[Weekender] Webtoon helps readers overcome prejudice against cats

When Chae Yu-ri first encountered two abandoned kittens in 2003, her heart fluttered with joy and excitement. Chae, then 26, grew up on a farm with animals and had always wished to have a cat. She brought the sister cats to her house and named them Bbotto and Zzagoo. Cartoonist Chae Yu-ri and ZzagooTo cherish every moment with those adorable creatures, Chae started to draw them in a cartoon. Named after the kittens, “Bbo-Zza-toon” was first published on Chae’s blog in the same year. Fourteen yea

CultureAug. 4, 2017

[Weekender] Support for parents of twins grows with rising twin population

When Lee Hye-jeong learned she was having twins, she felt overwhelmed.“I had not expected twins, and all of a sudden I was hearing about all the additional risks that were associated with having twins,” she said. Faced with unexpected hospital fees and double efforts needed for child care, Lee sought out additional support offered by the government. Government support for parents of twins is growing as the number of twins rises in Korea, including paid maternity leave and free nutritional supple

Social AffairsJuly 28, 2017

[Weekender] The ins and outs of twinhood

Wherever they go, they naturally draw attention. One day they may fight like there’s no tomorrow, but in the end they are each other’s best friend. Twins, whether identical or fraternal, are becoming more common in Korea, partly because more women are getting married at an older age, increasing the likelihood of having children via medically assisted reproduction, which raises the chances of multiple births. The latest data from Statistics Korea shows that 16,166 twins were born in 2015, account

IndustryJuly 28, 2017

[Weekender] Twin bliss

“Four out of 10 kids that I saw today at a kids cafe were twins, and they were all fraternal,” wrote an anonymous mom in a post on an online community that has 2.6 million moms and wannabe moms as members.Another mom replied to the post, saying, “It’s because more women are having babies through in vitro fertilization these days. I envy those mothers who got two birds with one stone.” Such dialogue is common nowadays in South Korea, which faces a decreasing economically productive population.Ind

IndustryJuly 28, 2017

[Weekender] Explore the east

GANGNEUNG/SOKCHO, Gangwon Province -- Just a two-hour drive from the sleepless metropolis that is Seoul, South Korea’s eastern coast feels like a different world: white sandy beaches, laid-back shore towns and surfers paddling in the sea.No wonder beaches along the East Sea are popular holiday destinations for locals seeking to escape the city. Songjiho Beach, located in Goseong County, Gangwon Province, some 200 kilometers east of Seoul.“We often come to the beaches off the East Sea as the wate

TravelJuly 21, 2017

[Weekender] Four beaches to check out on east coast

Beaches along the East Sea draw vacationers for their soft sand and clear water. Below are The Korea Herald’s top four picks to check out this summer. 　Gyeongpo Beach, the biggest on East SeaThe Gyeongpo Beach located between the East Sea and Gyongpo Lake in South KoreaWith a sand beach stretching some 6 kilometers, Gyeongpo Beach is a sand bank located between the East Sea and Gyeongpo Lake. It is the biggest beach along the east coast, attracting an average 6.5 million people each summer.　Loca

TravelJuly 21, 2017

[Weekender] Olympics, vacation home boom revitalize coastal towns

GANGNEUNG/SOKCHO, Gangwon Province – Gangwon Province and its coastal towns used to be the less developed and less populated in South Korea. But that seems to be changing fast. With accessibility from the metropolitan area greatly enhanced and expected to improve yet more in the coming months, the once laid-back coastal towns and cities are seeing a property development boom, with a number of luxury hotels, resorts and apartment complexes being erected. The Seamarq Hotel in GangneungThe upcoming

TravelJuly 21, 2017

[Weekender] Anglers go mobile for fishing

Mobile apps are expanding into fishing. More Korean hobbyists are using smartphone apps to minimize trouble and maximize fun while out angling. Not only do the apps make access to information easier, they also allow anglers to carry less in their bags and do more. App users can make reservations at fishing pedestals, find where to fish, remotely check the fishing conditions in real time and even digitally measure their catches and put them online to compete with other anglers.For a hobby convent

CultureJuly 14, 2017

[Weekender] Fishing cafes hook young Koreans

With a growing number of Koreans in their 20s and 30s seeking alternative places to spend time together indoor fishing holes, known as “fishing cafes,” are gowing in popularity. A 22-year-old student surnamed Kim is one of those looking for a new way of passing time. Tired of the same old movies, restaurants and cafes, she chose a fishing cafe as a new place to entertain herself. Around 50 fishing cafes are located at university areas in Seoul, allowing the young to delve into a new source of en

CultureJuly 14, 2017

[Weekender] Fishing widening its net in Korea

South Koreans have diversified their leisure activities in the years since the five-day workweek system was introduced in 2004. The increased leisure time is fueling the growth of various industries, and fishing is one of the key beneficiaries. Fishing was usually associated with Korean men, who dreamed of owning a framed photo of themselves holding a big catch. Indeed, fishing had been regarded as a conventional pastime among retirees and a narrow group of devotees, most of whom were men.The si

