In the 2020 Oscar-nominated film "Minari,” the eponymous Korean herb, which one of the characters explains “thrives where there is water,” symbolizes the resilience of the movie's Korean American immigrant family. While the film may have introduced minari to a wider audience, it fell short of exploring its varied uses in Korean cuisine, known for its light herbal taste, refreshing aroma and detoxifying properties. Native to East and Southeast Asia, this plant has th

As spring approaches, many Koreans eagerly tune in to timeless spring-themed songs -- joyful yet poignant melodies that signal the arrival of what is thought of here as the season of love. These songs consistently occupy top positions on national record charts every spring, reflecting Koreans’ enduring affection for these tracks, as the season adorns the nation with colorful blossoms and new leaves. Yet, of four popular songs about spring, the themes they deal with are divided between po

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- At a secluded temple tucked away on a snow-covered mountain, a Buddhist monk stood before a wooden altar, praying for a departed soul. On the altar, next to a spirit table, there was a framed photo of the deceased: a dog named after the temple itself, Hyundeok. “Hyundeok passed away recently,” said Venerable Hyunjong, the temple's founder and chief monk. “He was 8 years old.” In honor of the departed pup, which was one of two who live

National Library for Children and Young Adults boasts a collection of 341 videos The National Library for Children and Young Adults has released two additional storytelling videos based on picture books in the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday. A total of 341 different stories are available on th

In her teens and early 20s, Park Jung-mi (not her real name) viewed herself as an achiever, even if she wasn't one of the highest fliers. In high school, she studied until late into the night on a near-daily basis, aiming for admission to a prestigious university. After successfully getting into one of the top 10 universities here, she maintained her commitment to hard work and self-discipline, graduating with an average GPA above 4 out of 4.5. But from then on, life has been disappointing.

"I always drink iced Americano, even in winter," said Kim, an office worker in her 30s who identifies as an "eoljukah" person. Eoljukah is a portmanteau of the words for "Even if I freeze to death, iced Americano!" It refers to people who are die-hards for the espresso topped off with water and ice, no matter how cold the weather is. The eoljukah trend has steadily grown among Korea's office workers, as iced Americanos are now ubiquitous in cafes and convenienc

Kim Seul-ki, a manager at Lush Korea, has publicly declared her commitment to singledom by holding a solo wedding. “Now that everyone knows I’ve declared sologamy, questions about my marital status just naturally dissipated. It’s very satisfying and I can’t think of any negative sides to it,” Kim, 39, said, recalling her marriage to herself last year. “It made me feel like my perspective on life and my values could be accepted as they are,” she added. Ki

A sultry early-summer day was just starting to fade, when a deafening bang reverberated throughout Gangnam, Seoul. Half of Sampoong Department Store, the pink-color, two-building complex that had stood as a landmark of the affluent Seocho-gu neighborhood, was gone, leaving behind scenes of ruins, debris and dust. The June 1995 collapse killed 502 people and injured 937 others, making it the largest peacetime casualty event in South Korea's modern history — a record that remains unbr

One of Kim Sun-min's new joys in life is to visit the local diving pool in Ilsan, a northwestern satellite city of Seoul. It is where the 42-year-old content marketer can become the mythical creature of her dreams -- a mermaid -- for at least a few hours a week. "Mermaiding might seem like wearing a costume and posing for a photo underwater to outsiders," Kim told The Korea Herald at the Mer Freediving Center in Ilsan. "But it's actually a combination of art and sports -

Traditionally, Seollal mornings begin with paying reverence to ancestors through charye, a traditional rite. A variety of home-cooked dishes prepared days ahead are set out, incense burning, and each family member takes time to pay their respects. Although charye is very structured with a particular way of placing the plates, the food served on the table differs by region. The geographical and cultural characteristics of each region are mirrored on the charye table. Gyeonggi Province Distant