Trace BTS' history through these 7 tourist spots

With just a month to go until BTS takes the stage at Gwanghwamun Square, anticipation is building across Seoul. The performance — marking the group’s return to full-group activities after over three years — is drawing fans from around the world to the capital. Beyond the square itself, the city is dotted with places tied to BTS’ journey. From historic landmarks to meaningful fan spaces, here are seven stops that add an extra layer of meaning to any concert trip. Gyeongbokgung Jongno-gu, central

Feb. 21, 2026

Exhibition on Admiral Yi Sun-sin draws record crowds

More than 300,000 people have visited a special exhibition at the National Museum of Korea devoted to the life and legacy of the revered naval commander Yi Sun-sin, the museum said this week -- a record for a show centered on Korean cultural heritage and history. As of Wednesday, the exhibition, titled “The Great Admiral Yi Sun-sin,” had drawn 305,142 visitors since opening on Nov. 28. Attendance has averaged more than 3,700 people a day, making it the museum’s most successful special exhibition

Feb. 20, 2026

Korea’s DIY charm craze is booming — Even combs are getting makeovers

In Seoul’s bustling wholesale district, a new kind of makeover is drawing crowds — not for faces or wardrobes, but for mirrors, combs and even ballpoint pens. By midmorning, the accessory supply arcade on the fifth floor of Dongdaemun Shopping Complex in Jongno-gu is already packed. Inside narrow stalls, shoppers huddle over trays of pastel beads, cartoon charms and glittering trinkets, assembling what they call “bit-kku” (decorating combs) and “geo-kku” (decorating mirrors). From Hello Kitty an

Feb. 20, 2026

Where to watch Daeboreum lunar eclipse in Seoul

On March 3, as South Korea marks Jeongwol Daeboreum, the first full moon of the lunar year, skywatchers will witness a rare spectacle: a total lunar eclipse, in which the moon slips entirely into the Earth’s shadow. Often called a “blood moon,” the phenomenon occurs when the moon passes into Earth’s shadow and sunlight, filtered through the planet’s atmosphere, bends and scatters shorter blue wavelengths before reaching the moon. The remaining red and orange light casts the moon in copper and cr

Feb. 20, 2026

19th-century view of Korean Peninsula unfolds in Daedongyeojido

How did Koreans understand the geography of their country centuries ago? A large map of the Korean Peninsula put together by geographer Gim Jeong-ho in 1861 during the Joseon era marked a milestone in Korean geography history. The National Museum of Korea on Feb. 12 unfurled the map, known as Daedongyeojido — spanning 6.7 meters in height and 3.8 meters in width — in the museum's permanent gallery on the first floor, bringing together all 22 sections of the map. The map divides the Korean Penins

Feb. 19, 2026

Treasures from National Museum of Korea

Nationality/Period Joseon Era (1392-1910) Materials Ceramics - White Porcelain Category Food - Tableware - Foods and Drinks - dish Dimensions D. 14.8cm Accession Number Sujeong209 Location Donated Collection2 This blue-and-white porcelain dish was made in the 19th century at the government-sponsored kiln in Bunwon-ri in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. It is decorated with a waterside scene brushed in the folk-painting style. Although the decorative design is rather complex, the different shades of c

Feb. 18, 2026

Nearly half of Korean cultural artifacts abroad are in Japan, government survey finds

More than 250,000 Korean cultural heritage items are currently overseas, with Japan accounting for the largest share of 43 percent, government data showed Wednesday, reflecting a global dispersal shaped by war, colonial rule, collecting and cultural exchange. As of Jan. 1, a total of 121,143 catalogued records comprising 256,190 artifacts have been identified overseas, according to the Korea Heritage Service and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation. The figures are based on surveys c

Feb. 18, 2026

Diriyah Biennale seeks to engage, not antagonize

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The 30-minute drive from King Khalid International Airport to Riyadh is lined with signs announcing the upcoming 2030 World Expo taking place in the Saudi capital. With construction sites and tower cranes looming over the desert horizon, there is a palpable sense of transformation. The transformation is being driven by Saudi Vision 2030, launched in 2016, which seeks to transform the oil-dependent kingdom into a modern, inclusive state with sustainable development and tech

Feb. 16, 2026

Where to celebrate Seollal in Seoul

From Monday to Wednesday, several cultural venues across Seoul will open special programs for Seollal, the Lunar New Year holiday. With traditional rituals, games and performances on offer, the events provide an easy way to experience Korea’s seasonal customs. If you are in Seoul during the holiday, here are a few places to consider for a taste of local tradition and heritage. At Namsangol Hanok Village, a recreated village of historical Korean buildings, visitors can wander through courtyards l

Feb. 14, 2026

Christine Sun Kim to feature at MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026 in July

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Korea announced Thursday that Christine Sun Kim was chosen for the MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026, a project dedicated to presenting experimental practices in contemporary art. As a Korean American artist, Kim has explored the structures of communication across a wide range of media, including sound, language, drawing and performance. Based in Berlin, Kim draws on her personal experience navigating between signed and spoken languages to question establi

Feb. 13, 2026

Chief architecture policy commissioner urges shift from iconic design to public planning

As the standard of Korean architecture has advanced in recent years, Kim Jin-ai, chief commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Architecture Policy, called Friday for a fundamental shift in how the country approaches public architecture — urging planners to prioritize process and long-term planning over headline-grabbing iconic designs. “Politicians are often preoccupied with building projects to rack up visible achievements of their own, without enough consideration of why a particular pu

Feb. 13, 2026

Put your phone down and pick up these games for Seollal fun

The following is part of a series exploring how traditional Korean living is reimagined for contemporary lifestyles amid renewed attention on cultural heritage — Ed. The way Seollal is spent has gradually become more individual. As families grow smaller and social norms shift, large gatherings have become less common than they once were. More people find themselves spending the holiday in quieter, more personal ways. Traditional family games, once a staple of the festivities, are now less common

Feb. 13, 2026

Valentine's weekend for romantic indulgence, hands-on fun

Still deciding how to spend the weekend or celebrate Valentine’s Day? Whether you’re in the mood for something sweet and romantic or playful and hands-on, these two spots offer refreshing but distinctly different ways to mark the occasion. Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to follow your sweet tooth and seek out new chocolate havens around the city. Tucked away in a quiet corner, La Vie en Coco offers artisanal chocolates and a cosy retreat to those stopping by. The boutique has continued it

Feb. 13, 2026

Kasper Bosmans reimagines identity through peas in Seoul

Small, repeated forms gathered within a single pod — clustered yet distinct — recur throughout Brussels-based artist Kasper Bosmans’ first solo exhibition in Seoul at Gladstone Gallery. The peas function not merely as a visual motif, but as a metaphor shaped by the artist’s own experience of growing up queer in the absence of clear answers or role models. “Inside a single pod, there are multiple peas, each individual yet existing together. When you look closely at the peas in my work, you begin

Feb. 11, 2026

Kim Ji-hee presents ‘Scarlet Bloom’ as third solo show in Taipei

Korean artist Kim Ji-hee opened her third solo exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 24, presenting approximately 30 works spanning paintings and sculptures. "Scarlet Bloom" at 333 Gallery explores desire, power and identity within contemporary consumer society, observed through the lens of Asian femininity. The exhibition runs through March 1. The exhibition's title draws on the notion of blooming, and aligns with the symbolism of renewal often associated with the Lunar New Year. At the center

Feb. 9, 2026