my timesThe Korea Times
LifestyleTravel & Food

Travel & Food

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.

Hotel industry enjoying inter-Korean summit

By Kang Seung-wooThe upcoming inter-Korean summit appears to have contributed to the local hotel industry, as well as reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, as it appears that more people are booking into local hotels. According to the hotel sector, Thursday, downtown hotels in Seoul have attracted more guests, compared with the same period in previous years, raising speculation that the historic event may have helped increase guest bookings. Today, President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will hold a summit at the border truce village of Panmunjeom and 858 journalists from 180 non-Korean media outlets will come to Korea for the rare event. This is double the number that covered the first summit in 2007, according to Cheong Wa DaeAccording to the Westin Chosun Hotel, Tuesday, it was fully booked Wednesday, adding rooms for Thursday and Friday were also expected to be occupied.“The reservations are picking up pace and we expect to see full occupancy on those days, as well,” said an official of the hotel, located near Seoul City Hall.As of Tuesday, the Westin offic

Apr 26, 2018

Hotels going after kids for Children's Day

The Four Seasons Seoul's Lego Kids Lounge By Kang Seung-wooLocal hotels are going kid-friendly ahead of Children's Day that falls on May 5. To curry favor with their little guests, hotels are coming up with a variety of packages offering a theme park, sport activities and Lego bricks -- and also tasty food. As more parents are now visiting nearby hotels to please their children on special days rather than going out to crowded places, hurry up and make your reservations so you won't miss out on opportunities to give your children unforgettable memories. “Children's Day is the first day of a three-day weekend, so a number of parents are planning the vacation. In that respect, hotels are offering various packages targeting guests with children and events they can enjoy at the hotels,” said an official of the hotel industry. Courtyard Marriott Seoul Times SquareThe hotel, located at the nation's largest shopping complex, Time Square Mall on Yeouido, takes advantage of its location for its “Let's play with kids” package.The package has two options depending on

Apr 26, 2018
Hotels going after kids for Children's Day

Hotel Lobby

Grand Hyatt Seoul renovates suites and guestrooms The Grand Hyatt Seoul is offering renovated premium guestrooms and executive suites following 10 weeks of refurbishments.All guestrooms and executive suites on floors 15 to 18 underwent significant upgrades to reinvent the rooms for modern travelers while embracing and maintaining the integrity of the original design by famed interior architect John Morford.Room layouts have been adjusted to reflect changes in contemporary guest expectations and room design, but the distinctive golden-oak finish and clean lines of Morford's original design have been retained, with subtle references to Korean culture introduced. A custom-designed white-painted glass panel between the bathroom and bedroom connects the two areas and maximizes the overall sense of space while allowing natural light and views to penetrate the bathing area. Based on geometric patterns found in traditional Korean bojagi wrapping cloth, the striking panel adds a local, artisanal element to the space and acts as a glowing lantern at night. To make a reservation or request addi

Apr 26, 2018
Hotel Lobby

No. of visitors to Korea grows in March

Tourists wearing hanbok walk near the Dongsipjagak in central Seoul, Sunday. / Yonhap The number of foreigners who visited South Korea rose 10.7 percent on-year in March, ending 12 straight months of decline, data showed Monday, as the government pushes to diversify the country's tourist portfolio in the face of a plunge in the number of Chinese visitors.The total number of inbound visitors came to 1.37 million last month, up from 1.23 million a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Tourism Organization.It marked the first on-year increase after the number of Chinese tourists visiting here began to tumble in March 2017 amid a diplomatic row between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in South Korea. A total of 13.3 million foreigners visited South Korea in 2017, down 22.7 percent from a year earlier.The number of visitors from the neighboring country rose 11.8 percent on-year to 403,413 last month, according to the data.The tourism promotion agency attributed the latest growth to the gradual improvement in ties between the two coun

Apr 23, 2018
No. of visitors to Korea grows in March

Korea's highest zip line tower set to thrill

Tourists enjoy the thrill of the country's highest zip line tower, crossing over the Buhang Dam at Gimcheon in North Gyeongsang Province. The facility will officially open on April 27. / YonhapBy Jung Da-minIf you are a daring type, you may like to try the thrill of a zip line ride over the Buhang Dam in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province.Opening April 27, the Gimcheon zip line is Korea's highest for such structure, traveling between two tall towers at 93 meters and 87 meters. The round-trip distance is 1.7 kilometers.A round trip costs 40,000 won ($37.70). Admission to the tower observatory is 10,000 won.For an additional thrill, you can try the 85-meter-high "skywalk." A 256-meter-long suspension footbridge will be built by the second half of this year to add to attractions at the site.Other sky zip lines are at Namisum in Gyeonggi Province, Jeongseon in Gangwon Province, Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province and Mt. Daedun in South Chungcheong Province.

