[Temple to Table] Food and medicine come from same source: Napa cabbage and green chili pepper

Interestingly, what has been recorded about food in Buddhist scriptures significantly overlaps with the content of “Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine).” A scholar who researched and wrote a paper on Donguibogam was surprised to read another paper on temple food by the Ven. Seonjae because he found many similarities. The scholar said, “Heo Jun, the author of 'Donguibogam' and also the royal physician, visited temples and studied how monastics mai

weekenderOct. 2, 2022

[Weekender] Unseen sides of Busan shown at Busan Biennale 2022

BUSAN -- When you think of Busan, what comes to mind? While many would think of beaches in the port city, only a few would think of the hillside roads that connect villages and people from its surrounding regions. Sambok Road, a mountainside road in Choryang village that overlooks coastal areas, is one the venues of the Busan Biennale 2022. “I think what really defines Busan is this kind of winding mountainside road which is found across the city and little-known to people outside of Busan

Arts & DesignSept. 24, 2022

[Eye Plus] The song must go on, says gayageum byeongchang specialist

It was somewhat natural for Gi Yoo-jeong, a 30-year-old gayageum player, to turn to the Korean traditional twelve-string instrument. "My mom was a gayageum player, and I grew up listening to her playing it at home all the time. And naturally, I became one too,” she said. “My mom didn’t say a word about my career. It was solely at my will to play gayageum,” said Gi, as she played the instrument at her home. When she began to play gayageum, her first child Ji-an sat be

PeopleSept. 24, 2022

[Weekender] Built to inspire awe

In Seoul's southern district of Banpo, an apartment complex recently won a prize at the international iF Design Award 2022 in Germany, not for the design of its main building, but for its grand and magnificent front gate. Standing 8 meters tall and 70 meters long, the large curved entrance gate is the first impression of “the H Banpo La Class,” the apartment complex built by Hyundai E&C last year. At night, the massive structure is illuminated with more than 12,000 LED lights,

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2022

[Weekender] From eggs to stocks: Chuseok gifts evolve in reflection of the time

Shin Jeong-eum, a 61-year-old Seoulite, remembers her childhood when her family was delighted with beef wrapped in a simple paper package and a carton of eggs held together by straw as Chuseok gifts. As for her, Shin's favorite moments in the 1970s were receiving new clothes from her relatives as they celebrated the traditional mid-autumn harvest festival, honoring their ancestors. “Nowadays, it’s all about gifting luxury items and we can just send the gifts after purchasing them t

EconomySept. 9, 2022

[Temple to Table] Field of mountain herbs in mind: eosuri, ginseng sprouts

　 Manggyeongsansa in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, has gathered together in one place all the vegetables, both farm-grown and wild, needed to make temple food. 　The mountain herbs they grow with meticulous attention and care are not for sale but for giving away. 　They regard harmonious living with the local residents as the will of the Buddha. Temple food brings attention to the freshness of the ingredients and the simplicity of the seasoning. It seems simple to make, but it’s not. 　Manggy

weekenderSept. 3, 2022

Rare chance to explore forbidden caves

JEJU ISLAND -- Just when the temperature starts to dramatically drop and chill breeze blows from behind one’s back, in gradual darkness, a journey inside Jeju Island’s untouched Manjanggul cave begins. Two restricted zones of the 7.4-kilometer-long cave, formed by the island’s basalt lava flows, is to open for a special period during the annual World Heritage Festival. In its third edition, this year’s festival seeks to enrich and spread the experience of UNESCO World Nat

weekenderSept. 3, 2022

Discover bulgogi prepared three different ways

  Although hansik has diversified in its taste and form over time, bulgogi still remains the top dish that comes to mind when Korean cuisine is mentioned. The mouthwatering grilled meat dish, made of beef or pork, derives from a simple compound word of “bul,” meaning fire, and “gogi,” meaning meat. Traditionally, because of the time and effort involved in making bulgogi, it was a special dish cooked at family gatherings or when inviting guests for a feast. The meat i

weekenderSept. 3, 2022

[Weekender] Younger generations lead a Korean tennis boom

Tennis, once considered in Korea as a sport of the middle-aged, is gaining popularity among younger generations seeking a more affordable outdoor sport with more "Instagrammable" moments. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to its rising popularity as well. After a long period of the pandemic, people began looking for active sports that they could play with a small number of people, partly to sidestep social distancing measures. Kim, a 31-year-old woman living in Seoul, says she started

weekenderSept. 3, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents ‘Feeling Lucky at JW’ package for Chuseok holiday JW Marriott Hotel Seoul celebrates the Chuseok holiday with a promotion created for guests seeking a luxury hotel staycation without leaving the city. The package is available for four days only, for stays from Sept. 9 to 12. The package features a luxury stay in a choice of a deluxe room or Griffin Suite, as well as entry in a raffle with prizes including a Migak teaware set by Korean ceramic brand

