2018년 12월 14일 금요일

South Korea's longest-used app November 2018


YouTube turned out to be the longest used app in all generations, from teenagers to over 50s.

On November 11, according to Wiseapp which analyzed Korean Android smartphone users app usage by age groups, the total usage time of Youtube apps of all generation was 31.7 billion minutes in November.
The teenager used longest amount of time with Youtube with 8.6 billion minutes, followed by the 50's with 7.9 billion min.

Following YouTube, KakaoTalk, Naver, Facebook, T phone, etc. have been ranked in long-used apps.

Teenagers spent about 3.7 times more time on Youtube than KakaoTalk (2.3 billion minutes) which ranked second with 86.6 billion minutes during the month of November.

50's or oldr age groups used YouTube app for longer than 20s, 30s, and 40s.
20's watched 6.4 billion min, 30's 4.6 billion, and 40's 4.2 billion.

KakaoTalk which ranked second most usage app, 50's used it for the longest time(5.5 billion minutes) and teenagers only spent 2.3 billion minutes. Total usage time was 19.7 billion minutes, 34% less than YouTube.

The survey was conducted through a sample survey of 23,000 Android smartphone users across the country during the past month, by the app analysis company Wise App.

2018년 11월 26일 월요일

The west gate (yeongchumun) of Gyeongbokgung palace is finally open for visitors on December 6



Yeongchumun,the west gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace will be opened to public for the first time in 43 years.

The Gyeongbok Palace Officer of the Cultural Heritage Administration (Woo Kyung-joon) announced that the west gate of Gyeongbok Palace will be fully open from December 6th.
It is to enhance the convenience of visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Seochon area.

Yeongchumun was rebuilt in 1592 when the Gyeongbok Palace was destroyed by fire during the 1592 Imperial Japan War, and was rebuilt by Dae Won-kun.
In 1926, during the Japanese colonial period, the railway line was laid, and the surrounding masonry collapsed and was demolished. It was restored to its current shape in 1975.

Currently, there are three gates in Gyeongbok Palace including Gwanghwamun in the south, Shinmunmun in the north, and the entrance to the National Folk Museum in the east.
It will now be able to enter and exit from all direction, the East, West, South, North gate of Gyeongbokgung
The entrance time and admission fee (3,000 won) are the same as other entrance gates of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

On the opening day, December 6, at 11 am, 'Yeongchumun opening ceremony' will be held and the entrance to Gyeongbok Palace is free on this day.


The west gate of  Gyeongbokgung palace in early 1900


2018년 11월 6일 화요일

Robot Taekwon V in the Cheonggyecheon stream of Seoul 2018


A day before the opening of the '2018 Seoul Light Lantern Festival' in the Cheonggyecheon Mo jeon gyo Bridge, Seoul, a Robot Taekwon V (South Korea's favorite robot from classic animated film) shaped sculpture is illuminating.
The festival which with a light of 1.2km from Cheonggye Square to Sujeong Bridge with the theme of 'Dream of Seoul, flowing with light' will be held from the Nov 2nd to the 18th.


"The best product ever, Samsung QLED 8K TV" received the highest ratings from the review media


The QLED 8K TV released by Samsung Electronics in the second half of this year is well received by global professional media and evaluation agencies. It is a good news to be heard right before the full-scale consumer electronics season, and it is expected to make a considerable contribution to raising the credibility of Samsung's household appliances.

Samsung Electronics announced on November 5 that its new QLED 8K TV (Q900R) which was launched recently received the highest evaluation from the video magazine, Germany's AV review media.

In the latest issue of 'Video' magazine, Samsung's Q900R model received 949 points, the highest in the TV category. In the video category, the TV screen scored 1030 points, the 2017 QLED TV received 920 points, and the 2018 model received 937 points. The Q900R received 949 points, the highest score in the TV section of the video.

Video magazines highlight the strengths of the Samsung QLED 8K TV: △ 8K resolution detail, △ best HDR color based on brightness of up to 4,000 knots, △ high contrast ratio, and "Samsung's technology at 8K resolution adds a new era to picture quality.

