The Korea Times

Sol Beach Namhae serves up Mediterranean flair on Korean shores

NAMHAE, South Gyeongsang Province — Perched on the windswept cliffs of Namhae, a remote southern county, the newly opened Sol Beach Namhae commands sweeping views of emerald waters that stretch toward a horizon scattered with tiny islands. With its blend of Mediterranean-inspired architecture and nods to local culture, the resort is poised to help transform the region into a premier destination for travelers. Sono International, Korea’s largest resort operator by room count, opens the doors Friday to its newest luxury property, Sol Beach Namhae — a debut expected to invigorate the regional economy and draw visitors from across the country and abroad. The resort’s architecture evokes a sense of the exotic while remaining grounded in the local landscape. Its pastel-toned, terraced design draws inspiration from the iconic Italian village of Positano and the rice paddies that have long defined Namhae’s hillsides. Sol Beach Namhae features 451 rooms, including 366 hotel rooms and 85 themed villas, all designed to offer unobstructed ocean views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Each r

Jul 3, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Sol Beach Namhae serves up Mediterranean flair on Korean shores

Society

Heat wave set to grip Korea this week

Korea’s weather agency issued heat wave watches for much of the country this week, including Seoul, warning of scorching daytime temperatures, tropical nights and increased risk of heat-related illnesses as the nation faces its first major hot spell of the summer. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Monday that daytime highs ranged from 27 to 35 degrees Celsius across the country, with temperatures in most areas feeling like 33 degrees or higher due to humidity. Seoul recorded its first tropical night of the year between Sunday and Monday, with temperatures dipping only to 25.6 degrees Celsius. A tropical night refers to conditions in which the lows remain above 25 degrees between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. the next day. This year’s first tropical night in the capital came eight days later than last year’s. As of Monday, heat wave warnings were in effect for parts of North and South Jeolla provinces as well as South Gyeongsang Province, while most other regions, including Seoul, remained under heat wave advisories. A heat wave advisory is issued when temperatures are expected

Jun 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Society

Seoul slashes Cheonggye Stream busking zones over noise complaints

From July 1 onwards, amateur street performers will only be permitted to perform at one designated location — down from five — along Seoul’s iconic Cheonggye Stream. This decision follows a surge in noise complaints and safety concerns from nearby residents. The move highlights the ongoing tension between the vibrant urban culture of one of Seoul’s busiest public spaces and the quality of life of its residents. The Seoul Metropolitan Facilities Management Corp. announced Sunday that the number of official busking zones would be reduced to just the Samil Bridge, from the previous spots of Mojeon, Gwangtong, Gwanggyo, Ogansu and Samil bridges. The decision has been made at a time when the city is dealing with a significant increase in reports of noise pollution associated with street performances and alcohol-related incidents. “We had no choice but to reduce the number of busking zones, given the increase in noise complaints and police reports related to alcohol-related incidents. This latest decision was made to ensure the safety of visitors and performers alike,” the corporat

Jun 30, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Seoul slashes Cheonggye Stream busking zones over noise complaints

Society

'Squid Game' parade at Seoul’s city center sparks concerns over children’s exposure to adult content

A large-scale “Squid Game”-themed parade held at Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday evening has sparked debate among parents and educators over the appropriateness of exposing children to content inspired by the adult-rated Netflix series. Baek, a 34-year-old Seoul resident, was strolling through the square with her husband, 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter when she was surprised to encounter the event. The parade, organized to celebrate the release of the final season of Squid Game on Friday, resulted in traffic controls and drew thousands of fans. “I just can’t understand it,” Baek said. “The show is rated for adults. Should something like this really be held in an open square, not a restricted venue? Adults shouldn’t expose children and teens to content meant for mature audiences. Is money and popularity all that matters? This kind of marketing makes me uncomfortable.” She added that “Squid Game”-branded snacks and children’s merchandise are now common in stores, further blurring the lines between adult and child-appropriate content. Jung, a 28-year-old kinderg

Jun 29, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

'Squid Game' parade at Seoul’s city center sparks concerns over children’s exposure to adult content

Travel & Food

Mondrian Seoul Itaewon hosts TEDxSeoul annual event

Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, a five-star lifestyle hotel at the heart of Seoul's vibrant Itaewon neighborhood, has signed a memorandum of understanding with global ideas platform TEDxSeoul and will host the TEDxSeoul 2025 annual event Sunday. Blending TEDxSeoul’s motto, “Ideas Change Everything,” with the hotel’s goal of encouraging creative collaboration, the partnership — signed on April 11 — includes hosting TEDx events, producing cultural content and co-launching community-centered initiatives. Under the theme "CROSSOVER," TEDxSeoul 2025 will feature speakers who embody the idea of breaking boundaries and forging new paths. Participants include Gareth Weir, deputy ambassador at the British Embassy in Seoul; political scientist Kim Ji-yoon; Yoon Kyung-a, head of KT AI Tech Lab; pop artist Nancy Lang; and other leaders from academia, business and the arts. The program will also offer interactive sessions, idea presentations and experiential content, with a networking night in the hotel lobby. “Through this collaboration with TEDxSeoul, we hope to position our hotel as an open p

Jun 26, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Mondrian Seoul Itaewon hosts TEDxSeoul annual event

