Four Seasons Hotel Seoul launches ‘Timeless Beauty’ cosmetics package Four Seasons Hotel Seoul has launched the new room package, "Timeless Beauty," in collaboration with the History of Whoo, a premium cosmetics brand and part of South Korea’s LG Household & Health Care Ltd. Inspired by the timeless beauty of Korea’s Empresses, the offer is available from April 1, for only 100 rooms. The package includes a 40-minute Whoo Hwanyu spa facial alongside springt

Food March 24, 2023

The Joseon-era royal palace Gyeongbokgung will hold its annual spring nighttime viewing from April 5 to May 31, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday. Noted for its beautiful weeping cherry blossoms and azaleas during the season, the Gyeongbokgung nightscape presents a different vibe from the daytime. One of the highlights include the Gyeonghoeru, the largest two-story pavilion structure in Korea, where visitors can capture the scenery of cherry blossoms reflected on the nearby

Culture March 23, 2023

"Makgeolli-bitgi," or makgeolli making and sharing, was designated a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021. Korea's long-held tradition of making makgeolli is found in literary compilations in Goryeo (918-1392), and cookbooks from the Joseon period (1392-1910) contain detailed makgeolli recipes. The distinctive taste of makgeolli sets it apart from other types of rice wine. The milky drink has both a sweet and slightly sour flavor, which can be compared to that of yogurt o

Food March 18, 2023

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province -- Less than a 50-minute drive northwest from central Seoul, Goyang is an easy-to-reach destination for Seoulites. The city's reputation as a quiet residential area might have kept it off the top of day-trippers' lists, but in recent years, Goyang's increasingly successful spring flower expo has been encouraging people to see more of what the town has to offer. Looking to capitalize on this, the city has begun to offer guided bus tours to introduce its mo

Travel March 17, 2023

Andaz Seoul Gangnam presents afternoon tea Andaz Seoul Gangnam, located at Apgujeong Station in Seoul, showcases its new tea set for spring. The menu features fresh seasonal fruit and tea, with three savory bites such as its A1 cheesesteak sandwich and four sweet dessert items such as citron dacquoise and mugwort madeleine. The tea set will be served with the Andaz special coffee or premium tea. The promotion is available from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Jogakbo, located on the second floor of the hote

Food March 17, 2023

OLD TRAM TRACK -- A tram track used during the Japanese colonial period (1910-45) was discovered between September and October last year at the excavation site of Woldae, an elevated stage for royal ceremonies in front of Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung's main gate. The tram was in service from 1917 to 1966, and ran on a Y-shaped train track on what is today's Sejong-ro, and connected Anguk-dong and Hyoja-dong via Woldae.

Culture March 13, 2023

An opening ceremony for the new tourist center at Incheon Airport's Terminal 1 was held Friday, with Choi Eung-chon (second from right), head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, in attendance. Operated by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, the center aims to promote Korea's cultural heritage to visitors by introducing recommended destinations through the latest media art and virtual reality images.

Culture March 10, 2023

As global streaming service Netflix began a crackdown on account sharing in other countries, many Korean Netflix users said they would leave the service if the ban were enforced in Korea according to a survey. In February, a new plan charging additional fees for sub-accounts rolled out in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. The plan, which makes users set a "primary location" to match their account activity, is expected to be introduced in more countries in the coming months, incl

Culture March 10, 2023

The oldest extant all-Hangeul letter has been designated as a treasure, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday. The two-page letter with almost no margins, written by Na Sin-geol (1461-1524), a Joseon period military officer, was discovered in 2011 at the burial site of Na's wife Shin Chang-meng in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. The letter is thought to have been written in the 15th century, when Na served as a junior officer in Hamgyeong Province, which is now part of North Korea. P

Culture March 10, 2023

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul introduces new Italian lunch set Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's Italian restaurant Boccalino has launched a Lunch Delight set. The set menu features an Italian antipasti semibuffet, with seasonal ingredients and a main dish to choose from a variety of options, including fresh pasta or beef steak. A selection of artisanal cheeses is also available. On Mondays, Boccalino diners can bring their own wine without a corkage charge. The set menu is available every day from 11:

Food March 10, 2023

South Korea, today famous for its K-pop culture, had a different reputation only a few decades ago, as a country that achieved rapid economic growth through the tireless work of its people. Emerging from the depths of war-induced poverty, Koreans had a deep-rooted thirst for higher education. This thirst not only resulted in accomplishments like Korea's students ranking among the top three countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in computer-based problem-sol

Culture March 8, 2023

A special tour of the palace Changgyeonggung's architecture and history has returned with the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Launched in 2018, the 90-minute tour comparing the present day palace with the one depicted in Donggwoldo, a palace map painted sometime between 1826 and 1831, is led by a cultural heritage curator. The participants are given pamphlets with a scaled down version of the old map. This year’s tour, the first since the pandemic, began 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at the

Culture March 6, 2023

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History and the Korean Broadcasting System on Friday released some 335 videos documenting major historical and social events in Korea, from the early 1900s to the 1980s. The short films and video clips collected by KBS is posted on the museum’s website. The total running time of the entire archive reaches more than 40 hours. KBS converted the films into high-resolution video format for streaming while the museum categorized and labeled each record

Culture March 5, 2023

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island -- As more Koreans head overseas for holidays with the lifting of COVID-19 related travel restrictions, there are concerns that domestic travel to Jeju Island may decrease. But with a number of luxury hotels newly opening on the southern island, Jeju’s travel industry is positive about growth prospects. JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa, expected to open sometime this month, is the latest five-star hotel on the island -- Grand Hyatt Jeju opened its doors in 2020 and P

Travel March 4, 2023

Bunsik, literally food made with flour, has its beginnings in the early 1960s. Since rice was scarce and expensive in postwar Korea, the government promoted the consumption of mixed grains and flour noodles. The campaign to eat more mixed grains and flour faded out in the 1980s, and bunsik came to mean inexpensive eats that you could either have as a snack or as a meal in itself. Most small diners, known as "bunsikjib," serve what have become popular street food -- from gimbap, tteokbo

Food March 4, 2023