The prolonged battle against the COVID-19 outbreak is changing life patterns, including how we read and digest books. Public libraries have shut down with some offering delivery-only services, or activating “e-bookshelf” sections online as an alternative way out during and after the crisis. Efforts for new reading experiences seem to have gained overall success so far. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in 2019, the rate of e-book readers hit 16.5 percent for

The ASEAN-Korea Centre is set to launch a new series titled “ASEAN Issue,” a set of videos and articles focused on the region, Thursday. The series will feature in-depth analysis, diverse perspectives and personal experiences of professionals including CEOs, K-pop idols, YouTubers and professors. The ASEAN Issue is presented in two formats: video interviews and articles. A total of five video interviews will be presented, touching upon the topics of ASEAN-Korea startup cooperati

A dispute is brewing over a name-and-shame website called “Digital Prison,” which discloses detailed personal information of those it accuses of being sex offenders and child abusers. A 20-year-old student from Korea University died in a suspected suicide on Sept. 3 after his personal information was published on the Digital Prison site in July. The student had claimed his innocence and expressed frustration, posting a letter on his school community website saying, “None of t

JeongSeon Forum 2020, hosted by the Gangwon Provincial Government and Gangwon Convention & Visitors Bureau, successfully finished its three-day session last week. On the second day of the forum, former Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil held an interview with The Korea Herald. Freshly appointed as chair for Gangwon Art and Culture Foundation this spring, she openly discussed her vison to make a better environment for artists and citizens living in the province. “I have two goals for now

Commuting to work by public transportation in Seoul at 2020, after just a few seconds onboard you will easily come across people watching the latest films, full length, in full HD. You might stop and wonder, “Where did they download those films? I saw the review of that film last week saying it’s going to come up in theaters soon.” That’s right. This weekend’s film that you bought tickets for and have been waiting heartily is already up on your smartphone. With

Home is where most people start their day and wrap up the night. Yet, keeping your living space clean and tidy is no easy task. Remember how often you were instructed as a child to keep the space around you clean, but how you always found it terribly difficult, if not impossible? By now, you might have given up and forgotten about getting your house organized -- until you move to a new home. In a new abode, you and your family might be tempted to declare “a new beginning,” but afte

Located in Seongsu-dong, known as the “Brooklyn of Seoul,” a cafe named Hisbeans opened its 19th store in March this year. At the counter you notice the sign which reads, “Our coffee is made by 67 professional baristas, and they are not people who have disabilities. They are the truly talented (baristas).” The baristas working at Hisbeans are people who have mental disabilities, experiencing anxiety disorders and depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophreni

  James Lucian is a daytime kindergarten English teacher who wanders around the streets of Seoul, taking pictures of people and places. His work has gained attention from both amateur and professional photographers interested in Korea. James has close to 20,000 followers on his social media account where he posts stories. After his high school experience visiting the darkroom doing photography, James discovered his lifetime interest and decided to major in Fine Art Photography at the Univ

Dongrak-ga, a shared working space in central Seoul’s Jongno, opened its doors last month, offering space that nonprofit organizations in Korea can use without paying any rent.  Dongrak-ga translates into “a place where people come together for fun,” and was originally the house of Lee Joon-yong, the honorary chair of the corporation Daelim. After his retirement, Lee announced in 2015 that all his property, estimated to be worth around 200 billion won ($165 million), wou