Looking to hit the slopes this winter? Here's where to go

While the country hunkers down waiting for the deep freeze to pass, winter sports fans are welcoming the steep drop in temperature -- it is prime time for skiing and snowboarding. Some adrenaline addicts have already taken out their snowboards, skiing gear and have headed to ski resorts around the country. Following are some of the country’s popular ski resorts if you’re looking to take a late night ride or a weekend trip in the mountains. Vivaldi Park Resort Some 60 kilometers eas

Dec. 31, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Ulsan Ganjeolgot Sunrise Festival Ganjeolgot Cape, known to be the first place in Korea to see the sunrise, will hold the annual New Year’s Sunrise Festival. Starting at sunset on Dec. 31, various cultural performances will take place at Ganjeolgot Park near the lighthouse. Bid goodbye to 2022 and ring in the new year with a wish as the sun rises over the horizon. Detailed information can be found at tour.ulju.ulsan.kr. Yeosu Hyangiram Sunrise Festival Hyangiram Sunrise Festival, an an

Dec. 30, 2022

Translation app gets restaurant menu upgrade

Naver's translation app Papago has added a service to help tourists understand Korean menus, in partnership with the Culture Ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization. The service is uses the app's image translate function. Users can take a picture of a Korean menu to translate it as normal, but tapping "select all" at the bottom brings up a "Food info" tab, with translations that have been tailored for food, and provides additional information about some of t

Dec. 28, 2022

[Newsmaker] Even in bustling Seoul, you can find ways to spend year-end in peace and quiet

The last week of 2022 is almost here. Most popular restaurants and hotels have been booked for weeks and department stores are packed with people doing last-minute Christmas shopping. People across the country will be getting together for a family dinner or sharing wine with friends in brightly lit bars. However, if all the year-end workplace and family obligations have you tired and worn out, you might consider heading to a calm, peaceful spot where you can reflect on the past year and make pla

Dec. 23, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Jeju Fire Festival The Jeju Fire Festival will be held at Saebyeol Oreum in Aewol-eup on Jeju Island from March 18-20. The annual festival is a reinterpretation of “bangae,” the oldest nomadic culture in Jeju, where people pray for richness and health by burning off the old grass and killing vermin in the fields. The shimmering flames provide a stupendous view for visitors. In an attempt to hold a safe festival, all the programs of the Jeju Fire Festival -- opening ceremony, lighting

Dec. 23, 2022

Culture Ministry recommends Korea's must-see spots

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization have unveiled the 100 Must-visit Tourist Spots in Korea list for the years 2023 to 2024. The list is updated every two years, with the aim to introduce and promote Korea's tourism to both Koreans and foreigners. The latest list includes a total of 61 cultural attractions and 39 natural attractions. By region, 24 destinations are located in the greater Seoul area, 10 in Gangwon Province, 13 in Chungcheong provinces, 1

Dec. 17, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Suseong Light Art Festival, Daegu The fourth edition of the Suseong Light Art Festival started Dec. 9 and runs through Jan. 2, 2023 at Suseongmot Lake in Daegu. Ranging from a school project created by Light Art School students from 5 to 19 years old to works from professional artists, the festival is set to display various creations to entertain visitors. A total of 300 light-bearing drones will present a light art show and hands-on activities for the tourists of all ages will be prepared as we

Dec. 16, 2022

[Graphic News] Workforce of tour agencies nearly halves over 3 years on pandemic

　The workforce of major South Korean travel agencies has nearly halved over the past three years due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the number of tour firms also plummeting, industry data showed. 　The headcount of industry leader Hana Tour came to 1,204 as of the end of September this year, down 52.3 percent from three years earlier, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service. 　Smaller industry players were also forced to furlough their employees or cut jobs in the wake o

Dec. 16, 2022

Koreans looking to recharge head to Vietnam

With one out of every four travelers to Vietnam this year hailing from Korea, Koreans are expected to play a central role in the revitalization of Vietnam's tourism industry. Some 2.95 million foreign travelers visited Vietnam this year through November, with South Koreans accounting for 760,000, followed by Americans (266,087) and Cambodians (172,475), based on data from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam. One factor in the large number of Koreans heading to Vietnam is a new tourism

Dec. 14, 2022

No passive tourists: Making travel meaningful

Kim Yeon-mee, 35, an office worker from northern Seoul, visits a bookstore specializing in travel and tourism books every other weekend. The bookstore, Trip, Book and Space: Traveling Library, in Seongsu-dong, has some 1,000 titles on all things travel, from essays and photo books to magazines, cartoons and more. "Upon reaching 30, I did not want to travel like I used to, following routes planned by big travel agencies," Kim said. Even as she visited popular sites, Kim felt her travels

