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Articles by Kim Ye-won
Why these Gen Z women are ditching heels for good, or never wore them at all
'No need for heels to feel grown, feminine or confident -- flats do just fine' High heels — once a staple in many women’s wardrobes — have long been loved for how they add height, elongate the legs, and elevate an outfit. But today, it’s quite hard to spot anyone wearing them on the street. For many women in Generation Z, heels feel almost foreign, as they have never owned a single pair or seen their peers wearing them either.
5 Greenpeace activists, banned from leaving S. Korea, attend first trial hearing
Five Greenpeace activists, including the captain of the group’s iconic Rainbow Warrior ship, appeared in a Seoul courtroom on Friday for the first hearing related to a protest staged last November during a global plastics summit in Busan. The activists — UK, German and Mexican nationals — have been charged with obstruction of business and unlawful intrusion onto a vessel.
A day of gratitude: Teachers' Day scenes
May 15 is Teachers’ Day in South Korea, a day set aside to honor and express appreciation for educators across the country. Despite a recent series of news stories that show a growing disillusionment within the profession, the day remains a meaningful occasion for students and teachers alike. Following are some photos that capture the scene at schools celebrating Teachers’ Day in Korea.
A discount fix?
TheBorn Korea, led by restaurateur and television personality Paik Jong-won, launched a discount event Tuesday, offering up to 50 percent off across its franchise locations. Running through May 25, the promotion is part of a broader support initiative for franchisees following recent criticism directed at Paik and TheBorn Korea over pricing practices, ingredient transparency and labeling issues.
Why do so many Korean Gen Z still live with their parents?
For them, path to independence is no longer straight line out door Despite social pressure to leave home and “grow up,” a vast majority of Koreans in their 20s still live with their parents. A 2022 survey found that 81 percent of South Koreans in their 20s lived with their parents — the highest rate among member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Buying apartment in Seoul now takes 24 years of full-salary saving
Buying an apartment in Seoul has become increasingly out of reach for average workers, with average home prices soaring past 1.3 billion won for the first time, according to latest data. KB Kookmin Bank’s monthly real estate report, released Monday, showed that the average price of apartments in Seoul reached 1.3 billion won ($913,500) in April, marking a 0.98 percent increase from the previous month. That figure is 2.5 times the national average of 522 million won.
Myung Tae-kyun, central figure in political scandal, appears for questioning
Myung Tae-kyun, the self-proclaimed power broker and pollster at the center of a political scandal involving several politicians from the People Power Party and former President Yoon Suk Yeol, appeared for questioning at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office on Tuesday. Previously investigated only by prosecutors in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, where he lives, this marked Myung’s first summons for questioning in Seoul.
Just B’s Bain thanks Hong Seok-cheon for paving way for LGBTQ+ in Korea
Bain, a member of K-pop boy band Just B who came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community last week, has expressed gratitude to Hong Seok-cheon, Korea’s first openly-gay celebrity who came out in 2000, for paving the way for the LGBTQ+ community in the Korean entertainment industry. On Sunday, Hong shared a thank-you message he received from Bain on his Instagram account.
Fire drill on Han River
Seoul City conducted a fire drill on Wednedsay, simulating a blaze aboard a Hangang River Water Bus, a ferry for the Han River, in preparation for the service's official launch later this year. Approximately 105 personnel and 24 vessels from four public agencies and two private companies took part in the drill. Participants included the city government, police, fire authorities and the 119 Water Rescue Team.
Planet vs. plastics
Plastic waste is being processed at the Suwon Resource Circulation Center in Gyeonggi Province on Monday, a day before Earth Day on April 22. In line with Earth Day, the Ministry of Environment is hosting "Climate Change Week 2025" from Monday through Friday. This year’s campaign will emphasize continuous and daily efforts toward carbon neutrality that can prepare us for a carbon-neutral future. Various events led by local governments and civic organizations are to take place nationwide.
