Classroom out, summer in
Many elementary, middle and high schools across the country are beginning their summer vacations this week, which typically last three to four weeks.
This summer, 8 out of 10 Korean office workers are planning to take a vacation, with the vast majority opting for domestic travel, according to a survey released last month by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Of 800 respondents, 81.6 percent said they had vacation plans, and 83.5 percent of them preferred domestic destinations.
Among domestic travel destinations, Gangwon Province was the most popular, selected by 34.9 percent, followed by the North and South Gyeongsang provinces (27.9 percent), Jeju Island (22.4 percent) and the North and South Jeolla provinces (20 percent). Among those planning overseas trips, the top choices were Japan (50.9 percent) and Southeast Asia (45.4 percent).
The most common expected vacation budget per person was 535,000 won ($385), a 9.4 percent increase from last year's 489,000 won.
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Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Art tour to Arles: where ancient legacies fuel contemporary creativity
Explore cultural gems in the southern French city ARLES, France — Located on the banks of the Rhone River in southern France, the city of Arles has witnessed over 2,000 years of history and was once a crucial spot for military movement and commerce in Roman times. Home to a population of 53,000, Arles is full of cultural gems. From traces of Vincent Van Gogh to remnants of structures built under Julius Caesar during its time as a Roman colony, visitors to Arles often feel as though they are discovering hidden treasures when exploring the city. In recent years, Arles has flourished as a hub for contemporary art. LUMA Arles, a cutting-edge art center built on a 19th century industrial site, opened in 2021, while Lee Ufan Arles, a museum dedicated to the minimalist works of the eponymous Korean artist, opened in 2022. Those who want to explore the history of the city and the Provence region can head to the Museon Arlaten, which covers local social and cultural life, such as the traditional Arlesian costume. The 15th century buildings housing the museum were constructed on the site of a secondary Roman forum built in the first century AD and later functioned as a municipal school in the 19th century, according to the museum. The vestiges of the Roman forum were unearthed and inaugurated as a museum in 1909. Other remnants of the ancient empire in Arles include a well-preserved Roman amphitheater and Roman thermal baths. Anyone familiar with Vincent van Gogh's work will recognize parts of the city from some of his most iconic paintings: 'The Starry Night,' 'Cafe Terrace at Night,' 'Van Gogh's Chamber in Arles' and his famous sunflower paintings. Each of these was painted during his stay in the city — from 1888 to 1889 — when he moved there in search of warmer weather and golden sunlight. Van Gogh created some 400 paintings in less than two years before leaving for Saint-Remy-de-Provence to stay in an asylum following a nervous breakdown. It was in Arles where the artist cut off a part of his left ear out of despair after Paul Gauguin, with whom Van Gogh had been working at the time, left the city after an argument between the two. A hospital in Arles where Van Gogh was once admitted is now a cultural center named "Espace Van Gogh." Its courtyard full of flowers and the pond remain just as the artist depicted them in his paintings. The cafe seen in the background of the popular painting 'Cafe Terrace at Night' is unfortunately closed for now due to legal issues, according to people familiar with the city. Some say Arles has a 'guilt complex' about Van Gogh because its residents did not recognize his greatness. In tribute to the master, however, the city built the Foundation Vincent Van Gogh Arles, which houses at least one original Van Gogh painting in partnership with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. When The Korea Herald visited the foundation on July 6, it had two of his paintings on display — 'Peasant and Peasant Woman Planting Potatoes' and 'Basket of Potatoes' — alongside the retrospective of German artist Sigmar Polke (1941-2010). The exhibition 'Beneath the Cobblestones, the Earth' runs until Oct. 26 and brings together Polke's expansive works of art and draws a symbolic link between the two masters through the motif of the potato. The foundation offers a combined ticket with entry to the LUMA Arles priced at 17 euros ($20) until December, according to the foundation's website. LUMA Arles is a hotspot for art lovers around the world. The contemporary art institute stands as an homage to Van Gogh with its iconic building, The Tower, designed by Frank Gehry. The museum is expected to draw crowds year-round -- not just in summer for the renowned Arles Photo festival -- according to LUMA CEO Arles Mustapha Bouhayati. In July, the museum opened seven massive contemporary art exhibitions featuring leading figures in the scene: Singapore's Ho Tzu Nyen, Egypt's Wael Shawky, Switzerland's Peter Fischli, Belgian landscape architect Bas Smets, American photographer David Armstrong, interdisciplinary studio EBB in collaboration with American artist Tony Oursler, and South Korea's Koo Jeong-a. Another art destination in Arles, Lee Ufan Arles, is a space dedicated to a wide variety of works by the Korea-born artist Lee Ufan. The building is rather understated, built between the 16th and 18th centuries as a private mansion, and can be easily missed with only a small sign to guide you. The space is home to Lee's installations and paintings, including 'Relatum — The Stage' and 'Relatum — Infinity of the vessel,' which offer viewers a chance to meditate and focus on oneself while appreciating his art. Lee Ufan Arles is the artist's third museum, following spaces in Naoshima, Japan, and Busan, South Korea. The artist is known for leading the avant-garde Mono-ha movement in Japan in the late 1960s to 1970s, which delved into the relationships between materials and perceptions. Lee was born in Korea in 1936 and lives and works in Paris, New York and Japan. If you happen to visit Arles on a Wednesday or Saturday, you're in luck. On these days, a bustling market comes to life with hundreds of stalls offering a wide variety of local goods and foods — olives, cheeses, fresh fruits, meats and more. For some, the market scenery might bring to mind Van Gogh's 'Caravans, Gypsy Camp near Arles" (1888), leading you to imagine how the city has evolved over the past 200 years and how life there has changed. A note on the painting shown at the Orsay Museum in Paris reads: 'Since his arrival in Arles, (Van Gogh) had been very enthusiastic about the multiplicity of subjects available to him as he explored the area. A small gypsy camp caught his attention due to its contrasting colors and the peaceful atmosphere conveyed by the scene."
