Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Korean Air to resume 4 European routes by end of April

An airplane of Korean Air / Courtesy of Korean AirBy Baek Byung-yeulKorean Air will resume routes to four European cities including Prague and Madrid from between March and April so as to meet Korean tourists' reviving desire to travel, the air carrier said Friday. The company said it will begin operating the Incheon-Prague and the Incheon-Zurich routes from the end of March, followed by the resumption of the Istanbul and the Madrid routes at the end of April. These routes were suspended in March 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19.“Starting from March 27, the airline will resume its operations to Prague three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The flights will depart from Incheon at 12:45 p.m. and arrive in Prague at 4:55 p.m. The returning flights will depart from Prague at 6:50 p.m. and arrive in Incheon at 11:50 a.m. on the following day,” Korean Air said adding that the Zurich route will be resumed from March 28.The country's leading air carrier will also resume flights to Istanbul from April 24 while the Incheon-Madrid routes will resume from April 25

Jan 20, 2023By Baek Byung-yeul

Korean Air to resume 4 European routes by end of April

Gordon Ramsay's Street Burger to open in Seoul

An employee prepares to serve a hamburger at Gordon Ramsay Burger in Seoul in this Dec. 30, 2021 file photo. NewsisMichelin-star chef Gordon Ramsay's Street Burger restaurant is set to open in Hyundai Department Store in southern Seoul, company officials said Monday.Street Burger is a namesake casual burger joint founded in 2020 by the British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.The Seoul restaurant will be the first global location outside of the U.K. and the first in Asia, the department store said.Fries, drinks and seven types of burgers will be on the menu, including a Korea-special burger called "The Korean Smash Burger," made with kimchi and bacon.Logo of chef Gordon Ramsay's Street Burger is shown in this photo provided by Hyundai Department Store, Jan. 9. YonhapThe restaurant is expected to open by late March in the department store's Samseong-dong branch of southern Seoul. Items on the menu will be priced between 10,000 won ($8) to 20,000 won, a company official said.Global burger chains have been opening stores in Korea as the dish gains popularity among young Koreans. The country

Jan 9, 2023

Gordon Ramsay's Street Burger to open in Seoul

Tourism industry shows mixed reactions to restrictions on Chinese visitors

Travelers arriving at Incheon International Airport enter the COVID-19 testing center at the Terminal 1 of the airport, Dec. 30. Newsis By Lee Hae-rinKorea has started requiring visitors from China to submit PCR test results.The latest measure, which came into effect on Monday, came amid increasing expectations in the local tourism industry about the return of Chinese tourists following Beijing's lifting of travel restrictions.According to the restrictions unveiled on Friday, Korea would require Chinese visitors to take PCR tests upon arrival and turn in negative results ― negative PCR test result taken 48 hours before entering the country or rapid antigen test (RAT) test result taken within 24 hours before entry ― starting from Jan. 5.Also, the government is limiting Chinese travelers from entering Korea by not issuing short-term visas for Chinese nationals in January unless it is for diplomatic, business, or humanitarian reasons. Plus, planes from China will only

Jan 1, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Tourism industry shows mixed reactions to restrictions on Chinese visitors

Millennium Hilton Seoul disappears into history

The Christmas charity train runs through the miniature “Hilton Town” installed in the Millennium Hilton Seoul's lobby, Dec. 24. The hotel has displayed an annual charity train every December since 1995 to celebrate year-end festivities and donate the proceeds to welfare facilities. Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarEpitome of Korean modern architecture that hosted heads of state to close at year-endBy Lee Hae-rinSeoul as a sprawling metropolis is used to buildings going up and coming down ― it's a city built on rapid growth and development. But when towering landmarks close down, there undoubtedly will be memories, at both the personal and national levels, that continue to remain despite the buildings fading into history.Such a situation may well be the case for the Millennium Hilton Seoul, a luxury hotel that was accessible not only to heads of state but also to the rising Korean middle class.On Oct. 14, the Christmas charity trains at the Millennium Hilton Seoul started running several weeks earlier than usual. In previous years, the sprawling train set was usually set up

Dec 29, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Millennium Hilton Seoul disappears into history

Travelers opt for trips abroad over domestic options as borders reopen

Duty free zone at Incheon International Airport is crowded with outbound travelers, Thursday. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinKorean tourists are flocking overseas instead of traveling domestically as borders reopen and demand for travel rebounds, a recent report by a government research group said, Sunday. The Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, a research group under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, released in its third quarterly report on traveling behavior on Nov. 28.According to the report, 42.6 percent of 2,860 respondents aged over 15 picked “domestic travel” as the most awaited leisure activity to do in the next quarter. The figure is 8.9 percent less than the 51.5 percent from the second quarter.On the other hand, 32.5 percent, which is 7.9 percent more than the previous quarter's 24.6 percent, answered they wish to travel overseas in the next quarter.Overall perception on the danger of travel has eased, the study shows.25.8 percent of respondents answered that the COVID-19 pandemic poses a safety threat to domestic travel, which is 15 percent less than the pre

