Jindo Island is rich not only in historical and cultural traditions, but also gastronomy, according to locals and tourists who have visited the island over the years. Jindo residents claim that the best seafood in Korea is found on their island thanks to the strong sunlight and powerful sea currents. The region’s specialties ― laver, seaweed, abalone and green onion ― are often known, along with the Jindo dog, as the “Five Wonders of Jindo” due to their superior quality and taste.In fact, the fi

Island struggles to get back to normal after ferry tragedy

Just off the southwest corner of the Korean Peninsula, Jindo Island is a treasure house of ancient shamanism and folk culture, brimming with stories to tell.In the words of an old proverb, don’t boast your talent in calligraphy, painting, dancing and singing when you visit Jindo. The collection of some 230 small islets is full of rich cultural heritage. “Jindo used to be a land of exile for scholars during the Joseon Era. The scholars suppressed their tears and regret with art. That’s how folk c

Beyond Macau’s casinos await subdued cultural, historical boons

BUELLTON, California ― He may not self-identify as a philosopher, being a proud gearhead and gas-station grease monkey at heart, but Mark Mendenhall was nothing if not profound when he looked around and took stock of all he surveyed.“You can have 4,000 signs,” he said, a quick head nod left and right to walls covered floor-to-ceiling with what collectors call petroliana, “but if you don’t got a place to display ’em, you just gotta garage full of junk.”Junk? At the Mendenhall Museum, freeway clos

South Chungcheong is holy ground for Korean Catholicism and symbol of Christian martyrdom

KORAIL’s twice-daily service from Seoul to Dorasan opens new chapter for border tourism

SANTORINI, Greece (AP) ― Whitewashed houses stacked like sugar cubes on the cliffs. Colorful sunsets and black-sand beaches. Donkeys, windmills and a local winemaking tradition that goes back to ancient times. These are some of the things that stood out on a visit to the Cyclades, a Greek island chain in the Aegean Sea. Little wonder the place draws gaggles of visitors ― enough to make even crowd-loving extroverts long for a peaceful island paradise. Oh, wait ― that’s why we were there. And that

Seafood Night at Conrad Seoul Conrad Seoul’s buffet restaurant Zest is holding a seafood night every Tuesday during the month of August. Zest’s open kitchen and live cooking stations will showcase seafood dishes from around the world. Highlights include marinated chili crab in the Korean section, a tuna-carving table at the Japanese corner, and fresh seafood ingredients cooked to order at the Teppanyaki station. In addition, guests can sample steamed snow crab and grilled scallops, to name just

Park Yong-soon (left), general manager of Oakwood Premier COEX, poses with Denny Jeon, the director of Expedia’s Korea office, at the Insiders’ Select Award conferral ceremony. (Oakwood Premier COEX Center)Oakwood Premier Coex has made Expedia’s Insiders’ Select list, becoming one of 650 hotels and resorts worldwide to earn this title in 2014. Expedia, one of the world’s leading online travel agencies, founded the Insiders’ Select Award to recognize outstanding hotels and resorts around the worl