Lifestyle - The Korea Times

An exploration into Naju - South Jeolla Province's hidden gem

Naju Image Theme Park in South Jeolla Province / Courtesy of Robert NeffBy Robert Neff This past Saturday, 38 members (foreign and Korean) of the Korea Heritage Society traveled into the past when they visited the city of Naju ― which is often called “Little Seoul.” Located in South Jeolla Province, this city is steeped with antiquity and culture and is one of those hidden gems foreign visitors rarely encounter.Naju City Tours guide Kim Jung-sook energetically told tales and anecdotes from the past in Korean, which was entertainingly translated into English by Korea Heritage Society President Choi Ha-kyung, who grew up in the area and added his own personal insights.One of the first places visited was Bulhoe Temple which is claimed by some to be the first Buddhist temple built in Korea. The temple is surrounded by a lush forest of immense trees and it is hard to believe most of the original temple was destroyed in by a forest fire in 1790. Two members of the Korea Heritage Society visit Bulhoe Temple. / Courtesy of Robert NeffGuarding the temple's approach are two stone j

Jun 19, 2018

An exploration into Naju - South Jeolla Province's hidden gem

Seoul to limit visiting hours at hanok village

Bukchon Hanok Village is crowded with tourists. Korea TimesBy Jung Da-min, Jung Min-hoThe Seoul Metropolitan Government will restrict tourists from visiting the popular Bukchon Hanok Village early in the morning and late at night, after residents protested “disrespectful and excessive” tourism.According to the city government's new scheme revealed Thursday, tourists will be allowed to use Bukchon 11-gil only between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visiting will be banned on Sundays. The city government will meet residents Friday to finalize the rule, which is expected to come into effect in July.The change comes after dozens of residents protested thee overwhelming influx of tourists. Over the past few months, the residents have urged the government to limit the flow, saying they have run out of patience with tourists seriously undermining the quality of their lives.A Hanyang University study shows that the number of Bukchon residents dropped to 7,438 last year from 8,719 in 2012. Many people who used to live there said they left due to stress from noise and invasion of privacy.The

Jun 17, 2018

Seoul to limit visiting hours at hanok village

Bukchon residents protest excessive tourism

Hotel Lobby

By Lee Suh-yoonSheraton serves “Sweet Summer Afternoon Tea Set”The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel is now serving a new afternoon tea set filled with summer flavors this month.Guests can enjoy mini desserts and snacks featuring seasonal ingredients – presented on a five-tier stand. The tea set comes with eight different desserts, including roche balanche, cafe mocha tart, passion cream marshmallow roll cake, entremet au carotte, cranberry scone with homemade jam. Two snacks – salmon sushi and a mini corn dog – and a fruit punch cocktail is also included in the set.The 'Sweet Summer Afternoon Tea Set' is priced at 22,000 won ($20) and is available from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Guests who want to enjoy their afternoon tea in a private space can order a “Sheraton Sweet Collection.” For reservations or inquiries, call (02) 2211-1740.Conrad Seoul offers junior package for young guestsThe Conrad Seoul is offering a “Conrad Junior” package for families ahead of the summer holidays.The highlight of this pac

Jun 14, 2018

Le Meridien Seoul brings European tastes

Chef the Grill offers an opportunity to experience the deep aromas and flavors of Europe. / Courtesy of Le Meridien SeoulBy Kang Seung-wooWhen Le Meridien Seoul opened its doors last September, replacing the Ritz-Carlton Seoul that had stood in the heart of Seoul's iconic Gangnam District for 21 years, some may have scratched their heads over the transformation. Le Meridien Seoul General Manager Martijn Sax / Courtesy of Le Meridien SeoulCompared with the globally renowned luxury hotel brand Ritz-Carlton, Le Meridien was less heralded. In fact, Le Meridien Seoul was the brand's first property in Korea.In this regard, for Martijn Sax, the general manager of Le Meridien Seoul, to improve recognition of his hotel was the biggest challenge as well as the main focus of his job when he started.“My focus was really on making sure that people will start understanding what Le Meridien is and what the brand stands for, compared to the Ritz-Carlton,” said Sax in an interview with The Korea Times.“Le Meridien is a completely different brand that is way less scripted than the Ri

Jun 14, 2018

Le Meridien Seoul brings European tastes

Hana, Mode tricking tourists to buy bad latex

Graphic by Bae So-youngBy Kim Jae-heunHana Tour and Mode Tour, the country's top two travel companies, have been found to have conspired with subcontractors in Thailand to draw tourists from Korea to buy latex products containing radioactive materials, according to industry insiders. Those outsourced companies are run by Koreans living in Thailand that guide tourists to local destinations, including shops that sell anion producing latex products such as pillows and mattresses.Travel agencies normally develop and market tour programs, and have their subcontractors run them. Nearly 90 percent of “anion latex” products sold were made with monazite powder _ an ore containing radioactive thorium that emits radon as it decays.Tourists are lured into buying them as retail shops market the products as “comfortable and healthy.” The shops also stress those products are originally made in Thailand, while offering them at an attractive price. However, these bedroom products could cause cancer. “You can say all Korean travel agencies bring tourists to shopping cente

