[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Cheongnamdae Spring Flower Festival The Cheongnamdae Spring Flower Festival will run through May 8 at Cheongnamdae in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. Once a private villa used by former presidents of South Korea, Cheongnamdae opened to the public in 2003. Surrounded by spring flowers, the festival welcomes visitors of all ages with various sculptures, art paintings and wild flowers. Cheongnamdae is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed every Monday. Admission fees range from 3,000

April 22, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Lotus Lantern Festival The Lotus Lantern Festival, known as Yeon Deung Hoe, is set to start on April 29 and run through May 1 at various places in Seoul, including the streets of Jongno, along the stream Cheonggyecheon and at temples Bongeunsa and Jogyesa. The lighting of the lanterns conveys wishes for peace and happiness. Various programs are offered during the three-day festival free of charge. The lantern parade, which starts at Dongdaemun Gate in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, and proceeds t

April 15, 2022

Walking Suwon, a journey that encompasses past and present

The season of buoyant spirits is here, and many are rushing to enjoy the brief window of when spring flowers are in full bloom. But along the trails of flowers and lush trees are remnants of Korea’s valuable history often too easily forgotten. Some 30 kilometers south from central Seoul, approximately an hourlong drive, lies Suwon, the most populous city of Gyeonggi Province. A major destination for spring picnics, Suwon is filled with crowds of families and couples on dates, especially

April 14, 2022

[EYE PLUS] A stroll through Oeam Folk Village

Oeam Village, listed as Important Folklore Cultural Heritage No. 236, is located on the southeast slopes of Seolhwasan, some 8 kilometers south of the rural city of Asan in South Chungcheong Province.  The village was created when the Yean Yi clan settled down during the reign of King Seonjo (1567-1608) of the Joseon era. There were many talented descendants of the clan and among them was Yi Gan, a great Confucianism scholar whose pen name was Oeam, the origin of the village’s name.&n

April 9, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival The Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival has returned after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival, which started on March 25, is scheduled to run through April 16 at various sites in Gyeongju, including Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, the park of royal tombs, or also known as Daereungwon, and more. Celebrating the return of in-person festivities, visitors can try their hands at various activities like “plogging” under cherry blossom tre

April 8, 2022

New theme parks, thrill rides debut in Korea

Just in time for spring and the downward slope of the omicron variant peak, two new theme parks opened in South Korea offering a bunch of new thrill rides and attractions. One in Busan is a Lotte World franchise and the other in Chuncheon, a city in the mountainous Gangwon Province, is part of the global Legoland chain. Here’s a quick look at the new amusement parks and their most anticipated attractions. 1. Lotte World Magic Forest (Busan) Lotte World Magic Forest opened to the publ

April 5, 2022

Palaces and royal tombs celebrate arrival of spring, flowers with special programs

As flowers herald the arrival of spring, palaces and royal tombs are hosting special events that highlight the beauty of the space and their history. At Changdeokgung, a Joseon palace that is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list, Nakseonjae is open to public viewing through Wednesday. A special tour will be held daily at 10:20 a.m., taking visitors through the royal quarters that was built by King Heonjong in 1847. Its last inhabitant was Lee Bang-ja, also known as Masako, the Japan

April 3, 2022

Sorae Marsh Ecological Park, beloved place for birds and tourists

  INCHEON -- As the cold winter steps aside and the government eases social distancing rules, people are more interested than ever in traveling to enjoy the spring. But with the country experiencing the worst wave of the pandemic, surpassing 10 million cases last week, many people are trying to enjoy simple outdoor activities at open spaces with few crowds. The Sorae Marsh Ecological Park, about 40 kilometers from Seoul in Incheon’s Namdong-gu, was created in 2009, replacing the for

April 1, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Blossom Picnic at E-World The Blossom Picnic is scheduled to kick off on March 19 and run through April 3 at E-World in Daegu. Visitors can catch the earliest-blooming cherry blossoms at the venue and it is one of the best spots to see the pink and white blooms at night. The areas around the 83 Tower, a famous Daegu landmark, are divided into zones with unique themes -- healing zone, camping zone and picnic zone -- allowing visitors to enjoy spring in a variety of settings. Red double-decker

April 1, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Busan Lotus Lantern Festival The Busan Lotus Lantern Festival will be held at Songsanghyeon Plaza and Busan Citizen’s Park in Busan from April 22 to May 8. Sponsored by the Busan Buddhism Association, the annual festival offers visitors with an opportunity to experience Buddhist culture through the many activities and hands-on experiences, including a lotus lantern making program, temple food meals, widely known as gongyang, and more. In celebration of Buddha’s birthday, various t

