Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Discover Seoul from sky to river with the perfect Yeouido travel combo

As spring blends into the early summer travel season, Korea is welcoming a historic influx of international visitors. For travelers looking to experience Seoul from entirely new perspectives, two attractions have quickly emerged as definitive night and waterfront experiences: SEOULDAL, a tethered helium balloon that soars into the sky, and the Hangang Bus, a sleek boat cruising the iconic Han River. Because both attractions share Yeouido as their central hub, they offer a seamless, one-stop itinerary that lets you experience the multidimensional beauty of Seoul by day and by night. Located inside Yeouido Park, SEOULDAL is a vertical flight experience that takes passengers up to 130 meters into the air. It has rapidly become a bucket-list item for global travelers. It operates daily from 12 to 10 p.m., though it opens at 10 a.m. on weekends during the peak seasons of April to June and September to November. Each flight, lasting approximately 15 minutes, is priced at 25,000 won ($16.50) for adults, with a 10 percent discount available for holders of the Climate Card, Seoul's unlimited tran

May 26, 2026By Park Jin-hai

Discover Seoul from sky to river with the perfect Yeouido travel combo

Mystic appeal of Korea’s most uncommon temples

Korea’s Buddhist temples are experiencing an unprecedented surge in visitors as the nation celebrates Buddha’s Birthday, Sunday, highlighting how these sacred spaces have increasingly evolved into premier cultural and wellness destinations for both adherents and nonbelievers. According to data released by mobility platform Tmap Mobility, temple destination searches jumped 27 percent year-over-year last year, marking a 56 percent spike compared to data from two years prior. The historical and architectural grandeur of these sites remains a primary draw for many visitors, with Bulguk Temple, located in the historic city of Gyeongju, South Geongsang Province, topping the charts as the nation's most-visited Buddhist site last year. It was followed by Naksan Temple in Yangyang, Gangwon Province; Tongdo Temple in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province; and Haedong Yonggung Temple in Busan. For younger demographics, temples have also emerged as a popular canvas for digital storytelling. Several temples have recently gone viral on social media, becoming popular backdrops for millennial and Gen Z

May 25, 2026By Park Jin-hai

Mystic appeal of Korea’s most uncommon temples

Busan temples offer lodging for fans coming to attend BTS concerts

Buddhist temples in Busan and surrounding regions will open their doors to fans of K-pop supergroup BTS, offering accommodation for those coming to attend the group's world tour concerts in Korea's southeastern city next month, organizers said Friday. The move comes after the concerts scheduled for June 12-13 triggered an early surge in accommodation prices in Busan, some 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, stoking anger among fans over "rip-off" room rates. According to the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, temples participating in the program include Beomeo Temple, Naewonjeong Temple, Hongbeop Temple and Seonam Temple in Busan; Seongju Temple and Daegwang Temple in nearby Changwon; Tongdo Temple in Yangsan; and Pyochung Temple in Miryang. The temples will make temple-stay quarters and other available spaces accessible to visitors around the concert dates free of charge or at budget prices. In addition to lodging, some locations plan to provide visitors with meals and an opportunity to experience traditional Korean culture and Buddhist practices. Organizers are also considering interpre

May 22, 2026By Yonhap

Busan temples offer lodging for fans coming to attend BTS concerts

Korea’s tourism boom shatters records as foreign arrivals top 2 mil. again

Korea’s tourism rebound is turning into something bigger. Fueled by the global spread of K-culture and surging demand from across Asia and beyond, the country drew more than 2 million foreign visitors in April, crossing that milestone for the second month in a row and setting a new record pace for inbound tourism. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Thursday that 2.03 million foreign travelers visited Korea in April, up 19 percent from 1.71 million a year earlier. The figure follows March, when monthly inbound tourism surpassed 2 million for the first time. From January through April, Korea welcomed 6.77 million foreign visitors, a 21 percent increase from 5.58 million during the same period last year and the highest four-month total on record. Chinese travelers accounted for the largest share in April, with 574,283 arrivals, followed by Japanese visitors at 304,053. Tourist arrivals from Taiwan reached 192,854, while visitors from Hong Kong totaled 70,802. The ministry also reported continued growth from long-haul markets, including the Americas and Europe, which together ac

May 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min

Korea’s tourism boom shatters records as foreign arrivals top 2 mil. again

Korean cuisine finds new dialogue in Macao

In Macao, where Cantonese banquet traditions, luxury hospitality and global tourism intersect, a recent collaboration event at Wynn Palace offered more than a showcase of high-profile restaurants. Bringing together acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurants from Korea and Macao, the event became a thoughtful exploration of how Korean culinary identity is evolving through dialogue with neighboring Asian traditions rather than Western fine dining frameworks alone. The two-day collaboration, titled “An Early Summer Encounter: Transforming Heritage into Gastronomy,” took place from May 8-9 and featured chefs Tam Kwok Fung of two-starred Michelin restaurant Chef Tam’s Seasons in Macao, Kang Min-goo of three-starred Mingles in Seoul, and Cho Eun-hee and Park Sung-bae of one-starred Onjium in Seoul. While multichef dinners often function as a succession of signature dishes from each restaurant, this event felt notably different. Several courses blurred the boundaries between Korean and Cantonese traditions so naturally that individual authorship became immediately difficult to detect, even

