Jeonju festival subverts cinematic expectations, seeks to surprise

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province -- For those who enjoy the cinematic experience without such stringent requirements as a discernible plot, for those who relish artful ambiguity and tightly framed shots awash in rising natural sounds, the ongoing film festival in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, beckons once again as a reprieve in a moviegoing world defined by blockbusters and safe formulas. Jeonju International Film Festival opened its 24th iteration on Thursday and runs through May 6. The film fest

FilmMay 1, 2023

[Beyond Earth] ‘We are all earthlings after all’

“As a human who has looked at the Earth from space with the naked eye, I’ve come to a position where it is very difficult for me to ignore the problems on Earth. And that is something that all astronauts have in common,” said Yi So-yeon, Korea’s one and only astronaut, in an interview with The Korea Herald on April 25. Yi became the first Korean to travel to space when Soyuz TMA-12, a Russian space mission to the International Space Station, was launched on April 8, 2008.

TechnologyApril 30, 2023

Would Korea’s legal ‘loophole’ lead to setting loose a mass murderer?

South Korea has not executed a single person since 23 people were hanged on Dec. 30, 1997, earning itself global recognition as an “abolitionist in practice.” Currently, a total of 59 death row inmates are incarcerated indefinitely, waiting for an execution that will likely never come. But the nation’s law clearly recognizes the existence of the death penalty. This poses a dilemma for the government, as it may have to release a death row inmate in November. Nov. 23 will mark ex

Social AffairsApril 28, 2023

President Yoon belts out 'American Pie' at state dinner

In the state dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden and the first lady Jill Biden on Wednesday evening, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol did not just sit back and enjoy the performance offered by Broadway stars. Yoon took the spotlight to sing "American Pie" -- one of his favorite songs -- in front of some 200 government officials, business leaders and sports, arts and entertainment stars who were invited to the White House. Three Broadway performers -- Norm Lewis of "Phantom

Foreign AffairsApril 27, 2023

[Survive & Thrive] Renting a home: Jeonse, wolse and everything in between

Navigating the rental market in South Korea requires understanding two key terms and their concepts: "Wolse" and "jeonse." Wolse, which means monthly rent, is self-explanatory: Tenants pay a deposit and the monthly rent to live in the residence. But the deposit is usually much higher than most other countries, conventionally equal to or more than 10-months' rent. A quick scope of the Cheongpa-dong area near Seoul Station showed that a studio of 22 square-meters cost 500,

Hashtag KoreaApril 26, 2023

Are Koreans really fat?

For 27-year-old Choi, the main focus in her life recently has been getting her weight down. The after-work dinners at her new job and frequent dates with her new boyfriend have resulted in her tipping the bathroom scale into the above-55-kilogram range for the first time in her life, prompting her to panic-buy a gym membership, exercise equipment and organic meal kits. “I just feel so big since I’ve put on the extra weight. I want to get my weight down to below 50 kilograms,” s

Social AffairsApril 25, 2023

Korea faces new social challenge: isolated people

You Seung-gyu, after finishing high school, isolated himself, staying holed up at home for about five years in his 20s. Fulfilling military duty did not stop his isolation. He didn't look for a job and disconnected himself from society until 2021. It was a rehabilitation program provided by the Seoul branch of Japanese social enterprise K2 International Group that helped him step out of his home. The 30-year-old has been lending a helping hand to other socially isolated individuals here for

Social AffairsApril 24, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Inside Vietnam’s Korean learning boom

HANOI, Vietnam – Located a five-hour flight from Seoul is a country where the Korean language's popularity is second only to its homeland of South Korea. Here, kids as young as 8 -- or elementary school third grade -- are learning Korean at school, although not as a compulsory subject. This is the same age when they start learning English. Another indication of the Korean language boom in Vietnam is the number of those who take the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), an exam for

Hello HangeulApril 23, 2023

[Well-curated] Hop on Swiss train, play gugak instruments and pose with teddy mascot

Hop on Swiss train Imagine a quick train ride to some of the most popular sights and landmarks in Switzerland this weekend without having to leave Korea. At the Gyeongui Line Book Street in Mapo district, western Seoul, an exhibition set up inside a spacious train replica takes visitors on a taster of Switzerland's Grand Train Tour, a panoramic 1,280-kilometer route across the country. The Swiss Spring Street Festival, organized by Switzerland Tourism, showcases scenic tourist spots, from

CultureApril 21, 2023

[KH Explains] Is EcoPro a ‘meme stock’?

