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제 27 호 Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons: The Effects of it

Kicker: COVER STORY Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons: The Effects of it By Ye-Dam Hwang, Editor hwangyedam1108@naver.com Are you a user of livelihood recovery consumption coupons? If you are Korean, then you are probably familiar with this and a user already. Recently, the coupons’ application and distribution started from July 21st this year. This measure is for the recovery of the public economy, which is by giving livelihood recovery coupons to the whole nation to revitalize consumption and expand sales of small business owners and the self-employed. For all of Korean citizens, the coupons are provided on two separate periods. The first period of distributing these coupons is from July 21st to September 12nd this year, and many people are waiting the second period which is from September 22nd to October 31st this year. As big as its impact, some good effect and problems of the livelihood recovery coupons are revealed in the process of giving and using the coupons. Thus, I will introduce the livelihood recovery consumption coupons in detail and the users’ reality of its usage and reaction, and its effect. What Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupon is First of all, what is the exact meaning of the coupon and how it will be given to people? Its name means the coupons for recovery of public economy by revitalized consumption. The government gives these coupons to all people of South Korea and its money ranges from 150,000 won to 550,000 won for each person according to their income. The coupons are given twice: In the first period (2025.07.21. ~ 09.12.) the coupons are valued from 150,000 won to 400,000 won for each person, and in the second period (2025.09.22~ 10.31) the coupons will be given at a value of 100,000 won to 90% of Korean people each, except those earning in the top 10% of income. The method of getting the coupon is applying for it online through credit card companies and local support cards, or offline through associated banks and community centers. If you get it as a local support card, it can be used at local support card affiliated stores, and can be used as a credit card, debit card, and prepaid card. It can only be used at stores with annual sales of less than 3,000,000,000 won, and the expiration date of all the consumption coupons is November 30th, 2025. The image about the information of Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons https://www.mois.go.kr/frt/sub/a06/b07/livelihoodCoupon/screen.do The Effects of it in the First period The consumer coupons for people’s livelihood recovery application and distribution began on July 21st this year, and about a month after they started, 97% of the people have completed their applications for consumption coupons. According to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security on August 17th, 48,930,000 people applied for the first livelihood recovery consumption coupons as of the midnight on the 13th, which is equivalent to 96.7% of the people eligible for receiving, and most of the applications and giving have been completed in less than a month. By the payment method, credit cards and debit cards accounted for 69.6% the most, 18.4% for local love gift certificates and 12% for prepaid cards. Then, where did people use these coupons? According to a survey of 510 financial consumers aged 20 to 69 nationwide by Consumer InSight, a mobile communication research agency, the items that spent a lot by age group were culture, leisure, hobbies, beauty for those in their 20s and 30s, daily necessities, education expenses, academy expenses for those in their 40s and 50s, and daily necessities and health care for those in their 60s. Items that were used a lot in all age groups were eating out and daily necessities. In addition, not only using these coupons for themselves, the appearance of people using this coupon for good purpose also drew attention. A college student in his 20s in Gwangju donated all of his consumption coupons to his neighbors, and one office worker, Yoo, used all of his coupons for firefighters working in a nearby area. Small business owners in places such as traditional markets have voiced that sales have increased as consumption coupons released on the market with mainly using for eating and drinking. According to a survey conducted with the Federation of Small Businesses and the Federation of Korean Merchants, 75.5% of small business owners said the coupons are “effective in inducing the use of traditional markets and alley areas,” 63% said “It helped boost consumption,” and 55.8% said “sales have increased.” In fact, as a result of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security’s analysis of the amount of use and sales by industry for two weeks after the payment of consumption coupons from credit card companies, the total sales of franchisees in the first week increased 19.5% from the previous week and 8.4% in the second week. The most consumption coupons were used at general restaurants at 41.4%. According to the Korea Federation of Supermarket Cooperatives, 90.8% of small supermarket stores answered that sales increased compared to the previous week between July 21st and 27th, and people showed signs of purchasing products that are not easy to purchase without hesitation. There were many positive views on the effectiveness of consumption coupons, but there were also conflicting views. A beauty salon operator said, "Rather than the number of new customers, there are many cases where only the usual customers’ payment method has changed," and added, "It has had a sparkling effect for a month, but the trend is likely to be dampened in the future." In addition, there were many problems in the implementation process of consumer coupons for people's livelihood recovery. According to the "Status of Unfair Distribution of Consumer Coupons for People's Recovery" submitted by Joo Ho-young on August 19th from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, a total of 40 cases of illegal distribution were reported to local government reporting centers nationwide from the start of the first consumer coupon payment on July 21st to August 1st. Major examples include false transactions (making an illegal cash-back transaction using a credit card) at merchants, monetization between individuals through used trading platforms, and payment of disguised merchants by large retailers. In response, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security announced administrative measures such as the return of subsidies from local government agencies, cancellation of registration of franchisees, and imposition of fines, and is conducting further crackdowns in cooperation with the police and financial authorities. In addition, more than 60,000 applications have been filed in three weeks at the first consumer coupon appeal window for people's livelihood recovery operated by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. According to the exclusive window standard, "return home after staying abroad" was the most common reason for objection with 42.31%. Overseas residents can receive consumption coupons after going through immigration confirmation and objection procedures after returning home between June 18th and September 12th. Controversy also arose during the implementation of the consumption coupon measures, with Gwangju City making 180,000 won coupons in pink (general public), 330,000 won coupons in light green (lower income groups + single-parent family), and 430,000 won coupons in navy (basic living recipients). This became a problem due to the growing controversy over "color discrimination" for payments that differ according to income. The Effects of it in the Second period Now, the first payment of consumer coupons for the recovery of people's livelihoods is almost over and the second payment is left, and the second payment will be made on September 22nd, with an additional 100,000 won per person to 90 percent of the people excluding the top 10 percent of income. The government will select 90 percent of the people based on health insurance premiums for now, but will apply additional standards that allow excluding high-value asset values in addition to health insurance premiums to secure equity between employees and local subscribers. An official from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security said, "We are currently working on standards with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the National Health Insurance Service, and the National Tax Service, and are returning various simulations," adding, "We will announce the final payment criteria on September 10th." According to the results of a survey on the recovery of people's livelihoods released by the Korea Federation of Small Businesses on the August 12th, 70.3 percent of small business owners said they are satisfied with the consumer coupon policy for the recovery of people's livelihoods. 70.1 percent of the respondents also said that additional policies such as consumer coupons for the recovery of people's livelihoods are needed. "People's livelihood recovery consumption coupons are an important foothold for small business owners to overcome crises and take a leap forward," said Song Ki-young, chairman of the Korea Small and Medium Business Administration. "We hope that policies that small business owners can actually feel will continue to be implemented based on the results." Moreover, the public opinion on the payment of coupons for people's livelihoods was higher in the positive opinion. In the Korea Information Research survey conducted in July 2025, 56.9 percent of the respondents were "yes" and 35.6 percent were "no" about the coupon payment. In the same month, 62.9 percent of the respondents were "positive" and 31.4 percent were "negative." The government plans to accelerate the second round of payments to lead the economic recovery, with the high participation rate and increased sales in the first period. Livelihood recovery consumption coupons, which were paid to revitalize consumption and restore the people’s livelihood, were positively evaluated, but it is true that there were some criticisms during the implementation process. “Consumption coupons play a role in boosting sales and revitalizing alley areas in the short term, like regular discount events at department stores and hypermarkets,” said Lee Jung-Hee, an economics professor at Chung-Ang University. “It is hard to expect long-term effects, but it has served as a “priming water” that opens the door to the sluggish economy of people’s livelihoods.” He added, “However, it is necessary to come up with measures to boost consumption in parallel with institutional measures that are sustainable in the mid to long term.” Therefore, by knowing the problems that appeared in the first payment period and improving them, the effect of the second period will be further increased and its purpose will be realized properly. Sources: https://blog.naver.com/mopaspr/223922017216 https://www.mois.go.kr/frt/sub/a06/b07/livelihoodCoupon/screen.do https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20250815_0003291905 https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250822133800030?input=1195m https://economist.co.kr/article/view/ecn202508180041 https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20250812_0003286854 https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2025080116263464382 https://www.fnnews.com/news/202508191459359759 https://www.news1.kr/local/moi/5884037 https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250822104600530?input=1195m https://www.kbmaeil.com/article/20250820500293 https://www.etoday.co.kr/news/view/2498231 https://www.busan.com/view/busan/view.php?code=2025082016593839574#google_vignette https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250811075700505?input=1195m https://www.kmib.co.kr/article/view.asp?arcid=0028572556&code=61121111&cp=nv https://news.lghellovision.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=520420

