Although the sea is usually the top choice for exciting water activities, it is not easy for busy Seoulites to carve out time to travel to the nearest beach. But for water sports fans who desire to beat the heat with a rush of adrenaline, the Han River is a more practical destination with a splash of summer fun. The river that runs through South Korea’s capital will help ease the stress of city-dwellers. Family-friendly activities, including waterskiing, kayaking, and windsurfing, are offered wi

Black Pink is holding a promotional event in Japan with international fashion brand Dior, as it kicks off its musical career in the country.Since Wednesday, the K-pop group has been holding the promotion at Isetan department store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, with the Dior product Rouge Dior Liquid. The event will continue until Tuesday. (YG Entertainment) (YG Entertainment)Black Pink’s Japan debut has been garnering attention in the country, with the group featured on the covers of popular magazines suc

Skincare, spa at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel is offering a package of luxurious spa and skincare treatments with the Swiss company Valmont, a leading skincare brand with over 30 years of experience, at its Aequalis Spa.Valmont’s signature product Energy Ritual features four different facial treatments designed to replenish the skin using glacial water and reduce wrinkles. Guests can receive a treatment for 30, 90, 110, or 120 minutes. The 30-minute treatment s

“Don’t miss the opportunity to take a peek under this Joseon beauty’s skirt,” reads the description to a parodic adaptation of “Portrait of a Beauty,” a classic masterpiece by late Joseon Kingdom artist Shin Yun-bok. In the parody installation, the portrayed woman’s skirt is replaced with a piece of clothing that could be lifted by the viewers. Below the skirt, the woman’s bare legs and underwear are realistically painted.(Instagram)Alive Museum in Seoul, where the controversial parody work was

From Broadway productions to local musicals, fans have a wide variety of choices

Hongdae, the pinnacle of youth culture in Seoul, is best known as a hub for fashion, food, music, culture and clubs. However, some Seoulites are shunning Hongdae for neighborhoods south of the area, such as Mangwon, Sangsu and Hapjeong. “Hongdae is too overcrowded and is becoming too commercial. People want something new and frankly Hongdae is so yesterday,” said Kim Se-Jung, a student at Ewha Womans University.“It used to be made up of small, privately owned retail shops but recently we’re seei

Comic and game fans across the country had a field day last weekend, as the international pop culture festival known as Comic Con landed in Korea for the first time.Comic Con Seoul 2017 allowed the some 40,000 fans to geek out from Friday to Sunday, featuring an extravaganza of subculture never before seen here.It presented business opportunities as well, as total of 113 companies and artists hosted various comic, movie, animation and game related content at 345 booths. Renowned actors Mads Mikk

Vivid colors, squishy texture offer therapeutic effects

Despite ongoing efforts to embrace multiculturalism in Korea, racism against non-whites and non-Koreans is still common here, particularly in the job market for English teachers.An advertisement looking for teachers to work at an English camp was posted on Seoul Craigslist on Tuesday. Native-speaking English teachers pose in this photo, which is not directly related to the article. (EPIK)There was one glaring problem, a phrase that clearly stated “No Black.”The employers who posted the ad could

Korea TESOL has opened registrations for its international conference in October.The conference is an annual gathering at which around 1,000 professionals in English education discuss issues and research in the field and develop their skills.Keynote speakers at this year’s conference will be Andy Curtis of Anaheim University and Nicky Hockly of Consultants-E, an online training and development organization. Curtis is an intercultural communications expert and the author of several books who will

Applications to take the Test of Proficiency in Korean will open Monday, ahead of the exam day on Oct. 22.The test is available in two formats, TOPIK I, which covers levels 1 and 2, and the more challenging TOPIK II, which covers levels 3-6. The test costs 35,000 won for the TOPIK I and 40,000 won for the TOPIK II. There are 46 test centers in Korea, covering all provinces and metropolitan cities except Ulsan and Sejong. The test is also available in 72 other countries. Tests outside Asia are he

Seoul Global Cultural Center is hosting a free screening of the Korean film “Sunny,” with English subtitles, Saturday.The 2008 film is set during South Korea’s involvement in the Vietnam War.  Poster for "Sunny" (Showbox)The protagonist is Soon-yi, a young woman whose husband, Sang-gil, is a soldier who leaves his wife for his college sweetheart. After Sang-gil is sent to fight in Vietnam, Soon-yi decides to join a band heading there, performing as a singer with the stage name Sunny, to save her

The government said Tuesday it will implement a prior approval system for biocidal products, such as disinfectants, starting in 2019, in a preventive measure after unscreened use of a deadly substance in a household humidifier disinfectant resulted in more than 70 deaths here.The Ministry of Environment announced the change in two separate legislations regarding the use of harmful chemical substances, which was approved at a Cabinet meeting.Under the amended rules, any biocides or biocidal produ

Seoul is a vibrant megalopolis with modern high-rises crowding the city’s major arteries. Nestled among the gleaming buildings are labyrinthine alleys that appear to have escaped the passage of time. We explore Seoul's many nooks and crannies.

A paper boat rowing race will take place between Aug. 11 and 15 at Jamsil Han River Park in Seoul. The race, as unusual as it sounds, has annually taken place since 2014. Participants are invited to build their own boats out of cardboard box and row 1 kilometer across the Han River. Photo provided by the Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentThose interested can sign up for this year’s race via Gmarket by purchasing the materials needed to build the paper boat on the day at a price of 60,000 won ($53). T