Stock prices of South Korean battery materials firm EcoPro and its affiliates have been skyrocketing over the past few months, backed by a retail investor frenzy. EcoPro was previously a little-known stock listed on the tech-laden Kosdaq. But recently it has been arguably the most talked about stock in the local equity market. The group’s shares -- those of EcoPro, EcoPro BM and EcoPro HN, nicknamed the "three brothers" -- have been on a rapid rise as Korean battery firms are e

MarketApril 20, 2023

Samsung reclaims No. 1 ranking in global smartphone sales

Samsung Electronics has regained the top spot in the global smartphone market in the first quarter of this year, slightly outpacing its archrival Apple, the No. 1 in the previous quarter, a report showed Wednesday. In the January-March period, Samsung held a market share of 22 percent, followed by Apple with 21 percent, according to the report released by market tracker Canalys. The South Korean tech giant was the “only leading vendor” to achieve a quarterly jump during the first thr

TechnologyApril 19, 2023

From dream job to no-go: Civil servant jobs lose out

Recent data shows that about half of the Seoul Metropolitan Government employees that quit their jobs last year had worked for less than five years at their posts. And in March, the Ministry of Personnel Management announced that competition for an entry-level civil servant job was its lowest in over 30 years. The two separate studies point to one thing: Civil servant jobs, once highly coveted by young workers, are no longer dream jobs here. The job security and pension are not enough to retain

Social AffairsApril 18, 2023

Shooting at Alabama birthday party kills 4 people, wounds 28

DADEVILLE, Alabama -- Alabama law enforcement officers Sunday were imploring people to come forward with information about a shooting that killed four people and injured 28 others during a teenager’s birthday party. Among those killed was a high school senior who planned to play college football and was celebrating his sister’s 16th birthday. The shooting erupted Saturday night at a dance studio in downtown Dadeville. During two news conferences Sunday, Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the A

World NewsApril 17, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] A closer look at the Korean language learning boom in the Netherlands

AMSTERDAM -- At first it was through a Korean drama that Fauzia Jonas, a 52-year-old Dutch national, got captivated by Korean culture. Then came the K-pop sensation, BTS. Now, it is everything about Korea and Koreans that she wants to learn more about. “It drew me in like a magnet. The attraction (to the Korean culture) keeps getting deeper as I learn more about the culture and interact with Koreans,” she said, adding that she especially appreciates “the softness and warmth&rdq

Hello HangeulApril 16, 2023

[Weekender] Small but strong: Indie bookstores embrace individuality, diversity and community

Although the reading population of Korean adults is less than half the total -- meaning over half of adults do not read a single book in a year -- unique independent bookstores are enjoying growing popularity. There were 815 independent bookstores nationwide in 2022, according to Dongneseojeom (Bookstores in Neighborhood), an independent bookstore recommendation service. It has been keeping track of the number of bookstores since 2015 in its annual trend report. The number has been steadily incr

BooksApril 15, 2023

Korea’s pet insurance market lukewarm despite growing pet ownership

The South Korean pet insurance market has been expected to gain traction amid a growing pet population in the country. However, it will take more time for the market to mature, according to industry sources. According to the Korea Credit Information Service, the number of pet owners who have pet insurance plans reached around 55,000 as of October last year, accounting for only 0.8 percent of 7.2 million pet owners in the country. The figure is much lower than other foreign countries such as Swed

IndustryApril 14, 2023

[K-Food] Sempio spicing up global dishes with K-sauces

This is the sixth installment of a series of interviews with global business chiefs of South Korean food companies that are expanding aggressively in overseas markets. -- Ed.   Sauces embody a tradition -- they are a compilation of decades of locals’ know-how for spicing up native cuisine. As such, matching traditional sauces with foreign dishes is rare. However, Korea's largest sauce maker Sempio said it is currently at the vanguard of savory Korean sauces imbuing diverse menu items

ConsumerApril 13, 2023

How Samsung, Hyundai tackle the China dilemma

Amid the escalating US-China rivalry in recent years, South Korea’s conglomerates have struggled to strike a balance in their Chinese business. Even though no immediate breakthrough is seen in geopolitical tensions, Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor Group -- the nation’s top makers of smartphones and cars -- are seeking a turnaround in their reduced market shares in China, an all-important market that is too big to ditch. Samsung In its earnings guidance last week, Samsung pred

IndustryApril 12, 2023

[KH Explains] Samsung Pay safe 'for now' as Apple Pay enters Korea

Following the initial buzz surrounding Apple Pay's launch in Korea, users have began to discuss the service's limitations. "Why bother launching a service that customers can't use? I only find it (Apple Pay) useful for paying at convenience stores," said a comment on Asamo, a Naver blog for Apple enthusiasts. On the blog, another commenter even derisively dubbed Apple Pay "convenience store pay." Korea was never expected to be an easy market for Apple Pay, part

IndustryApril 11, 2023

‘Mr. Sunshine’ returns home after century-long wait

The remains of the Korean independence fighter who inspired the hit South Korean TV series “Mr. Sunshine,” have returned home and been laid to rest at a national cemetery in South Korea after a century-long wait. Hwang Ki-hwan had been buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in New York after dying alone in 1923. A century after his death, his remains arrived at Incheon Airport early on Monday morning after a 15-hour flight. Honor guards carried Hwang’s casket, which was covered with a

DefenseApril 10, 2023