In particular, the media said, "Samsung QLED 8K TV has the technology to implement the existing SD low-quality video in 8K class video." The biggest strength of Samsung 8K TV is to express hidden details. "

Samsung QLED 8K TV 'magic screen' was also well received.

Magic Screen is a function that utilizes a TV monitor as an interior props or a picture work by floating various patterns and pictures on the screen even when not using the TV. Samsung added ease of use by adding functions that provide time, weather, and news that users want. The video gave a good score on this feature reminiscent of the smart phone's Alaways On Display (AOD).

The magic style, which combines the deadly wires into one, and the "magic style" that makes it possible to put the TV on the back of the TV when hanging it on the wall, is also a new technology that focuses on video.

Based on these evaluations, the video awarded Samsung QLED 8K TV in three categories: Reference, Innovation, and Highlight. 'Reference' is the highest quality product, 'Innovation' is the product with excellent innovation, and 'Highlight' is the award for the notable products.

"QLED 8K is a product that enhances the image quality of existing TVs," said Choo jong Seok, managing director of Samsung's display division. "We will lead the super premium TV market through QLED 8K."

The Samsung QLED 8K TV launched last month was named "Best TV of the Year" and "Future TV of Amazing Quality" by Forbes, the best economic magazine in North America and Europe, AVS Forum for IT evaluation, Trusted Reviews and HD guru . In recent years, the UK-based nonprofit 'World Branding Forum' has selected Samsung Electronics as the top brand in the consumer electronics (TV) category


2018년 10월 28일 일요일

Korea holds the 3rd most powerful passport as citizens of South Korea can visit 188 countries without visa.



Japanese officially hold the world’s most powerful passport along with a tiny city-state Singapore followed by South Korea and a powerful EU nation, Germany and france.
As the passport index shows, Korea holds the 3rd most powerful passport as citizens of South Korea can visit 188 countries with or without visa.

USA Today unveiled the passport power index of more than 200 countries around the world, citing the '2018 Henley Passport Index' published by the UK consulting group Henry & Partners.
It is based on the number of countries that can travel without a visa, national recognition, and freedom level.

Japanese can visit 190 countries without a visa or arrival visa (visa issued upon arrival at the airport). Until last year, Singapore was in the top position but this month Japan took the top place by signing a non-visa agreement with Myanmar. Singapore ranks second with 189 countries.

"The passport index does not represent a diplomatic relationship, but it is clear that Asian countries are pursuing effective foreign policy," said Henry & Partners.


2018년 10월 22일 월요일

Girl Group Idol's Go to Work Fashion Keyword ... "Autumn look like this"


If you have difficulty choosing your clothes before going out because of ever changing weather in fall season, take a look at the fashion of idol group members.
It is not difficult to become a 'fashioniste' if you refer to the girl group fashion that suits the trend as well as introduce costume which suits each personality.

Here are few idol commuting fashion which can fully utilize in daily life.
Group members like Weki Meki, Dream Catcher, Uni.T, etc., produced a fashionable way to go to work in a casual look with a variety of check patterns and autumn colors.


Kim Do-Yeon of group Weki Meki finished the natural look of the Nomar core by lightly touching the white t-shirt and denim mini skirt with a long check trench coat.
She wears shiny enameled ankle boots to add a chic and trendy charm.

Girls' Generation's Yuri completed a bohemian look by matching the wide beige wide pants and top in a check trench coat.

Kim also matched the eco bag that matched the green color scheme at the end of the check coat sleeves and Yuri finished the point look with a blue shoulder bag with zipper detail.


There are also idols who adjust one's check coat with a belt to preserve modesty.
The Group Dreamcatcher's Jiyu wears a black top and denim pants with a neat check coat, and a sporty strap belt completes a nice casual look.

Group Uni.T's Yang Ji Won has a feminine look that matches lovely wrinkle skirts and socks boots, and an elegant coat with a unique mix of camel and check patterns.

The two added points to the mini-tote bag in intense colors of red color and dark green color respectively.


Leather items are a favorite for girl group members who want to match with any fashion like ordinary black items, while giving a feeling of autumn and winter season.
The same black look with leather also makes it possible to be more fashionable by changing the texture.


