Korean Travel Online - Event Updates (3rd week of Feb)

We've added some new festivals with confirmed dates plus events related to the upcoming Jeongwol Daeboreum (first full moon of the lunar new year)


FESTIVALS:

Korea Grand Sale	Jan 11 – Feb 28		various
Jindo Miracle Sea Festival	Apr 25 – Apr 28	Jindo	Jeollanam-do
Jeju Field-Burning Festival	Mar 8 – Mar 10	Jeju-si	Jeju-do
Jeju Hueree Apricot Flower Festival	Feb 20 – Mar 10	Seogwipo	Jeju-do
Ganghwa Bingeo Festival	Dec 22 – Feb 24	Ganghwa	Incheon
Happy Winter Festival	Dec 14 – Mar 3	Yeonsu	Incheon
Happy Winter Festival	Dec 22 – Mar 3	Changwon	Gyeongsangnam-do
Jinhae Gunhangje Festival	Apr 1 – Apr 10	Changwon	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Happy Winter Festival	Dec 15 – Mar 3	Gumi	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Uljin Snow Crab & Red Snow Crab Festival	Feb 28 – Mar 3	Uljin	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Holdman Lighting Show (Provence Village)	Dec 23 – Mar 31	Paju	Gyeonggi-do
Herb Island Light Festival	Through Apr 30	Pocheon	Gyeonggi-do
Happy Winter Festival	Dec 15 – Feb 24	Seo-gu	Gwangju
Gangneung Full Moon Rite	Feb 24	Gangneung	Gangwon-do
Samcheok Jeongwol Daeboreum Festival	Feb 22 – 24	Samcheok	Gangwon-do
Happy Winter Festival	Dec 19 – Feb 17	Yuseong	Daejeon
Happy Winter Festival	Dec 21 – Feb 24	Buk-gu	Daegu
Dalbi Dalmaji Festival (Moon Welcoming)	Feb 24	Daegu	Daegu
Nonsan Strawberry Festival	Apr 3 – Apr 7	Nonsan	Chungcheongnam-do

EXHIBITS:

Maden Pictures 13	Jan 15 – Mar 3	Cheongdam	Seoul
Joseon Dynasty Life	Jan 15 – Feb 24	Jongno	Seoul
Engraving Exhibition-Baptiste Fompeyrine	Jan 15 – Feb 24	Jongno	Seoul
Year of the Snake Exhibition	Through Feb 25	Jongno	Seoul
Cartographic Achievements of Joseon	Through Feb 28	Jongno	Seoul
Money Garden	Through Nov	Jongno	Seoul
Tim Burton Exhibition	Dec 12 – Apr 14	Jung-gu	Seoul
Memory of Landscape I have never seen	Jan 25 – Apr 21	Jung-gu	Seoul
Scent of Masterpieces: Reillumination of Korea Modern Painting	Through May 12	Jung-gu	Seoul
Van Gogh in Paris	through Mar 24	Seocho	Seoul
I Am an Artist Exhibition	Through Mar 31	Seocho	Seoul
Musei Vaticani Collection	Through Mar 31	Seocho	Seoul
American Impressionism Exhibition	Through Mar 29	Seocho-gu	Seoul
Mongolian Archeological Excavation Result Exhibition	Apr 23 – Jun 23	Yongsan	Seoul
Art Across America	Feb 5 – May 19	Yongsan	Seoul
A Painter’s Life: Kang Sehwang and Literati Culture	Jun 11 – Aug 11	Yongsan	Seoul
The Peranakan World: Cross-cultural Art from Singapore and the Straits	Mar 19 – May 19	Yongsan	Seoul
Buddhist Guardian Paintings of Late Joseon	May 14 – Sep 8	Yongsan	Seoul
History in Glass	Through Feb 27	Yongsan	Seoul
The World Animals: Exhibition Project	through Mar 3	Yongsan	Seoul
Caricatures of Korean Presidents	Through Mar 31	Bucheon	Gyeonggi-do
Snake Exhibition at Seoul Zoo	Jan 1 – Feb 28	Gwacheon	Gyeonggi-do
Dream Walking in the Magical Reality	Through Aug 11	Gwacheon	Gyeonggi-do
Lim Choong-sup Exhibition	Through Feb 24	Gwacheon	Gyeonggi-do
The Poetic Object - Contemporary Crafts	Through Mar 31	Gwacheon	Gyeonggi-do
Donated Photographs 2012	Through May 26	Gwacheon	Gyeonggi-do
Alive Gallery - Living Art	Through Mar 3	Buk-gu	Daegu
Korean Life & Customs of Modern Times (Free)	Through Feb 28	Jung-gu	Daegu
Contemporary Video Art in China	Through Feb 24	Cheonan	Chungcheongnam-do
Journey to the World-Renowned Art Museums	Jan 5 – Feb 28	Haeundae	Busan

