[Weekender] Rooftop beekeepers reconnect city with nature

The greening of rooftops in Seoul does not just benefit people, it provides the chance to protect a species threatened by humans – the honey bees. 　The growing number of rooftop gardens and farms is an opportunity to strengthen the city’s ecosystem by protecting the habitats of honey bees, said Park Jin, the founder of the social enterprise Urban Bees Seoul, which was established in 2013. He was speaking to The Korea Herald at the rooftop of the UNESCO House in Myeong-dong where several apiaries

CultureJune 3, 2016

[Weekender] Growing crops on rooftops

Rows of carrots, onions, lettuce and herbs stretch across the 198-square-meter concrete rooftop of a typical four-story office building, against a backdrop of high-rise apartment blocks. 　The sight surprised 35-year-old Park Hyun-ho when he discovered it near his multistory residential building in one of the most densely populated areas of Mapo-gu, Seoul. The farm is run by Pajeori, a nonprofit organization registered with the Seoul Metropolitan Government. 　“Farming in Seoul is an unusual thing

CultureJune 3, 2016

[Weekender] ‘Chi-maek’ spuns culture of its own

Move over Colonel Sanders, because KFC is starting to take on a whole new meaning -- Korean Fried Chicken. Korea’s popular pairing of fried chicken with ice-cold draft beer -- or what locals refer to as “chi-maek” -- has spun a culture of its own across the peninsula and international borders. Korean fried chicken is slowly emerging as staple food here along with the likes of kimchi and bibimbap.Scene from last year‘s annual Daegu Chicken and Beer Festival, which attracted nearly one million vis

FoodMay 27, 2016

[Weekender] How chicken may or may not be ruining your health

Although “chi-maek” -- a word play referring to fried chicken and beer -- continues to be one of the most popular snacks among Koreans, some health experts have been warning on its harmful health effects.It is not the ingredient but the way it is cooked that can damage one’s body in different ways. (123RF)According to a long-term study by the Harvard School of Public Health, which examined more than 100,000 men and women over 25 years, people who ate fried food at least once per week had a great

TechnologyMay 27, 2016

[Weekender] Fried chicken lovers, get your hands busy

Just the sound of it makes one’s mouth water. In every bite -- from the crisp chicken skin to the juicy meat inside -- come plenty of reasons for its nationwide popularity, regardless of age and gender.   Either marinated or covered in batter, golden-brown fried chicken accompanied with cool beer, or “chi-maek,” is always well-suited for a picnic at the Hangang Park -- where you can get it delivered -- or an after-work get-together.  (123RF)It is not difficult to spot chicken restaurants full of

FoodMay 27, 2016

[Weekender] Seoul subway, an integral part of everyday life

When lost on the streets of Seoul, there is one foolproof way to find your way home: just keep walking in one direction on a main road until you hit a subway station.　Sprawled underneath the mega city with over 300 stations on a dozen different lines in the metropolitan area, the subway system acts as a way to navigate the city with ease. There are no major destinations in Seoul that cannot be reached via subway, making it the prime mode of transportation for many Seoulites and tourists.(123rf)　

Latest NewsMay 20, 2016

[Weekender] Underground peacekeepers in Seoul

Wearing stab-proof vests over their uniform shirt, they patrol underground during duty hours. Their mission is to help secure safety of people and keep peace.Policemen? No, they are Subway Guards helping prevent crimes and incidents and establish order at more than 300 subway stations in Seoul. A Subway Guard patrols inside a train. (Jo He-rim/The Korea Herald)As Seoul’s metro system transports more than 7.5 million commuters a day, more and more security-related violations are taking place at s

Social AffairsMay 20, 2016

[Weekender] Koreans read, rest, enjoy arts at subway stations

When Kim Yu-ri came back from her monthlong European trip last summer, the first thing that welcomed her was clean, speedy and comfortable subways.“I still cannot forget the combination of garbage and pee wafting up through the subway grates in Paris,” said Kim, adding she hadn’t realized how good Korean subways were. Besides the Korean subway’s cleanliness and reasonable cost, it is also evolving from simply being a place for transportation to one of multipurpose cultural venues."Book Stairs,"

Social AffairsMay 20, 2016

[Weekender] Plan your Seoul trip by subway

Known for dynamism and high technology, Seoul is one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world, with a population of more than 10 million. Its population flow into, out of and within the greater metropolitan area, including the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, causes frequent traffic jams. 　Luckily, the city has one of the world’s most efficient public transportation systems. The subway network looks complex, but it is the easiest way to navigate the capital city and discover its various cul