Girl idols from Uni.T and Miss Nine also have matched their usual casual looks with cute hats, completing a fashionable autumn fashion.
Matching costumes, patterns, or colors with various hats, or wearing a neat outfit with a hat with unique detail can add a sporty point to autumn look.







2018년 10월 3일 수요일

Jo In-sung - Seolhyun 'Celebratory photo for topping 5 million moviegoers?'

The stage greetings of the film 'The Great Battle' are going on at CGV on the Oct 3rd.

According to CGV official website, CGV's Yongsan and Yeongdeungpo branch will hold an stage greetings for this film.

On the spot, director Kim Kwang Sik, Jo In Sung, Seolhyun, Park Byung Eun and Jeong Eun Chae will attend.

'The Great Battle' kept its top spot in box office for 14 consecutive days. (Cumulative number of viewers: 4,727,954)
The film is expected to exceed 5 million viewers this week.

The Great Battle, Ansi fortress is an action blockbuster film that depicts the most dramatic and great victory in the history of East Asia in 88 days.






















2018년 9월 4일 화요일

Cute baby, Naeun captivates viewers with her unique charm on KBS 2TV’s “The Return of Superman.”


Soccer player Park Joo ho's daughter, Naeun captivates viewers with her doll-like appearance and unique charm.
Her name dominates search word charts on portal sites whenever she make a appearence on KBS2 entertainment "Happy Sunday - Return of Superman" and gaining popularity like Choo Sung Hoon's daughter Choo Sarang on the same show few years ago.

Naeun also speakd 4 languages including German with her mom, Korean with her dad, English, and Spanish with her grandmother and she never hesitated to try food that most of baby wouldn't dare to.



On September 2, Na Eun greeted viewers with her adorable bed hair and surprised viewers by eating a bowl of natto for breakfast.
Singer Jang Yoon-jung, who plays the narration, was amazed at the scene, "I've never seen a baby eating natto before." Choo Sung-hoon's daughter Choo sarang has been eating like an adult since she was 3 years old.

After breakfast, Na Eun went to her closet and picked out her own outfit as usual. She got dressed in a princess dress and sang the “Frozen” OST “Let It Go” while dancing around the house.

The father-daughter-son trio set off for a trip to Ulsan. On the bus, the family sat next to three Spanish-speaking tourists. When they asked Na Eun questions, she understood them and responded in Spanish.

Na Eun’s father and soccer player Park Joo Ho said, “I don’t know any Spanish. I knew that Na Eun spoke Spanish with her grandmother, so I knew she was good at it. But it’s been quite a while since she’s lived apart from her grandmother. I was proud of her for not forgetting Spanish.”

“The Return of Superman” airs on Sundays at 4:50 p.m. KST.










2018년 8월 12일 일요일

LG OLED TV ranked best TV of 2018 on review media


LG Electronics recently announced that USA Today's review media 'Reviewed.com' awarded a 10-point for its 55-inch OLED TV as the best TV of the year.

The media said LG OLED TV will continue to be the number one TV ranker this year after last year.

LG also said that the US IT media "Digital Trends" awarded 9 points to LG OLED TV on a 10-point scale.

About speech recognition, LG said, "It is not just the only technology that is worth using now, but also the future of speech recognition technology."

LG Electronics said that major consumer magazine in Europe including QUE CHOISIR in France, OCU in Spain, Rad & Ron in Sweden and Altroconsumo in Italy all ranked LG OLED TV #1 in its performance evaluation.

2018년 6월 27일 수요일

What happend to premium smartphone sales in South Korea?



A new report claims the latest flagships from Samsung, LG and Apple are seeing record-low sales in South Korea.

After the Galaxy S9 and iPhone X, LG G7 has also been confirmed to be a flop in Korea.

According to the mobile service provider, the G7 ThinQ series, which was launched in Korea on May 18, was sold 79,194 units for one month. Average daily sales volume is around 3000 units.
The G7 had cumulative sales of 42,000 units for eight days since its launch, but its sales volume has plummeted after that.
Some pointed out that the launch of the G7 ThinQ followed by series of products with similar features and designs such as Q7, Q7 Plus, V35 ThinQ (scheduled for July) was one of reasons for weak sales of G7 in Korea.

