[Well-curated] Fruity gelato, palace library and cat exhibition

Gnocchi Bar turns into summer fruit market

Gnocchi Bar, a restaurant specializing in gnocchi in Hannam-dong, central Seoul that opened in 2018, has introduced a new seasonal menu, turning the store into a summer fruit market.

Under the new theme, the restaurant is decorated with lemons, oranges, dragon fruit and pottery.

The new menu includes light brunch choices including: strawberry burrata salad, corn basil soup, sweet potato gnocchi and gno-bokki, which is gnocchi served like tteokbokki.

The gno-bokki is made with pumpkin gnocchi, which neutralizes the spicy kick of the tteokbokki sauce, along with fried fish cake as topping.

The restaurant also offers additive-free gelato in a wide variety of fruit flavors -- such as lemon, rambutan, passion fruit, mango, orange, kiwi and strawberry -- served inside pieces of real fruit.

The lemon gelato with a hint of yogurt flavor is perfect for beating the summer heat.

The summer season menu is available until the second week of August.

Gnocchi Bar

41, Hannam-daero 20-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Read like royals at palace library

This weekend, enjoy the serene and tranquil ambiance of a royal library frequented by King Gojong.

The Korea Heritage Service is currently welcoming visitors to Jibokjae House, which formerly served as King Gojong's study and a reception area for American and Japanese ambassadors, as well as Austrian emissaries in Gyeongbokgung -- one of the Joseon-era palaces in central Seoul. King Gojong led the Joseon era from 1863 to 1907.

Renovated to serve as a public library, Jibokjae House now contains over 1,700 books related to the history and culture of the Joseon era for visitors to explore. Additionally, Jeongdok Public Library recently lent and donated around 150 newly published books to Jibokjae House as well.

Jibokjae House is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, it is closed on Tuesdays when Gyeongbokgung is closed.

Jibokjae House will be open for visits until Oct. 31, but will be closed in July, August and during the Chuseok holidays, which last from Sept. 16 to Sept. 18.

Admission is free.

Jibokjae House, Gyeongbokgung

161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

'CAT-ch Me if You Can'

If you’re already a worshipper of felines, you will become an expert after visiting “CAT-ch Me if You Can,” an exhibition taking place at the National Folk Museum of Korea.

Accompanied by the sounds of meowing filling the hall, the exhibition delves into the portrayal of cats in ancient paintings, literature and newspaper archives, examining the myriad ways in which cats have bewitched, troubled and delighted humans throughout history.

For instance, you will learn how cats have had different names over time and across regions for the past several centuries. While the sound of a cat's meow is the same worldwide, the words used to express it differ from country to country. Interestingly, except for Korea and Japan, all other countries start their word for a cat's meow with an "m" sound.

The exhibition also reveals how cat owners across the world refer to themselves in using humbling expressions: “geboku,” meaning "servant" in Japanese, “shiguan,” meaning "poop manager" in Chinese, and “Dosenoffner,” meaning "can opener" in German.

The last section of the exhibition, “The Neighborhood Cats,” sheds light on efforts by people who want to live with cats as community members, by introducing writers, photographers, activists, lost cat finders and pet loss counselors.

Admission is free of charge. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, except Saturdays, when it remains open until 8 p.m.

"CAT-ch Me if You Can" runs until Aug. 18.

The National Folk Museum of Korea

37 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul