As the number of privately-owned bathhouses across South Korea continues to decrease at an alarming rate, local governments have stepped in to invest in publicly run facilities. According to Statistics Korea, the number of bathhouses has decreased by a staggering 38% in the last two decades, with the most significant drops occurring in rural …
Month: March 2023
Cigarette Butt Reward Campaign
The “Cigarette Butt Reward Campaign,” which was launched in some districts of Seoul, is still gaining traction. Yongsan-gu began implementing the program in March of last year and Seongdong-gu followed suit in October. To be eligible, participants must be at least 20 years old. When they take the cigarette butts to the local community …
Deceptive business practices in a brand name store
A Burberry brand store in a department store was caught selling a used product as if it was new. A customer bought a handbag worth about 2 million won (U$1,600) as a gift and presented it to her relative, but a few days later, she received an embarrassing call from her relative. Inside the …
Bullying getting serious
The issue of school violence shines a spotlight on the role of parents and lawyers in aggravating the problem. Although it is common for elementary school students to move on and become friends again after incidents of violence, parents tend to get involved and transform the situation into a legal battle for money and …
Kyoto wabi-sabi
The use of garish colors is avoided in traditional Japanese architecture. Instead, muted tones that blend with the surrounding landscape are preferred. This approach is known as ‘wabi-sabi (侘寂),’ which values simplicity, naturalness, and imperfection. In order to preserve its traditional look, Kyoto uses muted colors. This helps to create a tranquil and harmonious …