Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Wildfires threaten Korea's supply of beloved pine mushrooms

For pine mushroom lovers, the aftermath of recent wildfires in North Gyeongsang Province may soon reach their dinner tables. Yeongdeok, one of the counties hit hardest by the wildfires, is Korea’s top producer of pine mushrooms — also known as "songi beoseot" in Korean or matsutake. The devastation of its lush pine forests could make this prized fungus harder to find and much more expensive to enjoy. “Almost 70 percent of the pine mushroom habitats have been reduced to ashes,” Lee Sang-beom, a mushroom forager in Yeongdeok, told The Korea Times, Tuesday. "Mushroom farmers have been left speechless after the wildfires. It is extremely sad to see the pine forests and mushrooms gone. I don't know exactly how long it will take for the forests to recover, but what's sure is it would be at least 20 to 30 years." Although pine mushroom season doesn’t begin until fall, experts warn that prices could spike sharply once harvesting begins. Pine mushrooms are far from ordinary. Unlike common varieties cultivated on farms, they only grow wild, nestled in the roots of mature pine trees that

Apr 9, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Wildfires threaten Korea's supply of beloved pine mushrooms

Park Hyatt Seoul marks 20th anniversary with culinary journey to Milan

Park Hyatt Seoul is marking its 20th anniversary with a special culinary journey to the city of Milan. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Park Hyatt Seoul, located in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, is hosting a series of culinary events at its flagship restaurant, Cornerstone, with Guido Paternollo, executive chef at Park Hyatt Milano. Under the theme "My City" (La Mia Citta), Chef Guido Paternollo will infuse traditional Italian cuisine with a contemporary twist, representing his hometown of Milan. From April 18 to 24, guests can embark on an exclusive gastronomic journey featuring a special lunch, gala dinner and Easter brunch. The four-course Italian lunch will include a beef carpaccio, saffron risotto, a tenderloin Milanese and panettone millefeuille dessert. The six-course gala dinner will feature cuttlefish ragu, beef carpaccio, mushroom ravioli, saffron risotto, "hanwoo" sirloin steak and panettone millefeuille dessert. On April 21, the restaurant will offer a brunch buffet featuring a special Easter menu, including roasted lamb with roasted potatoes and green lasagna with aspara

Apr 8, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Park Hyatt Seoul marks 20th anniversary with culinary journey to Milan

Friends of Korea returns to correct misinformation

Friends of Korea, a group of Korean and international volunteers dedicated to correcting misinformation about Korea both online and offline, returns for its 18th session. Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the initiative aims to identify and respond to false or misleading information about Korea across global platforms. "With the rise of Korean-related content, misinformation is also growing," a culture ministry official said in a statement ahead of the kickoff ceremony Tuesday. "That's where Friends of Korea steps in — [to] eliminate incorrection information." French TV personality Fabien Corbineau delivered a speech during the launch ceremony — livestreamed for members overseas, sharing his personal experiences and highlighting the importance of accurately sharing Korean culture with the world. This session includes 35 participants from 15 countries, including 27 Koreans and eight non-Koreans. The members, many of whom are based abroad in countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey and speak diverse languages, including Persian, Hungarian

Apr 8, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Friends of Korea returns to correct misinformation

The church from IU’s wedding scene in ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ draws growing crowds

A blue wedding car, adorned with flowing decorations, rolled to a stop in front of the church. Dressed in a white gown, IU’s character Yang Geum-myeong beamed as friends cheered her on. Beneath a shower of confetti and balloons soaring into the blue sky, she smiled with joy. Watching from a distance, her former lover offered a quiet smile, lost in memories of the past. This touching scene from "When Life Gives You Tangerines," a hit Netflix series, captured the hearts of viewers. It was filmed at Gasil Cathedral in Waegwan Town, Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province — a church now drawing renewed attention following the drama’s success. On the afternoon of April 3, Gasil Cathedral was bustling with visitors eager to enjoy the spring air. Beneath blooming cherry blossoms, tourists snapped photos of the historic church. Catholic couple Kim Ji-hoon and Lee Seung-eun said they came for a pilgrimage. “It’s a peaceful place to escape the busy city,” Kim said. “My girlfriend and I visit here often, but knowing it appeared in the drama gives it a whole new charm.” Gasil Cathedral i

Apr 7, 2025By KTimes

The church from IU’s wedding scene in ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ draws growing crowds

Culture ministry invites foreign influencers in Korea to discover overlooked heritage, cuisine

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is launching a new tour program this weekend, targeting foreign nationals residing in Korea who are active on social media to promote lesser-known aspects of Korea and its culture. Titled "The Senses of K-Culture," the initiative will take participants to nine different locations across the country in spring and fall, offering opportunities to experience local heritage, cuisine and outdoor activities. "Korean culture's global standing has risen significantly in recent years. However, there are still many aspects of Korean culture that remain unknown but can be attractive to visitors from abroad," a ministry official said in a statement on Wednesday. "Through this program, we hope participants will immerse themselves in Korea’s culture and share their experiences with their audiences." The program's nine destinations offer unique experiences beyond the widely recognized tourist attractions. This weekend's program will take participants to Gimpo and Ganghwa Island, both west of Seoul. There, they will visit Aegibong Peace Ecopark, where they can

Apr 2, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Culture ministry invites foreign influencers in Korea to discover overlooked heritage, cuisine

