Relatively novel concept of ‘food curation’ helps people tailor their menus

Joseph Kim, a computer programmer living in Seoul, is a busy man. He is so overloaded at work he can rarely go grocery shopping.With few hours to spend at the gym, his weight has been creeping up steadily, forcing him to change his diet and have salads delivered to his door twice weekly. All he has to do is order on his computer or smartphone.Wrapped in a green eco bag and consisting of an assortment of fruits and vegetables, the curated meals he receives have helped him deal with his predicamen

It is a well-known fact that Koreans love coffee. The dependence on caffeine to get though the day is spread among all age groups -- even teenagers reach for energy drinks to help them survive a stressful day of studying. However, such habits come at a cost.Research conducted by the Korea Consumer Agency revealed that approximately 60 percent of students that consumed energy drinks with a high caffeine content suffered various side effects.The intake of caffeine irritates the linings of the smal

The history of caffeination in Korea is long and winding, beginning with a tragic king who became the country‘s first coffee lover while fleeing in wartime. After decades of serving as a vehicle of socialization at coffee shops, coffee moved into offices and homes with the introduction of instant coffee mixes. People went back out to coffee shops to get their java once Western-style takeout cafes were introduced and now coffee is coming back into the home with small, inexpensive espresso machine

Daniel Kim, a 26-year-old banker, is not a morning person.“I have a hard time getting my system started in the morning. So I always drop by this small cafe for a cup of large Americano on my way to the bus station,” Kim said.Choi Yoo-rim, a 17-year-old high school student, is an avid Red Bull drinker.“I can’t go a day without a Red Bull. It’s like the best invention ever. I can focus on my studies without dozing off. Getting good grades is really important for me right now, so I’ll worry about t

Snacks evolve with unlikely mixtures, healthful ingredients and humorous marketing

In South Korean’s confectionary industry, Orion’s Choco Pie, Lotte Confectionery’s Xylitol and Pepero as well as Nongshim’s shrimp crackers are all superstars. They are members of the so-called “1 trillion won club” of confectionary brands with accumulated sales of more than 1 trillion won ($848 million) each. These snacks also enjoy overseas popularity, marking a new growth engine for the manufacturers that have been struggling with weakening demand from health-conscious consumers in their home

Remember the honey butter chip craze? Potato chips flavored with honey and butter were inarguably the greatest hit in South Korea’s confectionary market in 2015. People had lined up in supermarkets in the hope of buying just one pack and some even paid double or triple online just to have the latest snack product delivered home. The honey butter chips phase, however, soon cooled off, as it made way for newcomers that tasted even more interesting and unconventional.Despite these fads, there have

Snacks, once produced and marketed mostly for children, have become a major consumption item for Koreans of all ages, seeking to munch away their stress with more diverse and healthier options.  (Lotte Confectionery)Confectionery companies are driving trends with snacks infused with fruit and tea flavors and made with whole premium ingredients to appeal to health-conscious adults.As these new creations receive positive responses both at home and abroad, manufacturers and distributors are intensi

Indoor gardening popular among South Koreans seeking to combat fatigue from city life and indoor air pollution

Amid all the talk about the danger of airborne ultrafine particles, Shin Gi-bbeum opted to bring indoors some plants that are known to purify the air, instead of purchasing costly air-purifying machines.“Why invest in electronic air purifiers when you can have houseplants at home to clean and filter the air naturally and inexpensively?” said the 53-year-old housewife.“Beyond air quality, looking at green plants just make me feel better,” she said, adding growing plants is her way of fighting str

Koreans are increasingly venturing solo to bars for a quiet moment to enjoy alcohol

With a pensive gaze, Park Si-in sips an old fashioned, a whiskey-based cocktail, at a dim, jazzy bistro nestled in a gentrified alley in Seoul. “I don’t think about anything,” she says. “I come here to empty and organize my thoughts. I need it, regularly and personally. Drinking alone is actually enjoyable.” Beside her, Kang Dong-wan, a university student majoring in graphic design, chatters with a bartender. “The bar acts as a sort of a mental hospital, a healing space,” explains Kang, in an in

One of the newest cultural trends sweeping the nation is all about the art of being alone. 　From eating, drinking, shopping and living solo, this new trend seems to defy the once cultural norm of “togetherness.”　With the phenomena of “honsul” and “honbap” -- meaning to “drink alone” and “eat alone,” respectively -- there no longer appears to be social stigmas attached to requesting a table for one. Nor is there a corresponding gasp of dismay or pity for one going to a bar solo and enjoying a coc

  Choi Soon-sil Choi Soon-sil attends her first trial at the Seoul Central District Court on Dec. 19. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)It would be hard to find a South Korean adult now who does not know who Choi Soon-sil is. The woman, once shrouded in secrecy, is President Park Geun-hye’s friend of 40 years and the central figure of a sweeping corruption and peddling of influence scandal that sparked massive protests in South Korea and eventually led to the president’s impeachment on Dec. 9. A d