The latest works by Farhad Moshiri, one of the most celebrated artists in the Middle East, are on exhibit in Seoul for the first time. The artist, born in Iran in 1963 and educated in the U.S., rose to instant fame in the global art world as his crystallized work “Love” was sold for more than $1 million at the 2008 Bonhams auction in Dubai.He also received attention for “Life is Beautiful,” his 2009 installation that consists of hundreds of kitchen knives stuck on a wall to create the phrase. Th

Park Dae-sung is one of the few artists in Korea that draws on the principles and spirit of traditional Korean paintings. His delicate, sometimes energetic portrayal of Korean landscapes and cultural assets have received acclaim overseas, including his September exhibition in Turkey and several other showcases in China and Taiwan. When most contemporary painters practicing ink-and-wash painting have been seeking to bring modernity to their paintings, Park has been in pursuit of mastering his bru

Fine dining has taken a step beyond a mix of good ingredients and meticulous presentation to include the setting as well. Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel presents luxury dining at the hotel’s presidential suite. Overlooking the nightscape of Seoul, the 265-square-meter presidential suite on the 39th floor offers an exceptional dining experience. The hotel offers an eight-course menu prepared by Paul Dodd, the new executive sous chef in charge of Western cuisine at the hotel, targeting couples p

Seeking to find a new fashion inspiration ― much like Japan’s kimono has inspired many global-leading designers ― a Korean cultural non-profit organization hopes to instill the Joseon literati’s outer robe as the next Oriental fashion inspiration. Arumjigi Culture Keepers Foundation presents a triennial exhibition shedding light on the outer robe of the Joseon literati and the spirit behind it. The exhibition, which runs from Thursday to Nov. 20, displays traditional robes in various colors and

This is the last installment in an 11-part series that introduces some of the best walking trails in Korea. Based on each trail’s popularity and the recommendations of travel experts and the Culture Ministry, The Korea Herald selected the 10 best places for walking and hiking. The series received funding from the Korea Press Foundation. ― Ed.Jeju Olle trail is the first walking trail in Korea developed and built by a journalist-turned-walking enthusiast Seo Myeong-suk. The opening of the first t

Jeju Island is known for the abundance of rocks, women and wind, earning it the moniker “Samdado Island,” for having plenty of the “three features.” But another feature to add is its food. The island, surrounded by the sea with Hallasan Mountain in the center and vast stretches of fields growing vegetables, boasts a wide variety of natural produce. However, seafood dishes are not to be missed on Jeju Island. And if one faces a difficult decision of what to choose among hundreds of seafood specia

Oakwood Premier Coex Center was recognized with having the best planning and execution of advertising that successfully brings its image of luxury and comfort to the customers. In our advertisement, we tried to convey our brand concept and identity to maintain a strong, consistent and distinctive brand for Oakwood.The first luxury serviced residence in Seoul has strived to meet the needs of foreign corporate executives, business travelers and long-term guests since opening. Oakwood Premier is th

The Seoul Photo Festival unveils a rare compilation of portraits of Seoul citizens that date back to 1883 as 2013 marks the 130th year since photography was first introduced in Korea. The photo exhibition that opens this Friday will feature more than 600 portraits showing behind the scenes of major historical and social events in Seoul from the Japanese colonial era (1910-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), rapid economic development (1960-1980) and diverse social aspects of today such as the shi

Portraits of Hollywood stars, top fashion models and British royals taken from the unique viewpoint of Peruvian photographer Mario Testino are on view in Seoul as part of the photographer’s Asia tour, following openings in Beijing and Shanghai last year. The exhibition reveals some private moments the photographer got a peek of or shared with some of the world’s most celebrated people. The 86 photos on exhibit are arranged in three sections featuring photographs of celebrities, fashion models an

Festivals“Gunsan International Migratory Bird Festival”: The scene in which thousands of migratory birds dancing in groups will stretch in the well-conserved vast mudflats and reed fields in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province during the 10th Gunsan International Migratory Bird Festival from Nov. 22-24. The festival offers a rare chance to observe more than 50 kinds of winter migratory birds at the bird-watching corridor built on the embankment of the Geum River. The festival features hands-on program