Jun 11, 2018

Hana, Mode tricking tourists to buy bad latex

Korean backpacker rescued after week missing in Australian ravine

In this image taken from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation video, South Korean backpacker Han Joo-hee, 25, center, is assisted to a hospital after being rescued by helicopter, Thursday, in Tully, Queensland, Australia. Australian Broadcasting Corporation via APA South Korean tourist was found safe and "in good spirits" six days after falling into a deep ravine while taking photos from a mountaintop in northeastern Australia, officials said.Rescuers said the chances of survival for 25-year-old Han Joo-hee had been "near zero" after spending nearly a week without food in the remote area.Han disappeaered on June 1 after telling friends she was going to climb Mount Tyson, a peak in bushland south of Cairns in northern Queensland state, police said.She was not reported missing until Wednesday, when police, soldiers and emergency crews launched a search, finally locating her Thursday stuck in a deep ravine near a waterfall.She was winched to safety by helicopter and taken to a local hospital suffering only minor injuries.Han told rescuers she slipped while taking photos from a r

Jun 8, 2018

Korean backpacker rescued after week missing in Australian ravine

Airbnb eyeing family travelers

A home for Airbnb's family collection in Seoul / Courtesy of Airbnb KoreaBy Kang Seung-wooSince its 2008 inception, Airbnb, a home rental website, has become a darling for solo travelers thanks to its cheaper rates than hotels. Its business model is to connect hosts who rent out their private properties to short-term sub-letters. Now, on the back of its success, the hospitality service is expanding its accommodation options, one of which is the “Family Collection” that is beginning to gain traction in KoreaAmid growing demand from family travelers, Airbnb recently launched the Family Collection, offering full homes featuring family-friendly amenities such as fully equipped kitchens and five-star reviews from other family travelers.“More families are using Airbnb to choose their lodging as they often have difficulty looking for accommodations suitable for family trips,” said Hong Jong-hee, a public relations manager at Airbnb Korea.“Airbnb is offering categorized and specialized accommodation options, helping them find lodging.”According to Airbnb,

Jun 7, 2018

Hotel Lobby

Haevichi Jeju offers new special French menuMilieu, the French fine dining restaurant at the Haevichi Hotel and Resort Jeju, presents a special menu by new executive chef Paul Semboshi this June. The menu features local Jeju ingredients in most courses, using a variety of novel cooking techniques to accentuate the natural flavors of each ingredient. Entrees include fish carpaccio with fresh Jeju snapper, organic Jeju asparagus with gnocchi, and tatin d'oignon made with Jeju onions. Mains include dishes featuring Jeju blackthroat seaperch, Korean beef and lamb.Chef Semboshi's menu concludes with desserts including Jeju Hallabong orange sorbet and fromage cake, pineapple carpaccio and basil sorbet. A six-course menu and an eight-course menu are available, priced at 120,000 won ($112) and 150,000 won, respectively. Milieu is open daily from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and closed on Mondays. For reservations or inquires, call (064) 780-8328.Grand Hyatt Seoul introduces 'Early Summer Bed and Breakfast Packages'The Grand Hyatt Seoul hotel is coming up with packages for holidaymakers who want to avo

Jun 7, 2018

Buddhist nun Wookwan publishes English cookbook

Buddhist nun Wookwan / Courtesy of WookwanBy Yun Suh-youngFrom a Westerner’s perspective, Jeong Kwan would probably come to mind as the leading authority in temple food, as she featured in the Netflix series “Chef’s Table.”Within Korea, however, Buddhist nun Wookwan is even better known as a temple food guru. She has published two temple food cookbooks, and recently published her third -- her first in English -- “Wookwan’s Korean Temple Food: The Road to the Taste of Enlightenment” which is the first of its kind by a Buddhist nun introducing Korean temple food in English.Wookwan, head of Mahayeon Temple Food Cultural Center and an expert member of temple food at Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, graduated from Suwon Bongnyeongsa Sangha University, received her master’s degree in Buddhist studies and completed her doctoral coursework at the University of Delhi in India.She has been invited to various global culinary events to introduce Korean temple food and has held numerous lectures and programs within Korea hosted by the Cultural Cor

Jun 6, 2018

Buddhist nun Wookwan publishes English cookbook

Disneyland welcomes Koreans with new website

Linda Choy, vice president of the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort's communications and public affiars, talks during a press conference at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, last Monday. / Courtesy of Hong Kong Disneyland ResortBy Kim Jae-heunHong Kong Disneyland Resort has opened a Korea-language website to further attract Korean tourists. “The number of Koreans visiting Hong Kong Disneyland has doubled every year since 2014. Korea has become the fourth largest market in the world for us,” said Lunda Choy, vice president of the park's communications and public affairs during a press conference at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul. “The figure has increased over 50 percent in just one year. Looking at the number of Korean visitors in the first quarter this year, the figure has already reached 50 percent of all the visitors from Korea to our theme park in 2017.”Choy added this growth over the last five years was in part attributable to the increasing interest of Korean tourists in Hong Kong.She said Disney hopes this will continue. “We are expecting this growth to continue

Jun 3, 2018

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

An exploration into Naju - South Jeolla Province's hidden gem

Seoul to limit visiting hours at hanok village

Hotel Lobby

Le Meridien Seoul brings European tastes

Hana, Mode tricking tourists to buy bad latex

Korean backpacker rescued after week missing in Australian ravine

Airbnb eyeing family travelers

Hotel Lobby

Buddhist nun Wookwan publishes English cookbook

Disneyland welcomes Koreans with new website

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