A video showing a McDonald’s customer hurling a paper bag with food at an employee has quickly spread online, sparking public outrage.It has been less than a month since a clip showing a McDonald’s customer throwing food at a drive-thru employee went viral.The video shows a man arguing with an employee and throwing a paper bag containing food, hitting the employee directly in the face. The man reportedly complained that his food came out late, but had not seen the screen that showed customers’ o

Social Affairs Dec. 6, 2018

Twitter Korea announced the top 10 most tweeted terms of 2018, in a list spanning social issues and people.For social issues, “School MeToo” ranked first. The complete list is as follows:1. School MeToo2. Feminism3. Spycam4. Hatred5. Druking6. Fine dust7. Inter-Korean summit8. Minimum wage9. Hyekyunggung Ms. Kim10. Local electionsThe top 10 list for most tweeted people was dominated by K-pop groups, led by BTS, Exo and GOT7, in order. Twice, ranked No. 8, marked the only girl group among the top

Social Affairs Dec. 5, 2018

A 22-year-old woman went into labor and gave birth at the bathroom of a karaoke joint in Incheon on Sunday, according to authorities.Incheon Jungbu Fire Station said Monday it had received a report from a person, who claimed to be the owner of the karaoke joint, that a pregnant woman in the restroom was going into labor. (Yonhap)By the time an emergency team arrived, the woman had already given birth; the newborn baby was reportedly lying on the floor.The mother and the baby were transferred to

Social Affairs Dec. 4, 2018

Online bookstore Yes24 has faced criticism after the South Korean company sent an email on Sunday publicizing a newly published feminist book titled “Hanguk Namja,” which directly translates to “Korean Man.”The subject line was “How could you be such a Han-nam?” The abbreviation “Han-nam,” literally short for “Korean man,” is a derogatory term used to refer to an entitled, misogynistic man. (Yes24)Many Yes24 users immediately complained about the company’s use of the derogatory term in an offici

Social Affairs Dec. 4, 2018

Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using Marvel’s “Avengers” to promote habits that prevent the spread of diseases. KCDC announced Sunday that it has distributed a public service advertisement video titled “Dreaming of Being a Superhero,” which features Marvel characters including Iron Man, The Hulk and Thor.(KCDC)The video, shared on KCDC’s social media channels, shows how anyone can be a hero who protects one’s family by washing one’s hands with soap, and coughing or sneezing

Social Affairs Dec. 3, 2018

Former member of 2NE1 Minzy has released her first English single, “All of You Say.”Minzy’s new single was first released in the United States on Saturday, along with its music video. The single is set for release in Korea and other parts of the world on Monday. (Music Works)“All of You Say,” a mixture of reggaeton, K-pop and hip hop, was released ahead of her “Dance Break Tour.” Minzy announced in November that she had to postpone the North American leg of the tour to early 2019 because of labe

Performance Dec. 3, 2018

South Korean shopping complex Shinsegae Starfield announced Monday that it has opened special lounge areas for customers with furry friends at its malls in Hanam and Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.Each “dog lounge” includes a sofa, a potty patch made of real grass, and dog hooks in case an owner needs to leave for the bathroom. (Shinsegae Property-Yonhap)Shinsegae Starfield allowed shopping with pets in 2017, becoming the first retail store in Korea to do so. The mega shopping mall has also previousl

Industry Dec. 3, 2018

Marvel comics creator Stan Lee’s ideas will soon get the K-drama treatment.“The B-TEAM” (working title) will be based on the late creator’s work. The original content centers on B-rated superheroes fighting against a mad scientist who created them. (POW! Entertainment)Korean screenwriter Kang Eun-kyung, best-known for the hit drama series “King of Baking, Kim Takgu,” and her creative group Plot Line will write the script for the upcoming superhero drama series.  POW! Entertainment, an American m

Television Nov. 29, 2018

Binggrae, a South Korean ice cream and dessert manufacturer, has released a tangerine-flavored milk.The tangerine-flavored milk follows a mulberry-flavored milk, which came out in February. Both are part of the company’s “Milk that didn’t exist before” series. (Binggrae)All Binggrae’s flavored milk products are sold in jar-shaped plastic bottles, said to look like traditional Korean jars.Binggrae’s banana-flavored milk, its top-selling drink, is the first flavored milk in Korea to surpass 200 bi

Food Nov. 28, 2018

A high-school student who was driving without a license died in a car crash Tuesday.The victim was said to have crashed into a retaining wall and utility pole in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, around 4 a.m.He was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead, according to police. (Yonhap)The student, who lived in Gwangju, reportedly drove a rental car to meet a friend in Yeosu after drinking with his friends. Police are currently investigating the exact cause of the incident.By Kim Jee-min (jeemin

Social Affairs Nov. 28, 2018

Fine dust will reach “bad” levels nationwide in the morning, especially in southern regions of the peninsula including Gyeongsang, Jeolla and Jeju provinces.Temperatures will be colder than average, with Seoul reaching a daytime high of 9 degrees Celsius, Chuncheon 9 C, Daejeon 10 C, Daegu 12 C, Busan 14 C, Jeonju 11 C and Gwangju 12 C.  (Yonhap)The weather agency strongly advises people to wear anti-pollution masks on the way to school or work throughout the week. By Kim Jee-min (jeeminkim@hera

Social Affairs Nov. 28, 2018

Jang Beom-june, leader of the indie band “Busker Busker,” has joined the club of celebrity-turned-YouTubers after a long hiatus from music-related activities.Jang greeted his loyal fans by uploading a cover of Black Pink Jennie’s “Solo” on his YouTube channel on Nov. 22. Previously, he had only uploaded tracks from his own albums and videos of his own live performances. (YouTube)Fans were pleased to hear Jang’s unique interpretation of the song.“It’s so cool that the cover sounds like an origina

Performance Nov. 27, 2018

American actor Ezra Miller toured Seoul with Korean actress Claudia Kim on Monday. Both actors starred in the recently released film “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”(Instagram)Kim posted on her Instagram account photos of the two eating Korean food together. In the photos, Miller had a long piece of kimchi hanging out of his mouth. (Instagram) (Instagram)In a separate post, Kim also uploaded photos taken at a Line Friends Store, where Kim and Miller posed playfully with life-sized

Film Nov. 26, 2018

Starbucks Korea said Monday that its stores are now using paper straws after a test run.In September, Starbucks began a two-month trial period to test the feasibility of using paper straws at some 100 stores in Seoul, Busan and Jeju in an effort to reduce waste and protect the environment. (Yonhap)During the test run, the paper straws were available in both green and white. Starbucks has decided to use white straws in consideration of customer feedback suggesting that white straws appeared more

Industry Nov. 26, 2018

Dongguk University’s women’s student council is facing its end after a majority of the school’s students voted for the association’s elimination on Wednesday.According to the Dongguk University Press, 75.94 percent of the 7,036 students voted for the discontinuation of the university’s women’s student council. 22.37 percent voted against, and 1.69 percent were count as invalid.The vote took place after complaints regarding the council’s lack of representation and communication have stirred contr

Social Affairs Nov. 22, 2018