King Sejong statue gets annual bath
King Sejong statue gets a soft washing in Gwanghwamun Square, Jongno-gu, Seoul. (Yonhap) Professional cleaners washing dust off the statue (Yonhap) Seoul City Hall kicked off its annual cleaning of the King Sejong statue in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, Tuesday. This year’s operation will last through Wednesday, with their four-step cleaning process including water washing and scrubbing to remove dust and grime that accumulated over the winter and early spring. rladpdnjs1024@heraldcorp.com
Suspect arrested in burglary of comedian Park Na-rae’s home, police say
Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a recent burglary at the home of South Korean comedian and TV personality Park Na-rae, local reports and police said Monday. According to officers at Yongsan Police Station in Seoul, the suspect has a criminal record that includes multiple theft-related offenses. Investigators suspect the individual broke into Park’s home and stole valuables.
No signs of forced entry in Park Na-rae's home: reports
Police investigating the theft of property, reportedly worth tens of thousands of dollars, from comedian Park Na-rae’s residence in Seoul have found no signs of forced entry so far, local media reported Thursday. Park filed a police report Tuesday after discovering that certain valuables were missing from her home in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, the day before. According to her agency, the amount of the stolen property has not yet been determined.
New justice takes office, finally restoring full Constitutional Court bench
Ma Eun-hyuk, regarded as liberal-leaning, begins his six-year term after a 104-day delay in his appointment by two acting presidents Newly appointed Constitutional Court Justice Ma Eun-hyuk began his six-year term on Wednesday, ending a six-month period during which the top court's bench was short-staffed. With his appointment, the Constitutional Court is now back to a full bench of nine justices for the first time since last October. Ma will serve until April 8, 2031.
HYBE Chairman Bang surprises with dramatic transformation
Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of Hybe and chief producer behind the K-pop juggernaut BTS, is in the media spotlight for this apparent weight loss. The producer on Tuesday shared a photo of himself posing with staff members, looking noticeably thinner than in his public appearances several months ago.
Jeju Air crash: 100 days on
People pay tribute at a memorial altar set up at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province on Monday, marking the 100th day since the Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash that claimed 179 lives. (Yonhap) Bereaved families pay tribute at a memorial altar set up at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province on Monday, marking the 100th day since the Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash that claimed 179 lives.
Jeju remembers April 3
A memorial service for the victims of the 4.3 Incident was held at Jeju 4.3 Peace Park on the southern island of Jeju on Thursday, marking its 77th anniversary. The 4·3 Incident refers to a series of civilian massacres that took place on the island from 1947 to 1954 amid South Korea's dark period of extreme ideological clashes and confusion, following the end of Japan's colonialization of the country.
Eve of by-elections
South Korea will hold by-elections on Wednesday in 23 constituencies nationwide, with the results to serve as a key indicator of public sentiment ahead of Friday's Constitutional Court ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. Voters will elect a regional education chief in Busan, five heads of local municipal and district governments and 17 of local council members. Among the posts to be filled is that of the mayor for Seoul's western district of Guro-gu.
Scenes of devastation as wildfires rage in S. Korea
A wave of wildfires burning in South Korea's southeastern regions has left a path of destruction and human loss. As of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, a total of 18 people had died and 19 others had been injured, according to the authorities. A dharma bell stands amid the ruins and debris of Gounsa Temple in Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, on Wednesday. The temple's main pavilion, a state-recognized cultural treasure, was completely destroyed by a wildfire that swept through the area on Tuesday.
Evacuees spend 3rd night in tents as wildfires devastate countryside
As the simultaneous wildfires in Uiseong, Sancheong and Ulju counties enter their fourth day, the blazes continue to disrupt lives, force school closures and displace residents. In Sicheon-myeon, Sancheong-gun, where the fire started on Friday, 461 residents have been evacuated to shelters. Four schools were closed on Monday, and one school delayed its start time from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. due to danger caused by the fire.
Opposition lawmaker egged during press conference
Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, including Rep. Baek Hye-ryun, were hit with raw eggs Thursday morning in front of the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The liberal party members were holding a press conference around 9 a.m. calling for the prompt dismissal of President Yoon Suk Yeol when they faced off against a group of Yoon's supporters who were rallying in support of the impeached leader.
Vaccination in action after foot-and-mouth outbreak
Goryeong County, North Gyeongsang Province, announced the start of an emergency foot-and-mouth disease vaccination campaign for all cloven-hoofed livestock, including cows, pigs and goats, as South Korea battles the first outbreak of the contagious animal disease in nearly two years. Emergency vaccinations will be carried out from Tuesday to Saturday. Over the past week, at least eight reported foot-and-mouth disease cases were reported in Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province.
