Kimchi, the traditional Korean side dish generally made of fermented cabbage, salt and hot pepper powder, is the country’s most famous staple dish.   Eaten at almost every meal, kimchi means so much to Koreans that the country has a day dedicated to it – Korea designated November 22 as Kimchi Day in 2020, in line with efforts to promote kimchi’s excellence in terms of nutrition and highlight its cultural value.   Not only Korea, but several U.S. states – Cal

Bangkok Korean Film Festival participants in Thailand’s capital, October 7 (Courtesy of Korean Cultural Center Bangkok) The growth of Korean culture’s popularity around the world has spurred an increase in cultural exchanges. In the past, cultural programs typically introduced traditional aspects of Korea, such as food, taekwondo and Hanbok.   But Korea has much more to share now with an increasing array of acclaimed music and films added to the choices.  

Korean melon chamoe (Courtesy of gettyimagesbank) In this globalized world, foods and ingredients that used to be enjoyed in one region have spread to other parts of the world and are now available almost anywhere. But there still are some items that are consumed primarily in specific countries, and Korea has its fair share of those.   Chamoe, or Korean melon, is grown and eaten predominantly in Korea. It is known to have spread from China to Korea and Japan, but the

A shaman sings during the annual festival at Geumseongdang in northwestern Seoul, October 7. A majestic old Korean house sits amid the cookie-cutter high-rises of Eunpyeong New Town in the northwestern edge of Seoul. The single-story building was founded as a shrine to Prince Geumseong (1426-57), King Sejong’s sixth son, and sponsored by the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Known as Geumseongdang, it is the only remaining shrine out of three that used to be found around the capital.

A PC bang, Korean internet cafe, in Seoul. Tourists come to Korea with their own list of things to see and do. Some are tempted by surviving examples of traditional architecture like palaces and Buddhist temples, while others want to try different kinds of food that they saw in Korean films, TV dramas or meokbang videos. Some want to catch a panoramic view of Seoul from the tops of skyscrapers or soak in the idyllic scenery of rural villages, while others want to shop around f