On 10:30 a.m. on a Saturday, Shim Yeon-soo waited for the Korea Train Express at Seoul Station to visit her hometown Daegu. The 57-year-old housewife was planning to have lunch with her relatives in the city near North Gyeongsang Province, some 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in less than two hours. “When I was in my 20s, it took more than seven hours to come up to Seoul by train. But since the KTX started operations, it has significantly shortened travel time to only three hours back and fo

Inter-Korean strain remains beggest stumbling block for ambitious initiative

Hongdae tops busiest college district with trendy cafes, street art and underground musicians

South Korean students tend to have high hopes about their campus life, giving them something to look forward to as they trudge through years of cramming and countless tests. Membership training is one of the campus events that boosts freshmen’s expectations.The “MT” ritual is designed to help freshmen adapt to campus life. Staying at a simple resort, usually in the woods or along a river, for a day or two, students can make new friends and build rapport with each other, as well as exchange infor

A couple reunites at the completion ceremony after a five-week basic military training course held at the Republic of Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. (Yonhap)After a resounding shout emanating from a bunch of shaved heads echoes across the grounds of the military training camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, the camp is suddenly filled with sobs and sniffles. With short good-bye hugs, the men march back to their squads.Since all able-bodied Korean men ove

Like almost everything else in Korea, universities here have seen dramatic changes over the past few decades.　In the years immediately following the 1950-1953 Korean War, universities were home to the offspring of the few who could afford higher education for their children.　As the country’s economy grew, university education became more widely available and the universities became the breeding grounds for diverse aspects of society, from democracy movements and political ideologies to popular c

College seniors have many things on their minds. 　From midterm grades and postgraduate plans to love interests, twentysomethings go through some busy years. In Korea, taking graduation album photos adds to that lengthy to-do list before they can walk in their cap and gown. 　Seniors dress up in glittering suits with full makeup, aiming for a look worthy of an A-lister. They pose for photographs on their campus in the spring or fall, three or four months before commencement. Graduates take selfies

An off-campus jachui roomIn Korea, college students’ accommodations are an important factor that determines their lifestyle. There are three major types of housing for Korean students -- “jachui,” dormitory and family home -- each of which comes with its own set of pros and cons. “I don’t like to tell people that I’m a ‘jachui-saeng’ because then they would target me as an ‘easy’ girl,” said a university student who declined to give her name. The Korean word “jachui-saeng” refers to a student wh

Newlyweds, grooms and Chinese contribute to double-digit growth

As smartwatches make headlines with their futuristic features, traditional watchmaking powerhouses such as TAG Heuer, Swatch and other Swiss-based watchmakers are jumping on to the digital bandwagon to attract customers. But Piaget, the 145-year-old Swiss watchmaker, is not intimidated by the hype over smartwatches. Piaget Korea general manager Sarah Jung said in an interview with The Korea Herald that the watchmakers’ prestige and prowess dating over a century goes beyond functionality.“We are

The wrist war is steadily heating up.Watchmakers once downplayed the impact of smartwatches as mostly a gimmick that would not replace classic timepieces. Now after the highly-publicized debut of Apple Watch, many of them seem to have changed course. Swatch, the world’s largest watchmaker, has announced plans to roll out its own versions of smartwatches, while luxury brands like Tag Heuer and Breitling are mulling digital watches that still preserve their timeless appeal. Their renewed commitmen

‘Competition, collaboration key to growth of smartwatch market’

There’s nothing quite like a sandy beach and open ocean in the summer to wash away the fatigue of everyday stress. With long, stretching coastlines, Korea offers a variety of beaches for midsummer vacations, each with its own unique personality. The Korea Herald suggests some of the nation’s best beaches for relaxation, for crowded fun and for fun experiences.　Quiet seaside paradises　For those seeking a quieter, more relaxing summer getaway, the following are some of the country’s hidden seaside

Find the best of Korea’s beach and mountainside bliss

While summer has always offered an excuse to show off some skin, this season, covering up has become more fashionable than shedding clothes. In lieu of scanty beachwear, the long-sleeved, narrow-necked rash guard has hit it big with beachgoers and celebrities both in and out of the country. Photo shoots of Hallyu it-girls like Gain and Hani of girl group EXID posing in rash guards stormed the Internet, gaining a massive number of “likes” and topping the entertainment news section. The rash guard