It was at the end of the 19th century that Westerners knocked on the doors of Joseon, a mysterious country unknown to the West. A special exhibition exploring how Joseon was seen in the eyes of foreigners who visited the country after the ports opened in 1882, kicked off Jan. 13 at Songpa Book Museum, located in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul. The exhibition “Welcome to Joseon” displays about 140 books, paintings, photos and videos, following the records of Joseon in books or writings. Bo

Although ways of spending the Lunar New Year in Korea have evolved significantly in the past decades, being with family and friends over good food remains unchanged. After the day's feast, munching on bags of traditional snacks can bring back old memories for adults, while triggering the curiosity of youngsters. What are known as traditional snacks today are mostly of Japanese origin and were introduced to the country during the colonial period. Over time, these snacks changed in shape and

JEJU ISLAND -- Before three-wheeled electric cars and its natural and unkempt landscape raised its profile as a go-to tourist destination, Udo -- a small resort island just east of Jeju Island -- had been dismissed as a place to stay for only a few hours. Most visitors would cycle around the island along the splendid coastline, enjoying a panoramic view of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, then take a ferry back to Jeju to continue their travels. But Hundertwasser Park, a natural art park and resort nam

Vista Walkerhill Seoul offers 'Holiday Getaway' package Vista Walkerhill Seoul offers a Lunar New Year's package that includes outdoor activities with family and friends. For the "Holiday Getaway" package, guests can participate in the "Walkee" program, which includes festive games to celebrate the new year. Traditional games such as yutnori, gulleongsoe and jegichagi can be enjoyed in groups during the day, assisted by hotel staff. Special fortune cookie gift

Jinkwansa’s temple food brings to mind pristine dew on a lotus petal, and its purity is the result of the efforts of Ven. Gyeho. Her words radiate warm-hearted energy. “Look at these marvelous beans! They are black soybeans (seoritae) that grew on Ganghwa Island exposed to the sea winds. We soak them in water, remove the skin carefully, and grind them in a hand mill like this," she said. While turning the handle of the mill, Gyeho’s face lit up with joy. Perhaps she was pr

The leading international gallery Thaddaeus Ropac has brought together a group of Korean and Korean diaspora artists to Seoul as its first exhibition of the year. The show is a first group show that focuses on art that shares the cultural context of Korea. The exhibition, titled “Myths of Our Time,” highlights the narratives drawn by the three female artists of Korean ethnicity whose works hold diverse cultural contexts “reimagined through a contemporary lens to address urgent

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell to the lowest number for a Saturday in 13 weeks, health authorities said. The country reported 27,654 new COVID-19 infections, including 85 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 29,982,905, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The tally marked the lowest for any Saturday since Oct. 22 last year, when the country reported 26,892 new cases. The country added 51 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 33,185. The n

The number of passengers using South Korea's main gateway, Incheon International Airport, during the Lunar New Year holiday is expected to surpass 610,000, according to the airport's operator Saturday. The Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) said the number of passengers using the transport hub from Friday to Tuesday will reach 616,074. The airport is expected to process an average of 123,215 passengers per day in the five-day period, sharply up from 8,859 passengers per day r

The Korean art auction market saw a downturn last year, after sales reached a record high in 2021, but was buffered by two artists -- Korean artist Lee U-fan and Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama -- whose works saw the greatest popularity in the country’s auction markets, a recent report by Korean Art Authentication and Appraisal showed. Auction market sales fell 34.2 percent last year compared to 2021, while works by the two art masters saw steady popularity. Kusama’s “Statue of

If you are looking for a place to spend the long Seollal holiday weekend that runs through Tuesday, take a look at art exhibitions that will remain open at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea and Seoul Museum of Art. The national museum, which operates four branches across the country, will run throughout the holidays, except for MMCA Seoul in Samcheong-dong on Sunday, the first day of the lunar year. The museum’s four venues are located in Samcheong-dong, Deoksugung

Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival The second edition of the Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival will run through March 5 at Italian Village and Petite France in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The event allows visitors to experience a bit of overseas travel via the flea market lined with European antiques, traditional Italian houses and more. The splendid lighting aside, the festival hosts various cultural programs, including music box performances, a puppet show, a circus w

The name Bora Chung was trending on the Korean literary scene last year after she was shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize, one of the largest literary awards in the world. Although her name appeared to have come from nowhere, the author of “Cursed Bunny” has been writing under the pen name Chung Do-gyung for over 20 years. A collection of short stories from Chung’s early career written under her pen name hit local bookshelves Friday. “We hope this book wil

Sledding at Ttukseom Hangang Park Take Exit No. 2 from Ttukseom Station on Subway Line 7 and you will find a sledding park run by the Ttukseom Hangang Park for the winter season. The 55-meter-long slope may not look so steep at first sight -- it is 6 meters at its highest point -- but after a couple of rides, your inner child will have you standing in line for another ride. You can ride as many times as you like. The speed and the gush of winds will take you to the bottom of the slope in a blink

최근 한국에 번역 출간된 ‘고은과의 대화’ 저자 라민 자한베글루 교수는 고은 시인을 영국의 W. H. 오든, 딜런 토마스, 프랑스의 보들레르, 칠레의 파블로 네루다 등과 같은 ‘세계적인 시인’ 이라 말했다. 인도의 O.P. 진달 글로벌 대학의 자한베글루 교수는 코리아헤럴드와의 서면 인터뷰에서 고은은 “한국 문화뿐만 아니라 전체 인류에 속하는 시인”이라며 이같이 답했다. 나치 정권에 가담한 독일 철학자 하이데거, 프랑스의 스탈린주의자 시인 루이 아라곤, 파시스트였던 시인 에즈라 파운드를 언급한 뒤, 자한베글루 교수는 각 문화권에서 이들에 대한 평가가 다른 것처럼 고은 시인에 대한 견해도 다를 수 있다고 주장했다. 교수는 “비폭력을 믿고 모든 형태의 폭력은 거부”한다며 전 세계적으로 인기를 끌었던 넷플릭스 시리즈 ‘오징어 게임’과 같은 형태로 묘사된 폭력에 대해서도 같은 입장이라

P&G Korea said Thursday that its Pampers brand, the world's No. 1 diaper maker, has donated a total of 32,000 boxes of diapers, worth 2.7 billion ($2.2 million), over the past six years. Since launching the diaper donation campaign in 2017, the diapers have been delivered to more than 10 social welfare organizations, including children’s hospitals, across the nation. The company said it has devoted efforts to creating a culture of sharing by putting a donation campaign into action