[Weekender] Jeju Island is a sanctuary in virus times

JEJU ISLAND -- Jeju Island is a popular travel destination this summer. As overseas travel is almost impossible due to concerns about COVID-19, more people are flocking to the southern island from the mainland. The island boasts vast natural areas, from oceans to mountains and fields, where tourists can avoid close contact with others. Travelers often stay at private villas and get around in rental cars -- good holiday options in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. But tourists need to b

June 27, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Taebaek Sunflower Festival The Taebaek Sunflower Festival takes place July 14-Aug. 16 in Guwau Village, celebrating the area’s wide array of colorful wildflowers and endless fields of sunflowers. The village in Gangwon Province has the largest sunflower field in Korea. The festival area is filled with 300 species of wild flowers, along with a walking path nearby the sunflower field. Hands-on programs related to wild flowers will be prepared. For more information in Korean, visit sunf

June 26, 2020

Culture Station Seoul 284’s answer to ‘Why do we travel?’

As COVID-19 has shut down travel across the globe, Culture Station Seoul 284’s “New Discovery of Travel” exhibition attempts to answer the question, “Why do we travel?” The “New Discovery of Travel,” which was scheduled for June 23 to Aug. 8, will be shown online starting from the second week of July instead, according to the organizer, as the former train station-turned-cultural space was closed down due to the spread of COVID-19. Scheduled performanc

June 23, 2020

[Eye Plus] Take a stroll around 600-year-old education institute, Confucian shrine

Sitting on the northeastern side of Changgyeonggung is a Joseon-era complex where people carried out ancestral rites and nurtured the country’s leaders. “It may be difficult to believe, but there were students who actually lived and studied here around 600 years ago,” said Son Chin-woo, the 33rd director of Sungkyunkwan -- the highest educational institution of the Joseon era. Sungkyunkwan and Confucian shrine Munmyo were built in 1398 and renovated in 1869 to repair war-t

June 20, 2020

Hotels on brink flock to TV shopping channels for sales

Local hotels, pushed to the brink amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, are reaching out to TV shopping channels with discounted package deals. Four Points by Sheraton Seoul Namsan, a business hotel in central Seoul, will go on air on Shinsegae TV Shopping channel over the weekend, selling a package deal for 60,000 won ($49.50) The hotel is managed by local hotel brand Shinsegye Chosun Hotel under retail mogul Shinsegae. Those who purchase the deal, with more than 50 percent discount, can make a

June 19, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Night of Ganghwa & Heritage Story Organized by the Ganghwa County Office and Incheon Tourism Organization, Night of Ganghwa & Heritage Story offers eight different programs to visitors, introducing the cultural heritage of Ganghwa. The festival, held Sept. 11-12 at the Yongheunggung Palace Park in Ganghwa, Incheon, west of Seoul, involves traditional art performances, a media facade and a parade, along with hands-on experiences for visitors of all age. Call the travel hotline at 1330

June 19, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival The Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province, celebrates the clean and refreshing water of the Tamjin River and Jangheung Lake. The water festival takes place in areas along the river and in the Cypress Forest Woodland, allowing festivalgoers to take part in refreshing water activities from day to night. For more information in Korean, visit festival.jangheung.go.kr. Call the travel hotline at 1330 for help in Korean, Eng

June 12, 2020

[Video] When will tourists return to Myeong-dong?

English, Chinese and Japanese conversations are widely heard in Myeong-dong -- Seoul’s famous shopping district for foreign tourists. Shops here typically hire at least one Chinese-speaking employee at the counter to serve Chinese shoppers. In recent months, it is somewhat difficult to hear the three different languages widely used in Myeong-dong, as the number of inbound tourists sharply declined in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Around the world, countries have tightened border c

June 5, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Centum Beer Festival The Centum Beer Festival, sponsored and managed by the Centum Beer Festival Committee, is held at KNN Centum Plaza in Busan every summer.  The festival offers unlimited beer and snacks for all visitors. Though the event takes place every May, this year, it has been postponed to August in concerns over the COVID-19 spread. It will be held Aug. 20-30.  Performances will take place throughout the festival from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information in Korean, vi

June 5, 2020

[Photo News] Jeju horses bask in sunlight

Horses are taking a rest at Jeju Horse Pastureland in Yonggang-dong, Jeju City, on Tuesday morning. Vast grassland and mountains in the backdrop make the horse pastureland one of Jeju Island’s must-visit sites. Visitors can see 130 Jeju horses, designated as National Treasure No. 347, in the grassland from April to November. The pastureland is state-owned and managed by the Cultural Heritage Administration for the special horses that need special care. (Photos: Yonhap) By Kim Tae

