GWTO promotes Goseong nature with wellness programs

Gangwon Tourism Organization presents a new wellness-themed program at Ocean to You Resort and Sampo Beach in Goseong, Gangwon Province on Nov. 16. The program features a barefoot walking session along the white sandy beaches of the eastern coast as well as yoga and meditation sessions with professional yoga instructors at the resort, according to the organization. A total of 100 participants will be able to apply for the upcoming event. Though the beachside wellness session is a one-day program

Oct. 25, 2024

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul collaborates with Lemona Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul, an urban oasis nestled on the slope of Seoul’s Namsan in central Seoul, is offering a new dessert experience in collaboration with Lemona, the country’s popular vitamin powder brand, starting from Saturday. The promotion “Weekend Table” features brunch dishes including Burrata cheese salad, arugula-themed focaccia, lobster Cacciucco and more. Guests can enjoy lemon-flavored welcome

Oct. 25, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Fall colors at Beartree Park Hiking trails and a scenic route that meanders through Beartree Park in Sejong City will be rewarding for those seeking fall foliage. Jazz performances will take place at the Autumn Festival, which will run through Nov. 10 at the park from 9 a.m. to sunset. Admission for adults is 13,000 won ($9.43). Pets and food are banned. For more information, visit beartreepark.com. Iksan in blossom Through Sunday, the Iksan Ten Million Blossom of Chrysanthemum Festiva

Oct. 25, 2024

Korean travelers seen to prefer short-distance trips for 2025

South Korean holidaymakers will be interested in traveling to less-visited destinations in Asia next year, according to Skyscanner, a UK-based online flight, hotels, car hire options search engine. The trend forecast was based on the company's tourism data, analysis by industry experts and a survey of 1,000 South Korean holidaymakers, said Brendan Walsh, Skyscanner's head of commercial, at Travel Trend 2025 held at Music Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, Oct. 15. “We exp

Oct. 24, 2024

Quiet Blue House neighborhoods become tourist destinations

Hoping to promote the neighborhood near the Blue House -- the former presidential office known as Cheong Wa Dae -- to tourists, the Culture Ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization are jointly running a travel campaign entitled “2024 Around Cheongwa” until Dec. 30. Featuring Cheongwadae Sarangchae, “2024 Around Cheongwa” will offer various programs ranging from history lessons and a stamp tour to trekking. Cheongwadae Sarangchae is the former meeting spot for Blue Hous

Oct. 24, 2024

[Photo News] Hanok Experience

Foreign envoys, CEOs and their family members pose for a photo during a weekend program at the Hanok Heritage House in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province. Front row from left: Tourist guide Park So-young, Ignacio Montojo Salazar, husband of EU Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo Fernandez; the ambassador; New Zealand Ambassador to Korea Dawn Bennet; Renault Korea CEO Stephane Deblaise and his wife Marie Deblaise; Fernandez's friends; Italian Ambassador Emilia Gatto and Yoon Kyung-hae, the advise

Oct. 22, 2024

Feel the autumn at Seoul Silver Grass Festival

The Seoul Silver Grass Festival is taking place at World Cup Park in Mapo-gu, western Seoul until Friday. The 23rd edition of the annual festival opened on Saturday, running through Friday, according to Seoul City. The festival, themed "Silver Grass Embraces the Wind, Wish and Dream,” offers views of the park's shining silver grass waving in the autumn breeze and a chance to take part in other events. The city is holding a light show at the park, visualizing the wind blowing thro

Oct. 22, 2024

Relaxing fall foliage trips, popular autumn getaways in Seoul

From mountaineering to rail biking, Seoul and the surrounding cities offer a wide array of exciting opportunities to take in the flaming reds, dazzling yellows and brilliant orange hues this autumn season. But, if you want to enjoy the beautiful fall foliage and atmosphere without traveling too far, head to some of Seoul’s popular autumn getaways near subway stations that are easily accessible. Haneul Park in Mapo-gu Haneul Park, one of the five parks of World Cup Park, is a popular spot

Oct. 19, 2024

Korail offers discounts for train travel in November

State rail operator Korea Railroad Corp. announced that large-scale discounts on the country’s major tourist trains will be offered in November. In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization's Travel Month campaign -- a promotion to encourage local tourism with discounts on public transportation -- Korail hopes to meet the public demand for travel. Discounts of up to 50 percent will be offered for South Korea’s five major to

Oct. 19, 2024

Korean Series live viewing party to be held at Kimdaejung Convention Center

The Gwangju Tourism Organization has announced that an outdoor viewing party and cheering event will be held at Kimdaejung Convention Center in Gwangju for the first five games of the 2024 Korean Series. The local tourism agency is hosting the event in collaboration with the hometown Kia Tigers to give baseball fans the chance to cheer for their team in the Korean Series from afar, from Monday. A megasized LED TV will be set up at the plaza at the convention center to screen the games. Spectator

