A total of 19 cases of damage to nationally recognized cultural heritage sites and items have been damaged by the heavy rain in the Greater Seoul area this week, the Cultural Heritage Administration reported Wednesday. Major mountain fortresses partially collapsed, while trees dating back hundreds of years were overturned with their branches broken. Burial mounds and stone works have been washed away. Walking trails at cultural heritage locations’ flooded within hours, which were shut

Gimhae City has withdrawn its application for the Gusan-dong Dolmen to be designated as a national historic site. The city sent an official document to the Cultural Heritage Administration for the withdrawal after mounting criticism had been made by experts who visited the site for preinspection on July 28, to find out that damage had occurred during the restoration process. The city had mapped out the restoration project and taken action since December 2020. A total of 1.6 billion won ($1.2

A furniture promotion video showing a sofa placed at multiple locations within Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office compound, is facing public criticism after its release on Friday. Entertainment and media firm iHQ’s streaming service platform Babayo, uploaded an eight-minute video to its YouTube channel titled, “Everywhere Ep. 1: Cheong Wa Dae.” The video was taken down on Tuesday afternoon, after the Cultural Heritage Administration asked the iHQ to delete the clip

The city of Seoul and the Seoul Tourism Organization are adding new routes on the “Seoul Guided Walking Tour” program starting Tuesday. The three new courses are the “Gyeongbokgung Stonewall Walkway and Cheong Wa Dae Course,” the “Gwanghwamun Square Course” and the “Yulgok-ro Palace Wall Road Course.” Each walking tour involves a narration about the site’s history by professional tour guides, as well as an introduction of popular spots such

A 350-metric-ton Bronze Age dolmen in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province -- one of the largest dolmens in the world -- was discovered to have been damaged during a recent restoration process. The damage was reported to the Cultural Heritage Administration by Cultural Heritage Committee members who visited the site on July 28 to conduct preliminary research for the dolmen’s designation as a national historical site. The CHA halted all restoration work on Aug. 1. The city of Gimhae initiate

It was devastating for Kim Jung-hui (1786-1856), a member of the royal family born into the prestigious Gyeongju Kim clan, to be imprisoned inside a shabby house with a thorn fence on a remote island as punishment. Exiled to Moseulpo in the southwestern part of Jeju Island, he suffered from chronic illnesses and loneliness for over eight years. In reading and writing, his sole pleasures, he found the strength to endure his pain. Ironically, his distinctive calligraphy style called “Chusach

Civilizations are judged by the quality of historical knowledge they document and leave behind. For about 3,000 years, “seoye,” the art of calligraphy, has been a visible documentation of East Asian civilizations and culture. The ink used in traditional calligraphy, “meok,” made from burnt carbon, is long-lasting. In traditional calligraphy, each brush stroke carries philosophical thoughts beyond just the literal meaning of the written characters. For example, a dot

For those looking for a unique experience this weekend, how about a quick travel in time to the ’70s? The National Folk Museum of Korea, located inside Gyeongbokgung, is hosting special events outdoors where bustling streets from the 1970s and 1980s have been recreated. Named “Street of Memories,” the neighborhood has its own evening school, a barbers hop, a coffee house, a comic books store, a photo studio and more. At Yaksok Dabang, visitors are offered a complimentary c

A forum convening a group of noted scholars and architects for a discussion on how physical space and virtual space impact cultural communication will be held later this month in Seoul. “After the pandemic, ‘space’ is newly emerging as a place for the diverse experience of touch and smell, while a growing number of people are seeking shared spaces,” said the Corea Image Communication Institute Tuesday in announcing the 13th Cultural Communication Forum on Aug. 25 at the

Arirang songs evoke powerful emotions and often lead to spontaneous shoulder dance moves among Koreans, at home or abroad. Arirang is a genre of Korean music featuring heart-wrenching laments of tragedy, hardship, suffering and injustice. Arirang‘s improvisational nature enables anyone to easily weave their own poignant life stories into the song, like modern-day rap. Life has always been tough for ordinary Koreans, especially in remote areas. Poverty, hard labor, and abrupt political ch

A local summer festival in Hongcheon county, Gangwon Province, is set to kick off next week. The five-day “Hongcheon Beer Festival” will offer programs and activities running from Aug. 3 to Aug. 7. “World Wet Dance Contest,” on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6, will see more than 20 dance crews competing on a stage filled with water. The festival will be divided into four different themes -- main, healing, cooling and youth -- offering different moods and vibes for the visitors. Mus

Marking the 77th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Day on Aug. 15, a special concert will be held as part of the “Visit Korean Heritage Campaign” at the Cheong Wa Dae compound on the evening of Aug. 13, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday. Hosted by the CHA and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, the event has been held at different historical locations in the past, including Suwon Hwaseong in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province in 2020, and Gwanghanruwon in Namw

Paddle down Han River Are you feeling exhausted or drained under the hot weather? There’s a riverside festival coming up this weekend to cool you down. “2022 Han River Festival - Summer” kicks off this Friday, offering more than 20 programs spanning the 11 riverside parks in Seoul until Aug. 15. How about hopping onto a “king canoe” and paddling through the Han River’s waterway? The 12-person canoe leaves at a dock near Seorae Island, and passes by Sebits

Two months after the Cultural Heritage Administration was delegated operational management of Cheong Wa Dae, tentatively until the end of this year, the CHA remained hesitant to speak up on issues regarding Cheong Wa Dae’s future use. At a press conference announcing the vision and upcoming plans of the CHA held Wednesday in central Seoul, the overlying theme of the statement was on upgrading systems and data-based support for preservation and use of cultural heritage in general. The e

  For Sung Hyun-jeong, 32, lighting an incense stick in her room has become an evening ritual. “After having a hard day at work, I want to have me-time. The fragrant smoke that fills up my room helps relaxation and energetic flow,” said the real estate agent who has been carrying out the routine for more than five months. Incense burning has been practiced for centuries. Historians tell us that it was broadly spread on the Korean Peninsula, from the 8th to the 14th centurie