It all began with a Maxim Vengerov recital: A little girl in the audience, who, like most kids her age enjoyed singing tunes from the Pororo cartoon series, found herself suddenly drawn to the world of classical music. For most Korean children born around 2010, growing up meant loving Pororo the Little Penguin, affectionately nicknamed "President Po" for the power he wielded over the pre-kindergarten set. As they got older, many of these kids would move on to other music genres, often

In MBTI-obsessed South Korea, it has become trendy to tease T's for being 'overly logical'

The political future of Democratic Party of Korea Chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung is likely to be decided this month, as South Korean courts are expected to deliver several court rulings that could potentially bar the main opposition leader from running for president. The Seoul Central District Court is set to deliver rulings in two separate cases against Lee on Friday and Nov. 25, marking the first decisions in his four ongoing criminal cases. On Friday, the Seoul court is expected to deliver a verdic

After years of record exports, food makers likely to speed up US localization, production

Among the more than 520,000 people sitting for Suneung, the national college entrance exam, on Thursday will be a number of well-known K-pop idols born in 2006. That list includes Park Jihoo of Evnne, Eunseop of Lun8, Kim Dogyun of 82Major and Seungmo and Mackiah of Ampers&One. Park Jihoo, for instance, debuted in September last year and is currently enrolled at Hanlim Arts School, a prestigious arts high school in Seoul with many singers and actors among its alum. Mackiah, who holds Austral

Experts say delay in fall foliage could become ‘new normal’ as extreme heat continues

Analysts worry about ‘reverse kimchi premium,’ citing regulatory hurdles for crypto investment

Big Ocean, the world’s first K-pop idol group composed of members with hearing disabilities, launched international promotions for its first mini album. The group -- consisting Chanyeon, Hyunjin and Jiseok -- released the mini album "Follow" on Tuesday, inviting listeners to join them on a journey to find happiness. The new album includes the title track “Flow” along with previously released digital singles “Glow,” “Blow” and “Slow.&rdquo

South Korea's Unification Ministry on Tuesday released key details from 12 leaked diplomatic cables, revealing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's direct orders -- transmitted through the Foreign Ministry to overseas missions -- to counter increasing international scrutiny and pressure on human rights, especially at the United Nations. This marks the first public release of diplomatic telegrams -- confidential communications from North Korea’s Foreign Ministry to its embassies and

Toss Securities said Tuesday it has named Richard Hagen, a digital finance veteran, as the new CEO of its US subsidiary, TSA Financial. Under Hagen’s leadership, the company said, TSA Financial will initiate the regulatory process to expand its presence in the US brokerage market. In August, Toss Securities established two US subsidiaries: Toss Securities Americas and TSA Financial. The latter, in particular, aims to manage the firm’s broker-dealer business operations. Hagen brings o

CANADA NAVY VISITS HYUNDAI SHIPYARD Canada’s top naval officer, Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee (center), visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan headquarters Tuesday as Canada ramps up efforts to strengthen its submarine fleet. Canada’s new Canadian Patrol Submarine Project envisions acquiring up to a dozen 3,000-ton submarines, and Hyundai’s advanced shipyard facilities are being closely considered as a potential partner. During his visit, Topshee toured Hyundai’s pr

Distrust between students, government is 'too high,' says Lee