Doenjang jjigae, Korean soybean paste stew, is Koreans’ favorite hearty comfort food. The rich taste of fermented soybean paste goes well with a humble bowl of rice. Doenjang jjigae recipes range from those with assorted seafood to chadolbagi, or thin brisket slices. Decades ago, doenjang jjigae specialty restaurants were a common sight on street corners. They offered traditional doenjang jjigae, cheonggukjang and gangdoenjang, also known as ggangjang. The three dishes are all based on f

Food March 5, 2022

Park Hyatt Busan’s Lounge presents Citrus Bloom Afternoon Tea Park Hyatt Busan’s Lounge cafe located on the 30th floor is newly showcasing its spring tea package. The Citrus Bloom Afternoon Tea set presents combinations of a variety of citrus fruits added to tea or coffee of guests’ choice. The set is paired with traditional homemade scones, jam and clotted cream. The selection includes a sweet gold kiwi tart, an orange sand cake, a yuja mille-feuille and a hallabong cake w

Food March 4, 2022

The number of Hallyu, or Korean Wave, fans around the world has increased 17 fold in the last decade, proving the firm global popularity of Korean content and stars. According to a survey published by the Korea Foundation in cooperation with 152 overseas missions on Thursday, the number of Korean Wave fans recorded 156.6 million as of December last year. A total of 116 countries were surveyed for the latest report, 31 more countries than the 85 in 2012 when the first survey was conducted. The

Culture March 3, 2022

The Daesan Foundation is accepting applications for translation of Korean literary works. Applicants can choose a Daesan Literary Award prize-winning work that has not been translated into the target language, or others that the translator wishes to work on. The foundation funded translations of 13 Korean works last year. This year, up to 15 million won ($12,400) will be given for a single translation work, depending on the language and length of the selected piece. For English, French, Germ

Books March 2, 2022

A rising star chef from Korea recently awarded a Michelin star for his French restaurant in London. Park Woong-chul, 38, who opened Sollip, a French restaurant with a Korean touch in the heart of London, is the first Korean chef to receive a Michelin star in the UK. There are currently 194 Michelin-starred restaurants in Britain, including 19 which were newly awarded this year. “I still remember us (my wife and I) being devastated when the UK government issued a COVID-19 lockdown just

Food Feb. 26, 2022

Two leading Korean guitarists from the genres of classical and Latin jazz will meet for a live duet performance this spring. Titled as “Two Guitars,” classical guitarist Park Kyu-hee and Spanish jazz guitarist Park Ju-won will perform together at the Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul’s Songpa-gu on March 17, performance agency MusicandArtCompany announced Friday. This will be the duo’s second appearance on stage together, following their first in June last year. Park Kyu-hee

Performance Feb. 25, 2022

Two Korean illustrated books, by Lee Su-zy and Choi Deok-kyu, respectively, won recognition in this year’s Bologna Ragazzi Awards for children’s literature The prestigious annual international awards identify the best products in terms of graphic and editorial quality, innovation and communication with young readers. Evaluated by an international jury of experts, the categories are divided into four genres: fiction, nonfiction, opera prima (debut work) and comics. Lee Su-zy&rsquo

Books Feb. 25, 2022

The number of bookstores in South Korea exceeded 2,500 at the end of last year, increasing by more than 200 from two years prior. The yearly increase in bookstores was the first recorded since 2003, when the tally began. According to the Handbook of Korean Bookstores, a biyearly publication by the Korea Federation of Bookstore Association released Thursday, the number of bookstores recorded 2,528 as of December last year. That number was a 0.9 percent increase from 2,320 in 2019. The initial fi

Culture Feb. 25, 2022

Kwon Jeong-hyun, 37, an office worker in Seoul, is planning a series of weekend road trips alone starting this spring with her diary as her companion. “In my early 20s, traveling was like an assignment because deciding on whom to go with and coping with their schedules was not an easy task,” said Kwon, an avid solo traveler since her late 20s. In the past decade, Kwon has traveled to major cities alone, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, New York and London. She took her first

Travel Feb. 25, 2022

Grand Hyatt Seoul unveils Spring Breeze in Namsan Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel’s signature restaurant Teppan opens its new lunch and dinner menu event, Spring Breeze in Namsan. Starting with baekhap pot as an appetizer, a great variety of meat and fish dishes using ingredients fresh from Jeju Island are served at the table. This season’s hanwoo beef sirloin is a specialty created by the hotels‘ executive chef, Dallas Cuddy. The sour and saltiness of turnip and the seasonal Jeju

Food Feb. 25, 2022

At the core of hotel concierge service is knowing a guest’s needs through even the subtlest gestures, and remembering them on their next visit, according to Kum Sang-jin, assistant manager of the rooms team at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul. Kum received the Les Clefs d’Or badge of two golden keys on Feb. 14, which symbolizes professional expertise as well as the best and most unique concierge services. Founded in 1929 by Pierre Quentin, head concierge of the Hotel Ambassador Paris, th

Travel Feb. 24, 2022

As the warm weather approaches, blue skies mark the beginning of a new school year. At this time of the year, the Cheonho Stationery and Toy Shop Street is busier than ever.  Located around Cheonho Station exit No. 1, the complex greets families looking to purchase school supplies and gifts for children at affordable prices. The complex has shops selling basic school supplies as well as the latest cartoon character toys and party goods that children love.  Packs of colored penc

Travel Feb. 19, 2022

Fairmont Ambassador Seoul launches ‘Luxury Wellness’ package Fairmont Ambassador Seoul presents a wellness package that offers moments of genuine relaxation and healing. The package includes a night’s stay in the Fairmont Deluxe room, and a choice of a 60-minute body message treatment or 70-minute facial at ESPA, a luxury spa located within the hotel. A buffet breakfast for two is provided at Spectrum, and two signature cocktails at M29, both located in the hotel. The pack

Food Feb. 18, 2022

When planning a new hotel, incorporating the distinctive culture of its location to the guest experience is one of the top priorities for Serena Lim, vice president of hotel development for Southeast Asia and Korea at the IHG Hotels and Resorts. “Around the world where people can travel, they are travelling,” said Lim about travel in pandemic times during an interview with The Korea Herald on Tuesday at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas. Lim, who has been in the hospitality in

Travel Feb. 18, 2022

The official campaigning period for the upcoming presidential election kicked off Tuesday, with most candidates heading to traditional markets on the first day. One of the pledges made at these stumps over the past several elections has been revitalization of traditional markets, a pledge clearly aimed at the merchants. Before the onslaught of mass retailers, traditional markets were crowded day and night, humming with vibrant energy. Today, many neighborhood taditional markets struggle to su

Food Feb. 17, 2022