Preparing for a foray here last year, Ikea, a global home furnishing giant, did some research on Korean consumers, collecting as many images of their homes as possible. What it ended up with were hordes of images of almost identical-looking apartment units: white wallpaper, cookie-cutter room and furniture layouts and, above all, the decided lack of decorative items. Lee Yu-rim, who runs home interior shops in Seoul, calls this the “dark age” of Korean homes. For decades, furniture was something

 For many people, the coming of spring brings an urge to renew their home interiors. But decorating can be a daunting challenge for those who have not kept up with the latest trends. Revamping one’s home doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune or require much knowledge about what’s in vogue, according to veteran interior designer Kwon Soon-bok. A new look can start with a simple change. One just needs to think outside the box, she suggests. “Don’t buy furniture first. Use your own furniture first. It

It may come as a surprise how many young people in Korea know their way around a power drill. One example is Kim Ji-eun, a 33-year-old woman who was carefully drilling a small oval into a rectangular piece of wood at Intro M Wood Shop in Dobong-gu, Seoul. “I’m making a cellphone dock. The hole is for the charger,” she explained as she flipped the switch to get the drill going again. As she blew the wood shavings off the finished block, she said she had been coming here for about a year. At Intro

The demand for home decor items is growing among Koreans today, in a sensation that has been dubbed the “candle effect.” A spinoff of the “lipstick effect,” which refers to a hike in consumption of cosmetic goods during recession, the newly coined term indicates the increasing popularity of small home decor items such as scented candles, cushions and figurines that are more affordable than furniture but effectively liven up the home ambience.Virtually nonexistent just five years ago, the Korean

Challenged by Ikea, Korean furniture makers transform into ‘lifestyle brands’

Why South Korea is one of the most sleep-deprived countries in the world

Last year, South Korea’s national health insurance agency formed a special task force to combat obesity, as the number of obese Koreans has increased dramatically in the past decade.As of 2013, 32.4 percent of all adult Koreans were obese, and so were 25 percent of all boys. The number of obese Korean men had doubled since 2003, while the number of Korean women with the condition increased by 30 percent in the same period.While the Health Ministry says higher consumption of fast food and physica

Instead of sipping lattes, visitors to one cafe in Gye-dong, central Seoul, get into hammocks and doze off, indulging in a short break from a hectic day in Korea’s busiest city.Nazzzam has attracted a lot of attention since opening last year as the nation’s first “nap cafe.” But its owner, Jeong Ji-eun, claims the place offers more than just shut-eye. “It’s not a sleeping area per se, but a place where people can take a break from their busy lives,” she said. Originally a freelance English teach

Lee Jae-in woke up one day from an uneasy dream. The 31-year-old, who rarely dreams, could vividly recall what was disturbing her. “Someone was pulling my teeth out,” she said. Feeling leery, she grabbed her smartphone to search online for clues about what the dream meant. Immediately, a portal site pulled up a long list of dream-interpreting websites and Q&A pages filled with answers. “Everyone said losing teeth was a bad omen,” said Lee. “I don’t trust dream interpretation 100 percent, but the

History shows leaders claiming to have foreseen their futures

From can-do spirit to innovation, employee standards continue to evolve

Samsung Group, the largest conglomerate in South Korea, was founded as a small trade firm by the late founder Lee Byung-chull in Daegu in 1938 that shipped dried fish to China. Now managing the world’s largest electronics firm under its wings along with many other businesses, Samsung has become the most coveted workplace here.Its flagship unit Samsung Electronics topped the list of the most desired employers in Korea for six consecutive years, according to a 2014 survey by Saramin, a job portal.

Desperate to keep title, workers of sold affiliates take to streets

The ‘powerless’ across the globe in all ages have developed satire independently, and Korea is no exception.

‘Imperial’ presidency, media censorship reduce room for political satire