Shaw Prize winner Baumeister on breakthroughs that changed cell imaging

HONG KONG — Wolfgang Baumeister has spent decades trying to see what the human eye never could. This year, the German biophysicist was awarded the Shaw Prize in life science and medicine for pioneering cryo-electron tomography, a breakthrough that allows scientists to observe the molecular architecture of living cells in unprecedented detail. “It’s a wonderful recognition,” he said at an interview with The Korea Herald on the sidelines of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum 2025. “But after 30 years of

Nov. 25, 2025

Obituary: Beloved ‘grandpa’ Lee Soon-jae’s life on stage, screen

Actor Lee Soon-jae, a towering figure in Korean entertainment and one of the nation’s longest-working performers, died Tuesday. He was 91. According to his family, Lee died early on Tuesday morning. Even in advanced age, Lee had continued to work across television, film and theater, remaining active until late 2024, when health problems forced him to withdraw midway through the run of the play “Waiting for Waiting for Godot.” His final screen appearance came in the KBS series “Dog Knows Everythi

Nov. 25, 2025

'My last chance': Eric Lu on overcoming pressure to win Chopin Competition on second try decade later

American pianist Eric Lu returned to the 2025 Chopin Competition 10 years after taking fourth prize, a move that fits a familiar story in classical music: artists coming back to one of the world’s toughest stages, pushed by ambition, pressure and a highly competitive field. “I felt that while my career was going well, it was not at the level that I have the ambitions for,” the 27-year-old pianist told reporters Monday in Seoul. But when the final results came out, Lu’s story took a turn. Instead

Nov. 25, 2025

Kim Hyang-hwa, who led gisaeng protest against Japanese rule, honored in commemorative video

Kim Hyang-hwa, who led one of the protests against Japanese colonial rule in 1919, has been featured in a multi-language video created in a project led by actress Song Hye-kyo and liberal arts professor Seo Kyoung-duk. According to Seo's Facebook page, the four-minute video was sponsored by Song and has been released with Korean and English narration. The video shows how Kim and some 30 "gisaengs" — female entertainers of the Joseon Dynasty who performed at banquettes and high-profile bars — par

Nov. 17, 2025

Myongji Medical Foundation Chair Lee Wang-jun to head International Hospital Federation

Dr. Lee Wang-jun, chair and CEO of Myongji Medical Foundation, has been elected as the next International Hospital Federation president, becoming the second Korean to lead the 95-year-old global organization, the Korea Hospital Association said Wednesday. The announcement was made Tuesday during the 48th World Hospital Congress held Nov. 10-13 in Geneva, Switzerland. Lee will serve a two-year term from 2027 to 2029, following his participation in the federation’s six-year executive leadership cy

Nov. 12, 2025

Comedian Lee Jin-ho caught drunk driving

Comedian Lee Jin-ho, 39, who drew public criticism last year for illegal gambling, was caught drunk driving in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Privince, early Wednesday morning, having allegedly driven from Incheon. Local police reported that Lee’s blood alcohol level was 0.11 percent, above the legal threshold for license revocation. He was stopped at around 3:20 a.m. Already under investigation for illegal gambling, Lee’s latest charge has further tarnished his public image. His agency, SM C&C, confirmed

Sept. 25, 2025

Nursing student revives unconscious woman

A college student training to be a nurse saved a woman who had collapsed, helping her regain consciousness when no other pedestrians stopped to help. According to Yonhap News Agency, a woman fell unconscious at around 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 17, at an overground structure of Guro Station in Seoul. Baek Yeong-seo, a 24-year-old junior in the nursing department at Bucheon University, checked the woman's pulse and aided her breathing by unbuttoning her shirt. Baek then helped her up and monitored her co

