Hiking ranks as one of the top attractions on foreigners’ to-do lists when visiting Seoul, a recent survey showed, but some raised concerns over the lack of information available. A survey conducted in April showed 83 percent of foreigners in the “Generation MZ” group -- categorized as those in their 20s to 30s in the survey -- would be willing to go on a hike while in Seoul. In order to gauge ...

Stories of kings and queens, beautiful greenery, walking trails at Joseon-era mausoleums

Welcome to Joseon Festival The Welcome to Joseon Festival is set to run through June 26 at Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Visitors can enjoy concerts, theatrical performances and hands-on experiences, including making natural scented candles, key rings and more, at the spring event. In addition to the traditional programs, the serene hanok offers an amazing backdrop for Inst...

At Donggureung, a newly refurbished nature learning center invites families and children to observe flowers and wetland plants that grow in the region. In the western Gyeonggi Province, Samneung and Jangneung, both in Paju, and Yungneung and Geolleung in Hwaseong have their forest paths open. More information and updates about the royal tomb forest trails can be found at the CHA’s website. By ...

Located in Seoul‘s historic Bukchon neighborhood, Binkwan offers serenity in heart of megapolis

Gokseong International Rose Festival The Gokseong International Rose Festival is scheduled to run from May 21 to June 6 at Seomjingang Train Village in Gokseong, South Jeolla Province. The annual event presents a total of 1,004 types of roses from around the world to delight flower-loving visitors, offering splendid photo opportunities. Visitors can enjoy the vibrant beauty of roses from a rai...

Hanok and flowers in full bloom captivate visitors, including BTS

Hampyeong Butterfly Festival The Hampyeong Butterfly Festival runs through May 8 in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, including Hampyeong Expo Park. The annual festival seeks to provide the opportunity to learn about the Korean nature, including flowers, insects and more. The event seeks to entertain the visitors and tourists with VR and hands-on experiences with butterflies, insects, local ar...

Theme parks in South Korea are crammed with visitors as the country marks Children’s Day on Thursday, buoyed by relaxed COVID-19 containment measures. On this special holiday for kids, parents play a guessing game in picking places to go to entertain their children, as theme parks and other kid-friendly venues usually get massive crowds. Those who chose Everland as their destination this year s...

With barbed wire fences and stone walls, the Bugaksan trail presents its rich history to trekkers

Lotus Lantern Festival The Lotus Lantern Festival, known as Yeon Deung Hoe, is set to start on April 29 and run through May 1 at various places in Seoul, including the streets of Jongno, along the stream Cheonggyecheon and at temples Bongeunsa and Jogyesa. The lighting of the lanterns conveys wishes for peace and happiness. Various programs are offered during the three-day festival free of cha...

A day trip to Suwon requires quite a bit of walking. When you are tired and hungry, the famous Suwon galbi is just the thing to restore your energy levels. The name Suwon galbi traces its origin to the days when Suwon had the largest cattle market in the country, up until the early 1940s. Although there are countless galbi places throughout the city, Gabojeong Galbi, located in Ingye-dong is a ...

Another attraction is the well-preserved 6,000-meter stone walls surrounding the village. The side streets between the walls and the neighboring dense forest completes the charm of the village scenery. Photos by Park Hyun-koo Written by Lee Ji-yoon

Just in time for spring and the downward slope of the omicron variant peak, two new theme parks opened in South Korea offering a bunch of new thrill rides and attractions. One in Busan is a Lotte World franchise and the other in Chuncheon, a city in the mountainous Gangwon Province, is part of the global Legoland chain. Here’s a quick look at the new amusement parks and their most anticipated at...

Flowers expected to be at peak bloom mid-April and remain through May