Sixty-five Buddhist temples of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, will waive admission fees to the general public from Thursday. However, temples managed by cities or provincial governments, such as the Bomunsa Temple in Incheon and the Goransa Temple in South Chungcheong Province, will continue to charge admission fees. The final decision was made on Monday through a memorandum of understanding signed between the Cultural Heritage Administration and th

Culture May 2, 2023

The evolution of Korean ceramics reflects the evolution of society itself, having developed through three main historical periods, each with its own unique characteristics. From the humble earthenware of the Three Kingdoms period to the Goryeo era's celadon and the refined white porcelain of the Joseon era, Korean ceramics have captivated art historians and art enthusiasts alike. The late William Bowyer Honey, a renowned ceramics specialist, noted in his book, "The Ceramic Art of Chi

Culture May 1, 2023

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's iconic art piece -- a ripe banana duct-taped onto a wall -- on display at an art museum in Seoul, was eaten by a college student in an act which he described as "artwork." The student ate the banana from Cattelan's "Comedian" at around 1 p.m., Thursday. The work is part of Cattelan's solo exhibition “WE” currently running at the Leeum Museum of Art, according to the private museum. At the exhibition showing some 38

Arts & Design April 30, 2023

The spring edition of the K-Royal Culture Festival offers a range of programs that can be enjoyed at Seoul's royal palaces through May 7. The biannual festival showcases a variety of cultural heritage events and artistic performances that take place across five Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung and Gyeonghuigung. Jongmyo, a royal shrine housing the ancestral tablets of Joseon kings and queens, and Sajikdan, a Joseon altar used for

Culture April 30, 2023

There has been a longstanding perception that Koreans are not so much into dairy products. But since the early 2000s, Koreans have been adding cheese to a variety of popular Korean dishes, such as gimbap, dakgalbi and ramyeon. This trend, along with the growing number of people traveling abroad, has made Koreans fall in love with cheese. Today, restaurants and shops that specialize in cheese are crowded with guests, proving the popularity of what was once disdained here as something stinky.

Food April 29, 2023

The restoration project of Gwanghwamun's "woldae," an elevated stage for royal rituals and ceremonies located in front of Gyeongbokgung's main gate, will be completed by October to be opened to the public. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced partial findings from the woldae's ongoing excavation and restoration project, which started in the 1990s, at a press conference held at the National Palace Museum of Korea on Tuesday. Although the exact time of the woldae

Culture April 25, 2023

"Time to lose yourself deep in wandering thought," the text at the entrance to “Room of Quiet Contemplation,” in the permanent exhibition hall at the National Museum of Korea, reminds visitors. Opened in November 2021, the exhibition attracted over 660,000 viewers during its first year, making it one of the museum's most viewed exhibitions. Inside the 439-square-meter space where the dim lights cast against red soil-covered walls create a calm, mysterious aura, sit t

Culture April 24, 2023

A series of guided tour programs at the royal tombs of the Joseon era (1392-1910) will be conducted May 13 to Nov. 11, the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center announced Monday. Titled “Wangneungcheonhaeng,” meaning “A thousand ways to travel the royal tombs,” the program will offer 22 tours led by experts in the field on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. The program takes a two-month break in July and August. There are six themes under th

Culture April 24, 2023

An exhibition introducing traditional craftworks by artisans against a backdrop of pop-art designs is open at Gyeol, the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Training Center exhibition hall, in Gangnam, until Oct. 31. Titled “The Greatest Artisan’s Market,” the exhibition features some 72 craftworks by 21 National Intangible Cultural Heritage title holders and instructors. Among the highlights of the exhibition are "ipsa," an in-lay of ornamental silver or gold strin

Culture April 21, 2023

Hop on Swiss train Imagine a quick train ride to some of the most popular sights and landmarks in Switzerland this weekend without having to leave Korea. At the Gyeongui Line Book Street in Mapo district, western Seoul, an exhibition set up inside a spacious train replica takes visitors on a taster of Switzerland's Grand Train Tour, a panoramic 1,280-kilometer route across the country. The Swiss Spring Street Festival, organized by Switzerland Tourism, showcases scenic tourist spots, from

Culture April 21, 2023

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul launches new cocktails symbolizing iconic cities Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's speakeasy bar Charles H. is offering four new cocktail creations inspired by different cities -- London, Havana, New Orleans and Hong Kong. The reimagined menu is a collaboration between head bartender, Odd Strandbakken, and beverage creative director, Alyssa Heidt. The duo have crafted 20 distinct cocktails inspired by the world travels of Charles H. Baker Jr. Alongside each artful cocktail

Food April 21, 2023

Four members of a traditional female nongak band from the 1950s will team up to bring the community band music to stage at the Seoul Namsan Gukakdang on Saturday. Inscribed on the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014, nongak translates as "farmer's music" and is a performing art derived from traditional communal rites and rustic entertainments. Different regions of the country have their variations, but nongak generally combines a percussion and wind ense

Culture April 20, 2023

This article is the first in a series introducing well-known cultural artifacts from different periods in Korean history. -- Ed. Stepping into the National Museum of Korea's Silla Hall, one enters a place of serenity. Glistening under the hall's faint lights are delicate golden and gilt-bronze objects. A separate room displays a gold crown and belt from the Hwangnam Daechong Tomb in Gyeongju (present-day North Gyeongsang Province), the capital of Silla, designated National Treasures in

Culture April 17, 2023

Two historical archives of the nation's grassroots revolutions, which are seen as having set milestones for democratization of Korea -- archives of the April 19 Revolution in 1960 and archives of the Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894 -- have been nominated as heritage documents to be inscribed on the UNESCO's Memory of the World. The archival records were recognized for their extensive and vivid portrayal of two of the most politically turbulent moments in Korean history at the 14th

Culture April 17, 2023

South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, said that the government should provide financial support in order for the group to implement free admissions to Buddhist temples, backtracking on its earlier commitment to free admissions made at the New Year’s press conference in January. "If the authorities do not comply with our demands, it (the fee) may not be abolished," Ven. Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order, said Friday at a press conferenc

Culture April 16, 2023