May 21, 2026By Lee Hyo-won

Korean cuisine finds new dialogue in Macao

Hangang Bus ridership tops 300,000 since launch last September

Seoul's Hangang Bus river ferry service has surpassed 300,000 cumulative passengers since launching official operations in September 2025, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday. The city said the service carried 104,498 passengers from its official launch on Sept. 18, 2025, through Feb. 28, when only the Magok-Yeouido segment operated on a partial schedule. After full-route service resumed March 1, ridership climbed steadily, reaching a cumulative total of more than 300,000 as of Tuesday, with an additional 196,229 passengers recorded since the full resumption of operations. The pace of ridership growth has accelerated since the full route reopened. The service took 47 days — from March 1 to April 16 — to record its first 100,000 passengers following the resumption, but subsequent ridership has come in at a faster clip. The city said an additional milestone of 200,000 passengers since the resumption could be reached as early as this week. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the figures indicate that public demand for the Hangang Bus as a new mode of water-based transportat

May 20, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan

Hangang Bus ridership tops 300,000 since launch last September

Capitalizing on summit, Seoul seeks to draw Japanese tourists to historic enclave

Following a high-profile bilateral summit between the leaders of Korea and Japan in Andong, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Wednesday a comprehensive marketing campaign designed to transform the historic city in southeastern Korea into a premier destination for Japanese travelers. The initiative aims to capitalize on the diplomatic spotlight to boost regional tourism and expand travel exchanges between the two nations. Andong, located in North Gyeongsang Province, is widely regarded as the cradle of Korean Confucian traditions. It boasts four UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the historic Hahoe Folk Village. The city features centuries-old cultural staples like the "Hahoe Seonju Julbulnori" — a traditional fireworks performance — and regional culinary delicacies like Andong "jjimdak," a braised chicken dish. Despite its cultural pedigree, Andong welcomed only about 16,000 Japanese visitors last year out of 265,000 total foreign arrivals, a metric the government is eager to change. Under the new plan, Korean authorities are partnering with the Japan Associa

May 20, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan

Capitalizing on summit, Seoul seeks to draw Japanese tourists to historic enclave

No need to tap? Here's how to actually pick a sweet watermelon

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Watermelon is one of the most popular fruits during hot weather, but sweetness and texture can vary widely, making it difficult for shoppers to choose the right one. As a result, many folk tips have emerged, such as tapping the watermelon to listen to the sound or checking the stripes and stem. Is there really a reliable way to pick a sweet and tasty watermelon? Check the bottom color and weight together Experts said checking the size and color of the watermelon’s “belly button” can help when selecting a sweet watermelon. The belly button refers to the small circular mark on the side opposite the stem. The smaller the mark, the more likely the fruit is to have dense flesh inside. If the bottom area around the belly button has a deep yellow or orange color, it usually means the watermelon ripened sufficiently before harvest. A pale or white color may indicate that it is underripe. When watermelons are similar in size, shoppers are advised to compare their weight. Heavier watermelons tend to have denser flesh and higher water content, which

May 19, 2026By Kormedi.com

No need to tap? Here's how to actually pick a sweet watermelon

KTO turns to big data to draw 30 mil. tourists by 2028

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) aims to achieve its goal of attracting 30 million foreign tourists by 2028, a year ahead of the government's target, by utilizing comprehensive big data to revitalize regional tourism and market strategies, KTO President Park Sung-hyeuck said Tuesday. "Precise and timely data, along with sharp market analysis capabilities, are crucial tools to achieve this bold milestone," Park said during a forum held by the state-run agency in Seoul. Korea attracted around 19 million foreign tourists last year, and the government has set its sights on bringing the number to 30 million by 2029. KTO hosted the data seminar to address the rapidly changing travel environment, which is increasingly shaped by independent travelers. The agency emphasized that data-driven insights are critical to moving past conventional experience-based tourism marketing and toward a sustainable growth model. To support the industry, KTO announced the launch of its new quarterly report, whose title translates into "Korean Tourism These Days." The inaugural issue combines consumption, teleco

May 19, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

KTO turns to big data to draw 30 mil. tourists by 2028

Where to find best roses in Korea this month

Rose festivals are blooming across the country this month, ready to draw large crowds from Seoul to the coasts. The Seoul Rose Festival in Jungnang District opened Friday and runs through Saturday. Featuring a rose tunnel stretching 5.45 kilometers along Jungnang Stream, the festival showcases about 320,000 roses of 232 varieties. Further south on the coast, the Ulsan Grand Park Rose Festival will open Wednesday and run through Monday. In conjunction with the 2028 Ulsan International Garden Expo, the festival aims to reinforce the city's image as a garden culture destination. The rose garden spans 56,174 square meters and features 3 million roses of 265 varieties, with night lighting installations that give the grounds a distinct look after dark. A photo zone runs through May 31, and the city plans to operate a QR code-based map service and free shuttle buses circling the park for visitor convenience. On the east coast of Gangwon Province, the Samcheok Rose Festival runs Tuesday through Monday at Samcheok Rose Park, showcasing 130,000 roses of 218 varieties across 85,000 square meters. H

May 19, 2026By Park Ung

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