As night falls, Korea’s ancient beauty comes to life at Deoksugung

Deoksugung Palace, Seoul (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)As dusk turns to darkness, the palace of Deoksugung in the heart of Seoul is illuminated by vivid lights and silhouettes. Visitors revel in the venue’s magnetic optics created by palace buildings from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), including forested gardens, fountains and neoclassical structures. Deoksugung’s main structures are its principle hall Junghwajeon, two-story building Seokeodang, reception room Jeonggwanheon and Hamnyeongjeon,

Nov. 8, 2018

Govt. to build Korean literature museum in Seoul's northwestern district

The government said Thursday it will construct the country's first-ever national museum to promote Korean literature in northwestern Seoul.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that the land where a state-invested housing complex for journalists was once located in Seoul's Eunpyeong district was finally chosen to be the location of the National Museum of Korean Literature. (The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)The government plans to spend 60 billion won ($53.6 million) to

Nov. 8, 2018

Hangeul to be featured at Language Show exhibition in London

A Hangeul booth will be set up at The Language Show exhibition, Europe’s largest language event, which is being held from Friday to Sunday in London.Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Thursday it would run a Hangeul exhibition booth together with the King Sejong Institute Foundation at Olympia West Hall in London. (The ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism)The Hangeul exhibition will promote Hangeul, Korean and Korean culture under the theme “Light up the Hangeul, Korean langu

Nov. 8, 2018

Stepping into world of virtual reality

Though virtual reality may seem like a vision from a faraway future, that future may be closer than we think. Virtual reality games are already amusing young Seoulites so much that the industry stands at the very heart of information technology powerhouse South Korea. According to VRfan, a local community website for VR enthusiasts, there are around 190 VR entertainment facilities nationwide. That number has increased 1,000 percent since 2016. VR entertainment -- ranging from short films to vide

Nov. 6, 2018

Pet ‘sky shot’ trend fires animal abuse controversy

In recent months, a number of photos on social media showing pets thrown up in the sky have sparked criticism over animal abuse.To get a photo of pets in the blue sky, some pet owners throw them in the air or hold them up high in what has been called the “sky shot” trend. Pet owners comment on how cute their pets’ faces are as they are thrown up in the air, adding hashtags “sky shot” and “flight shot” to the photos on social media. Most photos show the pets’ scared expressions with enlarged eyes

Nov. 2, 2018

[Eye Plus] Decades after bombing, Maehyangri seeks reemergence as ‘Peace Village’

Striving to move on from its decades-long history of bombings and explosions, South Korea’s coastal village of Maehyangri in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, is working to rebrand itself as a symbol of peace and ecological preservation.Two islets around Maehyangri Village were used as a bombing range for the US Air Force -- the Kooni Firing Range -- between 1954 and 2005. Given this, the town’s residents had to endure what they said was life similar to a war zone, even after the Korean War ended in

Nov. 1, 2018

[Weekender] No more chicken? Getting pulse read in Korean medicine and matching dietary habits

The contents in this article are subjective and not intended as a professional recommendation. – Ed. Believe it or not, I am to stay away from chicken.Or at least that was the result of my recent trips to a traditional Korean medicine clinic.While most Koreans are used to herbal medicine and acupuncture, finding out one’s body type based on constitutional typology and sticking to respective dietary recommendations requires slightly more devotion and well, faith. With constitutional medicine trea

Nov. 1, 2018

[Trending] Wildly popular ‘Labor Song’ said to be a productivity booster

A 50-minute K-pop playlist titled “Labor Song” is taking over the internet with its fast-paced tempo and vibrant melody. Listeners say it’s an incredible productivity booster.The clip was first uploaded on YouTube in 2015, but the song has gone viral three years after making its debut on the platform and had garnered more than 1.7 million views as of Monday. No one seems to know why the video has suddenly reappeared on users’ YouTube feed, but people say the song helps them push themselves while

Oct. 29, 2018

Korean wrestling likely to enter world heritage list

Korean authorities are closing in on their bid to include ssireum, a traditional form of wrestling, on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural assets, as the evaluation body of the UNESCO recommended its inscription.According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, the assessment panel of the international body recommended the inscription for 29 of the 40 applicants, including ssireum. Whether Korean wrestling will be included in the list will be confirmed after a deliberation at the 13th sessio

Oct. 29, 2018

VOICE FOR REFORMATION

Pastors from the Christian Leaders Fellowship hold a news conference in Seoul on Thursday to mark the 500 years since the Protestant Reformation. They spoke on Christian reformation and the future direction for churches. (CLF)

Oct. 26, 2018

[Weekender] Homeless animals in Korea: Finding homes for those who fall through the cracks

