The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation are jointly hosting “Invitation to Gyeongbokgung’s Kitchen” at the Sojubang complex of Gyeongbokgung from June 8-20. Visitors can choose between the Saenggwabang and Sikdorak programs. The Saenggwabang program includes a live performance of gugak, Korean traditional music, playing in the background during the meal. The Sikdorak program offers detailed explanations of royal cuisine and drinks giv

Future of 250,000-square-meter grounds of former presidential office under debate

A craving for sweet foods and hunger for exploring new flavors are diversifying Seoul’s dessert cafe scene. From British Cornish pasties to Turkey’s traditional milk cream “kaymak,” here are three dessert cafes that reporters of The Korea Herald visited to help you expand your taste palate. Meet Turkish version of clotted cream It was around 1 p.m. on Thursday afternoon and a group of people -- mostly young women -- were lining up in front of a Turkish ba

When children get together to play, it is inevitable that there is one child who is the least skilled or younger than the rest -- especially if a younger sibling has followed their brother or sister out to play. Typically, these children are picked last to play on a team, or they could be left out altogether if there are an odd number of players for a game that calls for equal numbers. Korean children have developed a way to include those who could be left out when picks have been made. The

Two buildings of Cheong Wa Dae -- Yeongbingwan, the state reception hall, and Chunchugwan, the media center -- are now open for public viewing. The two buildings at the former presidential office opened to the public starting Monday, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. The CHA has set up a Cheong Wa Dae Public Open Service Team to operate tours, manage and maintain the Cheong Wa Dae grounds and buildings. Stepping into Yeongbingwan, visitors can learn about the history of the

Colombia will participate in the 2022 Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) next month as the guest of honor to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Korea and the South American country, the event's organizers said Monday. This year's SIBF, the country's biggest annual book fair, will kick off on June 1 for a five-day run at the Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul under the theme of "One Small Step." The Korean Publishers Associ

They say love is universal, but when it comes to dating culture, Korea has a different love language, according to five international couples that The Korea Herald interviewed. From love ‘confessions’ to matching outfits, here are some dating norms that set Korea apart. –- Ed. In some Western countries, moving in together is considered an important step for a couple trying to take their relationship to the next level. But in Korea, an unmarried couple living together is tab

In Korea’s long history of seafaring, ancient seafarers mastered navigating the open seas when they finally deciphered the secrets of the direction of the magnetic north. Conquering the seas has defined great empires in history as seen in the Baekje Empire (18 BC-AD 660)’s prominent presence surrounding the West Sea (officially known as the Yellow Sea) and its sailors’ reach into lands where elephants and monkeys roam. “One of the reasons why Baekje dominated the open s

The monument built in 1672 to honor Park Paeng-nyeon (1417-1456) was all but destroyed during the Korean War. Reconstructed by his descendants in 1989, this historic site and the monument had received bad press for poor maintenance just a year before. The entrance was locked with a padlock and the information boards could not be read because of the vehicles that were parked illegally in front of them. Visitors who had come with high expectations of the historic site turned their backs upon

They say love is universal, but when it comes to dating culture, Korea has a different love language, according to five international couples that The Korea Herald interviewed. From love ‘confessions’ to matching outfits, here are some dating norms that set Korea apart. – Ed.  Whether through phone calls or text messaging, Koreans like to stay connected with their loved ones throughout the day, asking each other where they are, what they’re doing and what they&rs

The 2022 Paradise Art Lab Festival will kick off at Paradise City in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, on Friday, offering a wide range of cultural activities. Under the theme “Crossing: Awakening a new sense at the crossing of the present and the future,” the third annual PAL festival is presenting a series of artworks that allow the visitors to actively engage with the pieces, rather than simply viewing them. Ten selected works by emerging artists are being showcased. A massive digital artw

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Arts & Culture Education Service announced that they will hold the 11th International Arts Education Week next week. Under the theme of “Culture and Arts Education in the Post-Coronavirus Era, Resilience to Transformation,” the one-week event will showcase various programs including a symposium and seminar on culture and arts education, a one-day class program, a UNESCO Expert Meeting on Culture and Arts Education and a pe

They say love is universal, but when it comes to dating culture, Korea has a different love language, according to five international couples that The Korea Herald interviewed. From love ‘confessions’ to matching outfits, here are some dating norms that set Korea apart. – Ed. Jealous of opposite-sex friends Some Koreans are particularly sensitive to their partner‘s opposite-sex friends, believing that men and women cannot be true friends and sexual attraction is bound

The first in a series of traditional parade events were held across the market alleys of Jongno-gu Sunday, filling the old neighborhood with a festive mood. Gunahaeng, a traditional “narye” rite, is based on a poem by Goryeo scholar Yi Saek. At the ritual, masked people would appear around the royal courts, government offices and in towns, driving out evil spirits. Developed into a modern street performance, also referred to as “Gunaehaeng Daepannoreum,” it combines va

Bunhwangsa, a Korean Buddhist temple, will open in Bodh Gaya, India on Saturday with a delegation of 150 Korean Buddhists from the Jogye Order – South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect -- attending the opening ceremony. Bodh Gaya in northeastern India’s Bihar state is one of Buddhism’s four holiest sites. It is where Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree according to Buddhist texts. The project to build a Korean-style temple in Bodh Gaya was launched