Website helps spread accurate information on Korea

A state-run website that corrects inaccurate information about Korea has improved its services to better aid users.Korea Culture and Information Korea said Tuesday it recently upgraded the Fact: Korea website (https://www.factsaboutkorea.go.kr), which on Sept. 3 marks its two-year anniversary. The website allows users to report inaccuracies, which are reviewed and revised by the authorities. The users are then notified of the revisions. Fact: Korea (KOCIS)“There were a lot of complaints that use

Aug. 29, 2018

Seoul's largest multicultural festival to open this weekend

Seoul citizens will have a rare opportunity to enjoy cultural performances and traditional foods from dozens of countries at the city's largest multicultural festival this weekend, municipal officials said Wednesday.The annual "Seoul Friendship Festival 2018" will take place in the three locations in the capital -- Seoul Plaza, Mugyo-Ro and Cheonggyecheon-Ro -- Saturday and Sunday, featuring music and dance performances from 15 sister cities worldwide, various foods from all around the world and

Aug. 29, 2018

Performance recast into painting: Ma Liuming holds solo exhibition in Seoul

Chinese performance artist and painter Ma Liuming is holding a solo exhibition at Hakgojae Gallery in Seoul until Sept. 16.　Titled “Sediment of Performance,” Ma’s latest exhibition features paintings that recast his past avant-garde performances. Ma Liuming poses for photographs at Hakgojae Gallery in Seoul, Friday. (Hakgojae Gallery)Born in Hubei, China, in 1969, Ma is a globally recognized performance artist, particularly through the use of the artist’s performance persona “Fen-Ma Liuming.” Fe

Aug. 20, 2018

South Korean city throws hat in the ring as ‘Yoga City’

South Korean city of Miryang is bending over backward to become a city of yoga. The city government of Miryang said Sunday it will host a global-scale yoga therapy conference and festive yoga-related events for two days on Sept. 1 and 2. Located in South Gyeongsang province, Miryang hosted its first international yoga conference in 2017 and is following up this year with an expanded program.  Miryang hosted its first international yoga conference in 2017. (Miryang City Hall) Miryang will host an

Aug. 19, 2018

National Folk Museum of Korea to bring ‘mobile museums’ to Asian Games

The National Folk Museum of Korea will operate mobile museums at the 18th Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang 2018, which run from Aug. 18 through Sept. 2.Also called “Korean culture boxes,“ mobile museums contain various traditional items from Korea and are being deployed in an effort to promote the nation’s traditional folk culture. Altogether, they will display 153 items representing 88 categories. "Sarangbang" box (NFMK) "Anbang" box (NFMK) "Hanbok" box (NFMK)After the games, the mobile museums wi

Aug. 17, 2018

[Feature] Young Koreans ride ‘ripples of love’ on mobile platforms

South Korea’s dating culture might seem odd and at times confusing, as an entirely different set of rules of engagement have evolved compared to Western cultures. There are a plethora of hashtags related to love or relationship goals. But, do those of the emerging generation of Koreans really want a relationship, or just the feelings of butterflies in the stomach without the serious commitment? 　While Facebook, Instagram and online dating apps are popular, KakaoTalk, the country’s most popular m

Aug. 16, 2018

Learning the charms of secondhand books at old, new places

A passion for books is often symbolized by a love of the scent of new books. But it’s not only the scent of fresh ink and paper that excites book-lovers. The musty scent of a used book can be just as much of a turn-on for bibliophiles. Cheonggyecheon Secondhand Book Street in Dongdaemun, central Seoul, is the most widely known spot for secondhand books. Used books are piled up at Cheonggyecheon Secondhand Book Street. (By Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)Used books are piled up at Cheonggyecheon S

Aug. 16, 2018

[Weekender] Sharing life in the bath

In a weekly web cartoon series popular a few years ago, “Ladies Bathhouse Report,” the cartoonist and public bathhouse devotee showed in detail what Korean women do at public bathhouses.One of the concepts introduced in the series was “dalmogyok” culture, or “monthly bath” culture. The term refers to using monthly vouchers offered at a discounted price. The overall idea is similar to using a gym with a monthly membership. (By Park Hyun-koo / The Korea Herald)(By Park Hyun-koo / The Korea Herald)

Aug. 16, 2018

[Weekender] Bathing around the world

Although a simple everyday act, bathing, in some cultures has greater meaning. Some travelers say that exploring different bathing cultures around the world is a must, as it is a way to learn more about the countries through the experience. Among different cultures, there is a wide variety of traditional themes, rituals, and customs associated with bathing. The diversity is a reflection of cultural, historical differences. Here is a list of bathing cultures around the globe that show that bathin

Aug. 16, 2018

[Weekender] Art dives into old bathtubs

Public bathhouses used to be part of Korea’s culture. On weekends, sons and fathers, daughters and mothers went to bathhouses together, small plastic baskets filled with toiletries in tow. The lifestyle reflected how difficult it was for an average household to have hot running water or a bathtub in the old days. But with changes in the housing environment, these days people mostly bathe at home and public bathhouses are considered out of date.The jjimjilbang has taken the place of bathhouses, f

