The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language and the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of the language within the league of world languages. – Ed. The ever-growing popularity of Korean content has sparked a boom in Korean language learning worldwide. Standing at the v

The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories, a Korea Herald series exploring the subway stations and surrounding areas in and around the city. -- Ed. Surrounded by glossy office buildings, a department store and apartment complexes, the Pangyo Station area looks like a more spacious and suburban version of the area around Seoul’s Samseong Station. Built on what used to be forests and farms growing flowers and vegetables that had been a greenbelt zone until the early 2000s, the resident

On Dec. 6, a sport-utility vehicle driven by a 68-year-old woman suddenly raced about 600 meters forward for about 30 seconds before falling into an underpass in Gangneung. The driver’s 12-year-old grandson was killed, while the driver suffered severe injuries. This week, the family has filed a lawsuit against the car manufacturer, alleging that it was a sudden unintended acceleration due to vehicle defects. “To prevent similar accidents in the future, the car’s manufacturer

South Korean-born Russian short track speedskating champion Viktor An has applied for a coaching job in Korea for the ice skating team of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, according to local reports on Tuesday. An, previously known as An Hyun-soo, won three gold medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy as part of the Korean national team, but failed to qualify for the next Olympics after suffering an injury in 2008. He acquired Russian citizenship in 2011 to continue skating in Russia after

The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project which consists of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language and the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of its language within the league of world languages. – Ed. South Korea’s thriving popular culture has been drawing an increasing number of curious young pe

The owner of a Chinese restaurant in southern Seoul on Thursday requested for police protection, denying media reports that it may be one of the overseas fronts for China’s secret police. Holding a press conference at his eatery Oriental Pearl Tower in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, the owner, identified as Wang, called the allegations “unjust.” The man said there will be another press conference on Saturday for which reporters are required to pay to attend. “The (Oriental Pearl

Crime action film “The Roundup” was the biggest box office hit of 2022 in South Korea, selling over 10 million tickets in just 25 days after its release in May. Starring Ma Dong-seok, the sequel to 2017 film “The Outlaws” was rated 15, which means it was deemed suitable for audiences aged 15 and older. Children under 15 are allowed to watch these movies in theaters as long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. A few minutes into the film, however, the main vill

TBS is cancelling three shows hosted by left-leaning figures, including its most-listened-to program, as the Seoul city-funded ratio station seeks to shake off accusations of political bias in the face of a severe funding cut. The shows’ hosts shared the news on their programs which aired Monday. Kim Eo-joon, host of the top-ranked “News Factory,” said that he will host the show for three more weeks before the program closes at the end of this year. Later in the day, two othe

Mirae Asset Securities became the first in the Korean financial services and investment management industry to post an operating profit of more than 1 trillion won ($754 million) and over 10 trillion won in owned capital last year. It was a dream come true moment for Mirae Asset Group Chairman Park Hyun-joo who said the company will “open an era of 1 trillion won in operating profit and 10 trillion won in owned capital” as it acquired Daewoo Securities in 2016. Having started with a

As South Korea is seeing a widening trade deficit on sluggish global demand amid an economic slowdown, finding new markets for export has become ever more important. The Public Procurement Service, which procures, supplies and manages goods and services for public organizations, also supports Korean companies to tap into the overseas procurement market, the size of which amounted to $12.8 trillion in 2020. “The overseas procurement market is a huge market that companies must aim to become

Fly Asia 2022, a three-day expo for startups in Asia, kicked off on Tuesday at Bexco in Busan. The city government of Busan expects Fly Asia to grow into one of the four largest feasts for startups on the continent. Hundreds of investors, speakers, panels and government officials from 21 countries are taking part in about 40 different programs including conferences, an award ceremony, showcases and networking events through Thursday. Among those who attended the opening on Tuesday were Busan May

The city of Busan expects some 10,000 people from 42 countries to attend lectures, discussions, business meetings and networking events at the three-day inaugural Fly Asia 2022 that began Tuesday. About 460 investors from around the world and some 900 startups in Asia have signed up to take part in the expo, making it the largest-ever investor-oriented startup event in South Korea. “We have two goals for Fly Asia. One is to lay a stepping stone for startups in the (Busan) region to reach b

The city of Busan is hosting an expo for startups in Asia from Tuesday through Thursday at Bexco, under the theme “Connect Asia, Fly to the World.” The city government expects about 10,000 people engaged or interested in startups across Asia to attend Fly Asia 2022, consisting of conferences, an awards ceremony, exhibits and various opportunities for networking. Organized by Busan Techno Park and the Busan Startup Agency Preparation Office, Fly Asia 2022 kicks off with an opening cer

Nov. 22 is Kimchi Day, a day dedicated to the savory Korean soul food that Koreans take great pride in. The South Korean government designated Kimchi Day to celebrate and promote the salted and fermented vegetable that is known for its various health benefits and is made in most Korean homes around this time of the year. Gimjang, the process of making large quantities of kimchi before winter, has long been a major annual event in Korean households and neighborhoods where family members, relative

Prices of major food items such as flour, cheese, tofu and chicken have risen over 20 percent in the past year, while prices of daily necessities such as detergents and shampoo have also jumped. Milk prices will surge again next week, which means the prices of bread, ice cream and coffee will also climb. According to the Korea Price Research Center on Thursday, the price of a 1-kilogram pack of flour (CJ Beksul all purpose flour) surged 37.7 percent from a year ago to 1,900 won in the second wee