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The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
A guide to South Korea's Gangwon province: K-Drama locations, mountains, regional delicacies and more
When you step out of Incheon airport in Seoul, you expect to drive into the city and be catapulted into scenes you have seen in a host of city-slicker K-Dramas and films — an impressive skyline, chaotic, yet orderly traffic, convenience stores on every street corner, and some rain for that cinematic effect. We are however whisked away in another direction where a long highway awaits, to lead us to Gangwon. One among the three self-governing provinces in South Korea (the other two being Jeju and Jeonbuk), this vast province made up of seven cities and 11 counties does not always feature high on first-time tourist itineraries which focus on Seoul, Busan, and Jeju. We however want to tread differently, and in viral travel vlogspeak — are here to explore some hidden gems that the country has to offer. With less than 48 hours here, the sight of a bright blue sky studded with cotton candy clouds and a pleasant chill in the air has us enthused, and we forget any residual flying exhaustion as we make our way. It helps that we are munching on juicy strawberries we pick up from one of the many rest stops we pass by on our way here, with large food courts, scores of shops selling cute fashion accessories and most importantly, sparkling clean bathrooms. On location, K-Drama style Less than two hours away from Incheon, we arrive at Nami Island in Chuncheon, a scenic tourist destination that has a self-declared micronation for tourists. A short ferry ride takes us to the island, which has beautiful walking trails framed by rows of majestic, tall trees, peacocks, and a smattering of cafes and restaurants for visitors. The location rose to prominence after it was featured in the 2002 K-Drama Winter Sonata, and brought in Japanese tourists in hordes who came here on a pilgrimage of sorts to see and recreate scenes from their favourite show. The tour guide, knowing I am a K-Drama fan, encourages me to strike a Winter Sonata pose, which I contemplate and then decide against. On a weekday, the island is calm, the air feels refreshing, and the trails are perfect for slow walks. For the more adventurous, there are bikes to rent, or even a zipline to try. Diving into a bowl of Makguksu All the walking has made us hungry. There might be a chill in the air but for lunch, we try Gangwon's regional speciality, makguksu. Buckwheat noodles, spicy sauce and boiled eggs in large bowls are drenched with a chilled, flavourful broth poured from aluminium kettles. 'You try the noodles first and then add a soy sauce, spicy mustard or vinegar depending on your palate,' says Kim So Hee, a marketing manager with the Gangwon Tourism Department who guides us through how to try this regional delicacy. There is plenty of banchan, or Korean side dishes that fill up the table, and the unlimited refills have us thrilled for every meal in the coming days. A cable car with a view A group of elderly women kitted out in hiking gear briskly walk past us as we guiltily wait to get on a cable car to take us up the Samaksan mountain, a hiking hotspot. At 3.61 kilometre, this mountain cable car is the longest in South Korea, and our glass cable car gives us stunning views of Uiamho lake. The observatory deck from the top of the mountain meanwhile, has a panoramic view of the lake and Chuncheon city. The best part? Enjoying the views while comfortably seated at an Ediya coffee outlet there, and sipping on a sweet potato latte, a drink I discover in Korea and already cannot seem to get enough of. A spicy regional favourite We stroll through a narrow alley filled choc-a-block with dakgalbi restaurants in Chuncheon, another regional specialty which is so beloved that the city hosts a festival dedicated to this spicy stir-fried chicken dish annually. At the restaurant we walk into, tables are set with large, steaming hot plates of dakgalbi on charcoal stoves, containing a saucy gochujang mixture of diced chicken, potatoes, and pieces of noodles. We wear aprons all ready for the hearty meal, and it is not long before we get the hang of neatly wrapping up pieces of dakgalbi in perilla leaves, and washing it down with chilled bowls of maekgoli or rice wine. As the Koreans dive into a good meal, they say: Masuke Juseyo!(eat well!) A deep dive into Korean history Around four hours away from Chuncheon, we drive through scenic Goseong, with its rolling hills and occasional sightings of the sea to reach the Goseong Unification Observatory. We are in the northernmost part of South Korea now, and a short but steep walk up leads us to the observatory, a massive curved structure from where we can see the DMZ, the Hwajinpo beach in the East Sea, and a tiny glimpse of North Korea. There is also a DMZ museum there, for stories of the country's past. Mountains for the photos We are now on our way to the beautiful coastal city of Sokcho, and make a pitstop to take in the sprawling Seoraksan mountains. There are locals here in large numbers, and many of them are senior citizens who have come to hike up the mountains. We once again take a cable car up, this time a short 10 minute ride to the Gwongeumseong Fortress, which has stunning views of the mountains all around. This is the place for all those contemplative Instagram poses, I realise. There are scores of tourists attempting to strike a pose, some just taking in the views, and many others digging into spicy down below, having chosen not to do the final climb to the viewpoint. To market, to market In Sokcho, the fisheries market is nothing like a noisy classroom. Long brightly lit corridors have shops selling every imaginable regional snack, stacks of artfully arranged kimbap ready for dinner service, an array of banchan which includes kimchi varieties, stir-fried greens, seasoned anchovies and more, and fast food stalls selling everything from ice creams to crepes for the tourists — the place feels like an orderly, sensory explosion of the best kind. Even when we are led to a designated area where the fresh catch is sold, it is all spanking clean minus the unmistakable stench of drying seafood. We dig into some sticky sweet fried chicken from one of the food stalls, and buy puffed rice cakes by the dozen, eager to eat it when on the road in the coming days. At our final pitstop for the night in Sokcho, we are treated to unmatched views of the sea all around. There is an odd calmness that falls over the city once the sun sets, and the roaring of the sea is all what you can hear. Some fresh fish, an array of banchan, and stir-fried deodeok, a root vegetable tossed in gochujang, sesame and scallions with a side of soju now await us. I could get used to this Korean life. Where are my charming, slice-of-life seaside K-Drama lovers at? The writer was in South Korea on invitation from Korea Tourism Organization.
