Michelline Syjuco: Return of the savant-garde

Inquirer.net - Oct 18, 2026

Michelline Syjuco’s return to wearable art feels like a continuation of a conversation she began long ago

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Gen Z workplace communication sparks friction in Korean offices

Oct 18, 2026

Gen Z workplace communication sparks friction in Korean offices

"This new hire is really strange. Even when calls come in, they do not answer, and when given instructions, they do not respond. They ignore most KakaoTalk messages and only reply to things that benefit them." Senior employees in their 30s who work with new hires in their 20s with impressive credentials frequently voice this grievance. They complain that open communication with junior staff remains difficult despite considerable effort. However, the 20-somethings targeted by this criticism counter that their true intent — exchanging precise information and avoiding getting hurt while communicating — is not getting across. Why young workers avoid office phones Participant 4: Why do people in their 20s avoid phone calls these days? Participant 2: We prefer text messages because they let us reply after preparing our thoughts. That is especially true for work-related matters. Because text leaves a written record, we can check details directly from the message without having to ask again later. Even if a phone call is recorded, it is more inconvenient because we have to go back and listen

Tradition isn't everything: Foreign nationals say cafes are most Korean places of all

Oct 18, 2026

Tradition isn't everything: Foreign nationals say cafes are most Korean places of all

Not long ago, I asked Conrad, a British participant on a food tour, what he considered the most quintessentially British food. I expected him to name the famous fish and chips or a full English breakfast spread. But without hesitation, he answered, “curry.” Seeing my puzzled expression, he smiled and explained. While Britain has its traditional signature dishes, curry is one of the foods Britons eat most frequently today. That got me wondering: What food or food culture best represents Korea today? When I posed the same question to Conrad, his unexpected answer was “coffee and cafe culture.” The other participants on the tour nodded in agreement. When I take foreign visitors on food tours, I often hear the same questions: “Why are there so many cafes in Korea?” and “Why are cafes still so crowded late in the afternoon?” I could explain that Koreans simply love coffee. But a look at Seoul's cafes suggests there is more to it than that. Cafes line nearly every alley, stay lit late into the night and draw long queues outside popular spots on weekends. This is less a matter

3 Seoul architectural gems where art meets everyday life

Oct 18, 2026

3 Seoul architectural gems where art meets everyday life

What might it look like if gentle waves rippled across the surface of the sea? The sky shimmers and the grass seems to undulate across an uneven metal surface. The wall of this building, stretching horizontally at a height of 3.6 meters and reflecting the surrounding scenery, looks strangely familiar. Then it becomes clear: It resembles "bangjja yugi," traditional Korean hammered brassware often seen on carefully arranged tables at Korean restaurants. The intricate patterns, painstakingly hammered into the metal, refract light to create its distinctive sheen. This place wrapped in a long bangjja yugi on its exterior is the Seoul SeMA Seo-Seoul Museum of Art. Built this year in Geumnarae Central Park near Geumcheon District Office Station in Geumcheon District, it won the Grand Prize at the 44th Seoul Architecture Awards last month. Seoul selects and awards city buildings every year. This year, it selected one Grand Prize winner, two Top Excellence Prize winners, four Excellence Prize winners and three New Architect Prize winners. Among these, public buildings that anyone can freely visi

Lee pays tribute to firefighter killed in Bucheon factory fire

Oct 18, 2026

Lee pays tribute to firefighter killed in Bucheon factory fire

President Lee Jae Myung paid his respects Saturday to a firefighter who died while responding to a factory fire in Bucheon, west of Seoul, the presidential office said. Lee posthumously awarded firefighter Kim Jin-seok the Okjo Order of Service Merit in recognition of his dedication and sacrifice, and offered condolences to his bereaved family, the office said. After paying his respects, Lee said, "The government must provide firefighters with recognition and support commensurate with their dedication and sacrifice." Lee also stressed the need to strengthen on-site safety measures to ensure that firefighters can perform their duties in safer working conditions. The president instructed Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung, who accompanied him, to provide all necessary support for the treatment and recovery of firefighters injured in the blaze. The government also plans to provide further honors for Kim, including arrangements for his burial at a national cemetery. The fire broke out at a four-story metalworking factory at 8:38 a.m. Friday and was fully extinguished at 11:06 a.m., according to fi

Wearable robots offer mobility to people with disabilities in Seoul

Oct 18, 2026

Wearable robots offer mobility to people with disabilities in Seoul

Advanced rehabilitation involving wearable robotics has traditionally remained out of reach for many due to high costs and limited availability outside major medical centers. Now, a pioneering municipal program in western Seoul is bringing this cutting-edge technology directly into neighborhood streets. The Mapo District office is running a specialized robotic rehabilitation initiative designed to help registered residents with mobility impairments regain independence. By partnering with the Seoul Seobuk Hospital and wearable robotics firm Angel Robotics, the district has established a collaborative support framework bridging public health infrastructure with advanced medical engineering. Driven by leading tech firms, research institutes and startups like Hyundai Motor, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Angel Robotics, Korea has rapidly expanded wearable robot technology beyond specialized medical rehabilitation into everyday industrial, agricultural and community mobility applications. The program utilizes robotic exoskeletons to analyze participants' gaits and

