The season of buoyant spirits is here, and many are rushing to enjoy the brief window of when spring flowers are in full bloom. But along the trails of flowers and lush trees are remnants of Korea’s valuable history often too easily forgotten. Some 30 kilometers south from central Seoul, approximately an hourlong drive, lies Suwon, the most populous city of Gyeonggi Province. A major destination for spring picnics, Suwon is filled with crowds of families and couples on dates, especially

Oeam Village, listed as Important Folklore Cultural Heritage No. 236, is located on the southeast slopes of Seolhwasan, some 8 kilometers south of the rural city of Asan in South Chungcheong Province.  The village was created when the Yean Yi clan settled down during the reign of King Seonjo (1567-1608) of the Joseon era. There were many talented descendants of the clan and among them was Yi Gan, a great Confucianism scholar whose pen name was Oeam, the origin of the village’s name.&n

Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival The Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival has returned after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival, which started on March 25, is scheduled to run through April 16 at various sites in Gyeongju, including Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, the park of royal tombs, or also known as Daereungwon, and more. Celebrating the return of in-person festivities, visitors can try their hands at various activities like “plogging” under cherry blossom tre

Just in time for spring and the downward slope of the omicron variant peak, two new theme parks opened in South Korea offering a bunch of new thrill rides and attractions. One in Busan is a Lotte World franchise and the other in Chuncheon, a city in the mountainous Gangwon Province, is part of the global Legoland chain. Here’s a quick look at the new amusement parks and their most anticipated attractions. 1. Lotte World Magic Forest (Busan) Lotte World Magic Forest opened to the publ

Flowers expected to be at peak bloom mid-April and remain through May

  INCHEON -- As the cold winter steps aside and the government eases social distancing rules, people are more interested than ever in traveling to enjoy the spring. But with the country experiencing the worst wave of the pandemic, surpassing 10 million cases last week, many people are trying to enjoy simple outdoor activities at open spaces with few crowds. The Sorae Marsh Ecological Park, about 40 kilometers from Seoul in Incheon’s Namdong-gu, was created in 2009, replacing the for

Blossom Picnic at E-World The Blossom Picnic is scheduled to kick off on March 19 and run through April 3 at E-World in Daegu. Visitors can catch the earliest-blooming cherry blossoms at the venue and it is one of the best spots to see the pink and white blooms at night. The areas around the 83 Tower, a famous Daegu landmark, are divided into zones with unique themes -- healing zone, camping zone and picnic zone -- allowing visitors to enjoy spring in a variety of settings. Red double-decker

Busan Lotus Lantern Festival The Busan Lotus Lantern Festival will be held at Songsanghyeon Plaza and Busan Citizen’s Park in Busan from April 22 to May 8. Sponsored by the Busan Buddhism Association, the annual festival offers visitors with an opportunity to experience Buddhist culture through the many activities and hands-on experiences, including a lotus lantern making program, temple food meals, widely known as gongyang, and more. In celebration of Buddha’s birthday, various t

Joseon royal palace Gyeongbokgung will be open for nighttime viewing from April 1 to May 29, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday. The night view of Gyeongbokgung in spring is noted for its beautiful blossoms, including the weeping cherry blossoms and bright azaleas that light up the night. Up to 1,300 visitors will be admitted per evening and reservations are required through the 11Street website. Online reservations will open Thursday morning, with each person limited to two tick

Jeju Fire Festival The Jeju Fire Festival will be held at Saebyeol Oreum in Aewol-eup on Jeju Island from March 18 to March 20. The annual festival is a reinterpretation of “bangae,” the oldest nomadic culture in Jeju, where people pray for richness and health by burning off old grass and, in the process, kill vermin in the fields. Lighting up the night sky, the fire show puts on a stupendous display for visitors. For safety reasons, all programs at the Jeju Fire Festival -- the

Taean World Tulip Flower Festival The World Tulip Flower Festival is scheduled to run from April 9 to May 9 at Korea Flower Park in Taean, South Chungcheong Province. Some 200 types of flowers, including flamingo, lambada, red proud tulip and more, will be on full display. On-hand experiences, like a flower planting program, will not be offered at this year’s event to prevent any spread of COVID-19. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tickets are 12,000 won for adults and 9,000

Amid the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 pandemic, watching the latest Netflix series and eating sweet and juicy mandarin oranges curled up with an electric blanket has been a popular way to spend the winter weekends. But as the cold winter air starts to make way for the arrival of spring, many hikers are eager to greet the coming spring and enjoy the last cold snap on Eunpyeong Trail, better known as Eunpyeong-gu Dulegil or section eight of the Bukhansan Dulegi, also referred to as Gureum Jeon

Blossom Picnic 　The Blossom Picnic is scheduled to kick off on March 19 and run through April 3 at Eworld in Daegu. 　The venue offers the fastest-blooming cherry blossoms to visitors and presents the largest night view of the pink flower. 　The areas around the 83 Tower, a famous landmark of Daegu, are separated with the unique themes -- healing zone, camping zone and picnic zone -- allowing visitors to enjoy spring in a variety of settings. 　Red double decker buses and a merry-go-round are p

Kwon Jeong-hyun, 37, an office worker in Seoul, is planning a series of weekend road trips alone starting this spring with her diary as her companion. “In my early 20s, traveling was like an assignment because deciding on whom to go with and coping with their schedules was not an easy task,” said Kwon, an avid solo traveler since her late 20s. In the past decade, Kwon has traveled to major cities alone, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, New York and London. She took her first

Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival The 1st Pinocchio and the Little Prince Starlight Festival will run through March 13 at Italian Village and Petite France in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The event allows visitors to experience a bit of overseas travel via the flea market lined with European antiques, traditional Italian houses and more. The splendid lighting aside, the festival allows various cultural programs, including music box performances, puppet show, a circus with mimes,