LG Electronics' smartphone sales manager said that it was very rare that the average daily sales volume of 3,000 units was reached in less than a month for premium phone.

As with the Galaxy S9 and iPhone X, mobile carriers and experts interpreted that the G7 could not overcome decreasing demand for premium smartphones as well.

According to the data obtained by ET News, Apple managed to shift just 475,000 units of the iPhone X via the major South Korean carriers over the course of its first four months, with a peak of 163,000 devices in December and a low of 70,000 in February. The latter figure of which is very weak when the lack of rival launches is taken into account over the tracking timeframe. Also, the total number of units over the period marks the lowest-ever sales figures for an iPhone launch in the country.

In regards to Samsung, the brand certainly faired better than Apple, managing to ship a total of 707,000 Galaxy S9 and S9+ units via carriers since the line’s March launch. However, despite the higher numbers, it’s worth noting that South Korea is the brand’s home country, a territory where its flagship devices tend to perform extremely well. Unfortunately for the giant, though, the sales of its new devices have also set a new record-low for the brand. In fact, for reference, last year’s Galaxy S8 line managed to ship a respectable 1 million units over the two-month period.

Coinciding with a number of previous reports, the cause of the weak demand is once again said to be the higher pricing of the new flagship devices, and the latest report goes on to warn that the slowing sales could potentially become a long-term trend in the premium smartphone market.




2018년 6월 22일 금요일

LG U plus released the Kakao Little Friends phone in Korea


LG U plus released the Kakao Little Friends phone in the nationwide store and official online mall U + shop on the June, 11th.

Kakao Little Friends Phone is a child's mobile phone that applies familiar kakao characters such as Little Ryan and Little Planet to background, lock screen, icons, case, protective film and so on.
Based on Android performance of Samsung Galaxy J3, it provides real-time location inquiry and prevent malicious apps.

The most noticeable feature is real-time location lookup.
Parents can view their child's location in real-time with the Guardian app preinstalled on the phone.
It is also possible to view the surrounding situation by operating the front camera of the child's phone.

There is the control and management functions to prevent harmful content by being pre-blocked to children.
With a guardian Kakao kid app, children can use only allowed app services and the functions such as calls and letters are limited. In order to exit the Kakao Kids app, you need to enter the password set by the parent.

The Kakao Little Friends Phone can be used through the youth special rate which provides basic monthly voice / video calls, letters, and data of 750MB per month with 32,890 won($30) per month (including VAT).

The color of  phone is blue silver and comes with two cases, Little Ryan and Little Muzi.
The background and lock screen can be set to any of the eight Kakao Little Friends characters.




2018년 6월 6일 수요일

Korean Smartphone market share in the first quarter of 2018


Samsung Electronics gained a 60% share of the Korean smartphone market in Q1.

According to Strategy Analytics (SA), a market research firm, Samsung Electronics shipped 3.9 million units in the domestic smartphone market in the first quarter of this year, accounting for 65.3% of the market.

Apple ranks second with 16.7% (1 million units) and LG Electronics third with 12.2% (700,000 units).

Samsung Electronics increased its share compared to the previous quarter or the same quarter of last year due to early release of the Galaxy S9. The Galaxy S9 series exceeded 1 million units in domestic market in about 60 days since its launch on March 16.

According to the same survey, Samsung Electronics accounted for 58.2% of the Korean smartphone market in the first quarter of last year. 18.2% for Apple and 14.9% for LG Electronics.

In 4Q of last year, Samsung Electronics' market share dropped to 46.0% due to Apple's 10th year anniversary iPhone X, iPhone 8 and others. Apple's share in the quarter was 28.3%, the highest ever in the Korean market. LG Electronics was 15.7%.

In the first quarter of this year, global smartphone market grew by 2% compared to last year, while domestic smartphone market shipment increased by 9% from 5.5 million to 6 million in the first quarter of last year.








