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Lee Hae-rin

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.

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Travel & Food

Korea offers half-price templestay programs to boost autumn travel

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that it will offer a 50 percent discount on templestay programs nationwide throughout November, encouraging domestic and international travelers to experience Buddhist temple life as part of a fall travel campaign. The initiative, dubbed "Double Happiness Temple Stay," is the key feature of the "Autumn Travel for All 2025" campaign, a public tourism drive connected to the Korea Grand Festival — a large-scale government-led shopping and cultural event that runs both online and offline through Sunday. Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Dae-hyun visited Magok Temple in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, Monday to inspect templestay facilities and gather feedback from staff ahead of the expected rise in visitors. Magok Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 2018, is among 158 temples across the country currently offering the overnight experience. A templestay is a cultural immersion program that invites participants to explore monastic life through meditation, tea ceremonies with monks, temple cuisine

Nov 3, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Korea offers half-price templestay programs to boost autumn travel
Travel & Food

Lotte Hotels showcases Korean hospitality for APEC leaders in Gyeongju

Lotte Hotels & Resorts showcased the elegance of Korean hospitality on the global stage at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, providing high-level reception and catering services for world leaders and their delegations. Over 300 hospitality specialists from Lotte’s nationwide network were dispatched to handle accommodations and culinary operations. Each staff member underwent extensive training in international service etiquette, diplomatic protocol and scenario-based simulations. The hotel’s APEC VIP protocol team, led by veteran concierges recognized with the Golden Key from the international concierge association Les Clefs d’Or, oversaw the event’s hospitality operations. Lotte also held preparatory service workshops in Gyeongju, reinforcing the team’s commitment to delivering excellence grounded in traditional Korean values. Culinary preparations reflected both local flavor and symbolic harmony. Under the direction of master chef Kim Song-gi, the culinary team sourced ingredients directly from Gyeongju and devel

Nov 3, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Lotte Hotels showcases Korean hospitality for APEC leaders in Gyeongju
Society

US commentary over Silla crown gift to Trump draws backlash in Korea

A wave of satire on American late-night television over President Lee Jae Myung’s gift of a replica Silla-era gold crown to U.S. President Donald Trump has provoked strong reactions in Korea, highlighting lingering sensitivities amid recent strains in the alliance over tariffs and labor issues. The ornate replica crown, presented during the Korea-U.S. summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, quickly attracted attention from American comedy and talk show hosts. Desi Lydic, one of the hosts of "The Daily Show," said, "We have been trying real hard over here to gently steer our president away from the whole king thing. And then you come along, hey President Trump, check out this cool crown. Try it on. Take it home with you. Not helping!" On ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live," host Kimmel said, "I guess they saw millions of us marching to say 'We didn’t want a king!' and thought, 'Hey, great idea for a gift, a bejeweled crown.' It’s so embarrassing how easy he is to manipulate. Maybe he could just stay there and be king of South Korea." These jokes, which were clipped as shorts for soci

Nov 3, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
US commentary over Silla crown gift to Trump draws backlash in Korea
Others

Safety officials block sale of N. Korean liquor despite unification ministry approval

Efforts to sell North Korean-made liquor in South Korea have stalled after regulators rejected an import registration over missing safety documents. The unidentified importer brought in about 3,500 bottles of Goryeo doenjang (soybean paste) liquor and deuljjuk (bog bilberry) liquor through Incheon Port in September, after receiving prior approval from the Ministry of Unification. But the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety later denied registration for the products, citing the importer’s failure to provide documentation verifying the overseas manufacturing site, the unification ministry said Sunday. The decision was made under the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control, enacted in 2016, which requires importers to register detailed information about foreign production facilities before filing import notifications. The system ensures that imported goods come from safety-regulated plants and allows South Korean authorities to conduct onsite inspections if potential risks are found. The ministry said the deal with North Korea’s Sangmyong Trading did not violate international sanctions

Nov 2, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Safety officials block sale of N. Korean liquor despite unification ministry approval
Travel & Food

Guide to Seoul’s trendiest autumn fashion districts: Seongsu, Itaewon, Hongdae

As the leaves change color and clothing turns warm, fashion-forward travelers are invited to experience a stylish Seoul autumn in the most iconic fashion neighborhoods, selected by the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO). From industrial chic in Seongsu to cosmopolitan flair in Itaewon and creative innovation in Hongdae, these neighborhoods offer a fresh look at Korea’s evolving urban landscape. Seongsu, Korea’s hipster haven Once filled with light industrial shops and manufacturing, Seongsu — often dubbed "Korea’s Brooklyn" — now sits at the cutting edge of Seoul’s creative fashion scene. Factories and repair shops from the 80s and 90s have been transformed into pop-up stores, avant-garde cafes and exhibition spaces. Local flagship stores introducing new domestic brands and global fashion houses like Dior both have a strong presence in the neighborhood, creating a cosmopolitan energy amid the area's red-brick buildings. Iconic spaces, including Daelim Changgo and the converted printed shop cafe Zagmach, invite visitors to enjoy an industrial-meets-arts-vibe. A stroll starting fr

