Fee waivers spark surge in temple visits

The number of visitors to temples across South Korea this year increased by 33 percent on average from the previous year, likely thanks to fee waivers instituted in May. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, the agency handling the grant, the surge in visits to 31 temples across the country between May and September was led by Hwaeomsa, a temple in South Jeolla Province that saw a 42 percent jump in the number of visitors. Next up was Haeinsa in South Gyeongsang Province and Seonams

Dec. 27, 2023

Korean artifacts reclaimed from overseas rise 9-fold

The number of South Korean artifacts that have been retrieved from abroad this year increased to 1,550 from 170 in the last year, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. The artifacts were collected through purchases made on behalf of the CHA’s Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation as well as personal donations by collectors, the agency said. Such items include Daedongnyeojido, or the Territorial Map of the Great East by cartographer Kim Jeong-ho. This map is more detai

Dec. 25, 2023

[Eye Plus] 'Sangmo' adds wings to gugak

“The 'sangmo' can be called the ‘wings for gugak,’ as it enriches gugak performances,” says nongak performer Kim Ji-won. The "sangmo" is a Joseon-era military hat with ornaments. The ornaments -- attached to the top of the hat -- come in diverse shapes, such as ribbons, feathers or flowers. Performers wearing the sangmo spin their heads while playing an instrument alongside other band members in nongak, a type of traditional music and dance created by

Dec. 23, 2023

[Well-curated] Lantern festival, PC room and animations galore

Seoul Lantern Festival The annual Seoul Lantern Festival, held until Jan. 21, 2024, is made all the more memorable this year with the event spanning areas from Gwanghwamun Square to Seoul Plaza. The areas light up from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The lighting show, which first began in 2009, features installations and media facades, as well as on-site programs. The festival is taking place concurrently with the Gwanghwamun Flea Market, a pilot program that took off last year. The market offers not only ha

Dec. 22, 2023

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

Paraspara Seoul presents unique Christmas Paraspara Seoul is offering a special Christmas-themed package for visitors who check in on Christmas Eve. The “Santa Claus Coming to Bukhansan” package allows parents to leave Christmas presents they have prepared at the hotel’s front desk before checking in. Santa Claus will then later visit the guests’ rooms to deliver the gifts in person. Paraspara Seoul’s Christmas cookies are offered to children as well. The package al

Dec. 22, 2023

KOCCA to open 10 more overseas business centers

The Korea Creative Content Agency announced on Tuesday its plans for 2024 to support Korean content firms and revamp internal management, in a bid to promote K-content both domestically and globally. The agency's main goals for next year center around K-content export, structural reorganization and the implementation of environmental, social and governance values in its business activities. To accelerate the export of K-content, KOCCA said it will increase the number of its overseas busines

Dec. 19, 2023

Koreans warm to Instagram webtoons

Social networking service Instagram is slowly rising as one of Korea's most popular platforms for reading webtoons. The new content format known locally as "instatoon" is growing in popularity as people increasingly seek freely serialized webtoons, autobiographical content and easy access to webtoons. In a Korea Creative Content Agency survey of 3,500 Korean webtoon readers aged 10 to 69 conducted between July 2022 and May 2023, Instagram was ranked as the fifth most-used platform

Dec. 19, 2023

[Herald Review] 'Crescendo' unveils Lim Yun-chan's rise to top at Van Cliburn

“South Korean pianist Lim Yun-chan becomes the youngest winner of Van Cliburn Int'l Piano Competition,” The Korea Herald’s headline read when Lim triumphed at the competition in June 2022. For those whose interest lies beyond the headlines -- perhaps fierce tension and other participants who left the competition empty-handed or why they participated in the competition in the first place and how the youngest Korean participant slowly grabbed the hearts of the judge, audienc

Dec. 19, 2023

[Reporter’s Notebook] Mohegan Inspire Resort to be new Incheon landmark… but not just yet

YEONGJONGDO, Incheon -- For many Koreans, heading to Yeongjongdo means excitement and thrills. The island -- located some 50 kilometers from Seoul -- has popular cafes, tasty seafood restaurants and beautiful beaches, but Yeongjongdo is visited mostly because of air travelers using the country’s main international gateway, Incheon International Airport. After Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort started its soft opening on Nov. 30 and hosted the Melon Music Awards (MMA), one of the nation&

Dec. 18, 2023

Hyundai's Genesis gets CICI award

Hyundai Motor's luxury vehicle brand Genesis has won an award for its contribution to raising South Korea's image globally, the Corea Image Communication Institute said Monday. The award will be presented at the Korea Image Award ceremony in Seoul on Jan. 10, 2024. The Korea Image Stepping Stone Award, awarded to Genesis, recognizes individuals or businesses who played a part in advancing South Korea's image on the global stage. Swiss architect Mario Botta was named the Korea Imag

