The Korea Times

Jin and Hattie’s leap to fame as Korea’s top international couple

When Harriet Emily Heo, better known as Hattie, found herself lost in the heart of Seoul one summer day in August 2019, she had no idea her life was about to change forever. Freshly arrived from the U.K. as an English teacher, Hattie waited for a new Korean friend, Heo Jin-woo, or Jin, inside a convenience store, unaware that she was standing on the very street where Jin’s parents had first met decades earlier. That serendipitous meeting marked the start of a remarkable journey. Together, they would soon become Korea’s most-followed international couple on YouTube. Five years after their fateful meeting, Hattie, 29, and her husband Jin have become prominent symbols of a multicultural Korea, amassing a YouTube following of 9.8 million subscribers. “Honestly, we never knew it would get this big,” Hattie said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “I thought I would stay in Korea for a year, then go to acting school back home. We made our first video for fun. We just wanted to make each other smile, and maybe a few others too. I never imagined this would become our life.

Aug 7, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Jin and Hattie’s leap to fame as Korea’s top international couple

Law & Crime

Middle schooler arrested after Shinsegae Department Store bomb threat

A middle school student was arrested on Jeju Island Wednesday, one day after an online bomb threat prompted the evacuation of some 4,000 people from a major department store in central Seoul, police said. According to Jeju police, the suspect — identified only as a boy in his teens — was apprehended at his home in Jeju City around 7 p.m. Tuesday. Authorities tracked him down by tracing his internet protocol address after the threatening post appeared on the online forum dcinside around noon. The message, titled “Shinsegae Department Store Bombing Notice,” claimed that explosives had been planted on the building’s first floor and warned of a detonation at 3 p.m., urging the public to avoid the store that day. Police received a report about the post about an hour later at 1:43 p.m. and by 2:25 p.m., police officers and special forces had evacuated approximately 3,000 shoppers and 1,000 employees, sealing off both the main and annex buildings. Over 240 police personnel and emergency responders were deployed, and a search continued for around an hour until 3:59 p.m. No explosives w

Aug 6, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Middle schooler arrested after Shinsegae Department Store bomb threat

Society

Bomb threat sparks alarm at Shinsegae Department Store

Police and firefighters search the main branch of Shinsegae Department Store in central Seoul, Tuesday, after some 4,000 shoppers and employees evacuated the building following an online bomb threat. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Aug 5, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Bomb threat sparks alarm at Shinsegae Department Store

Travel & Food

Korea Beauty Festival draws record 145,000 international visitors

The Korea Beauty Festival attracted a record 145,000 visitors from 151 countries during its month of events, according to the Visit Korea Committee (VKC) Tuesday. Organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the VKC and the Korea Tourism Organization, the monthlong event concluded on July 18, reflecting growing international interest in Korean hair care and makeup, fashion, health and wellness. This year’s turnout marks a 30 percent increase in attendance compared to last year, underscoring Korea’s growing status as a worldwide beauty and lifestyle leader. A total of 527 companies took part — 128 more than 2024 — signaling broad industry engagement across beauty, travel and shopping sectors, the committee said. The festival launched on June 19 with an opening ceremony at Dongdaemun Design Plaza’s K-Beauty Town and rolled out a series of immersive events at key Seoul destinations, including Myeong-dong, Hongdae, Seongsu, Dongdaemun, Cheonggye Stream and Gangnam. Attractions ranged from one-on-one business consultations and hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) experi

Aug 5, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea Beauty Festival draws record 145,000 international visitors

Law & Crime

Ex-president’s defiance underscores weaknesses in legal process

A high-profile standoff is exposing legal ambiguities in Korea’s legal system as authorities struggle — and fail — to retrieve jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol from his prison cell for questioning, despite a valid court-issued arrest warrant and mounting pressure from special prosecutors. The unusual standoff has sparked debate over what some legal experts describe as a significant loophole in Korea’s detention laws. Yoon, currently incarcerated at the Seoul Detention Center on multiple allegations related to his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, has repeatedly refused to comply with summonses from a special prosecutor team. Last Friday, a team led by prosecutor Min Joong-ki attempted to execute the warrant but was turned away after Yoon, reportedly clad only in underwear, lay on the floor of his cell and refused to cooperate for nearly two hours. Prosecutors returned at 20- to 30-minute intervals to repeat their request but ultimately abandoned the effort, citing safety concerns and legal limits on the use of force. Yoon’s defense maintains the incident was not

Aug 4, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Ex-president’s defiance underscores weaknesses in legal process

Travel & Food

Incheon airport launches real-time departure hall wait time service

Incheon International Airport, Korea’s largest and busiest air hub, has unveiled a new real-time service that provides departing passengers with estimated processing times for each departure hall, the airport operator announced Friday. The newly introduced feature gives travelers to-the-minute predictions on how long the entire departure process will take — from entering the terminal’s departure hall, to getting through security screening and finishing with immigration inspection. The data is continuously updated using big data sensors installed throughout the airport, which track the actual flow of passengers through the terminal. Passengers can now compare estimated waiting times for each departure area before entering based on the LED electronic boards displaying real-time information above the departure entrances. This allows travelers to choose a less crowded hall, potentially reducing waiting and processing times. Additionally, the airport has upgraded its existing flight information display system (FIDS) to further assist passengers after they clear immigration. The monitors