• 작성일 2025-09-19
• 좋아요 Like 1

제 26 호 When Your Security Isn't Safe: The SKT Hacking Scandal

Kicker: COVERSTORY When Your Security Isn't Safe: The SKT Hacking Scandal By Ji-Won Choi, Reporter support0321@naver.com In April 2025, a data breach occurred at SK Telecom, exposing customers' USIM information. As the leading telecommunications provider in South Korea, the fact that SKT's security system was compromised came as a major shock to the public. Users felt betrayed, having believed that their personal information was secure. This incident was not merely a case of personal data leakage, but a stark revelation of vulnerabilities in the nation's overall cybersecurity infrastructure. 그림1 Citizens Lining Up for Free USIM Replacement Circumstances of the Incident On April 18, 2025, abnormal traffic was detected at SKT’s Network Infrastructure Center, marking the beginning of the incident. The Information Security Office reported the situation to the Infrastructure Operations Division, and further investigation revealed traces of malicious code activity, abnormal logs, and file deletion records on the billing analysis equipment. Analysis showed that the malware had used an advanced technique that bypassed firewalls to avoid detection. By April 19, a full-scale forensic investigation confirmed that critical data required for USIM activation and authentication had been leaked externally. The compromised data included phone numbers, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers, and subscriber authentication keys. Delayed Reporting According to the Information and Communications Network Act, any breach must be reported to the Ministry of Science and ICT or KISA within 24 hours of detection. However, although SKT detected abnormal activity on April 18, the company did not report the incident until April 20, after confirming the data leak. Controversy arose when KISA regarded SKT’s internal report date—April 20—as the official time of detection, concluding that the legal reporting deadline had not been missed. Official Announcement and Countermeasures On April 22, SKT officially acknowledged the leak of USIM information. In response, the company quickly implemented a series of countermeasures. Starting April 23, SKT sent out text messages to all customers, guiding them to enroll in the “USIM Protection Service.” On April 25, the company announced a policy to provide free USIM replacements for all customers. Additionally, the USIM Protection Service was made available free of charge, helping to block the use of cloned USIMs on unauthorized devices. However, on April 28—the first day of the free USIM replacement service—stock shortages led to long wait times, leaving many customers unable to replace their USIMs despite the inconvenience. Problems The main issue in this incident lies in the structural vulnerability of SK Telecom’s internal security system. The absence or malfunction of a web application firewall failed to prevent malicious code from being installed on the server, and the server was configured to allow directory uploads. This indicates a failure to comply with even the most basic security protocols. A professor of information security at Soonchunhyang University commented, “A web application firewall (WAF) is the most basic form of protection. Failing to properly implement it constitutes serious negligence and cannot be dismissed as a simple technical oversight.” In addition, SK Telecom’s initial response to the incident was inadequate. Even after detecting abnormal signs, the company failed to take immediate actions such as isolation or blocking. This significantly damaged customer trust. Damage and Current Status According to the first report released on April 29 by a joint government-private investigative team, the leaked information alone was not deemed sufficient to cause immediate damage. However, 9,000 SKT subscribers filed a lawsuit demanding a total of 4.6 billion KRW (approximately 3.3 million USD) in compensation. As a result of the scandal, SKT's stock price dropped by as much as 8.5%, marking its largest decline since 2020. In response, the government ordered a comprehensive review of the security systems across all telecom providers. Precautions for SKT Users If you are currently an SKT user, it is recommended to take the following actions: First, visit a nearby SKT service center or make an online reservation to replace your USIM card. Second, sign up for the free USIM Protection Service, which can be done through the T world app or website. Lastly, to prevent secondary damage, avoid opening suspicious messages or clicking on unknown links. This incident is not merely a technical failure, but a revelation of the structural limitations within the company’s overall security system. SKT’s security management is largely outsourced, resulting in a lack of control over critical processes such as USIM manufacturing and authentication. Therefore, this case underscores the urgent need for a fundamental overhaul of corporate security culture. Sources: https://www.hankyung.com/article/202505130337g https://m.boannews.com/html/detail.html?idx=137079 https://m.boannews.com/html/detail.html?tab_type=1&idx=137089 https://www.bbc.com/korean/articles/ceqrd9p9wdyo

