The Korea Film Archive on Thursday released 113 videos documenting Korean society from the early 1900s to 1950s. The videos show the daily lives of Koreans, as well as the peninsula's natural scenery and urban landscape captured through the eyes of foreigners who filmed the clips while in Korea. "The archive will be a good reference for researchers in various fields related to the history of Korea, from Christian missionaries and education, to folklore," the Korea Film Archive sai

Culture Jan. 27, 2023

Cocktails inspired by 12 zodiac signs Sindang-dong in Jung-gu, Seoul, was once an enclave of shamans, with the name of the neighborhood meaning a shrine or temple dedicated to spirits. When the sun goes down, Zoosindang, a cocktail bar themed after the stories of the 12 zodiac animals, comes to life. At first glance, the place looks like an eerie shaman’s house with no entrance. Push the cat statue, who is gatekeeping the place, and you will find yourself in an otherworldly forest. The ba

Culture Jan. 27, 2023

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents seasonal delicacies JW Marriott Hotel Seoul's buffet restaurant, Flavors, presents a series of gourmet journeys through Feb. 28. The restaurant serves a buffet of seasonal seafood dishes in Western, Chinese, Korean and Japanese styles, including scallops and pen shells, clam stew, deep-fried oysters, braised rockfish, tuna tataki and seafood soup. The dessert selection features 10 creations made with seasonal strawberries. The Lounge at the hotel’s eig

Food Jan. 27, 2023

Although ways of spending the Lunar New Year in Korea have evolved significantly in the past decades, being with family and friends over good food remains unchanged. After the day's feast, munching on bags of traditional snacks can bring back old memories for adults, while triggering the curiosity of youngsters. What are known as traditional snacks today are mostly of Japanese origin and were introduced to the country during the colonial period. Over time, these snacks changed in shape and

Food Jan. 22, 2023

Vista Walkerhill Seoul offers 'Holiday Getaway' package Vista Walkerhill Seoul offers a Lunar New Year's package that includes outdoor activities with family and friends. For the "Holiday Getaway" package, guests can participate in the "Walkee" program, which includes festive games to celebrate the new year. Traditional games such as yutnori, gulleongsoe and jegichagi can be enjoyed in groups during the day, assisted by hotel staff. Special fortune cookie gift

Food Jan. 21, 2023

Jinkwansa’s temple food brings to mind pristine dew on a lotus petal, and its purity is the result of the efforts of Ven. Gyeho. Her words radiate warm-hearted energy. “Look at these marvelous beans! They are black soybeans (seoritae) that grew on Ganghwa Island exposed to the sea winds. We soak them in water, remove the skin carefully, and grind them in a hand mill like this," she said. While turning the handle of the mill, Gyeho’s face lit up with joy. Perhaps she was pr

Food Jan. 21, 2023

A series of cultural events will be held at Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential compound, during the Lunar New Year's holiday, from Jan. 21 to 24, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Monday. A special talk and performance series titled "Looking forward to the Lunar New Year at Cheong Wa Dae" is scheduled to take place at Chunchugwan, Jan. 21 to 23, featuring scholars and experts on Cheong Wa Dae's history, culture and ecological landscapes. The event is jointly

Culture Jan. 16, 2023

The 2023 Berlin International Film Festival has added Netflix' film "Kill Boksoon" at its Berlinale Special program, according to Netflix on Saturday. Selections for the Berlinale Special include documentary, feature and short films that elevate and explore cinema as an art form. The special films also try to reconnect the audience with beloved characters or people while reflecting upon current topics or history. A total of eight films have been invited to the program this year, i

Film Jan. 14, 2023

Forecasts for the domestic film industry's sales are pessimistic, amid a weaker than expected recovery at the box office. The number of moviegoers reached 112.8 million in 2022, according to the 2022 Korean film industry's sales report released by the Korean Film Council on Thursday. That was more than double the 52.28 million of the year before, but still sharply down from 226.68 million in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019. Sales were 1 trillion won ($807 million) last year, 49.8 pe

Film Jan. 13, 2023

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents dim sum and small bites The Lounge at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul has reinvented its signature dim sum and small bites menu. Authentic Hong Kong-style dim sum highlights include chewy prawn har gau and black pork siu mai. The dim sum menu is accompanied by a selection of small bites. The highlights include tree ears with black vinegar, lychee and prawn balls and lotus leaf sticky rice. A la carte dishes are priced between 18,000 won and 60,000 won, while set menus, f

Food Jan. 13, 2023

A 1,300-year-old rock-carved Buddha statue in Gyeongju’s Namsan, discovered with its face down a mere 5 centimeters away from a giant rock, is to be reerected, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism announced Wednesday. The Jogye Order announced the Maaebul restoration project during its New Year’s press conference held at the Korean Buddhism History and Culture Memorial Hall in Jongno, central Seoul, on Wednesday. "The Buddha (statue) spent a thousand years lying face down, to bear

Culture Jan. 12, 2023

A 16th century mother-of-pearl inlay lacquered floral stationery box and cover from the Joseon era was donated to the National Museum of Korea on Wednesday by the Young Friends of the Museum which purchased the piece at a Sotheby's auction late last year. Young Friends of the Museum is a group of young entrepreneurs who sponsor and promote Korean culture and arts. Established in 2008, the group bought and donated a Goryeo-era Buddhist relic to the museum in 2018. Finely inlaid with mother

Culture Jan. 11, 2023

Incheon Airport relaunched its daily transit tour program departing at the airport terminals on Jan. 1. Transit tours are provided free of charge to passengers transferring to another country via Incheon Airport. Using their transfer wait time, passengers can tour major attractions on round-trip tour buses, led by professional guides. Seven different tours are on offer, with four new courses added to the list. The four are: "Past and Present," which visits Cheong Wa Dae and Tongin Ma

Travel Jan. 9, 2023

The legendary Woodstock festival is coming to Korea with the theme of "freedom, peace and love." The festival will be held from July 29 to 30, at the Hantangang River Geopark complex, in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province in memory of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice agreement, SGC Entertainment announced Friday. The company said it has signed an official copyright agreement with the Woodstock Music and Art Fair to host the three-day festival in Korea. Launched in 1969 in Bet

Performance Jan. 8, 2023

Blowfish, also known as puffer fish, is undeniably one of the top winter delicacies. The clean, light taste of the fish meat with its unique chewy texture stands out among other types of edible fish. Rich in essential amino acid taurine, blowfish is known to help with blood circulation and warm up the body. It does not contain neutral fat, which can help with weight loss and protects healthy skin. The blowfish skin has abundant selenium, a source studied to have anti-cancer effects. Called "

Food Jan. 7, 2023