Popular Gyeongbokgung nighttime tours return in April

Tickets for nighttime tours of Gyeongbokgung, the main Joseon royal palace, go on sale online at 2 p.m. on Friday, with the first round of the highly popular tours starting April 3. Available through Ticket Link, the tickets cost 60,000 won ($45). The ticket covers a royal “dosirak,” or a boxed meal of dishes enjoyed by the Joseon (1392-1910) royals, followed by a guided tour of the palace’s northern side. The first round of tours will take place April 3 to April 21, twice dail

March 21, 2024

Registration opens for English temple stay

Registration opened Monday for an English temple stay program for foreign nationals seeking a time out from urban life. The first 1,000 applicants who book the overnight stay at eng.templestay.com will be able to participate in the program priced at 30,000 won ($22) from April 1 to July 31, according to the Culture Corps of Korean Buddhism -- an arm of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest local Buddhist sect. “This is the definitive content we can offer as Korean tradition, rega

March 21, 2024

Yeongdeungpo-gu to turn into cherry blossom heaven

Yeongdeungpo-gu, the district in western Seoul, is set to turn into a pink heaven with cherry blossoms, where all flower lovers can enjoy the arrival of spring from March 29 to April 2. The district’s Yunjung-ro in Yeouido, a 1.7-kilometer road filled with almost 1,900 cherry blossom trees, and the street’s nearby areas, are scheduled to become the main stage for this year’s spring flower festival, according to the local government of Yeongdeungpo-gu on Monday. Visitors can enj

March 19, 2024

10,000-won passes to five palaces in Seoul go on sale

Tickets went on sale Monday for Seoul’s late-April spring festival, which will include exhibitions and performances across the city’s five palaces. The tickets to the K-Royal Culture Festival cost 10,000 won ($7.5) and will be sold through April 26, according to the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation. Tickets will be available at the following websites: seoultravelpass.com; travelnote.net; trippose.com; klook.com and kkday.com. Tickets for the 9-day event starting April 27 allow unli

March 18, 2024

Palace tours offer new look at two ‘East Palaces’

Special palace tours opened Sunday to raise awareness of the historic grounds of Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung captured in a 19th century painting, a national treasure. Every Sunday until May 12, the first 20 visitors to arrive at the Okcheon Bridge just past the main gate of Changgyeonggung will be able to tour areas depicted in “Donggwoldo,” or the Painting of the East Palaces. The paintings depicting the palaces east of the main palace, Gyeongbokgung, are believed to be made s

March 17, 2024

[Drama Tour] Springtime stroll around hanok straight out of 'Red Sleeve'

NAMWON, North Jeolla Province -- While South Korea has made a name for itself as a drama powerhouse with sweet rom-com series and heart-pounding zombie thrillers -- think “Crash Landing on You” (2019), “Kingdom” (2019), “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” (2021), “All of Us Are Dead” (2019) and more -- another genre fond in the hearts of many viewers is the period drama. In addition to the exciting stories -- often based on historical tales -- the dramatic sett

March 16, 2024

Seoul Metro expands real-time translation at subway stations

Seoul Metro, one of two major operators of the Seoul Subway, has expanded real-time translation services for overseas travelers to 11 stations in Seoul to improve convenience for foreigners. Artificial intelligence-based translations, which allow foreign travelers and station staff to communicate in their respective languages while facing each other through a transparent OLED screen, was unveiled at Myeong-dong Station on Subway Line No. 4 in December last year for a trial run. After the trial,

March 15, 2024

Ulsan Buk-gu Office presents digital stamp tour in 2024

Ulsan is set to promote the northern part of the city’s beauty and charm through a new stamp tour featuring 35 tourist destinations. Buk-gu Office, representing the northern district, recently announced that travel spots will include the district’s own seven representative mountains as well as “Buk-gu Shipigyeong,” meaning Buk-gu’s 12 iconic sights, the cherry blossom street, a wellness-themed road and other historical sites. On Ulsan Buk-gu's mountain tour, tr

March 15, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Roses, freesias at Manorblanc Featuring roses, freesias and Scotch brooms, Manorblanc beckons tourists to Jeju Island. The garden is open for free to visitors who purchase at least one drink from the namesake cafe. Those who don’t feel like drinking anything can also enter for a fee of 4,000 won. The garden is open all year round from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entrants have to be at least grade schoolers or older, with no exceptions. Pets are welcome as long as they are on a leash and weigh les

March 15, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel brings in spring Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel, located in Incheon’s Songdo-dong, presents the “Blooming Viewcance” package to welcome the spring. The promotion includes a one-night stay in a deluxe or club room, a special wine set and a 50 percent discount on freshly baked goods at the hotel bakery Haute Patisserie. Visitors with young children or dogs can rent the WonderFold wagon from the hotel for free as well. The spring-themed package runs t

