[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Hallim Park Narcissus Festival The Narcissus Festival, which began Jan. 21, will run through Feb. 19 at Hallim Park, one of the most popular tourist spots on Jeju Island. The park, reaching almost 100 thousand square meters in size, is home to various types of flowers and plants. More than a million narcissuses welcome flower lovers during its flowering season. Admission is 9,000 won ($7.38), 10,000 won and 15,000 won for children, teenagers and adults, respectively. Online reservation can be

Feb. 3, 2023

[Newsmaker] New visas, faster entries: Immigration changes in 2023

South Korea has recently rolled out a series of changes for foreign visitors and residents in the country, ranging from new visas to giving young children access to automated immigration gates at airports. The measures are intended to draw more foreigners, from tourists to long-term workers, after a period of pandemic-induced strict border controls. Introduction of new visas Two new visa types will be made available to visitors, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced last mont

Feb. 1, 2023

KTO sums up 2023 travel trend with MOMENT

The Korea Tourism Organization predicted this year's domestic travel trend as focusing on individual travelers' aspirations to discover their interests and preferences rooted in their daily lives, summarizing the trend with the acronym, MOMENT. The travel trend forecast was announced by the Culture Ministry and KTO on Tuesday, based on an analysis of travel-related big data collected over three years. The data included travel expenses and the use of social media, as well as in-dept

Jan. 31, 2023

Gangwon offers fun, exciting winter activities

As the temperature across the country plunged to the lowest points this winter this week, those looking for wintertime fun and thrills can expect even more fun in Gangwon Province, the mountainous province known for its abundant snowfall -- one of the reasons why Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics. Among the exciting options at Gangwon Province are lure fishing, bare-handed fishing, sledding, trekking, skiing and, for the die-hard K-drama fans, Korean drama filming l

Jan. 28, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Full Moon Festival, Samcheok The highland city of Samcheok, Gangwon Province, is set to celebrate its annual Full Moon Festival, known as “Jeongwol Daeboreum.” Jeongwol Daeboreum is a traditional holiday marking the first full moon of the Lunar New Year. The festival will be held Feb. 3-5 at areas near Samcheok Beach and Expo Square in the city. The three-day event offers a singing competition, stage performances and other traditional Korean folk games, including tug-of-war. The most

Jan. 27, 2023

Hundertwasser Park turns Udo from a ‘drop-by’ site to final destination

JEJU ISLAND -- Before three-wheeled electric cars and its natural and unkempt landscape raised its profile as a go-to tourist destination, Udo -- a small resort island just east of Jeju Island -- had been dismissed as a place to stay for only a few hours. Most visitors would cycle around the island along the splendid coastline, enjoying a panoramic view of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, then take a ferry back to Jeju to continue their travels. But Hundertwasser Park, a natural art park and resort nam

Jan. 21, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival The second edition of the Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival will run through March 5 at Italian Village and Petite France in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The event allows visitors to experience a bit of overseas travel via the flea market lined with European antiques, traditional Italian houses and more. The splendid lighting aside, the festival hosts various cultural programs, including music box performances, a puppet show, a circus w

Jan. 20, 2023

Take a free shuttle to Cheong Wa Dae

A shuttle to Cheong Wa Dae that circuits back to Gyeongbokgung is free of charge for everyone starting this year. The Cheong Wa Dae tour bus launched last June and was only free to people over 65, children under 8, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. The number of passengers last year amounted to 49,820, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday. The shuttle runs 12 times a day, 15 minutes apart. A separate shuttle with a wheelchair lift will also be in service. The bu

Jan. 18, 2023

Manila, Cebu await return of foreign tourists

MANILA, Philippines -- So many aspects of our lives have been deferred due to the pandemic, especially the joy of getting away from it all. After three long years, as countries opened their doors to foreign visitors South Koreans spared no time, contributing to an uptick in tourism in destinations like Japan, Guam and the Philippines. The Philippines attracted 2.65 million visitors last year, including 428,014 from South Korea, who formed the second-largest group of foreign visitors to the count

Jan. 14, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Daegwallyeong Snow Festival, Pyeongchang The Daegwallyeong Snow Festival will run from Jan. 20-29 in the area around Songcheon Stream in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. The annual festival began in 1993, and has become among the most famous winter festivals in South Korea. The event features beautiful snowy hills and enjoyable activities for both children and adults. Admission fees for the snowgloo park and snow sledding cost 8,000 won and 10,000 won, respectively. Online reservations can be made