Farro rises as new superfood trend for slow aging diet

As more people embrace health-conscious living, the slow aging diet has emerged as a major movement in the food and wellness scene, bringing a wave of new dietary habits and superfoods into the spotlight. The latest rising star is farro, an ancient grain trending across Korea. Farro, an Italian word meaning ancient wheat grain, is often used to describe three different grains — einkorn, emmer and spelt — but primarily refers to emmer, which is produced in large quantities in Italy today. Originally cultivated in ancient Mesopotamia and once a staple for Roman soldiers, farro has gained renewed attention for its impressive nutritional profile and versatility in modern meals. The wheat grain entered the spotlight in Korea earlier this year when TV personality and model Hong Jin-kyung introduced it on her YouTube channel. She showed herself making "gimbap" (seaweed rice rolls) using rice mixed with farro, noting it helped her with weight management. The grain garnered even more popularity when other celebrities like Han Ga-in, Son Tae-young and Uhm Jung-hwa shared videos of themselves

Apr 1, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee

Farro rises as new superfood trend for slow aging diet

Jeju to launch cruise ship interport in May

Korea will begin operating a cruise ship terminal known as an interport on the southern resort island of Jeju in May to boost regional tourism, the government announced Monday. Interports allow passengers to board and disembark at different points during a cruise itinerary, unlike a port of call, where passengers typically disembark for a few hours before the ship continues to its next destination. So far, Jeju Port and Seogwipo Gangjeong Port have served as ports of call for cruise ships. Passengers would disembark for short tours or shopping for about four to six hours before reboarding. As a result, for Koreans to enjoy cruise tours on Jeju, they typically had to use the "fly-and-cruise" method, traveling to another country and then beginning their cruise from there. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province believes that introducing interports to the island will not only enhance the convenience of cruise ship tourism for Korean nationals but also stimulate demand for travel to the island before and after boarding a ship, ultimately benefiting the local economy. The Ministry of Culture, Spo

Mar 31, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Jeju to launch cruise ship interport in May

'Gimbap' curator brings Korea's hidden gems to Gwangjang Market

At Seoul’s bustling Gwangjang Market, already beloved by locals and foreign tourists alike, eager food lovers lined up for a mouthwatering pop-up event featuring five unique varieties of "gimbap," or seaweed rice rolls. This pop-up offers a flavorful journey across Korea without ever leaving the capital — gimbap filled with aromatic "minari" (water parsley) with juicy pork belly from Gunpo's Bujayoung Kimbap and crispy fried cutlassfish from Jeju’s Uncle Tong Gimbap. There's also Sokcho’s famous pollack roe gimbap from Janghong Gimbap and Busan’s fiery combination of spicy chicken, fried tofu and enoki mushrooms from Big Hand Kimbap. Rounding out this lineup is self-proclaimed gimbap curator and pop-up organizer Jung Da-hyeon’s creation: pan-fried, bite-sized kkoma gimbap paired with spicy gochujang (chili pepper paste) beef tartare — inspired by the signature dish of Gwangjang Market. On Thursday, the opening day of the pop-up, the waitlist filled up just eight minutes after the doors opened at 10:30 a.m., with the line stretching along the staircase of the five-story bu

Mar 30, 2025By Kwon Mee-yoo

'Gimbap' curator brings Korea's hidden gems to Gwangjang Market

Visit Jeju Heritage Year 2025 to kick off April 1

The Visit Jeju Heritage Year 2025 is set to kick off at the Jejumok Gwana Government Office, the filming location of the popular Netflix series "When Life Gives You Tangerines," and 24 other locations on the southern resort island next month, organizers said Friday. The Jeju World Natural Heritage Center said it and the Korea Heritage Service will jointly begin the Season 1 event of the Visit Jeju Heritage Year 2025 on April 1, after Jeju Island was selected as the first choice for the nation's Visit Korean Heritage Year initiative. Tourists participating in the Season 1 event are encouraged to visit the 25 locations to explore the island's history and local cultural heritage under the theme of Jeju's suffering and dreams. On the top of the list is the Jejumok Gwana Government Office, a regional government office during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), where the writing contest scene of "When Life Gives You Tangerines" was filmed. Other locations include Hyangsadang (a Joseon gazebo), Jeju Hyanggyo (a Confucian shrine and academy), Ohyeondan (a Confucian altar), Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongde

Mar 28, 2025By yonhap

Visit Jeju Heritage Year 2025 to kick off April 1

Native wildflower reflects resilience of Jeongseon villagers

JEONGSEON, Gangwon Province — For most springtime picnickers, the flowers that come to mind when thinking of a spring festival are cherry blossoms, tulips and roses. However, deep in the Taebaek Mountain Range of Gangwon Province, people celebrate spring in Jeongseon County with one of the least expected: the pasqueflower. Dubbed “halmiggot” (granny flower) in Korean, the Korean pasqueflower is a perennial plant with soft, white hairs covering its bell-shaped bud and a curved stem that points toward the ground. The flower was named for its resemblance to an old lady and represents nostalgia and sadness in floral symbolism. According to old legends, it first appeared on the grave of a loving grandmother who died before spring, yearning for her granddaughters who had gone far away to get married. However, unlike most pasqueflowers found in sunny areas, the ones in Jeongseon, native and endemic to the region, grow on barren rocky cliffs, with their buds held straight and high. “The flower holds its head up high and blooms toward the sky, just like the people of Jeongseon who have en

Mar 26, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Travel & Food