Many Koreans may think of “sijo” as a thing of the past. Some may recall learning the sijo of “yangban,” or aristocrats of Joseon, in textbooks or know by heart Hwang Jin-yi’s famous sijo poems. Occasionally, sijo is recited in historical dramas. But the traditional Korean poetic form that emerged in the Goryeo period and flourished during the Joseon period is still being written today. A new collection of sijo poems has been published in Korean and English by Seoul

Korea Museum Week kicked off Wednesday with 280 museums and art galleries nationwide participating in the event that runs through May 28. "Korea has hosted Museum Week since 2012 in celebration of International Museum Day, May 18," said Kim Yong-sam, CEO of the National Museum Foundation of Korea, at a press conference held at Whanki Museum in Seoul, Tuesday. More than 600 events and festivals have been prepared for this year's edition, which Kim noted as a major accomplishment

French artist JR claims to own the largest gallery in the world -- the walls around the cities he travels to. The photographer has earned global recognition in his creation of participatory projects across the world that deliver powerful messages in collaboration with citizens. The photographer has unveiled his first large-scale exhibition in Seoul at the Lotte Museum of Art, introducing his projects and helping people understand the intention behind his works. JR has carried out a number of par

Since ChatGPT was first released in November 2022, many have expressed concerns, though some believe that creativity remains a uniquely human domain. Amid the flood of writing now out related to ChatGPT, a collection of short stories co-authored by the chatbot and seven sci-fi writers -- Kim Dal-young, Nappelganger, Shin Jo-ha, Oh So-young, Yoon Y. K., Jeon Yun-ho and Chae Kang D. -- hit the shelves last month. “Manifesto” published by Neofiction, an SF/mystery literature imprint of

Sixty-five Buddhist temples of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, will waive admission fees to the general public from Thursday. However, temples managed by cities or provincial governments, such as the Bomunsa Temple in Incheon and the Goransa Temple in South Chungcheong Province, will continue to charge admission fees. The final decision was made on Monday through a memorandum of understanding signed between the Cultural Heritage Administration and th

GWANGJU -- In celebration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and South Korea, the Embassy of Switzerland in Seoul is presenting “Spaceless,” an exhibition at the Swiss Pavilion in the 14th Gwangju Biennale. The pavilion, set up at Leeleenam Studio, is a collaboration of eight young photographers from the two countries. It presents the urban environment through an artistic lens, and a photographic rediscovery of urban spaces. Curated by Chun Kyung-wo

The evolution of Korean ceramics reflects the evolution of society itself, having developed through three main historical periods, each with its own unique characteristics. From the humble earthenware of the Three Kingdoms period to the Goryeo era's celadon and the refined white porcelain of the Joseon era, Korean ceramics have captivated art historians and art enthusiasts alike. The late William Bowyer Honey, a renowned ceramics specialist, noted in his book, "The Ceramic Art of Chi

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's iconic art piece -- a ripe banana duct-taped onto a wall -- on display at an art museum in Seoul, was eaten by a college student in an act which he described as "artwork." The student ate the banana from Cattelan's "Comedian" at around 1 p.m., Thursday. The work is part of Cattelan's solo exhibition “WE” currently running at the Leeum Museum of Art, according to the private museum. At the exhibition showing some 38

Models walk on Jamsu Bridge over the Han River in Seoul, which was turned into a runway for the Louis Vuitton pre-fall fashion show on Saturday. The occasion marked the French luxury powerhouse’s first-ever fashion show for its pre-fall collection, designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere. Traffic was halted for 24 hours on the lower level of the bridge which was used as the runway. Hwang Dong-hyuk, director of Netflix's hit drama “Squid Game," participated in the show's scenogr

The spring edition of the K-Royal Culture Festival offers a range of programs that can be enjoyed at Seoul's royal palaces through May 7. The biannual festival showcases a variety of cultural heritage events and artistic performances that take place across five Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung and Gyeonghuigung. Jongmyo, a royal shrine housing the ancestral tablets of Joseon kings and queens, and Sajikdan, a Joseon altar used for

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has brought South Korea’s emerging artists to the fore at exhibitions dedicated to young artists since the state museum was founded in 1986. “Young Korean Artists” is the museum's longest-running program that aims to discover young artists. Thirteen emerging artists and collectives recommended by the state museum's curators and art experts are participating in this year's exhibition titled “Young K

BOSEONG, South Jeolla Province -- Although there are pockets of greenery in bustling cities, most of them are full of concrete buildings, dark windows and mostly black-and-white cars. Relieve your stress and take emotional refuge in rolling green tea plantations and a unique pine forest in a city famed for its green tea. Daehan Dawon Located in the southwestern part of the peninsula, Daehan Dawon, also known as Daehan Tea Garden or Boseong Green Tea Plantation, is one of the five major t

There has been a longstanding perception that Koreans are not so much into dairy products. But since the early 2000s, Koreans have been adding cheese to a variety of popular Korean dishes, such as gimbap, dakgalbi and ramyeon. This trend, along with the growing number of people traveling abroad, has made Koreans fall in love with cheese. Today, restaurants and shops that specialize in cheese are crowded with guests, proving the popularity of what was once disdained here as something stinky.

"Am I the one who has to pay this time?" is a question that often troubles many South Korean couples whenever they are about to pay the bill at a restaurant. Traditionally, people believed that men should pay most of the dating expenses, but such rigid gender norms no longer hold water as more couples have started to value fairness. Indeed, a staggering 83.2 percent of those with dating experiences reported having argued with their partner over “how to split bills,” accor

“A World Without Gyeong-wu” (working title) By Baek Ohn-yu Changbi Publishers In-soo sees ghosts floating like shadows in the corner of his room and every time he sees them, a bone-chilling cold seems to cling to his skin, even though it’s midsummer. He is still suffering from hallucinations and nightmares caused by “the accident” that happened with his gang when he ran away from home 12 years ago. One day, In-soo meets a boy named Yi-ho who extorts money from drive