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Actor Park Bo-gum new face of Korea tourism
Following BTS, Lee Jung-jae and NewJeans, Park joins Korea's tourism efforts as honorary ambassador Actor Park Bo-gum has been appointed as the honorary ambassador for 2025 Korea Tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday. A teaser video for the upcoming global promotional campaign was unveiled on the ministry's official YouTube channel 'Imagine Your Korea,' revealing Park as the new face of Korean tourism. The ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization have consistently tapped top-tier Hallyu stars to front their annual campaigns — BTS in 2022, Lee Jung-jae in 2023 and NewJeans in 2024. Park, widely loved for his nuanced acting, most recently in the Netflix hit 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' will now lead efforts to promote Korea abroad over the next year. As global travelers increasingly seek personalized, emotionally resonant journeys rather than conventional sightseeing, this year's campaign encourages visitors to take charge in their own Korean travel stories. In the teaser clip, Park extends an invitation, asking, 'Will you be the main character of this story?' The message kicks off the 'Never Ending Korea' campaign, aimed at showcasing the country's charms and immersive travel experiences. The ministry and the tourism authority will officially appoint Park as the ambassador on Tuesday and unveil two campaign films along with a behind-the-scenes clip. The ads -- produced in the style of a short film and music video -- feature both Park's real-life persona and an alter ego. Adding to his involvement, Park also recorded the campaign's official theme song, 'On My Way,' composed and written by KZLAB, a team led by renowned K-pop producer Kenzie of SM Entertainment. The song will be released Thursday on major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Melon. In collaboration with Netflix, the ministry has also produced tourism-themed videos inspired by global Korean hits 'Squid Game' and 'All of Us Are Dead.' The 'Squid Game' version, titled 'Escape to Korea — Better Run,' has drawn more than 8.4 million views since its release on July 3. The 'All of Us Are Dead' campaign video, 'Escape to Korea — Better Together,' is slated for release on Aug. 7. According to Netflix, 72 percent of Korean content viewers expressed interest in visiting Korea, nearly double the 37 percent among non-viewers. 'More than 85 percent of this year's eight campaign videos were filmed outside Seoul, emphasizing hidden gems and lesser-known destinations in a bid to boost regional tourism,' a ministry official said in a statement. As part of efforts to support regional tourism, the campaign also includes theme ads spotlighting the Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces, which suffered recent setbacks due to natural disasters and transportation incidents. The Gyeongsang video, 'Where Energy Never Sleeps,' focuses on Gyeongju, the host city for the upcoming APEC summit, while the Jeolla provinces' 'Where Beauty Moves Hearts' highlights the region's artistic allure through music and dance. The campaign videos will be screened on landmark billboards in 16 major cities including New York's Times Square, Tokyo, Beijing and Bangkok through November. Additional promotions will run across YouTube and Netflix, targeting over 20 key global tourism markets.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
LG Uplus unveils new lineup of foreigner-specific mobile plans
LG Uplus has rolled out a set of limited-time promotional mobile plans designed exclusively for foreign residents, offering generous international calling, data, and roaming perks tailored to their everyday needs. The new lineup, unveiled on Wednesday, includes seven monthly plans ranging from 37,000 won to 85,000 won (approximately $27 to $62). All plans come with free international calling of up to 90 minutes per month, as well as enhanced roaming benefits when subscribers travel abroad. Customers who activate LG Uplus's Roaming Pass add-on will receive double the usual data allowance while overseas, according to the company. Those under the age of 34 who sign up for the new plans will receive bonus data ranging from 4GB to 60GB per month, depending on their chosen package, as the company targets younger users, many of whom are in Korea for work or education. This is the largest foreigner-specific mobile package release by a Korean telecom provider. The plans are being offered as a promotional product, and sign-up is only available through Dec. 29 this year. Sign-up is open to any foreign resident holding a valid Residence Card, either online or at physical LG Uplus stores. LG Uplus has designated 67 stores nationwide in areas with high concentrations of foreign residents as specialized service locations. These branches offer mobile service documentation in 17 languages, including English, Vietnamese, Lao, Chinese and Russian. More than 170 multilingual consultants have also been deployed to assist with service sign-ups and customer support. Further plan details are available on LG Uplus's dedicated website for international customers at: According to 2024 year-end data from South Korea's Ministry of Justice, the country is now home to roughly 2.1 million foreign residents, representing over 4 percent of the national population. Among them, more than 2 million are long-term residents. Recognizing this growing demographic, LG Uplus said the new offering is part of its strategy to diversify and expand within a mature domestic telecom sector. The company said the new plans were developed based on internal research that identified specific communication needs among foreign residents. These included a desire for easier, more affordable ways to stay in touch with family and friends abroad, as well as reliable data access both domestically and when traveling to their home countries. Park Jun-su, who oversees foreign customer and device operations at LG Uplus, said, 'With Korea's telecom market reaching maturity, foreign residents represent an important source of future growth. We aim to offer services that create real value and deliver a differentiated experience for this community.'