Sept. 23, 2025

Koryo Saram councilor aims to build bridge for future generations

Igor Lee has built a reputation as a successful telecoms entrepreneur, but these days he spends most of his time as a mediator, neighbor and mobilizer. As a member of the Tashkent City Council of People’s Deputies, he holds weekly in-person office hours and manages an open Telegram group where residents can post questions, photos and complaints. “Our main role is to be the bridge between citizens and the government,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald during the 11th Global Korean Po

Sept. 19, 2025

12-year-old prodigy Baek Gang-hyun says he's applying to University of Oxford

Baek Gang-hyun, a 12-year-old prodigy who first captured South Korea's attention at just 32 months old on a TV show, said in a recent video that he is preparing to apply to the University of Oxford in England. He posted a video titled "I'm applying to Oxford University" on his YouTube channel, saying that he has been preparing for International Advanced Level courses for the past year and a half. The International AS and A levels are recognized as equivalent to the UK Board General Certificate o

Sept. 9, 2025

Wellness Seoul 2025 brings mindfulness to forest retreat

Herald Media Group hosted Wellness Seoul 2025 on Sunday at Dream Forest in northern Seoul, turning the expansive park into a lively celebration of well-being in harmony with nature. Held under the theme “Everyone in Love with the Forest,” the annual festival, now in its second year, drew approximately 6,000 participants united by a shared vision of wellness through programs centered on pets, music, sustainability and mindful living. “The core message of wellness is simple: to rediscover true hap

Sept. 8, 2025

Bada apologizes for misleading product promotion on YouTube

Bada, a member of the first-generation K-pop girl group S.E.S, apologized on Tuesday for promoting a skincare product on her YouTube channel without disclosing that it was a paid advertisement, and without verifying the claims made about it. “I sincerely apologize for the disappointment caused by a product featured on my YouTube channel,” Bada wrote in a handwritten statement posted on Instagram. “I’m ashamed that I didn’t take the time to thoroughly review the details before taking part in the

Aug. 5, 2025

'Squid Game,' Park Bo-gum and K-pop: Korea continues to attract tourists with K-content

Clad in the iconic green tracksuit from “Squid Game,” Ria dashes through South Korean landmarks, pursued by guards in pink jumpsuits. But this isn’t a teaser for a new season of the global Netflix sensation — it’s a tourism promotion video that has racked up more than 11 million views since its release on July 3. In another campaign leveraging the popularity of “All of Us Are Dead,” two high school students and Jason, a friend turning into a zombie, take viewers through major tourist attractions

July 29, 2025

Woman dies and donates organs to help 5 people

A woman with intellectual disabilities recently died at the age of 58, as organs from her body were donated to five individuals, a state-affiliated organ donation agency said Monday. Park Yeong-bun's liver, both her kidneys and both her eyes have been donated to five people after her death on July 2, according to the Korea Organ Donation Agency. She fell unconscious on June 30 and was pronounced brain dead later at the hospital. The deceased was described as a kind-hearted and vivacious person w

July 21, 2025

Andreas Fronk: The 'tough-guy' foreigner who made Korea home

When Andreas Fronk tells you he’s died many times, he’s not exaggerating. From "Carter" to "Vincenzo" to "Hunt" and even "Moving," the German actor has built a career in Korean film and drama playing mercenaries, CIA agents and gangsters who rarely see the end credits. But that tough-guy image is only part of the story. Behind the stoic on-screen villain is a thoughtful artist who’s spent nearly two decades understanding Korean culture, mastering martial arts and navigating the unique challenges

July 2, 2025

Son-in-law of SK Group chief participated in US strikes on Iran

Kevin Liu Huang, the son-in-law of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, participated in the recent US and Israeli airstrike operations targeting Iran, according to his own social media post. Huang, who is married to Chey’s second daughter, Chey Min-jung, currently serves in the US Combined Special Operations Joint Task Force -- Central (CSOJTF-C), based in the Middle East. On Tuesday, local time, he shared insights into his deployment via LinkedIn. "I thought deploying to the Middle East with a joint

June 25, 2025