Korea Travel News

 English-speaking visions and residents can view Korean movies with English subtitles.

 The Korea National Tourism Organzation and Seoul Selection both provide periodic screenings of Korean films to further foreigners understanding of Korean culture through the medium of film.

Korea National Tourism Organization's free movie screenings

 In cooperation with the Korean Film Commission (KOFIC), KNTO will show selected Korean films with English subitles throughout all of 2003. A new film is selected every month and shown free of charge a total of four screenings.

The film for March is "JSA" (Joint Security Area) a well-regarded film set in the division between North and South Korea.

 The screening is on the B1 floor of the KNTO building every Tuesday at 4 PM. Movies for the remaining nine months of the year, respectively, are "Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors," "Art Museum by the Zoo," "Il Mare, " "Bloody Beach," "The Day a Pig Fell into a Well," "Bicheonmu," "The Foul King," "At the Gas Station," and "Tell Me Something."

 English-subtitle Korean movie theater opens

 A new theather has opened for Korean films with English subtitles. Seoul Selection specializes in exporting Korean culture content; it has received aid from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to turn the 3rd floor Gumho Recital Hall of the Gumho Art Gallery in Jongno-gu into a screening room for English-subtitled films.

 Screenings take place twice weekly-Saturdays at 2:30 PM and Sundays at 11 AM, using a DVD projector and 180-inch big screen. Tickets are 5,000 won a person, and with the ticket you can view the Gumho Art Museum's featured galleries. The movie for March is "Bungee Jumping on Their Own," portraying a love of destiny that overcomes the separation between life and death.

 Meanwhile, Seoul Selection continues their regular screenings of English-subtitled films every Wednesday night at 7:30.

 Deoksugung palace, which has been standing since the early Joseonera, contains the Deoksugung Palace Art Gallery, displaying seven categories of Korea's representative modern art.

 The themes are: "Identity," "Female Figures," "Eyes to See Thing," "Landscape of Korea," "War Art", and The Beginning of Abstract Painting.

 On July 27, 2003, the United States and other countries that participated in the Korean War will meet in Seoul to observe the 50th anniversary of the end of hostilities.

 In addition to remembering the date when the Armistice was signed, an eight-day itinerary will allow time for the former Marines to take part in other activities. They will see, first-hand, the dramatic economic and societal changes that have taken place in South Korea over the past 50 years.

 Included in the agenda is a memorial service at Marine Park near the village of Geumchon. Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do. They will also be guests of honor at parades, tour battlefields, be honored by the Korean government with a formal state dinner, visit museums and cultural centers, and be invited to various events hosted by the ROK Marine Corps.

 Deluxe lodging, in-country transportation, and most meals are included in an affordable package.

 Everland opend "Miracle Spa" inside their massive Caribbean Bay water park, an extravaganza of relaxation featuring a saltwater sauna, couples bath, and sleeping rooms.

 Caribbean Bay is major water park with heated pools, an outdoor sandy pool, artificial wave pool, and scuba diving pool. It has facilities specifically designed for children - a kiddie pool, body slide, and tube slide.

 The salt sauna has health and beauty benefits; couples can enjoy some quite time soaking together in a bubbling pool; and there is a cozy room to drift off for a nap.

 The Miracle Spa is included in the Carbbean Bay entrance fee; 12 and over pay 25,000 won for an all-day ticket and 20,000 won for an afternoon; children 12 or under pay 18,000 for an all-day ticket and 14,000 for an afternoon. Summer rates vary.

 On April 19 the wedding of Gojong (the 26th emperor of the Joseon Dynasty) and his emprese, the tragic Myeongseonghwanghu, will be reenacted at Unhyeongung. Myeongseonghwanghu was a gifted empress who devoted her life to bringing progress to the Joseon Dynasty.

 The wedding ceremony of the Joseon Dynasty Imperial Family was a complicated and strially in a garye, the wedding of a king or heir, dictated by law.

 Unhyeongung was the place where Daewongun, the father of Gojong, lived, as well as being the wedding venue of Gojong and Myeongseong-hwanghu in 1866.

Jeonju is well-known for its signature culinary dish, Jeonju bibimbap (boiled rice mixed with vegetables). This cultural city is now bome to the jeonju Hanok Life Experience, offering visitors a chance to experience life as it was for the yangban upper class of the Joseon Dynasty.

A traditonal hanok compound has ten rooms, separated into women's (anchae) and men's (sarangchae) areas.

Two or three people can stay in one room, and best among the rooms are the gyusubang (maiden's room) and seonbibang. (gentleman's room). They are traditional down to the smallest details with stone floors and furniture crafied by skilled Korean artisans.

Tourists spend the night and receive training in manners. cooking, and playing traditional instruments and courtyard games.

One night in the gyusubang or seonbibang costs 100,000 won; regular rooms range from 50,000 won to 80,000 won. Traditional breakfast included.

The Joenju. Hanok Life Experience program is situated inside a large hanok village with 800 traditional house.

 To commemorate the first anniversary of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, the opera "Turandot" will be performed at the Seoul World Cup Stadium from May 8 through May 11.

 Giacomo Puccini's great grand opera Turandot, directed by Mr. Zhang Yimou (Chinese movie director), was first performed in Italy in 1997, moved to successful runs at Beijung, and then to Japan. The New York Times and others raved, calling it a "fantastic triumph" and "the great victory of opera".

 In preparation for the performance, a stage 40 meters high and 150 wide has been set up. With a 50-billion-won budget and a cast of 600 supplemented by a cast of 400 from within Korea, this is the largest scale production ever undertaken in performance arts.

 Carlo palleschi will conduct, Giovanna Casolla will play Princess Turandot and Nicola Martinucci the role of Calaf, completing the cast of opera's brightest stars.

 Hyundai Asan Corporation is now selling land-route tour packages to the Geumgangsan Diamond Mountains, for 3-day-2 night trips. Travelers stay at the Gumgang Village (6 persons per room) or the Hotel Haegeumgang (double accupancy), and package prices range from 230,000 won to 350,000 won. Meals are provided and cost 9 dollars.

 Tourists may book up to a week before the trip, and purchase tickets through designated retailers dealing in Geumgangsan Diamond Mountains packages or through Hyundai Asan.

 Once at the mountains, visitors may enjoy gyoye (North Korean acrobatic performance) and hot spring bathing, and can select from among three tour courses.