The Korea Herald

Gwangju center offers cultural courses

Expat LivingDec 30, 2015

Gwangju International Center is running a program of cultural classes in January on a range of language and other subjects.Adult courses include basic Spanish, Japanese and Italian, as well as classes on K-pop and calligraphy. There are children’s courses on Saturdays. Schedules for the adult classes vary.The weekly classes run from Jan. 5-30 and registration closes Monday.Tuition fees are 40,000 won for all classes except English conversation, which is 80,000 won. Fees do not include textbook c
Top expat blog closes as Marmot goes back into his hole

Expat LivingDec 30, 2015

One of Korea’s most high-profile expat blogs has shut off its server space after 12 years online.Robert Koehler’s Marmot’s Hole blog was a mainstay of the expat blogosphere, but was closed Monday, as the author said he was no longer willing to commit the time and money needed to maintain it.“I’ve been doing it since 2003 and, you know, I just wasn’t feeling it anymore. And frankly it was more aggravation than it was anything else,” he said.“To be honest, blogging is, I think to some extent it’s
A glimpse of upper-class lifestyle in the early days of modern Korea

CultureDec 30, 2015

Baek In-je hanok open to public for the first time in 100 years
Content venture center opens in Seoul

CultureDec 29, 2015

The government Tuesdays launched a tech content venture center called the “Creative Economic Leader,” or CEL Venture Center, in downtown Seoul.Located in the former building of the Korea Tourism Organization, the CEL Venture Center will accommodate some 90 start-ups specializing in creating stories and content using the latest and emerging technologies such as virtual reality, drones and location-based information services. The CEL Academy, an educational institute for training the next-generati
Restoring East Asia’s oldest stone pagoda

CultureDec 29, 2015

The 1,300-year-old pagoda in UNESCO-listed Mireuksa Temple site is the longest-running restoration project in Korea
Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul, urban oasis in the heart of city

TravelDec 29, 2015

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul, urban oasis in the heart of city Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul is an award-winning urban resort located in the heart of South Korea’s capital. Overlooking the lush greenery of the Mount Namsan, it is the ultimate place to fully enjoy the serenity and privacy offered by the resort. The 21-story hotel is designed to offer relaxation and comfort with only four guest rooms on each floor. Each guest room is equipped with the hotel’s signature Relaxation Pool and other lux
[Best Brand] The Ritz-Carlton Seoul -- height of luxury

TravelDec 28, 2015

The Ritz-Carlton Seoul offers guests a unique city experience with its private balconies overlooking Korea’s capital.　Located in the heart of the buzzing Gangnam area, the Ritz-Carlton Seoul boasts easy accessibility while setting itself apart from the busy cityscape, allowing guests to find a moment of quiet and luxurious retreat. 　In addition to its private guest room balconies -- provided by no other hotel in Seoul -- the Ritz-Carlton Seoul’s all-day fine dining restaurant also features an ou
[Best Brand] Banyan Tree Club and Spa Seoul, urban oasis in the heart of Seoul

TravelDec 28, 2015

Banyan Tree Club and Spa Seoul is an award-winning urban resort located in the heart of South Korea’s capital. 　Overlooking the lush greenery of the Mount Namsan, it is the ultimate place to fully enjoy the serenity and privacy offered by the resort. 　The 21-story hotel is designed to offer relaxation and comfort with only four guest rooms on each floor. Each guest room is equipped with the hotel’s signature Relaxation Pool and other luxurious amenities. 　The hotel also offers diverse indoor and
[Best Brand] Fraser Suites downtown leads serviced apartment business

TravelDec 28, 2015

Located just minutes away from central of Seoul, Fraser Suites Insadong offers all its guest a rich cultural experience with palaces, traditional markets and museums all within walking distance.　Fraser Suites has 213 fully furnished suites from a single up to four bedrooms, along with its penthouse suite. The luxury apartment hotel also features a heated indoor swimming pool, with a separate children’s pool, and a fully-equipped gym to ensure its guests stay fit during their stay. 　As a leading
[Best Brand] Grand InterContinental Seoul honored for service quality

TravelDec 28, 2015

Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas has achieved a series of outstanding recognitions both in Korea and abroad this year.　It has gained the five-star hotel status this year as the first foreign luxury hotel chain in Korea. Also, the hotel has earned the ISO 22000 certification for its excellence in food safety management system.　Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas topped the country’s Korean Standard-Service Quality Index, which measures companies’ quality of services, for seven consecutive year
‘Disconnect to connect’ in Wonju’s budding art scene

CultureDec 28, 2015

WONJU, Gangwon Province -- Very much overshadowed by the neighboring snow-filled scenes of bliss in PyeongChang, the site of the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics, Gangwon Province’s Wonju seeks to attract the attention of travelers. The small-time city of Wonju, less than a two-hour drive from central Seoul, has always flown under the radar in terms of its tourism pull. While it does not have a reputation as one of the peninsula’s “must-see” destinations, it beckons a second look as an unlikely hav
Asia Culture Center to serve as ‘test bed’ for original content

CultureDec 27, 2015

GWANGJU ― If you exit the subway station connected to the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju thinking that the multicultural complex will be similar in scale to the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, you should think again. Asia Culture Center in Gwangju (Culture Ministry)With its five interconnected buildings based on different yet synergistic and convergent themes, the Asia Culture Center strikes awe in visitors, who marvel at the architecture and the interior maze of exhibition and performance
Independence Hall wins presidential accolade

CultureDec 27, 2015

The Independence Hall of Korea has received a presidential accolade for its contribution to promoting patriotism and national symbols. “This prize recognizes the museum’s diverse programs using national symbols and its contribution to attracting interest in national symbols and promoting the understanding of national symbols,” the museum said in a press release. A Korean flag decoration marks the 70th anniversary of Korea’s independence from Japan. (IHK)The state-run museum, which pays tribute
Foreigners satisfied with Seoul's foreign support centers: survey

CultureDec 27, 2015

Foreign residents in Seoul are satisfied with the services and accessibility of the municipal government's support centers for them, a survey showed Sunday. According to a satisfaction survey of 760 foreigners conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the city's 17 foreign support facilities garnered an average of 4.56 points out of five. The poll focused on their accessibility, cleanliness, kindness and quality of programs. The support centers received a higher average score of 4.59 po
Lotte to open L7 lifestyle hotel in January

CultureDec 23, 2015

Lotte Hotel, part of Lotte Group, will open a new lifestyle concept hotel called “L7 Myeongdong” in Seoul on Jan. 12.The L7 will offer stylish facilities, where hotel staff will sport jeans, oxford shirts and slip-on shoes in bright and lively colors in order to appeal to guests as “friendly and caring,” the hotel affiliate said.The hotel, situated in Myeong-dong ― Seoul’s downtown shopping district frequented by hallyu tourists ― will primarily target female guests in their 20s-40s who enjoy st