The 19th-century American self-help author Napoleon Hill was referring to the deep connection between body and mind when he said, “The body achieves what the mind believes.” The mind plays an important role in wellness, but it is not easy to achieve wellness while living in a crowded city, venturing out each day and maintaining a hectic schedule. To help the pandemic weary, the Korea Tourism Organization has recommended seven “wellness travel” destinations. “We

Travel May 27, 2021

In late March, the National Library of Korea announced the opening of an immersive experience library named Shilgam Seojae. It looks just like any normal library, but features new digital technologies that offer visitors a whole new reading experience. A Culture Ministry initiative, the immersive experience library transforms texts by combining it with interactive content using multidimensional technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality. Two months into operation, Shilgam Seojae, whic

Culture May 26, 2021

The 5th Huddling Youth Choir Festival is calling for applications from individuals or teams. The multicultural festival first took place in 2017, with hopes of bringing together youth from different cultural backgrounds through music. “The act of huddling symbolizes community awareness, togetherness, and consideration,” Shim Eun-sook, Chief Art Director for the festival during told The Korea Herald. “This matched our aim of the Huddling Choir Fest, to lead youth to change t

Culture May 24, 2021

Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Built in 1405 as a royal residence of the Joseon era, Changdeokgung, a UNESCO World Heritage site, welcomes the summer season with nighttime visitors. The nighttime tour offers a unique opportunity to witness and experience the beauty of the palace under Seoul’s moonlight. Each tour lasts approximately 100 minutes. The tour runs through June 20, and online reservations are required. Tickets are limited to two per reservation. Information on reservatio

Travel May 21, 2021

Nearly five months into its operation, the KTX-Eum -- a high-speed train service launched by Korail in January -- is gaining popularity among travelers and commuters alike. Departing from Seoul’s Cheongnyangni Station for Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, before making its way down to Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, the train, also known as the KTX EMU-260, is the eco-friendliest in the KTX lineup.  The KTX-Eum (pronounced “ee-eum”) is equipped with LTE-R technolo

Travel May 20, 2021

Twenty years since starting out as a session guitarist, and 12 years since debuting with a single, guitarist Park Ju-won believes he still has a long way to go. Just like Dorothy who meets the scarecrow, the tin man, the cowardly lion, and all the friends with different spiritual strengths, the guitarist believes that the support from fans who await his music is what cheers him along the musical road. Known as the “Paco de Lucia of Korea,” among guitar lovers, Park, in his early 4

Performance May 19, 2021

Occupying a 63-square-meter space on the second floor of a building in Hongdae’s bustling district is Powerplant, a bookstore that welcomes those who wish to read and talk politics. “How can you not be romantic about politics?” reads a lit pink neon sign at the entrance to the bookstore, a reference to a line from the 2011 film “Moneyball” -- “How can you not be romantic about baseball?” Resembling a rusty attic, Powerplant is a bookstore that focuses

Culture May 18, 2021

  Wanyiwah Phondphaothanandon, one of Myanmar’s Karen ethnic minority, paid tribute to democracy and peace in Myanmar through a song, “The Spring of Myanmar.” The 14-year-old is a refugee in Korea with her mother and two younger brothers. Phondphaothanandon, who uses Wanyiwah as her stage name, attends a boarding school in Yongin, focusing on her studies and exams just like any teenager, but apart from the daily routine, she shares the pain and sorrow of the current situa

Performance May 17, 2021

The May 18 Democratization Movement Art Festival kicked off in Gwangju on Saturday, commemorating the 41st anniversary of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. With the slogan “Spreading peace through solidarity,” the festival aims to connect the historical significance of the past with the need for future engagement and action. An art wall has been installed at May 18 Democracy Square, located within the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju. Nine other joint exhibitions and artists’ w

Arts & Design May 16, 2021

The annual Lotus Lantern Festival, called “Yeondeunghoe” in Korean, is held on a rainy Saturday in celebration of Buddha’s birthday at the Jogye Temple in Seoul. This year’s parade of lanterns was scaled down over concerns of a spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, after last year’s cancellation. Buddhist communities at home and abroad participate in “Yeongdeunghoe,” the Lotus Lantern Festival, via Zoom at Jogye Temple in downtown Seoul, sharing words o

Culture May 16, 2021

In a YouTube video titled “Starlight: Stand with Myanmar,” Shin Dae-chul, the lead guitarist of South Korea’s first heavy metal band Sinawe, holds up a three-fingered salute. “This music is dedicated to the citizens of Myanmar. I hope that our hearts go with them,” said Shin, who is also a songwriter. The message of solidarity comes at the end of the performance of “Starlight,” composed and produced by Shin, featuring 11 guitarists, including himself

Culture May 12, 2021

Six hundred meters up a mountain in the southern part of the country’s longest range, Baekdu-daegan, stands a building in a clearing with a seed-shaped roof. But the above-ground structure of the Baekdu-daegan Seed Vault belies the true size of this sprawling underground structure. The idea of building a Seed Vault in South Korea initially began with the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing in 2010. Officially launched in 2016 and designated a national security facility since

Social Affairs May 10, 2021

A committee to promote Korean traditional paper “hanji,” which are handmade from mulberry trees, was launched on Thursday in hopes it will win recognition as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Politicians, public administrators and experts in the field of traditional craft making gathered at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul to discuss initiatives that need to be taken for hanji to be included on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hu

Social Affairs April 30, 2021

South Korea’s pet scene is steadily growing, with pets in 1 in 4 households, adding up to some 10.5 million companion animals, according to data gathered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. In proportion to the growing number, a proper farewell to the animals’ last moments has become part of the culture. Various types of pet funeral homes have been grabbing the attention of pet guardians, with 21gram among them. 21gram manages the funeral process of not only cat

Culture April 21, 2021

In Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province, Aleksandra Bykova, a Russian graduate student, is taking a break from city life. The graduate student is known as a “WWOOFer” in the town. Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms is a global movement that promotes cultural and educational experiences on organic farms. First launched in the early 1970s in England, it has since spread its influence in more than 132 countries. “I was curious to know the real culture of Korea, not the ones

Travel April 6, 2021