Aug 1, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Incheon airport launches real-time departure hall wait time service

Society

Cheong Wa Dae closed to public for maintenance ahead of Lee’s return to historic presidential office

Cheong Wa Dae, Korea’s historic presidential compound commonly known as the Blue House, officially closed its doors to the public on Friday, as preparations begin for President Lee Jae Myung’s planned return to the site later this year. The Cheong Wa Dae Foundation, responsible for public operations of the compound under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced that all tours and public entry have been fully suspended starting Friday to allow for comprehensive security and safety inspections, as well as facility maintenance. The closure follows more than three years of public access, which saw the landmark transformed from the nation’s seat of power into a Seoul tourist destination. Cheong Wa Dae first opened to the public in May 2022 under former President Yoon Suk Yeol, drawing 8.52 million visitors in the period since. At the time, Yoon’s transition committee had ambitious expectations for visitor numbers and economic impact, estimating that the opening of Cheong Wa Dae would generate an economic ripple effect of approximately 200 billion won ($142.9 million) ann

Aug 1, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Cheong Wa Dae closed to public for maintenance ahead of Lee’s return to historic presidential office

Environment & Animals

Bananas ripen in Seoul as scorching summer sparks tropical fruit bloom

As Seoul endures a record-breaking heat wave this summer, an unexpected tropical fruit has begun to take root at an urban farm nestled at the foot of Mount Buram in northern Seoul. The banana tree, native to Southeast Asia’s humid climates, stands tall and vibrant on a sweltering Thursday afternoon at Cheonsu Urban Farm in Nowon District, nearly one and a half times the average height of an adult man. Its broad, waxy leaves and clusters of ripening fruit have become a local curiosity — and a striking symbol of Korea’s shifting climate. A rise in average temperatures in Korea — 1.6 degrees Celsius higher than in the early 20th century — has lengthened the growing season, allowing more farmers to cultivate mangoes, bananas, papayas and dragon fruit. “We began cultivating bananas about four years ago as an experiment, inspired by the success of other subtropical fruits like figs in the warming climate,” said Ma Myung-sun, 75, who has managed the 2,300-square-meter Cheonsu Urban Farm community garden for nearly three decades. He spoke with The Korea Times at his farm. “Now, o

Aug 1, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Bananas ripen in Seoul as scorching summer sparks tropical fruit bloom

Society

Scorching heat prompts Korean offices to embrace shorts

As the country swelters under an unprecedented summer heat wave, companies and government agencies are loosening dress codes, encouraging shorter pants and lighter clothing. Known as “Cool Biz” — a blend of “cool” and “business” — the initiative began as a modest effort to lighten office attire in hopes of improving comfort and cutting air-conditioning costs. Now, amid record-breaking heat, the once-unorthodox campaign is gaining ground even within Korea’s traditionally conservative conglomerates and government offices. At Incheon International Airport Corp., the country’s largest airport operator, a six-week campaign launched July 14 encourages employees to wear shorts to work — with free drinks at an in-house cafe offered as rewards for individuals or teams who take part in the “shorts challenge.” The initiative runs through Aug. 22. The company says the campaign is about more than just beating the heat — it’s also an effort to soften hierarchical boundaries, foster intergenerational dialogue and promote a more open and inclusive corporate culture. Korea

Jul 31, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Scorching heat prompts Korean offices to embrace shorts

Travel & Food

Hotels roll out stamina-boosting summer menus to combat sweltering heat

As Korea endures one of its hottest summers on record, major hotels nationwide are rolling out special summer stamina menus — a seasonal tradition designed to help patrons restore energy during the sweltering heat. Koreans traditionally favor steaming, protein-rich dishes believed to replenish depleted energy during the dog days of summer over chilled dishes. Korea has a tradition of "boknal," supposedly the three hottest days of summer between mid-July and mid-August, according to the lunar calendar. This year, those days fall on July 20, July 30 and Aug. 9. Throughout the season, Koreans traditionally gather with friends and family to eat dishes to improve stamina, believing that “fighting heat with heat” helps the body persevere through high temperatures. While some older customs, such as eating dog meat, have grown less common and are often debated, the prevailing tradition is focused more on restoring energy and celebrating with hearty, nutritious meals and outings to the countryside or mountains to escape the heat. Blending culinary heritage with modern flair, hotels are putti

Jul 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Lee Hae-rin

Read more

Jin and Hattie’s leap to fame as Korea’s top international couple

Middle schooler arrested after Shinsegae Department Store bomb threat

Bomb threat sparks alarm at Shinsegae Department Store

Korea Beauty Festival draws record 145,000 international visitors

Ex-president’s defiance underscores weaknesses in legal process

Incheon airport launches real-time departure hall wait time service

Cheong Wa Dae closed to public for maintenance ahead of Lee’s return to historic presidential office

Bananas ripen in Seoul as scorching summer sparks tropical fruit bloom

Scorching heat prompts Korean offices to embrace shorts

Hotels roll out stamina-boosting summer menus to combat sweltering heat

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