★emilybnb Loft #1

EMILY BNB#1 : 
★Sky View from Modern Loft in Central Seoul

Emilt loft #1 is ideal for couple but also suitable for a family or up to 5 adults looking to explore the best of rich historical cultural past and its dynamic present at this center of Seoul city and you can look at  mountains from room on the highest floor.

 ★The surrounding landscape from emilybnb #1,2,3,4,5

■ THE NEIGHBORHOOD
I love Jong-ro for many reasons, but especially there are a lot of different places that you can visit just by walking around, JONGRO is basically a long avenue that stretches all the way from the City Hall to Dongdaemun the avenue is devided into 6 main sections, which are called jongro 1ga, 2ga, 3ga, 4ga, 5ga, and 6ga. From any of these jongro's sections, you can easily walk to Cheonggye creek  and if you're in jongro 5ga, you can walk to Daehak-ro within 30 minutes, and if you're in jongro3ga, you can walk to Insadong and from there, you can walk up to Samcheongdong,Gyeongbok palace, Gwanghwamun as well. All of these other places have very interesting shops and restaurants and art galleries and theatres as well

■ LOCATION
Famous Sight-seeing can be reached easily from Emilybnb
10 mins walk to – Gyeonbok palace, Bukchon, Insadong
30 mins walk to -  UNESCO World Heritage – Jongmyo, Changdeokgung Palace
20 mins walk to - Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market
10 mins by metro – Dongdaemun Market
20 mins by metro  – HongDae, Itewon
Convenient transportation
5 mins walk to # 3,5 MTR station, airport bus stop
5 Mins walk to Large discount supermarket (HANARO MART)

■ APATMENT(DUPLEX) OVERVIEW :
- two bedrooms, one bathroom, and  kitchen with everything you need :
- FREE fast wireless Internet / LCD TV
- Simons queen bed – the first floor bedroom/ High quality double and single bed – the second floor bedroom
  /sofa,table and lounge chair
- Easy kitchen with equipment - Washing machine, Refrigerator, toaster, Electric kettle ,coffee makers, more
- Heating / air-conditioning to be controlled to your convenience
- All linens, bath towels and hair dryer

■ INCHEON AIRPORT /GIMPO AIRPORT ACCESS
BUS---Take  Limousine Bus(No:6011) to Gyeongbok palace (better choice)
My apartment is only 4 minutes away from Airport bus stop
- 50mins from Incheon International Airport by Limousine Bus
TRAIN-----Take train to Gyeongbokgung(#3line) or Gwanghwamun station(5 line)
My apartment is only 5 minutes away from MTR station

Thanks for looking! Feel free to contact us any time with questions about the apartment, travel planning, or sightseeing ideas for your next trip to Seoul.






our guest : 

                                  

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Busker Busker album release, concert planned for September

Busker Busker, an indie band that came to fame through Mnet’s audition program “Superstar K,” is planning an official comeback in September with their sophomore full-length album.

Busker Busker’s agency, Chungchun Music, announced through its official Facebook page that the band was busy making final touches to their album. 

To commemorate the release of their new album, the band is also planning a nationwide tour for their “2013 Busker Busker Concert.” 

“The band is working very hard for the release of their second album and concert planned for September, so please wish them the best and keep your expectations high,” Chungchun Music said. 

Busker Busker will kick off their tour in Busan on Oct. 3 and move on to major cities, including Daegu on Oct. 20, and Seoul on Nov. 1 and 2. 

The runner-up on “Superstar K” Season 3, Busker Busker released their first album in March 2012, receiving much acclaim for major hits such as “Yeoso Night Sea” and “Cherry Blossom Ending” and sweeping the top slots in music charts. The band released another album called “Busker Busker 1st Wrap Up Album” in June 2012 with tracks including “It’s Hard to Face You” and “If You Really Love Me.” 

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Super Junior’s ‘Super Show 5’ gathers 110,000 fans

Some 110,000 people attended Super Junior’s “Super Junior World Tour ― Super Show 5” in Japan’s Tokyo Dome on July 27 and 28, S.M. Entertainment said.