Olympic statues get annual bath
A worker from Sogpa-gu Office uses a high-pressure washer to clean a statue, one of 51 commemorating the 1988 Seoul Olympics near Jamsil Sports Complex in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap) With spring just around the corner, Songpa-gu Office kicked off its annual cleaning of the 51 monuments commemorating the 1988 Seoul Olympics near Jamsil Sports Complex on Wednesday. The statues, covered in a layer of dust since their last wash about a year ago, were thoroughly cleaned.
Seoul tourism surpasses prepandemic levels
Tourists clad in hanbok take photos at Gyeongbokgung in Seoul on Monday. The city government said foreign tourism in Seoul in January fully recovered to the prepandemic level and set a new January record. (Yonhap) Seoul attracted about 900,000 foreign tourists in January, despite political instability caused by the Dec. 3, 2024, declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachment trials.
Foreign exchange reserves slump to nearly 5-year low
A staff member at Hana Bank's Anti-Counterfeiting Response Center is seen organizing US dollar bills. (Lim Se-jun/ The Korea Herald) South Korea's foreign reserves fell from a second month in February amid the weak local currency, the Bank of Korea data showed Thursday. The reserves stood at $409.21 billion, down $1.8 billion from a month earlier. This marks the lowest level in 4 years and 9 months. rladpdnjs1024@heraldcorp.com
Welcome to first grade
Baesan Elementary School in Suyeong-gu, Busan, celebrated the first day of school for its first grade students on Tuesday, with parents and guardians invited to watch the children reach milestones. Following a long weekend for the March 1 Independence Movement holiday, March 4 marked the start of the school year in South Korea. This year, more than 18,422 children are starting first grade in Busan, about 2,000 fewer than the number of students who enrolled last year.
Han Dong-hoon’s book hits shelves
Han Dong-hoon, former chair of the ruling People Power Party, released his autobiographic book “People First” on Wednesday. In the book, he recounts the chaotic days following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, and the events leading up to his resignation as the People Power Party leader amid internal pressure over his open support for the president’s impeachment.
Myeongdong shop busted for selling fake luxuries
Police nabbed two persons for selling counterfeit goods at a store in Myeong-dong, Seoul, and seized about 1,200 fake items, including handbags, wristwatches, and other luxury items, with an estimated retail value of over 3.82 billion won, officials said Thursday. The store appeared to be a regular shop with authentic goods but had a secret storage unit accessible only through a hidden stairway disguised as a wall that contained the counterfeits.
Snow-covered hills, streets, temples form picturesque scenes
Haeinsa, located on Gayasan in Hapcheon-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, is seen covered with snow on Wednesday. (Yonhap) Snow falls on Gayasan Wednesday morning. (Yonhap) Most regions of South Korea, including Seoul, picked up at least a light coating of around 1 centimeter of snow, Wednesday morning, while North and South Gyeongsang and Gangwon provinces reported precipitation of up to 5 cm. Snow accumulates on rows of Himalayan cedars along Dongdaegu-ro in Donggu, Daegu, Wednesday.
Han River freezes for first time this winter
The icy weather over the past few days caused parts of the Han River to freeze for the first time this winter on Sunday, marking its first official freeze of the season, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The official freezing of the Han River is determined when the point 100 meters upstream from the second and fourth piers of the Han River bridge freezes over completely.
Carrying tradition on shoulders
Members of the Doju Juldanggigi Preservation Society carry a rope for the Juldanggigi event. (Yonhap) Residents of Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, prepare a rope to be used for a traditional tug-of-war game on Thursday. Cheongdo is home to "doju juldanggigi," a game played with a massive rice straw rope, which has been a part of Jeongwol Daeboreum celebrations for more than 200 years.
Tough start for curling at Harbin Winter Games
South Korea's mixed doubles curling team suffered a 6-12 loss to the Philippines in their first match of the 2025 Harbin Winter Asian Games on Tuesday. Kim Kyung-ae and Seong Ji-hoon, considered strong medal contenders, faced off against the Philippines’ Kathleen Dubberstein and Marc Pfister in the Group B preliminary round at the Harbin Pingfang Curling Arena. Kim was a silver medalist at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018.
