Herald Interview In series
A series of in-depth interviews.
#Interview
# In-depth
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Herald Interview In series
A series of in-depth interviews.
Would you like to subscribe?
Designer Woo Young-mi breaks obsession, embraces openness in Wooyoungmi Itaewon
More than two decades after launching her eponymous high-fashion label in Paris, South Korean designer Woo Young-mi has returned home with a landmark debut: Wooyoungmi’s first flagship store in Itaewon, Seoul, on Wednesday. “Itaewon is a town of diversity where different cultures and nationalities coexist, creating a young and hip energy. Embracing such diversity is our brand’s most important philosophy,” Woo said in an interview with The Korea Herald. The store’s striking architecture reflects
Nov. 2, 2025 - 15:04:44
Thailand, S. Korea can work together on cybercrime, economy: Thai PM
Thailand has long been one of South Korea’s key trading partners, maintaining strong economic ties since the Korea-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement came into effect in 2010. Now, Bangkok seeks to take the relationship a step further through the swift conclusion of a bilateral trade pact that could serve as a new pillar for cooperation. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Bangkok hopes to accelerate negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, saying the deal would help bo
Nov. 2, 2025 - 14:53:32
Data, AI new engines of maritime growth: HD Hyundai Marine Solution executive
HD Hyundai Marine Solution, the maritime service arm of HD Hyundai Group, is accelerating its role as a core innovation driver for the conglomerate’s transition toward sustainable, technology-driven growth, according to Choi Bong-jun, managing director and head of the firm’s digital technology center. Founded in 2016 through the integration of service divisions within HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the company began as an after-sales service provider for ships, but has since expanded into eco-frie
Oct. 31, 2025 - 11:22:09
Korea's clear growth path inspires others: World Bank
South Korea serves as a role model for developing countries, having achieved growth by setting a clear direction for expansion, according to a senior executive at the World Bank. Anna Bjerde, managing director of operations at the multilateral institution, visited Korea to attend this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. "Over the decades, Korea has gone from an impoverished country relying on donor funds from the likes of the World Bank to
Oct. 30, 2025 - 14:42:15
Global X Australia CEO: Digital innovation to drive next ETF wave
Australia’s booming exchange-traded fund market is entering a new phase of digital transformation and thematic diversification, says Alex Zaika, CEO of Global X Australia, who sees the next wave of growth coming from “research-led innovation and investor education.” “Australia’s ETF ecosystem is one of the world’s most competitive,” Zaika told The Korea Herald in a recent email interview. “Our strength lies in identifying areas where investor demand meets real market opportunity, from Australian
Oct. 30, 2025 - 14:09:01
Kim Wan-sun rediscovers life’s rhythm through art
Kim Wan-sun, a K-pop diva nearing the 40th anniversary of her debut, has returned not with a new song but with a brush in hand. With her paintings, she reconnects with Kim Chang-hoon from the legendary band Sanulrim, who produced her first record. The two reunite after decades for a special exhibition titled “Art Beyond Fame,” where Kim unveils the latest chapter of her evolving artistic world. Her new exhibition marks not only another creative milestone, but also a deeply personal chapter, one
Oct. 29, 2025 - 10:21:25
Song Ji-hyo's long game
"We've been doing this for 15 years now. I started at 30, and I'm 45 today," Song Ji-hyo says over coffee in Samcheong-dong, Seoul. "At some point, 'Running Man' will just be a memory. But until then, I'm giving it everything. I'll keep going until my knees give out completely." Of course, you would expect that level of commitment from Song, who has been at the center of Korea's longest-running variety juggernaut since 2010. For a decade and a half, she's been "Ace Ji-hyo" — the blank-faced stra
Oct. 26, 2025 - 15:29:41
From arbitration to AI: Korea’s new era of construction dispute resolution
