Articles by Song Seung-hyun
Song Seung-hyun
ssh@heraldcorp.com-
Marriages between Korean men, Japanese women soar
As seen on popular YouTube channels featuring happy couples as well as heartwarming drama series like "Eye Love You," Korean men and Japanese women are increasingly finding love. In 2023, there were 840 marriages registered here between Korean men and Japanese women, marking a 40.1 percent surge from the 599 recorded in 2022, according to Statistics Korea. While such marriages still only constitute a small portion of the total number of marriages of Korean nationals to a spouse of fo
Social Affairs March 26, 2024
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[AtoZ into Korean mind] Fatphobia pervasive in Korea
"Your face looks good." When Justin Ku first heard this remark from one of his relatives here, he took it as a compliment. He later discovered that the phrase is more often used by Koreans to point out when you've gained weight. "I was shocked by how casually they said it," said Ku, 34, who had emigrated to the US when he was young and moved back to Korea as an adult. Ku is not alone in his surprise at the prevalence of body-shaming embedded in the fatphobic social atmosphere
Hashtag Korea March 24, 2024
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[LLG] Young Seoulite's double life as startup consultant and indie actor
Even in Seoul, teeming with so many busy people, Baek Yo-sun stands out for striving to live in two seemingly contrasting worlds. By day, she's a human resources and post-investment management consultant at a venture capital firm dedicated to nurturing local startups. When the sun sets or weekend begins, she shifts gears to transform into an actor, breathing life into diverse characters. Striking a balance between her two lives has not been easy. She acknowledges that there may not be a p
Hashtag Korea March 21, 2024
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[Survive & Thrive] Finding secondhand treasures in Korea
In neighborhood public spaces such as subway stations, it's not uncommon to witness individuals engaging in suspicious exchanges like in a spy film, often starting their exchange with a question that includes the Korean term, “danggeun.” “Hoksi danggeun?” one might inquire to initiate the exchange, which literally translates to, “Carrots, by any chance?” But while the word “danggeun” means carrot or carrots in English, these furtive traders
Hashtag Korea March 19, 2024
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Remake songs abundant as K-pop goes 'newtro'
Listeners of Korean pop music from around two decades ago will find many of the songs on today's popular music charts familiar, as remake songs continue to gain popularity. On Melon, the largest Korean music streaming platform, Lim Jae-hyun's "Rhapsody of Sadness" and boy band Riize's "Love 119" have secured spots on the Top 10 popular music chart as of Tuesday. The two tracks are remakes of the originals: "Rhapsody of Sadness" by singer Choi Jae-ho
K-pop March 19, 2024
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Odaesan braille map marks start of project to make nature more accessible
Braille maps of Odaesan National Park, located in Gangwon Province, are now available, the Korea National Park Service announced Monday. The release marks the first of a planned series covering all 23 national parks designed to assist both people with low vision and those who are blind. Developed in collaboration between the parks administration body and the National Geographic Information Institute, the maps, including the inaugural edition for Odaesan, will be distributed to centers and school
Social Affairs March 18, 2024
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‘Oldboy’ with Hello Kitty hairband: The lengths Korean stars go to please fans
In South Korea's fan culture of aegyo, which emphasizes stars appeasing fans with adorable and cutesy behaviors, even the legendary "Oldboy" star is not exempt. In fact, his wholehearted embrace of this playful interaction with fans is earning him even more respect. As Choi Min-sik, globally acclaimed for his charismatic role in the 2003 film, attends audience meet-and-greet events held at local theaters as part of promotions for his latest film “Exhuma,” photos of t
Culture March 14, 2024
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Jeju introduces virtual news presenter
Jeju’s provincial government has recently hired a news anchor to conduct its weekly YouTube program for 600,000 won ($450) a month: virtual human J-na. The computer-created female presenter primarily delivers policy updates and local news from the island, reading scripts prepared via artificial intelligence. The program, developed and managed by a private contractor company, costs 600,000 won per month, according to the island province. "Employing human news presenters incurs signif
Social Affairs March 13, 2024
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How cheese found its place on Korean tables
Kim Min-ju, 38, confesses her tolerance for spicy foods is relatively low by Korean standards. But there’s a way to overcome it and still indulge in Korea’s wide array of spicy dishes -- adding cheese. This approach not only makes the dishes more enjoyable, but also creates a perfect balance of creamy richness and heat, she said: "It helps to temper the spiciness without significantly altering the dish's original flavor." Last year, she and her 8-year-old son even tr
Hashtag Korea March 12, 2024
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Visitors to Korea getting younger amid Hallyu
A third of foreign arrivals in Korea last year were under 30 amid the continuing popularity of Korean popular culture among younger generations worldwide. The Korea Tourism Organization's data, released Monday, showed a surge in young people coming to Korea. Of the 11.03 million foreign nationals who entered the country in 2023, 3.93 million, or 35.6 percent, were 30 years old or younger. This is a significant jump from 27.6 percent in 2013, when the overall number was only slightly higher,
Social Affairs March 11, 2024
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Government begins research on legalizing nonmedical tattooists
The government has set in motion a plan to legalize tattooing by nonmedical practitioners. Currently, only medical professionals are authorized to administer tattoos in Korea. According to the Health Ministry on Thursday, it commissioned research earlier this month to develop a national qualification exam for tattoo practitioners. The result of that study, set to be published in November this year, will likely serve as a reference for formulating details of the licensing exam for tattooists and
Social Affairs March 7, 2024
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Dating dealbreakers for Korean divorcees: survey
What made you decide to stop seeing someone after more than three dates? What were the dealbreakers? A new survey conducted by Korean matchmaking services Only You and Bienarae asked this question to divorced, single men and women and found clear differences between their answers. For men, the most significant turnoff, as chosen by 33.8 percent of respondents, was a woman who does not appear to prioritize him over others, while women found the use of vulgar language to be the most off-putting
Social Affairs March 6, 2024
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Korean stars ditch AirPods for old-school earphones
Whether it's a retro trend or just the convenience of not having to charge them in advance, wired earphones are making a comeback. On an episode of YouTube show “Lee Seojin's New York New York" released last year, actor Jung You-mi was seen using wired headphones, prompting a curious inquiry from fellow actor Lee Seo-jin: "What is up with your earphones?" When asked, she explained, "MZ generations use these." And she was right, a growing number of millenn
People March 4, 2024
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Samgyeopsal Day heats up with stricter fat guidelines
March 3, also known as "Samgyeopsal Day" in Korea, is approaching, with anticipation building for promotional events planned by local supermarkets. Most supermarkets and e-commerce platforms will offer discounts ranging from 40 to 50 percent on pork belly from Feb. 29 to March 3. But there is a complication: This year is the first Samgyeopsal Day following the implementation of government guidelines on excessive fat content in pork belly. Last year, criticism arose over local stores&
Consumer Feb. 28, 2024
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Korean 'crypto king' likely to be extradited to US
A court in Montenegro has ruled for the extradition of cryptocurrency entrepreneur Kwon Do-hyung, widely known as "crypto king" Do Kwon, to the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal. Despite Kwon's defense advocating for transfer to his home country of South Korea, the Montenegro court has rejected the plea. Both the US and South Korea have sought his extradition. Kwon's legal team now has a three-day window to challenge the decision, according to the court on Wednesday.
Market Feb. 22, 2024
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