Dia TV and Naver Z have teamed up to support virtual reality creators. CJ ENM’s content creator support business, Dia TV, announced the signing of an memorandum of understanding with Naver Z on Tuesday. By having creators on Naver Z’s avatar service app Zepeto, Dia TV hopes to expand the audience for its creators who are popular with the “MZ Generation” -- those born between the 1980s and the early 2000s -- on a global scale, as well as exploiting advertising and mark

Spaces underneath overpasses are neglected spaces, many of them left shabby and used as illegal parking spots. In Seoul alone, the total space underneath the nearly 200 highway overpasses is equivalent in area to about 55 percent of Yeouido, or 210 football fields. But only 10 percent of these spaces are used efficiently, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. “Compared to the density of the Seoul population, many public spaces like those underneath overpasses are left wasted

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea announced the winners of the 2020 Korean Literature Translation Award, with Mariko Saito winning the grand prize. For this year’s prize, 115 translated works in 24 languages were considered. Mariko Saito, who translated the short story collection “To Hyun Nam Oppa” by Cho Nam-joo and six others into Japanese, won the top prize and 20 million won ($18,500) in prize money, last Thursday. Translators Jeong Eun-jin and Jacques Batil

A host of psychology and personality tests supposedly shedding light on one‘s personality are picking up popularity in South Korea. The internet questionnaires show specific explanations of one’s self that align with the psyche. These tools help people draw conclusions about who they are as a person. The complicated human condition triggers people to characterize themselves by taking the test. By evaluating the results, people can better find out about the different aspects of the

Protestant churches split in their response to government’s de-facto ban on in-person worship

Suh Se-ok, a leading artist who pioneered contemporary abstract ink painting, died on Nov. 29 at the age of 91. The announcement was belatedly made on Thursday after the family funeral was conducted in accordance with social distancing regulations out of consideration for the bereaved, according to the National Academy of Arts in Korea. Suh was born in 1929 in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, as a son of an independence activist who fought against Japanese colonialism during the Japanese c

Hakgojae Gallery hosts exhibition of Jeongho tea bowls created by ceramist Kim Jong-hun

Separated from the notorious car and foot traffic of the Gangnam neighborhood, Kukkiwon sits on a small hill in a calm area filled with trees. Kukkiwon, a traditional-looking building with white columns, has been the heart of the Korean martial art of taekwondo for the past half century.  The institution was established in November 1972 as the world headquarters of taekwondo. The same year, to celebrate its founding, it held the first-ever international competition. Since then, the orga

Persimmon is a fruit that signals the coming of winter in Korea. The name persimmon means “divine fruit” and it is commonly grown in East Asia, mostly China, Japan and Korea. The fruit matures late in the fall but can stay on the tree until winter. In fact, you may frequently see a bare persimmon tree with only its fruits on the branches. It can be eaten raw, dried, cooked or even frozen. When eaten fresh and ripe, it is sweet and mellow. It has a unique and slippery texture and i

As pandemic exacerbates disposable waste pile-up, zero waste stores offer alternative

The royal folding screen, Haehakbandodo, is to be displayed in a public exhibition in Korea for the first time in about 90 years after having been kept in the US. The National Palace Museum of Korea holds the exhibition slated for Friday and will run until Jan. 2021. The Haehakbandodo illustrates symbols of the sea, cranes and peaches, which represent prosperity and desire for longevity. Necessary restorations for its rare gold plated designs have been completed for display. Visitors will be g

The grandeur of Baengnokdam Crater Lake of Hallasan dazzles with snow as winter sets in. The winterscape of the mountain stands out vividly, as snow on the branches shines in the clear sky.  The snowfield of the scenery may be appreciated throughout the snowy season of winter. (Photos: Ko Won-sang - Yonhap) By Lee Jae-Eun (leeje16@heraldcorp.com)

South Korea will host a meeting of an international organization for railway cooperation across Europe and Asia next year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Saturday.  The 49th annual ministers' meeting of the Organization for Cooperation of Railways (OSJD) will be held in the country from June 15-18, 2021, according to the ministry. Founded in 1956, the OSJD coordinates railway policies and oversees related standards among Eurasian countries. South Korea joine

Rev. Park Ock-soo, the founder of International Youth Fellowship (IYF), is seeking to build an education program for young people. Park shares his prospective ideas and outlook on possible alternatives to the program and for the youth amid the COVID-19 crisis. Park has developed “mind education,” which seeks to create a mindset that enables students to overcome difficulties, fulfill responsibilities and help prevent things such as abuse, cruelty and suicide. And he has promoted this

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will hold the final round of its IYKoongChallenge online dance competition Saturday in conjunction with the Korean Tourism Organization. The event will be livestreamed through the KTO’s YouTube (www.youtube.com/ImagineYourKorea) and Tiktok (tiktok.com/@imagineyourkorea) channels. The event aims to promote five South Korean cities selected as tourism hubs by the Culture Ministry in January: Busan; Gangneung, Gangwon Province; Jeonju, North Jeol