Letter to readers
For the last edition of W this year, we chose “party” as the theme. We introduce the current party trends among Koreans and how to host a smart, private party at home.
The making of W was a party for us, the staff, for the past six months. Printing this magazine every other week was an arduous, yet delightful task ― just like hosting a party is tough but rewarding when it’s over.
W was an experiment. It wasn't a revolution, but it was a revolutionary evolution. Never has a lifestyle magazine, let alone a magazine, been published by a local English daily or has there been any attempt. W was the first of its kind.
W started from the hope that news could be read in a livelier, reader-friendly format, breaking away from the rigid format of newspaper layout. We wanted the contents to please the eye as well as please the mind, which is why W put great emphasis on design and layout.
W has so far covered a variety of themes such as redefining luxury, discovering modernity in tradition, and how office design can impact employees’ behavior, to name a few.
Over the months, there have been, thankfully, very positive responses among our readers, which was a source of energy for the W staff. Some regular subscribers said they collected each edition of the magazine, while non-subscribers said they enjoyed reading copies at Starbucks. (Currently, they’re available at local Starbucks chains and at hotels and if you’re a Korea Times subscriber in Gangnam, Yongsan, Jung-gu, Jongno, Mapo or Seocho, you’ll find it inside the newspaper every other Thursday.)
As initiator and manager of this magazine, I feel overwhelmed at the amount of support and interest that our readers and sponsors have shown us and feel obliged to create better outcome in forthcoming editions. W will continue to evolve in new forms, take challenges and make changes.
We sincerely thank you for your readership and support. We hope that reading W is a leisurely experience, providing a meaningful getaway from the routine of daily life.
Have a great end-of-year celebration, and we’ll see you next year!
W team leader Yun Suh-young