[Weekender] Origins of Korean work culture

South Koreans are known to be among the world’s worst workaholics, ranking second in the OECD in terms of working hours last year.On top of the long working hours ― the average Korean worked 2,163 hours last year, 1.3 times the OECD average ― Koreans often endure forced drinking sessions and work dinners under their uniquely hierarchy-driven work culture.Experts say this work culture was influenced by the Japanese work values adopted during the colonial period in the early 20th century, as well

Social AffairsJan. 16, 2015

[Weekender] Office theme prevails on TV

Up until recently, the mundane white-collar world was never at the center of attention on the small screen, even in a country known as the hardest-working nation.More often than not, the office cubicle served merely as a backdrop for a Cinderella story between a large conglomerate’s young, handsome heir and an ordinary female office worker. But now, viewers are more than eager to watch and sympathize with the average Joe or Jane as they struggle to survive in the office ― even if the show lacks

TelevisionJan. 16, 2015

[Weekender] Simplicity key to Hyundai Card office culture

Modern society is fated to grow ever more complicated, and to keep hold of the things that truly matter, one must eliminate excessive formalities, according to a top official of Hyundai Card.“A meeting should be about discussing a specific issue and reaching a tangible conclusion, but people are too often distracted with the process itself,” Hwang Yoo-no, Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital’s executive vice president and corporate service division head, told The Korea Herald in a recent interview.

Jan. 16, 2015

[Weekender] Samsung Electronics, Korean Air top dream workplaces

Samsung Electronics and Korean Air were the firms Korean college students wanted to work for the most in 2014.In a survey taken by just over 1,000 college students and conducted by local job-search portal Incruit, Korean Air was the top pick, followed by Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest smartphone-maker. It was the first time that Samsung failed to land in first place. “It was a bit surprising to see that young job-hunters are no longer looking at Samsung as the place they would most lik

Social AffairsJan. 16, 2015

[Weekender] Art and fashion make perfect duo

Riding the popularity of K-pop, the new Korean fashion brand Nonagon has landed in major multi-fashion stores in Asia and the fashion hub of Milan within six months of its launch in September last year.The huge early success is the result of a collaboration between YG Entertainment, which represents major K-pop stars including Big Bang and 2NE1, and the textile company Cheil Industries, an affiliate of Samsung Group. The two joined hands to create a line of bomber jackets, sweatshirts, minidress

Arts & DesignJan. 9, 2015

[Weekender] When modernity meets tradition

Mong-ryong uses his MacBook to study while talking to friends on a smartphone. Chun-hyang wears canvas shoes under her short pink dress. They first meet at a club. The state-run National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s production of “Different Chunhyang” (2014) by Andrei Serban was very different from any of the previous productions of the classical Korean love story ― between Mong-ryong, the son of a nobleman, and Chun-hyang, the daughter of a low-class retired female entertainer, during the Joseo

CultureJan. 9, 2015

[Weekender] Crossover latest fad in retail industry

Business collaboration ― combining two industries or markets that were once considered irrelevant to each other ― is the hottest trend in the retail industry. From food firms to lighter brands, companies are joining hands with unlikely business partners to bring fresh perspectives to product design, or for cross-promotion and publicity. “With more people using various platforms and devices for shopping, and their eyes wide open to new things 24/7, bringing a breath of fresh air to products throu

IndustryJan. 9, 2015

[Weekender] Convergence begets technological innovation

LAS VEGAS ― Brimming with cross-industry innovations, this year’s International CES, the world’s largest electronics trade show, was a hotbed of collaboration and technological convergence. From tennis rackets, watches, jewelry and clothing to household appliances, the event showed how conventional products were getting high-tech upgrades for the coming era of the Internet of Things.One noticeable feature of this year’s CES, which closed Friday, was the slew of technological collaborations for a

TechnologyJan. 9, 2015

[Weekender] Era of collaboration

Art meets music and technology becomes fashion as creative minds across ever-broadening fields join hands in search of new inspirations and innovative solutions.Although crossover projects have been commonplace in the global art and music scene for some time now, collaborations today seem to know no limits, churning out pair-ups that were never imagined before. In this overarching global trend, Korea is no exception. A scene from changgeuk “Medea” (NCCK)A scene from “Gongmudoha” (National Gugak

CultureJan. 9, 2015

[Weekender] Fintech: Boon or bane?