Oct. 18, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Hangang River Festival Outdoor enthusiasts should check out the Hangang River Festival, running through Sunday at Yeouido, Banpo and Ttukseom Hangang Parks. Kayaking and river cruises as well as fireworks are some of the highlights, in addition to music performances. For more information, go to festival.seoul.go.kr/hangang. Gyeonggi Ceramic Biennale Mark your calendar for the 2024 Gyeonggi Ceramic Biennale in Icheon, a city in Gyeonggi Province known for ceramics. Through Sunday, 26 ar

Oct. 18, 2024

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Legoland Korea Resort unveils new seasonal program Legoland Korea Resort in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, presents a new hands-on activity this autumn until Nov. 10. Children can participate in the pumkin-making contest at Bricktopia's Build & Test, where they can get creative with thousands of yellow- and orange-colored bricks. The contest takes place every day from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The winning work will be put on display and named “The Best Pumpkin,” and the winner will

Oct. 18, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Hanok hotels offer more than a one-night stay'

Since his decision to start a part-time job at a local guest house in the bustling neighborhood of Hongdae as a university student in 2017, Lee Dong-woo -- CEO of the hanok stay platform Butler.Lee -- knew that he had a great passion for the hospitality business. “I felt that offering other people a place to sleep meant something special,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald at Bukchon Lounge in Jongno-gu, central Seoul on Oct. 10. As a former music major at Korea Nation

Oct. 16, 2024

'Intoxicating' trips to toast the autumn season

Korea's regional beers, wines and liquors are still working to build awareness in the local and global markets, but for the curious, there are some highly recommended places you can go to experience the making of Korean alcoholic beverages -- from local craft beer to “makgeolli,” or Korean rice wine -- and try some samples. The Korea Tourism Organization recommends five destinations outside of Seoul that might pique the interest of those in search of a local tipple. MontBeer i

Oct. 12, 2024

Are any Han Kang works coming to the big screen?

Renewed interest has emerged in potential film adaptations of Han Kang's works, after she became the first Korean author to receive the prestigious Nobel Prize in literature. However, experts suggest that one of the most anticipated adaptations, "Human Acts," may face significant challenges in its transition to film. To date, there have been two film adaptations of Han's works. The film adaptation of Han's International Booker Award-winning novel "The Vegetarian,&qu

Oct. 11, 2024

Local food festivals beckon tourists with ‘Culinary Class Wars’ chefs

Local food festivals, which usually take visitors on a gastronomic journey with an array of savory dishes, this year offer an additional feast for participants’ eyes -- live performances from the chefs of “Culinary Class Wars." “Culinary Class Wars” is Netflix’s latest hit cooking reality show, where the country’s top chefs and local restaurant owners are divided into two teams to compete in multiple elimination rounds. Chefs Jung Ji-sun, one of the show&

Oct. 11, 2024

[Photo News] Dive into Pocheon’s silver grass

The 27th Pocheon Silver Grass Festival will take place at Myeongseongsan’s silver grass colony and in areas surrounding Sanjeong Lake in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, from Saturday to Oct. 27. The annual festival, the city’s representative autumn event, features diverse cultural programs, including concerts, stamp tours, a quiz show, flower exhibitions and photo zones in the silver grass fields. Holidaymakers can explore the seemingly unending 150,000-square-meter grass field and take

Oct. 11, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Fall blooms in Jangseong Check out fall flowers -- everything from cosmos to sunflowers, verbenas to zinnias -- all in their full glory in Jangseong-gun, South Jeolla Province. For the past nine years, the Jangseong Hwangryong River Fall Flower Festival has been one of the major local attractions. The festival, which saw over 60,000 visitors on its first day, runs for nine days through Sunday. For more details, visit jangseong.go.kr. Gimpo Laveniche Festival This year’s Gimpo Lav

Oct. 11, 2024

Travel agencies rush fall tourism products as fall foliage expected to arrive early

With the country experiencing chilly fall weather in recent days, peak fall foliage will arrive a little earlier than last year. According to WeatherI -- a Korea Meteorological Administration-associated weather forecasting company -- the first autumn leaves were spotted at Seoraksan, one of the highest mountains on the Korean Peninsula, spanning over multiple cities and counties in Gangwon Province, on Sept. 29, two days ahead of 2023. The weather company added that the country’s central r

Oct. 7, 2024

Take your dog to a festival this October

From outdoor book festivals to fireworks and flower exhibitions, a wide range of festivals are set to entertain visitors wanting to savor the cooler weather while taking in the autumn atmosphere with friends and family. Ganak-gu and Gangnam-gu -- two districts located in southern Seoul -- plan not to leave furry friends and their owners out of the fun. Nakseongdae Park will become a small theme park for pet dogs where they can enjoy various activities. Dogs and their owners can build precious me

Oct. 5, 2024