A popular summertime dessert in Korea, bingsu, shaved ice traditionally topped with red beans and drizzled with milk, keeps getting fancier with endless varieties of toppings and presentations. At the forefront of bingsu’s eye-catching makeover are five-star hotels that spare no effort in coming up with ever more decadent shaved-ice variations each summer. At the height of indulgence, a bowl of bingsu for two can cost as much as 90,000 won ($69) at hotels, while more humble varieties ser

Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas launches ‘Summer Cruise Royal High Tea’ Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Seoul’s Samseong-dong is offering an ocean landscape-inspired tea set at the Lobby Lounge and Bar on the ground floor, through Aug. 31. A raffle will also be hosted for customers to win a chance to board a luxury yacht, as well as other hotel vouchers. The Summer Cruise Royal High Tea promotion offers pearl-setting macarons and blue lemonade. Following four diff

This year’s Sinchon Water Gun Festival, which had been scheduled for two days starting July 30, was canceled by the Seodaemun-gu Office on Wednesday, according to Heyway, the main organizer of the event. Jointly sponsored by the city of Seoul, Seodaemun-gu Office and Sinchon Merchants’ Association, the Sinchon Water Gun Festival attracted over 1 million cumulative participants from 2013 to 2019. The festival has been halted for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The

The National Palace Museum of Korea and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation are presenting a special exhibition titled, “Treasures of Ours Treasured by Others: Journey of Korean Cultural Heritage,” starting Thursday. The museum is presenting a selection of 40 cultural artifacts that have been brought back from abroad, six of which are being shown to the public here for the first time. A considerable number of Korean cultural artifacts were plundered and taken out of

Nearly two months since the opening of Cheong Wa Dae to the public, the fate of the former presidential compound remains unclear, leading to concerns among experts and the public alike. One of the key pledges by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, “to return Cheong Wa Dae to the public,” was implemented on the day of the inauguration. But little preparation was made for the opening itself, and even less thought appears to have been given to the future of the grounds. The large influ

BUSAN -- Busan is one of the cities to head to if you are looking to feast on fresh seafood, but the city also has great know-how about preserving seafood to be enjoyed later. Myeongnan, or pollack roe, is a popular side dish that is often also called “bap doduk,” meaning rice thief. Bap doduk is a moniker used for side dishes that have you eating more rice than usual because the combination is so tasty. While there is a misconception that myeongnan originates from Japan’s me

A new walking trail that stretches along the west coast -- Seohaeranggil, or Seohaerang Trail -- has opened to the public, just in time for the start of the summer holiday season. At 1,800 kilometers, Seohaeranggil is currently the longest walking trail in the country. It begins at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula at Haenam, South Jeolla Province, and reaches up north all the way to Ganghwado, an island on the west coast about an hour away from Seoul. The trail forms the third section

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul launches ‘Summer Perfection’ package JW Marriott Hotel Seoul greets summer with a cobalt-blue color-inspired package, in collaboration with skincare brand Swiss Perfection. All package guests are offered a 15ml bottle of Cellular Soothing Facial Lotion presented in an elegant blue carry pouch, including a mirror. Guests choosing the Griffin Suite will receive an additional 30ml bottle of Cellular Essential Vitamin Cream. Two bottles of Wine Cruiser Bluebe

The upcoming 2022 World Punggi Ginseng Expo in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, aims to showcase a fresh aspect of the traditional Korean ginseng, the expo organizing committee said Wednesday. Under the theme, “Ginseng, embracing the world and opening the future,” the expo will take place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 23., at the Punggi Ginseng Culture Pop-up Park in Yeongju. Records of ginseng in Punggi date back to 1541 when Joo Se-boong, then governor of Punggi, after studying soil

Cheong Wa Dae will stay open to the public during the evening hours from July 20 to Aug. 1, the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Cheong Wa Dae operations team announced Tuesday. Nighttime tours will be held twice a day, at 7:30 p.m. and 8:10 p.m., except on Tuesdays. The 90-minute tour will be led by a guide, who will explain about the Cheong Wa Dae’s buildings and compound. Cold drinks will be served, along with a live performance of fusion gugak at the former presidential res

