Hiking trail, viewing sunrise at Mount Jungmisan

Life in Seoul can be draining, even for the most dedicated urbanites. Sooner or later it takes its toll on city dwellers. When that happens, one solution is a weekend getaway to relax and appreciate nature, yet not too much of a headache to reach. Jungmisan Natural Recreational Forest fulfills these conditions.Acclaimed for its hiking trails, scenery and serene view of the sunrise, Jungmisan Mountain is located in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, and is 46 kilometers from East Seoul Bus Termin

Aug. 2, 2013

Taking a relaxing stroll through botanical gardens at Mount Yumyeongsan

For busy city dwellers, even thinking of wasting several hours in a car, train or bus during a short summer vacation is stressful. But just one hour’s drive east from Seoul is a marvelous driving course along Cheongpyeong Lake and through Cheongpyeong Dam. The road from Seorak-myeon all the way to Yumyeongsan National Recreational Forest immerses travelers in the lush greenery of the countryside. For those who enjoy hiking, the trail of flat and steep slopes along with the valley and rocky outcr

Aug. 2, 2013

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Pop music“2013 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival”: The Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival is an annual three-day music festival that features some of the hottest acts in the international and local music scene. Since its inauguration year in 2006, the festival has been responsible for bringing in top acts such as Muse, The Black Eyed Peas, The Strokes, Korn, Hoobastank and many others. This year’s festival will be held at the Incheon Songdo 23 Geunrin Park from Aug. 2 to 4 and will feature headlining

Aug. 2, 2013

Sights and sounds of Cuba

Music and art from Cuba are the highlight of “2013 Cuban Culture Art Festival,” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korea Foundation.The event, aimed at promoting cultural exchange between Korea and Cuba, runs in Seoul from Aug. 2 to 4 at Yongsan Art Center; Pyeongchang and Daegu on Aug. 7; Andong on Aug. 8; and in Suncheon on Aug. 9. As the event’s main program, “Cuba Concert” will feature well-known Cuban band Buena Fe performing Cuban popular music, the traditional dance performa

Aug. 1, 2013

Culture Communication Forum aims to raise national image

The Corea Image Communication Institute will host its fourth annual Culture Communication Forum next month, inviting a wide range of cultural icons from 16 countries to Korea in the hope of increasing understanding and knowledge of the nation as a brand. “I think through this forum people will have a better opportunity to communicate by exchanging cultures,” said CICI president Choi Jung-wha. “Here people can not only come to experience Korean culture, but talk and exchange ideas with others and

July 31, 2013

Major artifacts of Silla banned from leaving country for upcoming N.Y. show

Important ancient Korean artifacts that were to be the highlight of an upcoming exhibition on the art of the ancient kingdom of Silla at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will not be displayed as the Cultural Heritage Administration ordered they remain in Korea due to risks of potential damage. One of the artifacts, the gilt-bronze Buddhist statue “Pensive Bodhisattva” from the Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57-A.D. 935), was to have been the highlight of the new exhibition “Silla: Korea’s Golden

July 31, 2013

Puppet Fest Chuncheon celebrates 25th year

The largest puppet festival in Korea, the annual Puppet Festival Chuncheon, kicks off on Aug. 9-15 this year. Marking its 25th anniversary, the festival will present 200 performances by 96 teams of puppeteers and puppet theater troupes from Korea and abroad. Seven acclaimed puppet troupes from six countries including Greece, China, Portugal, Bulgaria, New Zealand and Spain are participating in the festival. Greek team Nevma Theatre will feature the bunraku-style (a form of traditional Japanese p

July 29, 2013

Changdeokgung Palace to restart moonlight tours in August

The popular night time tours of Changdeokgung Palace return in August.The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation will be hosting “2013 Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace” from Aug. 21 to Oct. 20.A UNESCO World Heritage site, Changdeokgung Palace is one of the five palaces in Seoul built during the Joseon period. The program includes a walk around the palace while learning fun facts with the help of an expert guide. Afterward, participants will be able to

July 28, 2013

Learning out of class

One million liters of water, 1,200 chickens, 13,345 eggs, and 4,239 rolls of toilet paper. This is how much an average person consumes during his 78.5 years on Earth, according to “Lifetime Numbers Made by a Person,” an infographics project by Yook Ho-joon. Yook’s work is part of a Sejong Center exhibition titled “BINGO - The Story of Life and Arts from Cuban Refrigerators,” a rare opportunity to enjoy Cuban contemporary art as well as Korean artists’ paintings and installations. While the 15 Ko

July 26, 2013

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 Pop Music“2013 Ansan Valley Rock Festival”: As Korea’s biggest rock festival, the Valley Rock Festival presents one of the best lineups of big musicians from Korea and abroad such as this year’s headliners The Cure, NiN, Skrillex, the Foals, the XX, My Bloody Valentine, Idiotape, Peppertones and many others. This year’s festival has moved from Jisan Resort to the Daebu Sea Breeze Theme Park. The three-day festival will be held from July 26 to 28. Ticket prices are 120,000 won for a one-day pass

July 26, 2013

Exhibition commemorates 60 years of peace on peninsula

A black-and-white picture of stone-faced soldiers, taken moments before battle. A poignant video clip showing American war veterans giving testimonies of the hardships they faced in Korea, thousands of miles away from home. These are only some of the 120 photographs and 60 videos on display at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History. The exhibition, titled “Sixty Years After the Armistice (1953-2013),” is to commemorate the 60th year of peace since the Korean Armistice Agreement in 19

July 24, 2013

Drama-inspired tourist program offers Korean cooking class

There is more to Korean culture than Psy and K-dramas. For those interested in the country’s traditions, the state-run Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation is launching a tourist program to promote Korea’s food, music, dance and more.Titled “HAN STYLE,” the program features the traditional Korean cuisine hansik, the traditional Korean costume hanbok, the traditional Korean paper hanji and the Korean writing system Hangeul, as well as traditional dance and music performances. When the program is in

July 24, 2013

East meets West in new hallyu program

While the entertainment sector has been the mainstay of hallyu, the government has been keen on introducing a wider scope of the country’s culture to foreigners.One recent effort is the “2013 Sensuous K-Heritage,” a program that introduces Korean culture and heritage through traditional arts performances and food, presented by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation in partnership with Starbucks Coffee Korea.The participants for the weekly events are selected by the Korean Culture and Information

July 23, 2013

Escape the blazing heat or grab it by the horns

The dog days of summer aren’t quite over yet and the hot and sticky climate is enough to make anyone want to stay at home in nothing but their shorts, planted in front of a fully cranked-up air conditioner, just waiting for autumn to arrive. However, for those who are looking for more exciting ways to pass the time, there are a number of options available. Whether you opt to beat the heat in the shade or fight fire with fire by sweating it out in even more scorching temperatures, you don’t need

July 19, 2013

Folk museum exhibition offers deeper understanding of shamanism

Shamanistic rituals that revolve around the lives of fishermen are the subject of a special exhibition currently taking place at the National Folk Museum of Korea.For the exhibition, “The Sea and Rites,” the museum’s curators gathered objects from more than 12,000 reference items that were donated by folklorist Ha Hyo-gil in 2012. Ha, who has studied and collected data about Korean shamanism since the 1970s, served as the director of the museum from 1982 to 1986. The exhibition offers insight in

July 17, 2013