News18
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Squid Game's Massive Success Boosts South Korea's ‘Hallyu': What Is It? Explained
Last Updated: South Korea's 'Hallyu' explained: Squid Game, BTS to K-Dramas, K-Beauty and K-Pop, the world's interest in all things Korean has led to Hallyu — a cultural wave South Korea is on a cultural roll – ' Squid Game ' is ruling Netflix. Earlier this month, 'Maybe Happy Ending' became a Tony Award-winning play on Broadway, a milestone which reminded of 'Parasite', which in 2020 became the first foreign-language film to win an Oscar in the best picture category. Han Kang won last year's Nobel Prize in literature. Youngsters can't get enough of K-pop and BTS, and Blackpink will start a global tour next month. Shows, music to cosmetics and food, the world's interest in all things Korean has led to Hallyu — a term in Korean for cultural wave. Hallyu: How South Korea's cultural rise began? After the Korean War of the 1950s, South Korea faced dire financial crisis. In the economic crash of 1997, Seoul had to ask the IMF for a bailout of 60 billion dollars, which it still marks as the 'Day of National Humility'. But soon the country began a 'national rebranding" to convert the cultural identity and turned it into an exportable commodity. That marked the birth of Hallyu of Korean pop culture. Today, culture is one of South Korea's largest exports. It has helped the nation become Asia's fourth-biggest economy, making it a cultural superpower. K-Pop culture: Gangnam Style, BTS To Blackpink, Squid Game Gangnam Style made history as the first YouTube video with one billion views. This paved the road for K-pop. BTS reportedly adds about four billion dollars to the South Korean economy each year. K-Pop is the biggest part of its content industry, which hit a record high in 2021 with a value of 12.4 billion dollars. It dwarfed earnings from home appliances and vehicles, for which South Korea was once popular. Korean dramas and films are big business as well. Some of the most popular K-Dramas includ e 'Queen of Tears', 'Business Proposal', 'Crash Landing on You', 'My Demon', 'The Glory', and 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha'. Seeing the success, Netflix is investing 2.5 billion dollars in South Korean projects. Disney and Apple TV are commissioning more Korean shows. K-Beauty & Korean food Korean cuisine is penetrating global markets and is worth 77 billion dollars. K-Beauty, too, has become a rage. Tourists are flocking to South Korea to buy cosmetics like snail mucin and face masks. The K-beauty market is expected to be worth 18 billion dollars in 2030. Korean literature Many say that the next big thing is Korean literature. Han rose to international prominence for her novel The Vegetarian, which became the first Korean language novel to win the International Booker Prize for fiction in 2016. In 2024, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, a first for an Asian woman and for a Korean. There is a growing demand to learn the Korean language, with saranghae (love you) becoming a common term among the youth. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kang Seo Ha Death News: Kang Seo Ha passes away: Korean actress breaths her last at 31 after battling stomach cancer
The Korean entertainment industry has lost a shining star, as actress Kang Seo Ha has passed away at the age of 31. According to Sompi, presumably, a family member shared a video on July 13, which featured heartfelt moments of Kang Seo Ha. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Along with the video, the caption read - 'I still can't believe it, unnie. Even while enduring such immense pain, you worried about those around you and about me. Even though you couldn't eat for months, you insisted on paying for my meals with your own card and never let me skip a meal. My angel, who left us far too soon. Even as you endured everything with painkillers, you said you were grateful that it wasn't worse, and I felt truly ashamed. My dear sister, you went through so much. I hope you are only happy and free from pain where you are now!' Kang Seo Ha's memorial and funeral Reports suggest that the late actress Kang Seo Ha's memorial altar has been set up at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, in Room 8 of the funeral hall. Further, on July 16, at 7:40 a.m., the funeral procession will take place, and her mortal remains will be put to rest at the family burial site in Haman, Gyeongnam Province. On July 13, a presumed family member posted a video filled with moments of Kang Seo Ha during her lifetime. In the post, she wrote, 'I still can't believe it, unnie. Even while enduring such immense pain, you worried about those around you and about me. Even though you couldn't eat for months, you insisted on paying for my meals with your own card and never let me skip a meal. My angel, who left us far too soon. Even as you endured everything with painkillers, you said you were grateful that it wasn't worse, and I felt truly ashamed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now My dear sister, you went through so much. I hope you are only happy and free from pain where you are now!' Kang Seo Ha - Remembering a star gone too soon Born in 1994, Kang Seo Ha completed her graduation from the Korea National University of Arts' School of Drama. She rose to fame in 2012, when she appeared in the music video for Brave Guys' 'Getting Farther Away.' In her career span, she featured in several K-Dramas like 'Schoolgirl Detectives,' 'First Love Again,' 'Through the Waves,' 'Assembly,' 'The Flower in Prison,' and 'Heart Surgeons.' She last worked in the movie 'Mangnaein,' which is set to be released soon. As the news of her demise came out, condolences and tributes have been flowing in. Fans are praying that her family is blessed with the strength to deal with such a difficult time.