• 작성일 2025-06-02
• 좋아요 Like 0

제 25 호 Appearance of DeepSeek

Kicker: COVER STORY Appearance of DeepSeek By Ye-Dam Hwang, Reporter hwangyedam1108@naver.com Do you know about “DeepSeek”? As it has been a big topic since its recent appearance, there is probably no one who does not know about it. DeepSeek is an AI assistant app that utilizes China’s artificial intelligence technology, which has become the center of the issue because it has better abilities in some part than previously appeared ChatGPT, which was also a hot topic. The emergence of this artificial intelligence technology and its ability affected and shook the U.S. stock market, so that the term “DeepSeek shock” turned up to call the situation of the stock market which was affected by DeepSeek’s appearance . Actually, shares of U.S. big tech companies have plunged since the launch DeepSeek, with shares of NVIDIA, the top U.S. company by marketcapitalization, plunging 17 percent on January 27 alone, evaporating 847 trillion won in market capitalization and shaking the U.S. stock market. With the seriousness of DeepSeek’s appearance like this, it is important to know properly about DeepSeek, the center of controversy, because various government departments and many different companies prohibit or block the use of it. What is “DeepSeek”? DeepSeek is Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) of China, an AI research company which develops open-source large language models and its product’s name. Its name is a compound word which is made of the words “Deep” and “Seek”, and it is a Generative AI engine that provides optimized answers to users by deeply analyzing vast amounts of data and attracted attention as a low-cost, high-efficiency model. DeepSeek, which was firstly shown in 2023, has unveiled the new version of it continuously and the latest version model is “DeepSeek-R1”, which is considered high performance and was unveiled on January 20th, this year. The biggest feature of this Generative AI is the low cost of development. In the case of “GPT-4”, the latest model of ChatGPT, more than 100 million dollars was spent on development, while the cost of DeepSeek’s development was about 5.6 million dollars, which received great attention for reduction of more than 95% compared to the development cost of the GPT-4. Also, DeepSeek has the feature that it is open source based. Unlike many other AI technologies, DeepSeek has released all the codes used in the development process open-source, which is expected to help developers freely modify and improve the models and develop new AI models. But it also has controversy and doubts. The first one is the problem of collecting personal information. It is true that concerns about potential data leakage and privacy vulnerabilities have increased. In fact, for example, the Personal Information Protection Commission of Korea said, “We have confirmed some deficiencies in the communication function with third companies and the personal information processing policy when using the DeepSeek service, which was pointed out by domestic and foreign media.”, and added, “We will temporarily block it until the stability of DeepSeek is confirmed.” In addition, there is controversy over the low cost of development of DeepSeek, with some experts questioning the figure because it was announced by the Chinese officials. Influence and Perspectives of DeepSeek As DeepSeek appeared, its impact was also significant as it became the center of the big issue. With the exposure that the cost of AI development and service can be significantly low, which comes with DeepSeek’s technology gaining a lot of popularity from people, NVIDIA shares fell as much as 17.7% on January 27th (local time) this year, while Broadcom and Marvell Technology also fell 17% and TSMC fell 14%, based on the predictions that demand of GPU may decrease. Especially this kind of NVIDIA’s falling is the biggest crash in the history of the US stock market. Microsoft and Google related to AI services also fell 3.8% and 4%, respectively. As the DeepSeek model penetrated into American society at a rapid pace, calls for limiting it like TikTok began to emerge slowly, and the company’s chatbot was censored by the Chinese government, leading to criticism that it spreads communist ideas. In addition to this, the content that user data can be transmitted to China like TikTok is highlighted, which is the same as TikTok, which faces a ban on services or a sale of the company due to the problem of transmitting American data to Beijing, and in fact, the TikTok law, which took effect in April last year, can be applied to all foreign services with the same problem. In Korea, government ministries and institutions restricted DeepSeek access on computers connected to external networks, and major companies are also advising employees not to use it for business purposes. Choi Jang-hyuk, vice chairman of the Personal Information Protection Commision of Korea, also announced in a briefing on the progress of DeepSeek at the Government Complex-Seoul on February 17th, “The domestic service of the DeepSeek app has been temporarily suspended from 6 p.m. on the 15th.”, adding, “The service will resume after improvement and supplementation under the Domestic Personal Information Protection Act.” They decided that it would take a considerable amount of time to correct the DeepSeek service under the privacy law, so they recommended DeepSeek to improve and supplement it after a temporary suspension to prevent further concerns from spreading. In addition to this, as AI services, such as Generative AI, have become popular, the government decided to revise the law to include the establishment of special AI cases under the Personal Information Protection Act and strengthening of enforcement power for overseas operators so that AI utilization and personal information protection can be balanced. The United States, Japan, Australia, Italy, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are in a similar situation. They are blocking access to DeepSeek from major sectors, including government branches. Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, which claims independence from mainland China, had already banned the use of DeepSeek in the public sector last month. The fact that there are many U.S. allies or anti-China countries among the countries that joined the DeepSeek blockade also makes this move seem like a check against China. While South Korea, Japan, and major Western countries have restricted DeepSeek services, pro-China countries such as Russia, the Global South (mainly emerging and developing countries in the southern hemisphere), and India are actively introducing DeepSeek. With this situation, not only the government and IT companies, but also the financial community and educational institutions are stepping up efforts to support “native AI”. Like this, low-cost and high-quality Generative AI DeepSeek shook the U.S. stock market, which was driving the AI market, and many countries and companies even blocked DeepSeek because of its problem of personal information leakage, while others don’t. Considering its impact on the world, which can be seen as nations’ different actions about it, I hope you will search and think about DeepSeek, the big controversial issue at one time or another. Sources: https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%94%A5%EC%8B%9C%ED%81%AC https://blog.naver.com/welcomebank1/223763347324 https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250218059500530?input=1195m https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250219061800009?input=1195m https://www.sisajournal.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=324467#google_vignette https://www.news1.kr/politics/pm-bai-comm/5692023 https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250212056400518?input=1195m https://www.aitimes.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=163301 https://www.aitimes.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=167328 https://www.aitimes.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=167530 https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/014/0005301246

