Rhee Keun, a former Navy special warfare officer who gained popularity as one of the trainers in the YouTube series “Fake Men,” on Sunday claimed that he has left the country to fight as a volunteer soldier in the war in Ukraine. The Navy SEAL-turned-YouTuber, also known as Ken Rhee, posted on Instagram photos that appear to be taken at an airport, with the caption, “When the Ukrainian president called for help from all over the world, ROKSEAL (Rhee Keun’s YouTube channe

The exhibition “MMCA Lee Kun-hee Collection: Masterpieces of Korean Art” showing artworks donated by late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee will extend its run for another month to April 13. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea opened the exhibition on July 21, 2021, presenting some 50 artworks selected from the 23,000 artworks donated by the Lee family last year. The masterpieces by Korea’s modern and contemporary artists have been seen by more than 80,000

Four out of 10 investors who buy small shares of iconic artworks through online platforms in South Korea are young generations, a local auction house said Monday. Among customers who have purchased a share of a single piece of art worth at least 10 million won ($8,100) at a time, 40 percent were in their 20s and 30s, according to Sotwo, an online art investment platform run by Seoul Auction Blue. Sotwo allows individuals to buy shares of specific artworks from 1,000 won and lets them gain procee

500-year-old juniper trees, rare pine tree safe for now

Architect Lee Jeong-hoon has won the MMCA Gwacheon Project 2022 for his proposal to create a large-scale architectural installation on the rooftop of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. MMCA Gwacheon Project, an annual contest inaugurated in 2021, is organized by the national art museum to revitalize the Gwacheon venue’s outdoor space. Lee’s proposal to create an open-air canopy composed of a number of pipes, which aims to embo

Amid the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 pandemic, watching the latest Netflix series and eating sweet and juicy mandarin oranges curled up with an electric blanket has been a popular way to spend the winter weekends. But as the cold winter air starts to make way for the arrival of spring, many hikers are eager to greet the coming spring and enjoy the last cold snap on Eunpyeong Trail, better known as Eunpyeong-gu Dulegil or section eight of the Bukhansan Dulegi, also referred to as Gureum Jeon

Doenjang jjigae, Korean soybean paste stew, is Koreans’ favorite hearty comfort food. The rich taste of fermented soybean paste goes well with a humble bowl of rice. Doenjang jjigae recipes range from those with assorted seafood to chadolbagi, or thin brisket slices. Decades ago, doenjang jjigae specialty restaurants were a common sight on street corners. They offered traditional doenjang jjigae, cheonggukjang and gangdoenjang, also known as ggangjang. The three dishes are all based on f

The portrait of Gongjae Yun Du-seo, National Treasure No. 240, is a striking and unforgettable image. One of best known Joseon-era seonbi -- a virtuous scholar -- and a brilliant painter, Yun Du-seo (1668-1715) is credited with changing the practice of portraiture in Korea with his self-portrait, hailed as a masterpiece. During the Joseon era, a nobleman‘s beard was a symbol of his authority. Portraits of Joseon men of stature and significance were commissioned to be hung over their ne

An encyclopedic classic of Korean medicine titled “Donguibogam (Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine)” refers to spring as “release of the old.” It also recommends taking care of one’s health according to the natural cycle of seasonal changes as the human body is part of nature’s creation. That’s why eating seasonal food is important. With new buds and sprouts at their peak, it is time to eat green leafy veggies. Having endured the unforgiving co

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has announced an open call for Project Hashtag 2022, a collaborative art project that aims to discover talented artists and offer an opportunity to exhibit their works. The annual project was initiated in 2019 in partnership with Hyundai Motor to promote interdisciplinary collaboration among artists, writers, researchers and producers from different fields. The project is open to any group of more than two people who are willing to expl

This Tuesday marked the 103rd anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement against Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule. If you are planning on commemorating the historical event, a newly opened museum dedicated to the Korean Provisional Government is a must-visit site this weekend. The National Memorial of Korean Provisional Government located in Seodaemun-gu, western Seoul, opened Wednesday. It came nearly two years after the groundbreaking ceremony held on the anniversary of the April 11

Park Hyatt Busan’s Lounge presents Citrus Bloom Afternoon Tea Park Hyatt Busan’s Lounge cafe located on the 30th floor is newly showcasing its spring tea package. The Citrus Bloom Afternoon Tea set presents combinations of a variety of citrus fruits added to tea or coffee of guests’ choice. The set is paired with traditional homemade scones, jam and clotted cream. The selection includes a sweet gold kiwi tart, an orange sand cake, a yuja mille-feuille and a hallabong cake w

Blossom Picnic 　The Blossom Picnic is scheduled to kick off on March 19 and run through April 3 at Eworld in Daegu. 　The venue offers the fastest-blooming cherry blossoms to visitors and presents the largest night view of the pink flower. 　The areas around the 83 Tower, a famous landmark of Daegu, are separated with the unique themes -- healing zone, camping zone and picnic zone -- allowing visitors to enjoy spring in a variety of settings. 　Red double decker buses and a merry-go-round are p

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Italian fashion brand Gucci’s founding last year, the fashion house has recreated its creative vision and legacy through “Gucci Garden Archetypes,” an immersive and multi-sensory space curated by its creative director Alessandro Michele. Starting with its first showcase in Florence, the traveling exhibition has landed in Seoul, its sixth stop. As mentioned in Michele’s description of the exhibition, the immersive multimedia worl

Numbers show 29% increase from 100 million in 2020