Wait no longer, folks --- the February issue of SEOUL is out, so rush out now to grab a copy while they've still got that new magazine smell. In this issue of SEOUL, we romp around COEX, visit the fortresses of historic Ganghwa Island, talk with hanbok designer Lee Seo-youn, get our learn-on at the National Library of Korea and much, much more. Seoul Selection's monthly travel and culture magazine, SEOUL is your guide to Korea's 600-year-old capital, with up-to-date info on sites, destinations and the most complete listing of the month's events anywhere. Pick up your copy at any major bookstore across Korea, including, of course, Seoul Selection, your one-stop center for English-language books and DVDs on Korea. If you're too busy to stop by the shop, you can always subscribe and we'll deliver it to your doorstep.

- Good tours of the DMZ are conducted by the USO (795-3028) and TOURDMZ (755-0073). For more information on their tours, click here (USO) and here (TOURDMZ).

- The Seoul City Bus Tour is a great way to explore the city of Seoul, especially if you're new to town. For more information, click here or call 777-6090.

- The Royal Asiatic Society conducts entertaining and informative tours to some of Korea's most historic sites. Click here for more information, including schedule.

- For self-starters, the Seoul City Tourism website has several walking tours and self-directed tours. You can also give them a ring at 2171-2461.

- The Korea Tourism Organization website is another great place to get information. If you're on the road, just call 1330 for up-to-date tourist information.

Free Museums

Museum buffs will be pleased to know that three of Seoul's flagship museums are maintaining their free admission policy in 2010.

The National Museum of Korea, National Folk Museum of Korea and National Palace Museum of Korea are packed with many of Korea's most valuable cultural artifacts, artworks and historic objects. As well as being a solid element in any tour of Seoul, they also contain enough material to surprise even the most long-term expat resident with new revelations about Korean history and culture.

The enormous National Museum of Korea (www.museum.go.kr)---the largest museum in Asia and sixth largest in the world in terms of floor space---comprises Archaeological, Historical, Fine Arts, Asian and Donation galleries, permanently exhibiting 5,000 pieces from its 150,000-piece collection. Several guided tours are available daily in English and other languages. The museum also offers several stunning special exhibitions each year: currently running until March 28 is "The Great Myth and Mystery of Peruvian Civilization INCA", a collection of more than 350 items from nine museums across Peru; while "The Crossroads of Civilizations: Ancient Culture of Uzbekistan" runs until September 26 and introduce's Uzbekistan's diverse cultural evolution from prehistoric times up to the 8th century.

Located in the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum of Korea (www.nfm.go.kr) focuses on promoting understanding of traditional Korean life from ancient times to the present. It's well-worth adding to an itinerary that takes in Gyeongbukgung and the nearby historic neighborhoods of Insa-dong and Bukchon. Until March 1, it's running a "2010 Year of the Tiger Special Exhibition", showing the way the tiger has long been mythologized, used as a talisman to ward away evil spirits, personified in stories and pictures, and newly appropriated in the course of Korea's transition to a modern, industrial society. Other special exhibitions in the pipeline for 2010 include themes such as the culture of Chungcheongnam-do Province, the pain caused in Korean daily life by the Korean War (2010 is the 60th anniversary of the conflict) and a show marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Russia.

The National Palace Museum of Korea (www.gogung.go.kr) occupies another corner of the Gyeongbukgung grounds, and houses royal artifacts from the Joseon Dynasty and Daehan Empire: look out for a special exhibition of Vietnamese imperial household pieces later on this year, borrowed from the Imperial Museum of Hue.

A tip from Seoul Selection: why not go completely Central Asian for the day and combine a look round the National Museum of Korea's Crossroads of Civilizations exhibition with a meal at Samarkand Uzbekistani restaurant in Dongdaemun (see SEOUL magazine, Feb issue, p 66-67 for more details).

Written by Ben Jackson

A miscellany of high-quality hyperlinks from the week, courtesy of SEOUL editor-in-chief Robert Koehler.

- A straw poll suggests that Asian travelers regard Seoul as their top travel destination.

- The Lonely Planet's Simon Richmond, meanwhile, talks about learning to love Seoul.

- Kimchi is going global, the Washington Post reports.

- The Korean Wave continues to warmly wash over Asia, reports The Economist.

- The JoongAng Daily talks with Korean War hero Paik Sung-yup.