• 작성일 2025-02-27
• 좋아요 Like 1

제 24 호 Culinary Class Wars

Kicker : COVERSTORY Culinary Class Wars By Myung-Kwan Kang, Editor-in-chief Kmmg199999@naver.com Have you ever seen the show Culinary Class Wars? Culinary Class Wars is a Netflix original series that is very popular not only in Korea but also around the world, so even if you've never seen it, you've probably heard of it at least once. So what differentiates this show from existing cooking shows? This show differs in several factors, including the structure of the chefs' competition, unique composition of the judges, and judging method. Now, let’s take a closer look at the unique features of Black and White Chefs. Brilliant cast The reason for Culinary Class Wars' success is its stellar cast. If I were to describe a White Spoon Chef in one word, he would be ‘a recognized chef’. White Spoon Chefs are people who have been recognized in many broadcasts, competitions, and public events. Qualified chefs, including Michelin awarded chefs, winners of cooking programs, and chefs recognized not only in Korea but also around the world, participated as White Spoons. Additionally, Black Spoon Chefs are also people who already run famous restaurants. Most of the cast members have their own careers and skills, and the sight of 100 great chefs cooking their own dishes has attracted the interest of many people. https://blog.naver.com/bikezzang/223600971825 Judges When it comes to Culinary Class Wars, one thing that cannot be left out is the two judges. One is Jong-won Paik, the number one figure in the Korean culinary industry, and the other is Korea's only chef who has received three Michelin stars, Sung-jae Ahn. These two are widely acknowledged as experts in their field. In particular, the appearance of Jong-won Paik, whose skills have already been recognized through many media outlets, and Sung-jae Ahn, a Michelin 3-star chef who is rarely seen, attracted a lot of attention from viewers. Additionally, for those who are unfamiliar with Michelin, let me briefly explain. A Michelin 1-star means high-quality cooking, worth a stop. A Michelin 2-star means excellent cooking, worth a detour. A Michelin 3-star means exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey. https://blog.naver.com/treewg/223594425733 Battle Between Black Spoon Chefs and White Spoon Chefs The biggest feature of 'Culinary Class Wars' is that two teams, divided into Black Spoon Chefs and White Spoon Chefs, compete head-on through cooking. The Black Spoon Chef team presents dishes that express strong and rich flavors, while the White Spoon Chef team presents dishes that emphasize simple and restrained tastes, stimulating viewers' taste buds every week. In this process, the differences in cooking philosophy between the two teams created an interesting drama. This aesthetic of contrast provides a new experience to the public and delivers artistic value that goes beyond a simple cooking program. This Black Spoon Chefs and White Spoon Chefs confrontation creates a constant sense of tension for viewers, adding to the excitement as each team's chefs are shown contemplating strategies to beat the opposing team while maintaining their own philosophy and style. In particular, not only the taste of the dish, but also the way it is expressed and the visuals emphasize contrast, adding depth to the show beyond a simple cooking competition. The two teams, while fiercely competitive, also recognize each other and sometimes cooperate, conveying the value of human exchange and harmony beyond competition. https://www.news1.kr/entertain/broadcast-tv/5564334 Meticulous Directing and Sensuous Visuals The production team of ‘Culinary Class Wars’ shows an excellent sense of visual direction. Lighting and camera direction that emphasize the contrast between Black Spoon and White Spoon add aesthetic value to the program and increase viewers' immersion. Dramatic close-ups of the moment each dish is completed and editing of tense evaluation scenes increase the tension of the program and attract viewers to the TV every week. In addition, the filming technique that emphasizes the details of cooking is also receiving great a response. The process of preparing ingredients, the moment a dish is cooked over an open flame, and the delicate texture and color of the finished dish are vividly conveyed, giving viewers the feeling of being directly present at the cooking scene. This kind of sensuous production allows viewers to enjoy the program visually and maximizes the beauty of the dish itself. Furthermore, the program's background music and sound effects also play an important role in creating tension and increasing immersion. Communication with the Public, Amplified Through SNS SNS also has played a big role in the success of ‘Culinary Class Wars.’ After the program aired, viewers actively exchanged opinions about their preferred teams and dishes, adding to the program's popularity. In particular, the method of determining the winning team through viewer voting encouraged public participation and further increased immersion in the program. This method of communication has contributed to the development of programs beyond simply being consumed, into content that viewers create together. On SNS, viewers are actively participating in activities such as sharing each team's cooking results and making their own evaluations. This active communication has played an important role in increasing the topicality of the program and is helping to develop the program. The success of 'Culinary Class Wars' went beyond simple cooking competitions and came from creative attempts to capture contrast, and harmonizehuman stories. Economic Effect The popularity of ‘Culinary class wars’ is spreading beyond Korea and around the world. According to Netflix, 'Culinary class wars' ranked first in four countries, including Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. It also ranked in the top 10 in a total of 28 countries, and was ranked first in the Netflix Global Top 10 TV category for three consecutive weeks. The popularity of ‘Culinary Class Wars’ is affecting not only the restaurant industry but also the tourism industry. According to Naver Data Lab and Catch Table, searches related to Culinary Class Wars have skyrocketed in the week since the first broadcast, the number of searches for restaurants by the featured chefs has increased 74 times compared to the previous week, and the average increase in restaurant reservations by chefs has been calculated to be about 148%. The convenience store app, which introduced collaborative convenience foods with chefs appearing on Culinary Class Wars Chefs, also recorded the highest number of weekly users ever. As a result of comparing online kitchen appliance sales data compared to the same period last year, moreover, it was found that each type of product increased more than three times. In particular, wine, frying pans, plates, and cutlery also increased by more than 95%, 151%, 156%, and 246%, respectively. As Culinary Class Wars became popular overseas, interest in Korean food grew. Foreign media is also paying attention to the influence of Culinary Class Wars. Bloomberg reported, “This program has revitalized the Korean restaurant industry, which has been struggling since the pandemic, and reservations at restaurants run by these chefs are rapidly increasing.” Hong Kong media outlet AM730 published a column saying, “40 world-famous restaurants were created in an instant, giving people a reason to travel to Korea”. Going forward, the challenge will be to spread the word about Korean food and attract travelers to Korea. Hae-woong Jeon, chairman of the Korean Food Promotion Agency, said "The Korean Wave is dominating the world right now, and I believe Korean food is the most important aspect of it". Culinary Class Wars has transcended being just another cooking competition show, gaining international popularity and creating a significant cultural and economic impact. The show's success can be attributed to its brilliant cast, innovative format, and the powerful contrast between the Black and White Spoon chefs, who showcase distinct culinary philosophies. With its meticulous directing and sensuous visuals, the program delivers an immersive experience that captivates audiences and stimulates conversations, especially through social media. Beyond entertainment, Culinary Class Wars has revitalized the Korean restaurant industry and boosted interest in Korean food, both locally and globally. The economic effects are evident in the surge of online searches for restaurants featured on the show, as well as increased sales in kitchen appliances and related products. The program’s popularity abroad has also sparked a rise in tourism, with people traveling to Korea to experience the dishes prepared by the chefs. The show exemplifies how modern media can blend entertainment with cultural promotion, while also leveraging social media for audience engagement. As it continues to spread the word about Korean cuisine, Culinary Class Wars is helping to elevate Korean food’s global presence, further fueling the Korean Wave and its cultural influence worldwide. Sources: https://blog.naver.com/realestate_partner/223600958473 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b97FdBG6eWs https://m.newspic.kr/view.html?nid=2024102218551708226&pn=547&cp=R5Lxu61Q&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=2024102218551708226&utm_source=np210511R5Lxu61Q&channelName=%EC%97%B0%EC%98%88%EA%B0%80%ED%99%94%EC%A0%9C&channelNo=36&sharedFrom=CT-NO-D#ADN https://www.fnnews.com/news/202411040846149557 https://www.newstomato.com/ReadNews.aspx?no=1243164&inflow=N https://blog.naver.com/bikezzang/223600971825 https://blog.naver.com/treewg/223594425733 https://www.news1.kr/entertain/broadcast-tv/5564334 https://mediabrain.news/5414/

