War is always a human-made calamity. The Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598), known as the Imjin War, that began in the Year of the Dragon in 1592 were no different. While Korea of the Joseon era had superior battleships, muzzle-loading cannons and large weapons that could rapidly fire several rounds of explosives, which Japan lacked, the combat-ready standing army at the time of the Japanese invasion was only around 2,000 men. Goryeo Kingdom inventor and engineer Choi Mu-sun (1325-1395) h

Yun Jeung (1629-1714) was a representative “sarim,” a scholar who was highly educated and virtuous but who lived in seclusion without a government post. He is considered the head of “Soron,” a minor group in the “Seo-in” political faction in the late Joseon Dynasty. Until his death at the age of 86, he never held a government office. King Sukjong conferred him the post of prime minister without ever having seen Yun and Yun declined the appointment. He live

Mythical animals, like the nine-tailed fox, dragons and “haetae” are some of the famous creatures featured in many Korean dramas, films and webtoons. If you want to learn about Korean gods, imaginary monsters and ghosts, the “Curious 12 Tales” exhibition is a perfect place to visit. Held at one of the most famous tourist destinations, Insa-dong, the media exhibition is all about Korean folk tales and myths. Within a 5-minute walk from both Anguk Station Exit No. 6 on S

One of three paintings from Joseon era’s “Dokseodanggyehoedo (Gathering of Officials at Dokseodang Study)” was unveiled to the press at the National Palace Museum of Korea on Wednesday. The painting, known as the oldest among the three, was acquired by the Cultural Heritage Administration through the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, at an auction held in the US in March. The work was produced during King Jungjong’s reign (1506–1544) to commemorate a

Multipurpose cultural complex the first such facility in newly developed Magok area

Major outdoor public areas across Seoul – including Seoul Plaza, Nodeul Island and Hangang Park -- have been turned into exhibition spaces for sculptures. The outdoor sculpture festival is jointly organized by the city of Seoul and K-Sculpture, an organization promoting Korean sculptors and their works, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Friday. Some 10 works will be on display at Seoul Plaza, including Kim Woo-jin’s “Deer,” Kim Tae-soo’s “Ec

Just by looking at the Korean title of the movie “Missing Yoon Si-nae,” your mother might be interested in watching this film with you. Yoon Si-nae is the name of a popular ‘80s Korean singer. If you’re looking to spend some quality time at the cinema, the 107-minute-long film, which deals with a mother-daughter relationship while also looking at the two as individual human beings, is a solid choice. The protagonists in the new independent film “Missing Yoon&rdquo

An 8th-century gold leaf artifact from the Unified Silla Period found at the Na Zone of the Gyeongju Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, was unveiled by the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Culture Heritage, Thursday.  Discovered in November 2016, the artifact is an example of the finest metal craftsmanship of that time, with engraved bird and flower patterns carved at a thickness of 0.05 millimeters, thinner than a strand of human hair.  The artifact is available for public viewi

The nonverbal show “Nanta” is returning after two and a half painful years of hiatus, according to Song Seung-hwan, the creator of the long-running hit on Tuesday. “After 22 years of a great run, we surrendered to the impact of COVID-19. But we‘re coming back this summer,” Song, CEO & artistic director of PMC Production. “Nanta” will be back on stage in July in South Korea at the exclusive Nanta Theaters in Myeongdong in Seoul and Jeju. Song s

With aims to rediscover the value of the country‘s cultural heritage amid the soaring popularity of K-content around the world, the 2022 Visit Korean Heritage Campaign kicked off on Tuesday with a press conference held at Cheong Wa Dae’s Yeongbingwan, central Seoul. Marking the campaign‘s third year, the Cultural Heritage Administration and Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation jointly introduced 10 routes that go through 75 destinations, which center around UNESCO World Heritag

An annual government-led campaign to lure more local and foreign tourists to Korean cultural heritage sites will return this month, with the former presidential complex of Cheong Wa Dae included in the popular heritage sites recommended for tourists, organizers said Tuesday. The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation have held the Visit Korean Heritage campaign since 2020 as the global boom of Korean pop music, films and TV dramas raises worldwide interest in

South Korean online webtoon service providers have launched their European operations in France as a test bed to target the European content market, industry data showed Monday. Naver Webtoon, an online platform for digital comics run by Korea's leading portal operator Naver, in March announced its plan to establish its European unit, Webtoon EU, in France within the first half. The company had started its French-language service in 2019, as well as Spanish in the same year and German in 20

As part of efforts to introduce a well-known Korean folk song to global audiences, a competition on “Miryang Arirang” is being organized by Miryang City and the Miryang Cultural Foundation. “Miryang Arirang” is one of the three major versions of “Arirang,” along with “Jeongseon Arirang” and “Jindo Arirang.” Although the date of its creation is unknown, records show that “Miryang Arirang” was sung at marches by independenc

Some of the most powerful forces in nature are volcanoes and the hot molten lava which flows from the Earth’s mantle, often hundreds of kilometers deep underground. The Earth’s inner core is almost as hot as the surface of the sun at an estimated temperature of nearly 5,500 degrees Celsius. The hot molten lava, known as magma, bursts out of the Earth’s surface from time to time. The openings where such eruptions occur are called volcanos. As the molten lava snails around the

“Most government officials today seem to have the intention of stepping down, rather than to fulfill the responsibility of their posts. I am concerned that certain selected group of people monopolize political authority in this political situation.” Kim Jang-Saeng (1548-1631), who studied the principle of “Yehak (Study of Rites)” which were regarded as a crucial part of Korean Neo-Confucianism during the Joseon era, expressed anxiety about separatist politics of the tim