Emily Doran, an English teacher in Seoul, has found homes for more than 140 dogs over the past two years -- many of them “last-day dogs” from city shelters, where unclaimed strays can be killed after a 10-day holding period under South Korea’s Animal Protection Act. Her rescue group, Domo’s Friends, has more than 1,000 followers on Facebook. Doran is one of a number of advocates concerned about the animal rescue system in Korea and trying to mitigate its shortcomings through private efforts.  (H

Oct. 25, 2018

[Weekender] Seoulites seek coexistence with stray cats

Change is taking place on the streets of Seoul for human-cat cohabitation.The Seoul city government’s stray cat policy centers on population control, but there’s more to homeless cats’ lives than reproductive impediment. Where the city government fails to fill in, people who are in touch with their feline neighbors on a daily basis are paving the way for humans and street cats to live together.For as long as anyone can remember, cats have not been the most beloved animals in Korea, often perceiv

Oct. 25, 2018

[Trending] College student sweeps internet with comical videos

College student Baek Seung-heon, better known by his nickname, “Seungheonss,” has gained explosive popularity among younger people in Korea with his funny livestreaming and videos on social media platforms.  YouTube creator Seungheonss (YouTube channel Feel like Feel)The 21-year-old YouTuber’s debut was in 2014, when he uploaded his first dance video on a Facebook group called “Seungheonss and kids.” He launched the group to share fun high school memories with friends, but the videos of Baek dan

Oct. 25, 2018

Foreign students invited to Chungnam Univ. for ‘Hello, Mr. K!’

Foreign students will get a chance to experience Korean culture at an event at Chungnam National University in Daejeon on Thursday, the Korean Culture and Information Service said.The event, consisting of a forum to culturally engage foreign students in South Korea and a cultural concert titled “Hello, Mr. K!” is the fourth of its kind, having been co-organized by KOCIS and the Korea International Broadcasting Foundation every year since 2015. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism via Yonhap)

Oct. 24, 2018

Korea to hold cultural festival near DMZ this weekend

South Korea will hold a cultural festival at a former US army base near the inter-Korean border this weekend as part of efforts to transform the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone into a hub of peace-themed tourism, organizers said Monday.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Gyeonggi Provincial Government said they will co-host a fall seasonal cultural festival called "DMZ Transformation Peace Hanmadang" at Camp Greaves just south of the DMZ on Saturday and Sunday. (Yonhap)The f

Oct. 22, 2018

BTS to appear in videos promoting Seoul tourism overseas

K-pop superstars BTS will present seven different tourist themes in Seoul in a series of videos to be released this week, the Seoul city government said Sunday.The videos, titled "My Seoul Playlist" and bearing the slogan "Live Seoul like I Do," will be released on TV, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other media platforms, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. This image, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Oct. 21, 2018, shows a still from a video promoting tourism in Se

Oct. 21, 2018

[Photo News] Street styles we noticed at 2019 S/S Seoul Fashion Week

The shows are amazing at the 2019 S/S Hera Seoul Fashion Week, but the fun spills out to the streets. Brightly dyed hair was a visible trend at Dongdaemun Design Plaza on Friday, alongside see-through blouses, neon tops and transparent plastic bags.Oversized jackets, baggy pants, leopard print and fashionable eyewear also drew attention.  (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea He

Oct. 19, 2018

AGF 2018 to greet Korea’s anime and game buffs

Korea’s first crossover anime and game festival, Anime X Game Festival 2018, will be held at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, from Nov. 3-4　Fans will have a chance to meet top-rated Japanese voice actors such as Ayako Kawasumi (whose roles include Nodame in “Nodame Cantabile”) and Hiroki Takahashi at their live talk sessions. Singer ASCA & halca will also perform. (Screenshot from Youtube)Booths with character goods and comic books as well as collaboration cafes are also open.Early bird tick

Oct. 19, 2018

Jikji Korea festival to wrap up three-week run Sunday

Jikji Korea International Festival, an annual cultural event in honor of the world's oldest extant book printed with movable metal type, will conclude its 21-day run in the central South Korean city of Cheongju on Sunday. Printed at the Heungdeok Temple in Cheongju in 1377, "Jikji" is the abbreviated title of "Jikjisimcheyojeol," a book on the Zen teachings of great Buddhist priests. In that year, two disciples of Ven. Baegun completed the publication of the book written by him using movable met

Oct. 19, 2018

[Eye Plus] Sinpo-dong, where old meets new

Dubbed Incheon’s “Myeongdong,” one of the busiest shopping districts in Seoul, Sinpo Market in the port city Sinpo-dong is blooming with new energy. (Photographed by Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)Dating back to the late 19th century, the historical market was formed as Korean vendors started selling fresh vegetables and fish to the Japanese, Chinese and Westerners who settled near the port. Now home to about 160 stores, the market has been Incheon’s most crucial cultural and economic center for

Oct. 18, 2018