Hoiana Resort & Golf, a beachfront resort in Vietnam, has announced the launch of Hoiana Residences in central Vietnam. To meet the increased travel demand after the prolonged pandemic, Hoiana Residences, a a five-star accommodation, began with a visionary plan to provide a luxurious experience with a touch of home. Hoiana Residences has 270 fully furnished residences that feature contemporary living areas and spacious private terraces overlooking lush gardens and stunning sunsets over the E

Travel Dec. 2, 2022

Along a darkened hallway, delicately aligned celadon pottery glowing in their unique jade hues lead to the National Museum of Korea's permanent celadon ware exhibition. In the newly renovated room, which opened on Nov. 23, NMK presents some 250 pieces of celadon ware of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), including 12 National Treasures and 12 Treasures. The new celadon room marks the completion of the renovations of the museum's ceramic galleries, following the renovation of buncheong ware

Culture Dec. 1, 2022

The Talchum, a traditional form of Korean mask dance drama, was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list Wednesday. The decision was made at the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Rabat, Morocco, which runs through Saturday. The Cultural Heritage Administration applied for the listing of talchum in March 2020. Upon hearing the announcement, Choi Eung-chon, head of the CHA, expressed special gratitude

Culture Nov. 30, 2022

Stories of temple food ingredients told by monastics embody the culture of temples. Their communal lifestyle necessitates handling food in bulk like restaurants, but, unlike restaurants, temples depend a lot on preserving food. In spring and fall they prepare ingredients in bulk and store them to use when needed. In spring, a temple may order 300 kilograms of shiitake mushrooms, dry and store them, and use them for up to a year. Spring is the best time to prepare dried shiitake mushrooms because

Food Nov. 26, 2022

Fairmont Ambassador Seoul presents early bird Christmas promotion The Atrium Lounge at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul offers 10 percent savings for customers who book Christmas cakes in advance through Nov. 30. This year’s selection features two cake creations: Santa Cakes crafted from chocolate mousse filled with mixed berry cream, with feuilletine added for crunchy texture; and Opera Log Cakes, crafted in the shape of a log with dark chocolate ganache, soft pastry cream and coffee aromas. Adv

Food Nov. 18, 2022

To commemorate the opening of the Institute of Korean Confucian Culture, located in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, a special exhibition looking back on the daily lives of seonbi, or Confucian scholars, is being held at the institute's Special Exhibition Hall. The exhibition, "Revisiting Confucianism: The Root of Korean Spirit," concentrates on Confucianism of the 17th and 18th century and presents some 80 relevant relics from the 17th century to the 20th century. During the p

Culture Nov. 14, 2022

A popular traditional board game has been made a state-designated Intangible Cultural Heritage. Yutnori is a board game in which players compete to move their tokens around the board by throwing four wooden sticks into the air and advancing a number of spaces depending on which way up the sticks land. The game is the 16th item on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage list that does not recognize a specific person or group, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Friday. Yutnori is tradition

Culture Nov. 13, 2022

At 10:30 a.m., the chefs at Gigas, a Mediterranean restaurant located in an alley within Apgujeong, Seoul, are already busy slicing and chopping ingredients, getting ready to receive dinner guests. Enter the rustic-looking, two-story building with a blue canopy with the words "Modern Mediterranean" on it, and you are immediately hit with a complex mix of vegetable scenes punctuated by a sharp citrus note. Gigas, which opened in early 2021, received a Michelin Green Star in October, b

Food Nov. 12, 2022

Having entered the monastic community in 1980 at Sinheungsa Temple in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, under the tutelage of Venerable Seongil, Ven. Seonjae showed remarkable talent in preparing temple food early on, thanks to her “magic hands” inherited from her grandmother. Ven. Seonjae’s health declined for a while due to hepatic cirrhosis, but she was healed through food. After this personal experience which confirmed for her the medicinal quality of temple food, she took actio

Food Nov. 12, 2022

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul unveils penthouse package JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents Romantic Holiday at JW, created in collaboration with Manolo Blahnik, the celebrated designer whose shoes won global fame when they were featured in the hit TV show "Sex and the City." Available for stays until Dec. 31, the package includes five hours’ use of the Presidential or Ambassador penthouse, JW Marriott Hotel Seoul’s luxurious accommodations featuring a unique two-floor design, plus

Food Nov. 12, 2022

Alien Festival at Miryang Arirang Observatory Have you ever wondered about alien species and extraterrestrial beings? A space-themed “Alien Festival” delving into scientific experiments and extraterrestrial mysteries will kick off this weekend at Miryang Arirang Observatory located in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. The two-day festival is packed with family-friendly games and programs which will stimulate imagination and curiosity. Inside the observatory, the entire second floor

Culture Nov. 11, 2022

To round out the year, the National Museum of Korea is set to host a digital museum experience event that uses augmented reality, in conjunction with Naver Lab. Titled "Exploration," the event will be held Nov. 14 to Nov. 25 and Dec. 5 to Dec. 16. Using a mobile device distributed to visitors at the entrance, guests can experience different historical-themed routes within the museum for 50 minutes. Each visitor can choose a historical period or focus on a specific type of relic. The NM

Culture Nov. 11, 2022

Italian luxury brand Gucci has announced a three-year commitment to supporting the conservation and restoration of the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Gucci President and CEO Marco Bizzarri and Cultural Heritage Administration Administrator Choi Eung-chon signed an agreement Nov. 1 on cooperating on future improvement projects of multiple sites within Gyeongbokgung, said Gucci Korea in a press release issued by its PR agency. "Beauty is a constant source of inspiration for Gucci, but it also needs co

Culture Nov. 9, 2022

Developers may soon find obtaining permission to build in historic and cultural conservation areas easier, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. At the government’s second regulatory reform strategy meeting held Wednesday, the CHA laid out plans to relax regulations concerning developments in areas designated for conservation and give greater authority to local governments in making decisions. Among the measures aimed at improving cultural heritage regulations are relaxing reg

Culture Nov. 9, 2022

A series of traditional Korean music performances will take place every Saturday until Nov. 26 at the National Intangible Heritage Center's Grand Performance Stage in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Titled "Myeongin Homage," the performance series is being held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the master musicians who dedicated their lives to Korean traditional sounds. Each master's successor will perform some of the best known pieces, while talks between performances w

Culture Nov. 8, 2022