Aug. 16, 2018

Tour program to see Changgyeonggung as it was, as it is

Changgyeonggung in central Seoul is but a fraction of the grand structure it once was before the 20th century. A tour program of the palace in September and October will have visitors viewing the buildings that stand today, while providing commentary on those that have been destroyed over time.According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, the special tourism program of the palace will take place each Friday in September and October for an hour, starting at 2:30 p.m. There is no additional f

Aug. 15, 2018

The Korea Herald at forefront of Korea’s English-language journalism

The Korea Herald has served as a leading English-language newspaper in South Korea for more than six decades. Its 65th anniversary this year, which falls on Wednesday, testifies to the paper’s unwavering commitment to provide accurate and reliable news to readers at home and abroad.The beginning of The Korea Herald dates back to Aug. 15, 1953, just weeks after the end of the Korean War, when a four-page tabloid English-language daily, then titled The Korean Republic, was first published in a bid

Aug. 14, 2018

The Korea Herald pushing the envelope on video news

If anyone ever wondered where The Korea Herald is, the physical location of it is in Huam-dong, Yongsan-gu in Seoul, South Korea, on the first floor of a five-story building of the Herald Corporation. The building is discernible by its red bricks and a giant H logo on the upper facade. From it, winding alleyways snake through hills to Haebangchon and Itaewon, a district of international elements in the center of the capital city.But The Korea Herald, the nation’s largest English-language newspap

Aug. 14, 2018

CCF 2018 to discuss ‘essence’ of Korea

A forum for discussing Korea’s image in the eyes of the world will be held in Seoul from Aug. 28-29. Culture Communication Forum 2018, organized by the Corea Image Communication Institute, will invite opinion leaders from around the world to “experience the essence of Korean culture and get a chance to promote their own culture,” organizers said Tuesday. Logo for CCF 2018 (CICI)Delegates from the participating countries are: US comic book writer Amy Chu; best-selling author Eran Katz of Israel;

Aug. 14, 2018

Koreas may finally study same pages of history via Manwoldae dig

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles featuring inter-Korean relations to mark the paper’s 65th anniversary that falls on Aug. 15. Following is the seventh installment. – Ed.South and North Koreans have lived in separate social systems for well over half a century, and among the most notable disparities between them are their different views on Korean history, which is ironic considering they shared essentially the same history until the 1950s.Historians here believe the joint arch

Aug. 13, 2018

[Trending] Why do Koreans watch others studying alone on YouTube?

A YouTube creator preparing for a state-run tax accountant’s exam, turns on a camera before he begins studying. The camera shows him reading a book, flipping the pages and jotting down things in his notebook for hours. The footage is live streamed via his channel from 8 a.m. to midnight except for a one-hour lunch and dinner break.The Korean, whose YouTube channel is titled “The man sitting next to me,” is broadcasting what he does, namely, study, without saying a word. Strangely enough, some 10

Aug. 12, 2018

First Belgian culture fest to open in Ghent University Global Campus in Songdo

A Belgian culture festival will kick off at Ghent University Global Campus in Songdo, Incheon, later this month, organizers said Thursday.School officials said the festival, the first of its kind, will be held from Aug. 24 to 25 to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries. A poster for the Belgian culture festival (GUGC)Various events including lectures, exhibitions, music and performances will be held so that visitors can experience Belgium‘s diverse culture,” said school acting pre

Aug. 10, 2018

[Eye Plus] Theme park in abandoned gold mine

Light of various colors from gold to different shades of blue fills a 7.8-kilometer man-made cave located some 12 kilometers southwest of Seoul.The dazzling beams from light-emitting diodes, coupled with an indoor temperature of around 12 degrees Celsius throughout the year, make Gwangmyeong Cave an ideal shelter from the notorious heat this summer.Opened to the public since 2011, the suburban theme park features the nation’s largest 41-meter dragon sculpture, a 194-meter wine cave with a tastin

Aug. 9, 2018

29,000-year-old net sinkers, world's oldest, found in Korean cave

Fourteen 29,000-year-old fishing net sinkers that are considered to be the world's earliest have been excavated in Jeongseon, northeastern Korea, a university museum said Tuesday.The fishing net sinkers made of limestone represent a rare discovery of fishing gear from the Upper Paleolithic era or the Upper Old Stone Age, according to the Yonsei University Museum.    (Yonhap)The sinkers were unearthed during an excavation of four cultural phases from the Paleolithic era at the Maedun Cave in Jeon

Aug. 7, 2018

Changdeokgung throws open gates for nighttime tour

A nighttime tourism program at Changdeokgung palace will commence on Aug. 23, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Monday.The annual “Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace” allows visitors to stroll around the Joseon-era palace after hours, with commentaries by tour guides on the history of the Joseon era, photo opportunities with palace guards in traditional garments, and traditional performances. Tours will be provided in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese. The poster for “Moonli

Aug. 6, 2018