Latest news with #DongaIlbo
Korea Herald
30-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Talks underway for Lee-Trump summit but timing not finalized: Seoul
Talks are underway between Seoul and Washington to set up the first summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump, an official at the presidential office said Monday, adding that the exact timing has yet to be finalized. The comment came after a report by local daily Donga Ilbo that the summit would be held in July. Citing an unnamed diplomatic source, the newspaper claimed that both sides are coordinating to hold the potential summit in the fourth week of July, and 'preferably before August.' Detailed negotiations, including the time, location and agenda of the potential summit, are expected to kick off after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's likely visit to South Korea around the time of the ASEAN Regional Forum foreign ministers' meeting in Malaysia in early July, according to the report. Joseph Yun, the acting US ambassador in Seoul, recently said Trump is considering inviting Lee to Washington to hold the summit there. The latest report follows Lee's decision not to attend last week's NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, despite talks of a meeting with Trump. Lee's presidential office cited domestic priorities and growing uncertainty in the Middle East as key reasons behind his decision to skip the summit. In June, a planned meeting between the two leaders failed to materialize during the G7 summit in Canada after Trump left the event early. Though the agenda for the upcoming planned summit has yet to be set, Seoul officials and observers pointed to tariffs and defense spending as two main items. Seoul has been seeking exemptions from the US' reciprocal tariffs and new duties on steel, aluminum and automobiles, which are South Korea's key export items. The Trump administration has recently signaled an openness to extending the pause on the new tariffs, which is slated to end on July 8. The tariffs, including 25 percent duties on South Korea, took effect on April 9, but Trump suspended them until July 8 to allow room for negotiations. Meanwhile, Wi Sung-lac, national security adviser to President Lee, told reporters after attending the NATO summit last week, on behalf of Lee, that Seoul and Washington have begun working-level talks on increasing Seoul's defense spending. This is aligned with a new NATO commitment to raise military budgets to 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035.
Korea Herald
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
All about Korean-style bridal showers
With a modern twist, bridal showers join pre-wedding traditions for young Korean women Throwing a bridal shower for a bride-to-be has become a trendy part of modern Korean culture. But it's hard to pin down exactly when this tradition took root. The earliest mentions in Korean media date back to 2009, when an article in the Donga Ilbo, a local daily, credited hit American TV shows like 'Sex and the City' and 'Friends' for introducing the concept to young Koreans. The article highlighted a young woman hosting a small bridal party with her college friends at a restaurant in Gangnam. Back then, bridal showers felt more like a rare and unique activity than a cultural phenomenon. By 2011, however, the idea had gained traction. Media outlets began reporting on the growing popularity of these celebrations, marking the rise of what is now a common pre-wedding ritual for many young Korean women. A slight Korean twist While Korean bridal showers take inspiration from American customs, they've evolved into something uniquely their own. In Korea, gift-giving is often skipped. Instead, the focus is on creating a visually stunning event. Beautifully decorated spaces, stylish photoshoots and quality time with close friends -- often accompanied by delivery food -- define these gatherings. Park Do-yeon, 30, shared her experience. 'We rented a rooftop Airbnb in Itaewon. A friend bought flowers in bulk at Yangjae Flower Market to decorate the space, and we ordered a custom cake. After taking lots of pictures, we shared delivery tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) together.' Park explained that friends don't typically bring gifts to the celebration because they traditionally give congratulatory money later at the wedding. 'I don't think another gift is necessary,' she said. For Han Ji-ae, 35, who got married last year, her friends went all out. 'They threw me a party at a party room in Jamsil. They didn't have to decorate the room much because it was already set up with balloons, flowers, and even white dresses that we could wear for photos,' Han said. Han explained that since Korean wedding ceremonies are so quick, it was nice to spend quality time with her closest friends, who were genuinely happy for her. 'My friends brought a cake and a bottle of champagne. After taking lots of pictures, we enjoyed some spicy stir-fry hot pot that we had delivered. We also tried doing eccentric makeup on each other's faces. We were laughing a lot while doing that,' she said. For those looking to splurge, many high-end hotels now offer bridal shower packages as well. Hotel Shilla, for example, launched a package in May last year that includes a flower-adorned room, pink balloons, LED candles and a private dining experience. 'We introduced the package after noticing a trend among our guests hosting marriage proposal events and bridal showers. Since last year, we've continued to offer this service,' a Hotel Shilla spokesperson told The Korea Herald. The official added that pricing varies depending on the room type and additional requests, such as decorations and cakes. Interestingly, the bridal shower trend has sparked creative spinoffs among men, too. 'A group of my male friends threw a funny 'bridal shower' for the groom-to-be after they found out about it online,' said Park. 'He wore a white T-shirt with a funny picture of himself, and the friends wore black T-shirts with the same image. The photos were hilarious!' Just for Instagram? With over 1.37 million Instagram posts under the Korean term for 'bridal shower,' it's clear the trend isn't slowing down. Like any trend, Korean-style bridal showers have faced criticism. Some see them as expensive spectacles overly focused on social media. 'It's a meaningful event, but the time and cost can be overwhelming,' Park said. 'I'm getting married this year, but I've asked my friends not to throw me one. It feels like it's becoming more about Instagram and less about genuine celebration.' The cost is also burdensome for many Koreans. Holding a shower at a hotel can cost more than 1 million won, Park said. 'My friends and I did it at an Airbnb, so we spent a lot less, but we still spent quite a lot for a special cake and decorations.' In October last year, a post on the app Blind -- an anonymous community for work-related discussions -- went viral. A bride-to-be complained that her fiance refused to contribute financially to her bridal shower. She compared him to a friend's fiance, who booked a hotel suite and provided a credit card to order food for the celebration. Han admitted the comparisons can be frustrating. 'One of my friends had her shower fully covered by her dad and the groom. I couldn't afford a hotel, and it was hard to tell my friends this.'
