Buddhist seon meditation practitioners said internalizing Buddhist teachings could help the world counter a polycrisis -- a web of multiple global threats to the safety and security of peoples and nations -- at a press conference Thursday in Seoul. The conference took place a day before the five-day Seon Meditation Summit kicks off in Seoul, as the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism looks to promote the kind of meditation backed by the largest Buddhist sect in the country. “Both the Buddhist v

Culture Sept. 26, 2024

Lantern festival in Namyangju Sandulsori Botanical Garden in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, is holding a lantern festival through the end of April next year. The botanical garden, open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., will give visitors lanterns to hold as they stroll around the compound that has a restaurant, bakery and cafe. Admission is 8,000 won for all ages except children two years old and younger. Outside food and pets are not allowed. Parking is free. For more information, visit sandulsori.co.k

Travel Sept. 20, 2024

Delve into charming vintage lights For vintage enthusiasts, especially those who have a keen understanding of the effects of lighting, Big Sleep Shop is a space worth checking out. Located up a brick staircase in a narrow alley, the shop specializes in vintage lighting and lamps. As you step inside, you’ll find a harmonious display of vintage lamps from various countries including France and Germany. The shop offers housewares made of glass, porcelain and plastic, and showcases lamps of al

Culture Sept. 20, 2024

A foundation run by the Korea Heritage Service opened a branch office in Paris to facilitate efforts to repatriate Korean cultural heritage from Europe, the third such opening overseas after Japan and the US. The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation’s Paris office, inaugurated Tuesday, will start working with the National Library of France in October to locate old Korean maps within the library, according to the foundation. “We expect about 40 maps, all dating to the Joseon-e

Culture Sept. 18, 2024

The conversation was one of the most jarring moments since her wedding in 2020, recalled Seong, a 35-year-old office worker, who said her exchange last week with her husband, five years older, left her perplexed at first, then indignant as she slowly digested what her husband had alluded to. “He said we should call his parents and ask for their understanding because we would not be staying at their home on Chuseok day, Tuesday, even though we’d be there from Saturday to Monday,&rdquo

Social Affairs Sept. 15, 2024

Flea market, busking in Jayang Through Sept. 29, a flea market will be open with booths set up by companies promoting upcycling at Jayang Station Exit Nos. 2 and 3 in Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu. At “Zero+Festa,” a free-admission event, interactive programs teaching how to reuse products as well as street music performances are prepared. The event will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, check out the website at zeroplus.or.kr. Daegu con

Travel Sept. 13, 2024

The US listed the Old Korean Legation in Washington as a historic place eligible for federal tax breaks for preservation Monday, the first time a Korean government-owned building has received such recognition for historical significance. In a statement Wednesday, the Korea Heritage Service, the agency that filed a request for the designation in March, said the National Park Service added the building to the National Register of Historic Places -- the US government’s list of buildings, site

Culture Sept. 11, 2024

For the last 24 years, Seoul Fashion Week has been the face of the fashion landscape Korea wants to project onto the fashion world -- one that is as fresh in creative aesthetics as it is powerful in demonstrating timeless beauty. Still, local designers need to be empowered with more financial as well as administrative support to help achieve the decades-old mission, fashion experts said Monday, calling for more active support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government -- the host of Seoul Fashion We

Arts & Design Sept. 9, 2024

A relentless pursuit of perfection is what identifies Park Seo-bo and Louis Vuitton, said Lee Yoo-jin, executive director of the Parkseobo Foundation, on Wednesday as the French luxury house launched a collaboration with the prominent Korean artist at the Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul. “We were just amazed to witness the sheer attention to detail by the fashion house,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald. “That attitude isn’t far different from Park’s when h

Arts & Design Sept. 6, 2024

Designers showcasing spring-summer 2025 collections at Seoul Fashion Week were just as diverse in their choice of materials as the messages highlighted on the runway, where 21 brands are making their pitch during the five-day fashion week ending Saturday. Cahiers, a womenswear brand led by designer Kim A-young, started Friday’s runway shows focusing on what she calls “pastel luxury” -- ready-to-wear fare inspired by ballet costumes -- a symbol of elegance and delicacy, accordin

Arts & Design Sept. 6, 2024

Design & Art at DDP Through Sept. 8, artists will adorn Dongdaemun Design Plaza with their works, lighting up the Seoul landmark during the annual DDP Design & Art festival. Artists whose works will be on display include Kim Whan-ki, a pioneer of abstract art in Korea, and Felice Varini, a Paris-based Swiss visual artist who paints in urban spaces. The UK-based art and design collective Studio Vertigo will exhibit a giant heart-shaped installation made with more than 11,000 mirrored

Travel Sept. 6, 2024

미국 국립공원관리청(NPS)이 이번 달 9일(현지시간) 주미대한제국공사관의 미국 국립사적지(NRHP·National Register of Historic Places) 지정 여부를 결정한다. 지난 달 의견 수렴 기간 동안 단 한 건의 반대의견이 없었고 워싱턴 DC 당국의 신청이 거절되거나 반려되는 일도 “매우 드문” 경우라 승인 가능성이 높게 점쳐진다. 5일 NPS 관계자는 본지에 “최종결정(action)은 9일로 예정돼 있다”며 “만약 승인된다면 이 날이 공식 ‘단독지정’일로 기록될 것”이라고 말했다. 주미공사관은 이미 국립사적지 일부로 등재돼 있는데 공사관이 워싱턴 DC 로건서클 역사지구(’72년 지정)와 14번가 역사지구(’94년 지정)의 ‘부속건물’이라서다. 9일 승인 결정은 ‘단독건물’로 그 역사적 가치를 인정한다

한국어판 Sept. 5, 2024

The decision on whether to designate the Old Korean Legation building in Washington, DC a US historic place worthy of preservation will be made Monday, and it would be “very uncommon” to see the US National Park Service reject the proposed designation, sources confirmed to The Korea Herald. “Action will be taken on this nomination on Sept. 9,” a National Park Service official with direct knowledge of the matter said, referring to the application filed by the DC Historic P

Culture Sept. 5, 2024

The Korean Confucian Culture Expo began its five-day run Wednesday in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, bringing Confucianism closer to the public with interactive programs. The expo marks the first-ever nationwide event by the Institute of Korean Confucian Culture since it opened in 2022. Key programs, scheduled from Friday to Sunday, will engage audiences of all ages, from the K-Confucianism English Speech Contest for youngsters to the K-Confucianism International Forum for those older and i

Arts & Design Sept. 4, 2024

Seoul Fashion Week returned Tuesday, with contrasts and harmonies taking center stage on the runway where 21 brands are expected to present their spring-summer 2025 collections over the next five days. First off was Youser, a unisex brand launched in 2011 that prides itself on blurring the boundary between deconstruction and minimalism. The result was a relaxed silhouette highlighted by pleats and tucks, which render the collection playful and three-dimensional, according to designer Lee Moo-yeo

Arts & Design Sept. 4, 2024