The court ruled in favor of construction companies embroiled in a suit over construction of high-rise apartment buildings near the UNESCO-listed royal tomb Jangneung, in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday, allowing the construction to continue. On Dec. 10, a Seoul court ruled in favor of the construction companies who were fighting the Cultural Heritage Administration’s order to suspend construction. The state agency then appealed the ruling. If the CHA again appeals the court&rsquo

Culture Dec. 17, 2021

InterContinental Seoul pesents ‘Romantic Holiday’ Package Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Samseong-dong announced its plan to offer the Romantic Holiday Package, prepared especially for lovers in the Christmas and year-end season, until Dec. 31. A body oil and body lotion set worth 174,000 won from French haute couture beauty brand BULY 1803 is included as a Christmas gift. A complimentary bottle of Mosel Christmas wine for a year-end mood and a tin of cookies are also provid

Food Dec. 17, 2021

The Korea Tourism Organization predicted next year’s domestic travel trends with the acronym, HABIT-US, on Tuesday, the results showing a shift in travel preferences and patterns brought out by the COVID-19 pandemic. The results were based on travel-related big data analysis over the past three years, including travel expenses and use of social media, as well as in-depth interviews with industry experts. The acronym was derived from “habitus,” which refers to a person’

Travel Dec. 14, 2021

As the prolonged pandemic has continued to take a toll on people’s mental health, Koreans are increasingly turning to different sound genres to unwind. In Korea, Kokkiri and Mabo are two apps that are looking to tap into the market for ambient music. The apps have themes describing the user’s state of mind -- from anxiety, depression to anger and sleeplessness. There are subcategories of meditation sounds and auditory training sessions. To allow the users to keep track of the pla

Performance Dec. 13, 2021

Walking through the bustling streets of Seoul and encountering a rose sprouting from a piece of charcoal, one might wonder, “Is this installation art or a personal message to someone?’ The artist who made the piece says it is both. Lee Hyo-yeol, 36, better known as Yeol, considers himself a freelance advertiser by day and a guerilla artist by night. Since 2014, when he made “Flowers Bloom Through Heat,” Lee has worked on over 20 guerilla installation projects in the c

People Dec. 12, 2021

InterContinental Seoul pesents ‘A Bite of Winter’ package The InterContinental Seoul Coex in Samseong-dong is offering the “A Bite of Winter” package for customers wanting to escape the cold with warm winter treats. Freshly baked twisted doughnuts and churros from the hotel bakery will be served with two cups of hot chocolate, as well as complimentary access to the hotel‘s relaxing 25-meter indoor pool and fitness club, which is bathed in natural light and overlo

Food Dec. 10, 2021

The end of the year is almost here, but relief from the two-year disruption to life as we know it still eludes us. A hidden location in central Seoul can perhaps give you a moment of escape, to take comfort in the familiar. Opened in 2015, Charles H. at Four Seasons Seoul is a speakeasy bar behind an unmarked door, downstairs from the hotel lobby. The bar is named after Charles H., an avid traveler and cocktail book writer in the early 20th century. The bar is based on New York’s subterr

Food Dec. 10, 2021

It took becoming a chef for Yoon Tae-hyeon to realize his lifelong dream of becoming a playwright. “My tofu plays Romeo, and rice wine Juliet. The side dishes play the role of supporting actors creating the overall mood, while the main dish comes out as the lead character of an epic drama, called the Hwanggeum Kongbat,” said Yoon, who is the owner-chef of Hwanggeum Kongbat, a Michelin Green Star restaurant that offers some 20 different tofu dishes. Yoon, now in his 50s, had given

Food Dec. 7, 2021

To mark the 30th anniversary of the excavation and restoration carried out at Gyeongbokgung, the National Palace Museum of Korea located within the palace grounds is presenting a special exhibition, “Glory of the Royal Palace.” The exhibition that aims to look back on the history of the Joseon era’s primary palace is grouped under the theme of the four seasons. Each theme features one of the four buildings of the palace complex: Heungbokjeon Hall, the Sojubang kitchen site, t

Culture Dec. 7, 2021

  The Woodang Foundation for Education and Culture is honoring James Edward Hoare, former member of the British diplomatic service and current research associate in Korean studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies University of London, for his contributions to the nation with this year’s Woodang Award. Initiated in 2019, the annual award goes to domestic and foreign figures who follow the spirit and vision of Woodang Lee Hoi-young, who worked for the nation’s indepe

People Dec. 6, 2021

Looking back on what we have consumed over the year could be one way to wrap up the year 2021, while preparing to make better choices in the new year. Whether an impulsive purchase or a considered decision, consumption patterns show what we desire and what cultural codes and trends are leading the society today. The pandemic challenges the once taken-for-granted in-person connections and communications. But this year also saw active communication between the market and businesses, leading to s

Culture Dec. 4, 2021

The Purple Island in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, and Ungok Village in Gochang, North Jeolla Province, have been included in the final Best Tourism Villages list announced at the UN World Tourism Organization General Assembly in Madrid on Thursday. 　 Out of the 174 villages from UNWTO’s 75 member states proposed, 44 were chosen from 32 countries this year. All villages were evaluated based on nine criteria, such as cultural and natural resources, promotion and conservation of cultural re

Travel Dec. 3, 2021

Grand InterContinental Seoul presents ‘Christmas Cake’ Grand Deli, located on the ground floor of Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul, offers holiday cakes made by three master patissiers, including Kim Dong-woo, in charge of the hotel’s bakery team. Kim recommends three cakes for this year-end season -- chocolate tree mugwort cake with delicate mugwort cream on top of chocolate sheet cake; pine tree cake decorated with a Christmas tree made from Chantilly cr

Food Dec. 3, 2021

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- After a two-year break forced by the pandemic, the long awaited Gangneung Coffee Festival returned for its 13th edition, Thursday to Sunday. With the slogan, “Nonetheless, coffee,” some 80 coffee-themed booths were set up at Daedohobu Gwana, a site where central government officials from the capital visiting the region stayed during the Goryeo Kingdom and Joseon era. Friday saw its signature program, “100 People 100 Tastes,” a massive sim

Food Nov. 28, 2021

No need to worry about missing the next train or wandering through crowded streets -- livestreaming tours are here for novice travelers. An online live tour of Hong Kong’s West Kowloon neighborhood organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board was presented to press and tourism officials in a showcase Tuesday at CGV Cheongdam in southern Seoul. The hourlong walking tour, titled “Next Stop is West Kowloon Station,” consisted of five walking routes, starting from the beautiful shor

Travel Nov. 24, 2021