In my childhood there was always a basket of fermenting cheonggukjang, rich soybean paste, on the warm part of the ondol floor of the room where I wanted to lie down. I used to grumble to my mom why she had to put it there, and I pleaded with her not to make it anymore because I didn’t need to eat it. I didn’t realize until I was out in the real world how much effort and devotion it takes to make it. Now, as an adult, I appreciate the full, deep taste of cheonggukjang. The fun par

Despite being founded 50 years ago to promote Korea’s national brand, Korean Culture and Information Service is far from a household name within Korea, though it intends to change that this year. The organization plans to push for greater cultural exchange with Korea‘s partner nations, according to Park Jung-youl, the director of the KOCIS, who took the helm in September 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of Hallyu. A veteran government official, Park told the Korea He

The Gordon Ramsay Burger is finally here. The Michelin-starred chef’s first burger chain in Asia officially opens on Friday at Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul. The news of the premium burger chain landing in Korea a few months ago created a buzz concerning its high price. Its iconic Hell’s Kitchen Burger is priced at 31,000 won ($25.91) here, which is much pricier than other so-called premium burger chains like Shake Shack. Shake Shack burgers‘ prices range from

Fairmont Ambassador Seoul presents High Tea at Fairmont Very Berry Fairmont Ambassador Seoul presents High Tea at Fairmont Very Berry, inspired by winter strawberries and other seasonal fruit served at the Atrium Lounge until March 13. The high tea set features a selection of desserts crafted to celebrate the aromas of strawberries, a choice of sweet beverages and a menu of savory items. The dessert menu features seven desserts presented on a three-tier tray, including miniature pistachio spo

Yangju Snow Festival The Yangju Snow Festival kicked off Jan. 1 and runs through Feb. 13 at Jangheung Recreational Forest in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. With an attempt to share and appreciate the beauty of snow, the festival features various programs, including ice sledding, a snow mountain, a sleigh train, an augmented reality snow experience zone, ice sculptures and more. While admission costs 12,000 won and 15,000 won on weekdays and weekends, respectively, separate fees apply for hands-on

With the new year signaling the season of migratory birds, the DMZ Migratory Bird Watching Tour offering visits to vantage points in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, will available through the end of February. Cheorwon is a popular sanctuary for migratory birds, such as cranes, wild geese and eagles, owing to the county’s vast plains that are rich in food and water. Along with water reservoirs and the Hantangang River, the region is close to the Demilitarized Zone, which remains relatively un

Kim Kun-hee, wife of the main opposition People Power Party’s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl, is accused of falsifying her work experience at Alternative Space Loop, a nonprofit cultural center in Seoul, amid continued criticism over Kim’s exaggeration of her past career in applying for jobs at colleges. Loop was founded in 1999 as a nonprofit organization to share contemporary art and cultural experience with the public as well as promoting experimental artists who have b

Supreme Court to decide the fate of apartment buildings near UNESCO-listed royal tombs

South Korea and Singapore should use the pandemic as an opportunity to plan and prepare for the future, the Singaporean ambassador and Herald Corp. chairman said in a meeting on Wednesday. Singapore Ambassador to Korea Eric Teo paid a courtesy visit to Herald Corp. headquarters in central Seoul where he, The Korea Herald CEO Choi Jin-young and Herald Corp. Chairman Jung Won-ju exchanged views on the emerging trends amid the COVID-19 pandemic, such as education trends, carbon neutrality, d

Galleries Association of Korea calls on Seoul Auction, K Auction to respect market ecosystem

The metaverse, regarded as a technology whose emergence was seen as timely in the pandemic era, has cemented its position as a key avenue to pushing cultural experiences to another level. While prepandemic cultural contents were based on face-to-face experience, the virtual world-centered metaverse emerged as a notable alternative, offering a similar experience as face-to-face encounters as the coronavirus and a multitude of its variants have changed the way people interact. With the advances

The 2022 “Global Seoul Mate” project, jointly initiated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization, is recruiting members to produce and promote Seoul’s tourism-related digital content, the STO announced Monday. The Global Seoul Mates are a delegation of foreigners living in Seoul who have both expertise and passion in producing digital content and utilizing social media, looking to introduce and promote Seoul’s attractions, festivals and ev

The local performing arts scene saw its revenue soar nearly 80 percent in 2021 from a year earlier, thanks to eased social distancing rules and a rising vaccination rate, data showed Monday. The combined revenue of 12,000 theatrical plays, musicals, classical concerts and other performances reached 307.1 billion won ($258.1 million) last year, according to the data by the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS). The 2021 amount marked a 78.4 percent on-year surge from 172.1

The newly-built upscale department store Galleria in Gwanggyo, Gyeonggi Province, was recognized by UNESCO’s annual Prix Versailles Awards, winning the top Prix Versailles 2021 prize in the shopping mall category. The sixth branch of Galleria -- South Korea’s first and major upscale department store franchise founded in the 1970s -- opened in March 2020 in Gwanggyo, a new town just 25 kilometers south of Seoul. The building was designed by OMA, an architectural firm headquartered

After winning the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished children’s book in 2020 with “When You Trap a Tiger,” author Tae Keller said the book was inspired by a folktale that her Korean grandmother used to tell her. The Korean folktale she was referring to was “The Sun and the Moon” that centers on two siblings and a tiger. Keller’s storybook also includes a tiger from a Korean folklore which appeared at a grandmother’s house to find something t