Incheon Airport witnessed a heartfelt reunion on Friday afternoon as Darragh Hannan and Jee Won Ha, sisters separated at birth and raised worlds apart, met face-to-face for the first time. The two, adopted as infants—Hannan in the US and Ha in Belgium—recently discovered their full sibling connection through a MyHeritage DNA test, sparking this life-changing encounter. Hannan, adopted in Minnesota shortly after her birth in 1986, grew up in a loving and supportive home. Ha, on the

Social Affairs Oct. 26, 2024

David "Yungin" Kim, a Grammy Award-winning mix engineer, hopes to create a bridge between Korea and the US music industries as he continues on his professional and personal journey in both countries. Kim, who goes by his artist name Yungin, is the first Korean-born person to win a Grammy outside of classical music. As a mix engineer, he has worked with many big names including BTS, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Hit-Boy, Post Malone and Ariana Grande. And earlier this year he debuted as a produc

Culture Aug. 2, 2024

A trip to Korea initiated by curiosity is turning into a new chapter in life for comic book artist Bob Layton. Layton's journey to Korea was to be a simple trip, but the country's culture and vibrant webtoon industry have the artist hooked. The man, the legend: Bob Layton Layton is something of a legend in the comic book world. Layton's career in the comic book industry dates back to the 1970s, where he made significant contributions, particularly with his work on Iron Man and oth

Hashtag Korea July 6, 2024

TikToker, Devin Halbal, also known as “Hal Baddie” on social media, is traveling around Asia, causing a sensation wherever she goes. On Jan. 27, Halbal posted a video of herself in Japan singing, “sushi kudasai,” meaning, “give me sushi” in Japanese. The video went viral, and within days, Halbal was suddenly being recognized by locals all over Korea and Japan. Videos of Halbal bumping into her fans and spontaneously singing the catchphrase with big crowds of p

People May 16, 2024

Since the beginning of the 2023-24 season of the Korean Volleyball League, 24-year-old Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi has been making headlines. Megawati initially garnered public attention for being the first Indonesian volleyball player in Korea and the first-ever player to wear a hijab in the Korean V-League. Six months after her debut with the Jungkwanjang Red Sparks in Daejeon, she is still creating buzz online for so much more. Game after game, Megawati has proved herself, contributing signif

Hashtag Korea March 16, 2024

When foreign nationals come to South Korea, they often face the challenge of navigating various cultural differences. For Ju Chan-yang, a Korean from across the border, the disparities she had to grapple with were more intricate and subtle. In light of Human Rights Day, The Korea Herald spoke with Ju, who defected from North Korea in 2010. Life in North Korea Life in North Korea for Ju was riddled with hardships from the start. Three years after her birth in 1991, North Korea faced its worst f

Hashtag Korea Dec. 16, 2023

In the vast landscape of YouTube, where content creators rise and fall, Dave Levene Jr. stands out as one of the first-generation YouTubers in Korea with over a million subscribers on his YouTube channel, “World of Dave.” Levene’s entry into content creation is a tale of randomness and unexpected viral success. In 2013, a video he posted on his personal Facebook account for his friends to watch went viral overnight, reaching over 40,000 likes and thousands of comments. This unp

Hashtag Korea Dec. 2, 2023

Walking down the streets of Seoul, your senses are in for a treat. High-rises tower, K-pop spills out from nearby shops and the preserves of historical buildings sit proudly among Seoul’s busy traffic. Amid this modern symphony, your gaze may be drawn to a contrasting sight -- shanty houses with weathered shutter doors and neglected alleyways adorned with bold graffiti, a testament to the city’s harmony of old and new, and fusions of the popular and subculture. As South Korea has gr

Hashtag Korea Oct. 26, 2023

Muaz Razaq, a representative of the Muslim community at Kyungpook National University, finds himself at the epicenter of a struggle that underscores the necessity for greater understanding and inclusivity in a city traditionally perceived as "unwelcoming" to Muslims. Arriving in South Korea with the aspiration of pursuing a doctorate in computer science, Razaq swiftly encountered the challenges associated with practicing Islam in a predominantly non-Muslim country. Initially, Razaq fo

Hashtag Korea Oct. 18, 2023