March 15, 2024

Deoksugung palace tours to open next week

Free guided tours of palace buildings at Deoksugung, one of Seoul’s main palaces, will run from March 22-28, with reservations set to open from Friday. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Wednesday, each tour will take up to 90 minutes and take place twice a day at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. -- with fifteen applicants who have booked a tour at royal.cha.go.kr. Major stops include Seogeodang, a two-story building that was rebuilt after being burned down in 1904. King Seonjo had

March 13, 2024

[From the Scene] Early birds win at plum blossom festival

GWANGYANG, South Jeolla Province -- If you are considering celebrating the arrival of spring at Gwangyang Plum Blossom Festival, one of South Korea’s most favored spring flower events, be ready to be at the festival site by 7 a.m. The 10-day flower festival kicked off March 8 at Gwangyang, a county located some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. Early birds will be able to enjoy the beautiful spring flowers to the fullest in a pleasant environment. Visitors exploring different areas of Gwang

March 11, 2024

Haman Nakhwa Festival taking online reservations

Haman, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday announced that online reservations will be required to attend the annual Haman Nakhwa Festival this year. This is the first time online reservations are being taken since the festival's launch in 1985, with reservations available for 16,000 spectators to enjoy the event this year. The county decided to hold two separate Nakhwa Festival events on May 14 and 15, each with 8,000 visitors, in consideration of visitor safety and the size of the venue

March 9, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Spring blooms at Everland A walk on trails lined with spring flowers -- 11 different types of plum blossoms -- is a sure sign that spring has arrived. At the Sky Garden in Everland, South Korea’s largest theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, a 5,000-won ticket is all it takes to enjoy the harbingers of spring. Ticket holders can also enter the nearby Hoam Museum of Art at a 50 percent discount and also save on admission to the amusement park. The trails will be open from March 15-26

March 8, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

WE Hotel offers new spring-themed program WE Hotel, a premium health resort located in Seogwipo, southern Jeju Island, is offering a new program for the upcoming spring season from March 15 to April 15. “Walk Under Cherry Blossom” presents visitors the chance for a one-night stay in a superior room, free breakfast buffet, cherry blossom tea with the Korean honey snack yakgwa as well as a wellness program for two guests. Visitors can make their choice from a total of four wellness pro

March 8, 2024

[Drama Tour] Explore Jeju Island as shown in rom-com series 'Welcome to Samdal-ri'

Jeju Island, an 80-minute flight from Seoul, is a go-to destination for many local and overseas holidaymakers, beckoning with its unique culture and activities, from Jeju horseback riding to tangerine picking and "haenyeo," among many others. Haenyeo are women divers who harvest marine products from the seabed for a living. But, Korea’s southernmost island is looking to expand its touristic reach by promoting iconic spots featured in the popular 16-part rom-com series “Welc

March 7, 2024

Korail Tourism Development presents cheap day trips via train

Korail Tourism Development, a subsidiary of the Korea Railroad Corp., is offering large-scale discounts on train travel in March. Korail Tourism Development has launched “Train Trip in March” (unofficial translation), a program that includes an opportunity to experience a day trip to provincial areas. The cost is 30,000 won ($22.42) per person. According to the agency, “Train Trip in March” will be available for 1,700 people who will be chosen in a raffle. Applications fo

March 5, 2024

Danyang's new, old indoor tourist attractions beckon family travelers

DANYANG, North Chungcheong Province -- Danyang, home to multiple outdoor activities and renowned historical sites, like Dodamsambong Peaks, three stone peaks rising out of the Namhan River, is starting to draw more traveling families with its unique indoor spots as well. The augmented reality-themed tourist attraction Pops World Dajagu Halmine is a place that has appealed especially to young visitors since its opening in August 2023. Pops World Dajagu Halmine, a four to five-minute ride from the

March 2, 2024

South Jeolla vows to hold eco-friendly festivals

The South Jeolla Provincial Government on Thursday announced that its 22 local festivals will be held without using any disposable products. Local festivals, each from South Jeolla Province’s 22 cities and counties, will become eco-friendly, according to a provincial government official. Though the festival venues and food trucks freely used disposable products without separate regulations in 2023, host cities and counties will create guidelines for stores and businesses to provide reusabl

March 1, 2024

Gyeongju wins at IEFA 2024 Pinnacle Awards

Gyeongju, an iconic tourist destination in the southeast of Korea, clinched the prize for best world heritage city and festival at the 2024 Pinnacle Awards and Asia Festival City Conference held in Thailand on Thursday. The Pinnacle Awards is a tourism industry event that celebrates different cities’ tourism excellence across the globe. The Asia Festival City Conference is an annual meeting dedicated to creating quality Asian festivals to beckon overseas travelers from different regions. G

March 1, 2024