Incheon International Airport is not just a gateway to Seoul and other major Asian cities, it is aslo a gateway to clean sandy beaches along Korea’s west coast. Less than an hour from the airport by bus, there are stretches of sandy beaches. Their surrounding areas make ideal vacation spots for those looking for quick and affordable trips away from the bustling cities of Seoul and Incheon.The Korea Railroad Corporation runs the Airport Express Train and the West Sea Beach Train, which provide da

Art duo Kang Ji-yun and Jang Gun-hee take on an unusual quest to follow the traces of a man they call Mr. K solely based on his updates on a social networking site.The two artists travel to the gym Mr. K exercises at, a coffee shop he frequents and the apartment complex he lives in, as they put together a video montage. Thanks to the updates he posts every hour, they find the man they’ve never met at a coffee shop. But they never confront him. They simply peek through the window to get a glimpse

In an effort to overcome a decline in sales, and the profoundly dwindling public interest in reading, Korea’s two largest book retailers Kyobo Book Center and Yes 24 set out their own unique strategies. For Kyobo, Korea’s largest book chain with 14 branches nationwide, it is tailored book consulting service. At the core of this service are a new breed of professionals called “book masters,” who find books that customers are looking for, make recommendations based on their preferences and manage

White balloons sway in the breeze, creating shade where urbanites can take shelter from the blazing summer sun. A mist of water from sprinklers cools off the hot summer air in a forest of high-rise buildings. Even dragonflies fly around the mist as they do over a river fog. The space is in the front garden of the Seoul Museum of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. It is, in fact, an architectural installation that won the prestigious Young Architects Program run by the Mus

Along the “design promenade,” the curved, flowing passageway inside the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, visitors pass by stylish, unique chairs. Some take a look, while others hardly notice them and go straight into the exhibition space. The DDP staff recommends visitors pay attention to the chairs, designed by 112 furniture designers from 30 countries around the world. “Visitors are not sure whether the chairs are just decor objects or real chairs that they can sit on. The chairs displayed he

A fun boat race will be held on the Hangang River in August.The event titled “Box1Race” is a competition in which participants will peddle their boats made with cardboard boxes and other materials. Cardboard boat races are held around the world. In Box1Race, a total of 400 teams will compete, using one-of-a-kind cardboard boats. Participants are required to make their boats with a given set of corrugated cardboard sheets and cohesive materials such as duct tape. Poster for the cardboard boat rac

July accommodation package at Oakwood Premier Coex Center Oakwood Premier Coex Center is offering the “O My July” accommodation package for the month of July. The package includes a one-night stay at the hotel and a summer desert of shaved ice topped with red beans, fresh fruits, macaroons and ice cream for two people. It also comes with free access to the gym and swimming pool. The price for a room at Studio Superior is 210,000 won and a room at Studio Premier is 230,000 won, excluding tax and

Two metal detectors are installed in the lobby of the Seoul Arts Center and a sign stands near them, saying that sharp and blunt weapons, firearms and chemical substances and toxic chemicals are not allowed inside. The heavy security measures are not in place for a presidential event, but they were instlled to protect the Edvard Munch exhibition currently in Seoul. “We install metal detectors at every overseas Munch exhibition and also at the Munch Museum in Oslo,” said Trygve Lauritzen, head of

Anxiety sometimes drives us to raise our standards and meet them, but when anxiety arises from complex societal problems, it tends to be more of a burden.Artist Yoon Dong-chun conducted a simple experiment to figure out what troubled young people of today the most. He displayed dozens of bottles of “Hope Pills” in his solo exhibition and let young viewers buy them for 3,000 won ($3) each. Pills that the artist said would help realize the dream of getting a job were the first to sell out. Other k

An artist paints on the wall at the Handmade Korea Fair last year. (Handmade Korea)The Seoul art calendar for this summer abounds in festivals inviting audiences to late-night exhibitions, programs to draw and create sculptures, affordable artwork sales and other activities.The door to the festive art summer was opened by the 10th Gwanghwamun International Art Festival in early June. The festival, which features art exhibitions and a children’s painting contest, ends on July 8 with a sculpture e

Cooking doesn’t end when the food comes out of the oven. The finishing touch ― serving it on stylish dishes ― is necessary to elevate the culinary experience.Refined and creative tableware by Korean craft designers and artisans, which create a sophisticated dining experience, is now on display.Organized by the Korea Craft and Design Foundation and opened on Wednesday, the event is the biggest market and showcase of various craftwork made by Korean artisans across the nation. It is easily accessi

The JW Marriott Dongdaemun overlooks Heunginjimun, one of Seoul’s historic and cultural landmarks.Hotel luxury (downtown) - JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square SeoulThe JW Marriott Dongdaemun is going green by implementing practices that reduce energy consumption, save unnecessary costs and improve air quality. The hotel’s pursuit of green strategies has earned it the LEED certification, an international recognition of the environmental-friendliness of a building. Opened in February, the hotel seeks

Matthias Sutter, general manager of Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel. (Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel)Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel has appointed a Swiss veteran hotelier as its new general manager. Matthias Sutter has built up a career in the hospitality business for 15 years, mainly in Asia and North America. Prior to joining the Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel, Sutter served as a hotel manager at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit in Bangkok. Sutter also worked in Korea at Park Hyatt Seoul and H

Modern architecture has created the same gray skyline in metropolitan cities, losing the link with the nature that surrounds them. Inviting nature back into the city can offer the sense of comfort that nature provides and give a unique character to cities, according to Toyo Ito, winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2013. “Modernism and the technologies architects apply to their buildings make them look alike. Imagine a man living in a modernized building and surrounded by furniture and a

Koreans have certain stereotypical expectations toward those dressed in traditional clothes. In old Korean paintings, those wearing traditional hanbok are usually sitting calmly, sipping tea and appreciating beautiful mountain views. Artist Kim Hyun-jung subverts such conventional perceptions of Korean painting. Her paintings show women in beautiful, elegant hanbok dresses playing pool, going rock climbing and doing sit-ups. “My paintings seek to break the images associated with the Korean tradi