South Korea will step up security efforts to prevent vandalism of its historic sites, following nighttime graffiti incidents on the walls of Gyeongbokgung two weeks ago, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Thursday. The measures unveiled by the CHA will center on increasing police patrols and the number of surveillance cameras, reaching up to 110 overall. According to the agency, the country’s popular royal palaces as well as tombs and a shrine in Seoul -- all connected to

Culture Jan. 4, 2024

Songzio, the South Korean fashion house known for its avant-garde men’s wear, will open a flagship store in Paris in June and unveil its first womenswear collection, also in June, for the spring-summer 2025 season, according to an agency representing the company. The move means a “real start of globalizing the brand,” said Song Zio, the founding designer of Songzio International, in a statement, calling Paris the center of the fashion world and Seoul the center of a new culture

Arts & Design Jan. 4, 2024

For many Koreans, watching the sunrise on New Year’s Day is an important ritual, where wishes are often made for the days and months to come. The routine is typically enriched with celebrations across the nation, featuring vibrant musical performances and events to add to the New Year atmosphere. Sky Park in Seoul Located in Mapo-gu, the park is an ideal place for those who want to see the sunrise without having to travel far from the capital. The area’s district office said this w

Culture Dec. 31, 2023

A total of 8,171 Koreans and foreign nationals enjoyed Korea’s intangible cultural heritage performances this year, according to the National Intangible Heritage Center on Thursday. The center, run by the Cultural Heritage Administration, said shows took place 36 times between May and December, mostly in the two halls the center operates in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, where the center has its headquarters. The highlight of the performances was the K-Festival, which was held in Berlin on

Culture Dec. 30, 2023

South Korea’s popular royal palaces, tombs and shrine connected to the Joseon era (1392-1910) attracted 14.2 million visitors this year, the highest number since the Cultural Heritage Administration began compiling data in 2011. The number of visitors jumped 28.5 percent on-year, exceeding the previous record of 13.3 million in 2019, particularly on the strength of domestic visitors. Foreign visitors to the cultural sites marked 1.9 million this year, well below the figure of 2.5 million i

Culture Dec. 29, 2023

The Salvation Army in South Korea said it has raised 1.4 billion won ($1.08 million) through its joint campaign with the local finance industry, the highest annual figure ever since the campaign was launched in 2011. “The donations will be used to rebuild old public welfare facilities and provide necessities and emergency cash to households in dire need,” the charity said Thursday. The group and 23 financial services companies – banks, brokerage firms, insurance and credit card

Culture Dec. 29, 2023

Gwanghwamun Square Market Potentially the largest winter market in the capital is taking place at Gwanghwamun Square through Jan. 21, 2024. Open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the market not only sells seasonal goods, including crafts, but also offers street food from food trucks. The Seoul Lantern Festival is taking place concurrently, across Gwanghwamun Square and just to the south at Cheonggye Plaza and Seoul Plaza. The Gwanghwamun Square Market and lighting show are open during the same period

Travel Dec. 29, 2023

The number of visitors to temples across South Korea this year increased by 33 percent on average from the previous year, likely thanks to fee waivers instituted in May. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, the agency handling the grant, the surge in visits to 31 temples across the country between May and September was led by Hwaeomsa, a temple in South Jeolla Province that saw a 42 percent jump in the number of visitors. Next up was Haeinsa in South Gyeongsang Province and Seonams

Culture Dec. 27, 2023

The number of South Korean artifacts that have been retrieved from abroad this year increased to 1,550 from 170 in the last year, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. The artifacts were collected through purchases made on behalf of the CHA’s Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation as well as personal donations by collectors, the agency said. Such items include Daedongnyeojido, or the Territorial Map of the Great East by cartographer Kim Jeong-ho. This map is more detai

Culture Dec. 25, 2023

Seoul Lantern Festival The annual Seoul Lantern Festival, held until Jan. 21, 2024, is made all the more memorable this year with the event spanning areas from Gwanghwamun Square to Seoul Plaza. The areas light up from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The lighting show, which first began in 2009, features installations and media facades, as well as on-site programs. The festival is taking place concurrently with the Gwanghwamun Flea Market, a pilot program that took off last year. The market offers not only ha

Culture Dec. 22, 2023

Lighting at Cheonggye Plaza Cheonggye Plaza is lit up in festival lights until the end of this month from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Visitors can drop by and see the area illuminated with a giant Christmas tree set up along the Cheonggye Stream, which runs from west to east starting from the plaza. There is no admission fee. Parking and public bathrooms are not separately available. Visitors are encouraged to use the subway. The nearest stations to the area are Exit No. 5 from Gwanghwamun Station on

Travel Dec. 22, 2023

A number of renowned architects in South Korea gathered Wednesday to discuss ways to make public spaces more inclusive amid a wider push within the country as well as around the world to raise the quality of public architecture for communities. “Space for All: Exploring Impact of Public Architecture on Civic Life,” a forum organized by The Korea Herald to recap its seven-part series published in August, weighed in on insights and behind-the-scenes stories of public projects led by se

Arts & Design Dec. 21, 2023

TOKYO -- A nuclear bomb detonated as a 12-year-old schoolgirl was on her way to her family, on a train fleeing a war nearing its end. “I heard the B-29 bomber flying over, which got me thinking, ‘The air raid warning isn’t on. What is that?’ Then I heard a blast and saw flames roaring,” said Park Nam-joo, recalling the day Hiroshima went up in flames on Aug. 6, 1945, which hastened Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II. The 91-year-old Korean Japanese,

Foreign Affairs Dec. 20, 2023

The National Folk Museum of Korea is holding a special exhibition to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. The show, set to run through March 3, 2024, will explore symbols and mythology associated with the only imaginary creature of the 12 animals, the state-run museum said Wednesday. According to Korean mythology, the dragon lives underwater -- one of the reasons lakes and rivers, as well as mountains, reference it in their names. Government data released in 20

Arts & Design Dec. 20, 2023

The largest annual fair showcasing crafts in South Korea ended Sunday, with hopes for the country’s artisans to go global on surging demand for their work. The 2023 Craft Trend Fair, hosted by the Culture Ministry and organized by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation from Thursday to Sunday, attracted 276 participants -- mostly galleries and workshops -- with handmade goods ranging from tableware and furniture to knitting and embroidery. New to this year’s fair, which has run sinc

Arts & Design Dec. 19, 2023