This was the boy band’s fifth “Super Show” since their first exclusive concert in February 2008. The Tokyo Dome concert marked the 80th show for the group. Including Super Junior’s audience in Singapore for the “Super Show” on July 6, more than 1 million people have attended the concerts. 

Super Junior performs during “Super Junior World Tour — Super Show 5” held in Japan’s Tokyo Dome on July 27. (S.M. Entertainment)

Super Junior performed past megahits such as “Sorry Sorry,” “Mr. Simple,” “BONAMANA,” “Sexy, Free & Single,” as well as tracks from their first official Japanese album including “Hero” and “Tuxedo.” 

To commemorate the release of “Hero,” the group’s first album in Japan, and hitting the 1 million mark in audience numbers for their shows, fans in Japan designed placards saying “You’re my HERO” and “Congratulations! A Million Audience for the SUPER SHOW” for the two days the concert was held. 

Super Junior is planning to hold additional performances in Osaka Dome on Sept. 15 for two days and is due to hold a concert in Bangkok, Thailand, on Aug. 3-4. 

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Psy’s new release due September

Psy has announced plans to release a new album in September. The release date has yet to be specified.

Psy is currently in Los Angeles working on new tracks with songwriter Yoo Kun-hyung, who worked with the singer on megahits “Gangnam Style” and “Gentleman.” 

“Psy really likes some of the new songs,” his agency YG Entertainment stated, adding, “This time he will not be releasing a single but an album with multiple tracks on it.” 

Psy attends the premiere of “RED 2” at the Westwood Village Theater in Los Angeles on July 11. (UPI-Yonhap News)

Psy and his team are also deliberating on whether the title track should be a Korean or English song.

Psy gained worldwide popularity through his song “Gangnam Style,” the singer’s 18th K-pop single, released in July 2012. The music video was uploaded to YouTube, breaking a Guinness World Record for being the first video to hit 1 billion views on the site in December 2012. 

“Gangnam Style” maintains its top spot in the “most viewed” section of YouTube with an estimated 1.7 billion views, followed by Justin Bieber’s “Baby” in second place with half the number of views. 

“Gentleman” was a follow-up to “Gangnam Style” released in April 2013. Although there was skepticism as to whether Psy could become more than a one-hit wonder, “Gentleman” also broke a record the moment it hit YouTube, becoming the first video to gain 18.9 million views in the first 24 hours of being posted.

Currently the music video is the 10th-most viewed video on YouTube with 490 million views. The debut performance for the song took place on April 13 at the World Cup Stadium in northwest Seoul, with live streaming on YouTube. 

Although “Gentleman” did not come close to the phenomenal success of “Gangnam Style,” the song earned Psy appearances on numerous primetime shows such as NBC’s “The Today Show,” “American Idol” and “Britain’s Got Talent.” The last televised performance of “Gentleman” was at the “MuchMusic Video Awards” on June 16. The single is still charting internationally, placing in the top 100 on England’s Singles Charts for 15 weeks and also in the U.S. Billboard’s Hot 100 for 14 consecutive weeks. 

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Ex-Wonder Girls member Sunmi to make solo comeback

Sunmi. (J

YP Entertainment)
Sunmi, a former member of the K-pop group Wonder Girls, has announced she will be making a comeback as a solo artist. 

More than three years have passed since Sunmi left the girl group in 2010 to pursue academic studies. 

She is still affiliated with her original agency, JYP Entertainment, which stated on Monday, “Sunmi is preparing a comeback as a solo artist. Final dates are still being worked out.” 

According to the agency, Park Jin-young, the agency chief, is going to play a major role in her comeback, personally aiding in the preparation for choreography and costumes, as well as producing the music video and tracks. 

Sunmi debuted in 2007 with the Wonder Girls. After leaving the group she entered Dongguk University’s theater and film department in 2010. The star reportedly attended classes while also receiving dance and vocal training.

After the wedding of Wonder Girls member Sunye in January, the members had suspended activities as a group. Fans are anticipating Sunmi’s possible return to the group but JYP Entertainment has stated that there are currently no other plans for Sunmi aside from her solo comeback.

