“If my appeal to the king is improper, hit my neck with an axe.” Jo Heon (1544-1592), who came to Seoul from Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, appealed to the king in front of the palace for three days to behead the Japanese envoy who demanded that Joseon make way for the Tokugawa shogunate -- the military government of Japan -- going to war against Ming Dynasty China. While most government officials were uncertain about what to do, Jo, with an ax, voiced his opinion fearlessly

Korean street toast is a popular breakfast on the go. This sandwich packs egg, cabbage, carrot, ham and cheese between slices of buttery toasted bread. It’s the salty and sweet taste from the unusual condiment combination that will make you swoon. Who would have thought this odd Korean sandwich would become a worldwide sensation that everyone wants to make at home? This Korean street toast recipe is something you should try yourself to believe that it is not as bad as it sounds. Ingredie

One of the new government’s core commitments underscored was to “return Cheong Wa Dae to its citizens” promptly, but a month into its term, roles are yet to be defined of the former presidential office’s current and future usage. In the meantime, another outdoor event is expected to be held at Cheong Wa Dae, following the KBS’ “Open Concert” on May 22, this time, an hourlong solo performance stage with Neflix. Singer Rain will hold a performance for N

This weekend is your last chance to take pictures with the cute, charming characters of “Yumi’s Cells” at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, eastern Seoul. Celebrating the arrival of the second season of tvN’s hit romantic comedy, the Meeting Plaza in Olympic Park is decorated with beloved characters from “Yumi’s Cells.” Ranging from the love cell and emotional cell to the rational cell, the unique characters catch visitors’ attention not only with their

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul showcases innovative bingsu desserts Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is presenting seven varieties of bingsu in homage to global desserts at the hotel’s lobby lounge Maru, through Sept. 30. The hotel will reveal each month’s treats alongside three signature bingsu options -- golden Jeju apple mango bingsu, black sesame creme brulee bingsu and summer fruits Charlotte bingsu. The golden Jeju apple mango bingsu, which is priced at 96,000 won, captures the flavor of

Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival The Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival is set to run from July 14 to 17 at Buyeo Seodong Park and Gungnamji Pond in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province. The annual festival takes place every July at the summer’s peak, when lotus flowers bloom. The event features the historic love story of Seodong and Princess Sun-hwa of the Baekje Kingdom with various programs, including multimedia displays and a lotus canoe experience. Admission is free. Updated information can b

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- After a two-year hiatus, the Gangeung Danoje Festival -- a traditional festival offering harvest rites to the deities of heavens -- made a comeback along the Namdaecheon stream in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Monday. Gangneung Danoje was designated as a UNESCO World Intangible Heritage in 2005, in recognition of its cultural ingenuity and outstanding artistry. On Wednesday, the third day of the eight-day festival, the festive spirit reached its peak at an open-a

From K-pop to K-dramas, Korean cultural products are gaining popularity worldwide -- but little is yet known about Korean craft arts outside of the country. Kim Eun-bi, 35, founder and CEO of Middle Studio, believes that the field of traditional crafts has the potential to gain as much spotlight as other already popular cultural products. Kim founded Middle Studio in 2017, and launched the Chi brand of everyday items and fashionwear inspired by traditional Korean crafts and culture. Working wi

The Seoul International Book Fair, the country‘s largest book event, kicks off Wednesday at Coex in southeastern Seoul. The annual book fair will run from Wednesday to Sunday, with a total of 196 companies including 18 foreign companies and 214 speakers expected to join the event. This year’s event takes place after two years of scaled-down editions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the theme of “One Small Step,” talks, exhibitions and events will take place to gauge

When the grand opening of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games unfolded, it wowed viewers with various spectacular scenes, including 1,217 drones in the air and hundreds of South Korean snowboarders in light-emitting jumpsuits who slid down the slopes with the drones flashing above them. There was also a controversial feature: Inmyeonjo, a mythological bird with a human face that often appears in ancient tomb murals of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Some viewers were disappointed when watching

Park Chang-woo, founder and CEO of multichannel networking firm Soon Ent, said businesses should not misunderstand TikTok and must grab opportunities the platform presents. Speaking at The Korea Herald’s Global Business Forum on Wednesday, Park emphasized that TikTok, a short-form video hosting service owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is more than an alternative to video-streaming juggernaut YouTube. YouTube focuses on creating intellectual property, while TikTok is more like a soci

Despite an ongoing lawsuit, residents of apartments near the UNESCO-listed Jangneung royal tombs in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, began moving into their new homes on Tuesday. The Seo-gu Incheon Metropolitan City Office on Monday approved Daekwang Construction’s high-rises for occupancy. Some 735 households are expected to move in. “We have given permits according to procedures and on-site inspections of Daekwang Construction’s apartments,” an official from the Incheon ci

A 19th century folding screen painting from Korea, “The Joyous Banquet of Guo Ziyi,” owned by the Art Institute of Chicago, is revealed to the press Monday after extensive conservation work. Jung-jae Conservation Center began work on the Joseon period work last August, funded by the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation.  Regarded by experts as being on par with royal court paintings, the restored folding screen will be available for public viewing at the Art Institute o

Craftworks made in collaboration between Korean artisans and Italian designers will be on display at Korean Craft 2022, which will be held during Milan Design Week 2022, a major design art fair due to take place June 6 to 12. The 10th edition of Korean Craft will showcase works that feature different beauty ideals realized by Korean artisans and Italian designers. Among the works on display will be the “Altar for offering to the gods” series created by Korean brassware artisans L

Artists are constantly expanding their own artistic world. Some defy conventional art to differentiate themselves, like South Korea’s avant-garde pioneer Lee Seung-taek and British pop artist Philip Colbert, who are both currently showcasing new works in Seoul. 　While Lee is known as a progenitor of Korea’s conceptual art from the 1950s, Colbert is an emerging British pop artist who has been expanding the realm of pop art to virtual reality. 　Born in 1932, Lee began working in i