The annual shopping and tourism festival for this year has kicked off, functioning as means to attract foreign visitors while boosting interest in the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The Visit Korea Committee on Thursday held the opening ceremony for Korea Grand Sale 2018 in front of Doota Mall in Dongdaemun, Seoul. It was attended by some 100 officials from the tourism industry along with government representatives.  An opening ceremony for Korea Grand Sale 2018 is being held in fron

With the goal of fostering scientists of tomorrow, the National Children’s Science Center was reopened on Dec. 22, providing unique opportunities for young children to easily approach the magic of science through interaction and exploration.Since its opening in 1927 as the nation’s first science museum in Namsan, Seoul, the institute has evolved over time but has remained as a core institute offering a peak into the complex world of science. Today, the National Children’s Science Center is locat

Sunwoo Yekwon talks about his music, liking for solitude

Gangwon Province to offer plethora of exhibitions, concerts, shows ahead of sporting games

Following inter-Korean talks, an announcement was made Wednesday night regarding a joint cultural event at Kumgangsan in North Korea, raising speculations about the performance, its venue and also the possibility that it may mark the resumption of cultural exchanges between the two countries. According to the Unification Ministry on Wednesday, South and North Korea agreed to hold a cultural event at Kumgangsan around late January or early February. Details of the program will be decided through

The second KPOP Museum is set to open at Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, Seoul, next month.Lotte World Mall said Thursday that prior to the opening, a pop-up event is being held from Wednesday through Jan. 28 at the Atrium on the first floor of the mall. The event titled “Go Back” will feature exhibitions and experiential halls under the theme of music and art popular from the 1950s to 1990s. The first branch of the KPOP Museum opened in April 2015 at Bomun Tourist Complex in Gyeongju, North Gyeongs

The silver prize-winning work titled "A Big Fish" at a photo contest, which was organized by Uljin County in North Gyeongsang Province, shows a spectacular view of fishing at sunset.  (Uljin County-Yonhap)

As K-pop exploded into a multibillion-dollar global business over the years, music awards celebrating the industry have also grown increasingly lavish and extravagant. Last year's Mnet Asian Music Awards was staged in three countries -- Vietnam, Japan and China -- in a course of a week, highlighted by over-the-top production and performances of mega stars, such as BTS, EXO and TWICE. But among today's handful of established awards in South Korea, the Korean Music Awards stands out for being the

Analysis of the most searched shopping items around the turn of the year showed varying results among different age groups.According to social commerce operator WeMakePrice, the most searched key words from Dec. 25 to Jan. 10 differed by age group. The most frequently searched items for teens included six-ring binder journals and study planners. Six-ring binder journals used to be popular in the 2000s, but recently turned trendy again.Those in their 20s seemed to be more into travel. The most po

Joachim Son-Forget, a member of the French National Assembly representing French residents abroad, is an enterprising middleman linking France to the world through innovative initiatives. The 34-year-old radiologist and cognitive scientist, adopted at 3 months old from Korea by a French family, represents the sixth constituency for French citizens overseas in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. He is also the president of the France-Korea Friendship Group, a parliamentary organization entrusted with

 Korea Image Award -- Participants pose at the 14th Korea Image Award ceremony and reception organized by the Corea Image Communications Institute at the InterContinental Seoul Coex on Tuesday.In the picture are award winners Joachim Son-Forget, Korea-born member of the French National Assembly (front row, fifth from left), CJ Group Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik (front row, fourth from right), Russian model Angelina Danilova (front row, third from right) and corporate executives, diplomats and actors

The two Koreas on Monday reached an agreement to send a 140-member team of performers to the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics. While it will be the biggest group of North Korean musicians ever to set foot south of the DMZ, there is scant information about the Samjiyon Orchestra and what it will perform in the South. It is to perform in Seoul and Gangneung, Gangwon Province, which is hosting Olympic events.  Samjiyon Band performs in this Jan. 3, 2017 file photo. (Yonhap)At a briefing held fo

Korea Grand Sale is to begin Thursday, providing discounts, gifts and services to foreign visitors in Korea. The shopping event also aims to promote the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. More than 52,000 stores representing 700 companies will participate in the event that runs until Feb. 28, offering discounts on beauty products, entertainment, accommodations, tourist sites and flights, the Visit Korea committee, in charge of hosting the annual nationwide shopping event, announced Monday. Openin

The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency hosts a cartoon exhibition combining Korean cartoons with the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.The exhibition opens in Los Angeles on Wednesday, both at the LA Convention Center and LA Korean Cultural Center.  "Fantasy of Snowland" (Photo courtesy of the LA Korean Cultural Center-Yonhap)The LA Convention Center is opening an exhibition titled “Cartoon meets PyeongChang” through Sunday. The exhibition will show 25 cartoon pieces including eight web-based comics th

From the diary decoration trend to the emergence of 'bullet journals,' analog diaries still matter