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New bands get a boost from ‘K-Rookies 2013’

KOCCA program fosters alternatives to K-pop offerings

Emerging rock bands PaperTree and OopsNice will take to the stage in the last installment of the “K-Rookies 2013” concert series to be held at Muse Live, a 240-seat entertainment venue at Seoul Olympic Park, southern Seoul, on Aug. 17. This is the third concert featuring new bands, following performances by Je’she and Some Birds on June 22 and Round Heads and South Carnival on July 20. 

Organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency and launched last year, “K-Rookies” aims to support talented, emerging musicians in genres beyond the electronic tilt of K-pop.

“We introduce many young, talented musicians and provide them with stages to perform and a chance to appear on stage with more experienced artists,” Choi Hee-jin, assistant manager of KOCCA’s creative industry promotion division, told The Korea Herald. 

Round Heads performs during a “K-Rookies 2013” concert at Muse Live on June 20. (KOCCA)

PaperTree is a three-member modern rock band that is best known for its emotional lyrics and melodies. It released its first EP “Forget and Leave” in 2011 and with its latest digital single “Mad” released earlier this year, the band began to gain attention as a potential leader of the next generation of Hongdae indie bands. 

OopsNice is a five-member rock band with a female vocalist. The band has been broadening its reach by performing in many rock festivals both domestically and internationally, such as the recent Coke’n Beat 2013 held in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. 

The state-run content agency held an open audition for “K-Rookies 2013” in May during which PaperTree and OopsNice were selected along with Je’she, Some Birds, Round Heads and South Carnival as K-Rookies of the Year, from among some 200 teams. Since then KOCCA has assisted the six winning teams in new album releases and making music videos, and provided them with opportunities to perform at large-scale festivals and on television shows. The six groups will take to the stage again altogether at a year-end concert on Nov. 23, when the best three will be awarded prize money. 

Meanwhile, the witty female folk duo Okdal (Oksangdalbit) and a four-member synthpop band Peterpan Complex will also perform on Aug. 17 to support the rookie bands. Okdal will present their own bright, cheerful songs based on acoustics while Peterpan Complex will have a special stage celebrating their 10th anniversary. 

Admission to the concert is free. For more information about this performance, visit the official blog indiecoaster.tistory.com. 

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PaperTree seeks to heal

Despite debuting nearly two years ago, the members of rock trio PaperTree are still trying to make their mark on the Korean indie scene. After a recent member change, the band is now back to its original founding members ― Song Young-keun on vocals and bass, Kim Tae-hyun on guitar and Lee Ye-chan on drums. 

“Our name means a tree made with paper. And paper is made from trees, it is like an infinite cycle. We wish the same for our music careers. We get motivation and a purpose to keep pursuing music when the audience listens and loves our music,” Song said in an interview with The Korea Herald, adding, “We want to pursue music that comforts and heals people.” 

PaperTree members (from left) Kim Tae-hyun, Song Young-keun and Lee Ye-chan (PaperTree)

Just as they hope, the group’s music comforts through their poetic and heartfelt lyrics. Their post breakup-themed first album depicts a heartbroken guy writing a letter to his ex-girlfriend. All of the band’s songs are composed, written and arranged by the members themselves.

“In terms of producing our music, I come up with a melody... and lyrics and then we all get together and arrange it together,” said Song. 

PaperTree has released one mini album and a single, and Song revealed that a new album, sponsored by Korea Creative Content Agency, would be unveiled soon. 

Until the group recently started seeing success and gaining a large fan base, it had been playing on small stages in local clubs. Like many indie bands, the members even had to take on part-time jobs to make a living.

“I really wanted us to participate in last year’s event but unfortunately I missed the sign-up deadline so we had been waiting for this year’s event. I wanted to introduce ourselves and our music to more people and I am very happy that we had a good result,” Song explained.

“We are so thankful that they (KOCCA) support us on the stuff that musicians can’t handle on their own such as producing and releasing an album, organizing interviews and performances,” he added. 

