For those who have visited Han River, taken one of its cruises or simply marveled at the vast waters flowing through parts of Seoul’s ultramodern cityscape, it might be difficult to picture that just half a century ago, it used to be the epicenter of winter sports in South Korea. In the 1960s, '70s and earlier, winter would transform the Han into a frozen expanse crossable on foot or via cow-pulled carts, also creating a playground for children to sled and skate and nurturing a season

Hashtag Korea Feb. 6, 2024

It is the pulsating heart of everything – from business and fashion trends to education and culture. Seoul's dynamic energy is infectious, drawing people from all corners of the country and beyond. Yet, the city is also a place where life is often consumed like a commodity, where the pace of life operates in overdrive. We asked nine people whose lives have intersected with the city what Seoul meant to them. A family’s ticket to wealth Kim Hee-yong’s move to Seoul 1 1/2

Hashtag Korea Jan. 2, 2024

It is no longer news that South Korea has a high suicide rate. With 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022, the country topped the 38-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in terms of suicide rates. This rate is more than double that of the OECD average of around 10-11 deaths per 100,000. But under the headline numbers, when, where and how do most suicide attempts occur here? A recently released set of data encompassing crucial information from first response records t

Social Affairs Dec. 26, 2023

Sodium nitrite, commonly found in sausages and other processed meats as a preservative, has recently been added to the list of “suicide hazardous materials” in South Korea as the country seeks to address increasing instances in which this food additive was used for self-harm. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the listing blocks the online sale and distribution of the white powdery substance, which can be lethal in doses as small as 4 to 6 grams, for suicide purposes. A

Social Affairs Dec. 24, 2023

SAO PAULO -- Separated by oceans and a 12-hour time difference, Seoul and Sao Paulo lack direct flight connections and speak distinct languages. Yet, in this metropolis of over 11 million, the largest in the southern hemisphere, K-dramas are finding their way into ordinary Brazilian homes, and K-pop acts are captivating youth, gradually making the language spoken in the distant Asian nation more familiar to the local population. The University of Sao Paulo stands tall amid this newfound inter

Hashtag Korea Nov. 20, 2023

BRASILIA, Brazil -- On the opposite side of the world from South Korea, a group of high school girls dream of someday visiting the country. The northeast Asian nation seems far removed from these girls’ disciplined lives at their Christian boarding school, yet it is made familiar through weekly Korean language classes, Taekwondo practice and TV viewing sessions where all 850 students simultaneously watch K-dramas like "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." “Every day, I study Kore

Hello Hangeul Nov. 12, 2023

On a gentle hill nestled between two wooded areas in Sosa-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, lies a long-neglected training compound for farmers. Occupying nearly 66,000 square meters of land, the compound’s dormitory building, silo for livestock feed storage, pigpen, chicken coup and conference hall, among other facilities, remain tucked out of sight of the surrounding community. The compound's history is unknown even to many of its most immediate neighbors, despite its presence here fo

Social Affairs Nov. 7, 2023

In the United States, Trader Joe's frozen packaged gimbap is making a splash, fueling more interest in Korean cuisine. On its home turf in South Korea, the idea of freezing seaweed rice rolls seems far from appetizing, as gimbap is readily available in convenience stores, street food stalls and anywhere there is demand for on-the-go meals. To many Koreans, the rice roll wrapped in a thin layer of seaweed with pickled radish and a variety of ingredients inside is synonymous with picnics.

Hashtag Korea Sept. 20, 2023

When a dictatorship falls, retribution and reparations often ensue. In South Korea, this was also the case. But for many, it ultimately failed to provide a sense of closure to an era of repression and bloody crackdowns on opponents. From 1996 to 1997, former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, who were military generals and close friends, were tried for their roles in a 1979 coup. Chun seized power through the coup, and masterminded a massacre of protesters in the city of Gwangju in 1980,

Hashtag Korea Aug. 23, 2023

In the morning of July 9, 1994, North Korea’s state media outlets announced that there would be a “special broadcast” at noon. Few in South Korea had a clue what to expect. Then, when noon came, the news struck South Koreans like a lightning bolt. "We, with much bitterness, inform the people in this country that our great leader died of a sudden disease,” a grim-looking announcer on North Korean TV said, solemnly conveying the passing of the man who founded North Kor

Hashtag Korea Aug. 2, 2023

Find the correct answer at the bottom of this page. The Korean War broke out in June 1950 and ended three years later in July 1953. It was a result of the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War and had implications for the global balance of power during that era. The ambitions of North Korea's founder and first leader, Kim Il-sung, to unify the Korean Peninsula as a communist nation were a more direct cause of the conflict, as he ordered the invasion of South Korea via several points alon

Hashtag Korea July 26, 2023

Find the answer at the bottom of the page. The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, with the invasion of North Korea. As the communist state’s military capability overwhelmed that of South Korea at that time, it took just three days for its forces to enter and seize Seoul, the South’s capital. Led by the United States, 21 countries contributed to the United Nations forces that came to the aid of the South against the North, which was backed by China and the Soviet Union. The con

Hashtag Korea July 19, 2023

Chun Doo-hwan died on Nov. 23, 2021. “Rather than grieving over the loss of a former leader, there was a shared sense of regret among the people -- a regret for the missed opportunity to bring him the justice he deserved,” novelist Jeong A-eun said at a recent press conference. “Then it dawned on me. This man didn’t pass one or two years after leaving the highest office. He lived a long 33 years. Why didn’t they do something during all those years?” Her endeav

Books June 6, 2023

오랜 시간 한국인들만의 언어였던 한국어. 지금은 한류 열풍을 타고 전 세계 외국어 학습자들 사이에서 가장 빠른 성장세를 보이는 언어의 대열에 오르게 되었다. 이러한 한국어의 급부상 뒤에는 세계 각지에서, 여러 고충에도 불구하고 투철한 사명감으로 학생들을 가르치는 선생님들이 있다. 한국어 교원의 보수는 국가나 소속 기관에 따라 천차만별이지만, 코리아헤럴드가 만난 대부분의 선생님들은 급여 때문에라면 이 일을 계속하지 못할 거라고 했다. 그들은 학생들의 열정과 성실함이 현장을 떠나지 못하게 만들고, 더 좋은 선생님이 되고 싶도록 만드는 원동력이라고 했다. 세계 각지에서 한국어를 가르치는 선생님들의 고군분투기를 들어 보자. 중국 “중국 사람들은 미중 관계가 나쁘다고 영어 공부를 그만 두진 않아요. 하지만 한국어는 다르죠.” 2014년부터 북경과 상해에서 한국어를 가르친 이수진 씨는 2016년 사드 배치를 둘러싸고 한중 관계 최악으로 치닫을 때를 떠올리며 말했다. 많

한국어판 March 30, 2023

Kim Dae-jung, an opposition leader with a knack for public speeches, was the biggest threat to the military junta led by Park Chung-hee. Later, he served as the President of South Korea and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This file photo from 1973 was originally published in The Korea Herald.An opposition leader was abducted while in exile in a foreign land. His captors bound him up and weighed him down with heavy stones, preparing to throw him from a ship into the sea. It was then that fate

Politics March 16, 2023