When planning a trip involves buying new products and creating waste, a major problem arises – travelers enjoying the outdoors while ignoring the impact their vacation may have on the environment. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization jointly launched the “Inconvenient Travel Tips“ campaign on Wednesday, to promote eco-friendly travel methods through October. The travel tips are conservation-minded measures that some may find inconveni

Korean traditional attire, hanbok, does not have to be limited to young people and travelers wearing them around royal palaces. Hanbok-inspired clothing can be worn at work as well. That is the premise of a long-term project by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hanbok Advancement Center launched earlier this year which aims to promote hanbok as everyday wear and books the demand for hanbok. At an exhibition showcasing business casual attire at Culture Station Seoul 284 in Jun

With travel restrictions being gradually lifted in different countries and vaccination roll-out gaining momentum in Korea, the tourism sector hit hard by the more than yearlong pandemic is gearing up to attract foreign travelers. The Korea Tourism Organization hosted a two-day online travel promotion event on May. 28, specifically targeting Japanese under-40s -- Millennials and Generation Z – who are interested in Korean culture. A series of live streaming events were aired on Nikoniko Li

The iconic superhero Batman will be created by a Korean writer and cartoonists, this time against the backdrop of Seoul. DC Comics is to publish a series set in 14 countries around the globe -- Korea, China, Japan, US, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, Turkey, Mexico, and Brazil -- working with writers from the respective countries. Spurred by the Dark Knight’s realization that his fight for justice should not be limited to Gotham city, the global collaborati

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) is calling for submissions for this year’s Korean Diaspora Literature Essay Contest to expand the base of literary exchange through discovering and supporting writers of Korean diaspora literature. The writing contest will be based on 25 essays, novels, and poems written by people of Korean ancestry living in Central Asia, Europe, Japan, the US and North Korean defectors chosen by LTI Korea. “Diaspora literature exists than

Seoul Salon du Chocolat Since its inception in France in 1994, Salon du Chocolat has taken place in 32 cities in 11 countries. In Seoul this year, it will be a three-day event from Aug. 20 to Aug. 22 at Coex, where visitors can taste and purchase a wide range of chocolate products, dessert ingredients and paraphernalia related to chocolate and desserts. Unique events such as the Chocolate Fashion Show, Chocoland and Choco Art will entertain visitors. A variety of hands-on activities, inc

The 19th-century American self-help author Napoleon Hill was referring to the deep connection between body and mind when he said, “The body achieves what the mind believes.” The mind plays an important role in wellness, but it is not easy to achieve wellness while living in a crowded city, venturing out each day and maintaining a hectic schedule. To help the pandemic weary, the Korea Tourism Organization has recommended seven “wellness travel” destinations. “We

In late March, the National Library of Korea announced the opening of an immersive experience library named Shilgam Seojae. It looks just like any normal library, but features new digital technologies that offer visitors a whole new reading experience. A Culture Ministry initiative, the immersive experience library transforms texts by combining it with interactive content using multidimensional technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality. Two months into operation, Shilgam Seojae, whic

The 5th Huddling Youth Choir Festival is calling for applications from individuals or teams. The multicultural festival first took place in 2017, with hopes of bringing together youth from different cultural backgrounds through music. “The act of huddling symbolizes community awareness, togetherness, and consideration,” Shim Eun-sook, Chief Art Director for the festival during told The Korea Herald. “This matched our aim of the Huddling Choir Fest, to lead youth to change t

Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Built in 1405 as a royal residence of the Joseon era, Changdeokgung, a UNESCO World Heritage site, welcomes the summer season with nighttime visitors. The nighttime tour offers a unique opportunity to witness and experience the beauty of the palace under Seoul’s moonlight. Each tour lasts approximately 100 minutes. The tour runs through June 20, and online reservations are required. Tickets are limited to two per reservation. Information on reservatio

Nearly five months into its operation, the KTX-Eum -- a high-speed train service launched by Korail in January -- is gaining popularity among travelers and commuters alike. Departing from Seoul’s Cheongnyangni Station for Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, before making its way down to Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, the train, also known as the KTX EMU-260, is the eco-friendliest in the KTX lineup.  The KTX-Eum (pronounced “ee-eum”) is equipped with LTE-R technolo

Twenty years since starting out as a session guitarist, and 12 years since debuting with a single, guitarist Park Ju-won believes he still has a long way to go. Just like Dorothy who meets the scarecrow, the tin man, the cowardly lion, and all the friends with different spiritual strengths, the guitarist believes that the support from fans who await his music is what cheers him along the musical road. Known as the “Paco de Lucia of Korea,” among guitar lovers, Park, in his early 4

Occupying a 63-square-meter space on the second floor of a building in Hongdae’s bustling district is Powerplant, a bookstore that welcomes those who wish to read and talk politics. “How can you not be romantic about politics?” reads a lit pink neon sign at the entrance to the bookstore, a reference to a line from the 2011 film “Moneyball” -- “How can you not be romantic about baseball?” Resembling a rusty attic, Powerplant is a bookstore that focuses

  Wanyiwah Phondphaothanandon, one of Myanmar’s Karen ethnic minority, paid tribute to democracy and peace in Myanmar through a song, “The Spring of Myanmar.” The 14-year-old is a refugee in Korea with her mother and two younger brothers. Phondphaothanandon, who uses Wanyiwah as her stage name, attends a boarding school in Yongin, focusing on her studies and exams just like any teenager, but apart from the daily routine, she shares the pain and sorrow of the current situa

The May 18 Democratization Movement Art Festival kicked off in Gwangju on Saturday, commemorating the 41st anniversary of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. With the slogan “Spreading peace through solidarity,” the festival aims to connect the historical significance of the past with the need for future engagement and action. An art wall has been installed at May 18 Democracy Square, located within the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju. Nine other joint exhibitions and artists’ w