With innovative technology and ‘skin-first’ philosophy, K-beauty is winning over US consumers

‘2+1’ package at Hyatt hotels in Korea The Grand Hyatt Seoul, Grand Hyatt Incheon and Hyatt Regency Jeju are offering a “2+1” combined package this spring. Guests can stay two nights and get one extra night for free if they book before March 31. Their stay period should be from March 1 to April 23.During the period, guests in Jeju Island can enjoy the cherry blossoms as well as flower festivals. Each Hyatt hotel in Korea has amenities including fitness centers, indoor and outdoor swimming pools,

The Irish Association of Korea will be filling the amphitheater in Seoul’s D-Cube City plaza with Celtic sounds to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 18.It’s an opportunity for Seoulites to hear some traditional Irish instruments and watch some dancing, and is a family friendly way of celebrating the day before evening celebrations in bars and pubs. Performances at the event include traditional Irish music from Jigs and Reels and Ceoiltoiri Seoul, folk from Boss Hagwon and Scott Hildebrand, an

With spring about to bring some color back to the Korean landscape, Holi celebrations in Seoul and Busan this year are set to beat nature to it. Two separate groups -- through both are called Indians in Korea -- will mark the Indian spring festival famous for its throwing of colored powder, in Seoul on Sunday and in Busan on March 18. Holi Hai in Busan, usually the larger of the two events, will be held on the city’s Haeundae Beach.  Last year’s Holi Hai celebrations in Busan (IIK)“People are sh

Following the joint Korea-US decision to deploy the THAAD battery in Korea last July, a de facto Hallyu ban has been in place in China. Following is the second article in a three-part series that examines the impact of the unofficial Hallyu ban on the Korean entertainment and tourism industries. --Ed.With China clamping down on Korea-bound tourism -- widely suspected as retaliation for the upcoming Seoul-Washington deployment of the US missile defense system here -- the tourism industry is searc

Seoul is a vibrant megalopolis with modern high rises crowding the city’s major arteries. Nestled among the gleaming buildings are maze-like alleys that appear to have escaped the passage of time. The Korea Herald explores the many nooks and crannies of Seoul, proclaimed the capital of Joseon in 1392, that reveal a multifaceted city. -- Ed. Navigating through the Haebangchon neighborhood of Yongsan can be a challenge. Houses are perched on steep hills. Cars squeeze past labyrinthine roads while

Ivo van Hove’s “The Fountain” will be performed in Seoul from March 31 to April 2, marking the second time that the theater director will visit Korea to stage his production. The Fountainhead, a stage adaptation of a 1943 novel by Ayn Rand of the same name, was first unveiled in 2014 and has received mostly positive reviews. The four-hour show’s protagonist is a young architect Howard Roark who refuses to compromise his artistic and personal vision for worldly success. The character’s interactio

During winter, the Park Geun-hye scandal dumbfounded many citizens, with the irregular situation in administrative affairs still ongoing.Political ups and downs can be likened to the stock market. Stocks that have nosedived to rock bottom often recover at a rapid pace. Life is the same. Put the anger aside for a moment and observe spring knocking on our windows. It has come to soothe the people. Beautiful flowers are poised to placate those who have grown sick and tired of the political fiasco.C

Nature trail in the DMZ offers unusual experience of strolling on land little touched by men for more than 60 years　

Shim Soo-jin didn’t like heavy topics, but when she saw the images of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine through a television documentary, she was “hooked.” The ravaged, desolate building and its surroundings were so mind-boggling that she decided to tour the place while she was a university student. Having visited the place three times since 2015, she has filmed one of her trips and talked about her experiences on radio and at seminars. “I felt so many things there, sadness, happiness

Yangpyeong Strawberry FestivalThe Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservation is required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 teams can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. For more information, visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, J

New bakery specializes in Seoul’s latest ‘it’ bread

For those weary of typical travel itineraries -- looking at landscapes, eating local food, sightseeing -- The Korea Herald recommends a number of unique, and somewhat strange, places to visit, ranging from interesting accommodations to unusual places of interest. Robotic comfortsIn Nagasaki, Japan, there is a hotel staffed almost entirely by robots, from automated employees at the reception desk and electric bellboys to droid waiters at a restaurant. 　Upon entering the futuristic establishment,