Hindustan Times
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Still not over Squid Game 3's most painful death? More K-Dramas with sad character endings you need to watch
Squid Game has come to an end with season 3, and a lot more deaths have left people numb this season. The final death, in particular, is one they did not wish for nor did they see it coming. Among the many sacrifices, this death is sure to haunt fans of the series for a long time to come. Although the death hit the hardest in Squid Game, there are a lot more deaths that hit the hardest in K-Dramas itself. Right from Goblin to Hwarang, there were sacrifices that felt too painful to handle. These sad character endings remain in our head, rent-free. A still from Squid Game Season 3 From Goblin to Hwarang, find all the latest OTT releases on OTTplay Premium When people say Goblin is the G.O.A.T of K-Dramas, they were not kidding. The series has everything that a K-Drama essentially is, including the biggest K-trauma of all time aka a painful death. Ji Eun-tak, who spent her whole life being spared only to see ghosts ask her for a favour because she is Goblin's wife, already lead a tough life. And then, when she had it all, Eun-tak learned that her life was coming to an end. She had to break free from the circle and be reborn to eventually marry Kim Shin aka the Goblin. Her death and the waiting period were the toughest on both Goblin as well as the viewers who were invested in their cute love story. Kim Mi-young's baby in You Are My Destiny Squid Game 3's story of the baby is probably inspired from You Are My Destiny, only this time, the baby dies. Kim Mi-young wants to save her baby but either only her or the baby can survive. Although she wants to save the baby over herself, Mi-young's selfish ex Gun saves her and lets the baby die. The news of losing her baby was already hard on Mi-young and Gun refuses her proposal to stay together either. This makes it a sadder moment. Han Sung in Hwarang Playing an innocent character in his debut K-Drama, BTS' Kim Taehyung aka V decided to give everyone a traumatic ending to his character. He decided to stay loyal to Moo Myung and keep him away from all harm's way. Thus, when he learns the news of his grandfather trying to poison and kill Moo Myung during a sword fight, Han Sung swoops in and dies instead. The unexpected death hit hard, especially because it was V's acting debut with Hwarang. He has not worked in another K-Drama since. 365: Repeat The Year being Squid Game recap, Hyeon-ju getting the harshest treatment of all 365: Repeat The Year has a concept similar to Squid Game. Many characters experience painful deaths, which is also a concept common with Squid Game. However, if like Gi-hun this season, we had to pick a death that hit the hardest, it would be Hyeon-ju. He had to die along with Ga-hyun every single time, and wake up with no recollection of the gruesome death, only to be faced with the cruel destiny once in every 365 days. Every single year, they would die only to wake up with no recollection of what happened and live life again while waiting for the day of their painful deaths, The Final Destination style. By the time of the series finale, the real murderer even framed Hyeon-ju for all the murders and finally confessed to his crime of resetting the timelines 'just for fun' with a wide smile. All of Do Hyun-soo's victims in Flower of Evil A past experience and near-death experience pushes Do Hyun-soo to explore what painful death would be like. Thus, he releases hell upon his victims while pretending to live as Baek Hee-sung. Hyun-soo's own mother explored the idea of painful death before dying in the same manner. Now, Hyun-soo has a silver box stored somewhere which hides the fingernails of his victims so far.
Hans India
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Top K-Dramas to Watch in July 2025: Legal Battles, Crime, and Sports Stories
South Korea's entertainment scene is buzzing with new K-Dramas coming out in July. From legal battles and crime stories to sports dramas, there's something for everyone. Here's a quick look: Law and the City Starts July 5 Starring Yoo Yeon Seok and Jung Eun Ji Five young lawyers work in Seoul, facing tough court cases while dealing with their personal lives. Low Life Starts July 16 Starring Yang Se Jong and Ryu Seung Ryong Oh Hee Dong, raised by a crime boss, searches for lost treasure on a remote island. Trouble arises as many want the treasure The Good Man Starts July 18 Starring Lee Dong Wook, Lee Sung Kyung, and Ryu Hye Young Seok Cheol comes from a crime family and tries to keep his home and work life balanced, while reconnecting with an old love. The Defects Starts July 21 Starring Kim Hye Soo and Jo Bo Ah Set in a big hospital, this drama exposes a secret illegal adoption ring led by a senior doctor. A survivor fights to reveal the truth. Try: A Miracle in Us Starts July 25 Starring Yoon Kye Sang and Im Se Mi A disgraced rugby player returns to coach his old high school's weak team, seeking a second chance.
