Despite the prolonged wet weather, vacation season is in full swing in South Korea. With nearly half of holidaymakers traveling in late July and early August, life in bustling Seoul slows down. “Proof that it is now peak holiday season -- my neighborhood is quiet,” says Kim Yeon-ju, who lives near a bar-heavy district in Goyang city, Gyeonggi Province. “I see that many bars and shops are closed.”It was quiet Thursday in the Yongsan Electronics Market, a cluster of compute

Travel Aug. 2, 2019

In South Korea, summer isn’t summer without ice. On sizzling hot days, Koreans cool down with refreshing drinks filled with ice cubes. And ice -- finely shaved until it becomes satiny -- takes center stage in the season’s most beloved dessert: bingsu.  It wasn’t always like this in Korea. According to food columnist Yoon Deok-no, the country has a long history of harvesting and storing ice for cooling purposes. But there appears to be hardly any record of people in the pas

Food July 26, 2019

Bingsu -- finely shaved ice mixed with red bean, sweet milky sauce and various garnishes -- is an iconic summer dessert for South Koreans. Every year, experimental chefs come up with creative new renditions, and at the vanguard of the traditional treat’s evolution are luxury hotels. Seoul’s Hotel Shilla’s signature apple mango bingsu, introduced in 2011 and now costing 54,000 won ($46), still has fans lining up. Other establishments are trying to duplicate this success, taking

Food July 26, 2019

It’s summer break at Sejong University in Seoul, but professor Yuji Hosaka is swamped with work. A go-to expert on South Korea-Japan relations, he is bombarded with requests for media interviews and guest lectures as the two neighbors are embroiled in their worst dispute in years. Seeing no easy resolution to the current standoff, which was set off earlier this month by Japan’s decision to impose export restrictions that will seriously impact Korean computer chipmakers, Hosaka w

Foreign Affairs July 19, 2019

Seoul’s royal palaces are beautiful by day but they are even more stunning by night.  On top of the beauty of centuries-old architecture majestically illuminated in darkness, the serene atmosphere in contrast to the modern skyscrapers beyond the palace walls offers a surreal experience. Nighttime visits are only allowed on selected dates and for a limited number of people at some of Seoul’s five palaces from the Joseon era (1392-1910).Gyeongbokgung, the most popular of the five,

Travel July 19, 2019

With humid weather and blazing heat, summer can get the best of even the most avid outdoorsman. Fortunately, South Korea has many fun things to do at night. Here’s a guide on what to do, from a horror-themed bus tour of night-view spots in Seoul to festivals that blend music, food and a cool summer vibe.  Outdoor concerts Plan a Saturday evening outing to the Seoul Arts Center and the adjacent National Gugak Center at the eastern tip of the capital city for a mix of nature, arts

Culture July 19, 2019

The 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships kick off a 17-day run in the southwestern city of Gwangju, Friday, a biennial meet of the world’s swimming and diving stars. Taking place at five different venues in Gwangju and nearby Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, through July 28, this year’s event is the largest ever, with 2,639 athletes from 194 countries participating. Here are some of the interesting storylines to follow.  A prelude to 2020 Tokyo Olympics With a year to go until th

More Sports July 12, 2019

Once a run-down housing complex, the athletes’ village in Gwangju’s western district of Gwangsan is now a vivacious mini globe, bustling with thousands of athletes, staff and media members during the FINA World Aquatics Championships. Rebuilt by Gwangju-based constructor Jungheung, the complex comprises 25 apartment buildings with 15 to 25 floors and a host of facilities for its diverse population to mingle and relax, spanning a land area of 94,131 square meters.  With a total o

More Sports July 12, 2019

The 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships bring together the world’s top talent in swimming, diving and other water sports for the 17-day sporting event. Over 2,600 athletes from 194 countries will compete for 76 gold medals in six disciplines -- swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming and water polo. Here are some of the international athletes to watch out for. Katie Ledecky (Swimming, US) At the 2012 London Olympics, then-15-year-old Ledecky won her fi

More Sports July 12, 2019

Beside a coin launderette and a convenience store inside a dowdy, two-story building in a not-so-fancy residential neighborhood in Gayang-dong, Seoul, nestles a small dessert shop specializing in French macarons. Selling the colorful confections for 1,800 ($1.55) to 2,300 won apiece, shop owner and baker Kim Hyun-seo also makes party favor boxes and occasionally hosts macaron-baking classes. “Being a dessert lover myself, I have been baking at home for years and recently decided to open a

Food July 5, 2019

Seoul is often described as a city that never sleeps. But for those who wish to sleep, the city has some amazing, extraordinary places for a restful retreat in the middle of the day. In the busy financial district of Yeouido, multiplex cinema chain CGV offers its sofas to dozy office workers during the lunch hour, a win-win for both the cinema and office workers nearby.    The “Siesta Program,” available only in Yeouido, runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through T

Life&Culture June 28, 2019

Hong Jung-sil, master of metal inlay arts, hopes for a renaissance of centuries-old craft Inside a building in southern Seoul dedicated to the government-designated national intangible cultural assets, Hong Jung-sil, 72, works, studies and teaches as one of 12 resident artisans. Her area of expertise is “ipsa,” the art of inlaying thin threads of silver, gold and other precious metals onto harder surfaces such as iron, creating exquisite decorative patterns. The craft, which dat

Culture June 28, 2019

It is well-known that South Koreans work too much and don’t get enough sleep. But as more Koreans become aware of the impact of sleep deprivation on health, memory, work productivity and other aspects of life, they are more willing to invest in a good night’s sleep. Among them is Kang Hyo-jung, an office worker in Bucheon, west of Seoul. Sleeping around six to seven hours daily on weekdays, she struggles to get up in the morning, though she needs to head out by 7:30 a.m. for a one-ho

Life&Culture June 28, 2019

Ask South Koreans how they unwind after a long day at work, and many will say chimaek -- deep-fried chicken paired with cold beer. Neither of the two originated here, but the combination has become so popular that chicken bars are almost ubiquitous in Korea now. From an economic point of view, however, the trend may be overdone. According to Statistics Korea and a study by the KB Financial Group Economic Research Institute, there were nearly 87,000 chicken eateries as of February this year. That

Food June 21, 2019

With a crispy crust, juicy meat and a variety of flavors to choose from, South Korean-style deep-fried chicken seems to be the food world’s latest craze. Call it the new KFC. Korean fried chicken joints are springing up in the homeland of Kentucky Fried Chicken, drawing rave reviews from food lovers and critics. Falling hard for the East Asian fare, people even ask on Reddit, “Why is Korean fried chicken so good?” Well, it didn’t happen by chance. With a population o

Culture June 21, 2019