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Hotel Lobby

Millennium Seoul Hilton The 67th Gourmet Circle Dinner will be held at the Millennium Seoul Hilton’s French restaurant, Seasons, on June 15 and 16. Executive Chef Park Hyo-nam creates a one of a kind menu in the dinner event held four times a year since 1996. The seven-course meal, paired with a fine selection of wines, will start with a champagne reception at 7 p.m. It is priced at 175,000 won. Reservation is highly recommended. The restaurant also holds a hanwoo promotion throughout June, with a multi-course menu using beef from Hwoengseong, Gangwon Province. The dinner costs 135,000 won. For more information, call 02-317-3060. Imperial Palace Seoul The Imperial Palace Seoul offers Lady’s Hot Night Package for female guests to have refreshment with a party and a rest. Guests can enjoy three cocktails, a snack and unlimited glasses of energy bomb cocktail at the Zoe Bar from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., relieving stress. The package also includes a set of earrings, necklace and bracelet from British accessory brand Accessorize (worth 100,000 won) and three sets of vi

Jun 7, 2012By Kim Rahn

The art of camping

The beauty of camping is most keenly felt at night. It’s when the sun sets and the campfire is the solitary light in the dark that you come to appreciate the fact that you’re in the great outdoors. As the orange light flickers, it mesmerizes people gathered at the scene. The ambient glow brings people together, but it’s not just the temperature of the fire that creates warmth. Accompanying the sound of crackling firewood is animated laughter. In the end, cozy chats, heated debates and intimate conversations create a warm atmosphere. Such moments are what money can’t buy.By Yun Suh-young The beauty of camping is most keenly felt at night. It’s when the sun sets and the campfire is the solitary light in the dark that you come to appreciate the fact that you’re in the great outdoors. As the orange light flickers, it mesmerizes people gathered at the scene. The ambient glow brings people together, but it’s not just the temperature of the fire that creates warmth. Accompanying the sound of crackling firewood is animated laughter. In the end,

Jun 7, 2012

Remembering the ‘Forgotten War’

By Do Je-hae Seoul has around 100 museums, and the War Memorial of Korea is the most relevant for museum-goers and foreign visitors in June. South Korea marks Memorial Day on June 6 every year to honor the services of soldiers who died while in military service, during the Korean War (1950-1953) and other significant wars or battles. But more importantly, this month is permanently associated with the Korean War as North Korea invaded on June 25, 1950. The War Memorial of Korea, which will mark the 18th anniversary of its founding on June 10, has been keeping the memory of the war alive for visitors from within and outside the country. Around Memorial Day, the visitor count tends to soar. On a busy day, around 10,000 flock to one of Seoul’s largest museums, situated in Yongsan. In October 2011, CNN Go selected it among Seoul’s six best museums. “What sets our museum apart from others is that we provide an educational platform for national security,” said Sun Young-jae, president of the War Memorial of Korea in an interview with the Korea Times. “We are devoted to

Jun 7, 2012By Do Je-hae

L'Espoir on mission to spread French bistro tradition

By Kwaak Je-yup The familiar myth that nine out of 10 restaurants go out of business within a year may not be accurate, yet it is no surprise that selling food, drinks and providing related services is not an easy affair. Government statistics say that at least half do close down three years after opening in Korea. So by that standard, L’Espoir, the tiny four-year-old French bistro on an unsuspecting corner of Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, seems to have secured success. Its enduring popularity has patrons coming back “too often” and weekend dinner reservations are as impossible to score as at the hottest restaurants in New York. “There are no-shows, obviously,” said Im Ki-hak, head chef and owner, shrugging his shoulders during a recent interview. “But I’d say on any given night 30 percent of our customers are regulars.” With a four-course prix fixe starting at 58,000 won and lunch menu costing 36,000 nowadays — they used to be more piggybank-friendly — Im’s cuisine may no longer be in everyone’s range. But his clientele have remained faithful as he is al

Jun 6, 2012

Everland's Rose Festival boasts rainbow of colors

By Kim Susan Se-jeong Love is in the air. Spring is the season of weddings, new beginnings and romance. So what better way to celebrate it than being surrounded by roses, the symbol of unconditional love? The rose has been Korea’s best-loved flower since the first survey of favorite flowers was conducted in 1990, according to research company Gallup Korea. Approximately one million of the affectionately named “queen of flowers” greet visitors in the gardens of Everland at its 27th annual Rose Festival, which will continue through June 17 at the Yongin amusement park, an hour drive south from Seoul. It started on May 11. Four differently themed gardens boast 850 different species of roses in all colors, ranging from the classic red, soft orange, vibrant yellow, light violet and pure white. The four rose gardens are “perfect” places for lovers to enjoy each others’ company. Out of the four, the Victoria Garden is arguably the best area for a lovers’ stroll. As the name suggests, it was built in the British Victorian style, characterized by repeating patte

