Find the answer at the bottom. Alcohol is often served to encourage freer social interaction, but being aware of local drinking customs is also recommended for avoiding awkward situations. The end of the year is a common time for group or office dinners in Korea, where following a drinking etiquette developed from Korean Confucianism -- with its formal displays of respect for elders and those of higher status in a group -- is often considered important. At after-work group dinners called &q

Beyond a cheap go-to meal, ramyeon has become a cultural icon, inspiring everything from film lines to international cravings

Despite mixed employee reactions, the trend of using English names at work continues to gain momentum in Korea

Nearly 30 percent of Korean couples who have been married for less than five years both work and have no children, according to a report released Monday by Statistics Korea. Among the 815,357 such couples, 28.7 percent were “dual-income, no kids” couples, or DINKs. It represented more than a 10 percentage point increase from 2015. The shift toward the DINK lifestyle is attributed to various factors, including the increased participation of women in the workforce, a growing societal

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

Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style' makes a splash on the world music scene, paving the way for a bigger Korean wave

Find the answer at the bottom. The South Korean island of Dokdo is an ecological jewel, situated furthest from the mainland. Comprised of two islets and 89 surrounding rock outcrops, the entirety of Dokdo is designated a natural monument and is under protection. The waters surrounding Dokdo are home to various marine creatures and rare marine plants, including band-rumped storm petrels, streaked shearwaters and black-tailed gulls. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, as of Aug

In absence of traditional Christmas dish, cakes have become synonymous with holiday celebration

46 S. Korean Navy personnel killed in torpedo attack by N. Korea; lingering conspiracies suggest alternative causes despite lack of evidence

Find the answer at the bottom. Large, voluminous and round white pottery vessels known as “moon jars” stand as quintessential examples of South Korea’s Joseon-era porcelain art. Originating from the late 17th century, these distinctive porcelain jars maintained their popularity through the late Joseon period, setting themselves apart as unique creations not replicated in China or Japan. The term "moon jar" is a relatively recent invention, created by Korean mode

Storage rental businesses surge in Seoul's expensive home market

MADRID -- The Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) in Spain's capital boasts a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1293. As one of the world's oldest universities, it recently added Korean as a minor course within the Department of Asian Studies in 2021. Professor Yang Eun-sook, who has led Korean Studies at the university for 15 years, expressed a renewed sense of excitement for the future during an interview with The Korea Herald in October. Yang anticipates that Korea

University of Salamanca modern languages professor continues to translate Korean novels into Spanish

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

In both life and death, former President Roh Moo-hyun stood as one of the most polarizing and influential politicians that Korean politics had ever witnessed