Articles by Lee Si-jin
Lee Si-jin
sj_lee@heraldcorp.com-
Jeju Island's Geomunoreum opens hidden forest trail to public
South Korea’s southern island of Jeju beckons with trek on a hidden trail through Geomunoreum, a UNESCO world natural heritage site. Geomunoreum International Trekking, an event taking place Thursday through Monday, will be held around Geomunoreum, a volcanic cone northeast of Hallasan, South Korea’s tallest mountain. The five-day event offers a rare opportunity to explore Yongam-gil, a restricted zone. Yongam-gil, meaning “lava path” in Korean, is a 6-kilometer walking p
Travel June 17, 2023
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[One with Nature] Samcheok’s Hwanseongul offers cool summer getaway with epic cave tour
SAMCHEOK, Gangwon Province -- When temperatures across the country start to soar, people start taking summer refuge along nearby river banks or in department stores, where powerful air conditioning offers cool respite for heat exhaustion. Some people may joke that they wish they could sit inside their refrigerators at home. Samcheok, Gangwon Province, might just grant such a wish and offer a much bigger space than a mere refrigerator. Though often overshadowed by the region's famous mountai
Travel June 17, 2023
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Star-studded Disney+ series ‘Moving’ to premiere in August
Disney+, the flagship streaming service of US media giant Walt Disney Co., announced the release of its new action hero series “Moving” in early August. With a star-studded lineup of actors, ranging from top stars Zo In-sung, Han Hyo-joo, go-to actors Ryu Seung-ryong, Kim Sung-kyun to veteran actors Cha Tae-hyun, Kim Hee-won and rising star Go Youn-jung, “Moving” is one of the most anticipated series of the year. Based on the webtoon of the same title by renowned webtoon
Television June 16, 2023
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Netflix confirms 2nd season of ‘XO, Kitty’
Global streamer Netflix will renew its teen romance series “XO, Kitty,” with expanded stories for the second season. Netflix confirmed the launch of its second season through a press release on Thursday. “XO, Kitty,” a sequel series of the “To All The Boys” franchise, presents the heart-racing journey of Kitty Song Covey (played by Anna Cathcart), who sets off on an adventure of romance in South Korea to meet her long distance boyfriend Dae (played by Choi Min
Television June 16, 2023
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[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Pocheon Herb Island’s Lavender Festival The Lavender Festival, which started on April 22, will run through July 1 at Herb Island in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. Botanical garden Herb Island seeks to mesmerize its visitors not only with the purple-colored fields, but also with the aromatic scent of lavender. Aside from flowery photo zones, the festival offers various programs, including natural soap and cosmetics making, herb foot bath experience and more. Admission fees vary by age and prog
Travel June 16, 2023
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Academy of Korean Studies releases English journal on Joseon Confucianism
The latest issue of the English journal "The Review of Korean Studies," published by the Academy of Korea Studies, explores Confucianism in 19th century Joseon and the belief system's response to the challenges it faced at the time. Presenting three analyses by specialists in Joseon-period Confucianism -- Prof. Baek Min-jung of the Catholic University of Korea, Prof. Kim Seon-hee of Ewha Womans University and Prof. Lee Haeng-hoon of Hallym University -- the journal explores how th
Culture June 16, 2023
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Netflix’s ‘Physical: 100’ to return with season 2
Netflix Korea on Wednesday confirmed the return of its flagship survival competition show, “Physical: 100,” for a second season. “Physical: 100,” which premiered in January, caught local and global viewers’ attention as 100 contestants battled it out in intense survival matches for the title of the most physically fit. It became the first Korean variety show to soar to the No. 1 slot in the platform's global top 10 chart of non-English TV shows. The nine-part s
Television June 14, 2023
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Yoo Jae-suk hopes ‘The Zone: Survival Mission 2’ will be global hit
Making a Disney+ return with “The Zone: Survival Mission 2,” comedian Yoo Jae-suk hopes Korean variety shows would one day reach the same heights of popularity that Korean dramas and films have around the world. “I still believe we (entertainment shows) have a long way to go to impress both local and global viewers," Yoo said in a press conference held at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, on Tuesday. "I, of course, wish my upcoming show to b
Television June 13, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Choi Min-yeong says ‘XO, Kitty’ is turning point in his acting career
Choi Min-yeong, a rising 20-year-old actor who captivated the hearts of drama fans with his role as Back Yi-hyun in the smash hit coming-of-age series “Twenty Five, Twenty One” (2022), has recently made a splash with the American Netflix original “XO, Kitty.” While Choi treasures every role, regardless of the character's importance in a project, the actor felt that his latest stint as Dae, a Korean high school student and Kitty's boyfriend in "XO, Kitty,&qu
Television June 12, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Ra Mi-ran feels she could not ask for more from 'The Good Bad Mother'
When veteran actress Ra Mi-ran walked in for an interview with a group of local reporters at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul on Thursday, the traces of her latest character, Jin Young-soon, were long gone. Sporting a platinum blonde hairstyle for her upcoming project and speaking in a low tone, she appeared to have metamorphosed from her role as the rural pig farmer and single mother of “The Good Bad Mother.” The actress, who has starred in more than 60 projects -- including mus
Television June 11, 2023
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[One With Nature] Bask in Damyang’s nature with bamboo forest bathing
DAMYANG, South Jeolla Province -- Recognizing the importance of the natural world to health, many in Korea visit forests and mountain trails to enjoy "forest bathing" as an eco-antidote to tech-boom burnout. Such ecological sites offer a tranquil atmosphere for visitors to fully immerse themselves in nature, taking in the sounds of the forest, fresh air and sunlight shining through the leaves and trees -- and to clear their minds. Damyang’s Juknokwon -- “bamboo forest&rdquo
Travel June 10, 2023
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[Well-curated] Hong Kong waffles, Tom Cruise films and tomb guardians
Hong Kong waffles at Ikseon-dong hanok village It would be a perfect weather this weekend to stroll around the maze-like hanok village at Ikseon-dong in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. The narrow alleys that run through this cluster of traditional houses are paced with hip cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops. Among the cafes is Iksun Jutaek, literally meaning Iksun house, which offers Hong Kong-style bubble waffles. Bubble waffles, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, are a common street sna
Culture June 9, 2023
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[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Boryeong Mud Festival The 26th edition of the Boryeong Mud Festival will take place in various parts of Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province. This year’s festival will start on July 21 and run through Aug. 6. Ranging from a mud train, body painting and a mud water park to beach parties and a K-pop concert featuring rapper San E, boy band Pentagon, girl group WJSN, Billlie and more, the festival promises a fun-filled time. Admission to the Boryeong Sea Mud Exhibition is 12
Travel June 9, 2023
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‘His Man’ to return with season 2
Local streaming service Wavve on Tuesday confirmed the return of its popular reality dating show “His Man” with a second season. “His Man,” which premiered in July 2022, was South Korea’s first gay dating reality show. The 11-part series initially caught many viewers’ attention with its cast of gay male participants, the first ever in a dating reality show. As their romances developed, the couples' stories were seen as more real and sincere than any other
Television June 7, 2023
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Lotte Cinema to screen UEFA Champions League final
Lotte Cinema, a South Korean cinema operator, confirmed Monday that it will livestream this year’s Champions League final on June 11. A total of 10 screens, including Lotte Cinema World Tower, Gimpo Airport, Konkuk University, Pyeongchon, Suwon, Ulsan and Centum City will feature the clash of Manchester City and Inter Milan, according to the cinema chain. Lotte Cinema World Tower and Lotte Cinema Daejeon Central are scheduled to open two separate screens, one each for the respective team
Film June 5, 2023
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