Jeotgal, or salt-fermented seafood, continues to be loved Next time you are in Seoul, pay a visit to the heart of the city. Take a gander at Dongdaemun Gate, and tumble onto Jongno 5-ga, where you will stumble across the vibrant Gwangjang Market filled with merchants welcoming regulars, hagglers seeking to put a little more into their bags, and the pungent smell of a mixture of dishes floating in the air.Enter the South 1st Gate into the food zone, and you will find stalls with colorful delicaci

Pohang Guryongpo Gwamegi Festival The Pohang Guryongpo Gwamegi Festival celebrates gwamegi -- dried mackerel -- along with other local specialties of the Pohang city region, including snow crab and squid.The festival presents events like folk games, traditional Korean music performances, specialty product competitions and free samples.The festival is from Nov. 10-11. Admission is free.For more information in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese, call the travel hotline at 1330. The homepage (gu

‘Iron Chef’ desserts at JW Marriott DongdaemunGuests will be able to taste sweet desserts prepared by star patissier Jason Licker at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul’s the Lounge. Sweet delights created by Licker are available at the hotel lounge until the end of November. White chocolate Junmai, matcha and makgeolli desserts are on the menu. Licker was the champion of the Thai version of culinary TV show “Iron Chef.” He has been working in Asia for more than 12 years, successfully adapting t

Fermented fish, clams and shrimps enrich everyday dining table in Korea

The government said Thursday it will construct the country's first-ever national museum to promote Korean literature in northwestern Seoul.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that the land where a state-invested housing complex for journalists was once located in Seoul's Eunpyeong district was finally chosen to be the location of the National Museum of Korean Literature. (The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)The government plans to spend 60 billion won ($53.6 million) to

A Hangeul booth will be set up at The Language Show exhibition, Europe’s largest language event, which is being held from Friday to Sunday in London.Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Thursday it would run a Hangeul exhibition booth together with the King Sejong Institute Foundation at Olympia West Hall in London. (The ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism)The Hangeul exhibition will promote Hangeul, Korean and Korean culture under the theme “Light up the Hangeul, Korean langu

A Seoul National University professor emeritus has been honored by the Spanish government for improving Spain’s international status through his newspaper column.Kim Seong-kon, a professor of English language and literature, received the Order of Civil Merit -- an award that recognizes service performed by Spanish and foreign citizens for the benefit of Spain -- from Spain’s King Felipe VI in October. The specific honor awarded to him is the Officer’s Cross.  Professor Kim Seong-kon with the Off

Blue Bottle Coffee is launching its first South Korean store in Seoul’s Seongsu neighborhood by the second quarter of 2019, marking the company’s second overseas expansion.Despite rumors that the company’s first Korean branch would be established in either Gangnam or Samcheong-dong, Blue Bottle Coffee Korea announced recently that Seongsu had been chosen as the venue.(Blue Bottle Coffee)The Seongsu district in eastern Seoul is sometimes called “the Brooklyn of Seoul.” The area is emerging as a c

　South Koreans rank first among major economies in terms of visits made to hospitals in 2016, government data showed.　According to the data by the National Health Insurance Service, South Koreans visited the doctor's office an average of 17 times in 2016, much higher than the average of 6.9 times by citizens of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries.　Japan came in second with 12.8 visits, with Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany rounding out the top

VR games may entertain young Koreans, but uncertainty shadows content market

Caffeinated fun is slated for this week in Seoul

Camping has been popular pastime since it became fashionable in the late 2000s. The number of campers in Korea was 600,000 in 2011 but broke 5 million in 2016, Statistics Korea estimated, suggesting a strong growth in the popularity of outdoor activities. Among many types of camping, from classic tent camping to luxurious glamping in fully-equipped cabins, camping out in a car has risen as an affordable option. (Instagram @dalnote_kang)Often called “cha-bak” in Korean, which translates to “stayi

A new grape variety called shine muscat is an increasingly popular choice on South Korean dinner tables.Shine muscat is distinguished by its unique taste, which includes mango flavors. The yellow-green berries carry a musky flavor, but without much sourness.  Shine Muscat (Yonhap)The variety is more expensive than others in Korea. E-commerce platform E-mart Mall sells the grapes for 1,890 won ($1.68) per 100 grams, while green grapes imported from the US cost 770 won per 100 grams. According to

In recent months, a number of photos on social media showing pets thrown up in the sky have sparked criticism over animal abuse.To get a photo of pets in the blue sky, some pet owners throw them in the air or hold them up high in what has been called the “sky shot” trend. Pet owners comment on how cute their pets’ faces are as they are thrown up in the air, adding hashtags “sky shot” and “flight shot” to the photos on social media. Most photos show the pets’ scared expressions with enlarged eyes

“Most experts are in agreement that Seoullo is a failure of urban regeneration. I haven’t seen any architect or designer who said good things about it.”