Dec. 18, 2023

[Newsmaker] Police investigate after Gyeongbokgung walls vandalized

Gyeongbokgung, one of Korea's significant cultural heritage sites, was vandalized with spray paint Saturday. The police are tracking down the person behind the graffiti that spans some 44 meters of wall. The incident occurred around 1:50 a.m., when an unidentified suspect wrote graffiti with red and blue spray paint on various sections of the palace, including both the left and right sides of Yeongchumun (The West Gate), and the side gate near the National Palace Museum of Korea, according

Dec. 17, 2023

[Well-curated] Harry Potter, Warner Bros. and an experimental bakery

Chewy rusk? Experimental bakery at Haebangchon Located on the way down the steep Haebangchon hill, O’pato, which has been loved for its homely European brunch and dining menu from soup to sandwiches, has newly opened a bakery offering a variety of experimental but irresistible bread. Although the bakery opened just a month ago, O’pato bakery’s chewing bread -- a chewy rusk made with a whole loaf of bread or salted butter roll -- has gone viral and can be purchased online and d

Dec. 15, 2023

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

Moxy Seoul Myeongdong presents holiday season promotion Moxy Seoul Myeongdong, located in one of Seoul’s main tourist districts Myeong-dong, is offering a special holiday food promotion featuring a chop steak with Champagne. The juicy chop steak topped with the chef’s special sauce and a bottle of Beaumont Des Crayeres will be available during the holiday season. Two specialty cocktails -- the snow red velvet cocktail and the ruby mojito – are available as well. The promotional

Dec. 15, 2023

Naver's US webtoon subsidiary appoints new top brass ahead of listing

Naver Webtoon on Thursday said that Webtoon Entertainment, Naver's subsidiary in the United States responsible for the webtoon service's North American business, has made a new addition to its top brass. David J. Lee has been appointed chief financial officer and chief operating officer at Webtoon Entertainment, according to Naver Webtoon. Upon taking the new role, Lee will be in charge of unifying and overseeing global corporate, financial and operations teams at Webtoon Entertainment

Dec. 14, 2023

Pinkfong, Baby Shark explore Korea in new English booklet

The Korea Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) and Pinkfong Company have jointly created an English booklet titled, “Let’s Explore Korea with Pinkfong and Baby Shark,” introducing South Korea and Korean culture to children worldwide. The creator behind “Baby Shark” and other children's songs, which feature animated animal characters, takes a playful approach as Baby Shark hears from Grandma Shark about a treasure box she obtained during her trip to Korea. Pi

Dec. 14, 2023

National Museum sets attendance record

A record 4 million people have visited the National Museum of Korea this year, the highest annual number since the state-run institution relocated to central Seoul’s Yongsan-gu in 2005, the museum said Wednesday. The museum, which is the largest museum in the country housing more than 1.5 million artifacts and showcasing about 10,000 pieces in regular exhibitions, marked the occasion by presenting the 4 millionth visitor with gifts. “One of my friends told me to go visit the museum

Dec. 13, 2023

Bibimbap, 'Cupid,' 'King the Land' among the most searched on Google

Korea's traditional dish bibimbap was the most-searched recipe on Google in 2023, while several other Korean content-related keywords, including K-dramas and K-pop song titles, were included in the global search engine’s top search list for this year. Google announced its “Year in Search 2023,” a roundup of words most frequently searched by its users across the globe. Search words were sorted into 18 categories that included news, recipes and songs. Topping the list for re

Dec. 13, 2023

ARKO unveils 28 new promising projects to support

Arts Council Korea, an organization that supports diverse arts and cultural activities in the country, has unveiled 28 repertories through ARKO Selection. ARKO Selection is an effort to discovers outstanding creative repertoires of drama, musicals, choreography, opera and traditional arts that the organization launched 15 years ago. The art productions are selected through a three-step evaluation process of document review, interview and on-site assessment. Selected groups are provided with su

Dec. 13, 2023

Talks resume ahead of S. Korea-ASEAN culture exchange projects

South Korea will discuss coordinating joint projects to promote Seoul’s cultural heritage, during a two-day dialogue that started Tuesday with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The working-level talks, attended for the third time by officials in charge of cultural ties, will discuss how Asian nations can advance cultural traditions, particularly those involving the cultivation of rice, a staple in South Korea. “The meeting this time will be

Dec. 12, 2023

Hanwha Classic continues with decade-long promotion of Baroque music

When the Hanwha Classic, a 10-year-old concert series that highlights Baroque music, returns this year with a top Italian ensemble and star mandolinist, it will be offering a rare chance not only for period music fans but also for the musicians who continue to evolve to enjoy Baroque music. Titled “Unity: Il Giardino Armonico and Avi Avital,” the concerts will take place Tuesday and Wednesday at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center. For the 10th anniversary of the Hanwha Classic

Dec. 11, 2023