Oct 31, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Guide to Seoul’s trendiest autumn fashion districts: Seongsu, Itaewon, Hongdae
Travel & Food

Indonesian diving paradise Manado welcomes Korean tourists

After arriving on the first Eastar Jet Incheon-Manado flight, tourists snorkel in the waters of Indonesia’s Bunaken National Marine Park, one of the world's top three diving destinations that is home to more than 1,300 marine species and 370 kinds of living coral, Wednesday. Eastar Jet became the first Korean carrier to launch a direct route to Manado, North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia, Oct. 26. Joint Press Corps

Oct 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rinphoto
Indonesian diving paradise Manado welcomes Korean tourists
Society

Korea honors Itaewon disaster victims on third anniversary with first state memorial

For the first time since the Itaewon crowd crush claimed 159 lives three years ago, the Korean government held a memorial service Wednesday to honor the victims of the tragedy. The ceremony, held in Gwanghwamun Square and attended by around 800 people, marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 29, 2022, crowd crush that shocked the nation. For the first time, the government formally invited families of both Korean and foreign victims to attend. At 10:29 a.m., a memorial siren sounded across the capital, echoing the date of the tragedy and prompting a minute of silence. The foreign bereaved families — 46 members from 12 countries — joined Korean families, dignitaries, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, political leaders and citizens for the ceremony. President Lee Jae Myung, unable to attend in person due to the ongoing APEC summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, issued an apology through a video tribute, twice bowing to honor the victims and acknowledging the state’s failure to protect its citizens. “On that day, the country was absent. Liv

Oct 29, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Korea honors Itaewon disaster victims on third anniversary with first state memorial
Travel & Food

Exploring Hongdae, where Korea’s indie music, culture thrive

If you ask locals where Seoul’s heart beats fastest, many will point to Hongdae, the western neighborhood around Hongik University that has remained among Korea’s trendiest and most vibrant hotspots for decades. While international visitors flock to its graffiti-covered alleys and neon-lit storefronts, Hongdae’s true spirit lies in its rebellious music scene, a legacy born in earlier decades in smoke-filled basements where indie music transformed Korea’s youth culture. Hongdae’s emergence as Korea’s youth capital and musical vanguard was no accident. Much like the Bronx was to hip-hop or Seattle to grunge, Hongdae’s indie music scene sprang from necessity — a space for artists and outsiders seeking both a community and a sound of their own. In the 1980s, the music scene was brewing nearby in Sinchon, where rock and heavy metal fueled the passion of university students under military rule. As rent hikes and commercialization swept Sinchon in the early 1990s, the victims of the creative exodus found refuge in the area around nearby Hongik University, widely recognized as K

Oct 29, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Exploring Hongdae, where Korea’s indie music, culture thrive
Others

Korea welcomes Trump with top-level protocol

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived at Gimhae International Airport Wednesday morning, marking the start of his highly anticipated state visit during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. His arrival marks Trump’s first visit to Korea in eight years and his second face-to-face summit with President Lee Jae Myung, after their meeting in Washington two months ago. This makes Trump the first foreign leader to be received twice as a state guest in Korea. The Korean government announced "top-level protocol and security" for all heads of state attending the APEC summit, with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun personally greeting Trump upon arrival. The official welcoming ceremony included a 21-gun salute, underscoring Korea’s commitment to honoring the visiting leader. Trump then boarded his presidential helicopter, Marine One, headed to Gyeongju, where his itinerary remains tightly guarded by Korean and U.S. security services. Local police reinforced security perimeters around major sites, including the Hilton Hotel, where Trump will stay durin

Oct 29, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Korea welcomes Trump with top-level protocol
Society

Foreign families of Itaewon disaster victims demand truth, accountability

For the first time since the deadly crowd crush in central Seoul’s multicultural Itaewon area, families of foreign victims gathered in Korea on Tuesday to mark the disaster’s third anniversary. Thirty-six bereaved relatives from 10 countries convened at a memorial in central Seoul, calling for truth, accountability and stronger safety standards following the Halloween tragedy on Oct. 29, 2022, which claimed 159 lives, including 26 foreign nationals. Most victims were in their 20s and 30s and had come here to study or experience Korean culture, with families remembering their loved ones’ aspirations and their trust that Korea would keep them safe. "Accidents like this have never happened before. Why now? We still wake up every morning and hope this is just a bad dream," said Erik Evensen, the father of Norwegian victim Stine Roalkvam Evensen. Damira, the sister of Kazakh national Madina Shemiyazov, added, "Our children loved Korea and came here to study … We thought Korea was safe. We just want to prevent this from happening again — and hope for strong safety education from kin

Oct 28, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
Foreign families of Itaewon disaster victims demand truth, accountability
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