MERS outbreak is to officially end in Korea
Ever since the first case of MERS was diagnosed in Korea on May 20, Korea suffered from various damages for 2 months.Now, Korea is about to announce an end to MERS. No new cases have been reported since July 6, and after this week, MERS incubation period will be over and mark the outbreak's end in Korea.
Korea suffered from 186 cases and 36 deaths as well as an economic downturn.However, the government and Korean citizens collaborated together to put an end to MERS and it finally began stabilizing. The Korean government is also implementing policies to overcome economic damages caused by MERS.
Korea's economy is starting to recover, and foreign visitors began coming to Korea again.We review the Korean government's quick responses to MERS outbreak and the citizens' efforts to cooperative with the government to end MERS.
A New Transportation Trend in Korea, Mobile Taxi Apps
KakaoTaxi App made an astounding record of accumulating 5 million calls within 3 months of its launch. Over 110,000 taxi drivers also registered to KakaoTaxi App and proved the app's popularity.Some of the app's best features include safety messages and location input that make the taxi ride safer and more convenient. Users also don't have to explain anything to the taxi driver, which is especially useful for foreign visitors in Korea.LimoTaxi decided to stand out in the competitive market by providing luxury taxis and educating the taxi drivers for increased quality of services.In Goyang, the local government launched its own mobile taxi app in January and started proving Korea's only real-name taxi service. Korea's public transportation has developed greatly along with advancement of technology. Will mobile taxi apps prove to be a form of such development?
Healing from Everyday Life, Korea's Art Therapy
People from today's world suffer from all kinds of stress, which can lead to depression and anxiety. Accordingly, art therapy has been gaining much popularity due to its ability to eliminate the causes of stress by turning people's negative subconscious emotions into positive ones.Coloring books are popular because people can create stylish artworks without knowing know to draw. Minhwa can be seen as Korea's traditional coloring therapy. People from a wide range of ages between 20 to 70 heal themselves by drawing minhwa with simple techniques.
Dance therapy heals people by allowing them to express themselves through body's movements. Once people start dance therapy, they continue with the program because they can become both physically and mentally healthy.Pottery art also provides therapeutic benefits to various age groups. People can relieve stress and feel a sense of accomplishment through pottery art. We experience art therapy's diverse array of charms.
Shared Consumption, Korea's Sharing Economy
Modern society is changing from a form of ownership into sharing. "Sharing economy" has become a key word in today's economically unstable world. The market size of the world's sharing economy has been increasing by 80% every year, and Seoul also declared its determination to establish a sharing culture in Korea.Kozaza offers accomodations sharing service to foreign visitors. Home owners with extra rooms can register their rooms online and visitors can choose their place of stay through the website.The Open Closet rents out donated suits at cheap prices. A complete set of suit including shoes, shirts, and belt only cost about $17 to rent for three days. For people who can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars on suits, The Open Closet offers a reasonable alternative.In addition to such services, sharing economy has diversified into various categories such as car sharing, book sharing, and even knowledge sharing. We review the various types of sharing economy in Korea.