From digital cameras that feature designs from the 1970s to television sets with dials, a growing number of electronics brands are exploiting the nostalgic yearning for the past to attract people who miss the analog days. Ham Sun-hae is one of those consumers who find retro-inspired appliances a great fit for her home. “Even though I already have a television at home, I want another vintage-looking television set for decoration,” said Ham, a 35-year-old office worker. “I like the warm and cozy f

Twenty-four-year-old college student Rho Jyong-ho has been all about retro these days.“Lately, I’ve been spending the majority of my weekends watching movies and dramas that are set in the 1990s,” said Rho. “Although I can relate to some things from when I was growing up, there are a lot more things that I can’t recall, probably because I was too young.”Rho is one of many people in Korea who are currently immersed in “retro fever.”The craze over retro products and culture that has been spreading

Eco-design promises to change the way goods are conceived, produced and consumed

Innovators fuse aesthetics, practicality, environmental value

Consumer pressure will mean that designers who incorporate green ideas into the way products are conceived, produced and consumed will prevail in future, according to Kim Dae-ho, author of bestsellers “Eco-Design” and “Eco-Creator.”From active recycling to zero waste disposal, people and businesses will value products that are designed in ways that harm the environment less and deliver more socially responsible messages, he said. Kim has identified a school of people who are motivated by environ

The scene of a blind man walking along a street using a white cane may be a familiar sight, but these days his cane might have a secret edge ― an advantage made possible by a process that took place over tens of millions of years. The cane, developed by a U.K.-based company, is fitted with ultrasound emitters and detectors that mimic the echolocation ability of bats. The device uses ultrasound waves to detect obstacles ahead and above the user, beyond the cane’s reach, and vibrates to alert the

Biomimicry can lead to scientific discoveries, as well as new products

Nature-friendly ‘blue technology’ holds key to future of sustainable growth: expert

Display technology takes cues from butterflies’ wings, moths’ eyes

Former construction chief says the city was built to harmonize with ecosystem

From ‘swag-fake’to local labels, more avant-garde brands luring young Korean shoppers

More Koreans flirt with imitations that promise to be cheap, practical and fun

What makes luxury goods stand out among fashionable items? What makes a luxury a luxury?Chinese fashion columnist Wang Er Song says in his book “Luxury Attitude” that it is the buyers’ respect for the goods. “What makes a luxury a luxury is the abundant value it contains and people’s respect for that value, the stories behind it,” he writes.  WOOYOUNGMI, a Korea-based menswear brand, fulfills these conditions perfectly. Having started with a small boutique brand, Solid Homme, in 1988, designer W

Korean conglomerates are gearing up to nurture the future Louis Vuitton or Chanel, which will not only secure them with profits but also a luxurious corporate image and high social status. Hoping to become the next Bernard Arnault of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy or Francois Pinault of Kering, business tycoons and their heirs are vigorously buying up designer brands or nurturing future star designers. LVMH owns Louis Vuitton, Dior, Saint Laurent, Donna Karan and Celine, among others, while Kering