Concert pianist Cho Seung-jin’s recital in Seoul on Saturday will be streamed live to audiences at home for 10,000 won ($8.95). According to Credia, the organizers of the Cho’s month-long nationwide tour across Korea, Saturday’s recital at the Seoul Arts Center will be streamed live via its Naver TV channel. For the access to the streaming, users can donate 10,000 won through the “sponsorship feature” on Naver TV, a streaming platform operated by the local port

Performance Nov. 22, 2020

Korea is bracing for another surge in the coronavirus pandemic, with rising numbers of cluster infections nationwide. As the global health threat continues to disrupt our lives, traveling may not be the wisest activity for a while. However, if one must travel, Taean, a coastal county in South Chungcheong Province, is an option.  A two-hour drive south of Seoul, Taean can be easily reached by car from many regions in Korea. The locale is also encompassed in wild nature, dispersing visitor

Travel Nov. 21, 2020

Sunchang Fermented Sauce Festival The Sunchang Fermented Sauce Festival is an annual event held in Sunchang, South Jeolla Province. The festival celebrates the many different sauces and pastes made from fermented soybeans. This year’s event runs until Nov. 29 and involves a photo contest, a talent show and more. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event is being held online; festivalgoers at home can upload photos of their sauce pots. Also, the festival organizers are looking for suggest

Travel Nov. 20, 2020

In a year that has witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic disrupt lives and devastate economies around the world, Korea has sought innovations to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The following is the first article of a four-part series on how Korea is creating a new normal during the pandemic, produced in partnership with The Korea Foundation -- Ed. While the performing arts scene is one of many industries hit by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in Korea, the stage lights are still

Performance Nov. 19, 2020

A new high-tech musical is to promote “peace travel” in the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. “Wonder Ticket,” organized by the KTO, will stream online from Nov. 28 to Dec. 31, promoting the travel industry in the DMZ. The story of the musical takes off at an abandoned steam locomotive -- which currently sits at Jangdan Station in Imjingak, located on the banks of Imjin River in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The trai

Performance Nov. 17, 2020

Concert pianist Cho Seung-jin, 26, will wrap up his much-appreciated nationwide tour across Korea with an encore recital in Seoul on Nov. 28. The nationwide tour kicked off in Gwangju on Oct. 28 and was followed by more recitals in Daegu, Busan, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, and Seoul. It was to wrap up at Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, on Nov. 9. However, as tickets sold out within a few minutes of their release, the organizers added more recitals in Seongnam and Suwon in Gyeonggi Prov

Performance Nov. 16, 2020

The whole world watched the beloved Notre Dame Cathedral burn down last year, but the iconic cathedral is resurrected onstage in Korea every evening to the sound of music. The original French production of musical “Notre Dame de Paris” kicked off its Seoul run Tuesday at the Blue Square Interpark Hall near Itaewon, central Seoul.   The production got off to a bumpy start when 14 of its 30 staff members were confirmed with the COVID-19 infection upon their arrival in Korea in

Performance Nov. 16, 2020

Ahead of the official release of the Michelin Guide Seoul’s fifth edition on Nov. 19, the arbiter of culinary taste shared a list of 60 Bib Gourmand restaurants in Seoul. According to the company, Bib Gourmand highlights restaurants offering “exceptionally good food at moderate prices.” The price range depends on local economic standards. The maximum price for the Bib Gourmand Seoul edition is 45,000 won ($40.34) this year. There are four new entries this year: vegetarian

Food Nov. 13, 2020

  Winter lights at E-World Theme park E-World in Daegu will host its signature Christmas Fantasy festival from Nov. 21.  Earlier this month, the amusement park turned on the lights on its 9-meter-tall Miracle Tree. During the festival period, Lighting Balloon Road will be on display, along with other photo zones themed around Christmas and winter. The Miracle Rose Garden with 100,000 blue light roses will light up, too. On the opening day, Santa Claus will welcome visitors.  T

Travel Nov. 13, 2020

Korean-language songs sung by a South Korean soprano will be presented around the world by the German classical music label Deutsche Grammophon. Soprano Park Hye-sang, also known as Hera Park, made her Deutsche Grammophon debut with the release of her new album, “I Am Hera,” Nov. 6. The album consists of 18 pieces hand-picked by Park. The album features two works of “gagok,” a traditional Korean music genre: “Like the Wind That Met With Lotus,” a poem by t

Performance Nov. 11, 2020

A new original musical created to be presented online rather than put on stage is set for release later this month. While it has become the norm for performing arts production companies to stream their shows online during the pandemic, musicals created for the screen remain a novel idea. Produced by EMK Entertainment, affiliated with major musical production company EMK Musical Company, the musical “A Killer Party” consists of nine episodes, with each running about 10 minutes.

Performance Nov. 10, 2020

Seoul city’s promotional video featuring BTS topped 400 million views two months after its release, announced the Seoul Tourism Organization on Monday. The video “See You in Seoul,” featuring each member of the hit seven-member act introducing the city of Seoul, was released on Sept. 11 on the city‘s tourism platform (www.visitseoul.net) and social media channels.   The promotional video racked up more than 100 million views 10 days after the release, and generat

Travel Nov. 9, 2020

Temperatures are dropping, days are getting shorter and tree leaves are slowly turning colors. When the autumn season is on the way, Hwadam Botanic Garden becomes a highly sought-after destination.  Hwadam Botanic Garden is an eco-friendly arboretum located at Konjiam Resort in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, about an hour’s drive from central Seoul. Spread across 65,265 square meters, the park has 17 gardens with different themes. Some 4,000 different species of plants and trees make up

Travel Nov. 7, 2020

In a turbulent, disturbing year, the change of seasons has remained constant and the changing colors of the leaves signal the peak of the autumn season. It is a time to explore the mountains, forests and countryside and enjoy the annual color show, as mountains across Korea turn shades of red, orange, yellow and more.  The color fest will not last long, with the winter season lurking just around the corner.  Before the brilliant explosion of colors makes way for heavy snow and frost

Travel Nov. 7, 2020

Seoul Lantern Festival The 2020 Seoul Lantern Festival is being held across the city of Seoul this year in an aim to disperse visitors and promote local businesses hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.  While the festival in Jamsil, eastern Seoul, has wrapped up, lanterns will be on display from Nov. 4 to Dec. 31 in Itaewon, central Seoul, inspired by the hit webtoon “Itaewon Class.” Fashion-inspired lanterns are being showcased in Dongdaemun until Nov. 15. In Myeong-dong, lanterns d

Travel Nov. 6, 2020