• 작성일 2024-11-28
• 좋아요 Like 0

제 23 호 Tipping Effect

Kicker: COVER STORY Tipping Effect By Ye-Dam Hwang, Reporter hwangyedam1108@naver.com Do you know about the tipping effect? As an economic term, it means the case when the market share of either of the two goods in a competitive relationship suddenly rises and monopolizes the market. To explain it easily, it refers to the phenomenon where many things or people are tipped in a certain part. Even though you couldn’t fully understand this term now, I’m sure that you and many other people have experienced this effect in society. In our society, it refers to the situation of following or imitating other people based on that person’s action without any check. I think this effect is seen especially clearly in the food industry. For example, “Taiwan’s big castella” spawned a national craze in Korea in 2016. At that time, many “Taiwan’s big castella” stores emerged throughout the country and lots of customers had to wait in long lines for the castella. However, the popularity gradually faded because of one television program’s misleading story with bringing the cooking oil of the castella into question, and the market for that big castella disappeared after less than a year. Similar to this, the tipping effect in the field of food has continued and is still common these days. Taiwan's big castella https://www.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?newsId=01482566632458480&mediaCodeNo=257&OutLnkChk=Y Tipping Effect in the Food Industry From the past, there were many cases of tipping effect of food industry in Korea. From 2010 to 2011, there was a craze of handmade hamburgers, and in 2014, premium gimbap with unique filling materials such as cream cheese and pork cutlet won the popularity. To capture the public fancy of cheap drinks, the market of low-cost coffee expanded on a national scale in 2015. Taiwan’s big castella gained a lot of popularity in 2016, and “myungrang-sidae rice hotdog” enjoyed explosive popularity for corn dogs with special materials like rice cake, mozzarella cheese, and potatoes in 2017. Also in 2019, Taiwan’s black sugar bubble tea and sandwich with bread, sliced ham, egg, and condensed milk rose and were popular in the food service industry of Korea. From 2019, foods with mala like malatang have been still popular with its spicy taste, and from 2023, tanghulu, a candy-coated fruit skewer has gained lots of popularity as a snack. Especially nowadays, the latest craze is yogurt ice cream, known by the franchise’s abbreviated name “yo-a-jung”, is in great demand with customizing yogurt ice cream with some toppings such as fruit, chocoballs, and honeycomb honey. Also Dubai’s chocolate which is made of kadayif, an oven baked shredded pastry with thick syrup which is enjoyed by Middle Easterners such as Turkish, is the feeding frenzy now in Korea. Like these, this kind of tipping effect brought about many franchises and had influence with the same or similar products of popular foods to the food service industry of Korea. Best menu items of "yo-a-jung" https://www.dailian.co.kr/news/view/1389494/?sc=Naver Side Effects of the Tipping Effect There can be some good effects of the tipping effect in the food industry, but I think the side effects make a bigger impact. I think there are three bad effects of the tipping effect: standardization, suffering of self-employed people, and causing overspending. First, trend business can make the standardization of the food industry. When a certain popular food appears, it monopolizes the food industry and causes uniformity with a mushrooming of identical or similar products of the popular foods. Therefore, this effect can disrupt the diversity of the food service industry. Second, when the craze is on the wane, some self-employed people of the product of the craze suffer. In other words, the majority of successful restaurant business items which take advantage of the tipping effect are only flashes in the pan. According to the National Tax Service, in 2015, individual business persons who founded a business were 1,068,000 and the people who closed a business were 739,000. Among these people, the people who shut down their shop related to the food and beverage industry were 153,000, which was 20.6% of the whole number. This kind of situation of foundation and closure has been common in the tipping effect of other popular products. Thus, time after time, many independent businesspersons suffer and get damage from the burning down of the flare, especially financially. Third, many of the popular products are not cheap. Though some products, like low-cost coffee, are inexpensive, most of them are quite expensive due to scarcity which is caused by lots of demand. Also, when celebrities talk or show about some certain products, the products can be easily going viral by people, especially by the fans. Therefore, particularly wanting to follow what the celebrities do, people follow the trend and overspend on the popular products even though they actually do not need them. This kind of spending habit can trigger excessive consumption. The fad of the food industry can make tipping effect with open-run and shortage of goods. The tipping effect of the food industry has a great power of popularity, but the side effects of it are not small. Some people say that trendy foods are the items which can easily shrink in popularity at any time. Therefore, I want people to pick over the features of the product, like rareness and continuity, before starting their business, and I hope that this tipping effect will decrease in the future. Sources: https://terms.naver.com/entry.naver?docId=2067060&cid=50305&categoryId=50305 https://terms.naver.com/entry.naver?docId=1614587&cid=50305&categoryId=50305 https://www.kpinews.kr/newsView/1065596963963919 https://www.busan.com/view/busan/view.php?code=2019111119111116145 https://www.inews24.com/view/1745269 https://www.dailian.co.kr/news/view/1389494/?sc=Naver https://www.g-enews.com/article/Global-Biz/2022/03/20220304110118496393bf579e81_1 https://www.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?newsId=01482566632458480&mediaCodeNo=257&OutLnkChk=Y https://biz.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2024/08/26/2024082600081.html

• 작성일 2024-09-09
• 좋아요 Like 2

제 22 호 Temu and AliExpress Popularity in Korea - Is It Okay as It Is?

