On a chilly Saturday afternoon, a group of people dressed in Buddhist vests and pants strolled slowly around a pagoda at Jogyesa, making wishes and touring different corners of the Buddhist temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul. What seemed like a customary temple stay turned out to be an unusual affair. The 20 men and women were participating in a “dating” temple stay. They were gathered for the purpose of finding potential romantic partners over the weekend. "Meeting Temple Stay," o

The government on Saturday posthumously conferred a state medal on late Ven. Jaseung, a former leader of South Korea's largest Buddhist sect Jogye, in recognition of his decadeslong service in the Buddhist community. Culture Minister Yu In-chon awarded a Mugunhwa Medal of the Order of Civil Merit to the deceased during his visit to the Jogye Temple in central Seoul, where a memorial altar has been set up to pay tribute to the late monk. The Mugunghwa Medal is the highest of five medals that

Reflect at must-see MSCHF exhibition Thought-provoking artworks by MSCHF, an art collective that refuses to be confined by gallery walls, are on show at Daelim Museum in Anguk-dong, Seoul. Titled “Nothing Is Sacred,” the exhibition brings together 130 works by MSCHF including paintings, interactive games and fashion objects created by the group since 2016. At a glance, the collective's pieces look like playful and funny graphic designs. However, the works are designed to challen

Sheraton Grand Incheon presents seasonal food promotion Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel’s restaurant, Feast, presents a “Festive Wonderland” of grilled beef, seafood and unlimited rose sparkling wine and beer throughout December. The promotion showcases American-style pork rib barbecue, roast beef, duck and steamed seafood. Guests can also enjoy cuisines ranging from traditional Korean to Chinese and Japanese. Children can munch on mini hot dogs, chicken nuggets and chocolate fond

The Ven. Jaseung, a former leader of the Jogye Order, the nation's largest Buddhist sect, has died in a fire at a temple in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, according to the Jogye Order on Thursday. The Ven. Jaseung was visiting Chiljangsa temple in Anseong when a fire erupted at one of the buildings there at around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday. His body was found after firefighters extinguished the blaze in about three hours. He was 69. The Jogye Order said during a press conference at the Korea Bud

The photo capturing the moment when giant panda Fu Bao's twin sisters were born has been selected as one of Time magazine’s Top 100 Photos of 2023. The list, announced last week, includes the photo of the mother Ai Bao with her newly-born female twin pandas taken on July 7 after their birth. It marked the first time twin pandas were born in South Korea after their older sister Fu Bao became the first giant panda to be born in the country. Fu Bao and her giant panda family are among th

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced Tuesday that the agency will expand its support for buried cultural heritages next year with the aim of protecting South Korea’s historical sites, artifacts and monuments while relieving financial burdens for those whose projects involve small-sized buried heritages. The CHA emphasized that the assistance for buried cultural heritages will include not only small-scale excavations, but also examination of buried sites prior to the uncovering pr

The former presidential office compound of Cheong Wa Dae will open its gates at night for six days next month, allowing visitors to enjoy the venue's beautiful landscape and nighttime atmosphere. From Dec. 6 to 11, Cheong Wa Dae will accept 2,000 visitors per day from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism said Tuesday. Visitors can explore the compound's main garden, the main building, the moonlit small garden, the former presidential residence buildings, the

Violinist You Da-yoon has won the second prize at the 2023 Long-Thibaud International Competition, according to the Kumho Cultural Foundation on Tuesday. You, 22, performed Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor Op. 47 with Orchestre de la Garde republicaine at the final that took place at the University of Paris II, Grand Amphitheatre on Sunday. This year's competition took place from Nov. 22 to 26 in Paris, France, with 21 violinists selected from a pre-selection round. The violinis

As a staff of Haegeum Laboratory Moogung, Kim Da-rae draws traditional Korean paintings on haegeum, a traditional Korean instrument that consists of a wooden body with two strings and a bow. “I am a haegeum creator who imbues a fresh wave into haegeum,” Kim said. Kim majored in Korean art both in college and graduate school. She says it was lucky that she was able to become a designer after a long journey to find the right career for her. “I had a dream to be an artisan who pro