TravelMay 20, 2016

[Weekender] Foreigners overall satisfied with Seoul subway

When 23-year-old Filipino Reyshenne Layug moved to Seoul in 2015, she was most worried about how to find her way around the city, especially since she could not speak Korean. But her concerns were soon eased by the subway, which she quickly found was easy to navigate. She said, “I was pleasantly surprised when I saw English signs in the stations. I thought that was very helpful and they put me at ease straightaway.”Layug, who studies at a language institute, was impressed by the subway’s extensi

Social AffairsMay 20, 2016

[Weekender] Winners and losers of Korea’s war on sugar

The South Korean food industry is bracing for fundamental shifts in its future sales and product development, as the government has announced a “war on sugar” in view of public health.　Last month, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety rolled out a set of measures aimed at raising awareness of the harmful effects of sugar, with the target of driving down every citizen’s sugar consumption below 10 percent of their daily calorie intake.Market officials forecast that such moves combined with growing

IndustryMay 13, 2016

[Weekender] Is brown sugar healthier than white?

In the world of sugar, frankly speaking, color makes no difference at all. The misconception may stem from some generalized ideas that brown rice is healthier than white rice, and wheat bread over white loaves. But brown sugar is not healthier than white sugar -- they are basically similar both nutritionally and in calories, experts say.The reason why they look different is because their manufacturing processes are different. After the extracting juice from sugar cane, the original sugar soup is

FoodMay 13, 2016

[Weekender] Breaking the sugar habit

About two years ago, Park Hyung-jun was told by his doctor that he should stop drinking coke. The 32-year-old used to have three cans of coke a day – one after every meal. “I loved the sensation of carbonation and the sweet taste,” he told The Korea Herald. “It felt like drinking coke helped digestion. It was just a nice way of finishing meals, especially heavy ones. ”Kim developed his love for coke while he was serving his military duty about five years ago. Coke became a daily necessity for hi

Social AffairsMay 13, 2016

[Weekender] Before sugar became the enemy

It seems almost like the world has turned against sugar. In March, the U.K. announced a plan to impose a new tax on sugary drinks. (123rf)In 2014, Berkeley city council in California introduced a “soda tax,” becoming the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to pass penalty taxes on the sugar-sweetened beverages. South Korea has also joined the move to reduce sugar intake. In April, the government said that it aimed to cut down on the amount of sugar consumed by Koreans to 10 percent of their daily die

PoliticsMay 13, 2016

[WEEKENDER] Turning sour on sugar

Earlier this year, local food columnist Hwang Gyo-ik made headlines by arguing that Korean cuisine culture was “uncivilized.” He said Koreans used too much sugar in almost every dish including kimchi, stir-fired anchovies and even the famous Korean barbecue.“It’s hard to find other countries that use sugar in almost every dish,” he said in a recent radio interview. “Sure, they have desserts, but they also have plenty of other dishes that do not contain sugar.” He argued that the “less civilized”

Social AffairsMay 13, 2016

[Weekender] How to celebrate Children‘s Day with family

Children’s Day, which to some may just be a day off to catch up on sleep or binge watch their favorite TV shows, has a rich history indebted to the efforts of one man -- Pang Chong-hwan.The late children’s advocate and political activist was a pioneering figure in children rights and literature, introducing the country’s first children’s magazine in 1923. He made efforts to improve children’s welfare, especially during Japan’s colonial rule of the peninsula.However, to modern day Koreans, Pang’s

CultureApril 29, 2016

[WEEKENDER] Parental competition, anxiety over future drive kids market

 For Kim Young-eun, a 39-year-old office worker in Seoul, her priority this week was to secure a box from the latest Lego series “Nexo Knights” for her 7-year-old son as a present for Children’s Day. “It’s around 140,000-150,000 won,” she said, adding that it’s almost her duty as a parent not to disappoint her kid, who often compares his presents with those of classmates.“The problem is that we have too many occasions to celebrate. … Apart from Children’s Day, we also have Christmas, birthdays,

Social AffairsApril 29, 2016

[Weekender] No time to kid around

Life is full of hope and dreams for Lee Seo-hyun, a 9-year-old child attending a primary school in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. She wants to be a painter, teacher, owner of a big supermarket, florist, designer, scientist, and more.Every day, she wakes up and goes to school by 8 a.m. When school finishes at around 2 p.m., she briefly plays with her friends in the playground until she goes to her private lessons for piano, computer classes and English.“When the lessons are over at around 4 p.m. I

Social AffairsApril 29, 2016

[Weekender] Working parents struggle to balance work, child care

Kang Ji-hye, 34, the mother of a 4-year-old boy, runs a wedding shop in Gangnam, Seoul. Her business requires her to work during weekends and even on national holidays. Her husband goes to work at a manufacturing firm six days a week.After Kang heads to work at 8 a.m., her son Dong-woo is taken care of by a nanny she hired three years ago.For Kang, this year’s Children’s Day will not be so different from any other day. She asked the nanny to come in despite it being an official holiday, as she f

Social AffairsApril 29, 2016