South Korea is not particularly well known as a Christmas holiday destination for travelers, but it has some aspirations.  Taking a cue from famous Christmas markets and light festivals around the world, Seoul has decked out its Cheonggye Stream in a splendid display of colorful lights. And this weekend the “spaceship” Dongdaemun Design Plaza will turn into a magical, sparkling place when it holds its inaugural light festival. Down in the portside city of Busan, the sandy beach

Travel Dec. 20, 2019

A giant eagle and gorilla recently took up residence by an outdoor pool in Jungnang-gu in northeastern Seoul. They -- along with smaller animals, scarecrows and other figures arranged on the pool grounds during the offseason -- are all made of straw from this year’s rice harvest. The sculptures are the works of artist Lee Chun-su and the people of Buan County in North Jeolla Province. About 30 works are on display as part of the rural county’s efforts to showcase what it calls &

Culture Dec. 13, 2019

Christmas meals here do not necessarily involve a whole roasted turkey sitting right at the center of the table waiting to be carved. The festive feast could be on food of any kind from sushi to fried chicken, pizza or a bowl of rice with good old doenjang jjigae. Whatever the choice is, many folks here like to finish it with a cake, since Christmas has somehow become one of the two special days in a year to be celebrated with a cake, the other being the birthday. Here are some ideas for hassle-

Food Dec. 13, 2019

December’s party scene has changed in Korea. Some say it’s because of the economy and lifestyle trends that focus on well-being. Others point to young generations’ aversion to old-fashioned, big get-togethers that inevitably involve awkward speeches, toast-making and undesired boozing. In the Dec. 27, 2013, issue of The Korea Herald, the Weekender discussed how Koreans devoted the entire month to year-end parties, which left many drinking copious amounts, despite efforts t

Food Dec. 13, 2019

K-pop supergroup BTS  on Friday wowed the audience of the 102.7 KIIS FM‘s Jingle Ball concert in Inglewood, California, US, with its performances of "Boy With Luv", "Mic Drop," and other hit songs.  

K-pop Dec. 7, 2019

K-pop has become synonymous with the idea of Korean music on a global scale recently, but genres extend much wider here. One of the most fascinating and experimental musical genres that is gaining traction in Korea has its roots in gugak, Korea’s traditional music. With a unique blend of old and new, East and West, young gugak musicians are making global strides, performing at international music festivals, signing with global labels and racking up rave reviews from foreign media.Here

Performance Dec. 6, 2019

Gamcheon Culture Village, a hilltop village in Busan’s Saha district, is a tourist hot spot, drawing an increasing number of visitors.Camera-toting tourists from Korea and elsewhere explore terraced rows of small houses, painted in pastel colors, and labyrinth-like alleys, with some so narrow only one person can pass at a time. The town has hidden gems as well -- murals, sculptures, installation art, galleries and eateries.Among its recent visitors was Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who

Travel Dec. 6, 2019

In Korea’s music history, 2019 may be remembered as the year of a global K-pop explosion. But on the home turf of BTS, Blackpink and other popular idol groups, the year’s biggest breakout star came from an unlikely music genre: trot.  Once ridiculed as music for grannies, the oldest form of Korean popular music is seeing a resurgence, evident from the stellar rise of trot diva Song Ga-in. Song was crowned “Ms. Trot” in a smash-hit TV audition show of the same title t

Performance Dec. 6, 2019

GWANGJU -- The unmistakable smell of spicy cabbage greets visitors at Gwangju’s Kimchi Town, where everything exudes Koreans’ love for that fermented dish ubiquitous on dining tables in the country. The grandiosely named World Institute of Kimchi occupies a building next to the kimchi museum in a corner of the complex. There, scientists and experts from various disciplines of research have gathered for a national mission: unraveling the science behind kimchi.  “We study ev

Food Nov. 29, 2019

Ipsa is the traditional Korean art of inlaying thin threads of silver or gold onto harder surfaces such as iron to create exquisite decorative patterns or images. The craft reached its pinnacle in the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) and expanded under the ensuing Joseon Kingdom, when it was widely used for everyday objects such as incense burners, metal jars and candlesticks. In ipsa art, everything is done by hand. From preparing thin wires to hammering them onto the finely chiseled and engraved surf

Arts & Design Nov. 29, 2019

Korea is in the midst of the kimchi-making season. In early winter, when temperatures just start to fall below zero, Koreans go through the annual ritual of gimjang -- making large quantities of the spicy, fermented cabbage dish to last the coming year. It is such an important family event that “have you done this year’s gimjang already?” becomes a typical icebreaker among housewives during this time of year. Added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in

Culture Nov. 29, 2019

Wine aficionados have wine coolers and cabinets at home. Fish-loving Japanese have fridges with special features for raw fish storage. Koreans, likewise, have a refrigerator for their beloved kimchi. Although Korea’s very first kimchi refrigerator dates back to 1984 (Gold Star, now LG Electronics, was its inventor), the market only began to take shape in the late 1990s, with the rise of apartment complexes as the norm of urban dwelling. Traditionally, kimchi was stored in earthenware burie

Food Nov. 29, 2019

Long overshadowed by Asia’s two gastronomical giants China and Japan, cuisines from Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations are tantalizing taste buds and adding new flavors to South Korea’s diverse food scene. A visit last week to the Shinsegae Department Store’s basement-level food mall, where only the hottest eateries in Korea are invited to set up, reconfirmed the geographical diversification. A section was created to resemble a food street in an imag

Food Nov. 22, 2019

Myeong-dong is a symbolic battlefield in Korea’s franchise world. To be considered successful, one has to have a store or two there -- ideally right at the center of the busy tourist district. New store openings and closures are watched by many for signs of changes in food trends. A visit to the area earlier this week revealed the increased presence of one particular Asian country among Myeong-dong’s cafes and dessert shops -- Taiwan. Taiwanese tea chain Tiger Sugar has an impre

Food Nov. 22, 2019

There are many reasons to love Busan -- the cobalt blue sea, milder weather, delectable food, ultraconvenient mega shopping malls and jaw-dropping oceanfront skyscrapers. The picturesque Gwangan Bridge and the skyline full of luxurious skyscrapers along Haeundae Beach give a stunning first impression, similar to those of other maritime cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore. But if there’s one thing that sets South Korea’s second-largest city of 3.4 million apart from other tourist d

Travel Nov. 15, 2019