Apr 20, 2018
Korea's highest zip line tower set to thrill

Finding Jeju with locals

By Ned DarlingtonJEJU ISLAND ― The plane descends toward our destination, coming alarmingly close to the clear ocean; suddenly out of nowhere, land and people's houses start whizzing past the window before our wheels touch the runway. Jeju Island. A deep breath of clear air, far from Seoul.No crowds, no bustle, no skyscrapers, just the ocean and fantastic seafood. This is true of Jeju, but isn't there more to it? That is what I've come to find out on my second trip to the island, and what I hope to share with my special guest coming all the way from her home in France: my Mum.The last time she was in Korea was 26 years ago, when she was pregnant with me. My father ― a conductor ― chanced to work with the Seoul National Orchestra and had rehearsals nearly every day, while she had my toddling elder brother and almost-me draining her focus. The whole experience for her has remained a blur: something about a hotel, maybe a Korean palace, and a cancelled attempt at seeing the famous island to the south of the peninsula.A quarter of a century later, her son is living in Seoul: time to set

Apr 20, 2018
Finding Jeju with locals

Tiny island undergoes beautification project

The Gapado Fishery Center, which includes a restaurant, a store and a haenyeo seafood grill, is part of the Gapado Project that promotes the sustainable development of Gapa Island, 2.2 kilometers south of Jeju Island. / Courtesy of Hyundai CardGapado Project pursues sustainability through artBy Kwon Mee-yooGAPA ISLAND -- Upon arriving at Gapa Island, about 2 kilometers south of Jeju Island, visitors are greeted by a low-built terminal that resembles the tiny and flat island, whose highest point is 20.5 meters above sea level.About 180 residents live on this island, mostly involved in the fishing industry. While Mara Island, seven kilometers south of Gapa Island, enjoys popularity for being the southernmost point of South Korea, Gapa Island has remained rather quiet, its residents merely making a living off the sea. In recent years, Gapa Island established a small distinction for its forage barley fields, hosting the annual Gapado Green Barley Festival to attract more tourists. However, visitors who come here usually spend one or two hours exploring the island and then leave, since th

Apr 19, 2018
Tiny island undergoes beautification project

Noodles pushing rice off Korean dining table

Low-carb campaign in 1960s leads to dietary change By Kang Hyun-kyungOver the past four decades, there has been an outstanding change in Koreans' dietary patterns ― noodles have been gradually replacing rice. Koreans' per capita rice consumption in 2016 was 61.9 kg, less than 50 percent of the 1980 level. Koreans' noodle consumption, however, has grown fast. Korea's per capita instant noodle consumption is the highest worldwide, and consumption of other noodles, such as noodle soups, is also on the rise. The changing dietary pattern shows Koreans' food preference has been changing in favor of foreign ingredients. Korea imports 98 percent of its wheat flour, the main ingredient of noodles, amid the overproduction of homegrown rice. Noodles were once an alternative meal that fed hungry Koreans in the wake of the 1950-53 Korean War. Today, however, they are pushing rice, which had been Koreans' main meal for centuries, off the Korean dining table.Joo Young-ha, a professor of Folklore Studies at the Academy of Korean Studies, says Koreans' changing food preference is not alarming. Accord

Apr 19, 2018
Noodles pushing rice off Korean dining table

Finding Jeju with locals

 By Ned DarlingtonJEJU ISLAND ― The plane descends toward our destination, coming alarmingly close to the clear ocean; suddenly out of nowhere, land and people's houses start whizzing past the window before our wheels touch the runway. Jeju Island. A deep breath of clear air, far from Seoul. No crowds, no bustle, no skyscrapers, just the ocean and fantastic seafood. This is true of Jeju, but isn't there more to it? That is what I've come to find out on my second trip to the island, and what I hope to share with my special guest coming all the way from her home in France: my Mum.The last time she was in Korea was 26 years ago, when she was pregnant with me. My father ― a conductor ― chanced to work with the Seoul National Orchestra and had rehearsals nearly every day, while she had my toddling elder brother and almost-me draining her focus. The whole experience for her has remained a blur: something about a hotel, maybe a Korean palace, and a cancelled attempt at seeing the famous island to the south of the peninsula. A quarter of a century later, her son is living

Apr 19, 2018
Finding Jeju with locals

No. of Chinese visitors to South Korea bounces back

The number of Chinese visitors to South Korea topped the 400,000 threshold in March for the first time since February last year, rebounding from a sharp fall following a 2017 diplomatic row between the two countries over the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system in South Korea, government data showed Tuesday.The Justice Ministry said the number of Chinese people visiting South Korea gained 16.5 percent from a month earlier to 427,628 in March. Compared with the corresponding number a year earlier, it showed 13-percent growth.The recovery of Chinese arrivals to the 400,000 level per month was seen for the first time since relations between South Korea and China were strained following the Seoul-Washington agreement in 2016 to install the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system.The reversal of a declining trend in the number of Chinese visitors came after South Korea and China agreed in late October to normalize bilateral relations after the dispute over Seoul's decision to deploy THAAD. Beijing had banned its travel agencies from selling group t

Apr 17, 2018
No. of Chinese visitors to South Korea bounces back
previous page
175176177178179
next page

Most Read in Lifestyle