FoodSept. 2, 2022

[Weekender] Sleep-deprived Korea

Whether chasing a lifestyle of low sleep and high output or due to the sleep deprivation synonymous with parenthood, many South Koreans are sleep-deprived. For Kim Yu-ri, a nurse in her 30s with two children, sleep has long been a luxury. Raising a 3-year-old and 1-year-old while commuting two hours daily from home in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, to Jamsil in Seoul, her days are already overpacked. “I think seven hours of sleep at night is what I really need, but it never seems to be a po

TechnologyAug. 27, 2022

[Weekender] The mundane job of teaching AI about the real world

  Tech evangelists say artificial intelligence and robots will one day liberate humans from simple and repetitive physical or cognitive tasks.  But before we are all freed from the tedium of such chores, AI first needs an army of patient workers to teach it the subtleties of the real world, such as how to differentiate between a cat and a dog.  Known as data labelers or data annotators, these workers handle large amounts of raw data, made up of images, videos or audio record

TechnologyAug. 20, 2022

[Weekender] A day in the life of an AI dressing room model

Advances in artificial intelligence require countless hours of human work, not just from engineers and IT professionals, but also a massive input of lower skills.  But for the development of an AI-powered virtual dressing room, hardly any skills were required. All you are asked to do for a daytime gig as an AI fashion model is to bring yourself and 10 pieces of your own clothes or other fashion items for a photoshoot.   On Aug. 3, I was among several female models who had a pho

Latest NewsAug. 20, 2022

[Weekender] ‘Tis the season for ‘gyegok’ splash

Millions of South Korean vacationers have flown overseas, driven to beaches and mountains around the country to escape the relentless heat this summer. Ever since the pandemic rules against gatherings were lifted, crowds with pent-up energy have packed just about anywhere, from sports stadiums and waterparks to theaters and art exhibits. During the country’s peak summer holiday season from late July through early August when most workers take off, a normally 2.5-hour drive from Seoul to

TravelAug. 6, 2022

[Weekender] Do we feel well-rested?

Kwon Min-kyung, 37 and working at a chemicals firm, always feels tired. The legal team manager works hard on weekdays, which causes her tension. At the weekend, fatigue sets in when her tension is relieved. Feeling fatigued, she spends all day lying down, looking at her smartphone, although this does not make her feel refreshed. She often tries to make her days feel productive by attending exhibitions, exploring new sports activities and meeting new people in social clubs. She feels more tired

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2022

[Weekender] Vacationing with pets: What you need to know

Seven-year-old Mango the poodle is a beloved companion to Lee He-yong, 40, who brings his dog everywhere, even when he goes hiking. For his summer vacation early this month, Lee went to Meong Beach, situated on the East Sea coast, which allows people to come with their dogs. “It was my second time visiting the beach with my dog. In general, many beaches do not allow dogs because people complain about it. But Meong Beach has a lifeguard and is equipped with things that you may need for d

TravelJuly 22, 2022

[Weekender] Rise of new power people in business -- influencers

A 23-year-old university student surnamed Han has a study partner whom he has never met. When Han studies for exams, he plays videos of Cho Chan-hui, a Korean influencer and YouTuber also known as Nojambot. Cho, a high school dropout studying to become a police officer, broadcasts and posts videos of himself studying for hours. He has over 152,000 followers on Instagram and 400,000 subscribers on YouTube. He gained fame overnight in 2017, when a video of him studying went viral. “Yes, N

ConsumerJuly 9, 2022

[Weekender] Free hotel room stays and parasols: Korea gears up for heat waves

From Japan to India, the US and countries in Europe, summer has arrived early this year with stifling heat domes and deadly temperatures. South Korea is no exception to the global heat crisis, and city and district officials are introducing novel measures to help residents stay cool and healthy. Yongsan District, one of the 25 districts in the capital city, has recently opened seven air-conditioned rooms in a local hotel to single and low-income seniors aged 65 and above to stay for free durin

Social AffairsJuly 5, 2022

[Weekender] Let’s talk about sex

A 17-year-old high school student referred to her first-ever attempt at sexual intercourse last year as “disastrous,” as she and her then-boyfriend had no idea what to do other than to take off their clothes. After searching the internet, the two found a way to give it a go. However, in an interview with The Korea Herald, she said that she still isn’t sure if she did everything right, as nobody has ever told her what a typical sexual relationship entails. “I think my bo

Social AffairsJuly 2, 2022

[Weekender] Korean War as seen through films

The Korean War, which broke out 72 years ago on June 25, 1950, is a tragedy that divided the Korean Peninsula into South and North Korea, a division that remains to this day with the two countries still technically at war. It is no surprise that the war and postwar situation of Korea have become common subject matters for numerous films of various genres. Most Korean War-related movies tend to be serious and aim at showing the difficulties that people faced during and after the war. The amb

FilmJune 25, 2022