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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

6 stays where you can work and relax

Demand for “workcations,” defined as enjoying both work and relaxation at hotels, has been on the rise amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. gettyimagesbankBy Jun Ji-hyeThe prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged people more than ever to work from homes, hotels and other accommodations, to reduce physical contact with others.This has increased demand for “workcations,” a coined term that combines “work” and “vacation,” and is defined as enjoying both work and relaxation.Booking.com, a leading online travel platform, said its Future of Travel survey conducted last year on 1,000 Korean travelers showed that over 35 percent of respondents have already considered booking somewhere to stay in order to get some work done in a new location.Keeping in mind this evolving trend, the company has introduced a new Work-Friendly badge to highlight 4.5 million worldwide accommodations equipped with work-friendly features such as Wi-Fi and a dedicated desk space when ticking the “I'm traveling for work” option in a property search. Here

Mar 30, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
6 stays where you can work and relax

'Domestic flights departing on Tuesdays are cheapest'

Dolhareubang, a stone statue cited as a symbol of Jeju Island, stands near a beach of the resort island. Global travel search engine Kayak said the Seoul-Jeju route was the most-searched domestic route by Korean users amid continued overseas travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Courtesy of KayakBy Jun Ji-hyeTickets for domestic flights departing on Tuesdays are the cheapest compared to others, while tickets for flights departing on Fridays, when the weekend begins, are the most expensive, according to global travel search engine Kayak.The findings were the results of the company's analysis on its flight search data from Nov. 1 last year to Jan. 31.Kayak carried out the analysis as demand for domestic travel has increased due to COVID-19 pandemic-induced travel restrictions around the world.According to the data, searches for domestic flights last year increased by 11 percent compared to 2019. Korea reported its first case of COVID-19 in January last year.The company said the most-searched domestic route by users during the three-month period was the Seoul-Jeju route,

Mar 30, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
'Domestic flights departing on Tuesdays are cheapest'

'Feel the Rhythm of Korea' series planner earns presidential award

A screenshot shows the Korea Tourism Organization's promotional video series “Feel the Rhythm of Korea,” shot in Seoul. Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationBy Jun Ji-hyeOh Chung-seop, the head of the brand marketing team at the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), received a presidential award for a promotional video series, called “Feel the Rhythm of Korea.” The state-run tourism organization said Thursday that Oh received the award for planning the eccentric yet addictive tourism promotional videos, which have become a sensation both at home and abroad for their unique style since their debut in July last year. The award recognizes civil servants who have shown a proactive approach to work.Oh Chung-seop, the head of the brand marketing team at the Korea Tourism Organization, who planned the promotional video series, “Feel the Rhythm of Korea” / Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationThe program, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Personnel Management and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is part of the government's “proactive public ser

Mar 18, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
'Feel the Rhythm of Korea' series planner earns presidential award

Tickled pink: destinations in Asia to enjoy cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms in full bloom on Yeouido's Yunjungno in southern Seoul, in this photo taken on April 5, 2020 / Korea Times fileBy Jun Ji-hyeSpring has finally arrived after a long winter to herald the blooming of cherry blossoms despite continued social-distancing measures.Cherry blossoms generally sprout in mid-April, but warm weather these days has caused the flowers to bloom sooner than in previous years.Last year, the first cherry blossoms in Seoul were observed on March 27, the earliest on record. It was seven days earlier than April 3 in 2019, and 14 days earlier than the average date of April 10 between 1981 and 2010.The annual cherry blossom season gives families, friends and lovers a chance to enjoy leisurely strolls under the white-and-pink cherry blossom trees and take pictures against the blooming backdrops.This year, people may continue to be asked to refrain from visiting cherry blossom sites to stem the spread of COVID-19, but digital travel platform Agoda shared ideas of where to experience them in Asia for future travel. Korea: Seoul, JejuTourists are invited to take

Mar 18, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Tickled pink: destinations in Asia to enjoy cherry blossoms
  • Cherry blossom season begins on Jeju Island, in southern region

Yangyang on east coast emerges as tourist hot spot

A coastal view in Yangyang, Gangwon Province / YonhapYANGYANG ― Yangyang, a Gangwon Province county on the east coast, has emerged as one of the nation's hottest travel destinations, as it registered the highest rate of growth in visitor numbers among all local governments nationwide last year, the county office said Sunday.The county office, citing data from the Korea Tourism Organization, said the number of outsiders who visited Yangyang last year totaled 15,226,306 people, marking a rise of 9.8 percent, or 1.37 million, from 13,857,308 in 2019.Yangyang, about 215 kilometers east of Seoul, is home to Mount Seorak, one of the nation's most scenic mountains, and a number of beautiful and clean beaches, including Surfyy Beach, Korea's first private beach dedicated to surfing.Yangyang's annual growth rate in visitor numbers was the highest among South Korea's local governments, with runners-up ― Ongjin County of Incheon and Milyang of South Gyeongsang Province ― both registering growth rates of 7 percent.The share of locals in Yangyang's tourist arrivals increased 10 percent from 13.8