On Aug. 17, the trio will perform seven to eight songs including “Sleep,” “Mist,” “You’ve Forgotten Me,” “Butterfly,” and “Mad” from the new album and “Ketamine Ample” from their first EP “Forget and Leave.” 

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Super Junior to release travel book

K-pop group Super Junior members are becoming tour guides with their new travel book, “Super Junior’s Experience Korea NEWS+Seoul.” 

The two-volume guide, which will include four separate sections titled “Tasting,” “Feeling,” “Making” and “Enjoying,” is set to hit the shelves Aug. 16.

For the making of the book, 10 of the group’s members traveled in pairs around Korea during different seasons. Siwon and Donghae traveled to the northern part of the country, Kyuhyun and Yesung to the east, Shindong and Eunhyuk to the west, Lee Teuk and Ryeowook to the south, while Kangin and Sungmin traveled around Seoul. 

The book will provide the usual travel tips, such as where to eat and where to stay, but in a more personal way than other books, with the members adding funny episodes that occurred while traveling into the mix.

The boy band is also trying something special by providing Augmented Reality phone applications along with the book. Readers will be able to watch related video clips and images on their phone to make it seem as if they are actually traveling with the members. 

Meanwhile, the hallyu stars are to perform in Taiwan’s Taipei Arena on Aug. 10 as part of their ongoing world tour “Super Show 5.”

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KARA to release new album in September

Girl group KARA is to release a new album in September. 

DSP media, KARA’s agency, provided a glimpse of the styling for the upcoming album in a teaser image released on Monday. 

The black-and-white album cover shows the five members dressed in black suits, sporting dishevelled, pulled-back hairstyles. The group has deviated from their usual sexy and cute look, moving toward a more androgynous, edgier vibe. 

KARA. (DSP Media)

The upcoming album will be the K-pop group’s 4th album release in Korea. Their last full-length release was “Step” in 2011. They released an EP, “Pandora” in 2012, making this album a much awaited return for the group. 

“KARA spent a busy year on roles for dramas such as ‘That Winter, the Wind Blows’ and ‘Secret Love’ while working abroad, largely in Japan. While they were working they continued to come up with ideas for their new album,” DSP media stated. 

An official date for KARA’s new release is yet to be announced. 

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Seungri releases explicit music video teaser

Big Bang member Seungri released an R-rated video teaser on YG Entertainment’s official blog for the title track for his upcoming solo album “Let’s Talk about Love” on Friday. 

Viewers need to go through adult confirmation in order to watch the 28-second teaser, which overall has a dreamy ambience much different from the concept of his first solo album released in 2011. 

The teaser, which doesn’t feature Seungri himself, shows provocative slow-motion scenes of models and artistic close-up shots of sexually symbolic objects. 

A captured scene from Seungri’s music video teaser for his new upcoming solo album (YG Entertainment)

“Seungri played an active role not only in composing songs for the album, but also in production, just like for his first album,” YG Entertainment stated on their official blog. 

Some of the more risque scenes that have caught viewers’ attention include the scene of a hand grazing a woman’s chest, and a man taking off a woman’s underwear. 

The five-member group Big Bang debuted in 2006 with G-Dragon acting as leader and is considered one of the most popular K-pop groups both in Korea and overseas. 

All members of Big Bang have come out with solo albums in the past. Especially for members G-Dragon and T.O.P., they have actively participated as a duo as well as individual solo artists, coming out with hits such as “High High” and “Knock Out.” 

Seungri’s new track features Big Bang members G-dragon and Taeyang, who each contributed to the production of the new title track. It’s the first time three members got together and took part in the production of a new solo album since their debut in 2006. 

“I always wanted to work with them. I imagined it to be very pleasant. The sophisticated beat and instrumental sound were all we needed for the song. I made my part; Ji-yong (G-dragon) wrote the rap and Taeyang composed a wonderful melody,” wrote Seungri on his Facebook page on Tuesday. 

