Much like Korea’s tumultuous modern history, its currency, the won, has had its fair share of ups and downs. Part of the story can be found at the Bank of Korea Money Museum, located at the former BOK building with over 20,000 Korean and foreign banknotes, coins and tokens. On display are some historic forms of currency from the Korean Peninsula accompanied by their stories, such as the only legal coin of the Joseon era (1392-1910), Sangpyeong Tongbo. The economy of the Joseon er

The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, an affiliate of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, is offering a variety of events connected with its Templestay program at this week’s 32nd Insadong International Culture Expo. The annual event takes place Aug. 29 to Sept. 2 on the main street of Insa-dong, central Seoul, where vendors in the area will showcase the traditional appeal of the historic district. During the expo, the Buddhist institution will operate a booth from 1 to 5 p.m. every

Culture and tourism ministers of South Korea, China and Japan will hold their annual meeting in Incheon, west of Seoul, next week, the South Korean culture ministry said Saturday.Culture Ministers Park Yang-woo of South Korea and Luo Shugang of China, as well as Japan's Masahiko Shibayama and Keiichi Ishii, in charge of the country's culture and tourism ministries, respectively, will gather in Incheon for the three-day event set to kick off Thursday, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports

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Wolseong (Moon Palace), a now-destroyed royal dwelling of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), is now the subject of a Danish exhibition held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.The Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage of the Cultural Heritage Administration, along with Gyeongju City, has been hosting the exhibition “Korea in Denmark - Welcome to the Moon Palace: Wolseong” at the Nikolaj Kunsthal in Copenhagen, Denmar

A special festival in central Seoul will showcase the essence of some internationally recognized traditional Korean performing arts, the culture ministry said Friday.    The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation, will host the festival, whose title translates as "Great Inheritance Meets Today," from Aug. 31 to Sept. 21 on the premises of the National Museum of Korea.     The upc

On Thursday, a national holiday marking Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule on Aug. 15, 1945, the Museum of Japanese Colonial History in Korea was very crowded with visitors wanting to better understand the history of the two neighboring countries amid a deepening diplomatic and trade rift. The two-story museum, which sits in a small alley in Yongsan, central Seoul, opened in August last year through donations from the public, civic groups and academics. It exhibits the h

JYP Entertainment said Monday that Twice has received platinum certification in the Japanese market for its fourth and fifth singles, meaning the girl group has sold at least 250,000 copies of every single released in the country.Since South Korea opened its gates to Japanese pop culture in 1998, the two countries have exchanged cultural content. But over the past years, South Korea has been more successful in selling its content to Japan than vice versa.According to the Korea Creative Content A

Even preteens can enjoy thrill of skydiving within air-blasting tunnel It looked like I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. The ferocious funnel of wind swept me off my feet, out of Seoul, and into Maseong-ri, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, where I sat inside Fly Station Korea, waiting to experience what is called indoor skydiving.Fly Station Korea, just a five-minute drive away from Everland theme park, is the only place in South Korea that offers indoor skydiving programs, operated every day from 10 a

Grand Hilton Seoul is gearing up for Oktoberfest. The 14th Grand Hilton Seoul Oktoberfest will be held Sept. 7 at the hotel’s Convention Center, ahead of Oktoberfest, the famed beer festival held in Munich, Germany.General Manager Bernhard Brender, who is from Germany, has hosted the hotel’s event since 2007, inviting more than 1,000 guests each year.  The festival features a German buffet, including homemade sausages, schweinshaxe -- roasted pork knuckle -- and pretzels. This y

One of Disney's most successful animated films, "Frozen," has come alive on South Korean ice."Disney on Ice: Frozen" opened at Mokdong Ice Rink in western Seoul on Wednesday for a 12-day run, featuring the full story of the Academy Award-winning animated film. "What makes it so unique and exciting is that 'Frozen' and ice make a perfect match," Gig Siruno, performance director of the show, said in a press conference on Thursday. "We are excited to bring these i

HONG KONG -- The 2019 E-Sports & Music Festival Hong Kong wrapped up three days of esports competition, cosplay competition to musical performances Sunday. Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the third annual gathering of gaming fans in Asia kicked off Friday with thousands of fans flocking to the scene.Game on One look at the entrance of the event was enough to see that this was a special occasion. Brightly colored wigs and fa

Paleolithic fossils, stoneware and other remains have been found in North Korea's southwestern region, state media said Monday.Faculty and researchers of Kimilsung University found the remains -- five pieces of stone tools, three pieces of bone tools and 732 pieces of fossil bones -- dating back to the later period of the era near the Ryesong River, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The discovery marked the first time for relics of the Paleolithic age to be found near the Ryesong Rive

It is just five minutes’ walk from Seodaemun Subway Station in central Seoul to get out of the glittering city and travel back in time to the early 20th century. The Donuimun Museum Village resurrects an old Seoul neighborhood of the 1960s-1980s with a barbershop, movie theater, arcade, comic book store and more. About 30 historic houses were repurposed and given a new life at the brink of demolition for the public park. Opened in October 2017, the area is the result of the city