When I was in my early 20s studying at a college in the US, I was invited to a dinner party at a Korean professor’s home. He was treating all students from Korea and students majoring in Korean at his home. His wife was an amazing cook – she was more popular among the students than her husband who was teaching Korean at the university. She showed me how she made her japchae, the ever famous Korean glass noodle stir-fry, and I was converted. Her japchae noodles were very chewy and

Revisions and new word additions reflect gender neutrality, yet leave out migrants and sexual minorities

Two Korean interdisciplinary artists -- Lee Mi-re and Jeong Geum-hyung -- will participate in the main exhibition of the upcoming Venice Biennale in April, which will take place at the Central Pavilion and Arsenale. Lee and Jeon are among 213 artists from 58 countries who were invited to join the international exhibition, the main exhibition of the biennale where 80 countries will also showcase works through their national pavilions. Among the artists participating in the international exhibit

Becoming a farmer carries a high risk, with volatile weather and soil conditions affecting farm crops in a blink. The risk, exacerbated by global warming, has been mitigated for Lee Kyung-ju, a former IT office worker-turned farmer who has been growing cucumbers with the help of a smart farm system since 2020. He kicks off his day by checking his smartphone application showing the farming weather forecast and agricultural commodity prices. He then arrives at his 6,000 square-meter farm in C

A twenty-eight-year old surnamed Lee has been watching Netflix‘s “Single’s Inferno” and Tving’s “Transit Love” over the past month, despite the many controversies surrounding the hit dating shows. “Seeing men and women in such ideal conditions, in exotic places, and, what’s best, without a mask, somehow gives me a sense of excitement and energy,” said Lee who works at a data analysis management company in Seoul. Lee has not dated an

Star actors Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin are tying the knot after a two-year relationship. The actors’ agencies confirmed Hyun and Son’s upcoming marriage with a press release Thursday night, announcing the wedding will take place in March in Seoul. Son announced the upcoming wedding first in an Instagram post earlier Thursday night. In the post with a picture of a miniature white wedding gown, she wrote that she “found someone to spend the rest of my life with.” Hyun sha

Kkwabaegi gets a new twist

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul unveils ‘Be My Valentine Afternoon Tea Set’ The Lounge at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents the “Be My Valentine Afternoon Tea Set,” with handcrafted desserts featuring romantic pink hues from four days starting Friday. The limited-edition tea set includes an exclusive gift of Manolo Blahnik Chocolate Shoes, dubbed the “Dream Wedding Shoes” for their appearance in “Sex and the City.” Strawberry Mont Blancs, Chocolate Mill

To make “sujebi,” a humble winter dish to warm the heart and the stomach, bite size flour dough pieces roughly torn and pulled thin by hand are added to boiling savory broth and served at the table in a clay pot. Records show that the dish originated in the royal kitchen of Joseon. However, the hearty one-pot meal is better known today as a poor man’s fare -- a stripped-down version might just require some flour and dried anchovies. Indeed, it is now seen as nostalgic food amo

Ganghwa Smelt Festival The Ganghwa Smelt Festival runs through Feb. 13 at the Sinsun outdoor fishing site in Incheon. Hoping to provide a memorable winter experience, the festival features various programs, including smelt fishing, ice sledding, electric scooter for children and more. Though it was originally planned to end on Feb. 15, the festival moved up its schedule due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and spread of omicron variant. Admission costs 30,000 won for adults and 20,000 won fo

On the day of spring awakening, Joseon lovebirds exchanged ginko fruits as love tokens

An exhibition that underlines the daily use of Korea traditional clothing, hanbok, launched on Wednesday in Seoul. The exhibition, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports and Korea Craft & Design Foundation, introduces uniforms created by hanbok designers Kwon Hye-jin of Hyeon, Kim Nan-hee of Dolsilnai, Baek Dahami of Daham Hanbok, Hwang Sun-tae of Hanbok Moon, Shin Sang-hwa as well as You Eun-chae, a college student whose hanbok design received an award last year. &ldqu

Netflix’s zombie thriller set in Korean school shows a thing or two about Korean teen language, culture

Korean celebrities who showed their support online for South Korean athletes at the 2022 Beijing Olympics have been bombarded by Chinese social media users. RM, the leader of K-pop group BTS, uploaded an Instagram story on his personal account expressing support for a South Korean short track speedskater who was disqualified during the men‘s 1,000-meter semifinal held Monday. The singer posted a photo with a thumbs-up and clapping emoji after the event, during which Hwang Dae-heon overt

Actor Lee Byung-hun has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, his management agency said Wednesday. "Lee got tested for COVID-19 since he didn't feel well and received a positive result on Monday," BH Entertainment said. "He currently has no serious health problems." He is fully vaccinated and boosted, according to the agency. The infection immediately halted the filming of the new tvN drama "Our Blues," starring Lee. All other members of the cast and the crew