June 3, 2020

[Eye Plus] Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village stirs innocence of childhood

Next to Incheon’s historic Chinatown stands the Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village, where characters from classic tales of Korea and the West are brought to life.  Stirring the innocence of childhood, the village is decorated to depict scenes of popular tales ranging from “Alice in Wonderland” and “Wizard of Oz” to “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Heungbu and Nolbu” -- a traditional Korean folk tale of a rich brother and a poor brother. Vis

May 30, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival commemorates the Great Battle of Hansan in 1592, one of the most important naval battles in Korean history. Visitors will be able to see models of the geobukseon (turtle ship) designed by Admiral Yi Sun-sin and the ships used by the Japanese navy at the time. In addition to learning all about the battle, visitors will be able to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery of Tongyeong. A variety of hands-on experience programs are avail

May 29, 2020

Koreans eye Jeju Island pensions according to Airbnb wish list

The spread of COVID-19 has blocked the skyways, but Airbnb users from around the world have put together individual wish lists of places around the world they hope to visit once the crisis is over. Korean respondents had beachside houses in Jeju Island on their wish list more than any other places in in the country, with seven of the top 10 domestic locations on Jeju Island. The No. 1 location was Sometimes Jeju pension’s room 201, a one-bedroom apartment with an ocean view. “Be

May 24, 2020

Trekking away from virus fears

While the COVID-19 still poses a threat in South Korea, it is May, considered the queen of all seasons here. Though it may be risky to visit crowded places, taking a walk in a remote place can be a way to cheer ourselves up in this blissful weather, while taking precautions against the virus. Trekkers should wear mask at all times, keep a safe distance from others and use hand sanitizers. Using a personal vehicle, if possible, is an option. Also, gatherings for eating or drinking after trekki

May 23, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Walk with a King “Walk with a King” is a guided tour held every Saturday evening from late spring to fall. The 100-minute tour, limited to 100 people at a time, starts from Gyeonggijeon Shrine in Jeonju Hanok Village in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Admission must be arranged in advance by calling (063) 232-9938. The tour, slated to take place from June 6 to Oct. 31, is open to visitors of all ages. Call the travel hotline at (02) 1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese or Chin

May 22, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Everland Rose Garden Festival Amusement park Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, opened up its 20,000-square-meter rose garden for the annual Everland Rose Garden Festival. The rose festival, launched in 1985, opens every May featuring roses and other varieties of flowers. After enjoying the rides at the park, visitors can take a walk in the rose garden and take photographs. The festival continues until June 14. For more information in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, visit www.everl

May 17, 2020

Nine forest trails inside Joseon royal tomb compounds to open May 16

The Cultural Heritage Administration on Thursday announced that nine forest trails inside compounds of Joseon era royal tombs will be open from Saturday to June 30. The nine trails include two tracks near “Donggureung,” also known as “East Nine Royal Tombs” in Guri, Gyeonggi Province. The CHA also emphasized that this is the first opening of the 1.4-kilometer trail between royal tombs Huireung and Wonreung. The route was originally set to open in the second half of the

May 16, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Changdeokgung Palace Moonlight Tour As part of the Creation of Living Palaces project, the Changdeokgung Palace Moonlight Tour offers a unique opportunity to witness and experience the beauty of a traditional Korean palace at night. Admission is 30,000 won per person. Tours run May 21 to June 14 and are open to visitors of elementary school age and above. For more information in Korean or English, visit www.chf.or.kr. To make reservations, call (02) 1566-1369 or book tickets online at Aucti

May 9, 2020

People flock to mountains for respite from virus

Earlier this week, during the “golden holiday,” mountains across South Korea were teeming with hikers and campers, eager for an outdoor getaway while taking precautions against the coronavirus. With the novel coronavirus apparently on the wane in Korea, and the weather mild and pleasant, Koreans are heading to the mountains for “coronavirus-free” activities.   Camping -- an outdoor activity that virtually guarantees some distance and a tangible canvas or nylon barr

May 9, 2020

Large numbers expected at Children’s Grand Park in Seoul on Children’s Day

Thousands of people visited the zoo in Children’s Grand Park on May 1, when it reopened after closing down due to the spread of COVID-19. All the indoor animal exhibits are still closed and only around 50 percent of the outdoor exhibits are open, but that did not stop parents from bringing their children to the park over the long weekend. “On Saturday we had around 25,000 visitors and on Sunday we had 29,000,” said Chun Jin-woo, the head of operations at Children’s Gran

May 4, 2020