May 31, 2012

Hotel Lobby

Ritz-Carlton Seoul The Garden, the Ritz-Carlton Seoul’s European restaurant, offers an afternoon tea buffet in its outdoor garden with unlimited tea and desserts. The buffet features premium coffees and teas such as Darjeeling and Earl Grey, along with pastries created by executive patissier Lee Chang-soo. The traditional European desserts on offer include tartlets stuffed with crisp seasonal fruit, finger sandwiches with fresh vegetables and prosciutto, fresh-baked scones, creme brulee, macaroons, pralines, a selection of mini cupcakes and quiches. The buffet is available every day from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for 25,000 won. For more information, call 02-3451-8271. Hyatt Regency Incheon The Hyatt Regency Incheon will hold garden barbeques every Saturday evening from June 2 to Sept. 8. Guests can enjoy barbeque classics, such as beef, pork and lobster, along with rich appetizers and desserts. A complimentary glass of rose wine and ice tea will be offered to all customers to help them relax and unwind. The dinner consists of two sittings, with the first beginnin

May 31, 2012By Kim Rahn

Ocean World unveils upgraded service for summer

By Yun Suh-young Ocean World, one of the major ocean parks in Korea, began to provide upgraded attractions for visitors in preparation for the peak summer season which will begin next month. Officials at the park, located inside Daemyung Vivaldi Park in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, said in a press conference Wednesday that it has improved accommodation for user convenience. “This year, we focused on enhancing accommodation and amenities. We increased the number of lockers and shower facilities at the park so that we can accommodate more visitors, who can use them without feeling inconvenienced. We also enhanced the water quality,” said Cho Hyun-chul, president of Daemyung Leisure Industry. The enhancement in the facilities comes after the ocean park attracted 1.72 million people last year, the highest since its establishment in 2006. In an effort to attract more visitors, the park set up 375 more lockers on the third floor. There are now 20,997 lockers and bigger changing room space. The number of shower stalls was also increased by 135 to 485. Toilet facilities we

May 31, 2012

Plaza becomes Preferred Hotel Group member

By Kim Rahn The Plaza, one of Seoul’s representative local brand hotels, has joined an international alliance of independent hotels, and the membership will help the hotel gain more recognition in the global market by providing guaranteed service, said the hotel’s general manager. The hotel today joins Preferred Hotel Group (PHG), a luxury independent hotel association of 800 hotels and resorts in 70 countries. The association was designed to effectively meet the competition from franchise hotel groups and chains. After the hotel reopened following a full-scale renovation, about a year ago General Manager Yuji Hirahara took the reins of the hotel and planned to get PHG membership. “Since I came here, the hotel was nice, all new, and the service standard was also very high. But one thing was missing: international exposure outside of Korea,” said the Japanese native. He said although the Plaza had upscale facilities and a high level of service, people around the world barely knew about the hotel, except for Japanese tourists who take up more than 35 percent of the forei

May 31, 2012By Kim Rahn

Perfect summer look

Key products to protect glowing complexion under sun By Rachel Lee The mercury is rising, and new cosmetic collections are popping up in stores to tempt consumers with a plethora of skin enhancing products. To lessen the agony of having to find the right summer products, here is a glimpse of the season’s latest and old classics. Get protected Whatever the weather, it is important to protect the skin from harmful UVA and UVB light that can cause premature aging. There are many multi-taskers that doubles as makeup, moisturizers and anti-aging elements. Brightening UV Defense SPF 30 by SkinCeuticals This moisturizing sunscreen (55,000 won) can be used daily to even out and brighten skin tone. The long-lasting cream is absorbed easily by the skin without any white residue. It can be used under make-up and is suitable for all skin types since it is formulated for sensitive skin. Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 by Kiehl’s This daily, ultra light formula (46,000 won) is one of the classics. It’s fragrance-, color-, oil- and PABA-fr

May 31, 2012

'Cultural relevancy key to success of theme parks'

By Yun Suh-young Like other entertainment facilities, theme parks must also evolve to continuously attract more visitors. Fortunately, the theme park industry in Asia is seeing growth ― not necessarily because there’s much more to see but because the Asian population is more accustomed to going to theme parks. Hong Kong Ocean Park, however, may be an exception to the norm because it is continuously evolving in terms of facilities, services, and programs it offers. The theme park has many more entertainment facilities to offer now than it did a few years ago. New attractions such as “Old Hong Kong” and “Sichuan Treasures” have opened recently and others such as “Polar Adventures” are slated to open in July. The number of visitors to Ocean Park is up by 800,000 compared to last year. The park has seen a year by year increase over the past eight years. “Last year, out of 7 million visitors, about 50 percent were from mainland China, 35 percent from Hong Kong, and 15 percent from abroad. Koreans were also a large part of the number of overseas visitors at 200,000,

May 24, 2012

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

Hotel Lobby

The art of camping

Remembering the ‘Forgotten War’

L'Espoir on mission to spread French bistro tradition

Everland's Rose Festival boasts rainbow of colors

Hotel Lobby

Ocean World unveils upgraded service for summer

Plaza becomes Preferred Hotel Group member

Perfect summer look

'Cultural relevancy key to success of theme parks'

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