Seollal New year celebrations in Korea Seollal (Lunar New Year; January 1 of the lunar calendar) is one of the most celebrated national holidays in Korea. This year, Seollal falls on February 19 of the Gregorian calendar. More than just a holiday to mark the beginning of a new year, Seollal is truly a…
Seoul offers green awareness classes along Hangang Bean geese, white-fronted geese, white-naped cranes, herring gulls and mergansers. These are some of the more than 80 kinds of migratory birds that inhabit the Hangang River in winter.Currently, many parks and wetlands are running a variety of special programs where participants can learn more about…
KTO publishes halal guidebook A food guidebook for Muslim tourists visiting Korea has recently been published. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) produced “Muslim Friendly Restaurants in Korea” written in English last month. The book was designed to boost convenience for observant Muslim tourists who eat only halal food and no pork, alcohol or…
Special tour of Gukje Market recalls movie As the movie “Ode to My Father” is winning popularity across the country, a tourism program involving Busan’s Gukje Market has now been launched.The Busan Tourism Organization (BTO) announced that starting January 3 it will run a special tour designed to introduce the film’s shooting locations, many of…
Hitting the slopes: Korea’s ski scene will surprise you I’m from Canada, home of the Laurentian and Rocky Mountains. Some of the country’s finest ski resorts are in Quebec and within two hours’ driving distance from where I grew up. I’ve been skiing for as long as I can remember. There really isn’t…
Christmas train takes revelers to Santa Village A Santa village has opened its doors at a flag station in rural Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province). Run by the railroad operator Korail, the mountain-going “V-Train” is now ready to carry passengers to the Santa Village, making the round trip through the Baekdudaegan mountain range that…
Santa Claus offers safety as Christmas gift Clad as Santa Claus, rescuers climb the Haegolbawi, ‘Skeleton Rock,’ of Bukhansan Mountain on December 21, four days before Christmas. They remind us of Santa Claus as he climbs up the chimney to bring Christmas gifts. Santa Claus has come to the rocky face of Bukhansan Mountain,…
New Year’s Eve concerts on the way New Year’s Eve concerts in Seoul and Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi Province), will mark the end of the year and greet the coming year. Various repertoires and programs, from opera arias and symphonies to traditional Korean music and fireworks, will add the fun when greeting the New…
Enjoy the Seoul winter skating, sledding As a cold snap descends over the whole city of Seoul, the biting cold wind keeps many people indoors, bundled up, avoiding the outside. For those who are looking for something exciting to do, however, and wish to fully enjoy the season, there are two options available…
Two year-end movies to warm your heart The year end is just around the corner. Two recently released heart-wrenching movies are being recommended for the season. The two movies share one thing in common, that both are documentaries based on the daily lives of real people. The first is “My Love, Don’t Cross…