Heavier than it looks
Soldiers from the Korean Army's 5th Infantry Division and the US 2nd Infantry Division’s 210th Field Artillery Brigade deliver coal briquettes, or "yeontan," to households in need Wednesday as part of a volunteer event. More than 100 soldiers from both sides participated in the joint volunteer activity that has become an annual tradition.
Fine dust advisory issued in Seoul, other regions
Much of South Korea experienced poor air quality on Monday, with the year’s first fine dust advisory being issued for Seoul and the central regions. As of noon, Seoul's average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) had soared to 97 micrograms per cubic meter. Fine dust advisories are issued when the PM 2.5 level exceeds 75 micrograms for more than two hours.
Speed skating stars in action
Kim Min-sun (Uijeongbu City Hall), Korea’s top female short-distance speed skater, claimed first place in the 1,000m race, securing another gold medal at the 106th National Winter Sports Festival held at the Taereung International Skating Rink in Nowon-gu, Seoul. She completed the race in 1 minute and 18.52 seconds. Kim won her first gold medal of the tournament in the women’s general 500m race on Wednesday, recording a time of 38.72 seconds.
Black ice leads to over 10 vehicle pileups, at least 14 injured
A series of car accidents were reported across Seoul and its surrounding roads on Tuesday morning, which traffic authorities suspect were caused by black ice, a thin layer of ice on the road surface. At least 14 people were injured in two major accidents, involving 44 and 43 vehicles, respectively. At 5:16 a.m. on Tuesday, the 44-vehicle pile-up occurred near the Gusan Interchange on Jayuro-ro motorway in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province heading toward Paju.
Heavy snowfall blankets North Jeolla
North Jeolla Province experienced heavy snowfall overnight, amid heavy snow warnings across all 14 counties starting Tuesday night. While the snow advisory for the southern part of the province was lifted at 8:50 a.m. on Wednesday, the Korea Meteorological Administration forecasts the return of strong snow clouds this afternoon, likely bringing additional heavy snowfall through Thursday.
[Photo] New Poster Added for the Upcoming Korean Drama 'Love Your Enemy'
Remove ads and support HanCinema directly You enjoy and visit HanCinema regularly maybe even since 2003, we need your support to keep it running 🙏 • HanCinema doesn't rely on free labour to get updated. Everyone working at HanCinema is getting paid. • Advertising revenue isn't enough. • Once 100% is reached, HanCinema is sustainable. Only US$1.99 a month (No streaming included) New poster added for the upcoming Korean drama "Love Your Enemy" (2024).
[Videos] Teasers Released for the Upcoming Korean Drama 'Love Your Enemy'
Remove ads and support HanCinema directly You enjoy and visit HanCinema regularly maybe even since 2003, we need your support to keep it running 🙏 • HanCinema doesn't rely on free labour to get updated. Everyone working at HanCinema is getting paid. • Advertising revenue isn't enough. • Once 100% is reached, HanCinema is sustainable. Only US$1.99 a month (No streaming included) Teasers released for the upcoming Korean drama "Love Your Enemy".
[Photos] New Posters Added for the Upcoming Korean Drama 'Love Your Enemy'
Remove ads and support HanCinema directly You enjoy and visit HanCinema regularly maybe even since 2003, we need your support to keep it running 🙏 • HanCinema doesn't rely on free labour to get updated. Everyone working at HanCinema is getting paid. • Advertising revenue isn't enough. • Once 100% is reached, HanCinema is sustainable. Only US$1.99 a month (No streaming included) New posters added for the upcoming Korean drama "Love Your Enemy" (2024).
Remembering Mr. A: Mourning the Tragic Loss of a Beloved Friend
Funeral Held for Mr A, Victim of Sexual Assault Mr A’s mournful funeral took place on the 20th of August at a funeral hall in Seoul. Friends and acquaintances, overwhelmed with grief, gathered at the university hospital in Guro-gu to bid their final farewell to a bright and active individual. Tears streamed down the faces of those who attended the funeral of Mr A, who tragically lost his life after being sexually assaulted in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul.
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