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A day of reflection in city of enlightenment
ANDONG, North Gyeongsang Province — Andong was a city of scholars. The southeastern city was home to those studying to further Neo-Confucianism, a school of Chinese thought that had undergirded Korea during its Joseon era from 1392-1910. Dosanseowon, a private Confucian school in the city, testifies to how committed Joseon was to see the philosophy permeate everyday life. The school was established as a tribute to Yi Hwang, a prominent Confucian thinker whose contribution to expanding the though
May 17, 2025 -
Why Google Maps is still broken in South Korea: It might not be about national security anymore
It’s 2025, and if you try to get walking directions in Seoul using Google Maps, you will still run into the same dead end: the "Can't find a way there" screen. For many tourists, it’s both frustrating and baffling. Google Maps offers turn-by-turn walking directions in cities as far-flung as Pyongyang, the capital of the hermit kingdom of North Korea — yet, in Seoul, one of the most digitally advanced cities in the world, it can’t guide you from your hotel to the nearest subway station? For almos
May 17, 2025 -
Trails open in royal forestlands
The Korea Heritage Service will open walking trails through several Joseon-era (1392–1910) royal tombs of kings and queens nestled in forested areas across Seoul, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces from Friday through June 29. In Seoul, the tombs of Taereung and Gangneung in Nowon-gu, as well as Uireung in Seongbuk-gu, will be accessible to the public. In Guri, Gyeonggi Province, visitors can explore Donggureung — a major royal tomb site comprising nine graves collectively known as the East Nine Roy
May 16, 2025 -
National Maritime Museum hosts weeklong film event celebrating the sea
The Korea Tourism Organization, the National Maritime Museum and the Korea International Ocean Film Festival are hosting the 2025 Museum Night Ocean Film Week from May 17-25. The 2025 Museum Night Ocean Film Week, held for the first time to promote tourism in Busan, South Gyeongsang Province, offers a unique opportunity to watch films, including full-length, short and animated films related to the theme of the ocean, at the National Maritime Museum in Busan. There will be special talk sessions w
May 9, 2025 -
Changdeokgung garden opens for morning strolls
A chance to experience the garden of Changdeokgung in the quiet calm of morning will be available from May 15-18. The Joseon-era (1392-1910) palace, one of five royal palaces in Seoul, will open at 7:30 a.m. for four days, allowing visitors to explore its naturally landscaped garden for 90 minutes before general admission begins. Tickets will go on sale from 2 p.m. Monday for 10,000 won per person via the booking website Interpark. Each session is limited to 25 adults on a first-come, first-serv
May 8, 2025 -
Bookings open for royal dinner with music
Starting later this month, the main palace of the Joseon era (1392-1910), Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, will invite the public to sample royal cuisine while listening to court music. From May 28 to June 5, the royal kitchen, known as “sojubang,” will invite 136 people on tours with either a royal dinner or a selection of desserts. The tours, to take place twice daily for an hour from 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., will feature royal court music playing in the background. Participants will be able to take part
May 7, 2025 -
Take Retro Romantic Train for nostalgic journey to heartland
Somewhere between the soft strum of a guitar and the scent of old-fashioned snacks drifting down the aisle, the Retro Romantic Train Tour to the south-central region of the country pulls its passengers gently out of the present and back into Korea’s past. This vintage-themed rail journey, co-organized by the Korea Tourism Organization, Korail and seven cities and counties in South Chungcheong Province, offers more than transportation — it promises a rediscovery of regional charm through the lens
May 3, 2025 -
Lotte Hotels & Resorts Gimhae becomes 1st 5-star family hotel in S. Gyeongsang Province
Lotte Hotels & Resorts Gimhae earned a five-star family hotel distinction from the Korea Tourism Association on Thursday. With this achievement, it has become the first family hotel in South Gyeongsang Province to receive a five-star rating. According to the Korea Tourism Association, a family hotel is defined as a type of accommodation designed for family travelers, offering rooms with cooking facilities and additional amenities such as dining, fitness, recreational or training facilities — all
April 25, 2025 -
Where are tourists heading for May holidays?
Domestic travel demand in South Korea has nearly doubled compared to the same period in 2024, ahead of the golden holiday period from May 1 to 6, according to the global travel platform Trip.com. Bookings for flights, accommodations and tours on its platform surged by 189 percent on-year for the upcoming holiday period. Hotel reservations soared 354 percent, the data showed. Trip.com attributed the surge in travel activity to the possibility of a six-day break, depending on how workers use their
April 25, 2025 -
More than resting place for royals
A mother of two grade schoolers, Kim Moon-sook is an enthusiastic proponent of walking tours of royal Joseon tombs, some of which sit near her neighborhood in Guri, Gyeonggi Province. “I thought, ‘It’s a burial site, so what could be out there to keep us occupied?’ But it turns out that isn’t the case,” Kim said of her recent trip to Donggureung, or the East Nine Royal Tombs, a compound of nine graves of Joseon (1392-1910) kings and queens. “The vast compound is a place to clear your head. With
April 24, 2025 -
Campaign to monitor Korean travel destinations ahead of APEC summit
A 100-member team of South Korean nationals and other citizens has been launched by the state-run Korea Tourism Organization to improve travel in the country. The team is tasked with visiting multiple travel destinations nationwide and come up with suggestions to make each experience better. Gathering complaints and feedback from those who have already made visits will be part of the mission. The team started work this week, stopping at Gyeongju, the city in North Gyeongsang Province hosting thi
April 18, 2025 -
Taste of sogokju in Seocheon
SEOCHEON, South Chungcheong Province -- Nestled in the heart of South Chungcheong Province, Seocheon is a charming destination where natural beauty and unique experiences come together. From the ages-old brewing techniques of Hansan Sogokju to the tranquil beauty of the Seocheon Maryang-ri Camellia Forest, this region offers a wealth of opportunities for adventure, relaxation and cultural immersion. Hansan, a small town in Seocheon, is renowned for its brewing tradition. For over 1,500 years, lo
April 10, 2025 -
Swinging walkways and sweeping views
A stroll through nature rarely brings the heart-pounding adrenaline rush of a rollercoaster and its twists and turns. But sometimes it can, said Lim Hyung-jin, a rollercoaster enthusiast who regularly takes his wife and their two grade school children to mountain walkways. “We get to be out in nature, so that’s good for the kids, and my wife and I need an outlet for emotional release,” Lim said of his recent trip to the Oksunbong Suspension Bridge in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province. The walk
April 5, 2025 -
Foreigners in Korea invited to explore and promote K-culture
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Korea International Broadcasting Foundation, has announced a new event series to showcase Korea’s rich cultural heritage. Starting in April and running through October, the “2025 Senses of K-Culture” initiative will invite foreign residents in Korea to explore hidden cultural gems across the country and share their experiences with global audiences. Held five times throughout the year, the program offers participants the chan
April 2, 2025 -
Visit California makes splash at Taean camping festival
A US state-funded nonprofit organization made a splashy entrance at an annual camping festival held last weekend in Taean-gun, South Chungcheong Province. At the gathering held March 28-30, Visit California drew a pool of travel industry professionals, media outlets and influencers to a booth set up for the first time at the 19th Go Out Camp festival — the largest of its kind in the country attended every year by travel companies and professionals. The latest campaign for California road trips a
April 1, 2025