Although there has been criticism for the teaser because of its blatant sexuality, many fans showed anticipation for an older, more mature Seungri capable of standing alone as a solo artist like the other members of the group. 

Seungri’s “Let’s Talk about Love” is set to be released online on Aug. 19 and the album will be available for sale in stores on Aug. 21. 

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Keeping it fresh

Underground hip-hop label Hi-Lite Records works to keep creative flow, gain more exposure

This is the second in a series on producers, MCs, DJs and artists working in the Korean underground hip-hop scene. ― Ed.


According to Korean rapper Paloalto, promotion is difficult for independent labels in Korea. Lack of financing limits their promotional reach and makes it difficult for promotion companies to want to work with them.

But a recent show put on by underground hip-hop label Hi-Lite Records saw hundreds crowd into the venue to support the artists, while the musicians jumped from one side of the stage to the other, exuding an energetic force that was infectious.

Three members ― Paloalto, who started the label, B Free and Huckleberry P ― recently sat down with The Korea Herald. The group wrapped up a three-stop tour not too long ago, hitting Busan, Daegu and Seoul. The tour highlighted the label’s first compilation album, “Hi-Life,” which dropped on June 25. 

“First of all, it’s our third year since establishing Hi-Lite Records. Since it’s been three years and we’ve been together for some time, we thought it would be fun to come together with all the artists in the agency to make a compilation album,” said Paloalto.

Members of Hi-Lite Records (Hi-Lite Records)

Its title from a song off B Free’s first album, the album draws from the experiences of the Hi-Lite artists, experiences which vary widely ― Paloalto and Huckleberry P have been in the underground scene for about 10 years, while others, such as B Free, who grew up in Hawaii, have only been around for about 4 years.

“What we’re talking about is from our experiences, like how to survive in this business, in the industry. And basically just trying to guide other kids or future artists, show them the right way,” said B Free. “Tell them about our experiences, not one in particular, but as a whole what our mindset was, what our goal is, what we’ve been through.”

Paloalto said it was difficult initially to get the album together since all the artists have different ideas and musical tendencies. He credited B Free for getting things going and then passing it on for others to finish. 

The artists at Hi-Lite were all doing their own thing before the label started three years ago and it wasn’t until all the members joined that they really started working together, according to Paloalto. But once they joined the label, the artists grew closer.

“We talk to each other a lot so when we’re having a conversation and ideas for songs or concepts come to mind, we’re able to work together. For creating music, there isn’t an exact time and place it happens,” he said. “We meet and everything happens naturally.”

The rapper said that some of the challenges they face as an underground label involve creativity, how to keep their work fresh. However, the biggest challenge is financing. 

Big agencies have all the money, which makes promotion easier since they can utilize a variety of media from TV to the Internet, said B Free. As soon as an album is released, it’s online and everyone knows about it. But it’s much harder for smaller labels that don’t have the same resources.

“We can’t beat the big agencies. That’s why we’re trying to put out better quality music and think of new ideas to make good content,” said Paloalto. 

“Our music isn’t mainstream in terms of sound or lyrics. Also, a PR company looks for artists that can make them money, who are already well known and popular, so it’s difficult to find a team that will promote an indie label.” 

The group says they see social networking services more as a way to reach out to their fans rather than a medium of promotion, since most of the people who follow them are diehard fans already. 

They each said that in the future they hope to keep being creative, find new things to do, and to not be afraid to express themselves. The group’s biggest goal is to not be afraid to say what they want about society ― something they say they’ve never shied away from, especially when it comes to commenting on the Korean education system.

“We want people to know it’s okay to pursue your goals and do whatever you want to do,” said Huckleberry P.

And it’s creativity that feeds the underground hip-hop scene, according to Paloalto. He said today there are a lot more talented and skilled rappers than when the scene first started out. Back then, it was more raw and people really just loved the music for itself. 

Nowadays, people get into the scene for the love of the music, but also, with the dream of making it big. This pushes artists in the underground to be more creative. It’s more than just the music; now they have to have a good album design and pay attention to style.

They hope that more talented artists keep joining the underground hip-hop scene.

