Hanbok saenghwal -- a series of cultural practices which encompass the whole experience of making, wearing and enjoying hanbok -- made it to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Wednesday. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee decided to finalize the official name as “hanbok saenghwal” instead of its provisional title, “hanbok wearing,” announced earlier in March, considering the name to be a better rep[resen

Guards slowly opened the gates to welcome visitors to Cheong Wa Dae as dusk fell. On Tuesday evening, a day before the official opening of the Cheong Wa Dae nighttime tour, a press event was held with some 50 reporters and public honorary promotion ambassadors in attendance. The 90-minute tour was led by Shim Yong-hwan, a historian, writer and professor, who gave a brief overview of the buildings and facilities. He also provided fun facts and tidbits about former presidents who worked and li

The 2022 World Heritage Festival in Jeju Island, named “CONNECT- Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes,” which seeks to promote the importance of Jeju’s UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites through the story of the volcanic island’s birth, will return as an on-site program after a break last year. Jointly organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the festival will be held Oct. 1-16 at major World Natural Heritage locatio

With expanded global tourism infrastructure and distinctive travel themes, Seoul looks to become a landmark city like Paris and London, according to Kil Ki-yon, head of the Seoul Tourism Organization. The STO announced its “endemic tourism” initiative, a strategy to promote tourism in the latter half of the year, during a press conference on Monday in Seoul. The organization will work together with Seoul Metropolitan Government to achieve its goal of attracting an average of 28 mi

Busan Biennale 2022 has unveiled the list of participating artists in the upcoming biennale scheduled for September, whose works embodying the turbulent history of the southern port city will be on display across the city. The 65-day biennale, under the theme of ”We, on the Rising Wave,“ will be held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan, Pier 1 of Busan Port, the island of Yeongdo and Choryang, a village set up by war refugees during the Korean War (1950-1953) and Koreans who r

A study of Gyeongbokgung’s rear garden -- the site of Cheong Wa Dae -- will be conducted more than two months after the former presidential office was opened to the public. The Korea Association for Architectural History, which won the bid to conduct the research, has 120 days to report its findings, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday. Historical records show that the area functioned as part of the rear garden of Gyeongbokgung, the main royal palace during the Jo

Herald Artday, a subsidiary of Herald Corp., will host its 2022 Charity Auction on July 27 to help young ethnic Koreans residing overseas build their capacity and expand learning opportunities. Part of the profits generated from the auction will be donated to the Korean youth diaspora project. Some 135 artworks by 90 artists will be put up for the auction, which is scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m. on July 27 at Summit Gallery in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The opening reception for 2022 Chari

SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province -- While most people try to fight to summer heat with indoor air conditioning and ice-cold drinks, some Koreans still hold on to the saying that you can beat the heat with heat -- like eating piping hot dishes or exercising outdoors in the hot, humid weather. If you want to test this maxim handed down through generations, consider walking Namhansanseong-gil in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Located just to the east of Seoul, Namhansanseong-gil is one of seven courses

Among Korea’s oral traditions, “pansori,” or narrative singing of epic stories and folklore drama, is performed with audience participation. A solo performer who sings and narrates folktales must have an audience who verbally cheers, reacts to the climax of a scene, and helps the performer build up the spiritual and physical energy needed for the culmination of the story. A combination of singing, called “chang,” plus verbal storytelling called “aniri,&rdqu

Doctor-turned-owner committed to sharing joy of listening to classical music

 The National Museum of Korea has opened the “Astana Tombs – A House of Eternity” exhibition in the Central Asia Gallery located on the third floor of the Permanent Exhibition Hall. The exhibition has on display figurines, pottery and documents discovered inside some 400 Astana tombs at a cemetery of the ruling class built near Turpan in Xinjiang, China, near the ancient city of Gaochang that dates back 1,300 years. The relics are recorded to have been discovered or tra

A special exhibition exploring Korea’s pop culture and its historical roots will open in London this September. Britain’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum announced Thursday the opening of “Hallyu! The Korean Wave” exhibition on Sept. 24. Supported by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the exhibition will run through June 25, 2023. It will look at the makings of the Korean Wave through movies, dramas, music and fandom, and explore its global impa

What first seemed to be a simple trend is now a major part of how many Koreans define themselves. People often ask each other what their MBTI is – between friends, on blind dates and even in job interviews. But why are Koreans so obsessed with MBTI and who brought it to Korea? Let’s find out! Kim Su-hyeon, Park Sun-yeong and Lee Ji-min contributed to this report. By Kim Min-jung (minjung.kim@heraldcorp.com) Choi Jeong-yoon (jychoi@heraldcorp.com)

If you want a new look for your house, but don’t have many ideas how to go about it, visit Postershop located near Hongik University Station for inspiration. A 7 to 10-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit No.9 on Subway Line No. 2, following the road at Gyeongui Line Forest Park in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, a glass covered building with a red-colored sushi restaurant on the ground floor can be easily spotted. Postershop, on the third floor, sells posters whose subjects range fro

Shilla Seoul launches ‘Refreshing Moment with Molton Brown’ package The Shilla Seoul, located at the heart of Seoul, is launching a special collaboration package with Molton Brown, a bath and body fragrance brand, for the month of July. The package includes a Deluxe Room and complimentary entry to the Urban Island Moonlight, an outdoor pool with a jacuzzi at the hotel’s rooftop. A complimentary Molton Brown shower gel and body lotion set are provided. Package visitors are