Jan. 13, 2023

'Korea Grand Sale 2023' kicks off with various advantages for tourists

The 48-day Korea Grand Sale 2023 kicked off on Thursday for foreign nationals who look to visit South Korea. Korea Grand Sale, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has taken place each year since 2011. The campaign aims at boosting the tourism industry during the winter season, when the lowest number of tourist visit South Korea. Dozens of companies including major airlines and hotel chains opened online booths with special advantages in four categories of “flight,&rdq

Jan. 12, 2023

Incheon Airport resumes transit tours

Incheon Airport relaunched its daily transit tour program departing at the airport terminals on Jan. 1. Transit tours are provided free of charge to passengers transferring to another country via Incheon Airport. Using their transfer wait time, passengers can tour major attractions on round-trip tour buses, led by professional guides. Seven different tours are on offer, with four new courses added to the list. The four are: "Past and Present," which visits Cheong Wa Dae and Tongin Ma

Jan. 9, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival, Cheongyang The Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival runs from Jan. 1 to Feb. 12 at the Alps Village in Cheongyang-gun, South Chungcheong Province. The festival offers various activities, including sledding, bobsledding, ice fishing, a zip line course, horseback riding, bare-handed fishing and more. Visitors who do not wish to participate in the hands-on experiences can also enjoy the ice fountain, ice artwork and ice cave. The festival is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m

Jan. 6, 2023

Looking to hit the slopes this winter? Here's where to go

While the country hunkers down waiting for the deep freeze to pass, winter sports fans are welcoming the steep drop in temperature -- it is prime time for skiing and snowboarding. Some adrenaline addicts have already taken out their snowboards, skiing gear and have headed to ski resorts around the country. Following are some of the country’s popular ski resorts if you’re looking to take a late night ride or a weekend trip in the mountains. Vivaldi Park Resort Some 60 kilometers eas

Dec. 31, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Ulsan Ganjeolgot Sunrise Festival Ganjeolgot Cape, known to be the first place in Korea to see the sunrise, will hold the annual New Year’s Sunrise Festival. Starting at sunset on Dec. 31, various cultural performances will take place at Ganjeolgot Park near the lighthouse. Bid goodbye to 2022 and ring in the new year with a wish as the sun rises over the horizon. Detailed information can be found at tour.ulju.ulsan.kr. Yeosu Hyangiram Sunrise Festival Hyangiram Sunrise Festival, an an

Dec. 30, 2022

Translation app gets restaurant menu upgrade

Naver's translation app Papago has added a service to help tourists understand Korean menus, in partnership with the Culture Ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization. The service is uses the app's image translate function. Users can take a picture of a Korean menu to translate it as normal, but tapping "select all" at the bottom brings up a "Food info" tab, with translations that have been tailored for food, and provides additional information about some of t

Dec. 28, 2022

[Newsmaker] Even in bustling Seoul, you can find ways to spend year-end in peace and quiet

The last week of 2022 is almost here. Most popular restaurants and hotels have been booked for weeks and department stores are packed with people doing last-minute Christmas shopping. People across the country will be getting together for a family dinner or sharing wine with friends in brightly lit bars. However, if all the year-end workplace and family obligations have you tired and worn out, you might consider heading to a calm, peaceful spot where you can reflect on the past year and make pla

Dec. 23, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Jeju Fire Festival The Jeju Fire Festival will be held at Saebyeol Oreum in Aewol-eup on Jeju Island from March 18-20. The annual festival is a reinterpretation of “bangae,” the oldest nomadic culture in Jeju, where people pray for richness and health by burning off the old grass and killing vermin in the fields. The shimmering flames provide a stupendous view for visitors. In an attempt to hold a safe festival, all the programs of the Jeju Fire Festival -- opening ceremony, lighting

Dec. 23, 2022

Culture Ministry recommends Korea's must-see spots

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization have unveiled the 100 Must-visit Tourist Spots in Korea list for the years 2023 to 2024. The list is updated every two years, with the aim to introduce and promote Korea's tourism to both Koreans and foreigners. The latest list includes a total of 61 cultural attractions and 39 natural attractions. By region, 24 destinations are located in the greater Seoul area, 10 in Gangwon Province, 13 in Chungcheong provinces, 1

Dec. 17, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Suseong Light Art Festival, Daegu The fourth edition of the Suseong Light Art Festival started Dec. 9 and runs through Jan. 2, 2023 at Suseongmot Lake in Daegu. Ranging from a school project created by Light Art School students from 5 to 19 years old to works from professional artists, the festival is set to display various creations to entertain visitors. A total of 300 light-bearing drones will present a light art show and hands-on activities for the tourists of all ages will be prepared as we

Dec. 16, 2022