With a 600-year history as Korea’s capital, Seoul holds many stories. Those stories are the focus of the two latest books in the bestselling series “My Exploration of Cultural Heritage.” The first two books on the five Joseon royal palaces and heritages in Seoul were released in 2017. The recently released third book is a travelogue that explores the stories of the neighborhoods within the four gates of the old capital, while the fourth book takes the readers on tours around th

The main street in the Hongdae neighborhood in Seoul -- a street bustling with young people near Hongik University – will be full of Halloween vibes this weekend, complete with a zombie parade, Halloween busking, DJ party, street dance contest and costume contest. Free cocktails and Halloween makeup will be offered at booths set up near Hongik University Station Exit No. 8. The Halloween event will be held from Friday to Sunday. Halloween art market booths will sell handmade craftworks, ac

Korean independent film “Jeong-sun” is bringing home two awards from the 17th Rome International Film Festival held on Saturday. Director Jeong Ji-hye won the Grand Jury Prize for her first full-length film, which is centered on a digital sex crime, while actress Kim Kum-soon won the best actress award. The ceremony was held at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, where the international film festival took place from Oct. 13 to Oct. 23. Kim and Jeong delivered their acceptance speeches

Coffee is a big deal in Korea. The recent Gangneung Coffee Festival held earlier this month attracted about 350,000 visitors over the three-day festival period. The value of the country’s coffee imports also exceeded 1 trillion won ($700 million) last year, according to the Korea Customs Service and industry sources. Amid the still-burgeoning growth of the Korean coffee industry, three coffee aficionados teamed up to publish a guidebook in English, introducing 82 must-visit cafes across th

An interim report on Korean films has determined that roles for men and characters living in Greater Seoul are overrepresented. As part of the Korean Movie Diversity & Inclusion Week, the report for the Center for Gender Equality in Korean Film, named "Deundeun," analyzed 446 Korean films in the top 40 percent of box office hits -- commercial films and independent films separately -- and streaming original films released from 2017 to 2021. The research looked at the main lead chara

Changdeokgung is scheduled to offer three different series of nighttime tours at the palace, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center. For “A Night at Changdeokgung, Huijeongdang and Glass Lanterns With Plum Blossom,” visitors will be guided through the brightly lit pavilion. Glass lanterns with plum blossom seals in gold that decorated both the indoors and the outdoors of the royal palace after the introduction of electricity in 1887 w

After an exhausting day, top star singer Lee Hyo-ri enters a cocktail bar. She orders two drinks: Basil Smash and Cigar in a Glass. While she enjoys her drink, the DJ plays vinyl record of 1980s singer Lee Eun-ha. If you have been wondering about the bar that Lee visited in “Seoul Check-in,” or just want to enjoy some extra special drinks, a cool night vibe and good music as the cold wind starts to blow this weekend, the place for you is Hills & Europa in the Haebangchon neighbor

Sports photographer Kim Min-jae has been awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Medal as the first Korean to receive the honor. The award was presented by IOC President Thomas Bach at Coex, Gangnam-gu on Wednesday. Bach is in Seoul for the 26th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees, which is being held from Tuesday to Friday. “It is such a great honor to receive the Coubertin Medal for the first time as a Korean and as a sports photographer. I will do my best to promo

The Seoul Arts Center is scheduled to stage SAC Opera Gala featuring popular opera arias and songs at the Opera Theater from Friday to Sunday. The SAC Opera Gala will offer three different nights of opera performances -- Opening Night, Mozart Opera Highlights and Special Gala performance -- with different combinations of conductors, opera singers, orchestras and choirs. KBS Symphony Orchestra will take the stage with Noi Opera Chorus, under the baton of conductor Toshiyuki Kamioka on Friday and

Hard-boiled survival action film “Project Wolf Hunting” has received two awards, including the Special Jury Award, at the official competition selection at the 55th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Catalonia, Spain, on Sunday (local time), announced the film's local distributor TCO on Tuesday. “I am leaving with great inspiration and courage to move on to my next film,” said writer-director Kim Hong-sun in his acceptance speech. The film also won Best Speci

A hanbok festival kicked off Monday in Seoul and major cities around the country. The nationwide festival is held in the third week of October each year to promote the beauty of traditional Korean attire and to spread the culture of wearing hanbok in daily life. This year, hanbok festivals will also take place in other major cities worldwide: Buenos Aires, Singapore, Seattle and Vancouver. HiKR Ground at the Korea Tourism Organization Seoul Center, a site in central Seoul that opened in July, is

  If you are either a hanok lover or a dessert maniac, the hanok-themed Hyegyeonggung Bakery is the place to visit as a chill creeps into the air. From fascinating desserts to a large garden where you can go for a light stroll, Hyegyeonggung Bakery has it all to make for a quality weekend. Located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, some 40 kilometers south of Seoul, the three-story bakery offers unique pastries, muffins, cakes, croissants and more. Taste sweet apple jam and cream cheese in the

Emerging designers in the Korean fashion scene took to the stage on the second day of Seoul Fashion Week held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Taking the theme of “Between," Lim Wu-jun of Iryuk presented a collection that was a mix of the designer's freewheeling creativity and the reality of clients' needs. Lim was the first of seven rookie designers participating in this year’s fashion week in the Generation Next section, where designers with less than seven years of business experi

Crowds gathered around the Donhwamun Gate on Saturday to watch King Jeongjo’s Royal Parade kick off from Changdeokgung in Seoul. After three beats of the drum, marchers dressed as soldiers and courtiers lined up in front of the gate for a ritual. King Jeongjo then made his appearance through the gate. Following the king was his mother, Lady Hyegyeong, who accompanied him on the journey to Yongneung, the royal tomb of Crown Prince Sado -- King Jeongjo’s father -- in Hwaseong City, Gye

A group of guests board a replica hot air balloon. Performers dressed as expeditioners serve pork sausage rolls and biscuits with tomato chutney, while dancing and miming. Guests are invited to take part in the preparation for a takeoff. After a hearty Victorian-style picnic, the guests set off on a journey to surprise destinations led by Sylph, the spirit of air. An immersive dining show “The Grand Expedition” kicked off on Sept. 30 at Blue Square, in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. A un