Travel & Food

China overtakes Japan as top destination for Korean travelers

China has overtaken Japan as the top travel destination for Koreans, driven by a surge in weekend trips and improved travel conveniences that are reshaping regional tourism patterns. Recent data from Trip.com shows that bookings for round-trip flights departing Korea after 6 p.m. on Fridays and returning by Sunday have surged by more than 150 percent in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Notably, more than 80 percent of these bookings were made by solo travelers or pairs, highlighting the growing appeal of quick, flexible getaways over traditional family vacations. Local market research firm Consumer Insight also confirmed China’s rise to the top, naming it the leading overseas destination for Koreans, followed by Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. “The demand for short, spontaneous trips — so-called ‘night goblin’ getaways — has soared, and China’s proximity and evolving travel infrastructure have made it the go-to choice for Korean office workers,” Consumer Insight stated in its latest report released Wednesday. The shift is d

Jun 25, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

China overtakes Japan as top destination for Korean travelers

Others

S. Korea faces 'everything everywhere all at once' moment in geopolitics: foreign minister nominee

South Korea’s nominee for foreign minister warned Tuesday that the nation faces a diplomatic landscape as chaotic and overlapping as the film “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” vowing to navigate the turbulence with pragmatism, patience and discretion. In his first public remarks since being tapped for the role by President Lee Jae Myung, Cho Hyun struck a careful, measured tone — declining to offer specific policy plans ahead of his confirmation hearing, but signaling a continued commitment to “pragmatic diplomacy” and a quiet, steady-hand approach in managing relations with major powers including the United States, China and North Korea. "It's like the movie ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ It's hard to prioritize just one thing," Cho told reporters during an impromptu briefing on his way to work. "Given the current instability in the international landscape, I feel a great sense of responsibility as I take on this role at the ministry of foreign affairs," he said. He pledged to carefully assess and navigate the increasingly complex global environment if confirme

Jun 24, 2025By Lee Hae-rin and Lee Hyo-jin

S. Korea faces 'everything everywhere all at once' moment in geopolitics: foreign minister nominee

Travel & Food

Korea Beauty Festival blends K-pop glamour with wellness trends

For 22-year-old Shaantika Bhat, coming to Korea has always been her biggest dream. Growing up as one of the few Asians in her Baltimore neighborhood, she found community and identity through Korean culture — especially Korean food, K-pop and K-dramas — during her teenage years. But as she began planning her first trip to Seoul, she quickly discovered that navigating the latest Korean beauty trends was more daunting than she had imagined. “We were having a hard time finding the personal color analysis or skincare program. As English speakers, Naver was a whole new platform and the beauty-related experiences we found on Klook were expensive,” she said, referring to the international travel and experiences booking company. That changed when she and her friend landed at Incheon International Airport last week and picked up a leaflet for the Korea Beauty Festival. Their visit to the festival’s main venue at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Friday exceeded all expectations, offering a wide range of K-beauty events and promotions — all for free, in one place. “This event made e

Jun 23, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea Beauty Festival blends K-pop glamour with wellness trends

Society

Too hot or too cold? Seoul subway swarmed with temperature-related complaints

Lee, a 29-year-old Seoul-based office worker, was surprised to find the temperature inside the subway to be warm when he got on the subway on Thursday afternoon. “The weather was so hot and humid, and I was already sweating after a few minutes of walking there. I was looking forward to the cool air conditioning in the subway, but it was warmer than I expected,” he said. But another office worker in Seoul, Kim, 33, said she feels the air conditioning is usually stronger than it needs to be. Kim said she forgot to bring a jacket she would normally carry to protect herself from air conditioning sickness the same day, so she moved to a less cold subway car. Seoul Metro, which operates subway lines 1-8, said Friday that it received 283,972 complaints about heating and cooling discomfort from January to May this year, accounting for 75 percent of all complaints submitted to the customer center. More than 110,000 complaints were filed in May alone, as daytime temperatures became warmer. According to the Ministry of Environment’s guidelines, the temperature in regular subway cars is set to

Jun 20, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Too hot or too cold? Seoul subway swarmed with temperature-related complaints

Society

Excessive private education at early age hinders children's cognitive, social development: experts

Korea’s enthusiasm for early education may come at a significant cost to children as experts warn that excessive private tutoring and mounting academic pressures are taking a toll on their well-being and hindering their healthy cognitive and social development. “Excessive academic focus during early childhood can hinder the development of creativity, play skills and social abilities — all of which are critical areas for healthy growth,” said Eom So-yong., a professor at Yonsei University’s College of Medicine, during a forum on reducing private education for children held Wednesday by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the Seoul Metropolitan Council. “Persistent stress at this age can negatively affect brain development. Excessive secretion of stress hormones can harm cognitive function and emotional stability," the professor explained. "It can later decrease interest in learning during the school years, lower motivation and lead to poor academic performance, reduced self-esteem and emotional problems as well." The remarks come amid Korea’s relentless pursuit o

Jun 19, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Lee Hae-rin

Read more

Sol Beach Namhae serves up Mediterranean flair on Korean shores

Heat wave set to grip Korea this week

Seoul slashes Cheonggye Stream busking zones over noise complaints

'Squid Game' parade at Seoul’s city center sparks concerns over children’s exposure to adult content

Mondrian Seoul Itaewon hosts TEDxSeoul annual event

China overtakes Japan as top destination for Korean travelers

S. Korea faces 'everything everywhere all at once' moment in geopolitics: foreign minister nominee

Korea Beauty Festival blends K-pop glamour with wellness trends

Too hot or too cold? Seoul subway swarmed with temperature-related complaints

Excessive private education at early age hinders children's cognitive, social development: experts

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