“Construction is, in many ways, one of the oldest industries,” said Woo Jae-hyong, partner at Yulchon LLC and head of the education committee at Society of Construction Law Korea. “But at the same time, it’s also one of the most technologically advanced.” This dual nature — where centuries-old practices coexist with cutting-edge innovation — is at the core of a quiet revolution now underway in how disputes are resolved in the global construction industry. At the forefront of this shift is SCL Ko
Oct. 26, 2025 - 11:40:46
Korea should lead global push for shipping decarbonization: Rystad analyst
Amid geopolitical uncertainties clouding global net-zero efforts, South Korea should take a leading role in accelerating maritime decarbonization at international platforms such as next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, according to a partner analyst at Oslo-based Rystad Energy. “Korea could reaffirm its position as a strong proponent and supporter of decarbonization in the global shipping industry, especially as we’re now at the Kormarine event, building momentum toward APEC,” sa
Oct. 24, 2025 - 16:25:27
‘Dragon Lady’ of avant-garde music writes her sonic memoir with toy piano
A good craftsman doesn't blame his tools. The saying holds especially true for Margaret Leng Tan, the Singapore-born, New York–based pianist who has played everything from toy pianos and tea pots to coffee cans on her way to becoming one of the world’s leading avant-garde musicians. Also a muse to the legendary composers John Cage and George Crumb, Tan has been at the forefront of American experimental music for more than four decades, continually expanding the very definition of what can be con
Oct. 24, 2025 - 13:40:48
Semyon Bychkov and Czech Philharmonic return with 'Soul of Czech music'
In 2023, the Czech Philharmonic performed in Korea under the baton of its chief conductor and music director Semyon Bychkov and with an all-Dvorak program. The ensemble was lauded for its refined musicianship and powerful, cohesive sound — setting high expectations for the orchestra's two performances in Seoul next week. On Tuesday, which coincides with the Czech Republic’s Independence Day, Bychkov will lead a performance of Smetana’s "My Homeland," a monumental six-part symphonic poem often de
Oct. 22, 2025 - 16:55:10
Missouri, Korea build nuclear research project on 70-year partnership
Leaders from the University of Missouri arrived in Seoul this week to start a new chapter in a partnership that stretches back seven decades -- from the aftermath of World War II to the frontiers of modern science. A delegation representing Missouri's academic and political leadership -- including University of Missouri Board of Curators Chair Todd Graves, UM System President Mun Choi and Missouri House Speaker Jonathan Patterson -- sat down with The Korea Herald on Wednesday to discuss their la
Oct. 22, 2025 - 15:22:51
'It’s me, unfiltered, revealed to the world.”: Ha Ji-won’s journey into art
Veteran actor Ha Ji-won, in her new solo exhibition “Phenomenal Change: Looking into the Reason I Am Myself,” greets her audience not through a glowing screen, but through her canvases. “There was always confusion between Ha Ji-won the actor and the person I really am,” Ha told The Korea Herald ahead of her solo exhibition opening on Sept. 27. “I encounter so many emotions through the characters I play, and I love the film set deeply, but there was always something within me that remained unfulf
Oct. 20, 2025 - 10:20:23
Conductor summons Hogwarts to Seoul in live 'Harry Potter' concert
Next week, wizards, witches and anyone who has ever wished they were will gather at Seoul’s Sejong Center for Performing Arts for a magical reunion. From Oct. 24-26, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I in Concert" will bring the final battle of the wizarding world to life — on screen and through the soaring, Academy Award–winning score by Alexandre Desplat, performed live by the Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra. For fans, it is a chance to take a magical adventure through Harry, Ron and
Oct. 17, 2025 - 18:11:41
Between kimchi and Haribo: Koo Jaha explores boundaries in art and identity
Koo Jaha, a Korean director, writer, composer and performer based in Europe, continues to explore what it means to live between cultures. Following his acclaimed “Hamartia” trilogy — "Rolling and Rolling," "Cuckoo" and "A History of Korea" — Koo presents “Haribo Kimchi,” which premiered in Brussels last year and will be staged in Seoul from Thursday to Sunday at Quad in Daehangno, the city’s small theater district. Often described as a hybrid form that merges music, video and robotic performers,
Oct. 15, 2025 - 15:37:47
