Expecting twins, Ahn Hye-young, 34, knew motherhood would be tough. But she did not expect the new phase of her life to weigh on her so heavily. She found herself feeling drained, struggling with mood swings and unhappy with herself. Her changing body was another source of frustration, adding to the overwhelming physical and emotional strain of caring for two newborns. “Exercise helped a little, but I could never fully get my old body back. Newborns need to be fed so often, and with household ch

The recent death of South Korean woman Kim Ye-bin has prompted calls for stronger safety measures for cyclists and e-scooter riders in the city, news reports said Tuesday. At around 8:18 a.m. on Aug. 7 near Powell and Market streets in downtown San Francisco, the 32-year-old resident was struck by a delivery truck while riding a stand-up e-scooter in the same direction, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Witnesses said the scooter’s tire became caught in the streetcar tracks that run alon

A new idol group has entered the K-pop scene, but there is no entertainment agency behind it. There is a washing machine. "AI-Dol," the five-member virtual girl group from LG Electronics, breaks with the traditional K-pop roles of vocals, dance and rap. Instead, each member takes on a role inspired by a key washer-dryer feature, from large capacity and all-in-one washing and drying to artificial intelligence-powered laundry sensing. Launched Friday, AI-Dol is the South Korean home appliance-make

As COVID-19 infections begin to climb, pandemic-era shopping habits are making a comeback, with people once again reaching for masks and self-test kits. All three major convenience store chains — 7-Eleven, GS25 and CU — have seen a sharp rise in sales of related products over the past month, according to news reports Friday. Sales of COVID-19 self-test kits at 7-Eleven, for example, recorded a 62 percent on-month rise from Aug. 1-26, while those of masks, cold medicine and fever and pain relieve

Three people were killed in a fire at a factory operated by fatty acid manufacturer Daewon Industrial in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Friday. The fire broke out at 11:44 a.m. in the Dongnam-gu factory, according to the South Chungcheong Fire Headquarters. A woman in her 70s was found in cardiac arrest after being trapped under falling debris, and two other people who had initially been reported missing were also found dead. Fire authorities issued a Level 1 emergency response at 12:05

The growing trend of K-pop fans hanging dolls from pedestrian railings near HYBE’s headquarters in Seoul has prompted debate over how far fan activities should extend into public spaces. Dozens of so-called "rat jerky dolls," along with letters and other fan-made items that had covered the railings outside the main entrance to the company building for months, were recently removed by sanitation workers from the Yongsan-gu Office following a series of complaints from local residents, news reports

Comedian Park Soo-hong apologized for his family delaying an international flight by repeatedly changing their decision over whether to disembark. "I’m truly sorry that my family delayed the flight, wasted passengers’ valuable time and caused trouble for the airline staff," Park wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. Park and his family boarded a Korean Air flight from Incheon Airport to Guam on Sunday morning and were seated in business class. Park soon asked the crew to let his family get off the pl

An 11-member government rapid response team departed for Nepal on Thursday, which has been devastated by massive flooding and landslides. Led by Lim Sang-woo, the Foreign Ministry's ambassador for overseas Koreans protection and consular affairs, the team comprises four ministry officials, five firefighters and two police officers. It will assist in search and rescue efforts for Korean nationals. The team is scheduled to arrive in via Hong Kong. At least 157 people have died in floods in the Bag

Jeju Island, South Korea’s traditional honeymoon destination, is facing an image crisis as a police scandal over allegedly mishandled missing-person cases fuels broader fears about safety on the island. In just three days through Monday, four people who had been reported missing on Jeju were found dead, according to police. Authorities have not linked the deaths or found evidence of widespread foul play. But the discoveries, which followed a large-scale search prompted by revelations that a poli

A 7-year-old boy was seriously injured Wednesday when a moving ladder truck toppled onto him at an apartment complex in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. The accident occurred at 8:38 a.m. as a group of moving company workers were positioning the ladder against the exterior of a 28-story apartment building to move belongings up to an 11th-floor unit, according to news reports. The boy was passing near the truck when it toppled, pinning him underneath. He was taken to a nearby hospital and is

Two members of Paichai High School's baseball team have decided to quit the sport following controversy over chants mocking South Korea’s pro-democracy movement in the 1980s, news reports said Tuesday. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the students recently informed the school of their decision to leave the baseball team. The team faced backlash after several Paichai players made controversial remarks during their June 29 opening-round game against Gwangju Jeil High School

A touching moment between Jimin of BTS and a young cancer patient at a recent concert on the group’s world tour has inspired more than 100 million won ($72,000) in donations to support children with cancer, according to news reports Tuesday. During BTS’ performance of "Go Go" at its Aug. 15 "Arirang" world tour show in Arlington, Texas, Jimin stepped down from the stage to greet Olivya, a young cancer patient supported by Heroes for Children, a nonprofit that provides financial and social assist

Tall trees, a long staircase and rows of tables fill the airy, three-story building, where high ceilings and broad passageways create the feel of a resort lobby. It is, however, a cafe — one of more than 10 sprawling bakery cafes situated along the Han River in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, east of Seoul. These cafes are part of a growing phenomenon on the outskirts of the South Korean capital, where coffee shops have become destinations in their own right. Customers come not only for coffee and pas

Social media posts showing Chinese influencers dressed in traditional Chinese attire known as hanfu at major historic sites in Seoul, including Gyeongbokgung, have sparked debate and sensitivity among some Koreans. In a recent viral Instagram video, a female Chinese model is seen walking through the palace, Gwanghwamun Square and the streets of Myeong-dong dressed in a bright orange hanfu. She also poses for photos with foreign tourists wearing hanbok, traditional Korean attire. The video drew c

Six in 10 South Koreans favor extending mandatory military service to women amid a growing debate over how to address a declining number of potential conscripts due to the low birth rate, a new survey showed Thursday. The nationwide survey of 1,006 adults by the Reform Institute, a policy research arm of the minor conservative Reform Party, found 59.6 percent in favor of the idea, compared with 34 percent against it, a difference of 25.6 percentage points. More than half of both men and women su