Gyeongbokgung’s main throne hall to open to public for 10 days

Gyeongbokgung’s main throne hall Geunjeongjeon will be open to the public from Oct. 26 to Nov. 7. Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday that it is organizing two group tours daily from Monday to Saturday, except Tuesdays when the palace is closed. Each group will consist of 10 people. Geunjeongjeon, National Treasure No. 223, is the main throne hall of the Joseon era palace. Originally built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung’s main throne hall was destroyed by fire during the Japanes

CultureOct. 19, 2020

Royal Culture Festival impresses with wire-flying show

With the government having eased its social distancing guidelines from Level 2 to Level 1 in a three-tier system on Oct. 12, the Royal Culture Festival successfully completed eight days of offline events from Oct. 10-18 at four palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung -- as well as the royal shrine Jongmyo. Of the 12 performances, exhibitions and hands-on experiences at the palaces, the highlight was a musical based on a Korean folktale in which the young heroine

CultureOct. 18, 2020

Broadcasters, companies pay the price for YouTube star’s unchecked background

As the popularity of YouTubers and social media influencers rise, so too do controversies surrounding them. With the online stars appearing on popular television shows and in advertisements, verification of their background has become a rising issue. Controversy arose last week when Rhee Keun, popularly known as “Lt. Lee,” faced allegations that he was convicted for a 2017 sexual assault. Lee had already gone through a debt scandal at the beginning of the month when he was accused

TelevisionOct. 18, 2020

‘Hysteria’ wins two American translation awards

An English translation of Kim Yi-deum’s book of poetry “Hysteria” (Action Books) became the first-ever book to win both the National Translation Award and the Lucien Stryk Asian Translation Prize given by the American Literary Translators Association on Friday (local time). “Hysteria” is Kim’s third book of poems to be translated into English with the support of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. The title poem is about a women being groped on a

BooksOct. 18, 2020

[Eye Plus] Seoul's smallest palace shows less can be more

One of the five grand palaces built during the 1392-1897 Joseon dynasty, Gyeonghuigung Palace, which means “Palace of Joy and Light,” is the least well-known and smallest of the palaces in Seoul. But the historic significance of the palace located west of the main palace of Gyeongbokgung equals that of its better known counterparts.  The palace, which was built during the reign of Gwanghaegun, the 15th king of Joseon, was completed in 1620 and served as a secondary palace for

CultureOct. 17, 2020

Camping in the age of COVID-19

Camping has come under the limelight in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is an outdoor activity that guarantees fresh air, some space from others and also individual freedom. But because campsites are not virus-free zones, campers must be responsible when using common areas. Larger, less crowded campsites may be better options under the current circumstances. Here is a list of some campsites recommended by the Korea Tourism Organization.  Meonguri Valley Camping Site Pocheon, Gyeong

TravelOct. 17, 2020

Gwangju, the 'City of Light'

Though 40 years have passed, memories of 1980 still cast a shadow over the city of Gwangju. This year, those memories have been woven into a story and put onstage in a new original musical: “City of Light,” produced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Gwangju Metropolitan City. The May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, which marked its 40th anniversary this year, took place in the metropolitan city surrounded by South Jeolla Province. Hundreds of pro-democracy protest

PerformanceOct. 17, 2020

TV personality Tyler Rasch turns to environmental activism with 'There is No Second Earth'

What would you think of a friend who earns $2,000 a month but spends $3,500? Most people would see it as an unsustainable lifestyle bound for bankruptcy. In his latest book “There is no second earth,” which addresses climate issues in a palpable way, TV personality Tyler Rasch compares the status of humanity’s exploitation of nature with that spendthrift friend. He warns that we are all debtors to the earth because we are using resources 1.75 times faster than the rate at wh

PeopleOct. 17, 2020

Basquiat's genius on full display at largest-ever show of his works in Seoul

Masterpieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat -- the American artist whose rebellious style influenced art ranging from graffiti to pop art -- are being shown in South Korea’s largest-ever exhibition of his work. The title of the exhibition, “Jean Michel Basquiat: Royalty, Heroism, and the Streets,” at the Lotte Museum of Art reflects what the artist valued in his art. Basquiat chose the three subject matters -- royalty, heroism and streets-- that he cared about in his art in a 1983 i

Arts & DesignOct. 17, 2020

Fans, family and friends remember Sulli on first anniversary

S.M. Entertainment, friends, fans and family commemorated the first anniversary of death of Sulli, whose real name was Choi Jin-ri, on Wednesday. S.M. Entertainment posted on Sulli’s official Facebook page a photo of Sulli on Wednesday with the caption, “We remember your smile.” Actress Kim Sun-a, who was a close friend of Sulli and who took custody of Sulli’s cat after her death, posted a photo of herself visiting Sulli’s grave on Wednesday. “Not a day no