The Seoul City on 43rd anniversary edition of the fashion magazine 'Vogue Brazil'


The cover of the 43rd anniversary edition of the fashion magazine 'Vogue Brazil' featured world-renowned super model Alessandra Ambrosia in Seoul, one of cutting-edge city in the world.

On April 28, a photo from Vogue Brazil on the Instagram showed a surprise to Korean on the other side of the globe.

Vogue Brazil, along with photos, explained that "the exciting city of Seoul was an ideal city to commemorate our 43rd anniversary." The 40 pictures that were released on May 2 did not betray our expectations.
The people who flew 17,570 kilometers captured the streets of Seoul from the stranger's gaze.
The photographer Rafael Pavarotti did not look at Myeongdong or Namsan, which foreign tourists often visit.
Instead, the locals crowded around the Hongdae alley and the suburbs of a quiet temple to find an exotic impression in the frame.
The appearance of Seoul seen from the perspective of foreigners is felt very much to Korean who have a place of life here.



Three weeks after the release of the picture, Vogue Brazil talked about the behind-the-scenes footage in Seoul.
The cover model Alessandra expressed a great surprise by saying "It was more than I imagined". In particular, she said she was impressed with Korea's advanced technology development.
Alessandra, who is famous for the "Eternal Muses of Victoria Secret", is a model that is deeply related to Korea.
She worked as an advertising model for LG in Korea in 2010.
For 8 years since she went back to Brazil, things seemed changed quiet a lot in Korea.

"It was a really special experience to shoot at Wawoo temple."
Brazil vogue photographers who walked every corner of Seoul, such as fancy streets and five-star hotels, caught up with the unexpected place to grab a moment to be a art.
The Wawoo temple in Yongin City captivates the strangers with a unique mood.
Wawoo, a famous temple with a huge 'Budda statue' (8m high), is founded in 1970 by Seo Jae-ja, a Buddhist monk, to pray for the unification of North and South.
Alessandra and Vogue Brazil also built their own miniature stone statue here.

Koreans who have seen photos where the places of their everyday life become the background of the 'Hip' pictorial found it fresh and interesting. However, there were also voices pointing out that those who produced the pictures did not have a deep understanding of Korea.
It is as if the scene that seems to simulate the Harajuku of Tokyo is conspicuous.
Indeed, Vogue Brazil has expressed Hongdae Street as 'Korea's Harajuku' in the pictorial article. However, Hongdae street is distinctive in its own way so that it does not needed to be expressed by the name of another area.













2018년 5월 16일 수요일

Mount Sogeum Swinging Bridge and Museum San in Wonju, Gangwon Province


The government recently released recommended theme tourist course which inspired by scene from TV in Wonju, Gangwon Province to promote domestic travel industry.

The first course was a Mount Sogeum Swinging Bridge. It has never appeared in the drama, but after the installation, crowds rushed in and it was on TV news many times.
Sogeum Mountain means little Mt. Kumgang which is one of the best-known mountains in North Korea.   A 200m long, 1.5m wide walking suspension bridge, the largest in the country, has been completed and is open for public starting January 11. The bridge is part of the Sogeum Mountain hiking trail and spans a chasm between two peaks. 

A cafe terrace overlooking the museum's seminar room where coffee CF was made famous.



I came down from the mountain and got in the car, and the sun shone through the sky.
The Oak Valley, which I found in snowy winters two years ago, looked like another country.
The work of 'Museum San' by Ando Tadao, a world-renowned architect which stood in a lush new greenery, still remained.   Museum San was chosen as one of the tourist attraction for this TV inspired travel course because it was the location for the "Maxim Canoe Advertisement (CF) with actor Gong Yoo".

"Archway" by Alexander Liberman in the water garden at the front of the museum.

However, Museum San is a museum with a lot of content and collection that can not be complimented by a simple history of 'once appeared on TV'.
Ando said that the concept of the museum was designed based on the impression that it is "the cozyness surrounded by beautiful mountains and nature, which is free from the hustle and bustle of the city."
The museum conforms to the topography of the mountain and is composed of total lengh of 700-meter building that leads to the Welcome Center, Flower Garden, Water Garden, Main Building, Stone Garden, and James Terrell Gallery.
The 'Box in Box' 'Concept is in harmony with the surrounding nature.









