Grand Hilton Seoul preps for Oktoberfest

Grand Hilton Seoul is gearing up for Oktoberfest. The 14th Grand Hilton Seoul Oktoberfest will be held Sept. 7 at the hotel’s Convention Center, ahead of Oktoberfest, the famed beer festival held in Munich, Germany.General Manager Bernhard Brender, who is from Germany, has hosted the hotel’s event since 2007, inviting more than 1,000 guests each year.  The festival features a German buffet, including homemade sausages, schweinshaxe -- roasted pork knuckle -- and pretzels. This y

Aug. 8, 2019

Ice show version of Disney's 'Frozen' lands in Seoul

One of Disney's most successful animated films, "Frozen," has come alive on South Korean ice."Disney on Ice: Frozen" opened at Mokdong Ice Rink in western Seoul on Wednesday for a 12-day run, featuring the full story of the Academy Award-winning animated film. "What makes it so unique and exciting is that 'Frozen' and ice make a perfect match," Gig Siruno, performance director of the show, said in a press conference on Thursday. "We are excited to bring these i

Aug. 1, 2019

Hong Kong’s EMF wraps up after days of e-sports festivities

HONG KONG -- The 2019 E-Sports & Music Festival Hong Kong wrapped up three days of esports competition, cosplay competition to musical performances Sunday. Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the third annual gathering of gaming fans in Asia kicked off Friday with thousands of fans flocking to the scene.Game on One look at the entrance of the event was enough to see that this was a special occasion. Brightly colored wigs and fa

July 31, 2019

Relics of Paleolithic era found in N. Korea's southwest

Paleolithic fossils, stoneware and other remains have been found in North Korea's southwestern region, state media said Monday.Faculty and researchers of Kimilsung University found the remains -- five pieces of stone tools, three pieces of bone tools and 732 pieces of fossil bones -- dating back to the later period of the era near the Ryesong River, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The discovery marked the first time for relics of the Paleolithic age to be found near the Ryesong Rive

July 29, 2019

[Eye Plus] Centennial memory preserved in city center

It is just five minutes’ walk from Seodaemun Subway Station in central Seoul to get out of the glittering city and travel back in time to the early 20th century. The Donuimun Museum Village resurrects an old Seoul neighborhood of the 1960s-1980s with a barbershop, movie theater, arcade, comic book store and more. About 30 historic houses were repurposed and given a new life at the brink of demolition for the public park. Opened in October 2017, the area is the result of the city

July 26, 2019

National Museum of Korean Literature to be more than repository of books

The National Museum of Korean Literature aims to function as a culture complex for the public, allowing readers to enjoy Korean literature in diverse forms. The museum has taken the first step toward its launch, as the founding committee was registered as a corporation earlier this year. The museum will be built in the Eunpyeong district of western Seoul. Construction of the museum will begin in October 2021, with the opening date slated for December 2023. “The need to build a proper museu

July 24, 2019

2019 IYF World Culture Camp wraps up

The 2019 IYF World Culture Camp, the largest cultural camp for undergrads worldwide, ended its two-week run Thursday at Namdong Gymnasium in Incheon.  The camp is International Youth Fellowship’s annual event that offers a wide variety of programs, with the aim of offering education and introduction to Korean culture to students from around the world.The 22nd edition of the cultural event kicked off in Busan on July 7, with some 4,000 participants from about 60 countries. Programs for

July 21, 2019

[Weekender] Better at night

With humid weather and blazing heat, summer can get the best of even the most avid outdoorsman. Fortunately, South Korea has many fun things to do at night. Here’s a guide on what to do, from a horror-themed bus tour of night-view spots in Seoul to festivals that blend music, food and a cool summer vibe.  Outdoor concerts Plan a Saturday evening outing to the Seoul Arts Center and the adjacent National Gugak Center at the eastern tip of the capital city for a mix of nature, arts

July 19, 2019

Communal dipping, ‘a wartime eating habit with health consequences’

Chopsticks and spoons digging into the same dish are not an uncommon sight at Korean dining tables.　Bowls of rice are served individually, but “banchan,” or side dishes, and “jjigae,” or stew, are often served communally, meant to be shared.　Sharing stew from the same pot is not considered good table manners here, but many forego the ladle and small bowls that come with the stew, dipping their spoons directly into the pot.　But this seemingly customary practice is not actu

July 18, 2019

Baekje tomb remnants found in Gongju

A state-run research center has found traces of 41 Baekje-era tumuli near the tomb of King Muryeong in Gongju, some of which could turn out to be newfound royal tombs, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Wednesday.The discovery was made during research conducted as part of a long-term study on the tumuli at Songsan-ri -- part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Baekje Historic Areas -- according to the CHA affiliate the Buyeo National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

July 17, 2019

12 years a dispute: Who owns ‘people’s words’?

