Photo News

Seasonal Illuminations

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter The winter chill is enough to hunch the shoulders and move the feet in staccato steps. But if you stop and look around, you will find beautiful December lights shining just for you. The colorful lights and decorations illuminatingly brush over the surface of skyscrapers, tree-lined streets, show windows and Christmas trees near churches as the holidays draw nearer. As if to comfort the passing of a rather depressing 2008, the lights seem to sparkle of hope, comfort and warmth. The Hi Seoul Festival's winter festival, with its theme of "light," has lit up Seoul Square, Cheonggye Stream and its surrounding buildings with brightly-lit ornaments. The festival will take place through Feb. 18. The bells of the Salvation Army lighten up the hearts of people while the huge Christmas tree near City Hall and the ``love thermometer'' that goes up whenever people donate to the poor, sending hope to passersby. White lights on the trees beckon lovers to the streets as the blossoming flowers do, and the dazzling Christmas trees at department st

Naju, Dyed in Indigo Blue

By Shim Hun-chul Staff Reporter When morning breaks through the indigo sky, Hwangpo sail boats come and go on the Yeongsan River. At various points along the riverside, an abundance of fresh specialties lure visitors, which is presumably how the area came to be in the past. People from small islands nearby came with their sea catches to trade for the land's grains, as Naju city was the nation's foremost granary. Naju embodies the past and present cultures that have risen and fallen along the Yeongsan River. Located in the midwestern area of South Jeolla Province, it is divided by the Yeongsan River, one of the four main rivers in Korea. There are two mountains near Naju, Mt. Geumseong, in northern Naju, and Mt. Wolchul, in the south. Visitors can tour Naju and visit four different areas; the remains of an ancient fortress that surrounded Naju, the Yeongsan River area, Naju lake and ancient tombs. Many cultural relics are scattered along the fortress site, as Naju was the center of the Jeolla provinces since the Goryeo Kingdom (A.D. 918-1392). The fortress, one the bes

Minhwa Korean Folk Paintings

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Every country has its own special form of art. In the case of drawings, it's folk painting, or ``minhwa'' in Korean, also known as ``sokhwa,'' ``minjunghwa'' or ``baekseonghwa.'' Such paintings are seen donning the walls of traditional Korean homes, mainly houses where the working class lived. As the working class grew to have more money and time, they painted ``minhwa.'' Folk paintings portray various subjects, like animals, beautiful flowers, trees, birds and even shelves with books, painting essentials and other daily objects in the live's of Korean commoners. The subjects were not painted in fun and simple patterns. The desire to live a long, healthy and prosperous life with many children is reflected in the paintings. The ``sibjangsaengdo'' shows certain animals that represent longevity, while the ``hwajodo,'' or the ``flower and bird painting,'' represents the love between married couples. The paintings with fruits such as grapes represent the desire for healthy children. Kim Man-hee is a folk painting expert who has been studying t

Bank of Korea Museum

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter With the economic crisis hitting the world, the value of money is becoming the talk of the town. Money makes a large part of our economy as it measures the economic flow, and ultimately decides the economic power of a nation. The value of currency is important, but if you take a closer look, there is so much more to learn. Money or currency bills are actually a work of art. People can learn about the people, history and culture of a nation through its currency. The Bank of Korea Museum displays currency and other documents of not only Korea, but also other countries around the world. The museum first opened in 2001 to celebrate the bank's 50th anniversary, and reopened in 2007 after renovations. The building where the museum is located was built during the Japanese colonial rule and was also used as the main office of the Bank of Korea since 1950. It was destroyed during the Korea War (1950-53) and was restored in 1958. The building itself is considered an important artifact, and was designated National Historic Site No. 280 in

Beacon Ceremony at Namsan Beacon Mound

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Having been invaded by other countries on numerous occasions, Korea used the smoke signal system to alert the central and province military of emergencies. The system held an important role in military communication, as it helped prepare and overcome national crisis and protect our land and people. The act of lighting the beacon is called bongsu, and the stations are called bongsudae. There are a total of 673 bongsudaes dotted around the nation. The bongsudae at Mt. Namsan was the central station where signals from across the country headed. The system used fire and smoke to send warnings to central and border fortresses, as well as to warn citizens of emergency situations developing on the borders. The one on Mt. Namsan was built in 1394 during the third year of King Taejo of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), during which the capital moved to Seoul, from Gaeseong. The station was used for more than 500 years up to 1895, the 32nd year in the reign of King Gojong. It was also called ``Mt. Mokmyeon's bongsudae,'' as Mt. Namsan was once call

