Four royal palaces and Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul to open to public day and night, presenting various cultural programs

Fashion stores today do more than just sell clothing -- they represent lifestyles

This is the fourth and last installment of a series introducing Korea’s springtime tourist destinations. ― Ed.Korea is once again celebrating spring, which provides an opportunity of warm weather amid the country’s tempestuous seasonal fluctuations. For those who want to revel in the outdoors this season, away from the crowds that occupy outing hotspots, The Korea Herald suggests three lesser-known but picturesque locations in Seoul.The Hangdong Railroad, located in Guro-gu, now serves mainly as

This is the third installment of a four-part series introducing Korea’s springtime tourist destinations. ― Ed.CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province ― Changwon, a southern industrial port city, heralds the arrival of spring on the Korean Peninsula with cherry blossoms. The city’s Jinhae district draws huge crowds of tourists and locals with the famed cherry blossom festival Gunhangje every April. But Changwon is not all about cherry blossoms. A true spring trip comes after the blossoms fall. This i

In a highly connected society swamped by hand-held digital devices, more and more people are harking back to simpler times.

The last time Lee Soo-jin carried her own coloring book inside her bag was more than 25 years ago, but it’s a hobby she’s recently picked up again. Lee is not alone ― coloring books are no longer just for kids. “When I was young, I would use my crayons and color until it was broken,” she said. “My favorite was the book of Disney princesses.” Now, the 33-year-old office worker doesn’t use pink and red to color Cinderella’s dress, nor does she ask her mom to buy her a new book. Instead, she takes

Korea Craft and Design Foundation chief Choi Jeong-cheol pushes to popularize traditional crafts

Throwback ’70s theme in BoseongKorail will offer a tourism program in front of Deukryang Train Station in Boseong County, South Jeolla Province, where both the old and the young can play games and visit stores of the ’70s. Boseong is renowned for green teas.The rail operator has remodeled the station, and will open ’70s coffee and barber shops to take visitors back in time and reminisce about the good old days.Korail’s Cosplay Festival, which will be held from May 2-31, will also allow tourists

Cantonese cuisine at Lotte Hotel SeoulLotte Hotel Seoul’s Toh Lim will be inviting Chef Lau Kwok Wai of Fook Lam Moon, the best Cantonese haute cuisine restaurant in Hong Kong, for a gourmet promotion from April 21-24. The promotion will feature popular dishes such as the sauteed abalone with black beans and peppers and baked stuffed crab shell with onions and fresh crab meat. The six-course lunch menus are priced at 138,000 won and 158,000 won. The eight-course dinner menus are priced at 195,00

The desire to eat is not only driven by hunger, but also by the emotional state and psychological stress. Binge eating, which is different to anorexia where one does not eat enough food, is another common eating disorder. This eating disorder is becoming more prevalent with the increase of interest in weight loss, as in Western countries, and in a rise in socioeconomic status as in Korea. Eating disorders, including both bulimia and anorexia, mostly occur in young women, particularly in adolesce

This is the second installment of a four-part series introducing Korea’s springtime tourist destinations. ― Ed.TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -― The island-cluster port city of Tongyeong is an all-too forgotten weekend coastal destination for those looking to revel in the refreshing sea air while avoiding crowds of beach dwellers and out-of-towners. Situated on the southern reaches of South Gyeongsang Province, Tongyeong is only about 1 1/2 hours’ drive from Busan. Best known as the locati

After a successful run last year, the Big Day South Festival will return this month, with a three-day artistic showcase in Ulsan.The festival was set up last year by Ali Safavi and Philip Brett as a showcase of creativity in the south of the country.Last year’s festival was in Daegu, featuring bands, acoustic performances and printing and art showcases alongside interactive art activities.“We just wanted to take it on the road,” said Safavi, who is based in Daegu and organizes music shows in his