May is month of the family

The Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul will hold a special jazz concert on May 8, which is the Parents’ Day, at the outdoor swimming pool the Oasis. / Courtesy of Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul

By Kim Ji-soo

The month of May is dotted with days to thank our loved ones. There is most notably Children’s Day on May 5 and Parents’ Day on May 8. The beginning of Children’s Day, which falls on May 5 every year, was with a declaration by Bang Jeong-hwan in 1923. It became a national holiday in 1970 so that every child can grow up as a democratic citizen, without prejudice and full of integrity.

For the children

The

Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel

has prepared a special Children’s Day event at the hotel’s theater with the Korean toy Tobot. The event includes a six-course lunch menu and there will be a showing of Tobot Special Edition with the director’s cut. The event is held in two shifts, from 11 a.m. through 1 p.m. and then 2 p.m. through 4 p.m. The latest Tobot toy “Tobot Zero” will be given away on that day. Prices for adults are 80,000 won and 50,000 won for children aged 36 months to 12 years. All prices are inclusive of tax and service charge. For more information, call (02) 455-5000.

Children can enjoy music and various games along with the Dutch character star Miffy at the JW Marriott Hotel Seoul on May 4,5.

Sheraton Incheon Hotel

will offer a weekend brunch titled “Ed & Jack’s Jazz Brunch” to mark Children’s Day. Enjoy the brunch while children’s favorite songs come alive in live jazz. The brunch will be available from 11 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. at the price of 75,000 won. Children will receive a 50 percent discount. All the prices are inclusive of service charge and VAT. For more information, call (032) 835-1714~1717.

Conrad Seoul

has joined hands with Cartoon Network for two parties to be held May 4-5. Open from 11:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m., the hotel’s Grand Ballroom will transform into a Kids Theme Park featuring a host of activities with their favorite characters from the Cartoon Network and buffet dining. Ticket prices are 99,000 won for adults; 59,000 won for primary school children; and 40,000 won for preschool kids. Early birds enjoy a 10 percent discount when they purchase tickets before April 25. Ticket buyers can also book a room or a room package (excluding the Moon River Sailing package) at a 15 percent discount in May. For more information, call (02) 6137-7516.

Ritz-Carton, Seoul

will hold a Happy Ritz Kids Day” at the Grand Ballroom from 6 p.m. through 9 p.m. Prior to the event, children can take photos in a specially-prepared Photo Zone or have their faces painted. The buffet features dishes including pasta cooked to order, pancakes and pizza, as well as grilled rib-eye steak, L.A. ribs, chili prawns, king crabs and others. After dinner, there will be a laser show, percussion performance, jamstick recital, bubble show and more activities designed for kids to participate. The price is 130,000 won for adults and 60,000 won for children (including tax and service charge). For more information, call (02) 3451-8233~4.

Grand Hilton Seoul

’s Buffet restaurant and Atrium Cafe holds a Children’s Day event May 4-5. The restaurants will be decorated in a magical theme and the menu will include favorite kid’s foods including traditional pasta, pizza, burgers and ice-cream. There will also be magic shows, and face paintings. The event is priced at 76,000 won for adults and 38,000 won for children, inclusive of tax and service charge. For more information, call Buffet restaurant at 02) 2287-8271, 8272 and the Atrium Cafe at (02) 2287-8270.

Korean toy and animation figure Tobot is a beloved children’s item. The Plaza has prepared a special event with Tobot character for May 5.

The Plaza

will hold “Kids Festival” in every corner of the hotel in collaboration with the global animation channel Animax April 25-May 5. Various programs including thematic Playground, Kids’ Dining, Tobot Kids’ Package and character exhibition showcase will be offered. For more information, call (02) 771-2200.

Children can enjoy music and various games along with the Dutch character star Miffy at the JW Marriott Hotel Seoul on May 4,5.

JW Marriott Hotel Seoul

will hold a special musical concert onMay 4 and 5 to mark Children’s Day. Titled “Miffy’s Little Concert,” the concert will combine various children’s games with star Dutch character Miffy and a selection of classical pieces. Miffy is regarded as one of the four greatest characters in the world. The books featuring her have been ranked by Time Magazine as number one in a list of indispensable children’s reads.

Based on the theme of “A Happy Day with Classical Music,” the concert is divided into sections titled “Getting Up,” “Eating,” “Playtime,” “Bath Time” and “Bedtime,” following the typical day of a young child. The classical music will be performed by a chamber ensemble. The concert will take place four times on both days. Tickets are priced at 86,000 won on for adults and 65,000 won for children. For more information, call (02) 312-5472 or visit ticket.interpark.com.

For the parents

Parents’ Day initially started out as “Mother’s Day” in 1956, but because filial piety is a crucial element in Korean society, the day was changed to “Parents’ Day” in 1973 to broadly refer to mothers, fathers and the elderly.

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul

will hold a jazz concert on May 8 at its outdoor swimming pool, the Oasis. Performing artists will be Hur Jin-ho, a jazz musician and a graduate of Berklee College of Music and another popular jazz musician, Woongsan. Tickets will cost 150,000 wonper person including buffet dinner & VAT. For more information, call (02) 2250-8000