"OnStage," a weekly music show on Naver that has been praised for discovering indie musicians and expanding the domestic music scene, has come to an end after 13 years, Naver Cultural Foundation said Friday. It aired its final episode on Nov. 16, a video on the Korean rock band Peppertones, the foundation said in a blog post. "Over the past 13 years, various live video platforms have emerged, making it easy for anyone to create video content and directly connect with music fans. T

Two of the most sought-after Korean classical musicians will take the stage with the Munich Philharmonic next week. Maestro Chung Myung-whun and violist Clara Jumi Kang, whose relationship dates back more than a decade, will perform Beethoven's Violin Concerto with the orchestra. “Since childhood, I frequently listened to live recordings of Beethoven's Symphony by the Munich Philharmonic and Sergiu Celibidache. The distinct, sharp yet warm and intricate sound unique to the Munich

The remake of stage musical "Sister Act" began its Seoul run on Tuesday at D-cube Link Arts Center, following eight days in Busan. The adaptation of “Sister Act” is based on the hit 1992 film of the same title. The musical originally made it to the stage in 2006. The recently updated rendition retains the music and lyrics of the original musical while infusing vibrant colors into the stage design, costumes and physical movements. The cast members highlight diversity, with s

Enjoy luminous night view at Seokchon Lake With the days getting shorter, more light festivals illuminating the long dark nights of winter are on their way. Seokchon Lake -- a popular destination for watching cherry blossoms in spring --- in Jamsil, southeastern Seoul, seeks to become a beautiful night view spot. The lake’s 4.17-kilometer circular walking trail is decorated with various lamps, lanterns and media art, entertaining those who stop by. While strolling along the path, you can s

The poster for a new Netflix original showing contestants wearing iconic green tracksuits might have confused some people into thinking that long-anticipated “Squid Game Season 2” may have come out sooner than expected. But what they mistook as Season 2 of the international hit series is actually “Squid Game: The Challenge,” a US-made survival reality show based on the South Korean phenomenon, “Squid Game.” With the same number of participants, unique game set

Two Korean entrepreneurs – Kim Woong-ki and Seo Kyung-bae -- were listed on the annual Top 200 Collectors list published by ARTnews for its 2023 edition. Kim, chairman of Global Sae-A Group, an apparel manufacturing conglomerate, became known in the global art scene when it was revealed in 2022 that Kim was the winning bidder for modern art master Kim Whan-ki’s painting titled "Universe 5-IV-71 #200" at a Christie’s Hong Kong auction in 2019. It marked the highest p

Charging admission at state-run museums could be considered through public discussion, Yu In-chon, the minister of culture, sports and tourism, said during a meeting with 29 members of the art community at the Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, in Jung-gu, central Seoul, Tuesday. He made the remarks in response to a request by Savina Lee, director of the Savina Museum of Contemporary Art, who said, "Due to the free admission policy of national museums

The successful premiere of "Rent" in South Korea in 2000 set the stage for seven subsequent revivals, extending until 2011. Over the course of about a decade, the Korean production garnered adoration from enthusiasts -- though not necessarily from the masses -- and served as a launching pad for emerging talent in the musical theater scene. When Seensee Company decided to bring it back in 2020 after a nine-year hiatus, it sought to revive the vibe of the original Broadway production. It

SUWON, Gyeonggi Province -- Mr. Toilet House, also known as Haewoojae, is a museum that transcends the conventional to offer a unique journey into the history and culture of toilets around the world. Derived from the term "Haewooso," meaning "a room to relieve worries," the museum is not just a bizarre architectural wonder but a celebration of the importance of toilets across the globe. In South Korea, the days when public toilets were deemed unclean are long gone. Hosting me

Cemeteries and columbariums in South Korea evoke images of sorrowful families and friends mourning the loss of loved ones. With their rows of urns in glass cabinets, columbariums, in particular, are the last place anyone wishes to visit unless compelled to by the loss of someone dear to them. Called “memorial parks,” the solemn atmosphere of these facilities makes them an unwanted addition to a neighborhood in South Korea, where property prices are a key concern. But from about a dec