In 2020, Korean idol group BTS made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and took to the stage, framed by the night view of Gyeongbokgung, to perform their 2018 hit song Idol. A Korean group performing on the most popular talk show in America is a feat in itself, however, even more…
Introduction Cafes are a staple in modern Korean society. The busy streets of Seoul are dotted with small oases offering americanos, smoothies, lattes, and cakes. Even pastries and cakes renowned for their difficulty and the expertise needed to make, such as macarons, croissants, and mille-crepe, are available as an everyday snack for a simple…
Getbol is widely situated on the western and southern coast of the Korean peninsula. Getbol is a flat area along the coast that is submerged at the flow and exposed at the ebb of each tide, which is a depositional landform created by fine soil carried by the tidal current for a long time. …
Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes show the geological history of the planet. Formed by volcanic eruptions, Jeju Island is full of a number of unique volcanic topography and beautiful scenery. Hallasan Mountain is a typical example, which is 1,950m high and a volcanic mountain in the center of Jeju Island. A crater lake,…
Changdeokgung is a palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) located in Seoul. Out of five palaces of the Joseon Dynasty in Seoul, Changdeokgung Palace was secondly constructed in 1405 following Gyeongbokgung Palace. Although originally built as a secondary palace to the main palace of Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung Palace had accommodated the kings for the longest period…
Jongmyo Shrine enshrines the spirit tablets of the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The Joseon Dynasty held memorial ceremonies for the ancestors of the royal family, by taking Confucianism as its ruling ideology and adopting the Jongmyo system. The most important buildings within Jonhmyo Shirne are the Jeongjeon Hall and Yeongnyeongjeon…
Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple are Buddhist relics built in the 8th century during the Silla Dynasty (57 BC-AD 935) of Korea. Seokguram is a grotto that enshrines a monumental statue of Buddha and Bulguksa is a Buddhist temple. As situated in Mt. Tohamsan in Gyeongju which was the capital of the Silla, both relics…
Korea is a ‘country of dolmens.’ A dolmen is a type of tomb constructed of large stones. While found all over the world, dolmens are mostly discovered in Korea, China and Japan. In particular, more than 40 percent of all dolmens in the world are located in the Korean peninsula, with the number of around…
Pansori is a Korean traditional folk music. One ‘Sorikkun’ (means a vocalist in Korean), weaves a story by using songs, words, and gestures along with the beat of a ‘Gosu’ (means a drummer in Korean). Audiences actively join the performance by adding exclamatory words like ‘Eolssigu (means Yippee)’ and ‘Jota(means good).’ While not exactly…
Arirang is a representative folk song in Korea. Even though nobody knows exactly who, when, and where it started, it has become a representative song of Korea. Arirang contains various emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure that can be felt in the ordinary life. During the painful and harsh period of Japanese…