Innovation implemented for better content and design

In the past six decades, The Korea Herald has established itself as the largest English-newspaper in Korea. It has now more than 50 percent of the nation’s market share, and has readers from around the world. 

In May this year, the paper took a major step forward to upgrade content for its paper version readers: a dramatic innovation to the time-honored Weekender section.

The first and foremost change took place for the masthead of the weekend edition. Instead of the usual format, The Korea Herald placed Weekender on the front page as a representative banner as part of efforts to differentiate not only content but also visual style for weekend stories.

Content-wise, every Saturday edition comes with an in-depth feature or a major interview story for the front page. Pictures and graphics are used generously in a bid to help the reader to grasp the gist of the weekly features more comfortably.

The layout for the Weekender section, which starts on Page 9 have been revamped and redesigned. A modern font design has been adopted and the key banner for the former Weekender Section has been renamed as “Eye,” to connote “information,” “I” and “eye.”

The visual image of eye for the weekend edition runs through all the key components including leisure, health, tourism, cuisine, movie, music, performance, exhibition, books and interviews. Instead of the traditional design in which articles are packed together for maximum information, the articles which go under the Eye logo are positioned in a way that offers enough breathing room in terms of space and sensibility.

Chon Shi-yong, managing editor of The Korea Herald, has also installed a host of new sections in the past months that get updated weekly. In addition to the existing Diplomatic Circuit, Expat Living and Automode, The Korea Herald now provides specialized content through Voice, Sharing and People.

Voice is the paper’s first-ever entry in the debate genre. Instead of just putting together opposing views, the special weekly section asks experts in a specific field to present their views in detail along with related opinions submitted by Korea Herald readers on the Internet.

Sharing is also a move into an uncharted territory for an English-language newspaper in Korea. The new section zooms in on those who help out people in need, introducing charity efforts and various campaigns dedicated to social causes.

People is also one of the key sections that The Korea Herald hopes will provide differentiated information to readers. The focus is placed on local magnets, celebrities, business executives and newsmakers whose activities are a fine reflection of what’s happening in Korean society. The People section has been expanded to three times a week in consideration of its importance.

By Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldcorp.com)