Nestled against the ancient city walls of Seoul, Bukjeong is a small village with a much larger character. Although Bukjeong Village has been linked to redevelopment projects, it remains one of the last standing Daldongne – a hillside shanty town so named for being on steep hillsides and therefore closer to the moon – in Seoul.The village is also symbolic of contrasting characteristics of Seoul. While the village itself is packed with small, aging properties it overlooks one of the wealthier nei

Chief of state-run language center stresses online learning to reach broader audience

K-pop fans pick up Korean textbooks, lead interest in Korean studies

The international tour of hit musical “The Lion King” in Korea will continue until May 26, extending the initial schedule by a week.According to local promoters of the show, the tour in Busan that was slated from April 11 to May 20 will be extended for a week at the Busan Dream Theater. The tour is currently in Seoul, with its final performance in the city on Thursday. “The Lion King” (Clip Service)Tickets for May 21-26 performances in Busan will open at 2 p.m. on April 3 on local online booking

Korean moms wake up to power of reading in language learning

When it comes to English books, there are three types of readers in South Korea: expats, Korean elites and language learners. For retailers and distributors, the first is the most difficult consumer group to target as their tastes in books are just as diverse as their backgrounds. The most lucrative and competitive market, on the other hand, is that for young English learners, as Korean moms -- always willing to reach into their pocketbooks for their children’s education -- wake up to the power

History is closer to people’s lives than in the musty pages of old books. In the ultra-modern metropolis of Seoul, there is a place where a step into the lower ground of a high-rise office building can pull one into the city’s past, dating back to the 16th century. It is Gongpyeong Historic Site Museum, a 3,817-square-meter space in the underground floor of Centropolis office building in Gongpyeong-dong, central Seoul -- the biggest historic site unearthed in Seoul to date.  (Park Hyun-koo/The K

With the aim of encouraging and promoting templestay programs, the Korean Buddhist Cultural Foundation honored 52 temples across South Korea on Tuesday for their effective programs.The Korean Buddhist Cultural Foundation held an award ceremony at Jogyesa in central Seoul to recognize temples that had operated outstanding templestay programs in 2018. Templestay program (Korean Buddhist Cultural Foundation) Representatives of temples recognized for offering outstanding templestay programs in 2018

Once-crowded bars and shops gone as rents rise, visitors stay away

The Cultural Heritage Administration on Wednesday laid out its plan for the year, centered on strategic goals of preserving and promoting the country’s legacy here and abroad to create jobs and boost local tourism.Other goals for the state-run agency includes making headway in plans for inter-Korea archaeological excavation and research of ancient Korean kingdoms based in territory currently occupied by North Korea.In a press briefing, the state-run agency said it plans to improve the repair and

Despite the recent collapse of the Washington-Pyongyang summit, worsening prospects for inter-Korea relations, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday vowed to “spearhead peace between the Koreas” by making preparations for joint participation in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In a media briefing led by Vice Culture Minister Kim Yong-sam, the ministry rolled out plans that center on cooperation with North Korea in the sports and culture sector, increasing benefits for low-incom

With the arrival of spring in South Korea one can witness the spectacle of migratory wild birds leaving back to their homes across the world in huge numbers. After enduring a slightly less cold winter on the Korean Peninsula, wild birds are getting ready to return home in regions spanning from Siberia to the eastern Manchuria area of China. Korea is host to more than 100 types of migratory birds every winter.From September to November, birds from northern Russian and China fly several thousands

Poet Kim Sa-in, head of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, has expressed worries about division of the literary works of North and South Korea. His comments came as LTI Korea, a state-funded institute that aims to link Korean literature to foreign readership, announced its plans for this year, including events to promote the expansion of the boundaries of Korean literature. Kim Sa-in, head of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, speaks during a press event in central Seoul

South Korean Go master Lee Se-dol, who was famously defeated by Google’s artificial intelligence program AlphaGo, said Tuesday that he might retire at the end of this year.Lee, 36, made the surprising announcement after he fell to his Chinese rival Ke Jie in a special match at a Seoul hotel.“I started playing Go when I was six years old, and I became professional player in 1995,” Lee said. “That’s quite a long time. I think this year may be my last year.” (Yonhap)Lee said he hasn’t definitely de

Travel-related industries adapt to trend, expanding pet-friendly services