[Weekender] Augmented reality beyond gaming and entertainment

The explosive popularity of Nintendo and Niantic’s augmented reality game “Pokemon Go” has set off a boom in Korea, with companies, the government and consumers thinking about how the combination of reality and digital imagination can change everyday life.For now, the primary focus is on games and entertainment as augmented reality is largely perceived as an advanced version of virtual reality. Virtual reality, which completely changes how users perceive their surroundings rather than adding com

TechnologyJuly 29, 2016

[Weekender] 'Pokemon Go’ spotlights augmented reality’s potential

The explosive popularity of Nintendo and Niantic’s GPS-based mobile game “Pokemon Go” around the world, including South Korea, has thrust into the spotlight the core technology behind the game -- augmented reality.What exactly is augmented reality? It's a technology that overlays (or augments) digital images onto a person’s view of the world, merging one’s physical reality with digital imagination. In the case of “Pokemon Go,” the app utilizes gamers’ real-world locations to make Pokemon charact

TechnologyJuly 29, 2016

[Weekender] Pokemon no longer child’s play

The augmented reality smartphone game “Pokemon Go” is fueling the already hyped-up market for “kidults,” a newly coined term that combines “kid” and “adult.” The Pokemon craze worldwide is likely to ignite new momentum for more nostalgia seekers in their 30s and 40s.They grew up watching the popular “Pokemon” animated series in the 1990s. Given that they now have the purchasing power, they are more than willing to buy products that can help them relive their childhood.  The market value for kidu

TechnologyJuly 29, 2016

[Weekender] Augmented reality shines only with right storytelling

Following the “Pokemon Go” craze, the Korean government and companies are looking to pour money into advancing the local augmented reality sector. This is not the first time for Korea to push for AR.In 2012, talent agency S.M. Entertainment produced a program that allowed fans to dance with holograms of K-pop idol group EXO-K. Telecommunications giant KT also launched a mobile game called “Catch Catch,” which was a nearly identical precursor to “Pokemon Go.” Circus Company CEO Park Sun-uk demons

TechnologyJuly 29, 2016

[Weekender] Pokemon -- strong story meets technological potential

The emerging technology augmented reality is showing immense potential in the digital world especially after the success of “Pokemon Go,” a location-based AR mobile game.AR, in fact, is nothing new. But the game has brought the technology another step closer to reality, pushing companies and governments to commercialize AR by integrating it with unique content.In movies and science fiction, AR -- the incremental technology from virtual reality that can be further developed into holograms -- has

TechnologyJuly 29, 2016

[Weekender] Body type determines eating choices

You do not have to look far to stay healthy during summer, as run-of-the-mill foods such as watermelon and cold buckwheat noodles can do the trick, according to Korean traditional medicine. 　The key is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of one’s own body and its organs, said Korean medicine professor Lee Young-jong from Gachon University. 　For instance, some people tend to sweat more than others during summer, which makes them lose energy easily. 　“But for certain people, sweating in fac

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2016

[Weekender] Healthy, tasty local dishes that nourish during summer

During summer, some Koreans may think of the phrase “iyeolchiyeol” when deciding what to eat. 　Similar to the popular English idiom “fight fire with fire,” Koreans are known to tackle the scorching weather head on by “adding” even more heat. This might take the form of visiting saunas or having a bowl of piping hot soup.   　“Boyangsik,” which translates to “food that strengthens the body,” is a common go-to food during summer because it is believed that such food is made with ingredients that ca

FoodJuly 22, 2016

[Weekender] Eat to beat the heat

On a scorching hot summer day, you start to feel sluggish and dizzy while perspiring heavily. Feeling dehydrated and low on energy, you instinctively grab a glass of cold water, gulp it down and look for an air-conditioned place to rest. 　There is one more place Koreans think of stopping by on such days -- a samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) eatery. On lunar days that mark the beginning, middle and end of summer, samgyetang restaurants are crowded with customers yearning for the taste of tender

FoodJuly 22, 2016

[Weekender] Keeping cool with food over the centuries

An exhibition on how Korea’s forefathers refreshed themselves during long, sweltering summer days is on at the National Folk Museum in Seoul, offering modern-day tips on how to keep cool. 　 “The exhibition highlights how the summer activities of our ancestors have been passed down through generations and adapted to modern times,” said Choi Jeung-cheol, the president of KCDF, at a press conference at the museum on Tuesday. 　“Eumsik dimibang” from the late Joseon period (Korea Craft and Design Fou

FoodJuly 22, 2016

[Weekender] Data analysis helps Memebox find beauty market niche

Memebox is a relatively new face in the South Korean beauty industry which is largely dominated by cosmetics giants such as Amorepacific, Estee Lauder and MAC. Entering a market occupied by such established corporations poses challenges for any newcomer. But Memebox saw an opportunity in what seemed an already crowded market. It jumped into the sector as a cosmetics subscription and delivery service in 2012.  Meme Box CEO Ha Hyung-seok (Yoon Byung-chan/The Korea Herald) “Other cosmetic companies