- Makgeolli will be served at the Davos Forum, reports the Chosun Ilbo.

- Benjamin Joinau of Le Saint-Ex has started his own show to introduce Korean cuisine to the world.

- The Korea Times looks at the US Peace Corps' links with Korea.

- The smart phone is transforming Korean culture, particularly in the office.

- I've opened up a photoblog with photos from travels around Korea.

Check out the "Georges Rouault---le sacre et le profane" at Seoul Arts Center's Hangaram Art Museum. If you need more encouragement, download this coupon to get a 2,000 won discount on admission. Georges Rouault is one of the greatest Fauvist and Expressionist painters of the 20th century; his Christian-inspired work is particularly renowned.
VENUE: Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul Arts Center
PERIOD: Thru Mar 28
ADMISSION: Adults: 12,000 won, Youths: 9,000 won, Children: 8,000 won
MORE INFORMATION: (02) 588-8421
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5---10 minutes or take shuttle bus, bus No. 12 or bus No. 4429.

The Seoul Design Assets Exhibition at Seoul Museum of History aims to promote the outstanding design of Seoul in the year of World Design Capital Seoul 2010. The selected exhibits represent Seoul's history of 600 years and identity and highlight the significance of design as a bridge between tradition and modernity. Generations of people who lived in Seoul led lives heavily influenced by humanism. Yet, their pursuit of the social value was never insincere due to their artistic and moral integrity. Visitors to the Seoul Design Assets Exhibition will have an opportunity to experience such high standards, still a leading light brightly burning in times of fast-changing design. The event will be a place of rediscovering the foundation of Korean design forgotten over the decades of hurried modernization and of predicting where Seoul's design is headed in the 21st century.
VENUE: Seoul Museum of History
PERIOD: Thru March 7
ADMISSION: 700 won
MORE INFORMATION: www.museum.seoul.kr
GETTING THERE: Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exit 7

Belgian electro-rock legends Soulwax (a.k.a. the "Flying Dewaele Brothers" and "2 many Djs") will be performing at AX-Korea. Since their debut in 2004, the Belgian brothers have been remixing their way through the European club and music festival scenes and even embraced multimedia art. Don't miss it, party people.
VENUE: AX-KoreaKorea
PERIOD: Jan 29, 9pm
ADMISSION: Advance tickets: 66,000 won. Tickets at the door: 88,000 won
MORE INFORMATION: (02) 543-6831
GETTING THERE: Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2. Cross the road, turn left and walk 5 minutes. The hall is located behind the youth center.

Roofers in Itaewon is hosting a Latin-Caribbean-inspired fundraiser for Olive Tree Projects, an organization working to help pregnant women in Haiti and their children. The minimum donation is 10,000 won. The event is next month, but we're getting the word out there now.
VENUE: Roofers
PERIOD: Feb 14, 8pm
ADMISSION: 10,000 won
MORE INFORMATION: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
GETTING THERE: Itaewon Station, Line 6, Exit 3. Head in the direction of the fire station and swing a right before the station. Head up the street, and Roofers is on your right.

Head out to Korea's snow country with the Royal Asiatic Society on Jan 31. The "Snow Country Scenery Tour", which earned enormous and instant popularity with full cars on every run when it was introduced in 1998, resumes its daily service, providing passengers an opportunity to enjoy "romantic" winter days with its wonderful snow scenery. From the comfort of a train carriage, we can feel the romance of Korean winter. Even when there is no snow, which has happened on rare occasions, the magnificent scenery is well worth the trip. For more information, click here.

The Korea Foundation is hosting Italian Style - Dressing Home as its first exhibition in 2010. In collaboration with the Sartirana Art Foundation, Cultural Institute of Italy, and Embassy of Italy, the special exhibition will feature more than 180 pieces of representative Italian design works that are utilized in our daily living, such as silverware, furniture and lamps. Viewers will identify the distinct "Italian Style" from the exhibited works of well-known manufacturers and studios that are deeply rooted in the traditional Italian craftsmanship.
VENUE: KF Cultural Center
DATE: Thru Feb 20, (10:00---18:00 Mon---Sat, 10:00---21:00 Wed)
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFORMATION: 02-2151-6514, www.kfcenter.or.kr
GETTING THERE: City Hall Station, Lines 1 & 2, Exit 9. Walk 5 minutes.