The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday announced the launch of this year’s Autumn Travel Week, a designated period between Oct. 20 and Nov. 1 featuring travel programs and government-recommended destinations.Continuing the theme of travel spots featured in popular Korean movies and TV shows, 17 regional governments will take part in Travel Week. Twenty travel spots are introduced on the event’s homepage (https://travelweek.visitkorea.or.kr), in categories such as a place to visit

Foreigners learning Korean language across the world via state-run King Sejong Institutes will visit the country from Oct. 2-10, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday.According to the ministry, 147 foreigners who got high scores at Korean speaking contests at the 172 institutes across 56 countries have been invited, with 12 of them participating in the finals Thursday. Students of King Sejong Institute in India try on traditional hanbok in this Sept. 24 file photo. (Yonhap)Part

Some 60 Mongolian infants have received heart surgery operations free of charge over the past six years through a charity program funded by Rotary Korea, the organizers said. Korean medical professionals pose for a photo in Mongolia, where they have performed some 60 free heart surgery operations for local children over the past six years. Rotary KoreaThe Seoul bureau of Rotary International, a global service organization dedicated to bringing professional leaders and businesses together to prov

Daemyung Leisure Industry, a major ski resort and water theme park operator in Korea, has launched packages that invite foreign tourists to experience Korea’s culture and history. Targeting the millennial generation’s desire for local experiences, the packages focus on unique experiences that are only offered in Korea.  The MVL Hotel Goyang (Daemyung Leisure Industry)The MVL Hotel Goyang, a five-star hotel in Gyeonggi Province, presents the Go Peace & Shopping package, which includes a two- or t

Korean artist Lee Bul’s retrospective exhibition kicked off Friday at Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin.The artist’s 2015-16 work “Willing to Be Vulnerable,” a 17-meter-long sculpture that looks like a Hindenburg airship or Zeppelin, is included in the 127 works that span over some 30 years and are on show. “Willing to Be Vulnerable” was first shown at the 20th Biennale of Sydney in 2016. “Scale of Tongue,” Lee’s latest work, is also presented at Martin-Gropius-Bauwill.The exhibition sheds light on h

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, kicked off the second edition of Asia Focus on Friday at its Seoul branch. This year’s Asia Focus -- a program launched last year to support artists in Asia -- runs through next Wednesday. Asia Focus forms part of MMCA Performing Arts, a yearlong program dedicated to interdisciplinary performances. This year, the museum co-commissioned five Asian artists -- Ho Tzu Nyen of Singapore, Meiro Koizumi of Japan, Dai Chenlian of China, Hong Kon

The barbershop, once considered a place of the past, has come back around as an essential grooming parlor for young hipsters in Korea. Many of the newly opened shops are operated by young barbers who garner customers by featuring trendy hairstyles.The professional trimming skills of more aged barbers, however, have caught the eyes of the youth, as videos of YouTubers experiencing old-school barbershops in Seoul have gone viral online.  (YouTube channel "That Russian Guy")YouTube creator Art from

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Thursday they will look into a pineapple vinegar drink along with other food and drink products that promote their effectiveness for weight loss.The drink in question was selected for inspection through an online petition, which received the most votes from June 8 to Aug. 31 on an online petition forum provided by the MFDS. (Yonhap)The petitioner wrote that the pineapple vinegar drink had caused side effects including diarrhea, stomach pains and menstrua

“The jaunt offers a scenery of a spectacular panorama. Especially in a good season, when descending on a Namsan slope canopied by pine trees and flowers, one can savor every nook and cranny that unfolds like a painting.”

Yangyang Songi Festival (Pine Mushroom Festival) The Yangyang Songi Festival offers programs that allow visitors to enjoy the Yangyang songi mushrooms that naturally grow on Taebaeksan Ridge.Activities include a mushroom-picking program for foreign visitors, a songi treasure hunt, concerts and traditional rice cake making.The festival runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 3, and is open to visitors of all ages, free of charge.For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, visit yangyang.go.k

The fall has arrived and so has the season for strolling. In downtown Seoul, the area near central palace Gyeongbokgung is the favorite haunt of locals and tourists alike looking to enjoy fine culture and dining alike.On either side of the massive Gwanghwamun Square in front of the palace are the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History and Sejong Center. The two large cultural institutions within close walking distance are perhaps ideal spots to start an “art walk” in Seoul. An installati

About 34.7 percent of the museums run by regional governments have failed the government’s certification system, according to a Culture Ministry data submitted to an opposition lawmaker.Rep. Kim Jae-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party said Thursday that 66 of the 187 public museums across the country fell short of the standards set by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.  Rep. Kim Jae-won (Yonhap)The ministry has been assessing the public museums via its certification system i

Cars and people are not the only things the megalopolis is bustling with, as the fall has the Korean capital colored scarlet with falling leaves accompanying the cool breeze.There are a number of walking spots in the city for the season to be savored.Dalmaji ParkThe Chuseok holidays that ended Wednesday were marked by the full moon. Dalmaji Park, which means “moon welcoming park,” got its name for being one of the best places in Seoul to enjoy the sight of the moon.Located between Oksu-dong and

Breezy, sunny and cool, fall is arguably the best season to explore Seoul -- the capital filled with tradition, history and a flair for fun.　As the fall weather is ideal for outdoor activities, the city is offering an array of festival and events -- from traditional music festival to those that feature international cuisine in Itaewon.　For those who would like to get a taste of Korea’s traditional music and dance, Seoul Arirang Festival, which is taking place at the Gwanghwamun Plaza in central

Bringing together master artisans and young craftsmen, Yeol, the Korean Heritage Preservation Society, is holding an exhibition of modern craft art inspired by traditional craftsmanship.“Crafts of Fire” at the exhibition space Yeol Bukchonga in the neighborhood of Bukchon, central Seoul, running until Oct. 18, is a culmination of a yearlong project by iron casting master Kim Jong-hoon and young glass artist Yang Yoo-wan. Glass pieces blown by glass artist Yang Yoo-wan are on display at Yeol Bukc