Life in Seoul can be draining, even for the most dedicated urbanites. Sooner or later it takes its toll on city dwellers. When that happens, one solution is a weekend getaway to relax and appreciate nature, yet not too much of a headache to reach. Jungmisan Natural Recreational Forest fulfills these conditions. Acclaimed for its hiking trails, scenery and serene view of the sunrise, Jungmisan M...

For busy city dwellers, even thinking of wasting several hours in a car, train or bus during a short summer vacation is stressful. But just one hour’s drive east from Seoul is a marvelous driving course along Cheongpyeong Lake and through Cheongpyeong Dam. The road from Seorak-myeon all the way to Yumyeongsan National Recreational Forest immerses travelers in the lush greenery of the countryside...

Pop music “2013 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival”: The Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival is an annual three-day music festival that features some of the hottest acts in the international and local music scene. Since its inauguration year in 2006, the festival has been responsible for bringing in top acts such as Muse, The Black Eyed Peas, The Strokes, Korn, Hoobastank and many others. This year’s f...

Music and art from Cuba are the highlight of “2013 Cuban Culture Art Festival,” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korea Foundation. The event, aimed at promoting cultural exchange between Korea and Cuba, runs in Seoul from Aug. 2 to 4 at Yongsan Art Center; Pyeongchang and Daegu on Aug. 7; Andong on Aug. 8; and in Suncheon on Aug. 9. As the event’s main program, “Cuba Concert” wi...

The Corea Image Communication Institute will host its fourth annual Culture Communication Forum next month, inviting a wide range of cultural icons from 16 countries to Korea in the hope of increasing understanding and knowledge of the nation as a brand. “I think through this forum people will have a better opportunity to communicate by exchanging cultures,” said CICI president Choi Jung-wha. “H...

Important ancient Korean artifacts that were to be the highlight of an upcoming exhibition on the art of the ancient kingdom of Silla at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will not be displayed as the Cultural Heritage Administration ordered they remain in Korea due to risks of potential damage. One of the artifacts, the gilt-bronze Buddhist statue “Pensive Bodhisattva” from the Silla Ki...

The largest puppet festival in Korea, the annual Puppet Festival Chuncheon, kicks off on Aug. 9-15 this year. Marking its 25th anniversary, the festival will present 200 performances by 96 teams of puppeteers and puppet theater troupes from Korea and abroad. Seven acclaimed puppet troupes from six countries including Greece, China, Portugal, Bulgaria, New Zealand and Spain are participating in t...

The popular night time tours of Changdeokgung Palace return in August. The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation will be hosting “2013 Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace” from Aug. 21 to Oct. 20. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Changdeokgung Palace is one of the five palaces in Seoul built during the Joseon period. The program includes a walk around the ...

Variety of cultural programs help youngsters explore the arts during school break

Pop Music “2013 Ansan Valley Rock Festival”: As Korea’s biggest rock festival, the Valley Rock Festival presents one of the best lineups of big musicians from Korea and abroad such as this year’s headliners The Cure, NiN, Skrillex, the Foals, the XX, My Bloody Valentine, Idiotape, Peppertones and many others. This year’s festival has moved from Jisan Resort to the Daebu Sea Breeze Theme Park. Th...

A black-and-white picture of stone-faced soldiers, taken moments before battle. A poignant video clip showing American war veterans giving testimonies of the hardships they faced in Korea, thousands of miles away from home. These are only some of the 120 photographs and 60 videos on display at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History. The exhibition, titled “Sixty Years After the Armis...

Korean traditional culture is focus of newly launching ‘HAN STYLE’