CultureJuly 14, 2017

[Weekender] Online comunities help Koreans go fishing

South Koreans have long enjoyed fishing as a hobby. But the public notion about the pastime is that it’s for the elderly or those who have a lot of free time. Things are changing, though, as a growing number of online fishing communities are catering to Koreans in their 20s and 30s -- a group willing to go for a new hobby to relieve their stress. FMC members enjoy fishing at Gimpo fishery (Kang Pan-soo/FMC)Lee Ji-ah is a case in point. “I used to be easily swayed by unwanted thoughts before I st

CultureJuly 14, 2017

[Weekender] Extravagant desserts, once banned, return to spotlight

Topping off a savory meal with something sweet has become a commonplace ritual all over the world.　But long before cafes or bakeries flooded the streets of Korea, sweets were not used as desserts but rather spotlighted on their own, according to Lee Sun-mi, professor of Korean traditional cuisine at Sookmyung Women’s University’s Korean Food Institute.　 A plate of ripe persimmon and red bean paste (left) and iced yuja tea at Cafe Noshi (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)“Korean confectionaries, or

FoodJuly 7, 2017

[Weekender] Taiwanese desserts gain ground in Korea

Move over macarons and Frappuccinos. Just as Starbucks made coffee drinks a daily essential for millions of Koreans and consumers around the world, authentic Taiwanese desserts are soaring in popularity here. Taiwanese dessert shop 315 Taiwan Cafe located on Teheran Street in Gangnam, southern Seoul (315 Taiwan Cafe)Seoul isn’t exactly home to the most authentic Taiwanese desserts. But if you take a chance and indulge in freshly crafted milk tea and munch on a heated Taiwanese pancake at 315 Tai

FoodJuly 7, 2017

[Weekender] Bingsu, Korea’s heat-beating ice dessert

If Italy has gelato and France has sorbet, Korea has bingsu. It is a national dessert made of shaved ice, milk and condensed milk, and often topped with sweetened red beans or fruits. It is a dish beloved across generations, chilling their taste buds and slaking their thirst in the thick of summer. After a meal, Koreans like to go to a bingsu store to dive into a bowl of shaved ice, usually with friends or family. While the original “patbingsu” is made of ice, milk and red beans, more varieties

FoodJuly 7, 2017

[Weekender] Deadly heat waves to be the norm by 2100

High temperatures can kill a person in a number of ways, and each year reports of an elderly individual dying during a heat wave makes the headlines in South Korea. However, such incidents could become a regular occurrence with summers set to be filled with killer heatwaves by 2100, should carbon dioxide emissions increase at the current rate, researchers warn. (123RF)According to research, led by Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Seoul will have up to 67 days of deadly heat wave

Social AffairsJune 25, 2017

[Weekender] Frogs, flowers in January -- Climate change's impact on Korea

The Korean Peninsula can’t escape global warming. Every year heat wave warnings come earlier and earlier, and record temperatures no longer come as a surprise. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Korea’s annual average temperature has increased by 1.7 degrees Celsius between 1912 and 2008. In comparison, the global average saw an increase of 0.74 degrees Celsius over the same period. Korea’s faster climate change is thought to have been aggravated by rapid urbanization. “About

Social AffairsJune 25, 2017

[Weekender] Korea reeling from climate change

The Korean Peninsula is heating up at an unparalleled pace. As the air and sea temperatures rise, pollack, cod and other staple fish are on the verge of extinction, while mackerel, anchovy and squid are becoming ubiquitous and cheaper. Apple orchards are being replaced by tangerine, banana and kiwi farms. Summer birds like white and night herons are spotted all year round. Double rice harvest, which was once possible on the southernmost island of Jeju only, is spreading to upper regions. The ave

Social AffairsJune 25, 2017

[Weekender] Sweltering, early summer changes Korean life

Closet reorganization has long been a seasonal chore for South Koreans, but climate change is prompting some people to do away with the cumbersome task. South Korea’s once distinctive four seasons, spread out almost evenly over 12 months, seem to be giving way to two long and seasons of extreme heat and cold, with short transition periods in between. “I no longer put short-sleeved shirts into boxes. It feels like summer comes right after winter now,” said a 32-year-old office worker Kim Jin-hee.

Social AffairsJune 23, 2017

[Weekender] Korea turns corner on going meat-free

In South Korea, revealing that you are a vegetarian would often be met with blank looks, as the country is not exactly veggie-friendly -- at least until recently. 　There are signs that Koreans are beginning to take vegetarianism more seriously, as they are increasingly exposed to reports of the destructive impact that meat consumption can have on their health, on animals and on the planet. 　“When I was young, I wondered why human beings destroy the environment when trees, mountains and other ani

Social AffairsJune 16, 2017

[Weekender] Vegetarian-friendly eateries to visit in Seoul

Aparna Balakumar, a 21-year-old Australian student visiting South Korea, says she was a little nervous about coming to the country for the first time, fearing that her food options might be limited as a vegetarian. But after weeks of hunting in Seoul, she learned there are a significant number of vegetarian communities here and an increasing number of places to go that are vegetarian-friendly, with many of them located in districts frequented by foreigners such as Itaewon.“Plant in Itaewon, for

IndustryJune 16, 2017