YANGPYEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- Hoping for some respite from urban life, many Seoulites choose to spend their precious weekends relaxing with their families and friends a little way from the city. Many cities and counties in Gyeonggi Province, especially, have long been popular weekend getaway spots for their ease of access from the capital, and the serene atmosphere created by the countryside. Yangpyeong, among many others, beckons travelers, cyclists, runners and sports lovers with its cycle

South Korean esports legend Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, an undisputed superstar in the world of competitive gaming, etched his name as the first-ever inductee to the Hall of Legends at The Shilla Seoul in Jung-gu, central Seoul, Thursday. “With his mastery of League of Legends, Faker inspired millions of esports fans across the globe and brought numerous contributions to the sport. We sincerely congratulate Faker for this stunning achievement and hope for great performances in the

Donghae, a popular summer getaway spot and seaside city in Gangwon Province, is scheduled to hold its annual lavender flower festival at Mureung Byeolyucheonji starting this Saturday to June 23. Mureung Byeolyucheonji, a large natural area on the site of an abandoned mine, has turned into a popular local tourist destination, beckoning travelers with the country’s first-ever sky glider, alpine coaster and walking trail along the artificial Blue Lake, among others. The 21,000-square-meter ou

Even in bustling Hongdae in Mapo-gu, Seoul, you can feel a peaceful rural sensibility if you find the right place. Follow narrow and winding alleys and you will find just such a mood at a tiny shop named Kohukku Market. Named "Kohukku," which means "happiness" in Japanese, the store sells character antiques and vintage items related to Japanese animation from the '80s and' 90s. This tiny, one-room shop is filled with a variety of items from dolls, key rings, vintage

Grand Hyatt Seoul adds new design to outdoor pool Grand Hyatt Seoul, located in Yongsan, central Seoul, has opened its outdoor swimming pool featuring Bottega Veneta’s iconic foulard intreccio design until Sept. 22. The swimming pool, located at the hotel’s GL floor, is available to all guests. Holidaymakers can enjoy the scenic views of Namsan and quench their thirst with cool draft beer alongside snacks prepared by the hotel’s chefs. Reservations are available online via Gran

The Korea Tourism Organization announced it is turning Haman’s firework event -- the Haman Nakhwa Festival -- into a monthly festival held from June to November this year. The Nakhwa Festival, or “Nakhwanori” in Korean, is a firework festival where oak charcoal powder wrapped in “hanji” (Korean mulberry paper) is set on fire, creating balls of fire falling into the small pond at Mujinjeong Pavilion in Haman, South Gyeongsang Province. After the county came under h

The Korea Tourism Organization announced that it is accepting applications for a photo contest aimed at discovering the charms of South Korea. Under the theme of “Discover Amazing Moments in Korea,” this year’s contest, which started on Tuesday, offers the applicants an opportunity to present their photos of South Korea from three different sections: digital camera, smartphone and drone. The submitted works will be evaluated in four categories -- photography, tourism, promotion

Korail Tourism Development, a subsidiary of the Korea Railroad Corp., is offering a sneak peek of East-West Trail of Korea, a backpacking-friendly walking trail -- scheduled to be completed in 2026 -- on June 22. The East-West Trail of Korea is an 849-kilometer trail course connecting Anmyeondo in Taean, South Chungcheong Province to Mangyangjeong Pavilion in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. Collaborating with Korea Forest Service, Korail Tourism Development has prepared a day trip to Yeongju,

Kim Yong-ki, a passionate, 31-year-old LG Twins fan who has been heading to Jamsil Baseball Stadium -- the home turf for the Twins -- in Songpa-gu, southeastern Seoul, every baseball season since 2011, started watching baseball games with total strangers in 2023. He knew nothing about them, but that was not a problem as long as they were LG Twins fans. “‘LG Eopsineun Motsara’ -- meaning ‘No LG, no life’ in Korean -- is a live baseball game-watching crew whose member

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island -- From palm trees to black basalt stone walls, South Korea’s southern island of Jeju mesmerizes both local and overseas holidaymakers with beautiful nature that differs from that found on the rest of the Korean Peninsula. However, changes in Korean travel trends have led many Jeju visitors to opt for tours of unique cafes and restaurants offering the island’s specialties, as well as Instagrammable attractions like The Snoopy Garden or Osulloc Tea Museum, over i

