For most of her history, Jeju Island was better known as the Tamna Kingdom (2345 BC - 1405). Tamna was one of the nine neighboring enemy countries of Silla (57 BC – AD 918) back in the day. Silla even built the tallest wooden pagoda in Korean history with each level of the nine-story tall pagoda dedicated to fending off the nine enemy states. The Hwangnyongsa wooden pagoda was completed in 645, standing 80 meters tall, before it was burned down by the Mongol invaders in 1238, according t

The first of the biannual Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace series will kick off April 21, welcoming guests to a warm spring night at the royal palace. The tour, which takes around an hour and 40 minutes, is organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation. Visitors can enjoy a nighttime view of downtown Seoul while listening to the sounds of daegeum, a traditional Korean woodwind instrument, at the garden

A longtime journalist covering politics and now a culture minister nominee in the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol administration, Park Bo-gyoon said he has ample experience and deep-seated interest in cultural matters. “I was mainly a journalist at the political news desk, but I wrote a lot of articles about culture, art, content, history, sports and tourism. When I traveled around the world, I visited cultural and artistic sites such as museums and archives first. So this field is by no means un

As borders were closed by travel restrictions due to COVID-19, one photographer in South Korea decided to embark on a new challenge at home: photographing Seoul in his own way. K. Chae, a 43-year-old street photographer whose full name is Chae Kyung-wan, has traveled to 85 countries for his photography work. His goal was to take his camera to 100 countries. But his last planned trip to Central Asia in 2020 was forced to be canceled due to COVID-19. And in a way, his latest exhibition and photo

A number of Buddhist monks have come to the defense of President Moon Jae-in after the president and first lady Kim Jung-sook came under fire for sitting on the cornerstones of a Buddhist temple during a hiking event last week. “I speak (of the incident) as a Jogye Order monk,” Ven. Yeongdam, director of the Youngdam Hanji Museum in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province wrote on Facebook, Friday. “If you happen to come across a cornerstone at a vacant temple, you can sit down a

Among a variety of Korean cherry blossom trees, one of the most spectacular is the King cherry tree that uniquely grows naturally in Korea. In April each year, King cherry blossoms bloom like popcorn from bare branches before the leaves burst out of the buds. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the rest of the world learned about Korean King cherry blossoms. Upon encountering an ancient forest of King cherry trees on Jeju Island‘s Hallasan in 1908, French botanist and Cat

A new opinion poll out Friday showed some 6 in 10 South Koreans think K-pop sensation BTS and other top artists who have contributed to boosting the country’s image should be exempted from active duty military service. A Gallup Korea survey of 1,004 Koreans aged 18 and older, conducted from Tuesday to Thursday, showed nearly 59 percent responding that K-pop artists should be able to carry out an alternative military duty or be granted exemption from military service. Thirty-three percent

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea is recruiting foreigners living in South Korea to collaborate with the museum in promoting Korean art and the national museum globally, as the number of overseas visitors have plummeted during the pandemic. Under the “#helloMMCA” program, the museum will pick 10 foreign residents in Korea to work for its campaign from May 2 to July 31. The influencers will post a variety of contents about the museum and exhibitions on their

Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday released a photo of President Moon Jae-in putting his palms together and bowing in front of a Buddha statue located behind the presidential office, after the Buddhist community criticized the president and first lady for sitting on cornerstones of the presumed site of the temple Beopheungsa, during a hike Tuesday. The hike was organized to commemorate the opening of the southern side of Bukaksan to the public. “President Moon appeared to be at a loss after receiv

Tired of waiting in a line to view art in packed big-name galleries? At the HoHo Art Festival, you will have ample space to enjoy art, coffee and music.  Contemporary artwork and installations by some 78 emerging artists are on display at Collabo Haus Dosan, a 10-minute walk from Apgujeong Station Exit No. 3. Hosted by Art Blending, an artists’ agency, the festival is self-directed by the participating artists. Guests can vote for the three best pieces. Upon voting, they are eligibl

During the COVID-19 pandemic, watching videos on YouTube, cooking and regularly washing hands became part of a new routine to Koreans and foreigners alike, according to a recent survey by the Corea Image Communication Institute. The CICI’s survey titled “Effects of COVID in our daily lives” involved 417 participants -- 214 Koreans and 203 foreigners who have visited or resided in Korea, with more than 57 percent of the participants in their 30s. On the question of newly deve

Boisterous sounds from machinery and the clash of folded steel in Mullae-dong, southwestern Seoul, welcome visitors who pass by the vicinity. Mullae-dong was once home to steel foundries during the 1970s. Also dubbed as the “place that can make everything,” the area housed around 1,700 iron plants to manufacture South Korea’s components. But the nondescript neighborhood was left empty as factories started to close their doors.  But the emptiness didn’t last long.

During the Japanese invasion of Korea from 1592 to 1598, many Korean potters and blacksmiths were forcibly taken to Japan, taking with them new pottery styles and cutting-edge technology to Japan. Many Korean potters, who worked as lowly tradesmen back home, found Japan a better home than Joseon, as they enjoyed upward social mobility, with some even entering the samurai class, which eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo period (1603-1867) in Japan. When news of a bette

Presidential transition committee Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo visits the headquarters of HYBE, the K-pop powerhouse that manages BTS, in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. With an attempt to discuss ways to promote Korean culture, Ahn and the members of different subcommittees hoped to listen to what the new administration can do for start-ups and entertainment industry. Officials of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's transition team and HYBE continued the discussion on ways to provide sustainable environmen

In response to expanding excitement for Korean content, particularly since Netflix’s “Squid Game” became an international sensation last fall, local content creators are being brought into the spotlight, poised to embark on Hollywood careers. Major South Korean drama production company Studio Dragon has agreed to co-produce a drama series with US company Skydance Television for Apple TV+ in the second half of 2021. Recognized for producing outstanding, hit dramas “Guar