BusinessJuly 15, 2016

[Weekender] Techno valley -- Korea’s start-up hub

Techno valleys in Korea are playing a pivotal role as hubs for technology start-ups as the government pushes to boost innovation through policy measures. Pangyo Techno Valley in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, which opened in 2011, is one of the leading techno valleys in Korea. It started small with only 82 companies in the 661,000 square meter area and first-year sales reaching just 5 trillion won, ($4.3 billion).Pangyo Techno Valley in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province (Yonhap)Pangyo Techno Valley, how

IndustryJuly 15, 2016

[Weekender] ‘Changing the way we work’

The Korean economy has hit a wall. Conventional management methods have run their course. Aging systems, where corporate owners run their businesses with employees accustomed to their ironclad control, no longer work and are making it difficult to find new opportunities and growth in this digital age.Christopher Han, vice president of Design & Co-Innovation Center (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)This is where Christopher Han comes in with SAP Design & Co-Innovation Center in Pangyo.The DCC chief

July 15, 2016

[Weekender] Ilsan out to emulate Pangyo's success

The Gyeonggi government announced last month that it has chosen Ilsan as the site for a large-scale advanced tech cluster focusing on visual reality and IT health care services. The Ilsan techno valley will be “the second Pangyo,” it said.“We highly expect that Ilsan Techno Valley will make great accomplishments in job creations, just like Pangyo,” Gyeonggi Province Gov. Nam Kyung-pil said at a press briefing.A bird’s eye view of Ilsan Lake Park. (Goyang City Hall)The northern part of Gyeonggi r

IndustryJuly 15, 2016

[Weekender] Pangyo shakes things up with young, creative approach

Pangyo Techno Valley, a tech hub modelled after Silicon Valley in the U.S., is emerging as a new national growth engine as South Korea’s conventional manufacturing industries stutter.The complex located in southern Gyeonggi Province is comprised of more than 1,000 tech start-ups specializing in biotechnology, media content and nanotechnology. Big game companies such as NHN Entertainment, Nexon and NCsoft, as well as security giant AhnLab and mobile messenger behemoth Kakao all have a presence th

TechnologyJuly 15, 2016

[Weekender] Original KATUSA soldier shares memories of war, pride of service

Yu Yong-bong has not gone hiking for decades. The haunting memories of fighting in the mountains have kept him away from the trails.The 84-year-old former member of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division was one of the original 313 Korea Augmentation to the U.S. Army soldiers recruited in the first few months of the 1950-53 Korean War.He was among South Korean and U.S. soldiers who marched to the Yalu River on Nov. 20, 1950. “We grabbed a chunk of ice and ate it because we were so happy. We thought

DefenseJuly 8, 2016

[Weekender] KATUSA, symbol of Korea-U.S. alliance

They were there in 1950 when the U.N. troops landed in Incheon to besiege the North Korean Army during the Korean War. They were there when the allied forces pushed North Korea to the brink at the Yalu River, only to be pushed back by massive forces of China.Over half a century later, soldiers of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army are still here to serve as an integral piece of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.KATUSA is a group of to South Korean soldiers augmented to the 8th U.S. Ar

DefenseJuly 8, 2016

[Weekender] Misunderstandings about KATUSA

When faced with mandatory conscription in South Korea, all able-bodied men between 18 and 35 face the dilemma of choosing where to serve during their 21-month duty. This ranges from the regular army and the navy to auxiliary police and the marines. Among these choices, serving in KATUSA, or the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army, is almost a dream come true and the most envied. KATUSA soldiers and U.S. soldiers jointly participate in a combat exercise in this file photo. (8th ARMY, RO

DefenseJuly 8, 2016

[Weekender] KATUSA fuels private education fever

Test scores play an integral role in life of a South Korean. For some men, this appears to apply even to their mandatary military service. Since the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army, or KATUSA, is widely perceived as an opportunity to practice the language and enjoy enhanced welfare as a soldier, interest in enlisting as a KATUSA soldier is high. Potential applicants have been turning to cram schools to get the required English scores.Some of these institutes are run by ex-KATUSA so

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2016

[Weekender] Competent warriors, vital military ambassadors since start of alliance

Every year, on the morning of June 25, the Korean War Veterans Memorial is greeted by a slew of government officials, military personnel and war veterans who gather to pay tribute to the fallen warriors of the Korean War that cost the lives of 130,000 Korean and 36,000 U.S. soldiers. But the 66th Anniversary this June had new additions to those honored -- fallen Korean soldiers who had served under the Korea Army Augmented to the 8th U.S. Army, or “KATUSA.” The names of 7,052 unknown heroes were

DefenseJuly 8, 2016

[Weekender] Summer is a season of horror as a bone-chilling way to beat the heat

While some may think the best way to beat the scorching weather is to take a dip in the pool or guzzle an iced coffee, summertime in Korea is known for its unique culture of scaring the heat right out of you. Every summer the local box offices are filled with the newest horror and psychological thriller flicks to literally give viewers the shivers. Many local moviegoers are known to flock to the theaters in the summer hoping to cool off with a little bit of self-inflicted fear, as it is popular

CultureJuly 1, 2016