With rapper Jay Park’s recently-launched Won Soju becoming a phenomenal hit, soju is getting a premium makeover.  For long, the vodka-like liquor has been loved for its accessibility (a bottle costs just about $1) and versatility (think of the boilermaker known as somaek or all the other variations). But these latest renditions are far more special, aiming to create a new subgenre of soju.  Questions remain about whether the premium versions will be more than a passing fad, w

A seminar that will shed light on Korea’s diaspora literature is scheduled to take place Friday, its organizer, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, said on Monday. The offline seminar, titled “2022 Korean Literature in Diaspora and Anthropogeography,” will take place at LTIK’s headquarters in southeast Seoul. Co-hosted by The International Association for Literature of Korean Residents Abroad, this seminar aims to reflect the growing interest in Korean li

The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation are hosting an online royal palace tour program, “Gung On.” The annual “Gung On” was launched in 2020 amid the pandemic to offer wider access to palace-related content to be enjoyed at home. This year, participants will be chosen by lottery. A total of three events are available -- Dalbitgihaeng (Moonlight travel), Byeolbityahaeng (Starlight nighttime walk) and Saenggwabang. A total of 1,100

The National Folk Museum of Korea, Paju, a massive open storage facility in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, is marking its first anniversary with a special exhibition, “Folklore x Crafts: Simple and Neat.” the first-ever exhibition at the venue. Some 49 works by 13 contemporary craft artists bridging tradition and modernity are on display in collaboration with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. The 200 other pieces on show come from the NFMK Seoul’s collection. Two types of cr

Gimbap, the seaweed-wrapped rice roll stuffed with vegetables and other ingredients, has long been the meal-on-the-go staple in Korea. A humble roll of gimbap can vary in size and taste, depending on the filling. While all you need to do is pop a round slice in your mouth, making gimbap is a multistep process that takes effort and time, from preparing the filling to actually making the rolls. Featuring a plethora of stuffing combinations, today’s gimbap creations have come a long way

Clothing is an extension of our self-image. It helps define who we are. Five colors of nature -- blue, white, red, black, and yellow -- are found in traditional Korean hanbok, including wedding garments. The colors in children’s clothes bring balance with nature: blue for spring, white for fall, red for summer, black for winter and various shades of yellow representing the land. “In history books, Koreans were said to have clean clothes, to wear silk clothes and to revere white cl

The Ven. Hongseung has worked diligently for close to 30 years to popularize temple food. Along the way she often heard criticism from people who said “temple food has lost its tradition and become fusion food because of too much emphasis on popularization.” But she disagrees. “I am not sure where the boundary between traditional food and fusion food is, but it could be a matter of ingredients. Vegetables like broccoli and paprika didn’t exist before in Korea. I use thes

Perrotin Gallery will open its second exhibition hall in Seoul, Perrotin Dosan Park, in late August, an addition to its venue in Samcheong-dong, northern Seoul, that opened in 2016. The French gallery is the first international gallery in Seoul to open a second gallery in the city. The 190-square-meter exhibition space will open in a two-story building in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The building was designed by KIAS (Kentaro Ishida Architects Studio) in collaboration with Yoki Design and K

In 1762, Hong Dae-yong (1731-1783), at the age of 32, built the first private astronomical observatory, Nongsugak, in his hometown of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and installed Honcheonui, which can measure the location of celestial bodies. Hong, who was eventually known as the “Copernicus of Joseon,” was the first Joseon scholar to argue that the Earth rotates. He was the first Silhak scholar of Joseon to study practical materials, but his claim was rejected by the mainstr

You may have limited experience with graffiti or street art in Seoul -- that can be attributed to the masses of apartment blocks across the city. But Urban Break 2022 offers a unique opportunity to meet graffiti artists and enjoy street art over the weekend at Coex in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The art fair, in its third edition, was the first show in the country dedicated to street art, a relatively unfamiliar art genre here. Some 3,000 works by 450 artists will be on display at Coex through

Taebaek Sunflower Festival The 18th edition of Taebaek Sunflower Festival is scheduled to run from July 22 to Aug. 7 at Guwau Village in Taebaek, Gangwon Province. Presenting colorful wildflowers and seemingly endless fields of sunflowers, known to be the largest sunflower patch in South Korea, the festival welcomes flower lovers of all ages. The array of 300 species of wildflowers and sunflowers make for stunning Instagram photos. The festival offers hands-on programs to entertain visitors,

Four Seasons Seoul holds mud crab promotion Yu Yuan, a Cantonese restaurant located in Four Seasons Seoul, is presenting a mud crab promotion starting July 26, just in time for Busan’s blue crab season. The restaurant’s crabs are selected by the head chef Koo Kwok Fai, who created the new crab menu using Yu Yuan’s unique Cantonese cooking method. Guests can choose from a number of sauces -- chili, black pepper and white pepper -- which are used during cooking process. Man

Seven-year-old Mango the poodle is a beloved companion to Lee He-yong, 40, who brings his dog everywhere, even when he goes hiking. For his summer vacation early this month, Lee went to Meong Beach, situated on the East Sea coast, which allows people to come with their dogs. “It was my second time visiting the beach with my dog. In general, many beaches do not allow dogs because people complain about it. But Meong Beach has a lifeguard and is equipped with things that you may need for d

The former presidential office site Cheong Wa Dae will be transformed into a cultural complex, while a fund worth 4.8 trillion won ($3.66 billion) aimed at supporting Korean content will be set up. In the first policy briefing to President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday, Culture Minister Park Bo-gyoon outlined the ministry’s priorities, including converting Cheng Wa Dae into a cultural landmark and measures to support the country’s cultural industry. With the principle of preserving

Korean-American psychologist warns against living life as an ‘impostor,’ urges to embrace failures