Kicker: COVERSTORY Temu and AliExpress Popularity in Korea Is It Okay as It Is? By Su-Young Kim, Reporter /kimsuyoung@gmail.com Have you ever used Temu, AliExpress? Temu is an online marketplace platform under Pinduoduo that directly connects local Chinese producers and global consumers without an intermediate distribution process and sells inexpensive products in large quantities. AliExpress is like Temu, a site specializing in B2C (Business to Customer) operated by a subsidiary of Alibaba Group, a Chinese internet company. Looking at these platforms, the types of products sold are not only clothes and accessories, but also various products such as electronics, furniture, and auto parts at very low prices. In addition, these provide a convenient and fun shopping experience through mobile apps in line with consumer trends. These Chinese overseas direct shopping malls are very popular in Korea these days. Ali and Temu ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in mobile apps with the highest number of users in Korea last year. Contrary to the view that even if Ali and Temu enter Korea in the early days, only teenagers and those in their 20s with low economic power will use them, their use is expanding across all ages. Also, these are making a big impact by entering global markets such as the United States, Russia, Brazil, India. Let's find out why Temu and AliExpress suddenly became popular in Korea, and whether there is any controversy or concern arising from these issues. Temu and AliExpress, why are they popular? There are several reasons why these platforms are popular. Firstly,price competitiveness may be the biggest reason why consumers are enthusiastic about AliExpress and Temu. You can find the same item or similar item at half the price. Based on its enormous financial power, it is investing astronomical money in subsidies and logistics to use an ultra-low-cost strategy against the global market. As their parent company and major shareholders are global big tech companies, they have excellent platform operations and supply chain management, use data-based marketing strategies, and are quickly targeting the global market. Consumers do not have high expectations for quality because it is so inexpensive, but rather, when high-quality products for the price are delivered, they continue to purchase them on the site because they feel joy as if they have found a treasure. Secondly, it maximizes the time spent on the platform by inducing consumer interest by adding an element of games or gambling to shopping. As consumers experience events such as spinning roulette and drawing gifts on mobile apps, they become interested and try to buy them cheaper. Thirdly, it is an overseas direct purchase, but it is not difficult to purchase. It's an overseas item, but it doesn't require complicated procedures for delivery, and you can sign up by e-mail and write down your address in Korean as if you were shopping in Korea. You can even pay with Kakao Pay, a simple payment method. Lastly, even though it is an overseas direct purchase, the delivery is as fast as the domestic delivery. By drastically shortening the existing delivery period, consumers with resistance to overseas direct purchases were introduced. At the same time, it provided free returns and customer service (CS), showing the same service as domestic product delivery. In fact, I've used AliExpress before, and since the price is much cheaper than when I bought it in Korea, my satisfaction was maximized when I received a decent product, and I was able to easily purchase it due to this joy and low pressure. In addition, unlike Coupang, which is famous in Korea, I thought it was better than Coupang because it can be delivered right away for free without buying things in bulk. picture1https://www.globalsources.com/knowledge/temu-vs-aliexpress-which-is-the-winner/ The Problem with Temu and AliExpress However, controversy over Temu and AliExpress, which are gaining popularity worldwide in such a groundbreaking way these days, continues. Various problems have been raised, such as intellectual property infringement due to design theft, customs clearance issues for unverified products, and safety issues due to the discovery of carcinogens. Amid growing interest in domestic fashion brands in the global market recently, there are more cases of damage suspected of preempting the trademark right of "K-brand" by stealing it without permission around the world. Recently, as Chinese e-commerce platforms have expanded their influence in Korea, cases of unauthorized theft of trademark rights and damage to design copies have become more serious. In the fashion category of the platform, it is easy to find cases of intellectual property violations using Korean designer brand trademarks such as “Yale” and “Mmlg” without permission. In addition, unlike products that have been certified as National Certification Integration Mark (KC) through official import procedures, products that entered through the Chinese platform were brought into Korea without a separate safety verification procedure, causing problems. Chinese e-commerce companies receive benefits such as exemption from customs clearance and customs duties and exemption from KC certification obligations because they are direct overseas purchases. However, carcinogens have been detected more than 270 times the standard level in children's supplies sold at AliExpress recently. In response, the government came up with a plan to make safety certification mandatory for some items. The government announced, "measures to strengthen consumer safety in response to the surge in overseas direct purchases." Children's products or large electric household items that are likely to be fire-prone will be blocked from direct purchases unless they are certified by KC. In addition, measures to prevent products containing harmful ingredients from being brought into the country even if they have been certified for safety will also be implemented. In addition, to intensify personal information protection, AI monitoring is strengthened for overseas direct purchase platforms, and a system that matches and blocks information held by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and the Korea Customs Service (KCS) in real time is introduced. To sum up, Chinese shopping platforms such as Temu and AliExpress, which have won the hearts of people around the world with unconventional prices and delivery and services in the era of a high-price economy, are gaining popularity. However, controversy has recently arisen as various problems such as intellectual property infringement, lack of safety certification, and personal information infringement and contraction of domestic companies have been raised. Before we try these platforms, I think we need to know the overall situation and make sure we can consume them wisely. I think it is a smart way to consume it by using high-quality items that you need for a long time rather than buying a lot of various items because it is cheap. Sources: https://m.newspim.com/news/view/20240126000863 http://www.ktnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=131432 http://www.apparelnews.co.kr/news/news_view/?idx=211124 https://n.news.naver.com/article/030/0003206534?sid=101

• 작성일 2024-06-04
• 좋아요 Like 0

제 21 호 Implementation of Climate Card

Kicker: COVER STORY Implementation of Climate Card - A Comparison with ‘K-Pass’ - By Yun-Seo Jung, Reporter yysj1230@naver.com How much do you usually use public transportation? Have you ever been worried about the high transportation costs you usually spend on your way to and from school? If so, please focus on this content. The government has created a transportation card that allows unlimited public transportation for 62,000 won per month. Among them, the means of transportation that can reward are subway and bus in Seoul. If you pay an additional 3,000 won to 62,000 won, you can use unlimited access to the public bicycle ‘Ttareungyi’ in Seoul. The Climate Card Purchasing and charging of Climate Card have been available since January 23th, and have been used from the 27th. This transportation card can be used indefinitely for 30 days from the start of use. The range of regions that can benefit is limited to Seoul. In the case of subways, lines 1 to 8 in the Seoul area, and Gyeongui Jungang Line, Bundang Line, Gyeongchun Line, Ui New Line, and Sillim Line are all available except for Shinbundang Line with different basic fares. As I briefly mentioned earlier, the price is 62,000 won if you only use the Seoul subway and buses, or 65,000 won if you use the Seoul subway and buses as well as the city's public bicycle, the Ttareungyi. In other words, if you pay 62,000 won, you can use the Seoul subway and bus unlimitedly every 30 days, and if you pay 65,000 won, you can use the Seoul subway and bus as well as Ttareungyi unlimitedly every 30 days. Then, where can you buy this transportation card? First, there are two types of Climate Card : mobile and physical. Mobile cards can only be issued and charged through the mobile TMoney app. The payment method is only available for account transfer, but it will be expanded to debit cards and credit cards in the future. Also, since it is only available for Android OS 12 or higher, iPhone IOS users cannot be issued a mobile card, but must be issued a physical card. For a physical card, you can purchase it at Seoul Metro (lines 1-8) customer safety rooms and convenience stores near stations. After purchasing a physical card, you can register the QR code on the back of the card on the “TMoney Card & Pay” homepage to recharge it at unmanned charger in the station. The unmanned chargers are located in the stations of the Seoul Transportation Corporation (Line 1-8), Line 9, Ui-Sinseol Line, and Sillim Line. If you do not register your card on the “TMoney Card & Pay” homepage, you will not be able to receive a refund or use the Ttareungyi. Also, unlike the mobile card, the physical card needs to be purchased separately for 3,000 won, and it can only be paid with cash. However, as the Climate Card is only available in Seoul, there is no reason to use it except for those moving within this city. In addition, since people need to use public transportation more than 43 times a month to reduce costs, even those who only travel within Seoul will not benefit from using the Climate Card if they use public transportation less than 43 times a month. Therefore, refundable transportation cards, "K-Pass" and "The Gyeonggi Pass,” will be introduced for these people. The K-Pass K-Pass is a refundable card implemented by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which is scheduled to be introduced in May this year, and will be renewed to compensate for the shortcomings of the existing "Affordable Transportation Card." Public transportation such as GTX-A, city buses including wide-area buses, and subways are eligible for the benefits. And this card is compatible at the national level, except for some local governments with a population of 100,000 or less. Unlike the Climate Card, which pays a certain amount in advance and allows unlimited access to public transportation, this card can be refunded directly next month by cash, mileage, and card deductions. The refund rate is 20% for the general public, 30% for young people (ages 19-34) and 53% for low-income people. Based on the basic fare of 1,500 won for buses in Seoul, the general public can save up to 18,000 won per month, 27,000 won for young people, and 48,000 won for low-income people. When using public transportation more than 15 times a month, a certain percentage of the expenditure is refunded up to 60 times. In the case of the existing affordable transportation card, a discount was applied in proportion to the travel distance. Therefore, there was an inconvenience of pressing the start button and the arrival button on its own app to measure the distance. However, in the case of the K-Pass, the onerousness of pressing the start button and the arrival button has disappeared because the discount is applied according to the discount accumulation rate regardless of the distance traveled. In addition, the minimum conditions for using public transportation have been reduced from 21 times per month to 15 times per month. The method of getting the 'K-Pass' card is as follows. If you are an existing user of the Affordable Transportation Card, you will be able to use your existing transportation card without reissuing a new card by going through the K-Pass membership conversion process. In the case of new users, you can apply on the official K-Pass website or through a mobile application. You can select and use the transportation card products you want through the official website of 11 credit card companies. The Gyeonggi Pass The last one is "The Gyeonggi Pass" organized by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government. It will also be introduced from May this year. The Gyeonggi Pass is not much different from K-Pass, but there is a slight difference in the number and age of benefits. First, public transportation such as GTX-A, metropolitan buses, and subways are available. The applicable area is also nationwide, except for some boroughs with a population of 100,000 or less, and it is the same as the K-Pass. When using public transportation regularly more than 15 times a month, a certain percentage of the expenditure may be refunded through cash, mileage, and card deductions. However, unlike the K-Pass, which limits the number of public transportation rides to 60 times per month, the Gyeonggi Pass has a difference in that it expands the number of rides indefinitely. Besides, this card expanded the standard of youth age from 19-34 to 19-39, which does not benefit from the K-Pass project. Plus, transportation expenses are provided to children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 18. The transportation card refund system is a great benefit for students, workers, and other people who use public transportation a lot. Although public transportation charges have increased nationwide, the economic burden has also increased, but if you use a refundable transportation card, you will be able to reduce the burden a little. In the case of Climate Cards, which are currently being implemented first, a total of 327,000 copies were sold as of the 5th of this month after the pre-sale began on the 23rd of last month. Within two weeks of launch, they had sold over half of their goal. It is a pilot project period, so the number of users is expected to increase, and the benefits are expected to be further strengthened over time. If you use public transportation a lot, compare the benefits of various refundable transportation cards such as the "Climate Card,” "The Gyeonggi Pass,” and "K-Pass,” and use the transportation card that suits you. Sources : https://biz.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2024/02/08/2024020800143.html https://youtu.be/cxSvQFVPvSI?si=5hZhKTzBbAnl8_8r https://youtu.be/sFZgjOf2uOU?si=ncNH3EFVQ2vuTYrT