CultureOct. 17, 2020

Celebrating Beethoven through music and art in Busan

In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth, a cultural event that creatively combines a classical concert and media art exhibition will take place Tuesday at F1963, a culture complex in Busan. “Artist Letter,” a concert and exhibition dedicated to Beethoven, aims to encourage people who are depressed by the prolonging pandemic by delivering the message of how the great musician overcame the difficulties he faced as he lost his hearing. Six str

Arts & DesignOct. 16, 2020

AHAF shows international, in-person exhibition despite pandemic

Asia Hotel Art Fair Seoul 2020 kicked off Thursday afternoon at Nine Tree Premier Hotel Insadong in central Seoul, showcasing nearly 4,000 works from 60 galleries from home and abroad, offering art lovers the chance to collect works amid a series of art fair cancellations. The biannual art fair aims to promote interaction among galleries across Asia as well as introduce promising artists. A variety of work, from paintings to sculptures, is on display inside the 71 hotel rooms on the 10th, 12th

Arts & DesignOct. 16, 2020

Two more Korean movies likely to debut on Netflix amid pandemic

A local distributor of two South Korean movies is considering releasing the films on Netflix without theatrical runs as the novel coronavirus pandemic has disrupted their opening schedules, a company official said Friday. The thriller "Call," starring Park Shin-hye, was first planned to hit local screens in March, but the release has been postponed for several months due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The distributor has also been struggling to fix the release date for the crime thriller

FilmOct. 16, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Busan Fireworks Festival The 16th Busan Fireworks Festival will take place on Nov. 7. Organized by the Busan Culture & Tourism Festival Organizing Committee, the annual festival is held every autumn along Gwangalli Beach. During the festival, visitors can enjoy a myriad of unique and colorful fireworks at sites across Hwangnyeongsan, Dongbaek Island and Igidae Coastal Park. For more information in Korean and English, visit www.bfo.or.kr. Mungyeong Chasabal Festival The Mungyeong Cha

TravelOct. 16, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Multi-resort complex Jeju Shinhwa World offers two packages for autumn season Jeju Shinhwa World offers the Poolside Picnic Package and the Lounge & Cozy Package for travelers going to Jeju Island. The Poolside Picnic Package comes with a one-night stay at the Marriott Resort, premium breakfast for two at Sky on 5 Dining restaurant, a special chicken-and-beer set at the poolside cafe and free use of the guest room minibar. The package is available until Dec. 29 for 230,000 won. The Lounge

FoodOct. 16, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Where’d You Go, Bernadette? (US) Opened Oct. 8 Comedy Directed by Richard Linklater Architect-turned-recluse Bernadette Fox (Cate Blanchett) lives in Seattle with her husband Elgin Branch (Billy Crudup), and their 15-year-old daughter Balakrishna (Emma Nelson). One day, Bernadette’s daughter requests a family trip to Antarctica, which she reluctantly agrees to. As Bernadette prepares for the trip with her Siri-like virtual assistant named Manjula in India, an FBI agent comes to Be

FilmOct. 16, 2020

First five-star hotel of global brand to be built in Gyeonggi Province

  Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, will get its first five-star hotel with a global brand in Pyeongtaek by 2022, the city government announced on Thursday. According to the municipality of Pyeongtaek, about 70 kilometers south of Seoul, the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), a global hotel company, plans to build a voco hotel with more than 250 rooms near a United States military base in the city by December 2022. Voco is a luxury brand owned by IHG. The municipality said it h

TravelOct. 15, 2020

Koo Jeong-A’s solo exhibition offers extraordinary experience of shattering prejudice

As soon as you step into the main exhibition hall of the PKM Gallery, canvases that are seemingly blank from a distance come into your sight. In a few minutes, the lights are suddenly turned off, and you may feel as though you are in a vast universe, the canvases gleaming with luminous green stars. The internationally renowned artist Koo Jeong-A’s painting series “Seven Stars” offers an extraordinary experience to visitors. The exhibition “Koo Jeong A: 2O2O” at P

Arts & DesignOct. 15, 2020

Translated Korean works receive international awards

The graphic novel “Grass” by Keum Suk Gendry Kim was awarded “Best International Book” at the Harvey Awards, while the German translation of “Memoir of a Murderer” by Kim Young-ha was selected by Germany‘s Hotlist this month. “Grass” is a story about women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. Most of the women were Korean. The book was published in English last year by Drawn & Quarterly, a publisher i

BooksOct. 14, 2020

Rhee Keun sues Kim Yong-ho while assault victim demands end to mention of the case

Rhee Keun, also known as Ken Rhee, sued YouTube content creator Kim Yong-ho on Wednesday for claiming that Rhee lied about having worked at the United Nations. Kim raised suspicions about the document that Rhee, popularly known as “Lt. Lee,” posted on Instagram on Monday as proof of his stint at the UN. An earlier video by Kim had raised questioned about Rhee’s career record. Rhee sued Kim on charges of obstruction, defamation and dissemination of false information at around

TelevisionOct. 14, 2020