With both the inbound and outbound travel market growing in Korea, the tourism growth potential of the country may be stronger than any other markets in the Asia-Pacific, according to a recent travel report. The report, unveiled at travel conference Collaborate 2013 in Seoul on Wednesday, stated that Korea has experienced major growth in tourism in the last 30 years. International departures have grown by more than 12 percent since 1980, with annual departures equivalent to 25 percent of the pop

The newly opened Ibis hotel in Insa-dong, Seoul, aims to meet the various needs of both business and leisure travelers, according to Patrick Basset, senior vice president of the Southeast Asian region of Accor Group. Opened on Sept. 25, the fifth Ibis chain hotel in Korea has proven to be an attractive accommodation option for tourists as its occupancy rate during the first month reached 70 percent. “We are performing better than expected,” said Basset, who manages major tourist destinations in

The Korea Tourism Organization presented a list of the best places to bike in Korea for a late fall retreat. The 35-km bike ride in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, is famous for its scenic ride along the “Sanso-gil,” a riverside road that passes the small Bungeo Island to Mireuk rock and other famous local places. One can rent a bike at the entrance of Bungeo Island. Bukdo-myeon in Ongjin-gun, Incheon, allows bike rides between islands. The course that goes around three islands takes about three to

The new Chinese travel law that prevents forced shopping trips and extra tour fees for overseas tour groups is having an immediate impact on the Korean tourism market, which has seen the number of Chinese tour groups take a tumble since the law came into effect on Oct. 1. According to Lotte Tour, a travel agency that handles Chinese tour groups, it has seen a large drop in the number of Chinese tour groups this month. “It went down drastically by around one-third or one-quarter of the usual,” sa

Korean womenswear designers presented new ideas for layering during the 2014 spring/summer Seoul Fashion Week as they incorporated lightweight fabrics as an add-on to their minimal, clean-cut looks.Designers created their own images of a city girl on the go that ranged from romantic, sporty, modern to classical. No matter what the image, the practical, comfortable looks should be added to the shopping list for the next season’s wardrobe. Organza, lace and shimmering fabrics were added on as the

Seoul fashion designers had sports enthusiasts in mind for next spring and summer, judging by the collections that hit the runway at Seoul Fashion Week on Friday. With sweatshirts and athletic shorts serving as staple pieces, menswear collections featured relaxed, sometimes elevated urban sporty looks that could appeal to trend-savvy men.Young designers in particular freed men from body-fitting suits, finding their inspiration in gym workouts, and engaging with philosophical concepts. Beyond Clo

One of the most famous biblical scenes ― baby Jesus in the arms of Mary surrounded by wise men from the East ― doesn’t feature the usual Western biblical representation in the late artist Woonbo Kim Ki-chang’s Jesus paintings. At a thatched-roof house, home for commoners in the Joseon period (1392-1910), Jesus appears as a happy child in the arms of Mary, wearing a rainbow-striped jeogori ― the traditional Korean jacket for children. The Eastern wise men worshipping the newborn are dressed in of

Exhibitions“Waiting Room”: Wooden utility poles cut through a gallery space from one end to the other in a new exhibition of Brazilian artist Carlito Carvalhosa in Seoul. The poles, each measuring 8-12 meters long, pierce through the gallery walls at Kukje Gallery in Jongno and extend to the bottom of the floor while supporting other poles delicately placed one on top of another. The position of wooden poles in a white cube triggers questions among viewers as his past works did by transforming e

BRUSSELS (AFP) ― The European Union’s executive branch on Wednesday proposed taxing airlines for emissions made while crossing European airspace, revising a controversial plan the EU had to back down from last year.Under the new European Commission proposal, airlines using EU airspace could be subject to a tax for air-polluting carbon emissions on the portion of a flight that crosses the European Economic Area.The new proposal is an amended version of the EU’s ill-fated CO2 Emissions Trading Sch

Asian travelers have contributed significantly to the increase in foreign overnight visitors in Germany with a rise of 3.4 percent in July, according to a German National Tourist Office tourism report. From January to July, the number of nights spent by Asian travelers increased by 2.3 percent with Chinese tourists taking up the largest share of the increase at 10 percent, followed by Koreans at 6.8 percent. Germany has seen an overall 3.4 percent increase in foreigners’ overnight stays over the