OTHERS:
 

Seoul International Photo and Imaging Industry Show	Apr 4 – Apr 7	Gangnam	Seoul
Korea Travel Expo 2013	Feb 28 – Mar 3	Gangnam	Seoul
Korea World Travel Fair	May 30 – Jun 2	Gangnam	Seoul
Seoul International Marathon	Mar 17	Jongno	Seoul
Wednesday Midday Concerts	3rd Wed of each month	Jung-gu	Seoul
International Gugak Workshop	Mar 26 (deadline)	Seocho	Seoul
National Gugak Center Music Classes	Mar 7 (deadline)	Seocho	Seoul
Suncheon Bay Garden Expo 2013	Apr 20 – Oct 20	Suncheon	Jeollanam-do
Miryang Arirang Marathon	Feb 24	Miryang	Gyeongsangnam-do
Gyeongju Bomun Lake Resort Grand Sale	Feb 14 – Mar 3	Gyeongju	Gyeongsangbuk-do
Five Color Starlight Garden Exhibition	Dec 7 – Mar 3	Gapyeong	Gyeonggi-do
Traditional Music & Dance	Saturdays 2013	Busan	Busan
Jeonju National Museum Holds Seollal / Jeongwol Daeboreum Celebrations	Feb 9 – Feb 24	Jeonju	Jeollabuk-do

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Official site: www.visitkorea.or.kr

Korean Travel Online - KTO on Arirang Radio 20130214

Today we discussed the following:

(click the links below for more details)

Gyeongju Bomun Lake Resort Grand Sale 2013 Starts February 14

Lotte World Offers Special Seollal Discount (through Feb 17)

Calligraphy Event at KTO Tourist Information Center

Sistar19 Fan Signing on Feb 16
 

Hit the play button below to start listening.

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Youtube: www.youtube.com/visitkorea
Official site: www.visitkorea.or.kr

Korean Travel Online - Seoul City Hall Guided Tour - How to Sign Up

Here's how to sign-up for the free Seoul City Hall Guided Tour.

1. Register for an account on the Seoul website or sign in if you already have one: http://www.seoul.go.kr/seoul/jsp/member2/regist_01.jsp?SITE_GB=GB009

2. Choose Foreigner Registration (외국인가입)

3. Agree to everything in order to proceed

4. Enter your name and ARC number. Name should be as how it appears on your card.

4. Enter your details as follow. Password should be at least 10 characters and a combination of letters and numbers.

5. The next screen is basically selecting news and updates that you want to receive. In our case, we choose museum and events.

6. When you click confirm, you will be prompted to log in with your username and password. So log in.

4. Now to go http://yeyak.seoul.go.kr and click on 'Go Reservation'

5. Starting from the list of the left, choose Junggu > Cultural Events > Exhibition/Cruise > Seoul City Hall Tour

6. Log in with your username and password

7. Click on your desired date and you will be able to choose the time from the drop down menu on the right. Click 'Next' to select the number of people. Click 'Next' again to enter your address. Click 'Pay Now' to proceed (Don't worry, the payment amount will be zero).

8. Success! Print out the confirmation sheet and bring it with you on the date of your visit




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Official site: www.visitkorea.or.kr 

Korean Travel Online - Seoul City Hall Free Guided Tour

Recently, we took the free guided tour of the Seoul City Hall, called the Tong Tong Tour Program. From someone who's never been to any city hall in Korea, this was one great experience. We knew the Seoul City Hall looks magnificent from the outside but we didn't have any idea that it looked this impressive on the inside too. In fairness, we didn't really expect much aside from it having the usual facilities that most city halls have. This one has all that and more, much more.

We took the Sunday morning 10:20 am tour. Our guide, Miss Jinju was inside by the front door and she greeted us with a warm smile. After greetings and introductions, she proceeded with the tour. Starting from the ground floor, to the Sky Plaza at the 9th floor, to the library, and down to the Citizen's Hall at the basement. Also, if you watched episode 130 of Running Man (the one that aired January 27, 2013), some of the places inside the City Hall will be familiar.

Once you arrive inside the City Hall, look for this Tong Tong Tour sign. Your guide will be standing beside it.

Now, on with the tour...