“Because those kinds of artists need to keep popping up in order for the underground hip-hop scene to continue existing,” said Paloalto.

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Summer essentials

Summer essentials

From print dresses to cool blazers to sunscreen, things to get you vacation-ready

As soon as the rainy season ends, sweltering heat blankets the nation, prompting those who haven’t gone on vacation to head to the beaches, go camping or enjoy the quiet, empty city. 

August is the best time for summer shopping as some summer essential items go on sale. Before getting ready for the long-awaited vacation, some trends are worth keeping in mind. They may help you score some items that will make your holiday a blast. 

Silk jersey print dress by Tory Burch (Cheil Industries)

Exotic prints for beach-goers

Bold prints are in style for this season as they make for a complete look without having to wear many accessories to stand out on a beach. 

“If you are going to a resort for summer vacation, a print dress in bold colors is a must-have. The print dress from Tory Burch’s 2013 resort collection can be worn over a swimsuit or can become a sophisticated piece suitable for special occasions like dinner at an upscale restaurant or beach parties,” said Lee Eun-joo, director of Tory Burch. 

For an edgier look, exotic prints and geometric patterns are another option. 

Korean fashion brand Epitaph suggests print dresses, jumpsuits and rompers in exotic and geometric prints. 

Models show Epitaph’s romper (left) and jersey print dress.(Cheil Industries)

Epitaph suggests a top and a long skirt in natural, exotic patterns inspired by a tree trunk. The separate pieces can look like a dress when they are worn together with a belt. The separates are useful in creating diverse looks with limited items while on vacation. Matching them with a pair of shorts or other accessories can polish your look for any occasion. 

The rompers in geometric patterns can be effortlessly stylish and easy to wear on the beach. 

“Bold and intense prints are gaining attention this summer, more than ever. When you wear the bold print dress, you should keep accessories minimal, unnoticed in neutral colors so that all the attention can go to your dress,” said Lim Soo-hyun, director of the design division of Epitaph. 

Versatile pieces for camping 

Camping has grown in popularity as a leisure activity in summer. Outdoor activities seem remote from anything fashionable, but the recent surge in sales of camping gear has prompted outdoor camping brands to release attire that appeals to those who want to look good while roughing it out in the wild.

Bean Pole Outdoor’s shorts for women satisfy both campers and urbanites with its wrap-skirt-like feature. The shorts are functional in both the sweaty urban environment and for light outdoor activities such as biking and walking on a trail, adding a feminine touch to camping looks dominated by boyish items. 

Another signature pair of camping shorts, “Logo Stretch Shorts,” made with comfortable stretch cotton, is fast rising as the favorite outdoor shorts for both men and women as they match perfectly with almost any T-shirt and lightweight jumper. 

To accessorize the basic look, one can add a skinny belt or a colorful baseball cap. 

“Bean Pole Outdoor has proposed several looks that anyone can find useful and follow with simple items. As the heat wave is expected to continue, shorts and shirts are going to be popular items for campers,” said a designer from Bean Pole Outdoor’s design team. 

A model wears a casual shirt and shorts from 8 Seconds. (Cheil Industries)

How to stay cool in the city: tips for men
Socks, dress shoes and dress shirts are some of the key items for men for formal looks, but in summer, they become nuisances that raise the body temperature. 

“We can make a chic summer look without the typical three pieces,” said Lee Eun-mi, creative director of the men’s fashion brand Pal Zileri. 

The essential pieces in men’s summer look are shorts, linen blazers and cool shoes. 

As more young men opt for the slim and stylish look, they go for shirts that are tight-fitting. Popular colors are white and beige that go well with almost any blazer or shirt. 

Fabrics are the second-most important element when it comes to staying cool in the summer. Natural fabrics such as cotton and linen or seersucker ― the thin, light and crinkled fabric popularly worn in summer ― are used for jackets and shirts in cool colors like navy and white. 

Rather than traditional dress shoes, summer is the season to try a variety of shoe styles such as loafers, boat shoes and slip-ons. 

