What I learned wearing hanbok every day for a week

In contrast to the city skyline that lights up the heart of Seoul, the beauty of Joseon-era architecture is revealed at royal palaces, offering magical night views of the centuries-old landscape. And Pansori, traditional Korean music, flows through the crisp autumn night, the best season to enjoy the picturesque royal palaces of the Joseon dynasty. Four royal palaces in Seoul, from Gyeongbokgung to Changgyeonggung, are open to the public also at night from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., with various cultura

Discount for foreign visitors at Coex Aquarium Coex Aquarium is offering ticket discount for foreigners in celebration of the upcoming Chuseok holiday.Foreign visitors who present the promotional image of the special discount event posted on the aquarium’s website (www.coexaqua.com/index_eng.asp) or SNS pages can receive a 20 percent discount. The discounted prices are 22,500 won for 19 and above, 20,000 for those aged 13-18, and 17,500 for children. The event is held Sept. 29 to Oct. 9. Passpor

The long holiday is an opportune time to take leave of the mundane city life for an exciting getaway. The problem is that everyone else thinks so too, and getting transportation or accommodation for a trip can be near impossible. Majority of the Korean population is expected to move during the upcoming Chuseok holiday, which will be 10 days long including the weekends, and nobody likes being stuck in traffic for 10 hours.For those residing in Seoul, finding things to do within a stone’s throw fr

Koreans this year will enjoy the longest Chuseok holiday ever, stretching from Sept. 30 until Oct. 9 for many people. And many young Koreans are opting to spend at least a portion of the mini-vacation alone, surveys show. Six out of 10 twenty-somethings said they will be spending the holiday alone, according a survey of 1,190 people conducted by part-time job listing portal site Alba Chunkuk Tuesday. The reasons behind the solo-holiday were part-time jobs at 27.2 percent and the stress of relati

Playboy founder Hugh M. Hefner, the pipe-smoking hedonist who revved up the sexual revolution in the 1950s and built a multimedia empire of clubs, mansions, movies and television, symbolized by bow-tied women in bunny costumes, has died at age 91. Hefner died of natural causes at his home surrounded by family on Wednesday night, Playboy said in a statement.  This Oct.13, 2011 file photo shows American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises, Hugh Hefner at h

“Made in Forest” organic cosmetics brand Rootree is planning to promote its overseas expansion to the Vietnamese market, following the recent advancement to the market in Russia.Rootree is expected to host a brand launching event and press conference in Hannoi, Vietnam, next month. The announcement makes clear the brand’s intentions of advancing to the Asian market. Rootree signed a $420,000 contract with Goshen Korea, one of Russia’s cosmetics distributor company, as well as finalized its entra

“Arirang” is the most well-known and beloved folk song in Korea, and a festival next month will feature the oldest recorded version of the song dating back to the 19th century.Among the highlights of the fifth annual Seoul Arirang Festival, which will be held at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul from Oct. 13-15, will be an exhibition of 60 pieces of recording devices and cylinder recordings of various versions of “Arirang.” The phonograph, a device that uses cylinders to record and reproduce sounds, is

When in the United States, do as the Americans do: James Minor, a music manager of the South by Southwest festival, believes that Korean agencies should adjust to how the local people do business in order to succeed in the US terrain. Having served as a general manager of the Austin-based international music festival for six years, Minor said there are major differences between the business styles of Korea and the US, with the key for those Korean agencies’ success in the US being “overcoming th

　According to the IFPI Global Music Report 2016, the United States’ music industry generated $4.9 trillion in 2015, ranking top in the world. 　Japan’s music industry generated $2.63 trillion in 2015, ranking second behind the US. Meanwhile, South Korea’s music industry generated $266 billion in the same year. 　The following are the 10 largest music industries in the world, according to data from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.

Gyeongdong Market, a traditional market, in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, saw brisk foot traffic on Monday, with people shopping for their Chuseok offerings and food for the upcoming 10-day-long holiday. This year’s holiday is a record stretch of 10 days that begin Saturday, linking National Foundation Day on Oct. 3 with the Chuseok holiday from Oct. 4-6 and Hangeul Proclamation Day on Oct. 9.People purchased food such as dried fish, fruits and vegetables at Gyeongdong Market. Traditional markets offer

Archaeological remains of a bathroom equipped with a flushing toilet used during the Silla Kingdom (57 BC to 935) have been discovered, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday.The state-run body has been conducting a dig since 2007 at the remains of Donggung and Wolji Pond in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, which was home to key government buildings of the ancient kingdom.Among the relics revealed Tuesday were toilets and a plumbing system. The toilets were tilted so that excretio

The annual Seoul International Fireworks Festival, more commonly known as the Yeouido fireworks festival, will take place Saturday from 7 p.m. at Yeouido Hangang Park. The event organizers promised the festival will showcase “the most exuberant and magnificent” fireworks to brighten up the night sky of Seoul.  (Hanwha Corporation)This year’s theme will be multimedia fireworks. Each firework will be based on cutting-edge technology. Following the show, there will be an after-party featuring a DJ

A marine Cable Car over the coastline of Samcheok in Gangwon Province began operations on Tuesday.The cable car will run 874 meters between Yonghwa-ri and Jangho Port which is known for its charming coastal scenery.Equipped with a glass bottom, the cable car offers an unobstructed bird’s-eye view of the sea to passengers on board.The standard adult fare for a cable car ride is 8,000 won for a round-trip and 5,000 won one-way. Samcheok Marine Cable Car (Samcheok City)(mjk625@heraldcorp.com)

Novelist Hwang Sok-yong and comedian Kim Mi-hwa on Monday formally requested official investigation into the blacklisting of cultural figures under former President Lee Myung-bak, as the scandal snowballed to engulf two previous conservative administrations.Prior to submitting the request, Hwang and Kim held a press conference at the headquarters of the joint civilian-government investigative committee looking into the blacklist scandal in Seoul, criticizing the Lee and Park Geun-hye administrat