Musical, chatty livestream tour of Hong Kong opens

No need to worry about missing the next train or wandering through crowded streets -- livestreaming tours are here for novice travelers. An online live tour of Hong Kong’s West Kowloon neighborhood organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board was presented to press and tourism officials in a showcase Tuesday at CGV Cheongdam in southern Seoul. The hourlong walking tour, titled “Next Stop is West Kowloon Station,” consisted of five walking routes, starting from the beautiful shor

Nov. 24, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Wonju Dynamic Dancing Carnival The Wonju Dynamic Dancing Carnival will be held at Wonju Sports Complex in Gangwon Province, from Friday to Sunday. The event, rescheduled from October, has grown into a global festival with a parade competition that typically takes place in the streets. However, the festival has downsized the scale, with programs being presented only at a special stage at Wonju Sports Complex. The annual festival is returning after two years, featuring cultural arts performances,

Nov. 19, 2021

Cherishing autumn mood at Manisan

INCHEON -- Autumn is a wonderful season to go anywhere in Korea. And it’s not too late to enjoy the autumn breeze. Though the recent rains might have made an unwelcome visit, pulling some of the colorful leaves from their branches earlier than usual, colorful fall foliage still welcomed hikers on Manisan last weekend. A mountain standing a moderate 472 meters high on Incheon’s island of Ganghwado, some 60 kilometers west of Seoul, Manisan is one of the most popular places in Kore

Nov. 18, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Seoul Lantern Festival The Seoul Lantern Festival is scheduled to kick off Nov. 26 and run through Dec. 12 at various sites in Jongno, central Seoul. The representative festival of Seoul features a number of large paper lanterns and illuminated sculptures along the Cheonggye Stream. The event will be an online-offline hybrid event, where people can enjoy an augmented reality exhibition and join the festival via social media channels like Facebook and Instagram. The offline venues offer visitors

Nov. 12, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Uijeongbu Budaejjigae Festival The Uijeongbu Budaejjigae Festival on Budaejjigae Street in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, runs through Nov. 30. The annual festival, which had been on hiatus since 2019, offers visitors a chance to try the iconic dish budaejjigae, also known as army stew or Korean spicy sausage stew. Two-for-one deals are available at the 21 participating restaurants on Budaejjigae Street to those who make reservations online. Each visitor gets a stamp, and repeat visitors can

Nov. 5, 2021

Culture Ministry to distribute coupons for tourism

With Korea relaxing COVID-19 restrictions in line with its “living with COVID-19” scheme, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are to resume a discount coupon program for travel accommodations to encourage the local tourism industry hit by the virus crisis. The Culture Ministry launched the coupon program twice last year, but had to suspend it to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus infections. Before the suspension, 520,000 coupon

Nov. 4, 2021

[Video] No need to look too far: Leaf peeping spots in Seoul

The change of season has brought about bright reds, oranges, yellows and browns to the city, while some remaining greens bid a final farewell to the summer.  Indeed, Seoulites do not have to leave the city to enjoy the colors of the season. To enjoy the deepening autumn atmosphere and the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet, look out for Seoul Metropolitan Government’s “96 Fall Foliage Roads,” released last week. The list includes areas with spectacular colors of map

Nov. 4, 2021

[Weekender] From boat to table: Taean teems with blue crab riches

TAEAN, South Chungcheong Province -- Just before sunup, Lee Young-ho, a seasoned fisherman with over 30 years of experience, silently waits for boats carrying blue crabs as the season for the seafood reaches its height. Soon afterward, small and big boats sail into Sinjin Port in Taean County, South Chungcheong Province, the second-largest source of blue crab after Incheon, accounting for 29 percent of total production of the country. A crane lifts 28 boxes filled with blue crabs weighing 40

Oct. 30, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Halloween dessert at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul In the spirit of Halloween, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is offering Halloween desserts and children’s programs in October. A Halloween dessert made by executive pastry chef Alexandre Chersouly is available until Sunday at the hotel’s lobby lounge, Maru, and at the cafe Confections by Four Seasons. The eye-catching bat-shaped dessert features crunchy hazelnut, smooth chocolate sponge cake, and creamy pumpkin and chocolate mousse. It fill

Oct. 29, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Herb Island Pink Muhly Festival Herb Island Pink Muhly Festival will be available for flower-loving visitors through Sunday at Pocheon Herb Island in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. The autumn season event of Herb Island features a romantic ambiance created by the mesmerizing scenery with the pink muhly. Hands-on experiences with flowerpot decorating, pink soap making and pumpkin carving are offered for visitors of all ages. Every corner of Herb Island is an Instagram photo zone for festival par

