After an unusually warm fall season, the first snow of the winter arrived in most parts of the country Wednesday. With the arrival of winter, many of South Korea's popular tourist destinations are scheduled to go on a long winter break, closing down for the season. Jinan, a rural county in North Jeolla Province, announced Tuesday the closure of the mountain trail for its iconic Maisan starting Wednesday. The 600-meter-long walking trail that stretches from Guardians Gate to Ammai Peak and t

Travel Nov. 27, 2024

Skiiers and snowboarders can get their adrenalin rush starting this weekend as the recent drop in temperature has many of the ski resorts in South Korea ready to open their slopes. Phoenix Snow Park, a popular ski resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, announced that its slopes will open Friday, almost a week later than last year. Six of its slopes were used for freestyle skiing and snowboarding in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and snowboarders will appreciate the Olympic-standard half-

Travel Nov. 26, 2024

A new mural street at Bucheondaehangno in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, features cartoon murals by seven Korean and international artists. Bucheon, home of Bucheon International Animation Festival, collaborated with Korea Manhwa Contents Agency to create murals on a stretch of the street filled with trendy shops, cafes and restaurants. (Korea Manhwa Contents Agency)

Travel Nov. 25, 2024

Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC–935 AD) in today's North Gyeongsang Province in the southeastern Korean Peninsula, is sometimes called a “roofless museum” for its centuries-old temples, palaces, royal tombs and treasures scattered around different areas of the city. With great accessibility to Silla’s legacy along with a blend of nature, history and culture, the city enjoys a reputation among Koreans as a must-visit tourist destination. The

Travel Nov. 23, 2024

Naver Webtoon, South Korean tech giant Naver’s online platform for comics, manga and webtoons, announced Friday that it will improve policies to create an appropriate environment for its creators and readers, while apologizing for the recent controversy involving webtoon series “Pong Pong Man From Another World.” The series follows the story of a 39-year-old man and his wife, who married a financially stable man purely for economic gain. It came under fire for misogyny in Sep

Culture Nov. 22, 2024

Turning South Korean cities into a barrier free, mobility-friendly tourist destination will be one of the major objectives of Korea Tourism Organization next year. According to the KTO, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the travel organization will be accepting applications from metropolitan cities and local governments that are aimed to improve convenience for tourists, starting from Friday to Jan. 16. KTO is scheduled to name a third barrier-free tourism area, following Gangneung

Travel Nov. 22, 2024

From Friday to Christmas Day, Legoland Korea Resort -- a theme park in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province -- will be holding its seasonal winter festival, “Merry Brickmas.” The event features musical performances, lighting ceremonies for a 9-meter Lego Christmas tree, special quests for visitors, and the new Holiday Snow Play and Bricktopia Lounge attractions. Musical shows featuring Legoland mascots Mike and Amy will take place twice a day at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Ninjago Theater, while

Travel Nov. 22, 2024

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul presents enchanting Christmas cakes Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul, a serene retreat on the slopes Namsan in central Seoul, is offering four decadent Christmas cakes from Dec. 14 to 25. Indulge in the signature Noel C’est la Vir, a pistachio and berry creation that tastes as delightful as it looks. Vanilla lovers will swoon over the Noel Fraise, featuring custard cream and strawberries. For chocolate aficionados, the Neige is a rich pairing of cassis and

Travel Nov. 22, 2024

With South Korea experiencing sudden cold snap, the next few weeks will be your last chance for a fall getaway. If you missed this year’s fall foliage you might still catch a glimpse at Danyang, North Chungcheong Province, where the traces of autumn have yet to disappear. Hikers can explore Guinsa, the head temple of Cheontae Buddhism, or Sobaeksan, a popular mountain located in eastern Danyang. The trails in both places are steep in many areas and will have hikers out of breath as they ma

Travel Nov. 21, 2024

South Korea's iconic theme parks are offering large discounts for this year’s Suneung-takers, looking to lure high school seniors and graduates looking to shake of some exam stress. This year's suneung, South Korea’s college scholastic aptitude test, took place on Nov. 14. The theme parks have begun their annual promotions aimed at test-takers looking to destress and celebrate their hard work. Everland -- South Korea’s largest theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province -

Travel Nov. 18, 2024

Hallasan, the highest mountain on Jeju Island and in South Korea, is scheduled to launch a reservation-free period for its popular mountain trails, including Gwaneumsa Trail and Seongpanak Trail, starting from Nov. 27 to Dec. 27. Jeju’s provincial government and Hallasan National Park has been limiting the number of hikers for the two Hallasan mountain trails -- a maximum of 500 and 1,000 visitors a day for Gwaneumsan Trail and Seongpanak Trail, respectively -- to ensure the travelers&rsqu

Travel Nov. 17, 2024

Park Hyatt Seoul unveils gastronomic journey for winter Park Hyatt Seoul presents a new dinner course menu, inspired by premium perfume brand Diptyque’s Sapin candle, at the hotel’s top floor The Lounge. Starting with The Lounge chef Jung Sang-hyup’s citrus rice cake, sliced raw yellowtail, boiled pork, flatfish rolls and mushroom-filled “sotbap” -- pot rice -- will be offered to guests. Executive pastry chef Lee Ji-myeong’s pine-flavored pavlova will be serve

Culture Nov. 15, 2024

Explore 2024 League of Legends champion's merch shop For those who are still excited about South Korea’s League of Legends team T1’s victory at the 2024 LoL World Championship Finals last week, a visit to T1 HQ Shop may swell their pride even further and give them the chance to dwell a bit longer on the miraculous story that the team has written. Located in Gangnam, southern Seoul, on the first floor of T1's headquarters -- where the T1 esports players are -- T1 HQ Shop is

Culture Nov. 8, 2024

DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo offers child-friendly package DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo, located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, is collaborating with the makers of the hit animated series “Catch! Teenieping.” The “Teenieping Adventure” package offers a one-night stay with breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Demeter, for three guests, along with an animated character-themed camera set and access to a photo booth, hotel swimming pool and fitness center. Children w

Culture Nov. 8, 2024

YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- Everland, South Korea’s largest theme park located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, is known for its thrilling rides and much-loved animals like the Bao panda family. But if you need another reason to visit Everland, the park's unique fall foliage is open to public visitors for the first time. The theme park's latest attraction is a 14.5-million-square-meter ginkgo tree area named For Rest, considered the largest colony of ginkgo trees in Korea. But this

Travel Nov. 6, 2024