Cyworld, the dominant social networking site in South Korea throughout the 2000s before the era of Facebook, is set to reopen Saturday afternoon, as a social networking platform where users can use cryptocurrency to decorate their virtual spaces. Cyworld Z, the company that bought Cyworld last year, said Monday that the once-mighty homegrown platform will be officially re-released at 4:42 p.m. on Saturday through three app markets -- Google and Apple app stores, as well as One Store. Announci

In support of aiding Ukraine, the artist donated his painting ‘PEACE in Ukraine’ and its image featured at ‘2022 Special Concert for World Peace’

Lee Chung-chung has eyes set on building the LIE brand, rather than becoming No. 1 designer

Peabody Award-winning documentary producer sorts world food into flats, wraps and layers

Hanbok is Korea’s traditional costume and has been a part of the country’s culture for over 5,000 years. It has been praised for the beauty of its colorful and unique design. Traditional costumes worn by royal families were even more elegant. Models wearing royal hanbok from different periods in Korean history appeared at “The Hanbok” held Wednesday in front of Gyeonghoeru located in Gyeongbokgung, central Seoul. While the event was held to promote Korea’s traditi

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol announced that he would begin his term on May 10 as president of the Republic of Korea at the Ministry of National Defense compound in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. Cheong Wa Dae -- which has been the presidential office for 70 years, since South Korea’s inaugural President Syngman Rhee -- is to open to the public on the same day. 　 Putting an end to the legacy of the “imperial presidency” and to better communicate with people are reasons offered i

In the 19th and 20th century, Western missionaries introduced brick buildings to Korea. Most of the building work was done by overseas Chinese workers. The Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul was built with bricks by Qing dynasty “Hwagyo” (overseas Chinese) workers in the late 1800s. Ehwa Women’s University’s brick building was also built by Qing dynasty Hwagyo workers. According to Yi Jung-hee, a professor at Incheon National University, Qing dynasty workers were large-frame

My mother made these little patties on the day before holiday every year. She often cooked them on an electric griddle and made a ton of these little yummies for her family and relatives. These patties were only one of a variety of dishes that she pan-fried on the griddle. I usually sat down next to her to chat, grabbing a few of these little patties while they were piping hot off of the griddle. Oh, how delicious! The day before Korean New Year’s Day was a long, labor-intensive day for

The site of Cheong Wa Dae dates back to Goryeo (918-1392) when the kingdom had royal palace halls at the site. During the Joseon era (1392-1910), the site was considered a sacred place. Located right outside Sihwamun, Gyeongbokgung’s north gate, it was a place where royal retainers pledged their loyalty to the king. According to annals from the reign of King Sukjong, the place was considered so sacred that no king dared to occupy the place despite its beautiful scenery. The land was la

The boom of the local art market is expected to continue this year thanks to swelling demand for artworks from individual investors amid the protracted pandemic, industry data showed Friday. The 2022 Galleries Art Fair, one of the biggest art trade fairs in South Korea held from March 16-20, posted 17.7 billion won ($14.5 million) in sales over the five-day period, up sharply from 7.2 billion a year ago. The number beat the forecast of some 15 trillion won in sales by the Galleries Association o

A longtime baseball commentator Heo Koo-youn has been formally elected the new commissioner of the South Korean professional league. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Friday that its board of governors, made up of the 10 club owners, unanimously approved Heo's nomination the previous day. Heo, 71, had been put up for the position by the team presidents on March 11. He needed at least a three-quarters majority to be elected. (Yonhap)

Hanok-themed Solbangul Bakery About a five-minute walk from Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul is a new bakery shop that resembles a hanok, a traditional Korean house, which makes it hard to miss. A cute sign of the bakery’s mascot squirrel holding a pine cone welcomes customers, and they pass by an open kitchen located up front to the bakery. Solbangul Bakery sells over 20 different types of bread, tarts and sandwiches.  Loaves of rice mugwort bread, which has ssukgaetteok (mugwort ric

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul offers new signature menu Cafe One at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul celebrates the arrival of spring with a new signature menu combining existing favorites ideal for pairing with coffee or beer. Highlights include the ricotta salad, made with ricotta crafted by Cafe One’s own chefs and tangy lemon juice; croque madame with Italian cotto ham and a soft bechamel sauce, topped with a sunny fried egg; and the chicken sandwich with thickly sliced chicken breast cooked sous-v

Busan Lotus Lantern Festival The Busan Lotus Lantern Festival will be held at Songsanghyeon Plaza and Busan Citizen’s Park in Busan from April 22 to May 8. Sponsored by the Busan Buddhism Association, the annual festival offers visitors with an opportunity to experience Buddhist culture through the many activities and hands-on experiences, including a lotus lantern making program, temple food meals, widely known as gongyang, and more. In celebration of Buddha’s birthday, various t

Seoul Fashion Week, South Korea’s biggest fashion event held every March and October, wrapped up its six-day fashion extravaganza on Wednesday. By holding in-person shows and events for the first time in three years, it revived the stagnant local fashion industry, which has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 fall-winter Seoul Fashion Week ran in an online-offline hybrid format to avoid crowds amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 35 fashion brands -- 23 established designer