Hilton Train takes off on last trip in Seoul

The Millenium Hilton Seoul, landmark hotel perched atop the city with a commanding view of Namsan, announced the final journey of its signature Hilton Train, located in the hotel's main lobby, Friday. The hotel will be closing down on Dec. 31, after the decision was made last year to sell the property to IGIS Asset Management. A special VIP event to mark the start of the final journey of the train was held Friday evening. To celebrate the train's final run on a special note, Millennium

Oct. 16, 2022

[Herald Interview] Analog photographer Area Park captures natural, personal disasters

Area Park is a stubborn photographer who still uses a huge slide film camera - Linhof Master Technika Classic - in the era of digital photography. He pursues film photography even if it means he has to be very selective and cautious when deciding to press the shutter button. Each shot costs 200,000 won - 250,000 won, taking into consideration film purchase, developing and scanning. Sometimes, he has to visit the same place again to retake photos, spending thousands of dollars. “I learned

Oct. 15, 2022

[Reading Korea through books] Contemplating death: observations from hospital beds offer what death means to Koreans

Death might be the only thing that comes to everyone indiscriminately, but discussing it has long been considered taboo in South Korea. “I wouldn't dare talk about death with my parents, let alone imagine their death,” would probably be the train of thought in most Korean people's minds. Perhaps the sudden deaths brought on by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and a growing number of discussions on what is considered a "dignified death" allow us to contemplate the i

Oct. 15, 2022

Halloween is coming and so are spooky adventures

YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- When roaming through the alleys of Itaewon and Hongdae are not enough to quench your thirst for gory adventures this Halloween, Everland Resort’s "Blood City" might just do the trick. The country's largest outdoor theme park Everland, which began its annual Halloween festival in 2010, came up with its own horror adventure zone named the "Blood City" in 2017. With most pandemic restrictions lifted this fall, the park's Halloween fes

Oct. 15, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Innovative visualization of sounds in Hunminjeongeum

Among the many wonders of Korean history is the invention of Hangeul in 1443, which is responsible for Korea's very high literacy rate and the large vocabulary. "I pity my illiterate people who must endure difficulty and injustice because they lack literacy," wrote King Sejong the Great in his introduction to the Hunminjeongeum in 1443. Koreans celebrate the birth of their script on the Hangeul Day holiday on Oct. 9 each year. Before the promulgation of Hangeul, Korean spoken words and

Oct. 15, 2022

[Temple to Table] Pounded shiitake mushroom stew

Taking pleasure in cooking, Ven. Kyungwoon calls herself a “food practitioner.” This is because making food the proper Buddhist way with good ingredients and sharing it with many is to practice the Buddha’s teaching that “Food is good medicine.” Its purpose is also to spread the spirit embodied in temple food, based on the belief that “What we eat creates our body and mind.” Eight years ago, Ven. Kyungwoon fell ill when she was about to finish her junior

Oct. 15, 2022

LG Arts Center reopens with LSO concert featuring pianist Cho Seong-jin

Moving to western Seoul after 22 years in the affluent Gangnam district, LG Arts Center made a grand reopening on Thursday at its new Magok venue with a special concert by the London Symphony Orchestra, led by Simon Rattle, with Korean pianist Cho Seong-jin. Cho, the first Korean to win first prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2015, took the stage with the maestro and orchestra for the audience who filled the 1,335-seat multipurpose LG Signature Hall to perform Ra

Oct. 14, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Sheraton Grand Incheon launches 'Sheraton Pocha' promotion Sheraton Grand Incheon is launching a special promotion with Korean alcoholic beverages at Bb, the hotel's lobby dining bar. Starting Friday, different drink options will be served with various Korean late-night eats, such as savory seafood pancakes and gochujang octopus. Some 28 drink options are available, including traditional Korean cocktails, makgeolli, soju, wine and beer. The promotion runs through Dec. 31 from 6 p.

Oct. 14, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Orphan: First Kill (US)　 Opened Oct. 12 Horror Directed by William Brent Bell A psychopath (Isabelle Fuhrman) hiding an enormous secret successfully escapes from an Estonian psychiatric facility and travels to America by impersonating Esther, the missing daughter of a wealthy family. Esther’s mom (Julia Stiles) becomes suspicious and she fights "Esther" to protect her family. Life is Beautiful (Korea) Opened Sept. 28 Drama Directed by Choi Kook-hee Housewife Se-yeon (Yum Jung-a

Oct. 14, 2022

Seoul opens space dedicated to K-pop dance covers

Dance cover videos, created by fans to imitate idols’ moves on stage and in music videos, have been an essential part of global K-pop fandom culture. On platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, one can easily find short clips where amateur dancers from both here and abroad replicate the choreography with incredible attention to details. These videos are often shot in places such as on the street or in a public park. Recently, one particular locale in Seoul has risen a

