Lifestyle - The Korea Times

VIDEO Temple reveals timeless devotion to Buddhism

A fish-shaped wind chime hangs from the exterior corner of Seonam Temple in South Jeolla Province. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Park Jin-haiSUNCHEON ― In Seonam Temple located in the foothills of Mount Jogye in South Jeolla Province, every small thing seems to form a bigger picture that Mother Nature has created, from rolling small cobbles on the unpaved road to a little stream, a tree trunk scorched by lightning strike and walls revealing clay and straw that has been standing for over a thousand years. Unlike bigger temples that overwhelm visitors, Seonam Temple, the head temple of the Taego Order, boasts of modest and time-honored beauty. The historic temple, constructed by Doseon in 875, has no vivid decorations or majestic Four Heavenly Kings statues guarding devotees. Instead Seungseongyo, a rainbow-shaped stone bridge designated Treasure No. 400, greets visitors. When crossing the bridge, one is believed to become a Daoist hermit and erase the contamination of the secular world. Seungseongyo at Seonam Temple in South Jeolla Province. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-

Jan 24, 2019By Park Jin-hai

[VIDEO] Temple reveals timeless devotion to Buddhism

'Tea is essential part of Buddhist culture'

Revisiting Yeosu Expo 2012, 7 years later

A statue of a family is seen beneath the Expo Digital Gallery, a massive LED showing marine life on the ceiling of the Yeosu Expo International Pavilion. / Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarBy Jon DunbarIf it were 2012, Yeosu would be at the top of your list of places to visit. That year, this cozy coastal city in South Jeolla Province hosted the 2012 Expo, and it would never be the same after. The crowds moved on as soon as the pavilions shut down, but many of the structures built specifically for the Expo remain. And many have found a new life, while others sit underutilized. Gone are the pavilions offered by companies and participating nations, leaving behind wide open spaces and large-scale structures housing cavernous exhibition rooms. Seen from the Yeosu Venezia Hotel, much of the Yeosu Expo grounds sit over water. The Theme Pavilion, center right, is locked up tight and its exterior is wasting away. / Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarExpo sites around the world have been notorious for leaving behind structures that are useless after the big event closes. Korea already learned its l

Jan 24, 2019By Jon Dunbar

Revisiting Yeosu Expo 2012, 7 years later

Hotel Lobby

By Kang Seung-wooGrand Hyatt Incheon launches holiday package The Grand Hyatt Incheon is offering a special “Play in Gymboree” package for the Lunar New Year holiday that falls on Feb. 5.It features exclusive use of the Gymboree World, an activity-filled indoor playground equipped with toys and blocks of various colors and shapes to stimulate children's senses, creativity and brain activity. It also allows guests to enjoy the Nintendo Play Zone.The package consists of two options ― one featuring a breakfast buffet for two adults and access to the Gymboree World and Nintendo Play Zone, and the other including an additional two-person dinner buffet along with all benefits of the former.It is available from Feb. 1 to 6. South Cape offers Lunar New Year special promotionThe South Cape Spa and Suite presents special promotions for guests on the occasion of the Lunar New Year holiday.The artistic resort offers two options in packages all through February. Its Blue Package features a one-night stay in a Linear Suite, brunch for two and activity vouchers at the resort, while the

Jan 24, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Dumplings, pizza most popular ready-made foods in Korea: data

How about a dumpling pizza? Korea Times fileAround 60 percent of South Korean households purchased ready-made food over the past year, with dumplings and pizza being the most popular, data showed Wednesday.According to the findings by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the two dishes were the most popular ready-made food products, followed by instant noodles and gimbap, a rice roll in sheets of dried seaweed.The survey was conducted on 2,021 households from July to August last year. It also made a deeper study of the account books of 500 households.Those living alone tended to spend more on such products. A single-member household spent 71,517 won on buying such food per month, compared to 49,267 won per person in a four-member household, the data showed.Around 28 percent of the respondents said they will increase the amount of ready-made food they purchase in the future, far outpacing the 1.2 percent planning to buy less. They claimed ready-to-eat products were satisfactory in terms of convenience, variety, taste and overall quality.More than 40 percent of responde

Jan 23, 2019

Dumplings, pizza most popular ready-made foods in Korea: data

Number of foreign tourists to Korea up 15% in 2018

Tourists take a selfie in front of Yeongchumun in central Seoul on Dec. 6, 2018. Korea Times fileThe number of foreigners who arrived in South Korea jumped 15 percent in 2018 from a year earlier due to a base effect after visits by Chinese tourists plunged in 2017, the local tourism promotion agency in Seoul said Wednesday.A total of 15.34 million foreigners visited South Korea last year, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).The number of Chinese tourists shot up 14.9 percent to 4.78 million, accounting for 31.2 percent of the total, which marks a 14.9 percentage-point rise from the previous year.In March 2017, China banned group tours to South Korea in retaliation for Seoul's deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system. The ban was partially lifted later.The number of visitors from Japan rose a sharp 27.6 percent to 2.94 million, the KTO said.A total of 1.11 million Taiwanese visited South Korea last year, up 7.3 percent from a year earlier as well.In December alone, 1.32 million foreigners visited Asia's fourth-largest economy, up 16.8 percent on-year, the data showe