Oct. 29, 2021

Korail offers leaf peeping, star gazing packages

Korail and Gangwon Tourism Organization have jointly prepared a package fit for those hoping to go on leaf peeping and star gazing trips. The packages are available starting this Saturday and runs through Nov. 14, with courses consisting of three themes – the Taegisan and Chiaksan course, the Soyang River and Cheongpyeongsa course and the Anbandegi, Woljeongsa and Daegwallyeong course. Trains depart Saturdays and Sundays, and a local tour guide will lead a team of 10 visitors throughout th

Oct. 23, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival The 2021 Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival is scheduled to take place at the Jinju Namgang River and fortress of Jinjuseong in South Gyeongsang Province from Dec. 4-31. Originating from the floating lanterns that were used during the 1592-1598 Imjin War as a military strategy to prevent Japanese troops from wading across the Namgang River, the 21-year-old festival welcomes visitors to enjoy the parade of glittering lanterns created by local students. Various progra

Oct. 22, 2021

[Well-Curated] Palace grounds, beach in Busan turned into exhibition venues

For those who were disappointed by the cancellation of regional festivals amid COVID-19, this weekend will be a great opportunity to experience South Korea’s regional specialties while walking through Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung. As part of the Royal Culture Festival, an exhibition consisting of seven special zones on the palace grounds showcases products from different regions of the country. Visitors can take Instagramable photos while enjoying 2,142 art pieces from 27 teams of artists

Oct. 21, 2021

Local governments seek to promote tourism with ‘Squid Game’ contents

In response to the worldwide sensation of “Squid Game,” local governments aim to promote the cities as appealing tourist attractions using the hit Netflix show. Locations that appeared or were mentioned in the series are turning into new tourist sites, and childhood games are being developed as hands-on experiences to boost Korean tourism, which has suffered greatly from the pandemic-caused slump. Incheon Tourism Organization made an online post Friday to introduce some filming loc

Oct. 20, 2021

As borders reopen, honeymooners are ready to flock overseas

With South Korea soon to embrace a return to normal by “living with COVID-19,” many newlyweds are ready to go abroad for their honeymoons. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began early last year, honeymooners in Korea have been flocking to the southern holiday destination Jeju Island or the southern coastal region of Namhae in South Gyeongsang Province, taking advantage of package deals at luxury hotels. With the global vaccination rate on the rise and with some travel destination countr

Oct. 20, 2021

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min promotes Korean tourism

A video starring soccer player Son Heung-min was released Monday, showing various tourism destinations inKorea. The Korean Tourism Organization and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism appointed the Tottenham Hotspur striker as an honorary culture ambassador in July, with a view to promote travel to Korea in Europe, where Son has numerous fans. Under the slogan of “This is my Korea. What’s yours?,” the 80-second video presents Korea with seven different keywords -- pas

Oct. 18, 2021

Korea-Singapore travel bubble: Tourists, business travelers look forward to return to normal

South Korea inked a travel bubble agreement with Singapore on Oct. 8, the country’s second following a similar deal with Saipan. The deal is to allow those who are vaccinated to travel freely without the need for quarantine starting on Nov. 15. Their COVID-19 vaccination certificates will also be mutually recognized. While travelers from both sides have expectations for going on sightseeing tours like they had before the pandemic hit in early 2020, Noh Hyung Rae, 36, a lawyer at a private

Oct. 17, 2021

Tales carved in two cities

Unless a traveler is a history buff or a person of scholarly bent, they might not take much interest in the folktales and legends of old towns. What is new and trendy grabs more attention on social media. 　 Not surprisingly, many historical sites and neighborhoods stand empty -- neglected, for the most part, by travelers. But upon a closer look, these historical sites hold unique stories buried underneath the seemingly mundane landscape. Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, is one of the cities

Oct. 16, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Have a Nice Day Festival The Have a Nice Day Festival will take place Oct. 23-24 at Samsung Hall at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. Every year since 2015, this event has offered a chance for music lovers who are unfamiliar with music festivals to enjoy music in an accessible way. This year’s festival consists of two sections, which start at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The lineup includes popular artists such as singer/songwriter Stellar Jang, rock band Soran, indie band Standing Egg, duo MeloMa

Oct. 15, 2021

[Eye Plus] Fall flowers blooming at Seoul Olympic Park

Seoul Olympic Park in Songpa District, southern Seoul, was built in preparation for the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Olympic Games. Korea hosting its first summer Olympics in 1988 was seen as a culmination of the nation’s rapid growth over a few short decades.  When construction work started, a massive Baekje Dynasty earth fortification, called Monchontoseong, was excavated and then restored to allow visitors to enjoy a historic stroll in harmony with the newly-built park.   Now

Oct. 9, 2021