Oct. 14, 2022

Mosu, Gaon achieve three Michelin stars

Korean restaurant Gaon by chef Kim Byoung-jin, kept its three Michelin stars, the highest accolade by Michelin, while restaurant Mosu by chef Anh Sung joined the prestigious three-star list this year. The announcements were made as part of the release of Michelin Guide Seoul’s seventh edition Thursday during a ceremony at the Vista Walkerhill Seoul hotel, in eastern Seoul. "I'm very happy for the chefs of Michelin guide 2023 who are being rewarded for their courage, passion and e

Oct. 13, 2022

Soon Ent gathers content creators for Everland Halloween event

Global multi-channel network Soon Ent held its "World Creators’ Halloween” event with Everland, South Korea’s largest outdoor amusement park, on Saturday. Around 300 content creators, including WonJung and Kazakhstan influencer Homa, who has 48.3 million and 45.2 million followers on TikTok, respectively, were present during the event. During the event, the creative producers created their own content in places like Halloween-themed photo zones and tuned visitors into the

Oct. 12, 2022

Sinpung grandmas say they are never too old for art

YECHEON, North Gyeongsang Province -- The small, private Sinpung Art Museum in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, is filled with the laughter and babbles of visitors breaking the silence in a rural, farming village with a population under 1,500. The village is located about 2 1/2 hour's drive southeast of Seoul, or 1 1/2 hours from Daegu, the largest nearby city. Not many people may be familiar with Sinpung Art Museum now, but it has started to earn some recognition in the last few years f

Oct. 12, 2022

Korea Journal discusses Korean science during, after colonial period

Science in Korea since the beginning of Japan's occupation of Korea in 1910 is the subject of the latest issue of the English-language quarterly academic publication Korea Journal, published by the Academy of Korean Studies. The topics covered are public health, family planning, nature conservation and hydrological engineering. “Revisiting Americanization: Focusing on the Reformation of Public Health in South Korea, 1945-1960” by Park Ji-young, a professor at Inje University&#

Oct. 12, 2022

Korean TV dramas, animations promoted at Spain expo

Responding to the rise in global popularity of Korean content, the K-Content Expo in Spain 2022 last week showcased TV dramas, unscripted shows and animations at the Novotel Madrid Center in the Spanish capital, the Korea Creative Content Agency said Tuesday. The Hallyu-themed event, which ran Oct. 4 to 7, was hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and KOCCA. Industry representatives discussed changes in platform industries and the expo offered both online and offline meetings f

Oct. 11, 2022

[From the Scene] King Jeongjo's Royal Parade makes journey to Suwon

Crowds gathered around the Donhwamun Gate on Saturday to watch King Jeongjo’s Royal Parade kick off from Changdeokgung in Seoul. After three beats of the drum, marchers dressed as soldiers and courtiers lined up in front of the gate for a ritual. King Jeongjo then made his appearance through the gate. Following the king was his mother, Lady Hyegyeong, who accompanied him on the journey to Yongneung, the royal tomb of Crown Prince Sado -- King Jeongjo’s father -- in Hwaseong City, Gye

Oct. 10, 2022

Colombia's Gold Museum explores ceramics from Korea

A special exhibition on Korean ceramics is being held at the Museum of Gold in Bogota, Colombia, through Feb. 20, 2023. “Ceramics From the National Museum of Korea: Voices From an Ancestral Culture" introduces the life, culture and artistic world of Koreans from the prehistoric era up to modern times through some 226 examples of earthenware and ceramics. The exhibition marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Colombia is jointly organized by the National Mus

Oct. 10, 2022

Hallyu-themed Korean culture festival beckons K-pop fans in ‘The-K Concert’

The highlight of the spectacle-filled Korean culture event “K Culture Festival 2022” beckoned fans from in and out of the country to “The-K Concert.” Founded in 2020 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and its affiliated private Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, the festival has been held annually to promote Hallyu, or the Korean Wave. Jointly hosted by the two, the Culture Ministry’s annual large-scale, global event commenced on Sept. 3

Oct. 10, 2022

Translation work of poet Lee Young-ju’s “Cold Candies” receives award

Kim Jae, the translator of Lee Young-ju’s “Cold Candies,” received an award from the American Literary Translators Association, according to the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, which supported the translation, on Friday. Named after a poet and translator of Buddhist literature, the Lucien Stryk Asian Translation Prize by the ALTA recognizes the importance of Asian translations for international literature and has been promoting the translation of Asian works into E

Oct. 9, 2022

Itaewon Global Village Festival set to return

The annual Itaewon Global Village Festival will return on Oct. 15-16 after a two-year pandemic pause, Seoul's Yongsan-gu Office announced Thursday. During the festival, more than a million visitors are expected to gather in Itaewon. The district is one of Korea's most multicultural areas, with dozens of foreign shops and restaurants found throughout its alleys. Under the slogan, "Let's Get Together," the festival's main events will be held in the Itaewon Special Tou

Oct. 9, 2022