Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Seosulla Street offers atmospheric, tasty stroll next to royal shrine in Seoul

Grilled rice sticks and gwapyeon, or fruit jelly, made with seasonal fruits served with makgeolli, or Korean traditional unrefined rice wine, at a hanok restaurant in downtown Seoul's Seosulla Street / Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationLesser-known alley is charming 'gastroventure' destinationBy Lee Hae-rinSeoul is a mix of the past and present, where centuries of tradition and cutting-edge technology coexist. Skyscrapers and neon signboards surround royal palaces, while traditional Korean homes, known as “hanok,” in the older sections of the capital formerly called Hanyang, are reminders of the more than 500 years of history of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).Seosulla Street near Changdeok Palace and Jongmyo Shrine in the heart of the capital is a lesser-known alley compared to nearby destinations such as Ikseon-dong and Insa-dong. But it is a charming local secret that celebrates historical beauty as well as urban gastronomy. Seosulla Street / Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationIts name is a combination of the Korean words “Seo,” or west in Korean, and

Jul 5, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Seosulla Street offers atmospheric, tasty stroll next to royal shrine in Seoul

Record-high travel spending

Passengers queue for an international flight at a departure gate in Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, Sunday. With outbound travel on the rise, Korea's top five travel apps ― Yanolja, Goodchoice, Agoda, AirBnB and Trip.com ― set a record in May, with combined spending exceeding 800 billion won ($607 million), according to a report by Wiseapp Retail Goods. The figure is up 33 percent from last May. Yonhap

Jul 2, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Korean modern pastry sweeps NYC

An assortment of Lysee's dessert creations that aim to capture both taste and creativity / Courtesy of Eunji Lee Pastry chef Eunji Lee presents mix of Korean, French and American patisserie stylesBy Taeyoung LeeNEW YORK ― In a city where new Instagrammable dessert spots pop up every day, Lysee has made its mark as it still has customers lining up before doors even open at its museum-like boutique right near Flatiron, the landmark of Manhattan.Almost a year into business, Lysee remains relevant with its experimental edible art offered by Michelin-starred pastry chef Eunji Lee who brings a sweet mix of Korean, French and American patisserie styles. Introduced in the Front Burner section of the New York Times last summer and featured on multiple social platforms from Instagram, YouTube and Twitter to Weibo, patissier Lee and her pastries continue to receive global attention.From her signature mousse cake made with toasted Korean brown rice and caramel to the now-viral

Jul 2, 2023

Korea to extend electronic travel authorization validity to spur inbound tourism

A traveler walks past an electronic flight information board at Incheon International Airport, June 18. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinKorea plans to simplify immigration procedures for inbound travelers by extending the electronic travel authorization validity from two to three years and exempt the young and old from applying for e-travel authorization in advance.The Ministry of Justice announced, Thursday, foreign travelers arriving from 112 countries that have an agreement with Korea on visa free entry for short visits will have their e-travel authorization validity extended from two to three years on July 3. Also, those aged under 17 or over 65 will be exempted from requiring digital authorization so they can enter the country freely.The measure aims to encourage foreign travelers to visit Korea more easily and for longer visits, which is expected to facilitate family vacations including with underage children or elderly parents.The measures came amid the government's goal to attract 30 million foreign travelers a year by 2027.Travelers aged under 17 or over 65 from the 112 countries will b

Jun 30, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Korea to extend electronic travel authorization validity to spur inbound tourism

Boracay offers optimum environment for wellness leave

White Beach on the Philippine resort island of Boracay provides a spectacular sunset. Korea Times photo by Shim Jae-yunBy Shim Jae-yunBORACAY, the Philippines ― Fatigued by stressful daily routines, we may feel tempted to take a cozy rest in a quiet and clean place. It would be better if such leaves with potentially tedious itineraries are occasionally sparked by dynamic outdoor activities. Boracay is renowned for its scenic beaches that attract tourists from around the globe. Enthralling sunsets, emerald-colored seawater, fine sand and hopping tours make Boracay a heaven for tourists. Boracay is the most frequented travel destination among more than 7,600 islands of the Philippines. It ranked ninth out of the top 20 islands in the world in the 29th in the World Travel Awards in 2022. Diverse convenience facilities, such as luxurious resorts and well-serviced hotels offering various cuisines, add to the pleasure of travelers.The island's residents who we encountered appeared happy with broad smiles. In the downtown area, many roads were under repair and maintenance with signs that re

Jun 29, 2023By Shim Jae-yun

Boracay offers optimum environment for wellness leave

Jeonju's hidden alleys perfect place for 'gastroventures'

Grilled octopus skewers at Jeonju Hanok Village / Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationHistorical city offers foodie paradise with traditional, creative cuisine By Lee Hae-rinJEONJU, North Jeolla Province ― Two hours from Seoul by KTX bullet train, Jeonju is known for its historical pedigree given that it is the hometown of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom's founder, Yi Seong-gye. Designated as the country's first Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO in May 2012, however, the southwestern city is now building a new pedigree of gastronomy with a wide range of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and street food vendors that offer regional traditional specialties as well as creative cuisine.A leisurely stroll through Jeonju Hanok Village is a must for travelers. The village featuring around 700 traditional buildings is famous for its size ― the largest among hanok villages in Korea ― but also for a variety of street food and traditional dining options throughout its small alleys.Many of the street foods feature Jeonju's local specialties as ingredients. Water parsley dumpling, for example, of