 Supreme Court ruling seeks to end quarrel over ownership of version of ‘Hunminjeongeum’In September 1446, Sejong the Great published the document “Hunminjeongeum” -- meaning “proper sound for teaching the people” -- which describes the Korean writing system Hangeul.The original manuscript of the book carries a preface written by the Joseon king, footnotes about the content and explanations on how Sejong created Hangeul to help commoners learn to read and

July 16, 2019

Things to do at FINA championships

GWANGJU —Water sports competitions are not the only attraction during the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships, being held July 12-28. There are a wide range of sideline events for spectators and visitors.Upon entering the gate of Nambu University, the main FINA championships venue, visitors will encounter what is called Market Street, featuring an IT showroom, food trucks and cultural performances. At the IT showroom, visitors can get hands-on experience of 5G networks, including autono

July 12, 2019

What to do in Gwangju: Cultural events on swimming championships’ sidelines

Gwangju is considered the center of culture and tourism in the Jeolla region, the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula. While the so-called “City of Light” is illuminated July 12-28 for the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships, a number of cultural events have been scheduled to coincide with the sports event. Visitors will have plenty of chances to experience traditional music, dance, street performances, art and food.The year-round Gwangju Fringe Festival is going on at May 1

July 11, 2019

[Graphic News] Games led sharp growth in Korea‘s cultural exports in 2017

　South Korea’s exports of cultural goods jumped about 47 percent year-on-year in 2017, led by games, K-pop and publishing, an official survey showed.　The combined overseas sales in nine culture and entertainment sectors reached about $8.81 billion, up 46.7 percent from the previous year, according to the annual content industry statistics published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The figure compares with the country‘s overall export growth that year of 15.8 percent.　T

July 10, 2019

Culture minister vows support for gaming market

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Yang-woo on Monday said the ministry will continue to support growth of the local gaming market while preparing measures related to the World Health Organization’s recent move to classify gaming addiction as a disease.Speaking at a press conference marking his 100th day in office, Park called the gaming market a “fast-growing export market.” “I promised the gaming industry in May that I would remove the monthly restriction for

July 8, 2019

2019 IYF World Culture Camp kicks off in Busan

The 2019 IYF World Culture Camp, the largest cultural camp for undergrads worldwide, kicked off over the weekend in the southern port city Busan, with an aim to offer character education and exposure to Korean culture. Inviting some 4,000 participants from about 60 countries, the annual event offers a wide variety of programs this year, including performances by distinguished musicians, lectures, visits to tourist attractions, and academic sessions.“A strong mindset capable of overcoming d

July 7, 2019

S. Korea's Confucian academies inscribed on UNESCO list

The Nine Seowon, Confucian academies from the Joseon era, have officially been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration said late Saturday.　The CHA said it had been decided earlier in the day at the 43rd meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan, that “Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies” are to be included as a world heritage, bringing the number of South Korean items on the list to 14. 　Seowon were educa

July 7, 2019

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ continues to echo throughout Korea

It seems like the “Bohemian Rhapsody” phenomenon may never die out, evidenced by the concerts, shows and even a Seoul art exhibition paying tribute to Queen and the band’s legendary frontman Freddie Mercury.Piling onto the onslaught of Queen-mania here, the exhibition “Bohemian Rhapsody: The Queen Exhibition” is to take place at Ara Art Center in Insa-dong, central Seoul, from Sunday to Oct. 6. The exhibition has been officially approved by Queen Productions. 

July 5, 2019

[Eye Plus] Making science fun for kids

With the summer vacation season now upon us, parents with school-aged children can visit city-run science centers for kids instead of crowded indoor playgrounds and shopping malls. The Seoul Metropolitan Government runs a center in Hagye-dong, Nowon-gu, where children and teens can have fun learning about science. The Seoul Science Center is a three-story building on 12,330 square meters of land, with four exhibition halls. It is the first city-run science museum in the northern part of the city

July 5, 2019

[Graphic News] Number of museums to rise to 1,310 by 2023

　The number of museums, including art galleries, in South Korea will increase by 16 percent over the next five years under a government proposal to make representative cultural infrastructure more accessible to the public, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.　The ministry unveiled a medium and long-term museum expansion plan to raise the number of museums nationwide by 186 from the current 1,124 to 1,310 in 2023.　By the target year, the nation will have 1,013 museums, up from 873, a

July 4, 2019