Hampyeong Winter Festival A winter festival is running in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla Province, welcoming visitors to nighttime park views and food trucks. Through Christmas, Hampeyong Expo Park will be lit up from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Exhibition halls will introduce artifacts found in the area alongside photo zone installations. Admission is free. To find out the latest, go to hpftf.or.kr. Gwanghwamun Square market At Gwanghwamun Square through Jan. 5, craft shops and food stalls will

Travel Dec. 20, 2024

Replicas of two wall paintings high up on opposite sides of Gyotaejeon, the Queen’s residence, at Gyeongbokgung, will be shown to the public at the main Joseon-era (1392-1910) palace in Seoul through Dec. 30, ahead of the 30th anniversary of the hall’s restoration next year. According to the Korea Heritage Service, Italian fashion house Gucci funded the entire 270 million won ($190,000) project, which involved recreating the paintings. The images of a monkey family and a pair of trop

Arts & Design Dec. 18, 2024

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is ramping up technology-driven initiatives to support tourism companies grappling with persistent labor shortages, a key challenge since the post-pandemic recovery began in early 2023. Kwon Jong-sool, executive director of the KTO’s company support division, said this year’s focus on funding businesses to implement food delivery robots has shown promising results. One success story is St. John’s Hotel, a 1,901-room facility in Gangneung, Ga

Travel Dec. 17, 2024

The National Folk Museum of Korea will open a special exhibition on Wednesday celebrating the Year of the Snake, one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. The exhibition “The Snake with a Thousand Faces,” running through March 3, will showcase some 60 items related to the animal from Africa to North America, exploring the conflicting human nature that views snakes as both scary and sacred, according to the state-run museum. “The Wise Snake” is one of the three zones set up, l

Arts & Design Dec. 16, 2024

A shrill voice from a bullhorn that pledged unwavering support for President Yoon Suk Yeol, not far from his residence in Hannam-dong, appeared to portend a rocky path ahead for the country as it awaits the Constitutional Court’s decision on Yoon’s impeachment. Shortly after the National Assembly vote that impeached Yoon, his supporters gathered around Hangangjin Station. They felt that they had to protest the “unfair vote” and protect Yoon from “anti-state forces&r

Social Affairs Dec. 14, 2024

When a speaker holding the microphone said, "This is invalid! President Yoon Suk Yeol, stay strong. We will surely protect you, Mr. President!" the crowd of some 40,000 Yoon supporters gathered at Gwanghwamun erupted in cheers. They shouted that they would gather next week as well. This came moments after the impeachment motion against Yoon passed with a vote of 204 in favor, 85 against, 3 abstentions and 8 invalid votes. The country’s Constitutional Court will now deliberate on

Social Affairs Dec. 14, 2024

A Taste of Britain in Seoul Tucked away in an Euljiro alley, where old buildings, high-rise towers, and a variety of eateries coexist, there’s a cozy, inviting space that’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. Follow a small, modest sign, climb a narrow staircase, and you’ll find yourself in a warm and homey cafe. Cafe Eulji Lewis is run by Lewis, the British owner, together with his Korean wife. The red-toned wallpaper, curtains, and a collection of vintage ornam

Culture Dec. 13, 2024

Gwanghwamun Square market At Gwanghwamun Square through Jan. 5, craft shops and food stalls will be open for year-end celebrations. Open from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., starting and ending 30 minutes later from Friday to Sunday, the market festival in its third year hosts over 100 mom-and-pop shops and 80 stalls. Installations are set up for photo spots, with some lighting through the night. Check out more information at stolantern.com. Hampyeong Winter Festival A winter festival is runni

Travel Dec. 13, 2024

An exhibition exploring the meaning of letters on everyday objects from ancient to modern times is running at an open storage facility of the National Folk Museum of Korea in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, through March 3. The exhibition “A Journey Around the Characters” features some 290 household objects, mainly porcelain and earthenware. The collection ranges mostly from the Joseon era (1392-1910) to Korea’s 1945 independence from Japan. The latest showing by the state-run museum

Arts & Design Dec. 11, 2024

Troops dispatched from the Defense Counterintelligence Command to take control of the National Election Commission of Korea office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, paused on the way because they felt something was amiss, military sources told The Korea Herald. This is the first time it has been revealed why and how troops slowed down on the way to their targets, and suggests troops may have acted in defiance of the martial law decree that was in effect from 11 p.m. Tuesday until the early hours of W

한국어판 Dec. 9, 2024

경기도 수원 중앙선거관리위원회 선거연수원에 투입된 계엄군 130여명 중 국군방첩사령부 소속 일부 요원들이 임무 수행에 적극적이지 않았고 의도적이었다는 주장이 나왔다. 임무를 받은 요원들 본인들도 무언가 이상하다는 느낌을 받았다는 얘기다. 복수의 군 관계자는 본지에 그 이유를 “(도착지로) 가다가 이상해서, 이건 아니다 싶어서”라며 “천천히 가거나 휴게소에 들르거나” 하는 식으로 늦게 연수원에 도착했다고 말했다. 또 “국회 상황을 보면서 대기했다”고 덧붙였다. 지연 과정과 이유가 구체적으로 알려지는 건 이번이 처음이다. 이 관계자는 또 “애초에 (방첩사에서) 출발이 늦었다”며 “과장급 중령들 사이에서 명령에 대한 반발도 있었다”고 말했다. 선관위가 발표한 자료에 따르면 계엄군 병력 130여명은 4일 새벽 0시 50분쯤부터 선거연수원 청사 인근에 대기하다 오전 2시 40분께 철수했

한국어판 Dec. 9, 2024

Troops dispatched from the Defense Counterintelligence Command to take control of the National Election Commission of Korea office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, paused on the way because they felt something was amiss, military sources told The Korea Herald. This is the first time it has been revealed why and how troops slowed down on the way to their targets, and suggests troops may have acted in defiance of the martial law decree that was in effect from 11 p.m. Tuesday until the early hours of W

Politics Dec. 9, 2024

The exhibition “The Golden Smile of Compassion: The Meeting of Two Bodhisattvas” is running at the Buyeo National Museum through Jan. 9, exploring two ancient bodhisattvas. In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a being committed to helping others reach spiritual enlightenment. On display are the Avalokitesvara from Baekje Kingdom (18 BC-AD 660) and the Avalokitesvara from the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 935). The two gilt-bronze statues are believed to have been made in the seventh century, the

Arts & Design Dec. 9, 2024

An exhibition of incense burners from ancient to modern times is running at the Daegu National Museum through March 3. The exhibition “Incense Culture: From Desire to Taste” shows 372 Korean incense-related pieces from the Three Kingdoms period to the Joseon era -- spanning 57 BC to 1910 -- with three National Treasures and 10 Treasures on display. “The exhibition looks at a variety of incense used for different purposes,” a museum official said, citing everyday use and s

Arts & Design Dec. 8, 2024

The motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol failed in the National Assembly on Saturday, as all but three of the 108 members of the ruling People’s Power Party, abstained from voting. The decision sparked widespread fury and frustration among overseas Koreans, who have directed their anger at the ruling party. “I feel profound sadness,” Sun-ju Bully-Noh, who teaches Korean at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. "I cannot understand why opinions are so divided in

Politics Dec. 7, 2024