Special palace tours opened Sunday to raise awareness of the historic grounds of Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung captured in a 19th century painting, a national treasure. Every Sunday until May 12, the first 20 visitors to arrive at the Okcheon Bridge just past the main gate of Changgyeonggung will be able to tour areas depicted in “Donggwoldo,” or the Painting of the East Palaces. The paintings depicting the palaces east of the main palace, Gyeongbokgung, are believed to be made s

Travel March 17, 2024

Roses, freesias at Manorblanc Featuring roses, freesias and Scotch brooms, Manorblanc beckons tourists to Jeju Island. The garden is open for free to visitors who purchase at least one drink from the namesake cafe. Those who don’t feel like drinking anything can also enter for a fee of 4,000 won. The garden is open all year round from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entrants have to be at least grade schoolers or older, with no exceptions. Pets are welcome as long as they are on a leash and weigh les

Travel March 15, 2024

An Uzbekistan-based museum housing some of the country’s oldest archeological artifacts reopened Wednesday with the help of official development assistance from South Korea. The first-floor exhibition halls at the two-story Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand -- located at the historical site of Afrasiyab, an ancient city in Uzbekistan -- underwent a two-year renovation led by Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration. The makeover included halls featuring royal murals or wall paintings that

Culture March 14, 2024

Free guided tours of palace buildings at Deoksugung, one of Seoul’s main palaces, will run from March 22-28, with reservations set to open from Friday. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Wednesday, each tour will take up to 90 minutes and take place twice a day at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. -- with fifteen applicants who have booked a tour at royal.cha.go.kr. Major stops include Seogeodang, a two-story building that was rebuilt after being burned down in 1904. King Seonjo had

Travel March 13, 2024

A South Korean state-run foundation launched to set the record straight on shared histories with neighbors said it will work on instilling an “objective and future-oriented” perspective on history. At a press conference Tuesday, Park Ji-hang, president of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, said such efforts will potentially help the country win over the international community when its vital national interests are at stake. Park did not elaborate on the specifics. “We are

Culture March 12, 2024

South Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration will be renamed the Korea Heritage Service effective May 17, a CHA official said Monday. The name change, part of larger efforts to overhaul the agency, was passed by the National Assembly in April 2023. “The change from ‘administration’ to ‘service’ is meant to show we want to get closer to the people and have them feel the same as well when they think of us,” a senior CHA official said of the decision. Oth

Culture March 11, 2024

For most South Koreans, the British Council in Korea is better known for classes helping prepare for English proficiency exam IELTS than for holding large-scale cultural events. Some have said the “cultural center” should live up to its mission. Paul Clementson, the council director, is confident that it is and has been doing just that. “We’re not only teaching Koreans so that they can learn English. We’re not just offering qualifications to people so that they ge

People March 11, 2024

The Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, the oldest symphony orchestra in the US, is returning to South Korea for the first time since 2015 in a tour of three cities. The HRO, comprising Harvard students and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was founded in 1808. The 110-member ensemble led by music director and conductor Federico Cortese will perform music by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Bernstein, making three stops across the country -- Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul on March 13, Moak Hall in Jeonju, Nort

Performance March 10, 2024

A star Buddhist monk, who saw his following plunge amid an uproar over what critics said was self-indulgence that betrayed the monk’s preaching, has returned as a TV show host after some three years out of the public eye. In the first episode of the weekly show “A Cafe Where Mind Finds Rest,” which aired Monday, the Ven. Haemin began the 42-minute episode by saying he “repents for not living up to the standards expected of a monk.” “Your words will be my teach

Television March 8, 2024

Decorate your space with colorful, unique props If you have recently moved into a new place, you may be looking for unique trinkets and small decorations to brighten up your space. Segment, a company that sells interior-related products from around the world, has opened an offline showroom. The two-story building, which is about a 10-minute walk from Naebang Station on Subway Line No. 7, is full of colorful interior decoration items from more than 100 domestic and foreign brands. On the building

Culture March 8, 2024

Spring blooms at Everland A walk on trails lined with spring flowers -- 11 different types of plum blossoms -- is a sure sign that spring has arrived. At the Sky Garden in Everland, South Korea’s largest theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, a 5,000-won ticket is all it takes to enjoy the harbingers of spring. Ticket holders can also enter the nearby Hoam Museum of Art at a 50 percent discount and also save on admission to the amusement park. The trails will be open from March 15-26

Travel March 8, 2024

Finding relief from the stress and anxieties of city living within the comfort of your home was the palpable trend at the annual Seoul Living Design Fair, which ended its five-day run at Coex in southern Seoul on Sunday. Massage chairs from Coway, a Korean company better known for its water purifiers, showed the kind of compromise sought by those who want to feel cocooned in a stylish chair, eschewing bulkier massage chairs that require more space to install. “A 5- or 10-minute massage onc

Arts & Design March 6, 2024

A ceremony marking the return to South Korea of long-sought 14th-century Buddhist antiquities from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston will take place at the US museum sometime during the first week of April, according to an official at Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration on Monday. Discussions are still underway on finalizing the date, the official added, saying the CHA chief might join a Buddhist monk expected to travel to Boston for the ceremony. The official declined to elaborate furt

Culture March 4, 2024

Japanese Cornelian cherry blossom trails in Gurye Cornelian cherry dogwood, one of the first trees to flower in spring, beckons tourists to cherry blossom-lined trails in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province. From March 9-17, the trail that cuts through villages and hidden spots is open to all looking for spring flowers. Guided tours will be offered March 10, 16 and 17 for those making reservations online at naver.me/xBsHaJDS. The 2.5-kilometer trail, which is mostly flat, takes about 50 minu

Travel March 1, 2024

The National Hangeul Museum is looking to launch several exhibitions this year to boost its presence as the state-run institution prepares to mark its 10th anniversary on Hangeul Day on Oct. 9. A series of touring exhibitions will take place in cities around the country and abroad year-round, with exhibitions in Korea already underway. The exhibition “Children in a Happy World of Their Own” kicked off in January in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, the first of five stops in the t

Arts & Design Feb. 29, 2024