Jan 23, 2019

PHOTOS Hwacheon Sancheoneo festival expecting record No. of visitors

A tourist catches a fish at the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival (Jan. 5-27) in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, Jan. 12. Yonhap Yonhap Yonhap YonhapThe ongoing 2019 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is gaining explosive popularity, with the number of its visitors highly likely to hit an all-time high.The annual ice fishing festival kicked off Jan. 5 on a frozen lake in the remote county of Hwacheon, about 120 kilometers northeast of Seoul, for a run till Jan. 27.According to organizers Friday, about 1.15 million tourists came to the festival during the first 13 days of its opening, up some 10 percent on-year.The number of visitors is sure to set a new record this year, surpassing the previous record of 1.73 million visitors last year, the organizer said. What makes people enthusiastic about the festival in this mountainous town?Hwacheon is usually talked about in weather news only at this time of the year as one of the coldest areas in South Korea.The county with a population of a mere 27,000 has more soldiers than civilians as it is a military town bordering Nort

Jan 18, 2019

Hwacheon Sancheoneo festival expecting record No. of visitors [PHOTOS]

Korea Grand Sale offering 'taste of Korea'

The InterContinental Seoul COEX's Italian restaurant Sky Lounge offers discounts of 15 percent during the Korea Grand Sale. / Courtesy of InterContinental Seoul COEXHotels, time-honored restaurants joining annual event By Kang Seung-wooThrough its past nine events, the Korea Grand Sale has established itself as the nation's best annual tour promotion program among foreign tourists.Marking the 10th event, the comprehensive festival of shopping, tourism and culture is set to provide foreign tourists with various opportunities to enjoy a “taste of Korea” under the theme of Korea Grand Tasting, as more than 70 hotel dining facilities across the nation are participating in the Korea Grand Sale, offering special discounts of up to 30 percent. Plus, there is an eye-catching program for foreigners, in which a high-profile Korean chef takes them to five time-honored traditional restaurants in Seoul that non-Koreans are not familiar with, but are worth visiting. The 2019 Korea Grand Sale, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Visit Korea Committee, kicked

Jan 17, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Korea Grand Sale offering 'taste of Korea'

Hotels engaged in 'strawberry war'

The Grand Walkerhill Seoul's Very Berry StrawberryLuxury dessert buffets emerging as culinary fad among trendy consumersBy Kang Seung-wooThe time for strawberries has arrived for the hotel industry as more and more are keenly hosting luxurious strawberry festivals. Since their debut in 2006, promotions featuring strawberries have established themselves as signature annual events ― particularly for the winter time ― at hotels that are exploring measures to roll out innovative menus amid ever-intensifying competition over the “seasonal” fruit.“The strawberry-themed festivals burst onto the scene in the hotel sector after gaining favor from millennials who love to take food photos for social media. Since then, they have evolved to higher tiers with each hotel inventing new menus to stand out against their rivals,” said an official of the hotel industry. Starting Saturday, the Grand Walkerhill Seoul will hold its Very Berry Strawberry promotion that is scheduled to run till April 28 at its lobby lounge, the Pavilion. It will be available on Friday, Saturday and Su

Jan 9, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Hotel Lobby

By Kang Seung-wooNovotel Ambassador Dongdaemun joins list of 'five-star' hotelsThe Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels and Residences have earned five stars ― the highest grade in the hotel classification by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).The rating is based on 700-point on-site reviews and 300-point secret inspections. A hotel is required to get more than 900 to join the list of five-star hotels. As of Monday, there are 47 five-star hotels in Korea. Last July, the hotel opened its doors, as the brand's first mixed-use property with 331 rooms and 192 residences.Westin Chosun offers late check-in and check-out packageThe Westin Chosun Seoul provides a promotion pushing back check-in and check-out times to allow more office workers to visit the property after work.Guests of the Staycation 25 promotion can check into the hotel as early as 5 p.m. and leave before 6 p.m. the following day. During their two-day stay, guests can take advantage of the property's swimming pool and fitness club without restriction.It will be available until March 3. Hyatt hotels offer Lunar New Ye

Jan 9, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Enjoy winter festival

Characters from Everland pose in front of the theme park's snow sled course in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Everland stages a variety of performances such as a firework show, dance events and musicals during winter. / Courtesy of Everland

Jan 9, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

VIDEO Temple reveals timeless devotion to Buddhism

Revisiting Yeosu Expo 2012, 7 years later

Hotel Lobby

Dumplings, pizza most popular ready-made foods in Korea: data

Number of foreign tourists to Korea up 15% in 2018

PHOTOS Hwacheon Sancheoneo festival expecting record No. of visitors

Korea Grand Sale offering 'taste of Korea'

Hotels engaged in 'strawberry war'

Hotel Lobby

Enjoy winter festival

Most Read in Lifestyle