park Geun-hye, the only woman and unmarried leader of the 11, appears to have failed to escape the trap. With 16 months left in her five-year term, Park is facing a humiliating crisis that

PoliticsNov. 4, 2016

[Weekender] Korea’s teetering presidency

Cheong Wa Dae and its inner workings are mostly veiled, apart from a museum about the history of former presidents and video clips of high-profile meetings aired on TV. So to many South Koreans, the allegations that Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye’s civilian friend, had been freely coming and going into the presidential palace are beyond comprehension, not to mention her suspected meddling in state affairs and alleged pocketing of taxpayers’ money. Located at the foot of Bugaksan in centr

PoliticsNov. 4, 2016