An exhibition exploring the work of the last jogakjang of the Joseon era is underway at the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Jogakjang are artisans who decorate metal surfaces with designs created through hammering or engraving. Metalcraft was an important part of traditional craftwork, as evidenced by a record of the profession in Gyeonggukdaejeon, a book covering the laws from the late Goryeo to the early Joseon era. The fifth in the annual series of ex

Shilla Seoul launches ‘Summer Floating Yoga’ package To meet with growing demand from guests wanting wellness programs, the Shilla Seoul, located at the heart of the Korean capital, is launching a special yoga program for the summer. The floating yoga program starts before the regular operation hours of the hotel’s “Urban Island” pool, open only to yoga package guests. After the 50-minute yoga program, guests can choose to continue using the pool for a morning sw

One of three paintings from Joseon era’s “Dokseodanggyehoedo (Gathering of Officials at Dokseodang Study)” was unveiled to the press at the National Palace Museum of Korea on Wednesday. The painting, known as the oldest among the three, was acquired by the Cultural Heritage Administration through the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, at an auction held in the US in March. The work was produced during King Jungjong’s reign (1506–1544) to commemorate a

Deoksugung’s Seokjojeon, the first European-style stone building built during King Gojong’s reign (1863-1907), will be filled with classical tunes on the evening of June 29, the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Deoksugung Palace Management Office said Monday. Since 2015, several concerts have been performed at the venue. Historical records show that Korean pianist Kim Yeong-hwan performed recitals for King Gojong at the Seokjojeon main hall in the early 1910s. Hosted and o

BUSAN -- “Oiso, boiso, saiso!” merchants call out at the alleys of Jagalchi Market, the port city’s largest fish market, as they have for decades. The boisterous shouts that mean “Come, look around, and buy,” attract visitors with a friendliness that is increasingly difficult to find in large metropolises. The city’s dynamic and diverse culture dates back to when Korean War refugees flocked to the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula. The distinctive charact

The 2022 Chianti lovers Asian Tour was held Tuesday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, bringing together wine experts of Italy and Korea. Representatives from 14 different wineries showcased their masterpieces to domestic wine importers and managers from bars and restaurants. Hosted by Wine 21.com, a South Korean wine portal established in 1998, the wine tasting and trade event focused on Chianti, wine produced in central Tuscany in Italy. Visiting each winery booth, participants started out by tast

Works by some 20 North Korean artists are being presented at the Jinhan Art Museum in Gwangju through June 30. Hosted by the city of Gwangju and the Gwangju headquarters of the Central Association for National Unification of Korea, also known Mintong, the exhibition aims to foster inter-Korean cultural exchange. “We are not displaying any art that conveys propaganda, but only works of fine arts, such as landscape paintings and embroidery artworks,” a Jinhan Art Museum official tol

Major outdoor public areas across Seoul – including Seoul Plaza, Nodeul Island and Hangang Park -- have been turned into exhibition spaces for sculptures. The outdoor sculpture festival is jointly organized by the city of Seoul and K-Sculpture, an organization promoting Korean sculptors and their works, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Friday. Some 10 works will be on display at Seoul Plaza, including Kim Woo-jin’s “Deer,” Kim Tae-soo’s “Ec

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul presents summer signature cocktails Mobo Bar, located on the seventh floor at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, serves creative cocktails mixed using house-made and homegrown ingredients. The bar, which has an outdoor terrace, presents two signature cocktails paired with small bites. The Mobo is a gin-based cocktail crafted by brewing gin with fresh basil, green cardamom and lemon grass in a siphon coffee maker. Smoked Rocks is a Korean-style cocktail created from a rum-based

An 8th-century gold leaf artifact from the Unified Silla Period found at the Na Zone of the Gyeongju Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, was unveiled by the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Culture Heritage, Thursday.  Discovered in November 2016, the artifact is an example of the finest metal craftsmanship of that time, with engraved bird and flower patterns carved at a thickness of 0.05 millimeters, thinner than a strand of human hair.  The artifact is available for public viewi