Korean star who bought a 9 billion-won house for his mother


Actor Jo In-sung has bought a house worth 9 billion won(8,400,000 usd) for his mother and sister, and recently it has been revealed that he has also provided his mom 'Second House' in Jeju Island.

On May 2, Star Today reported that Jo In-sung purchased a high-quality town house in Jeju Island.
The price of the townhouse is estimated at about 1.5 billion won.
Cho In-sung was reported to have visited the house himself before the purchase and looked closely at the structure and facilities. The townhouse seems to be used as the 'second house' for his mom and family.

Jo In sung bought two signature residences for his mother and sister at Lotte World Tower in Seoul.
It is said that the sale price of the two residences is W4.5 billion each.

The fans of Jo In sung responded "It would not be easy to spend 9 billion won for family even if rich," "I envy him," "He is really an devoted son," and so on.



2018년 5월 12일 토요일

Netizens applauded H.O.T Jang Woo-hyuk's good deed


The group H.O.T's Jang Woo-hyuk's heartwarming story was told recently.

On may 1, Netizen A's article came up, saying that he visited the cafe run by Chang Woo-hyuk and witnessed a warm scene by chance.

Mr. A says, "Old lady who was picking up scrap paper and cardborard on street for living was passing by in front of the store and Woo Hyuk who was talking to acquaintance outside, saw old lady and and said "I have to give her a drink."
He went back inside cafe and prepares a buckwheat tea and handed it to old lady.

Mr. A also attached a picture of the back view of Jang Woo-hyuk standing next to the flooded carriage of old lady.
The photos that Mr. A has released spread to many online communities.
Netizens applauded Jang Woo-hyuk's actions, saying, "It is easier said than done."

2018년 5월 7일 월요일

Samsung and LG's new smartphone marketing partnerships with game industry 2018


The lastest smartphone marketing strategies of Korean smartphone makers is the alliance with game industry.
Mobile games are the best content to experience the high-end specifications of smartphones, making it a win-win opportunity for both sides.

On the 4th, LG Electronics announced that it will give Nexon's mobile MMORPG 'Kaiser' game item worth KRW 150,000 as one of the benefits for its customers to commemorate the launch of its next strategic smartphone 'LG G7 ThinkQ'.
One of the four accessory packs that are sold separately is Nexon Kaiser Pack. The Nexon Kaiser pack consists of a 250,000 won Kaiser game item, two leather and hard cases, a spare battery and a cooler mount.
LG Electronics launched the Kaiser App in the LG G7 Square, an experience zone that was opened to the public on April 4, and provided a place to experience the Dark Avenger 3 that was launched before.

LG Electronics has been concentrating on game enthusiasts, mainly by cooperating with Nexon, such as providing the overheat experience zone which is packed with 200 V30 phones at 'G-Star 2017' held in Busan last year.


Samsung Electronics has also provided game items through partnerships with domestic game companies at the time of new product launches.
During the launch of 'Galaxy S9' this year, they worked with Pearl Abys to provide MMORPG 'Black Desert Mobile' game items as well as to optimize the game on the big screen through the mobile accessory Dex Pad.

At the time of the launch of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8, Samsung Electronics has been promoting similar forms of joint promotion such as the Lineage 2 Revolution item of Net Marble Games.

An official of LG Electronics said, "The game is the tool that enables users to experience the smartphone display and sound quality at once." Game users do not simply replace the smartphone for games, but when purchasing a new smartphone, it is important to consider the specifications associated with the game".

Meanwhile, marketing using popular messenger characters is also popular in Korea.
As one of the accessory packs that customers can choose from, G7 ThinQ users will be presented with a "Line Friends Pack" that includes a case with linefriend characters, a wireless charger, and earphones.
Samsung Electronics presented Galaxy S9 pre-buyers with a case of applying Ryan characters from Kakao Friends, while also offering the opportunity to purchase a Ryan Recharging Stand at 5,000 won.