Hotel Tops 10 invites guests to escape the cold this winter at its hot spring facility. Geumjin Hot Springs opened at the hotel in September. Even before the hotel’s opening last December, the region has long been known for hot springs with thermal water. (Hotel Tops 10)The thermal water, with a golden hue, flows from a 1,100-meter-deep coastal terrace. It contains various rare minerals, such as selenium, vanadium and zinc. Proven to be beneficial for various health conditions, Geumjin Hot Sprin

Art critic Arthur Danto once said, “Duchamp did not merely raise the question ‘What is Art?’ but rather ‘Why is something a work of art when something exactly like it is not?’”The paradigm shift that Duchamp introduced to the art world with his “readymade” objects -- that an everyday object with little or no modification could become a work of art through the creative process by the artist and spectator -- was a concept that shattered the modern conception of art as the production of artistic “g

Though the air is freezing, hotel dessert sections have already warmed up, gearing up for the strawberry buffet season.Over the past decade, local luxury hotels have been presenting all-you-can-eat buffets filled with strawberry-related desserts each winter, following the trend of hotels in Japan and Hong Kong.Though the buffet season used to start around February, the saturated market has moved the timeline as early as December. Most now start around the winter holiday season. Intercontinental

SongEun Art Foundation hosts exhibition featuring four candidates for 18th SongEun Art Award

More than a century has passed already since Koreans began to consume coffee near the close of the 19th century. Throughout the years, it has surely established its position. In downtown areas, there are cafes one after another. According to the industry, the average Korean drinks 500 cups of coffee in a year. Ongoing exhibition “Winter Coffee Club,” hosted by the Korea Crafts & Design Foundation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, reflects on the changing history of coffee cultur

Korea’s Culture Ministry decided on a design for the country’s future passports, Friday. The passports will be issued starting in 2020.The next generation of South Korean passports will come in three colors -- navy for ordinary citizens, gray for government officials and red for diplomats.For enhanced security and greater impact resistance, the ministry said it has decided to use a durable transparent plastic called polycarbonate thermoplastic. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)The Minist

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Thursday released its evaluations of government-supported art biennales that took place this year. Among the eight art biennales reviewed by the ministry, none received top marks on a scale from 1 to 5. Three biennales got a grade of 2, and the rest were rated 3 or 4.  (Yonhap)This was the first year in which no biennale received a 1 since the ministry launched its annual evaluations in 2004.Of the three biennales that received 2s, the Busan Biennal

For those who don’t enjoy skiing, annual family ski trips can be quite dull. But in recent years, ski resorts in South Korea have found an ironic yet new target group -- nonskiers. Major resorts here are trying to come up with fresh ideas every winter, slowly transitioning into “theme parks,” where everyone can spend quality time. The Vivaldi Park resort, located about 60 kilometers east of Seoul in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, has been frequented by locals and tourists for over two decades. Wit

'Salami is work of meat, salt, wind and time’

“Stretching my neck out the prison window and gazing at the flock of seagulls flying southward, I realized that the preciousness of freedom was seeping into my brain cells.”

Mermaid performances at Coex AquariumCoex Aquarium is holding underwater mermaid-themed performances to mark the Christmas holiday season. Divers dressed in Santa and mermaid outfits perform with sea life, including 20,000 sardines. The shows are held at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and at 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays. There are no performances on Mondays.The Christmas-themed performances will be held until Dec. 25, after which a new version with a different theme will be

When snowflakes flutter down from the skies, out come the snowboards, the skis, the goggles and the overpriced parka you swore was worth it.The winter season is here, and it’s prime time for outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, sledding and ice skating. All over the country, both the young and the young at heart are seeking out traditional and nontraditional winter sports. Some are following newer trends like VR and indoor winter sports. (123rf)Two winters ago, Seoul Square in Jung-g

Lifestyle-curation bookstores invite readers, nonreaders alike

Welcoming 2019 at Novotel Ambassador DongdaemunNovotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotel & Residence presents the Countdown package to welcome 2019. The package includes a night’s stay at the hotel, two tickets for the Countdown Party and a late checkout option. The countdown party starts at 9:30 p.m. and ends past midnight. Jazz and other live music performances are to take place at the rooftop bar of the hotel. Guests can choose a welcome drink -- sparkling wine, gin tonic, vin chaud and lemon

New patisserie specializes in viennoiseries