Well known as the setting of the popular classical Korean love story “Chunhyangjeon,” Gwanghalluwon Garden is a home to beautiful architecture and natural landscape with lake, trees, and an iconic stone bridge. Located in Namwon, North Jeolla Province, the garden was built by Hwang Hui, a famous politician during the reign of King Sejong of Joseon Dynasty.  Hwang Hui first set up a pavilion, which was originally named as Gwangtongnu Pavilion in 1419. Later, in 1444, Gov. Jeong

Automotive firm Kia launched a flagship store in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. The store features a futuristic interior and will offer car exhibitions, test drives, and other services and events.  Visitors can scan mobile QR codes for information on Kia’s newest cars and services.  Customers can see the latest vehicles in three dimensions via a large media wall installed at the store. Both the interior and exterior of each vehicle will be visible, and customers can see in deta

K-pop sensation Blackpink will hold a pop-up exhibition from Aug. 21-30 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the group’s debut, YG Entertainment said Thursday.　 　 The exhibition is part of what is called the “4+1 project” the agency announced in June on its social media with a mysterious teaser. Aside from the exhibition, the project consists of a new film in August, a special edition photobook and three others that have yet to be announced. The pop-up exhibition will be hel

A goldfinch is sitting on the stem of a sunflower planted in a garden near the Danwon district office in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 29. A goldfinch eats a sunflower seed in a garden near the Danwon district office in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 29. (Photos: Yonhap)

Though summer travel abroad has become more difficult with strict travel restrictions and quarantine measures implemented around the world amid the pandemic, Jeongokhang Marina Port, located in Seosin-myeon of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, quenches the thirst of travel bugs, presenting an exotic sunset while white yachts are moored in the port.  The Jeongok port, the first marina in or around the capital area, opened in 2009, and has hosted various international marine sports events, includ

Visitors are looking around electronic products displayed at the 11th Korea Smart Device x Small Electronics Trade Show 2021, an annual trade fair for small electronics. Robot speakers are showing off their moves at a booth set up in the trade show.  Small home refrigerators featuring cute character designs attract visitors to the trade fair. “Watch YouTube videos in an old-fashion way!” A local company exhibits smartphone holders look like old-fashioned TVs. An exhibitor de

South Korean construction firm Jungheung Group on Monday pledged to donate 30 billion won ($26.2 million) to the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, or KAIST, in the hopes of contributing to the growth of the nation’s semiconductor sector by nurturing global talent in the industry. The company will spend 20 billion won to build an education and research center in Brain City, a technology complex in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and donate 10 billion won in cash to the nat

Lotte World Aquarium offers its marine animals special treats before Chobok, which falls on July 11 this year and marks the beginning of the hottest portion of summer, according to the lunar calendar. Asian small-clawed otters enjoy pieces of frozen fruits full of vitamins.  Hawksbill Sea Turtles gather around to eat frozen cabbage and squid provided as special treats before Chobok. (Photos: Yonhap)

Lotte Maison Dong Busan, the first brick-and-mortar shopping complex for furniture, home appliances and accessories with 38 domestic and foreign brands opened its doors in the southern port city on June 24. 　 A number of top furniture brands, including Simmons, Hanssem, and ACE, have their products on display inside the shopping complex. 　 Aside from the furniture stores, the living-focused mall features unique spaces as well, including “Pet Park”, a playground and training field fo

Newly-elected Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon is focused on highlighting the city’s strengths as it prepares a bid for the 2030 World Expo. “Going forward, we have a lot of important tasks ahead of us. We will make sure to do our best to establish strategies to attract the event while working closely with the government,” Park said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. The host of the 2030 World Expo will be voted on by the 169 member states of the Bureau of International

Lavender flowers in full bloom form violet clouds at Herb Village in Geochang, South Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. Tourists take pictures in a field of lavender flowers at Herb Village in Geochang, South Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. Visitors enjoy blooming lavender flowers at Herb One, the largest lavender farm in the country, in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province. Lavender flowers fill a field measuring 330,000 square meters at Herb One, a lavender farm in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province.

Rep. Ryu Ho-jeong of the minor progressive Justice Party posted photos of BTS member Jungkook on Tuesday to gain support for a bill that would legalize and regulate tattooing in South Korea. Jungkook has tattoos on his hands and arms, but he covers them with bandages when he appears on national television because of a Korea Communications Commission rule against showing tattoos on TV.  In lengthy Facebook and Instagram posts, which contained photographs of Jungkook with bandages covering

Have you tried the KTX-Eum yet? This eco-friendly high-speed train is South Korea’s first to feature homegrown technology. The KTX-Eum began operating along the central line in January, making it possible to travel from Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul to Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, in just two hours. While other KTX trains have power cars on either end, the KTX-Eum’s power system is dispersed, making it possible for more passengers to be on board and for the train to slow dow

Could South Korea’s railroad network one day be connected all the way to Europe? It’s a vision the country has long hoped for, after its railroad tracks were severed at the 38th parallel border line during the 1950-53 Korean War that now divides the North from the South. The war has left South Korea “an island,” Son Byung-seok, CEO of Korea Railroad Corp. said in an interview with The Korea Herald. That’s why a railway link from Northeast Asia to Europe would pl

A total of 160 South Korean civic groups, including People‘s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, National Council of YMCAs of Korea, and Palestine Peace & Solidarity, hold a protest rally against Israel’s bombing of Gaza in front of the Israeli Embassy in Jongro, central Seoul.  Members of the civic groups hold up banners with messages denouncing Israel’s use of bombs and asking for the violence to stop, such as “Cease fire first and now” and “#F

K-pop supergroup BTS holds a global press conference for its much-awaited digital single “Butter” in Seoul, Friday. (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won (choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

Safari Bus passengers look at tigers at the event “Adieu Safari Bus, Welcome Safari World Wild Tram” at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.  The Safari Bus ferries its final Safari tour as Everland is set to replace it with a tram with frameless windows and a lower floor height to allow passengers to get a better view of the wildlife.  Staff wave at the Wild Tram as it sets off for the first time.  Everland staff take a commemorative photograph in front of the

Students at the College of Agriculture and Life sciences at Kangwon National University practice rice planting at Kangwon National University’s subsidiary farm in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.  A farmer plants rice seedlings using a rice transplanter machine in a field in Taean, Chungnam, for the first rice-planting in Taean this year. (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won (choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

Children make paper carnations at a kindergarten attached to Hanil Elementary School in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Namdaemun Flower Market is crowded with people purchasing flowers for Parents’ Day.  Park Sung-soo, the mayor of Songpa-gu, and staff from the Songpa-gu Saemaeul Women’s Society deliver carnations and kimchi to a senior citizen living alone in southeastern Seoul.  (Photos: Yonhap) By Yoon Chae-won (choenayoon@heraldcorp.com)

At SD Biosensor’s factory in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, the South Korean drugmaker producing COVID-19 self-test kits and its staff conduct a final inspection before the products go on sale at local pharmacies and online channels.  The test kits of SD Biosensor use a sterile nasal swab by which people can detect specific antigens of COVID-19 present in specimens collected from the nasal cavity.  Those who use the home test kits are able to see the test results in 15 to