Dec. 9, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Coex Winter Festival, Seoul Ahead of the new year, the Coex Winter Festival will present artworks featuring rabbits to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, the fourth animal of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs. The seven-day festival, starting on Dec. 19, presents various programs, including brick arts, digital arts, paintings, balloon arts and more. This year’s festival will be held at Coex’s K-pop Square, Coex Square and indoor lobbies in Gangnam, southern Seoul. The event is free. More in

Dec. 9, 2022

KTO out to correct wrong use of foreign languages on tourism sites

The Korea Tourism Organization is accepting reports on improper use of foreign languages on tourism-related websites operated by public organizations in Korea in a special event running through Dec. 16. The public may submit instances of inaccurate or wrong uses of foreign languages found on English, Chinese and Japanese versions of websites operated by public museums, performance centers and galleries, as well as tourism organizations. A list of the relevant websites in the three languages ca

Dec. 5, 2022

Vietnam's Hoiana Residences opens for tourists, business travelers

Hoiana Resort & Golf, a beachfront resort in Vietnam, has announced the launch of Hoiana Residences in central Vietnam. To meet the increased travel demand after the prolonged pandemic, Hoiana Residences, a a five-star accommodation, began with a visionary plan to provide a luxurious experience with a touch of home. Hoiana Residences has 270 fully furnished residences that feature contemporary living areas and spacious private terraces overlooking lush gardens and stunning sunsets over the E

Dec. 2, 2022

[Well-curated] Time for Christmas markets, miniature trains and some cheerful art

The time has come to bring out the Christmas tree and deck the halls with holly. Online shopping has never been so convenient, but Christmas markets are always worth a visit if only to enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Here are two places you can purchase Christmas decorations at relatively lower prices. Namdaemun Market, a large traditional market located next to Shinsegae Department Store in central Seoul, has a wide variety of shops, vendors and wholesalers offering a seemingly endless array of g

Dec. 2, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

E-World Illumination, Daegu E-World Illumination kicked off Nov. 19 and runs through Feb. 28, 2023 at E-World in Daegu. The festival features the areas around E-World and 83 Tower with ten million lights. A 15-meter-tall Christmas tree and a garden of 100,000 light-emitting diode roses are set to provide memorable photo zones for visitors as well. Admission costs 11,100 won per person on weekdays and 17,900 won per person on weekends. The event starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. Updates can be

Dec. 2, 2022

[Weekender] Jeju Biennale shows the island's natural identity

JEJU CITY -- About an hour‘s flight from the South Korean capital of Seoul, Jeju Island is a popular destination for those who want to get away from the grit of the city. The ubiquitous porous basalt, covering more than 90 percent of the island, is evidence that the island was created as a result of volcanic activity. "Dolharubang," or village guardian statues carved out of porous basalt, fresh seafood, mandarin oranges and more than 368 parasitic cones are iconic symbols of t

Nov. 26, 2022

Looking for stars on a clear, cold night

YANGPYEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- Autumn is peak season for stargazing in Korea, as the arrival of chilly weather also brings clear skies. Some 60 kilometers east of Seoul, the small county of Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, is home to one of South Korea’s most popular observatories, Jungmisan Astronomical Observatory. After a 40- to 50-minute drive along the Han River, visitors climb the winding roads of Jungmisan and arrive at the observatory in the thick of a mountain forest. The occasion

Nov. 26, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Ansung Smelt Festival The Ansung Smelt Festival is scheduled to run from Dec. 24 to Feb. 5, 2023 in the areas near Dume Lake in Ansung, Gyeonggi Province. Hoping to provide a memorable winter experience, the festival features various programs, including smelt fishing, ice sledding and various photo zones featuring snow flowers. Smelt fishing is only available during the weekends and on public holidays. The festival opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. daily. Admission costs 10,000 won per person

Nov. 25, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Gwanak Starlight Festival, Seoul The 2nd-edition of Gwanak Starlight Festival which started on Oct. 26 and runs through Nov. 30 near Sillim Bridge in Gwanak-gu, southern Seoul. The annual festival lights make the city brighter with a number of lanterns and illuminated sculptures along the Dorim Stream. The festivalgoers will have an opportunity to take memorable photographs with their loved ones. Visitors of all ages are welcomed without any admission fee. Hueree Camellia Festival, Jeju The Hu

Nov. 19, 2022

No need to fly: Experience Japan in Korea

Friends and couples in kimonos take pictures on streets lit by colorful paper lanterns under the eaves of Japanese-style houses and shops. Food stalls' yakitori, takoyaki and platters of beautifully arranged sashimi tempt the appetites of passersby. At a shinto shrine, people write prayers or wishes on paper strips and bamboo plaques and hang them on wooden hooks. This corner of Dongducheon, just north of Seoul, may be a picture-perfect slice of Japan, but if you came to the same spot years

Nov. 15, 2022