Mar 14, 2021
Yangyang on east coast emerges as tourist hot spot

Spontaneous getaways surge amid prolonged pandemic

Hotels.com said “spontaneity” will be the buzzword for travelers in 2021 due to the unpredictability caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. gettyimagesbankBy Jun Ji-hyeDemand for last-minute searches for hotels has surged, with an increasing number of people looking for spontaneous travel, as social-distancing rules remain in place amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, according to global online travel agencies. Hotels.com said “spontaneity” will be the buzzword for travelers in 2021, citing its new global report ― “The 2021 Upgrade” ― that revealed 87 percent of travelers around the world intend to be more impulsive than ever in their choices for excursions.The study showed that travelers in Korea will display similar behavior, with 84 percent of the respondents planning to be more spontaneous this year.The findings from the report were based on research conducted in December last year on 12,300 people in 15 countries.Hotels.com said the trend for spontaneous trips comes in response to the unpredictability caused by the public health crisis. M

Mar 10, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Spontaneous getaways surge amid prolonged pandemic

Korean food 4th-most popular cuisine on Instagram

Bibimbap, rice mixed with a variety of vegetables and meat, is one of the most preferred Korean dishes among global consumers. gettyimagesbank By Jun Ji-hyeKorean food has become the fourth-most popular cuisine on Instagram, beating out some of the most highly regarded fares in the world such as French, Thai and Chinese cuisines, according to a recent study by international foodie magazine Chef's Pencil. Results of analysis of Instagram tags on international cuisines, conducted by Chef's Pencil / Courtesy of Chef's Pencil The magazine said it analyzed Instagram tags to reveal what cuisines and foods were trending around the world, as the photo and video-sharing social networking service has been a main venue for showcasing food, with millions of people sharing their culinary experiences online.As of February, #food alone accounted for 430 million Ins

Mar 10, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Korean food 4th-most popular cuisine on Instagram

Hotel Lobby

By Jun Ji-hyeLotte Hotel Seoul launches 'online express check-in' serviceLotte Hotel Seoul has launched an “online express check-in” service for guests who book a room through the Lotte Hotel official homepage or application. The new service simplifies check-in procedures and enables guests to register their check-in information through the website or app even in the morning, so they can simply pick up their key at the front desk without waiting upon their arrival, unlike other guests who must check in onsite after 3 p.m. “We launched the fast check-in service as an increasing number of millennials who are more familiar with online booking are using the hotel,” a Lotte Hotel official said. “Our new service is also in line with the recent trend of contactless services amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. We plan to expand the service to our chains across the country.”In celebration of the launch of the service, Lotte Hotel Seoul is presenting its “rewards point promotion,” which offers 1,000 points worth $10 to guests who book a room th

Mar 3, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Hotel Lobby

Documentary highlights Korea's intangible cultural heritage

A scene from the documentary “Korea's Cultural Heritage” featuring “Jongmyo jeryeak,” a royal ancestral ritual performed at Jongmyo shrine and its music / Courtesy of Korean Traditional Performing Arts FoundationBy Kwon Mee-yooThe Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation is airing a 20-episode mini-documentary series on Korea's UNESCO-inscribed intangible cultural heritage.This is part of the foundation's efforts to make use of and promote Korea's intangible cultural heritages, especially those recognized by UNESCO.Korea has 21 entities inscribed on the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, starting with "Jongmyo Jeryeak," a royal ancestral ritual performed at Jongmyo Shrine and its music, listed in 2001. Other notable intangible cultural heritages include pansori (traditional narrative singing style), ganggangsullae (circle dance under the full moon), weaving of mosi (fine ramie) in the Hansan region, the folk song Arirang, kimjang (the making and sharing of kimchi), the Jeju haenyeo (female divers), and ssireum (traditional Korean wre

Mar 3, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Documentary highlights Korea's intangible cultural heritage

Hotels striving to distinguish breakfast to attract more guests

The live dim sum corner at On The Plate buffet restaurant of Paradise Hotel Busan offers guests a chance to enjoy a variety of dim sum prepared by a chef onsite. Courtesy of Paradise Hotel BusanBy Jun Ji-hyeA premium breakfast is one of services guests look forward to when visiting luxury hotels, as it gives them a chance to enjoy a variety of gourmet menu items prepared by professional chefs. According to a survey of 2,000 adults in Korea, released last month by online hotel reservation site HotelsCombined, an overwhelming 60.6 percent of respondents chose the complimentary breakfast as their most preferred hotel service, followed by the free access to swimming pools at 30.3 percent.At a time when an increasing number of people have opted to spend their vacation at local hotels amid overseas travel restrictions caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, hotels here have been enhancing their efforts to distinguish their breakfast menu and services to attract more guests. The Paradise Hotel Busan has recently launched diverse breakfast menu items at its premium buffet restaurant, On T

Mar 3, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Hotels striving to distinguish breakfast to attract more guests
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