Kosmos Ulleungdo: Island luxury that’s far from understated

Rolls-Royce & helicopter dropoff, birthday fireworks, butlers mark Villa Kosmos trip A trip to an island resort starts with a Rolls-Royce pickup and a helicopter ride. That’s how Villa Kosmos -- a two-floor residence with four rooms for up to eight people -- is serving an exclusive clientele seeking a secluded retreat on Ulleungdo. The island off the east coast of South Korea, together with Dokdo, forms the country’s easternmost group of islands. “A trip to Ulleungdo has never given our upscale

Jan. 17, 2025

Festivals, sights across Korea

Everland fireworks At Everland, South Korea’s largest theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, fireworks will fill the sky through March 3. The signature Four Seasons Garden, a Nordic landscape covered in snow, will light up on Fridays and Saturdays. Check out the butterflies fluttering among the spring flowers at the Dream Garden and the pandas playing at a nearby zoo. For more information, visit everland.com. Immersive artifact exhibition An immersive exhibition of Korean cultural objects is o

Jan. 17, 2025

Seoul Lantern Festival extended due to popular demand

Lanterns to illuminate Cheonggye Plaza through end of January The annual Seoul Lantern Festival will extend its run through the end of January. According to the Seoul Tourism Organization, the festival organizer, some 2.5 million people have visited the festival taking place around the Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul since its opening Dec. 13 for a one-month run. The annual lantern show, launched in 2009, features lantern installations illuminating the downtown Seoul area from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m

Jan. 13, 2025

Activist calls for action on Australian museum for ‘misleading’ display of Korean clothing

Complaint to correct ‘hanbok’ display unanswered, Seo Kyoung-duk says A prominent Korean activist has renewed his demand for action over an Australian exhibition that he claims misrepresents a Chinese garment as Korean. Seo Kyoung-duk said Friday that the Australian War Memorial has yet to respond to his complaints from last year, which called on the Canberra-based museum to remove a top displayed as traditional Korean clothing. “The collar, hems, color and embroidery of the piece all suggest Ch

Jan. 10, 2025

Curator-led tours open at National Museum of Korea

Korean celadon, Vienna paintings headline in-depth tour program Curator-led tours of exhibitions at the National Museum of Korea began Wednesday, offering visitors a 12-week program designed to provide a deeper understanding of the collections on display. The highlight of the program is a tour of two special exhibitions held every Wednesday during the first three weeks. The exhibitions -- “Sculpted Celadon of the Goryeo Dynasty” and “Vienna 1900: The Dreaming Artists” -- delve into the beauty of

Jan. 10, 2025

Festivals, sights across Korea

Bricktopia at Legoland Discover the unexpectedly soothing experience of colorful Lego bricks passing by on an 80-meter conveyor belt, the longest in the country, at Legoland Korea Resort. The theme park in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, invites children and adults alike to Bricktopia, offering a variety of baked goods and desserts. The lounge, which can accommodate up to 200 people, will be open through February. Legoland is open Friday to Sunday. Check the latest information at legoland.kr. Ice f

Jan. 10, 2025

Greenery in the dead of winter

Gardens, forests to visit across country Freezing temperatures make lingering indoors evermore enticing, but a trip out to the woods could be refreshing, especially for plant and flower lovers. Even if you’re neither, a walk in the woods to breathe in forest air -- which some claim is therapeutic -- might just help you beat the mid-winter blahs. 1004 Island Garden Opened in 2004 in Shinan, South Jeolla Province, this garden runs an annual winter festival touting walking trails and a field of ca

Jan. 9, 2025

Museum highlights of the new year

Joseon art to headline exhibitions at National Museum of Korea Museums around the country have released their exhibition plans for the year, with the National Museum of Korea announcing “Art of Early Joseon,” a three-month exhibition that opens in June. Museum officials characterized the exhibition as one of the most definitive to date at the state-run institution. “It will be about highlighting the expressive and technical achievements in art of the early years of Joseon. We’ve been working wit

Jan. 8, 2025

Buddhist sect opposes government funding for Catholic event

Bill supporting 2027 World Youth Day violates Constitution, Jogye Order argues Korea’s largest Buddhist sect is ramping up opposition to a bill that would allow the government to fund the hosting of World Youth Day, a Catholic event that Seoul is set to hold in 2027. The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism launched a committee to block the National Assembly from passing the bill, which was floated in November. A review by the relevant parliamentary committee -- the first of the three-stage enactment

Jan. 6, 2025

KBS drama crew flogged over UNESCO site damage

Police probe nail hammering into pavilion in Andong A KBS drama production team faces criticism as police look into unauthorized nail hammering that damaged a historic pavilion at a UNESCO-designated site. The police complaint, filed last week by a private citizen, alleges that the crew violated the law by hammering nails into Mandaeru at Byeongsanseowon, a 17th-century Confucian school in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. In a public apology, KBS said it would cooperate with the probe and work

Jan. 5, 2025