Juicing has become popular across the country. Many Koreans put drinking a glass of fresh fruit or veggie juice a day on their list of New Year’s resolutions, and most coffee chains have begun selling fresh juices.  A fresh juice bar run by Organica at a branch of high-end supermarket chain Super Star in southern Seoul. (Organica)Behind the boom is the craze for cleansing the body of toxins with juice ― the so-called “juice cleanse.’’Drinking “detox’’ juice has become a daily routine for many Ko

For Lee Kyung-ja, a 63-year-old housewife who has lived in Latin America for more than 40 years, the biggest concern ahead of her planned return to Korea was food.Having lived in Bolivia, the home of a slew of so-called superfoods like quinoa and lentils, she had no idea how to maintain her decade-old eating habits. But her concerns vanished during a recent visit to Seoul. “I was pleasantly surprised that almost all food items from Latin America are available at local supermarkets. There were ev

About 70 percent of South Korea is covered in mountains. Gushing out of these mountains are spectacular waterfalls of all shapes and sizes, a boon to sweaty hikers in the summer and a godsend to athletic ice climbers in the winter. Ice climbing has been enjoyed in Korea since the 1970s. Local climbers often start through climbing schools or alpine clubs. The increasing popularity has motivated many districts to create “ice climbing parks” ― artificial icefalls made by pumping water over cliffs.

For Kim Sun-bok, a member of a local hiking club, the coldest among 10 years of Sunday excursions was a trip to Mount Hallasan on the southern island of Jeju. “At the beginning of the hike it was not too cold, but as we got closer to the top the wind picked up,” she said. “The wind was blowing so hard I was almost knocked over and my legs were shaking from the cold.”Though for most of the year hiking in Korea is a casual pursuit, in wintertime thorough trip preparation and appropriate gear may h

Sunbathing on a warm summer beach sounds tempting in this season of freezing wind and heavy snow. That’s why warm, exotic resort destinations always top Koreans’ lists of dream vacation spots. But increasingly, Korea’s winter beaches are being warmly greeted by surfers seeking thrills and fun in the billowing winter waves. The hard-core surfers paddle out in the cold water to catch biggest waves of the year. Surfing is not a popular sport in Korea although the three sides of the peninsula are su

Winter is a time to curl up at home, safely away from the freezing cold, with a nice thick comforter and a hot mug of coffee. Or is it?For those increasing numbers who fancy wintertime camping, winter is, on the contrary, just the right time to venture into the wilderness. What, then, is the appeal? Why choose the cold open over the warm, fully furnished indoors?“The snow,” said Kim Han-soo, a longtime camping enthusiast. “Snow is what sets winter camping apart from summer excursions.” Above all

With the cherry blossom season still months away, outdoor enthusiasts here are braving the elements to view a more delicate type of flower ― one that thrives in high places under harsh conditions. “Nunkkot” (literally “snow flowers”) can be found on branches, rocks and railings, and the same chilly wind that helps create these crystal blooms can make it challenging ― or even dangerous ― to enjoy the experience. In recent weeks, the upper elevations of the national parks of Seoraksan and Jirisan

Why do we work? Or rather, why do we work so much? For Koreans who are supposedly some of the most overworked people among OECD countries, these are questions that we constantly ask ourselves.And although we spend the majority of our waking hours at work, few seem to have the answers. It is also ironic that when we are out of a job, we become most desperate to get one. But once we do, the whining begins. Such is the twisted relationship that most enjoy with their jobs. In Korea, where Confuciani

Korean office culture can seem alien to outsiders, with stories of drinking and military order rife, but as with elsewhere, the differences are easier to deal with the higher your rank. One person lifting the lid on expat office life is Michael Kocken, who writes “The Sawon,” a blog about his experiences as a graduate recruit at a mid-sized chaebol.He says working there was a rewarding experience, but he found some things hard to fathom. Staff were tacitly expected to work overtime, rather than

Generational shift, rise of women reshape Korean workplaces

Extreme hierarchy a relic of colonial times, military governments

Up until recently, the mundane white-collar world was never at the center of attention on the small screen, even in a country known as the hardest-working nation.More often than not, the office cubicle served merely as a backdrop for a Cinderella story between a large conglomerate’s young, handsome heir and an ordinary female office worker. But now, viewers are more than eager to watch and sympathize with the average Joe or Jane as they struggle to survive in the office ― even if the show lacks

Modern society is fated to grow ever more complicated, and to keep hold of the things that truly matter, one must eliminate excessive formalities, according to a top official of Hyundai Card.“A meeting should be about discussing a specific issue and reaching a tangible conclusion, but people are too often distracted with the process itself,” Hwang Yoo-no, Hyundai Card and Hyundai Capital’s executive vice president and corporate service division head, told The Korea Herald in a recent interview.

Samsung Electronics and Korean Air were the firms Korean college students wanted to work for the most in 2014.In a survey taken by just over 1,000 college students and conducted by local job-search portal Incruit, Korean Air was the top pick, followed by Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest smartphone-maker. It was the first time that Samsung failed to land in first place. “It was a bit surprising to see that young job-hunters are no longer looking at Samsung as the place they would most lik

Fashion brands seek partnership with art and music to win customers’ hearts