Seoul’s Night Scene

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Like the Danube in Budapest, Hungary and the Prague Castle in the Czech Republic, a city's night scene makes a lasting impression on many people; a beautiful one reflects the entire image of the city. Seoul's scenery at night is beautifying. Unique lights glimmering from various places in Seoul show the city in an entirely new light. Seoul plans to focus on five specialized areas (the Han River, Namsan, the area surrounded by the four main gates of old Seoul, Yeouido and Kangnam) to create a night view that is distinctly Seoul. A network of light will be established at Namsan, connecting the N Tower and the beltway, to make it a pedestrian-friendly path for citizens. Also, night-lights will be used at various historical monuments and modern buildings in Seoul to make them even more attractive, while a digital road combining lights and digital technology will be situated in Gangnam. Next month, when 'Hi Seoul Festival in Winter' (themed 'Seoul's Lights') takes place, the 4km tree-lined street along Sejong-ro and Taepyeong-ro will see

Korean Smithy Daejanggan

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Beating the red-burned iron repeatedly, the blacksmith shapes the hard and blunt piece of metal, gradually changing its form. He is like a conductor in an orchestra, taking full control of the shop. Daejanggan (blacksmith's shop) is where iron is heated to make various tools. According to historical records indicating Korea's use of iron for tools, daejanggan was called 'yaroso' in Donggukyeojiseungram ('the View of the Eastern country,' a historical geography book), while the blacksmith was called ''yajang'' in ``Samguk Yusa''('Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms') and ``Kyunggukdaejeon'' (``Code of Laws of the Joseon Kingdom). Just a decade ago, daejanggan could be easily found. With the industrialization of farming tools and introduction of cheap mass-produced products from China, the daejanggan became obsolete. Only about 10 shops remain. In Jeungpyeong-eup, Jeungpyeong-gun in North Chungcheong Province, there is a traditional daejanggan run by Choi Yong-jin, Korea's first Skill Inheritance No. 1 in the blacksmithing field. He car

Kimchi Taste of Korea

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Kimchi is the representative fermented dish of Korea. Those who have not tried kimchi may be startled by the tangy smell, but if you don't try kimchi during your stay in Korea, you cannot say you have spent quality time here. There is a Korean song with the lyrics ``If we didn't have kimchi, how could have we have our meals?'' Considering these words, Koreans' love toward the dish has endured for a long time. Normally, kimchi is made with cabbages preserved in salt combined with a special spicy sauce made with red pepper, garlic, green onions, ginger and salted fish. In late fall, many Koreans make a large amount of kimchi to eat during the cold winter, and this is called ``kimjang kimchi.'' Kimchi is known to have originated in China 3,000 years ago under the name ``jeo,'' and was spread here during the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D. 668). Recipes, and also names, differ depending on the era. It was first called ``chimchae,'' which literally means ``to preserve vegetables in salt,'' and changed to ``timchae'' and ``dimchae,'' unt

Suncheon Bay Global Love of Reed and Hooded Crane

Blooming Eulalia in Seoul

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter It's autumn and the mountains and fields are turning yellow and red. There are many people who visit these venues to enjoy the cool season during the weekends, but there are also many who cannot fit the trip into their busy schedules. Is autumn just too difficult to grasp? For those who cannot travel far to enjoy this time of the year, there are places where autumn is waiting close by in the city. Sky Park located near the World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, offers a spectacular view during the fall season with eulalias, or pampas grass attracting visitors during the weekends and weekdays. The park is also holding the 7th Seoul Eulalia Festival, offering a memorable experience for visitors. The park was once called ``Nanjido,'' due to the orchids, or nan, and another plant called ``jicho,'' that surrounded the area. It was also known as the ``flower island'' because of the various flowers blossoming near the park. Can you believe that the area was also a landfill? It may be hard to believe but 92 million tons of waste has been bu