When I was a child, the air in Korea was much cleaner. Growing up in the countryside, taking a deep breath felt like a full-body cleanse. I spent days exploring insects in the rice fields with friends and flying paper airplanes and pinwheels.   As society developed, these experiences vanished. Today, on heavy fine dust days, wearing masks is a must. Without them, daily life is disrupted. One morning, I wondered, “When did wearing a mask become normal?” and thought, “Is this because of environmental pollution?”   My previous visit to a café revealed solar panels installed on the rooftop. Surprisingly, they added a unique touch to the building’s exterior.(Photo by Milly)  What is Energy Transition?   Energy transition is the shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy systems. It expands renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydrogen while reducing greenhouse gas emissions to achieve carbon neutrality. This transformation affects not just ...

There used to be a cafe I visited often. It looked ordinary from the outside, and one corner sold simple snacks like dried fruits. I didn’t think there was anything special about it — until I started working for a media outlet covering social economy, and discovered that the cafe actually served “Beautiful Coffee”, a fair trade coffee brand.   That’s when I realized that many of the coffee, snacks, and even sugar I use in daily life are fair trade products. I thought, “Oh, I’ve been using fair trade products quite a lot without even realizing it.”   What Is Fair Trade? Fair trade is a system that helps producers in developing countries receive fair compensation and produce products sustainably. It doesn’t just guarantee prices; it also supports social value creation through education, healthcare, community development, and environmental protection.   In 2023, I had the chance to meet producers at a fair trade cooperative event. They told me, “Thanks to fair tr...

South Korea has been experiencing very different weather patterns depending on the region. While some areas struggle with floods caused by heavy rainfall, others are facing water shortages due to prolonged droughts. Even within the same country, these extreme weather conditions are directly affecting people’s daily lives.   Droughts and Floods Across Regions   Recently, South Korea has been severely impacted by both droughts and floods. In the popular tourist city of Gangneung, ongoing droughts have caused serious difficulties for local residents. News reports even mentioned that water was scarce for basic uses like toilets. On the other hand, regions such as Chungnam, Jeonbuk, and Gyeongnam have experienced record-breaking heavy rainfall, leading to flooding and damage. At the same time, some areas face drought while others are flooded, creating extreme regional contrasts.   Moreover, the Korean Peninsula is experiencing increasingly hotter summers every year...

  Let me introduce a soap made by Donggubat, a company where people with and without disabilities work together.   Today, I want to share one of the products I’ve been using most frequently among those made by Korea’s social economy enterprises. Personally, I enjoy using products that carry social value. Even if a company is not officially certified as a “social economy enterprise,” I like to support products that make a positive impact. I want my consumption to have meaning whenever possible.   Donggubat’s “Perfume Soap.” I loved its cute tree shape so much that I decided to take the photo outdoors. It was such a hot day, but the soap made the photo look simply adorable.(Photo by Milly)  The product I’m introducing today is a soap from Donggubat, one of the most well-known social enterprises in Korea.   Donggubat is widely recognized as a Korean social enterprise. From what I learned while covering their story in the past, the founders wanted to cre...

  I lived with my parents until I finished university, and in 2011, when I started my first job, I finally began living independently. In Korea, many young people live with their parents to save on living and housing costs, and I was no different. But once I became a working adult, I started looking for a small place where I could live on my own. (Since I lived outside of Seoul, I still remember traveling up for several days just to find a room.)   After much searching, I finally managed to rent a small studio apartment — a one-room space where the kitchen, bedroom, and living area were all combined. A few years later, I moved to another rental, then eventually managed to get a small lease with help from my parents. Later, when I got married, I moved into a larger apartment with my husband, much bigger than what I could afford alone.   That was about 15 years ago. Even back then, housing in Seoul was expensive, and for a young professional like me, paying monthly ...