Today

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Muchangpo Mystic Sea Road FestivalA 1.5 kilometer path opens up across the sea from Muchangpo Beach to Seokdaedo Island when the tide goes out during this festival. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of attractions and hands-on programs such as celebratory performances, fishing with a torch, the Mystic Sea Road torch parade, barehanded fishing, catching manila clams, gathering razor shells and many more.It is open to all visitors, and is held until Sept. 1.For more information in Korean, English, J

Aug 17, 2019

Becoming a K-pop star for a day with Airbnb

As Korean culture gains popularity around the world, Airbnb has launched a new K-wave Trip section -- a chance for tourists to take part in K-pop or K-beauty activities.The global house-sharing platform held a press event Friday in the Itaewon area of central Seoul, inviting reporters to a class on how to make a vegan bath scrub, registered as a K-beauty trip under Airbnb. “On Airbnb, we have always seen the want for local, authentic experiences. As the K-wave has proved itself to be

Aug 16, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Seoul Fringe Festival (1)Seoul Fringe Festival is held annually to support indie culture by introducing various genres of artists and artworks. Festival-goers can explore the charm of dances, plays, music and more at festival venues throughout the city. The hours are from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Thursday until Aug.24. Admission fees are 30,000 won per day.For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, call the travel hotline at 1330. The homepage (www.seoulfringefestival.net) is on

Aug 10, 2019

Royal palaces, other Joseon cultural sites to waive entry fees

Joseon era royal palaces and other cultural sites of the period will waive entry fees, timed with the 74th Independence Day and the 100th anniversary celebrating the March 1 Independence Movement this year, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration.In Seoul, four royal palaces, Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung, and Jongmyo Shrine will be free for public between Aug. 10-25. It is the first time in four years that the authorities are exempting admission fees for

Aug 9, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Gamaek Festival The Gamaek Festival began 2015 with the aim of revitalizing the local economy, securing small business markets, promoting community and contributing to society. Like chimaek, the popular term for fried chicken and beer, gamaek is a portmanteau of two Korean words: “gagae (store)” and “maekju (beer).” It refers to chilling out in the evening with beer at the outdoor tables of small neighborhood pubs or supermarkets. Held in Jeonju, it is open to everyo

Aug 8, 2019

More Koreans visit Dokdo as summer getaway amid boycott of Japan travel

The Dokdo islets are drawing more attention as a summer getaway for South Koreans, while diplomatic and economic conflicts between Korea and Japan show no signs of abating. The number of visitors to Dokdo is on the rise, while the number of outbound travelers to Japan is plummeting since the Abe administration slapped retaliatory measures against Korea.  A total of 172,516 people have made the trip to Dokdo this year, up 29.7 percent from the same period last year, according to data from Ul

Aug 8, 2019

Ministry plans campaign to boost local tourism

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Yang-woo said Wednesday that the ministry is planning a special campaign to promote local tourism around the Liberation Day holiday Aug. 15, as more South Koreans boycott travel to Japan in response to Tokyo’s recent decision to impose retaliatory export restrictions.“If we could turn the falling demand for overseas travel into domestic travel, it would greatly help stimulate regional economies and boost domestic demand,” Park said d

Aug 2, 2019

[Weekender] How our ancestors beat the heat

Foot baths, rejuvenating tea and naps with ‘bamboo wife’ were effective

Aug 2, 2019

[Weekender] Peak season

Vacation, staycation or no vacation? A snapshot of summer holiday scene in Korea

Aug 2, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Everland Summer Water FunHeld annually since 2005, Everland’s summer festival is back with a variety of programs, such as water shows, light shows and other fun activities. It is open to visitors of all ages.For more information in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, visit www.everland.com.Hangang Summer FestivalThe Hangang Summer Festival, also called the Hangang Mongttang Festival, is a large-scale riverside cultural event.It consists of about 80 programs, including water leisure spor

Jul 26, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

1. Everland Summer Water Fun Held annually since 2005, Everland’s summer festival is back with a variety of programs, such as water shows, light shows and other fun activities. It is open to visitors of all ages.For more information in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, visit www.everland.com.2. Hangang Summer Festival The Hangang Summer Festival, also called the Hangang Mongttang Festival, is a large-scale riverside cultural event.It consists of about 80 programs, including water leis

Jul 23, 2019

Foreign visitors to S. Korea jump 15% in June

The number of foreign visitors to South Korea rose sharply last month, helped by a large increase in visitors from China, Japan and Taiwan, data showed Tuesday.In June, the number of foreign visitors to the country came to more than 1.47 million, up 15.1 percent from around 1.28 million the same month last year, according to the data from the state-run Korea Tourism Organization.By country, the number of visitors from China spiked 25 percent on-year to a little over 475,000 last month, with visi

Jul 19, 2019

[Weekender] Palaces, fortress and historic sites at night

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,

Jul 19, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

1. Everland Summer Water Fun Held annually since 2005, Everland’s summer festival is back with a variety of programs, such as water shows, light shows and other fun activities. It is open to visitors of all ages. For more information in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, visit www.everland.com. 2. Hangang Summer Festival The Hangang Summer Festival, also called the Hangang Mongttang Festival, is a large-scale riverside cultural event. It consists of about 80 pr