Kim Min-ji and An Yeon-gyong -- a 28-year-old marketer and a 26-year-old career consultant, respectively -- get off work in the evening like many other workers in South Korea. But their voices and movements change completely when they step into the light-filled, floor-to-ceiling mirrors-covered studio of The Passion Musical -- a local musical group that has been around since 2014 -- in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. The pair say they are more active after the sunset. “I take an acting lesson o

Culture July 30, 2024

If you can't beat the heat, it might be best to surrender. But for those seeking sanctuary indoors, Korea still has a lot to offer tourists. For the month of August, the Korea Tourism Organization recommends a selection of spots that not only offer a cool, pleasant environment to spend your vacation, but also cultural experiences that reveal different sides of South Korea. Korean Stone Art Museum Korean Stone Art Museum, the world’s only museum specializing in stone art, is home to

Travel July 28, 2024

Travel and leisure e-commerce platform Klook announced on Thursday that two types of foreigner-friendly tickets that offer priority access to Everland attractions are now available. Everland is the largest theme park and zoo in South Korea, located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Everland’s priority boarding ticket Q-Pass is available exclusively on Klook. The two Q-Passes -- Plan-it 2 and Plan-it 3 -- allow ticket holders to make reservations for the theme park's popular attractions, i

Travel July 27, 2024

A sip of poetic cocktail, coffee Near Mangwon Station, among small buildings, restaurants, and shops, a secret bar lies tucked away in the basement. Dada Lab transforms from a coffee shop by day to a cocktail bar by night, offering a full range of typical bar menu items. What sets this bar apart are the unique “Text Blending” drinks. “Text Blending” allows customers to write down any phrase or text, from which the bartender draws inspiration to create a personalized drin

Culture July 26, 2024

Quench your thirst at Park Hyatt Seoul The Park Hyatt Seoul, located in Gangnam, southern Seoul, presents an opportunity to enjoy refreshing, premium Champagne at its top floor The Lounge. The hotel offers a total of five bottles of Champagne -- Krug Grande Cuvee, Dom Ruinart 2010, Dom Perignon 2013, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Ruinart Rose Brut -- paired with a menu of smoked salmon, sliced ham, Blini, chives and 30 grams of Osetra caviar. The Lounge’s chef, Jung Sang-hyup, recommends eit

Travel July 26, 2024

The coastal city of Gangneung is extending the operating hours of the popular Gyeongpo Beach until 9 p.m. starting Saturday. Gyeongpo Beach, the largest beach along the East Coast that attracts an average of 6.5 million visitors each summer, will increase the number of lights to allow swimming and other water activities in the area up to 200 meters deep near the Central Square, according to the city on Wednesday. Visitors were originally allowed to swim until 6 p.m. The city expects the longer o

Travel July 24, 2024

With heavy rainfalls battering the entire country, hitting the beach with friends or enjoying water sports and other outdoor activities may not have been an option in recent days. However, Korea offers some interesting indoor travel destinations that are not only entertaining, but also keep visitors cool and dry in hot, humid weather. Lighting Museum Those who wish to feast their eyes on a variety of colors, lights and entertain themselves with dynamic sounds, should head over to the Lighting

Travel July 23, 2024

SIHEUNG, Gyeonggi Province -- For those in the capital who feel like traveling but do not wish to spend a lot of time on trains, cars or buses, looking up satellite cities of Seoul -- mostly located in Gyeonggi Province -- is a great option. Siheung and Hwaseong -- among many other cities -- are already well-known for their popular tourist destinations, like Sorae March Ecological Park and the sandy beach of Jebudo Island, respectively. These towns, however, are a bit more special to the fans of

Travel July 20, 2024

Sports lovers can enjoy diverse water sports at the upcoming Danyang Lake Park Water Sports Festival in Danyang, North Chungcheong Province, from Aug. 1 to 4. Visitors can try out both motorized and nonmotorized water vehicles ranging from motorboats, jet skis, water bicycles, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards for free on the county’s Namhan River. Those who are pregnant, preschool children and the elderly are restricted from such activities due to the safety issues. Children can play in a

Travel July 19, 2024

Boryeong Mud Festival, one of South Korea’s most celebrated summer events, presents therapeutic experiences for festivalgoers with its mud-themed beauty and wellness center for the first time. The festival is an extravaganza of mud, first held in 1988 at Daecheon Beach along Korea's west coast, in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province. Many holidaymakers enjoy the summer event not only to experience the dynamic, mud-themed activities -- mud slides, an air bounce, mud yachting and more

Travel July 19, 2024

Discover true self through nature at Romyzian Garden When life feels dull and everyday routines become tiring and noisy, Romyzian Garden may offer a place of peace and comfort through nature. Located on the serene slopes of Garisan, a mountain in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, the unique garden is a 100,000 square meter sanctuary for healing and reflection. Romyzian Garden was lovingly created by a husband (Zian) for his wife (Romy), taking ten years to complete. Every tree and stone in the garden

Culture July 19, 2024

Westin Josun Seoul presents summer Champagne promotion The Westin Josun Seoul in Jung-gu, central Seoul, offers two Champagne promotions to celebrate the summer season. The Ninth Gate presents two bottles of Champagne with truffle fries for four guests. The restaurant offers Moet & Chandon Imperial and a bottle of the guests’ choosing among Taittinger Reserve Brut, Champagne Drappier Carte D’Or Brut and Louis Roederer Collection 243. The weekday dinner promotion is priced at 250,

Travel July 19, 2024

With this year’s monsoon season expected to end in the last week of July, star-themed night tours are set to entertain holidaymakers with the clear skies that follow heavy rains. Hongseong Culture and Tourism Foundation is scheduled to hold two separate nighttime tours on Aug. 9 and 10. The tour on Aug. 9 will take place at Hoengseong National Soop Che Won in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province, in which participants till take a light stroll and make ambient lights. The tour on Aug. 10 is set to

Travel July 18, 2024

A pile of cattle bones presumed to date back to the Joseon era (1392-1910) has been discovered at an area near Jongmyo -- a special shrine for the deceased kings and queens of Joseon -- in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, according to a research institute Wednesday. A Han Ul Research Institute of Cultural Heritage official explained that this is not the first time that the organization has found cattle bones within Hanyangdoseong -- also known as the Seoul City Wall -- area, but that the bones found in

Culture July 17, 2024

Everland, the largest theme park and zoo in South Korea, located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, offers its visitors an opportunity to enjoy the theme park regardless of unexpected downpours. For those who visit the theme park when more than 20 mm of rain hits the region, Everland presents a free ticket to visit the theme park again, according to Samsung C&T, the theme park operator. The tickets are distributed through Everland’s smartphone application, and visitors must sign up for the

Travel July 15, 2024