• 작성일 2024-02-19
• 좋아요 Like 1

제 20 호 Is Meritocracy Fair?

Kicker: COVER STORY Is Meritocracy Fair? by Si-ho Park, Reporter pnshse05@naver.com Have you ever heard about “meritocracy”? Meritocracy is the concept of evaluating and treating differently through the ability or achievement of an individual when distributing resources, and the ideas of meritocracy are becoming so popular and widespread significantly in modern society. Meritocracy has been taken for granted as a principle that justifies modern individualism. In the perspective of meritocracy, it is natural that greater rewards go to those who have greater abilities or work harder, while a smaller share will go to those who lack ability and effort, and the resulting inequalities are seen as justifiable. According to meritocracy myths, individuals believe that they are entitled to treat people differently based on their ability, and therefore they give themselves the power to act on their biases unknowingly. People are now arguing that meritocracy, which seemed to have emerged as an alternative to an unequal society, is now ironically deepening inequality. This is the background of the heated ongoing controversy over meritocracy. People are now questioning the fairness of meritocracy. So how do you think? Is meritocracy truly fair and just? People with different starting lines https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/how-meritocracy-worsens-inequality-and-makes-even-the-rich-miserable What is Meritocracy? According to the Camebridge dictionary, meritocracy is a social system, society, or organization in which people get success or power because of their abilities, not because of their money or social position. This “meritocracy” has currently become a leading social ideal. People continually return to the theme that the rewards of life—money, power, jobs, university admission—should be distributed according to skill and effort. The most common metaphor is the “even playing field” upon which players can rise to the position that fits their merit. Conceptually, meritocracy is presented as the opposite of systems such as hereditary aristocracy, in which one’s social position is determined by the lottery of birth. Under meritocracy, wealth and advantage are merit’s rightful compensation, not the fortuitous windfall of external events. Also in Korean society, meritocracy has developed a distribution system that assigns more shares to those who have better abilities or higher social values in industrialization, and a compensation system that mainly focuses on opportunity and fairness of processes and considers the difference in results obtained as justifiable. By the way, is distribution based on the merits always right and equal? Doesn't meritocracy overlook the other interventions in the outcome, such as luck or opportunity? Two Contradictions of Meritocracy: Intervention of Fortune and Deepening Inequality Although widely held, the belief that merit rather than luck determines success or failure in the world is false. Merit itself is, in large part, the result of luck. Talent and efforts depend a great deal on one’s luck. In a world where you can't be perfect, a talented person who has worked hard does not always have a good chance, and a person with good luck or position does not always outperform someone without it. Every success story even has such fortuitous circumstances. The US economist Robert Frank, in his book Success and Luck (2016), recounts the long-shots and coincidences that led to the success of his own and of Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder. Luck intervenes by granting people merit, and again by furnishing circumstances in which merit can translate into success. This is not to deny the efforts and talent of successful people. However, it does demonstrate that the link between merit and outcome is tenuous and indirect at best. Perhaps more disturbing, simply holding meritocracy as a value seems to promote discriminatory behavior. As I mentioned earlier, meritocracy gives people the power to act on their biases unknowingly. The management scholar Emilio Castilla and the sociologist Stephen Benard studied attempts to implement meritocratic practices, such as performance-based compensation in private companies. They found that the unequal treatment of prejudiced discrimination is more evident in companies that explicitly held meritocracy as a core value. The “even playing field” is intended to avoid unfair inequalities based on gender, race, and the like. Yet Castilla and Benard found that, ironically, attempts to implement meritocracy lead to just the kinds of inequalities that it aims to eliminate. The Economic Impact of Meritocracy Offering a different perspective, Professor Youli Cho from Singapore University of Social Sciences sheds light on the economic implications of meritocracy. In her view, the unfulfilled promise of meritocracy increased inequality. Meritocracy sees achievement and failure as an individual’s worth, and people gain higher tolerance for inequality, which leads to higher inequality. The relationship between economic growth and income inequality is complicated. Meritocracy bears economic inequality, economic inequality creates economic growth, and the growth draws out meritocracy again. This vicious cycle repeats itself like this. Income inequality might be justifiable when it reflects differences in skills, effort, and contributions, with meritocratic systems. In this view, rewarding individuals based on merit encourages and motivates others to work harder and develop their skills to compete for desirable positions and rewards, ultimately benefiting society as a whole. But it may also worsen income inequality. Factors such as unequal access to education, systemic biases, and differences in starting points can result in unequal outcomes, even if individuals have comparable merit. And, to go further, a focus on individual success may undermine a sense of collective responsibility and cooperation in the workplace. As such, the meritocratic system has a great influence in many ways, including economy, politics, and society. “As the meritocracy intensifies, the striving so absorbs us that our indebtedness recedes from view. In this way, even a fair meritocracy, one without cheating or bribery or special privileges for the wealthy, induces the mistaken impression that we have made it on our own.” This is a part of Michael J. Sandel's book, The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? (2020). Various drawbacks of meritocracy have been raised, but it is also true that there is no clear alternative to meritocracy yet in a liberal democratic society. Therefore, our society should make our own efforts to minimize the side effects of deepening inequality without overlooking them in determining success or failure. Individuals should be humble in their success, considering the effects of fortune, and in society, an appropriate baseline should be set together to mitigate gaps in different starting points, acknowledging inequality in opportunities. Now, it's your turn to reflect on these ideas and consider your perspective on the role of meritocracy in our lives. Is it really desirable to evaluate a person by ability? In society, are individuals well evaluated for their abilities? How much equality or inequality has meritocracy brought us? How should our society move forward? Through this article, I hope you will be able to correctly recognize the contradictory aspects of society, accept various opinions in earnest, and think more about a fairer way for everyone to have truly equal opportunity to compete for desirable goods and social positions. Sources: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/meritocracy https://www.dbpia.co.kr/journal/articleDetail?nodeId=NODE09319491 https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/01/the-myth-of-meritocracy-according-to-michael-sandel/ https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/how-meritocracy-worsens-inequality-and-makes-even-the-rich-miserable https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/a-belief-in-meritocracy-is-not-only-false-its-bad-for-you