The new city hall is located just behind the old city hall. The old city hall is now converted into the Seoul Metropolitan Library.  The old city hall building has been occupying that spot since 1926. It is also registered as a cultural heritage, number 52 to be exact. Hence, meticulous efforts were taken to preserve the facade of the old city hall building.

The design of the new building was selected through a design competition. Building it came with challenges too, since Deoksugung Palace is just across the street and nothing can be constructed within 100 meters. Also, there is a height limit that must be adhered to.

The facade is made up of 7,300 sheets of glass, 1,700 of which had to be custom made one by one because of the curves. These are also highly efficient glass made with three types of coating. Compared to regular glass, they are twice as effective at blocking heat. This new building opened its doors to the public in October 2012. The design is not only aesthetically pleasing, being inspired by the eaves of a hanok house. 60% of the space inside is for the officials, while 40% is for the citizen's use.

The lobby is called as the Eco Plaza. Here, one of the most eye-catching features is the 28 meter high 'Green Wall' that spans seven stories and covers 1,600 square meters of space, and is made up of 14 different species of plants. Don't bother asking if they are fake or real. We assure you that they are VERY real. If you paid attention during Science class in grade school, you'll know that plants release oxygen during photosynthesis so their existence here has a practical purpose. The wall of plants here also serves to help keep the indoor temperatures low during summer and purifies the air by filtering negative ions.

The building is also eco-friendly and uses solar and geothermal power. Solar panels are installed on the roof. We have no way of taking a photo from the top so we took a picture of this scale model of the building.

The other eye-catching feature at the lobby is this huge bunch of balloons hanging from the top. We thought they were there for a celebration or something. Turns out it is actually an artwork made by Jeon Su-cheon that was selected through a competition titled Meta Epic: Seobeol (Seobeol is the old name of Seoul). This gigantic tornado of polycarbonate water drops hanging from the ceiling strongly expresses the dream and goal of eco-city, Seoul. It takes the shape of tornado energetically uprising with the water drops, which symbolize life, water, air and light, and these drops are the motif of the work. It is also showing dynamic energy for creating new history after the long exchange of civilization and history of Seoul.

8th floor art exhibition space

9th floor Sky Square

The 8th floor is an art exhibition space free for everyone to enjoy. The 9th floor the Sky Square where you can find a store and a coffee shop called the Happy Plus Store that sells reasonably priced coffee (Latte for 2,800 won only) and other goods made by the handicapped.

There is also a bridge that connects the new building with the old building and the bridge takes you right to the library. The library comes with a separate tour but this tour comes with a quick glimpse of the old city hall and the new library.

The library itself is quite impressive in its own right. The Seoul Metropolitan Library has a huge collection of books, Disability Collections, Seoul Documents Collections, Global Collections, and more. This is the representative library that creates and implements programs for the libraries in Seoul. It also has a comprehensive search tool to identify materials among 320 libraries in Seoul. The thing we like the most is that it has sliding bookshelves by the windows. Above all four floors of the library, there is a museum that gives you a glimpse of the original structures of the building.

Planning and Situation Room

Reception Room

Mayor's office

The carpet in the mayor's office is also the original carpet from the 1920's. Proof of that when renovations where taking place in 2008, they found old newspapers dated June 6, 1926 under the carpets.

At the basement (basements 1 and 2) of Seoul City Hall is the Seoul Citizen's Hall. It serves as a space for listening to the voice of the citizens and encouraging participation.

Relics Exhibition Hall with see-through floors

Citizen's speech podium

Media Wall

You can also add your own message...

... and have it show up on the monitors

At the Citizen's Hall Gallery, families can have their pictures taken for free, the pictures will be displayed in the gallery and the family can take home copies of the picture.

Umbrellas with messages written on them. This symbolizes Seoul public officials' intention to be an umbrella for Seoul citizens.

There's still so much more to see at the Seoul City Hall but you have to take the tour yourself to find out. We highly recommend this guided tour and hope you'll be as impressed as we are.

If you want to sign up for the tour, check out THIS post for step-by-step instructions.

Language	Schedules
English	Tue	10:00
	Sat	10:20, 15:00
	Sun	10:20, 14:20
Japanese	Fri	10:00
	Sat	14:20
Chinese	Thr	14:00
	Sat	10:40, 14:40
Korean	Tue	14:00
	Wed	10:00, 14:00
	Thr	10:00
	Fri	14:00
	Sat	10:00, 14:00
	Sun	10:00, 14:00

City Hall Facilities Reservation: yeyak.seoul.go.kr
Seoul Metropolitan Library: lib.seoul.go.kr
Seoul Citizen's Hall: www.seoulcitizenshall.kr or www.facebook.com/SeoulCitizensHall



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