For Korea’s financial industry, which has largely been stagnant since the global economic crisis, the fast rise of financial technology is both a challenge and an opportunity to regain momentum.Fintech ― the use of information technology in financial services ― is a key word in the industry as well as a touchstone for determining financial companies’ potential for market survival.The term no longer pertains only to online banking services operated by banks and securities firms but also refers to

Jan. 2, 2015

[Weekender] Daum Kakao finds new growth engine in digital wallet business

Digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Alipay are gradually replacing cash and credit cards with more and more people browsing and purchasing goods by tapping and swiping on their smartphones.Kakao Pay, codeveloped by Internet giant Daum Kakao and ICT solutions developer LG CNS, is one of the services spearheading the mobile payment industry in South Korea.After launching its mobile payment service Kakao Pay in October, Daum Kakao was able to attract 2 million subscribers in less than three month

TechnologyJan. 2, 2015

[Weekender] ‘Fintech in payment industry is all about convenience’

Archaic systems, inconvenient processes and a great deal of patience. These were the conditions that brought the founder of fintech startup Viva Republica to the exciting and growing arena of financial technology.Viva Republica is one of only a handful of fintech startups in South Korea, where strict regulations and excessive security measures remain major hurdles for market development. Lee Seung-gun, a dentist-turned-CEO, founded the company in 2011 to free users from complex security and veri

Jan. 2, 2015

[Weekender] Global tech firms tap into Korea’s fintech market

Global tech companies’ entry into the nation’s mobile payment market may hinder the growth of early-stage fintech startups, industry watchers say. Fintech, a convergence of finance and technology, is a range of new financial services offered through information technology platforms. Amid slow growth in the local fintech industry, global tech giants including America’s PayPal and China’s Alipay have already expanded their financial services from simple mobile transactions to loans, investment and

Jan. 2, 2015

[Weekender] Tragedy and scandals dominate Korea in 2014

Each year tends to be a mixed bag of good and bad incidents, but the silver linings were hard to see this year. Tragedy dawned on the morning of April 16 when the ill-fated Sewol ferry sent a distress call, with 476 people on board, many of whom were young students from a high school in Ansan. Koreans were briefly relieved at one point in the day to hear the news that most of the passengers were rescued. But the report was false, horrifyingly removed from the tragic developments that eventually

PoliticsDec. 26, 2014

[Weekender] Korea hamstrung by disasters, scandals, diplomatic standoffs

[Politics] Political reforms fizzlePoliticians wax and wane, but none have done so as quickly and dramatically as Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy. In 2014, Ahn rose to the heights of being cochairman of the main opposition, despite having little real powerbase. However, with his “new politics” achieving little and his party’s election failures, he resigned as the cochairman. The result for the June 4 local elections were disappointing to the main opp

Social AffairsDec. 26, 2014

[Weekender] Rollercoaster year for economy, culture

[Conglomerates] Conglomerates face changesThe hottest topic in Korean big business circles this year was no doubt a generation shift that was brought to surface by the poor health of Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee, who suffered a heart attack in May. Lee is said to be recovering, but is still unable to return to the company. As the 72-year-old business magnate’s hospitalization dragged on, the nation’s largest conglomerate was taking steps for handing the chairman’s managerial autho

CultureDec. 26, 2014

[Weekender] The rise of cable TV

On any given Seoul subway train on any ordinary weekday morning, the majority of the passengers are engrossed in texting, reading and watching videos on their smartphones.But the gadgets are not the only difference between them and members of the older generation, who used to read newspapers and books on their way to work. Younger Koreans are increasingly becoming addicted not to prime-time KBS dramas, but also to shows like “Misaeng (Incomplete Life)” by cable network tvN. Viewers with increasi

TelevisionDec. 19, 2014

[Weekender] Cable content makers diversify export targets

South Korea’s cable TV program providers are seeking to diversify the export destinations for their content from Asia to Europe and North America.According to the Korea Cable Television and Telecommunications Association, new export targets include Italy, France, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States. Over the past few years, their content has gained popularity mostly in East and Southeast Asia.“Contract performance is backing up the analysis that the local cable TV industry has begun ga

Social AffairsDec. 19, 2014

[Weekender] Alternative content draws younger viewers

Kim Jun-hyung, a 32-year-old Seoulite, used to think local TV dramas were for “ajummas” ― a Korean term for middle-aged housewives ― until he accidentally watched the first episode of tvN’s “Misaeng (Incomplete Life).” “I could relate to the characters instantly because I am just as overworked as they are,” he said about the popular show, which is about the everyday lives of office workers at a competition-driven trading company. “I loved how there is no romance for some lazy chaebol character w

TelevisionDec. 19, 2014