From ancient structures raised more than 1,600 years ago to modest venues located in commercial buildings, thousands of Buddhist temples dot South Korea.Buddhism is deeply entwined with the history of the Korean Peninsula. At times of oppression, temples secreted away in deep mountains provided refuge to the persecuted. In more modern times, Buddhist temples have provided safe haven for labor and student activists wanted by the authorities. Temples, and life in Buddhism, are also rumored to have

Five guys bring their take on hot chicken to Garosugil

Though an indoor amusement park, it snows twice a day at Lotte World Adventure. With the arrival of the winter holiday season, the park has been showing two Christmas-themed parades every day. Around 100 performers, mostly foreigners, turn into characters from Santa’s village, such as Santa, a tree, elf or snowman. Trains with ice-cream and cookie decorations complete the scene.An hour before the parade, the performers appear at ease, idly spending their time in the dressing room. But 10 minutes

Christmas dining at Grand Hilton SeoulGrand Hilton Seoul’s all-day dining restaurant Atrium will host a gala dinner on Christmas Eve.The menu includes fresh oysters, lobster soup, smoked duck, king prawns, tenderloin steak, bass roast and Christmas dessert. The set course costs 150,000 won per person. On Christmas Day, Atrium will offer a special brunch that features an unlimited fresh salad bar, king prawns and steaks, seasonal fruits and detox juices. This will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p

Canadian author Margaret Atwood said Wednesday she will publish a sequel to her novel "The Handmaid's Tale" next year, taking readers deeper into her vision of a dystopian America ruled by a misogynistic theocracy.Atwood said the new book, "The Testaments," will pursue unresolved narratives in the original 1985 novel, delving into the "inner workings" of the fictional nation of Gilead. Activists in favor of the legalization of abortion don costumes inspired by Canadian author Margaret Atwood`s f

The National Museum of Korea is hosting an exhibition with the Republic of Kazakhstan, highlighting the civilization of the great plains of Kazakhstan and the cultural heritage of its people.In the exhibition “Kazakhstan-The Cradleland of the ‘Golden Man,’” the National Museum presents more than 450 pieces of relics representing the nomadic civilization’s culture and history spanning prehistoric times to the modern era. Kazakhstan’s iconic “Golden Man” is displayed with full vestment (Yonhap)The

A gallery opens at the US Army Garrison Yongsan on Friday, 114 years after the area was closed off to the public. Opened by Seoul City, the Yongsan Park Gallery is located at the United Service Organization building in the US Army Garrison Yongsan, allowing the public to visit the area for the first time since 1904, when the area was designated for the stationing of Japanese troops. US forces began to use the site after the Korean War broke out. The USO building was constructed in 1908 to serve

Though she’s a fictional character, Kim Ji-young is a symbolic figure in Korea. It seems her status will be even more elevated as novel “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” recently became a million seller. The novel, written by Cho Nam-joo in 2016, has sold more than 1 million copies, publisher Minumsa announced Tuesday. It is now the first million-selling Korean novel since Shin Kyung-sook’s “Please Look After Mom” in 2009. Writer Cho Nam-joo (Minumsa)Since its publication, “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” has

Binggrae, a South Korean ice cream and dessert manufacturer, has released a tangerine-flavored milk.The tangerine-flavored milk follows a mulberry-flavored milk, which came out in February. Both are part of the company’s “Milk that didn’t exist before” series. (Binggrae)All Binggrae’s flavored milk products are sold in jar-shaped plastic bottles, said to look like traditional Korean jars.Binggrae’s banana-flavored milk, its top-selling drink, is the first flavored milk in Korea to surpass 200 bi

The life and times of Albert Wilder Taylor, the US journalist who broke the news of the March 1 Movement and drew global attention to the plight of the Korean people under Japanese rule, are the subject of the exhibition “Dilkusha and Chain of Amber,” which runs through March 10 at the Seoul Museum of History. Albert Taylor, who was in the gold-mining business as well as being a correspondent for United Press International and the Associated Press, arrived in what was then called Joseon in 1896.

The Vivaldi Park resort said Tuesday that it is rolling out winter-themed packages to attract more foreign visitors, including one for families and one that encompasses skiing, horseback riding and cultural experiences.The Viva Ski Festival is designed to give foreigners a taste of Korean culture along with other activities in a three-day period. It includes Korean traditional food, performances, skiing lessons, horseback riding, and fried chicken and beer. 　The Classic package can be enjoyed in

Korail has rolled out a tourism program that allows people to travel and take part in cultural activities, with the inaugural tour held Saturday. Participants of the daylong tour, priced at 59,000 won ($52), traveled to the seaside city of Gangneung, Gangwon Province, for a concert featuring singers Paul Kim and Jeon Sang-geun, and musical actress Lee Ha-nee.“Previous travel patterns were focused on ‘where,’ but we think ‘who’ you are going with is now more important. This is why we launched the

Walt Disney’s iconic Mickey Mouse will be visiting Seoul as part of a yearlong world tour celebrating his 90th birthday.The beloved character’s first trip to the country coincides with the third anniversary of the city’s slogan “I.SEOUL.U,” the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday. Mickey will arrive at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday morning for his four-day trip. The famous mouse will greet the public at locations including Gwanghwamun Square, Yeouido Hangang Park, N Seoul Tow

Art Sonje Center holds Julien Previeux’s first solo exhibition, ‘Pinch-to-Zoom,’ through Jan. 29

The Korean traditional form of wrestling known as ssireum was officially inscribed onto the UNESCO list of intangible cultural assets on Monday, after South and North Korea made their historic first joint bid.The decision was reached at the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Port Louis, Mauritius, which continues through Saturday. Earlier in the day, Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to combine their originally separate bids.Ssire