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Drama-inspired tourist program offers Korean cooking class

There is more to Korean culture than Psy and K-dramas. For those interested in the country’s traditions, the state-run Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation is launching a tourist program to promote Korea’s food, music, dance and more.

Titled “HAN STYLE,” the program features the traditional Korean cuisine hansik, the traditional Korean costume hanbok, the traditional Korean paper hanji and the Korean writing system Hangeul, as well as traditional dance and music performances.

Foreigners learn how to make Korean royal cuisine in Seoul’s Korea House. (Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation)

When the program is introduced in August, participants will be able to participate in a cooking class to learn to prepare Korean royal court cuisine. Those who watched the popular “Jewel in the Palace” may be familiar with what they get to cook, as the two dishes ― sungchae dumplings and seasoned bamboo shoots with ripe persimmon ― were shown in the 2003 Korean period drama series. 

Sungchae dumplings are wrapped in Chinese cabbage leaves, instead of the typical skin made by rolling out flour dough. In the drama series, its protagonist Jang Geum (played by top actress Lee Young-ae), who is an apprentice cook for the royal family in the Joseon palace, makes dumplings for the king with cabbage leaves after her flour is stolen by a coworker. 

Sungchae dumplings (right) and seasoned bamboo shoots with ripe persimmon. (Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation)

Han Bok-ryo, holder of Intangible Cultural Property No. 38 in the culinary arts of the Joseon royal court, helped the organizers create the cooking class program. Han served as a food consultant for “Jewel in the Palace.”

“In order to learn about Korea’s traditional cuisine, you have to understand Korea’s natural environment and the four seasons,” Han said at a pilot class held Tuesday.

“The Korean Peninsula is surrounded by the ocean, with mountains along its east coast and most of its rivers flowing westward. We get plenty of seafood, as well as freshwater fish from the rivers, and a lot of other ingredients from the mountains and the fields. That is why we have so many different kinds of food, aside from bulgogi and kimchi,” she said.

In September, participants will learn how to make bossam ― reportedly Psy’s favorite Korean food ― in which steamed pork is wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves and topped with soybean paste or hot pepper paste. The organizers said they chose to include bossam in the cooking class program because Psy has repeatedly recommended it whenever he goes overseas. 

Those who participate in “HAN STYLE” can also take photos wearing hanbok, learn how to write their own names in Hangeul, and watch Korea’s traditional performances including buchaechum, which is performed by a group of female dancers with folding fans.

The program takes place at the Korea House in Pil-dong, central Seoul, a traditional Korean building designated to promote traditional Korean culture among both locals and foreigners. 

The “HAN STYLE” program runs from August to December, every Sunday, Monday and Thursday at 4 p.m. Tickets cost 30,000 won. For more information, visit www.koreahouse.co.kr or www.chf.or.kr.

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Seoul photo essay

seoul photo essay

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Taking a relaxing stroll through botanical gardens at Mount Yumyeongsan

A boardwalk built in Yumyeongsan National Recreational Forest (KFS)

For busy city dwellers, even thinking of wasting several hours in a car, train or bus during a short summer vacation is stressful. 

But just one hour’s drive east from Seoul is a marvelous driving course along Cheongpyeong Lake and through Cheongpyeong Dam. The road from Seorak-myeon all the way to Yumyeongsan National Recreational Forest immerses travelers in the lush greenery of the countryside. 

For those who enjoy hiking, the trail of flat and steep slopes along with the valley and rocky outcrops are challenging as well as exciting. The recreational forest is also equipped with physical training facilities, 2.6 kilometers of road, cabins and a campsite. 

Opened in 1989, Yumyeongsan National Recreational Forest in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, is the oldest of the country’s recreational forests. Yumyeongsan is famous for not only its scenery but also the various activities it hosts. And especially for children, it can be a great opportunity to learn about the forest. 

They can get a better understanding of Mother Nature and become aware of the need for its protection after a visit to the natural botanical garden, which provides various programs such as forestry-related educational and cultural activities.

Those who want to spend a night in the forest or use a boardwalk trail should make a reservation beforehand on its website, www.huyang.go.kr.

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