While food tours or luxury adventure vacations are surefire crowd-pleasers, exploring South Korea's many sites inspired by the mythical dragon creature will offer holidaymakers a chance to learn more about the country, its culture and history in 2024, the year of the blue dragon. Busan’s Haedong Yonggung Temple If you are looking to hit some towns in South Gyeongsang Province or pay a visit to Busan, the popular coastal town at the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, consider add

Travel Jan. 1, 2024

Hoping to keep New Year's festivals safe, local governments are planning to focus their efforts on crowd control at desirable travel destinations across the country which are popular for watching the first sunrise of 2024. Gangneung, a popular year-round travel destination facing out to the East Sea in Gangwon Province, has organized a special safety management team, encompassing the city’s police, firefighters and other travel-related officials to closely monitor the on-site situatio

Travel Dec. 30, 2023

Haenam sunset festival From Haenam, a county located in South Jeolla Province at the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula, to Gangneung, Gangwon Province, a popular year-round travel spot facing the East Sea, desirable travel destinations are set to entertain those who wish to bid farewell to 2023 while watching the last sunset of the year on Sunday. Haenam’s Ttangkkeut Village, visited by countless travelers hoping to watch the last sunset or catch a glimpse of the first sunrise of th

Travel Dec. 30, 2023

Park Hyatt Seoul offers lucky bag event The Park Hyatt Seoul, located in Gangnam, southern Seoul, plans to celebrate the New Year with a total of 200 lucky bags. Each lucky bag, valued at 600,000 won, consists of a hotel room voucher and two special dining vouchers. The hotel room voucher includes an opportunity to have a one-night stay in the Park Hyatt Seoul’s premium suite room, the “Diplomatic Suite,” or a two-night stay at the Park Hyatt Bangkok for two winners. The dining

Culture Dec. 29, 2023

The city of Chuncheon -- about a two-hour drive east of Seoul -- in Gangwon Province seeks to add to the Christmas atmosphere with special promotions and events. According to the city of Chuncheon, it will offer opportunities for visitors to enjoy Samaksan Mountain Lake Cable Car at a discount. For travelers who upload a post to social media like Instagram with Christmas-themed accessories or outfits in Christmas colors, 1 in 3 visitors will have their ticket fee waived. The event runs through C

Travel Dec. 22, 2023

Giant Bao, a massive blown-up balloon version of Everland’s popular panda Fu Bao, has become a go-to tourist attraction in the largest theme park and zoo in South Korea. It has been a year of Fu Bao -- the first panda to be born naturally in Korea in 2020 -- for Everland as countless visitors fell in love with the panda's lovely charm and cuteness. Everland has prepared a special photo zone with the 12-meter-tall mascot at the entrance. Visitors can take pictures with other installati

Travel Dec. 22, 2023

Seoul Lantern Festival The annual Seoul Lantern Festival, held until Jan. 21, 2024, is made all the more memorable this year with the event spanning areas from Gwanghwamun Square to Seoul Plaza. The areas light up from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The lighting show, which first began in 2009, features installations and media facades, as well as on-site programs. The festival is taking place concurrently with the Gwanghwamun Flea Market, a pilot program that took off last year. The market offers not only ha

Culture Dec. 22, 2023

Paraspara Seoul presents unique Christmas Paraspara Seoul is offering a special Christmas-themed package for visitors who check in on Christmas Eve. The “Santa Claus Coming to Bukhansan” package allows parents to leave Christmas presents they have prepared at the hotel’s front desk before checking in. Santa Claus will then later visit the guests’ rooms to deliver the gifts in person. Paraspara Seoul’s Christmas cookies are offered to children as well. The package al

Culture Dec. 22, 2023

With Gaya Tumuli as the country’s latest addition to the list of UNESCO World Heritage in early September, North Gyeongsang Province now offers six UNESCO World Heritage sites for tourists, each capturing travelers’ hearts with different charms. Gaya Tumuli refers to the seven tomb clusters of Korea’s ancient Gaya Kingdom (42 BC-562 AD). The historical site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its universal value as archaeological evidence of Gaya culture, and sh

Travel Dec. 21, 2023

Several outdoor ice skating rinks are opening this weekend, beckoning winter sports lovers. Though the ice condition may not satisfy the most sensitive skaters, outdoor rinks are a popular option for fun with one's family and friends, enjoying the cold season to the fullest at an affordable price. Seoul Plaza Ice Skating Rink is arguably the most popular and accessible outdoor skating rink in the nation. Located in front of City Hall in central Seoul, the rink is a favorite for skaters from

Travel Dec. 20, 2023

YEONGJONGDO, Incheon -- For many Koreans, heading to Yeongjongdo means excitement and thrills. The island -- located some 50 kilometers from Seoul -- has popular cafes, tasty seafood restaurants and beautiful beaches, but Yeongjongdo is visited mostly because of air travelers using the country’s main international gateway, Incheon International Airport. After Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort started its soft opening on Nov. 30 and hosted the Melon Music Awards (MMA), one of the nation&

Culture Dec. 18, 2023

When searching for cities to visit and learn about the history of Korea, the capitals of old Korean kingdoms, such as Seoul; Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province; and Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, may be the first to come to mind. While all three cities boast ancient architecture, a rich cultural heritage and a unique appeal in their own right, there is a lesser known historical gem that is certainly worth a visit. Haenam -- a small county located close at the southernmost point of the Kore

Travel Dec. 16, 2023

Moxy Seoul Myeongdong presents holiday season promotion Moxy Seoul Myeongdong, located in one of Seoul’s main tourist districts Myeong-dong, is offering a special holiday food promotion featuring a chop steak with Champagne. The juicy chop steak topped with the chef’s special sauce and a bottle of Beaumont Des Crayeres will be available during the holiday season. Two specialty cocktails -- the snow red velvet cocktail and the ruby mojito – are available as well. The promotional

Culture Dec. 15, 2023

Bonghwa, a remote county in North Gyeongsang Province, plans to create a memorable Christmas experience for visitors to the area, with a special opportunity to meet Santa Claus from Rovaniemi, Finland -- known as the official hometown of Santa Claus. The provincial government of North Gyeongsang Province on Monday confirmed the opening of its iconic Buncheon Santa Village on Saturday. The opening ceremony will feature dance performances, a concert by artists Lee Bo-ram and Woody, a marching

Travel Dec. 12, 2023

With plans to prepare for the Visit Korea Year 2023-24 campaign, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is going all out to make Korea another Asian tourism powerhouse and create a more enjoyable tourism environment for domestic holidaymakers. In a press briefing in Seoul on Thursday, Jang Mi-ran -- the second vice minister of culture, sports and tourism -- expressed high hopes to turn Korea into an appealing destination for both foreigners and locals, exceeding pre-pandemic visitor levels

Travel Dec. 8, 2023