Dark Side of Seoul Podcast digs up city's secrets

Oct 18, 2026

Dark Side of Seoul Podcast digs up city's secrets

Korea has always been conscious of its own image, even as K-content exports and inbound tourism numbers continue to break records. But that global spotlight comes with an unspoken condition: show the shiny face, and sweep the unpolished parts under the rug. From outside, the country is often viewed through rose-tinted glasses, a tidy utopia of cute cafes and picture-perfect K-drama lifestyles. The Dark Side of Seoul Podcast offers something that doesn't fit on a postcard: an unvarnished look at Korean history and culture, aimed at the genuinely curious rather than the credulous, equally comfortable with the country's dark folklore as with its murders, crimes and political purges, distant and not so distant. The show is hosted by Joe McPherson and Shawn Morrissey, who have both lived in Korea for more than two decades and together lead The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk. To be clear, this isn't a foreigner-complaint fest where the hosts look down on Korean culture. It respects the culture and its listeners enough to give the fuller picture, with a dark sense of humor that labels certain

Voice phishing cases detected by major banks double in 2025

Oct 18, 2026

Voice phishing cases detected by major banks double in 2025

The number of voice phishing transactions confirmed as fraud after being flagged by monitoring systems at major commercial banks doubled last year from a year earlier, data showed Sunday. According to the data submitted by the Financial Supervisory Service to Rep. Park Seong-hoon of the People Power Party, the five major banks — KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank and NH Nonghyup Bank — detected 8,760 such transactions through their fraud detection systems (FDS) in 2025 and subsequently confirmed them as actual fraud after taking temporary measures to suspend them. The figure more than doubled from 4,343 cases in 2024. An FDS is a technical system that monitors transactions, user activity and other data in real time to identify and flag suspicious behavior. The banks' FDS flagged 1.11 million suspected voice phishing transactions last year, up 39.9 percent from 796,000 in 2024. Of those, the banks took temporary measures against 157,000 transactions in 2025, up from 125,000 in 2024. Recently, Korean financial institutions are stepping up efforts to strengthen their cyb

Reports of taxi fare overcharge for foreigners top 6,000 in 5 years: lawmaker

Oct 18, 2026

Reports of taxi fare overcharge for foreigners top 6,000 in 5 years: lawmaker

The number of complaints submitted by foreigners on alleged taxi fare overcharges in Seoul over the past five years came to more than 6,000, but corrective measures have been taken on only about 3 percent of them, a lawmaker said Sunday. The number of such reports submitted between 2021 and August this year totaled 6,481, Rep. Mo Gyeong-jong of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said, citing Seoul city government data. Of the total, administrative measures were taken on only 204 cases, or 3.1 percent. Of those, drivers in only 28 cases had their licenses suspended or canceled, while those involved in the remaining 176 cases were given mere warnings. Over 67 percent, or 4,368, of all reported cases were closed internally due to difficulties in verifying an overcharge and voluntary withdrawal of complaints, according to the data. In 2013, the city government revised a policy on taxi fare overcharge complaints, allowing foreigners to apply to receive 500,000 won ($374) in compensation should their report result in an administrative measure. The data showed there has been no case in which t

Number of inmates granted early parole rises on prison overcrowding: lawmaker

Oct 18, 2026

Number of inmates granted early parole rises on prison overcrowding: lawmaker

The number of inmates released on parole before serving 60 percent of their full sentence has increased due to prison overcrowding, a lawmaker said Sunday. A total of 634 inmates who had served less than 60 percent of their full sentence were granted early parole in the January-August period, Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the main opposition People Power Party said, citing justice ministry data. The figure is around 3.7-fold bigger than the annual total of 172 in 2025, according to the lawmaker. The number of inmates who were released before fulfilling 60 percent of their sentence remained below 40 between 2022 and 2024 but sharply jumped last year. The increase was attributed to overcrowding at prisons across the country. As of the end of August, correctional facilities were operating at 126.2 percent of their capacity, compared with 122.1 percent in 2025, the data showed, according to Joo. To lower the rate, the justice ministry has been expanding early paroles for elderly and sick inmates who were deemed to have a low risk of reoffense. The ministry has said it plans to increase the number of ear

In India, the Scion of a Political Dynasty Tries to Seize His Moment

Oct 18, 2026

In India, the Scion of a Political Dynasty Tries to Seize His Moment

Rahul Gandhi is the descendant of three prime ministers. A surge of protests could give him a springboard to take on the nation’s current leader.

China’s youth draw upon Long March spirit to navigate modern uncertainties

Oct 18, 2026

China’s youth draw upon Long March spirit to navigate modern uncertainties

As China marks the 90th anniversary of the Red Army’s victory in the Long March, some young Chinese are looking to the historic journey for guidance as they face uncertainty in their lives and future. For Lyu Leiyiyi, a 22-year-old student at the Communication University of China, the spirit of the Long March offers a sense of stability at a time when people and the environment around her are changing at a dizzying pace. “People in their 20s are going through a period of uncertainty,” Lyu said....

Harvard and Cambridge to attend Hong Kong forum on role of humanities in AI age

Oct 18, 2026

Harvard and Cambridge to attend Hong Kong forum on role of humanities in AI age

The organiser of a forum that will bring together Hong Kong and overseas universities later this month has said it hopes to spark debate on the role of humanities programmes in an era increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence (AI). The Global University Presidents and Leaders Summit, organised by the Hong Kong Association for External Friendship, will be held on October 27 and 28 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Presidents or senior management from more than 50...

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