Tangerines are one of the many reasons Jeju Island is well loved by visitors. Approximately 500,000 metric tons of the citrus fruit are produced on the island every year, accounting for a majority of the tangerine production in Korea.  Historical records show Jeju Island has a long history with the fruit. “Koryosa,” the 135-volume annals of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), records that people of Jeju Island have offered tangerines to the nation’s kings as gifts since AD 105

Kyoha Central Park is one of the most scenic places to enjoy the autumn breeze in Gyeonggi Province. Visitors can walk along beautiful gardens with different themes. Each garden features traditional styles of seven countries: Korea, India, France, Italy, England, Japan, and China.  Greeting visitors from the entrance is the Korean garden. The garden has a number of replicas of historical architecture and landmarks, such as the gardens of Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. A pavilion with a t

Since its debut at the Tokyo Olympics, the popularity of surfing has been on the rise around the world. On Sept. 14, surfers competed at the finals of the Rip Curl World Surfing League, one of the world‘s largest surfing events. The championship was held at Trestles Beach in California, a top surf destination. Trestles Beach is well known for its dynamic waves and ideal wind conditions.  Gabriel Medina, a surfer who won the 2014 and 2018 championships, defeated Filipe Toledo, after

The 20th annual 2021 Natural Week Exhibition is being held from Wednesday to Friday in Seoul at Coex.  Since the COVID-19 outbreak last year, people have started to pay more attention to healthy lifestyles and self-care than before. Reflecting such interest, the exhibition was planned with three main themes in mind: eco-friendly, organic and fermentation. 　 In the exhibition, there are booths that allow visitors to learn about organic farming processes and purchase organic products from a

Unlike other flowers that bloom in spring, the buckwheat flower blooms in September. Bongpyeong-myeon in Gangwon Province is well-known for the buckwheat flower. Inspired by breathtaking views of fields covered by a carpet of buckwheat flowers, Korean novelist Lee Hyo-seok who lived in the area wrote the bestselling novel “When the Buckwheat Flowers Bloom.” Before the outbreak of COVID-19, Bongpyeong held a buckwheat flower festival each year in commemoration of the author. Althoug

Met Gala, also known as the “fashion’s biggest night out”, is an iconic event in the fashion industry. After the cancelation last year due to the coronavirus crisis, the annual gala was postponed from May to September as virus infections showed no signs of slowing down. The Met Gala was first held by Vogue in 1948 to fundraise for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Under the theme of “American Fashion,” the hottest movie stars, models, and numerous inf

Hurricane Ida originated from the Caribbean sea on Aug. 26. After drenching Cuba on Aug. 27, Ida made landfall in Louisiana. The hurricane then barreled into New York and New Jersey, causing flash flooding and claiming lives. The National Weather Service in the US announced a “flash flood emergency” in New York City for the first time in history, with Central Park in Manhattan recording 7.9 centimeters of rain in an hour. The hurricane has halted hundreds of flights to New York

Northern California has faced one of the worst wildfires in its history. Called the “French Fire,” the wildfire has been scorching through communities in the state since Aug. 18, severely damaging the environment and necessitating evacuations. It has already burned 8,368 hectares of forest in California and is expected to persist this week due to the windy climate. The photo above shows a fire burning in Sequoia National Forest near Lake Isabella.  A firefighter named Bruce We

A family of water pheasants rest in Wupo swamp, located in South Gyeongsang Province. In the middle of the swamp full of lotus leaves, an adult pheasant swims with ducklings. The swamp is the biggest of its kind in the nation, and is well-known as the habitat of more than 300 types of plants and animals.  The water pheasants live near lakes or freshwater swamps, and insects are their main diet. They are known as a polyandrous species, generally reproducing from March to July. Photos: (Y