To go forth and become a monk is not a trivial matter. Its purpose is neither to seek bodily comfort nor to be warmly clothed and fully fed, nor to seek honor and wealth. Rather, its purpose is to escape the cycle of birth and death, to sever one’s affections, to walk in the bright wisdom of the Buddha and to save sentient beings by showing them the way out of the threefold world. Baru gongyang, the monastic communal meal, is a Buddhist practice that promotes solemnity and pensiveness. Eac

  Enjoy view of Seoul like Blackpink Jennie, “Squid Game” Jung Ho-yeon If you scroll through the recent Instagram feed of hipster celebrities like “Squid Game” actor Jung Ho-yeon, K-pop artist G-Dragon of Big Bang, Jennie of Blackpink and singer Jeon Somi, you might notice that there is a common location that they have all visited called Comfort Seoul. Established by photographer Kim Hee-june and film editor Lee Tae-kyung in June, Comfort Seoul is located in a quiet

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents ‘Autumn Holiday at JW’ package JW Marriott Hotel Seoul greets autumn with a promotion filled with autumn-themed gifts, presenting a seasonal staycation. Featuring a choice of Griffin Suite or Deluxe Room, the autumn package includes a facial serum, volumizing cream and softening lotion set by Cle de Peau Beaute, with a total value of 150,000 won. Mont Blanc desserts crafted by the JW Marriott Seoul pastry team are available for package guests to tak

The Black Phone (US)　 Opened Sept. 7 Horror Directed by Scott Derrickson After being abducted by a child killer nicknamed "The Grabber," 13-year-old boy Finney (Mason Thames) is locked in a soundproof basement. On the wall, there is a black phone that does not work. Later, Finney hears the mysterious telephone ring and starts receiving strange calls from the killer's previous victims, who are now dead. Confidential Assignment 2: International (Korea) Opened Sept. 7 Action Directed

The National Museum of China has decided to withdraw the table of Korean history from its ongoing exhibition after complaints from Korea that the table does not include the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo and Balhae, the National Museum of Korea said Thursday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that the museum will remove the controversial table from the “Auspicious Metals From the Orient: Ancient Bronzes of China, Korea and Japan” exhibition, a move that came two day

A Hallyu festival featuring all things Korean Wave will take place across Seoul next month, the Culture Ministry announced on Thursday. The “2022 Korean Culture Festival” is scheduled to kick off on Oct. 1 in areas around Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul and Jamsil Sports Complex in southern Seoul. With a theme of exploring a cultural journey of Hallyu on planet “THE-K,” the festival aims to offer a chance to experience various aspects of Korean culture, ranging from t

A new space has opened on Jeju Island for discovering the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and promoting exchanges between ASEAN and Jeju. Jeju ASEAN Hall, the first joint project undertaken by the ASEAN-Korea Centre and Jeju Island with the aim of strengthening mutual understanding and people-to-people connections, opened at the International Peace Center Jeju, Thursday. Attending the ceremony were Foreign Minister Park Jin, Jeju Gov. Oh Young-hun, ASEAN-Korea Centre Sec

National Museum of Korea sets midnight deadline for Beijing museum's historical correction, plans to send staff to China for in-person discussion

Belgian director Thierry Loreau sets out to explain the success of Korean classical musicians

RM, leader of K-pop boy band BTS, donated 100 million won ($71,700) for the second year in a row to preserve and restore Korean cultural heritage overseas, the Cultural Heritage Administration and Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation announced Thursday. The K-pop superstar, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, recently made the donation to the OKCHF, asking that the money be used to promote the beauty of Korean paintings throughout the world, the foundation said. Last September, the singer a

A series of events and programs centered around Korea's intangible cultural heritage is to be showcased this fall, both online and at different locations in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The National Intangible Heritage Center held a press conference at the Korea House in central Seoul on Wednesday, to announce the upcoming events mapped out for September and October. Marking its 10th anniversary next year, the center will bring together successful and popular features showcased at this

Korea's two ancient kingdoms of Goguryeo and Balhae are missing in a chronological table of ancient Korean history currently on display at a National Museum of China exhibition, but any correction seems unlikely. The exhibition, titled “Auspicious Metals From the Orient: Ancient Bronzes of China, Korea and Japan,” is jointly organized by the national museums of the three countries to celebrate trilateral relationships and commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties bet

The fall edition of the Royal Culture Festival will run from Oct. 1 to 9, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Tuesday. Jointly hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palace and Tombs Center and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, the festival has attracted 3.8 million visitors since its launch in 2015. The fall edition is scheduled to take place at Seoul's four royal palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung -- as well as Jo

A global Hallyu festival starring K-pop stars, such as Kai of EXO and Ailee, will take place in Uzbekistan and Malaysia, the Culture Ministry said Tuesday. Jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Foundation for International Culture Exchange, "2022 Mokkoji Korea" will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Sept. 24-25 and Nov. 12-13, respectively. It will be the first time for the annual event to take place in-person after

Confidential Assignment 2 (Korea) Opened Sept. 7 Action Directed by Lee Suk-hoon North Korean detective Chul-ryung (Hyun Bin) is sent to South Korea again on a new mission. His target is North Korean crime organization leader Jang Myung-joon (Jin Seon-kyu). In South Korea, Chul-ryung once again teams up with detective Kang Jin-tae (Yoo Hye-jin). Meanwhile, FBI agent Jack (Daniel Henney) joins Chul-ryung and Jin-tae in their pursuit of Myung-joon. 6/45 (Korea) Opened Aug. 24 Comedy Directed by Pa