• 작성일 2023-11-26
• 좋아요 Like 3

제 19 호 Zero Food Fever and Controversy

Kicker: COVER STORY Zero Food Fever and Controversy by Ji-Min Baek, Reporter pjm5875@naver.com Do you often consume zero foods? Recently, many zero foods have been released under the names of zero sugar or zero calories, starting with zero coke. It is expected that a significant number of consumers, including readers, consume zero foods as much as it has spread to other fields such as dessert exceeding existing zero soda. As a result, a new term, Zerosumer, has emerged, referring to consumers who prefer zero sugar or zero calories due to their interest in healthy eating habits. To target those who are mainly interested in healthy eating habits, companies are steadily gaining popularity by launching zero foods. In addition to this, as a way to ease the burden of high-calorie foods, new consumption habits are emerging, such as eating delicious foods as they are, but replacing sodas with zero sodas. Zero foods is loved by many people for various reasons, but some people express concerns about artificial sweeteners, so this article will cover Zero foods overall. What is Zero Food As excessive sugar intake and high-calorie foods adversely affect health, zero foods have begun to gain popularity as a good alternative to meet both health and satisfaction from existing flavors. Not all of these products called zero foods are the same, and products can be largely divided into zero sugar and zero calories. Zero sugar uses artificial sweeteners to replace sugar, and zero calories are products that do not have calories. As it has become popular and promotes zero marketing under the name of zero, consumers are confused about which is zero. As for what is the standard of zero, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has prepared detailed standards through labeling standards. Generally, zero foods refer to products that are either zero in sugar or calories. Specifically, a product can be labeled as zero sugar if it contains less than 0.5g of sugar per 100ml or per 100g of the food. A product can be labeled as zero calories if it contains less than 4kcal per 100ml of the food. However, in advertisements using zero marketing, specific ingredients and calories are displayed in small fonts, so it is difficult to grasp unless consumers directly look at the ingredient table or look for it with interest. Zero Foods Becoming Diverse Zero food, which has been popular in the range of drinks for a while, has recently become all the rage in the coffee and snack market. For instance, Zero Lotte Well Food’s first sugar-free dessert brand, introduced a variety of products such as zero chocolate chip cookies, zero cacao cakes, and zero fruit jelly, and has received positive responses from consumers since its release. Additionally, some coffee franchises are adopting alternative sugars, like stevia, and in some cafes, customers can order to add stevia to their coffee drinks. https://www.lottewellfood.com/prcenter/news/1661?page=1&searchType2=Y&searchText=%EC%A0%9C%EB%A1%9C Controversy over Artificial Sweeteners Artificial sweeteners are commonly used in zero products, including aspartame, saccharin and so on. Among them, aspartame, which has been classified as a carcinogen, is an artificial sweetener that tastes 200 times sweeter than sugar. There are studies on the risk controversy of aspartame, and there are conflicts between studies showing that aspartame intake is okay and studies showing that it is dangerous. To learn more about this controversy, I conducted an interview with Professor Kang Sang-wook of Sangmyung University’s Department of Chemical Energy Engineering. I asked the professor what foods contain aspartame that the public does not know well about other foods other than soda, the results of conflicting studies on aspartame, and his opinion on them. In addition, I asked the risk of complex toxicity that was mentioned in the professor's YouTube video on artificial sweeteners, and his thoughts on this part and the public opinion that concerns the risk of aspartame. In response to some of these questions, the professor said as follows: First of all, aspartame is famous for its use in drinks such as zero coke, but it is also used in Kimchi made in China and Makgeolli. Second, the main point of the conflicting findings on aspartame was that the incidence of cancer was high in the group that consumed it after dividing it into groups that consumed it for a long time and those that did not. These results are hard to see as a direct result that artificial sweeteners themselves cause cancer. In addition, the permitted artificial sweeteners have been tested on animals, and if it is to be dangerous to humans, it must be consumed in large quantities such as drinking dozens of cans of soda a day. Therefore, that's why the U.S. FDA also maintains its position that it is okay to consume it while complying with the usage standards. Additionally, as such, the U.S. FDA emphasizes that it is safe to comply with usage standards, all of which are based on animal testing results. However, this has seen the toxicity of artificial sweeteners themselves, and in fact, we do not eat only artificial sweeteners themselves when eating food. We eat a variety of foods, and each food has a lot of chemicals. It is not known what chemical reactions occur when each of these chemicals and artificial sweeteners are present together, and not all of the complex toxicity when they are present together has been studied. It is therefore true that there is a potential danger. Nevertheless, the amount of artificial sweeteners added is very small, so even if the risk is revealed in the future, there is no need to worry enough to say that you will never consume them. However, when you get used to it, the human brain continues to look for the corresponding sweet taste due to the compensation system. Eventually, eating habits can change to wanting stimulating food, and as a result, it is more likely to lead to an increase in meat intake and sugar intake.The research results that have the aforementioned risks also seem to be due to this change in diet. The ongoing craze for Zero Foods is expected to become more diverse and popular. This is controversial and there are many concerns about artificial sweeteners, but there is not enough data to emphasize the risk in itself. Therefore, it will be desirable to avoid excessive intake of artificial sweeteners, try not to be tamed by sweetness, and consume Zero foods moderately. Sources: http://news.heraldcorp.com/view.php?ud=20230712000395 http://news.heraldcorp.com/view.php?ud=20230707000690 https://www.mk.co.kr/news/business/10769946 https://www.nongshim.com/promotion/global_news/trend_view?groupCode=007&groupId=18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-Tml1V9pPE

• 작성일 2023-08-11
• 좋아요 Like 2