March 25, 2022

Gyeongbokgung Palace to open for nighttime viewing

Joseon royal palace Gyeongbokgung will be open for nighttime viewing from April 1 to May 29, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday. The night view of Gyeongbokgung in spring is noted for its beautiful blossoms, including the weeping cherry blossoms and bright azaleas that light up the night. Up to 1,300 visitors will be admitted per evening and reservations are required through the 11Street website. Online reservations will open Thursday morning, with each person limited to two tick

March 21, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Jeju Fire Festival The Jeju Fire Festival will be held at Saebyeol Oreum in Aewol-eup on Jeju Island from March 18 to March 20. The annual festival is a reinterpretation of “bangae,” the oldest nomadic culture in Jeju, where people pray for richness and health by burning off old grass and, in the process, kill vermin in the fields. Lighting up the night sky, the fire show puts on a stupendous display for visitors. For safety reasons, all programs at the Jeju Fire Festival -- the

March 18, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Taean World Tulip Flower Festival The World Tulip Flower Festival is scheduled to run from April 9 to May 9 at Korea Flower Park in Taean, South Chungcheong Province. Some 200 types of flowers, including flamingo, lambada, red proud tulip and more, will be on full display. On-hand experiences, like a flower planting program, will not be offered at this year’s event to prevent any spread of COVID-19. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tickets are 12,000 won for adults and 9,000

March 11, 2022

Blend of culture, nature at Eunpyeong Trail

Amid the seemingly never-ending COVID-19 pandemic, watching the latest Netflix series and eating sweet and juicy mandarin oranges curled up with an electric blanket has been a popular way to spend the winter weekends. But as the cold winter air starts to make way for the arrival of spring, many hikers are eager to greet the coming spring and enjoy the last cold snap on Eunpyeong Trail, better known as Eunpyeong-gu Dulegil or section eight of the Bukhansan Dulegi, also referred to as Gureum Jeon

March 6, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Blossom Picnic 　The Blossom Picnic is scheduled to kick off on March 19 and run through April 3 at Eworld in Daegu. 　The venue offers the fastest-blooming cherry blossoms to visitors and presents the largest night view of the pink flower. 　The areas around the 83 Tower, a famous landmark of Daegu, are separated with the unique themes -- healing zone, camping zone and picnic zone -- allowing visitors to enjoy spring in a variety of settings. 　Red double decker buses and a merry-go-round are p

March 4, 2022

The road less traveled: Exploring Korea solo

Kwon Jeong-hyun, 37, an office worker in Seoul, is planning a series of weekend road trips alone starting this spring with her diary as her companion. “In my early 20s, traveling was like an assignment because deciding on whom to go with and coping with their schedules was not an easy task,” said Kwon, an avid solo traveler since her late 20s. In the past decade, Kwon has traveled to major cities alone, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, New York and London. She took her first

Feb. 25, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Pinocchio and Little Prince Starlight Festival The 1st Pinocchio and the Little Prince Starlight Festival will run through March 13 at Italian Village and Petite France in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The event allows visitors to experience a bit of overseas travel via the flea market lined with European antiques, traditional Italian houses and more. The splendid lighting aside, the festival allows various cultural programs, including music box performances, puppet show, a circus with mimes,

Feb. 25, 2022

Les Clefs d’Or full member wishes to give more to guests

At the core of hotel concierge service is knowing a guest’s needs through even the subtlest gestures, and remembering them on their next visit, according to Kum Sang-jin, assistant manager of the rooms team at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul. Kum received the Les Clefs d’Or badge of two golden keys on Feb. 14, which symbolizes professional expertise as well as the best and most unique concierge services. Founded in 1929 by Pierre Quentin, head concierge of the Hotel Ambassador Paris, th

Feb. 24, 2022

Purple Island to be featured at Paris Fashion Week

The “Purple Island” in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, will be featured at the 2022 fall-winter Paris Fashion Week, slated to take place virtually next week, according to officials Wednesday.  The island’s 1.4-kilometer purple bridge has been turned into a runway in a recent filming of South Korean designer Yang Hae-il’s show as part of one of the fashion world’s biggest events.  The bridge connects the two islets of Banwol and Bakji, which comprise Purple

Feb. 23, 2022

Newlyweds re-create parents’ honeymoon photos

Before Koreans discovered exotic holiday destinations abroad, Jeju Island, the semi-tropical, volcanic island off the south coast of the Korean Peninsula, was the No. 1 honeymoon destination.  But it wasn’t the first choice for Sohn, who tied the knot last October. Like most couples of his generation, his idea of a honeymoon was a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a far-off destination, like the Maldives. But the COVID-19 pandemic made such a trip almost impossible for many.  So to ma

Feb. 22, 2022