[box_light]Cheongsong 청송[/box_light] The rugged agricultural town of Cheongsong is, well, off the beaten path. The town is famous for its apples that are as big as a baby’s head and for some of the most spectacular fall scenery in Korea. On an average autumn Saturday or Sunday, Mt. Juwangsan National Park is overrun with hikers […]
[box_dark]Paju Jangdan Soybean Festival 파주 장단 콩 축제[/box_dark] Like soybeans? Well, go with haste to Paju, home to Jangdan soybeans, which are considered among Korea’s finest. So praised are the beans that during the Joseon Dynasty, they were served to the king. The festival venue is Imjingak, a park along the Korean DMZ that also serves as a […]
[box_dark]Yeongam 영암[/box_dark] Early November is the perfect time to visit the county of Yeongnam’s Wolchulsan National Park, a scenic mountain spot in southwest Korea. The brilliant crimson autumn foliage complements the blue skies and the mountain’s white craggy peaks. On the mountain’s lower slopes are the Buddhist temples of Dogapsa and Muwisa, the latter famous […]
[box_dark] November Wanderings Jeong-dong, Buam-dong and Garosu-gil offer plenty of autumnal charm [/box_dark] Written and photographed by Robert Koehler November is a great time to pick up a book—or your e-book reader of choice—and head down to a quiet cafe for an afternoon of coffee and contemplation, or stroll about romantic alleyways as the autumn […]
[box_light] The Monster Inside ‘ Hwayi’ director Jang Joon-hwan examines the human condition in big screen return [/box_light] Written by Robert Koehler “I’m a slow person. I’m not somebody who moves quickly when he does something. I take a long time before I accept something.” Well, that would partially explain why Jang Joon-hwan hadn’t made […]
[box_dark]Seolleung 선릉[/box_dark] The Seolleung royal tomb park offers tranquil and pleasant promenades amid the hustle and bustle of southern Seoul’s Gangnam district, while providing a touch of history. Seolleung houses the burial mounds of King Seongjong (1469–94), his wife Queen Jeonghyeon and King Jungjong (1506–44) of the Joseon Dynasty. Stone statues of civilian and military […]
[box_dark]Passion and Noblesse Oblige[/box_dark] Gangnam Festival focuses on what makes Seoul’s poshest district so great Gangnam-gu will host its four-day Gangnam Festival from Oct 3 to Oct 6 in the COEX area of Samseong-dong. The district’s leading festival, it links together three of Gangnam’s most popular events: the Gangnam Fashion Festival, the International Peace Marathon […]
[box_light]Park No-soo Art Museum 박노수 미술관[/box_light] The historic brick house that was the home of celebrated Korean painter Park No-soo (1927–2013) has been transformed into a public museum. Located in Ogin-dong in downtown Seoul’s Jongno district, the residence was completed in 1938 and features a fusion of Korean, Chinese and Western architectural styles of the early […]
A neighborhood’s metamorphosis embodied in Seoul’s most captivating park The neighborhood around Seonyudo is mid-transformation, caught, for the moment at least, between Yeongdeungpo’s industrial past and a glossier future. Run-down, paint-chipped buildings share blocks with shiny glass business towers; the same backstreet holds tiny sesame oil factories and indie bike shops. On the eponymous island […]