Yongyangbongjeojong is a pavilion in southern Seoul that Jeongjo -- who ruled in the Joseon era from 1776 to 1800 -- used for respite when he visited Hyollyungwon in Suwon, where the tomb of his father Crown Prince Sado is located.  Designated as Seoul Tangible Cultural Property No. 6, it was named for the unique scenery of the mountain and river that surrounds the pavilion. King Jeongjo once said, “The high mountain in the north and the running Han River look like a wriggling dragon

The Neolithic Age in Korean history and civilization refers to the period from about 8,000 to 1,500 BC, when ancient Koreans used comb-patterned pottery. Hence it is also called the comb-patterned pottery period, in reference to the combware, the main pottery type of the Korean Neolithic Period. People have been whaling since the Neolithic Age in Korea, according to the most vivid rock carvings of whaling left by ancient Koreans. Of the 90 species of whales in the world, some 40 species of whal

Once in the past I went to the countryside, picked a full bag of wormwood, and returned to Seoul to make ssukgaetteok (mugwort rice cake). I arrived home late at night so I left the bag in the kitchen. The next day, I opened it and found they had all turned yellow, and I had to throw them away. Because wormwood has lots of heat energy, it tends to go bad unless you blanch or dry it right away. When you buy wormwood at a market, select plump ones of a proper length that have a whitish part an

Two of Korea’s leading dance troupes are adopting creative ways to become a more familiar face to the public. Ambiguous Dance Company, a contemporary dance group known for its collaborative works with bands Coldplay and Leenalchi, has joined forces with the audience for its latest performance while Ahn Eun-Me Company, led by iconic contemporary dancer and choreographer Ahn Eun-me, unveiled an online dance game. Ambiguous Dance Company’s “Whole Like Dankeschon,” which

Filmmaker Hong Sang-soo and actor Kim Min-hee will participate in the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, which will take place from Feb. 10 to 20 as an in-person event. In January, the auteur’s 27th feature, “The Novelist’s Film,” was listed along with 17 other movies that will vie for the Gold and Silver Bear awards at the Berlinale. Kim, who is in a relationship with Hong and also considered his muse, is a lead actor and co-producer for “The Novelist&rsqu

South Korea's daily virus cases exceeded 30,000 for the first time to hit another all-time high of over 36,000 on Saturday amid fast spread of the omicron variant after a holiday season. The country reported 36,362 new COVID-19 infections, including 36,162 local cases, raising the total to 971,018, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The latest figure is a whopping increase of nearly 9,000 from the previous daily record of 27,443 reported on Friday. New infections ha

President Moon Jae-in on Friday expressed his wish that the Beijing Winter Olympics would become an event that promotes peace and harmony for all mankind through sports. Moon also wished for the strong performance of South Korean national players in a message he posted on social media hours before the opening of the 24th Olympic Winter Games in the Chinese capital. "In the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, we united and created a realm of peace and harmony for all mankind. We saw a miracl

BEIJING -- The 24th Olympic Winter Games began in Beijing on Friday with an understated ceremony showcasing virtues of the Chinese culture and expressing hope for a reunion of people around the world -- a hope that rings hollow under the cloud of a global pandemic and diplomatic boycotts of the event. The Chinese capital is the first city to host both a Summer and a Winter Games. The National Stadium, better known as the Bird's Nest, staged the ceremonies in 2008 and is back doing the same in 2

BEIJING -- Canadian figure skating legend Brian Orser has been quite successful as a coach, too, having produced a slew of Olympic and world champions. He knows a potential medalist when he sees one. And he feels his South Korean student, Cha Jun-hwan, may have a shot at surprising some people at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Cha is fresh off winning the men's singles title at the International Skating Union Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Estonia on Jan. 23. Though some big nam

South Korea's military plans to bolster antivirus measures at boot camps amid a growing number of COVID-19 infections among service members, the defense ministry said Friday. The military reported 298 additional COVID-19 cases Friday, more than doubling from the previous day, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 5,490. Defense Minister Suh Wook held a video-linked meeting with top military commanders and adopted a set of new measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 driven

Putting behind their years as GFriend, members SinB, Eunha and Umji are embarking on a new journey together. As ironic as it may sound, these experienced idols are starting from square one as rookie girl group Viviz. Their first EP “Beam of Prism” is set for release on Wednesday. Ten months have passed since the disbandment of their previous band, GFriend, and it seems the girls are ready to show some new energy. According to their new label, Big Planet Made Entertainment, Viviz