Dec 18, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Travelers opt for trips abroad over domestic options as borders reopen

K-culture, workcation visas to be introduced

A traveler passes by a flight information display board at Incheon International Airport, Dec. 7. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinKorea plans to introduce two new types of visas: the K-culture visa and the workcation visa to attract foreign travelers next year and help revitalize the local tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the lingering pandemic. The government also designated 2023 and 2024 as “Visit Korea Years.” The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and related state agencies confirmed the sixth Tourism Promotion Master Plan produced to revive the pandemic-affected travel industry from 2023 to 2027 during a meeting held at the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) headquarters in Seoul, Monday.The five-year plan aims to entice 30 million inbound travelers annually and create three billion dollars' worth in tourism revenue by 2027. The figure is larger than the industry's pre-pandemic peak in 2019, which stood at 17.5 million.To achieve this ambitious goal, the government said it will issue a K-culture training visa and workcation visa to attract foreign nationals who ar

Dec 14, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

K-culture, workcation visas to be introduced

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul celebrates year-end feast with French crystal brand Baccarat

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's lobby decorated with crystal chandeliers and tableware by the French luxury crystal brand, Baccarat / Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel SeoulBy Lee Hae-rinFour Seasons Hotel Seoul presents a series of year-end promotions called, “Time to Celebrate,” via a collaboration with the French luxury crystal brand, Baccarat. Known as “King's Crystal,” the 250-year-old French luxury crystal brand, Baccarat, manufactures handcrafted fine crystal products from chandeliers to tableware. The French luxury brand was founded upon the order of French King Louis XV in 1764 in the village of Baccarat, located 402 kilometers away from Paris, and carries on its exceptional craftsmanship with its team of artisans, while collaborating with contemporary designers including Philippe Starck and James Hayon.The hotel's entrance on the first floor features Baccarat crystal showpieces, including classic chandeliers and glistening tree ornaments decorated with avant-garde flower decorations by world-renowned florist Nicolai Bergmann.At its speakeasy bar, Charles H,

Dec 14, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Han River parks to open sledding hills for first time since pandemic

This Dec. 25, 2018 file photo shows Ttukseom Han River Park in Seoul. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulTwo parks along the Han River in Seoul will operate sledding hills from Dec. 23 through Feb. 12, city officials said Monday. Ttukseom Han River Park will open its sledding hill for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, the Hangang Project Headquarters of the Seoul metropolitan government said.A newly established sledding hill at Jamwon Han River Park will also open for the first time. It has separate smaller slopes for children under the age of 6 and other facilities for fun winter activities.The sledding hills will be open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fee is 6,000 won ($4.60). (Yonhap)

Dec 12, 2022

Han River parks to open sledding hills for first time since pandemic

Seoul, Tokyo to increase flights on Gimpo-Haneda route to pre-pandemic level

Passengers head to Japan from Gimpo International Airport in Seoul as the neighboring country eased travel restrictions despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Oct. 11. YonhapKorea and Japan have agreed to expand the number of flights on the Gimpo-Haneda route to the pre-pandemic level to meet recovering travel demand amid eased virus curbs, the transport ministry said Wednesday. Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines, Korea's two biggest carriers, will gradually increase the number of flights on the route to 84 per week from the current 56, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. In Korea, Korean Air and Asiana offer flights on the route, while All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines serve the route. On June 29, Korean Air and Asiana resumed services on the route after a two-year suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of flights on the Haneda route doubled to 56 from 28 from Oct. 30 as Japan resumed visa-free travel for visitors. In October, Japan lifted the limits on the number of inbound passengers and resumed visa-free travel for visitors from spec

Dec 7, 2022

Seoul, Tokyo to increase flights on Gimpo-Haneda route to pre-pandemic level

Founder of Korea's first e-commerce platform creates AI-based travel app

Oh Hyuk, chief technology officer of travel platform, Les Vacances, poses for a photo at the Westin Josun Seoul hotel.  Courtesy of Les VacancesPersonalized travel solution based on real-time, premium informationBy Lee Hae-rinOh Hyuk, the founder of Korea's first e-commerce platform, Auction, plans to launch a new travel information application next year that uses artificial intelligence to recommend personalized itinerary to sightseers. Unlike existing travel information services, Oh's new platform, aptly named Les Vacances, aims to provide an A-to-Z guide ― ranging from information on flights to restaurants ― catering to individual preferences and adapting to varying travel conditions.“In a split second, a traveler can have a personalized itinerary. All you need to do is choose which city you wish to go on what date,” Oh said, demonstrating a beta site of his yet-to-be-revealed platform during a recent interview with The Korea Times.Les Vacances brand logo / Courtesy of Les VacancesDemonstrating the app to this reporter, the developer tapped on “Paris”

Dec 7, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Travel & Food