Jun 29, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Jeonju's hidden alleys perfect place for 'gastroventures'

Korea-China air routes to be suspended during summer vacation season

A board shows the departure time of flights to Chinese cities at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, Sunday. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinKorean airlines are poised to suspend some of their air routes between Korea and China due to a drop in demand over China's travel visa restriction on tour groups to Korea.According to the aviation industry, Tuesday, Korean Air, the country's largest full-service carrier, will suspend its major Korea-China route between Gimpo and Beijing from Aug. 1 to Oct. 28. The route between Incheon and Xiamen will also be halted from Aug. 9 to Oct. 28.Asiana Airlines, Korea's second-largest airline, also announced it would stop serving the Gimpo-Beijing and Incheon-Shenzhen routes in July, after having already suspended its Incheon-Xi'an route last Tuesday.The airlines' measures came as the number of travelers between the two countries remained lower than expected due to China's ban on tour group visas, according to airlines officials.Aviation statistics from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's portal show 120.63 million travelers flew between the tw

Jun 27, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Korea-China air routes to be suspended during summer vacation season

Travel authorities to tackle overcharging at rural festivals

In this photo taken on Oct. 27, 2022, visitors try seafood green onion pancake and fish cakes in a sardine broth at a regional food festival held in Seoul's Mapo District. NewsisBy Lee Hae-rinThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Thursday, announced a plan to tackle overcharging at regional festivals across the country by enforcing price control measures and campaigning amid growing criticism of the issue.The culture ministry, along with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), will monitor festival food prices in advance and work with local governments, festival organizers and local residents to control the prices of food sold in 86 cultural tourism festivals nationwide which the ministry selects and promotes as regional special tourism assets.The ministry will work with regional tourism organizations and festival organizing committees to launch the Good Price campaign next Friday.From July, prices and photos of food items sold in regional festivals will be available online on the KTO's Visit Korea website while at the same time enhancing on-site monitoring of food prices.Festiv

Jun 22, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Travel authorities to tackle overcharging at rural festivals

INTERVIEW Dutch singer-songwriter recounts memories, experiences of Korea

Dutch jazz singer-songwriter Wouter Hamel poses during an interview with The Korea Times in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, June 12. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulArtist discovers people's warm-hearted spirit beyond glitz and glamour of big cityBy Lee Hae-rinWhen Dutch jazz singer-songwriter Wouter Hamel first visited Korea 14 years ago to perform, surprisingly many Koreans were already familiar with his surname. Many thought he was a distant descendant of Hendrick Hamel, the Dutch sailor who was shipwrecked on Jeju Island in the 1600s and became the first Westerner to introduce Korea to the world.“I had been asked about this (family lineage) so many times, so I went to the Hamel house in the Netherlands and made a documentary there,” Wouter said during a recent interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, while making his 26th visit to Korea. Hendrick Hamel made the first Western account of Korea from his 13 years of captivity ― from 1653 to 1666. Korea had been unknown to the Western world until Hendrick gave a firsthand story about the country in his book “Hamel's Journal

Jun 22, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

[INTERVIEW] Dutch singer-songwriter recounts memories, experiences of Korea

INTERVIEW Makgeolli meets design at local brewery restaurant

Song Dae-young, a former spatial designer, runs Gonggan Duidongsan, a makgeolli brewery restaurant in northeastern Seoul's Seongbuk District. Courtesy of Gonggan DuidongsanFormer designer combines alcohol, food, space By Lee Gyu-leeLocated at the end of the path that leads to Naksan Park, known for its trail and observation decks with views of Seoul, a small brewery restaurant, Gonggan Duidongsan, adds unique interior design to the makgeolli (rice wine) experience.In a relatively small space that fits four or five tables, the restaurant's owner, Song Dae-young, a former spatial designer, has created a cozy dining area made up of a wavy wooden ceiling and tables. As the name of the restaurant implies ― Duidongsan means a hill behind a house in Korean ― the place takes advantage of the park as its backdrop, allowing customers to enjoy homemade makgeolli casually. With an LP player booth sitting in the corner, the restaurant offers a touch of nostalgia to go with the country's traditional alcohol and local dishes. “I pursue being natural a lot. That's why we make our own sauces an

Jun 21, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

Seosulla Street offers atmospheric, tasty stroll next to royal shrine in Seoul

Record-high travel spending

Korean modern pastry sweeps NYC

Korea to extend electronic travel authorization validity to spur inbound tourism

Boracay offers optimum environment for wellness leave

Jeonju's hidden alleys perfect place for 'gastroventures'

Korea-China air routes to be suspended during summer vacation season

Travel authorities to tackle overcharging at rural festivals

INTERVIEW Dutch singer-songwriter recounts memories, experiences of Korea

INTERVIEW Makgeolli meets design at local brewery restaurant

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