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

It's a whole meal presented in a box with little compartments -- imagine a jewelry box. A dosirak can be anything -- from a humble lunchbox that is eaten at one's desk to a picnic lunch filled with gimbap and other goodies. It can even be elevated to a gourmet meal with morsels of epicurean delights filling up the various compartments. While records of dosirak go back to the Silla Kingdom (57-676), they became more popular during the period of rapid economic growth beginning in the 196

Food April 15, 2023

Reservation to begin for Louis Vuitton pop-up restaurant Reservation begin Monday at 6 p.m. via dining reservation app CatchTable for Louis Vuitton’s pop-up restaurant in Seoul that opens in May, a collaboration with a double Michelin starred restaurant in London called Ikoyi. Customers can enjoy daily multicourse menus for lunch, dinner and tea. When Louis Vuitton opened two pop-up restaurants in Seoul at the same venue in May and September last year, bookings filled in less than five min

Culture April 14, 2023

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

Food April 14, 2023

A wildfire in Gangneung that has raged for more than eight hours Tuesday damaged a number of important cultural heritage sites in the eastern coastal city. Sangyeongjeong, a Joseon-era pavilion located by the scenic Gyeongpoho Lake, was burned to the ground while another Joseon-era pavilion, Banghaejeong, built in 1859 by Yi Bong-gu, a retired official, was partially burned. Parts of Inwolsa Temple, located near the two pavilions, were also damaged in the fire. Meanwhile, seven old signboards

Culture April 11, 2023

"Jikji," acknowledged by UNESCO as the world's oldest book printed in movable metal type, will be presented to the public for the first time in 50 years at a major exhibition in France. The book will be on display at the National Library of France from Wednesday until July 16, at an exhibition that focuses on the history of printing technology. "Jikji" is the shortened title of "Jikjisimcheyojeol," a text written by Baegun Gyeonghan, a Buddhist monk, in 1372.

Culture April 11, 2023

PHU QUOC ISLAND, Vietnam – The number of Korean travelers to Vietnam was some 965,000 in 2022, accounting for more than a quarter of Vietnam’s foreign tourists, according to the Vietnamese General Statistics Office. With the full resumption of international flights, their presence is expected to continue this year. In addition to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang, the three most popular destinations for first-time travelers to Vietnam, there is a hidden gem of an island that is relative

Travel April 8, 2023

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul opens outdoor dining and cocktails Located on the seventh floor of JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, the Margaux Grill and MOBO Bar are popular spots in the city’s Banpo district. The Margaux Grill serves a diverse menu prepared on a wood-fired grill, accompanied by a selection of more than 800 wines. On warm spring days, dining at an outdoor table offers the chance to experience gourmet cuisine in a setting with fresh greenery. MOBO Bar, located on the same floor, is a co

Food April 7, 2023

Amid enhanced global interest in the Korean language, along with the increasing number of avid Hangeul learners, the National Hangeul Museum is hosting a series of special exhibitions across Poland, Germany and Austria this year. After an exhibition in Hungary last year, the museum announced Tuesday its Polish chapter of the tour, "Hangeul Design Project," working in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center in Warsaw, Poland. The exhibition will open from Wednesday to May 31 at

Culture April 4, 2023

The National Museum of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan-gu is hosting a series of live music performances from April to October. Titled "The Cultural Feast of the Museum," the series will showcase a variety of music genres including gugak, classical music, jazz and martial music for free at the museum's performance venues, the Open Plaza and Eutteum Hall. Launched in 2014, this year’s series will feature a total of 16 performances. At the Open Plaza at 3 p.m. on April 8, well-k

Culture March 31, 2023

JW Marriott Jeju Resort and Spa opens in Seogwipo JW Marriott Jeju Resort and Spa celebrates its grand opening on March. The hotel’s signature BBQ and rotisserie restaurant, The Flying Hog, serves Jeju black pork and beef cooked in a wood-fired oven. For guests who wish to explore the local cuisine, yeoumul is a Jeju-style omakase restaurant featuring seasonal ingredients and fresh seafood harvested by the island’s female divers. The Lounge, with its resident coffee master, offers s

Food March 31, 2023

"When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden." A quote from Minnie Aumonier, a 19th-century poet, still seems valid today, as can be seen at the Suncheon International Garden Expo, which opens Friday evening. With the pandemic finally nearing its end, the Suncheonman International Garden Expo, which runs through Oct. 31, aims to attract 8 million visitors. Launched in 2013, the initial plan of the exposition was to preserve the Suncheon Bay wetland

Culture March 30, 2023