Le Meridien Seoul Myeongdong launches summer package ‘Au Soleil’ Le Meridien Seoul Myeongdong, Marriott International’s premium brand in central Seoul, offers the relaxing staycation experience “Au Soleil Package” for the summer season. This promotion includes a one-night stay either in a deluxe king or deluxe double room, free breakfast buffet at La Palette Paris -- the hotel’s restaurant -- and gelatos at Lumiere -- the lobby lounge and bar -- for two guests

Marking the Visit Korea Year 2023-24 campaign, the Korea Tourism Organization and South Korean esports powerhouse team T1, are hosting the first-ever home and away match of League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) on June 29. LCK, the most popular esports competition in South Korea, had not adopted any hometown team since its launch in 2012. While the regular season is held in LoL Park, the stadium for LCK in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, some of the friendly matches, special events and the LCK final

HiKR Ground, a promotional hall for Korean tourism located in Jung-gu, central Seoul, is to turn into a shrine to the living esports legend Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok from May 29 to June 16. Faker was crowned the first ever inductee to the Hall of Legends with his mastery of League of Legends, numerous contributions to the sport and by inspiring millions of esports fans across the globe. Hall of Legends is the League of Legends hall of fame that was introduced by Riot Games, the company

BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province -- Star director Yeon Sang-ho is cementing his legacy as the country’s leading genre content creator with a string of hits such as the zombie films “Train to Busan” (2016), “Peninsula” (2020) and the fantasy horror series “Hellbound” (2021). As the director heavily focuses on presenting monsters causing havoc in our world, many of the filming locations in Yeon’s projects have a gloomy atmosphere, traces of destruction and

The Plaza celebrates ‘Family Month’ with kids program Hanwha Resorts' The Plaza, located in Jung-gu, central Seoul, will offer a new program for children, “Happy Kid’s Moment,” through June 9. The upcoming promotion includes a one-night stay in either a deluxe room or premier suite, a coloring book and colored pencil set, paper toys and desserts from Boulangerie, the hotel's bakery and cafe. Priced from 360,000 won, the package can be reserved until June 7

Explore Play Aquarium Bucheon Feast your eyes on colorful fish and remarkable marine life at Play Aquarium Bucheon in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Though Play Aquarium Bucheon is not as big as the country’s better-known aquariums -- Lotte Aquarium and Coex Aquarium -- it still has everything there is to satisfy young visitors by showing them exciting sea creatures up close. The aquarium greets its visitors with a wide range of fish tanks that house various fish species from around the world

PALAWAN, Philippines -- An expansive archipelago located at the western edge of the Philippines, Palawan is a popular travel destination for those looking to immerse themselves in the area's serene atmosphere and magnificent nature. One of the highlights of the main island is Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its underground river tour. If exploring this natural wonder is on your bucket list, Four Points by Sheraton, with its easy access to

WE Hotel presents summer package WE Hotel, a premium health resort located in Seogwipo, southern Jeju Island, is offering an early summer package from May 20 to July 25. The package includes a one-night stay in the hotel’s superior room, a free bagel-coffee set menu, an Italian combo -- a food promotion including a pizza, spaghetti, salad and two drinks -- and a wellness program for two guests. Guests can enjoy the resort’s outdoor swimming pool, jacuzzi and fitness center for free

The Philippine Tourism Department has set an ambitious goal of becoming a tourism powerhouse in Asia with new travel promotions and unique cultural experiences. “Our country is not just a destination. The Philippines is more about experience. Overseas holidaymakers, especially Koreans who (account for) over a quarter of international tourist arrivals in the Philippines, can witness not only our natural wonders but also a wide range of tourism offerings,” Philippine Tourism Department

Integrated resort complex Paradise City is offering a blow-out discount and sales promotion period called Paradise Super Week until May 22. 2024 Paradise Super Week, which started Monday, is the resort’s iconic annual promotion allowing its guests to enhance their hotel experience with various benefits and rewards. This year’s package includes a discount of up to 68 percent for Paradise City resort rooms. Guests can schedule their stays at Paradise City Hotel, located in Jung-gu, Inc