[Weekender] 'Funsumerism': Buying should be fun.

Purchasing behavior is a complex decision-making process, but for some consumers, one factor plays a crucial role -- fun. These individuals, known as "funsumers" in Korea, prioritize enjoyable and engaging experiences in all aspects of brand interaction, from buying products and attending events to social media consumption. The long-term viability of this trend is questionable. Yet one thing seems certain: brands are constantly innovating to keep consumers entertained and, consequently

Oct. 12, 2024

Gyeonggi starts temperament tests on 'dangerous' dogs for ownership

Gyeonggi Province has initiated temperament tests for dogs with aggressive traits on Thursday, as part of the new ownership approval process aimed at enhancing public safety and promoting responsible ownership. According to provincial government officials, the province's initial evaluation Thursday includes only three dogs, but a total of 549 registered dangerous dogs must be assessed within the next two weeks, as the six-month deadline for obtaining ownership permission approaches on Oct

Oct. 10, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Visual content creators on popular art forms, sources of inspiration

What does it mean to be a visual content creator, such as a webtoon creator, emoji designer or cartoonist? How do these artists, whose work is part of our daily lives, draw their inspiration? A trio of visual artists -- Koo Ji-min, known by her alias, Koohie, Hong In-hye, also known as Lunapark, and Kim Ha-na -- explored the meaning of being a visual content creator at the Herald Design Forum 2024, held Tuesday at the Floating Island Convention Center on the Han River in Seoul. During the spec

Oct. 9, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Human guides essential to AI development, says Johnny Lee

"Design is not only artwork, but also an experience that integrates technology, creativity and content," Johnny Lee, founder of iStaging, a Taipei-based tech firm specializing in virtual reality solutions, said during his speech at The Herald Design Forum 2024, held at the Floating Island Convention Center on the Han River, Seoul, Tuesday. In his special lecture, "Designing a Journey to See Imagination through XR," Lee outlined the guiding principles behind his approach to

Oct. 9, 2024

Nearly 2 in 3 mothers give birth via cesarean section

Nearly two-thirds of Korean women who gave birth last year did so via cesarean section, data shows. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service, obtained and released Thursday by the ruling People Power Party Rep. Kim Mi-ae, the proportion of women undergoing surgical delivery stood at 64.2 percent last year. The data highlights a consistent rise in C-section deliveries over the past five years, from 51.1 percent in 2019 to 61.6 percent in 2022. The upward incline continued in

Oct. 5, 2024

Korea reports 8.5% rise in suicide rate

South Korea, already plagued with the world's highest suicide rate, saw an on-year uptick in suicide cases last year, reversing a short-lived downward trend, data shows Friday. According to the state-run Statistics Korea, 13,978 people took their own lives last year, which translates to 27.3 deaths per 100,000 people. This marks an 8.5 percent increase from the 2022 figure of 25.2 deaths. This increase follows a one-year decline between 2021 and 2022, when the rate dropped from 26 to 25.2

Oct. 4, 2024

Lawmaker proposes ban on med school prep courses for young kids

In a move that highlights the seriousness of the country’s college admission competition, a South Korean lawmaker proposed Monday a ban on private academies tutoring elementary students for medical college admission. Announcing the submission to the National Assembly of the bill, Rep. Kang Kyung-sook said the law was failing to protect children from the unbridled growth of private tutoring academies, known as hagwon, that teach subjects like calculus as early as five years ahead of the pub

Sept. 30, 2024

Wild boars killed as over 20 spotted around rural village

Around 20 wild boars unsettled a hillside village in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, prompting a hunt that resulted in the killing of three boars by Wednesday noon, authorities said. According to Chungcheongnam-do Fire Headquarters, the initial report was made to the 119 emergency operations center at 8:05 a.m., alerting them to the sighting of dozens of wild boars rushing down from the mountain in Unjeong-ri, Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province. The call prompted the immediate dispatch

Sept. 25, 2024

College is expensive? In S. Korea, English preschools cost much more

In South Korea, where English education is highly valued, the cost of preschools providing English immersive education outstrips that of college tuition by a wide margin, according to a local civic group. The Seoul-based World Without Worry About Private Education said in its report released Wednesday that the average yearly fees for "English kindergartens" in Seoul amounted to 15.72 million won ($11,800) in 2023 -- 2.3 times higher than the average annual university tuition of 6.78 mi

Sept. 25, 2024

Driver dies after being chased by YouTuber for alleged drunk driving

A driver suspected of driving under the influence by a YouTuber died in a car accident during a livestreamed car chase, police said Tuesday. According to Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station, at 3:50 a.m. on Sunday in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, a male driver in his 30s crashed his sport utility vehicle into a parked truck during what appeared to be a high-speed chase initiated by a YouTuber known for exposing drunk drivers. The YouTuber, whose channel has over 70,000 subscribers, mostly posts videos of ca

Sept. 24, 2024