Bukchon gains popularity among international visitors

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, last year the Bukcheon area in northern Seoul saw more than 100 thousand visitors.

Established nearly 600 years ago at the start of the Joseon dynasty, the residential area between Gyeongbok and Changdeok Palaces has become famous for its high density of traditional Korean houses, called Hanok.

Located between two of Seoul’s most famous palaces and the Jongmyo Royal Shrine, Bukcheon is home to many historical spots and cultural heritage sites, including the Gahoe Museum. Because of the increase in the number of visitors, several interpreters are on hand to assist tourists in Japanese, Chinese and English.
Link:http://www.korea.net/news.do?mode=detail&guid=55427

Lie to me 내게 거짓말 해봐

Gong Ah Jung, a level 5 Ministry of Culture official, gets entangled in a web of lies when she mistakenly lies that she's married to Hyun Ki Joon, a hotel manager from an affluent family. Their relationship is further complicated when Ki Joon's ex-fiancée and a close friend of his brother's, Oh Yoon Joo, reappears in his life.

Ji Hee Sister's wedding

Kim Yu-na to Face Off Against Skating Legend Katarina Witt

Kim Yu-na (left) and Katarina Witt

Olympic champion Kim Yu-na is to come up against German figure skating legend Katarina Witt, not on the ice but in the technical briefing of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Kim is the goodwill ambassador for Pyeongchang's campaign to host the games, and Witt heads the organizing committee for Munich's bid. Both figure skating stars will represent their own cities and make a presentation in front of IOC members.

Witt is one of the most decorated skaters in women's figure skating, having won two Olympic gold medals, in Sarajevo in 1984 and Calgary in 1988, and four world championships. Kim won the gold medal in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and silver in the last two seasons of the world championships. She is deliberating whether to compete in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

The technical briefing will be Kim's first time in front of IOC members, as she had to pull out of the Sport Accord in London in April due to rescheduling of the 2011 World Championships after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

The two stars are both enthusiastic about the briefings. "This competition is different from countless other competitions that I've experienced. There is just one winner, no silver, no bronze," Witt said. She has confidence in Munich's campaign, saying that Pyeongchang's previous two narrow defeats do not guarantee it a win at the third try.

Kim said, "It would be interesting for many to see two figure skaters representing their respective country in the competition to host the Olympics." Kim had a final rehearsal for the presentation with other presenters in the Mirabeau Hotel in Lausanne on Tuesday. Other presenters are Korean Air chairman Cho Yang-ho, the head of Pyeongchang's bid committee, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, 2004 Olympic champion in taekwondo and IOC member Moon Dae-sung, Korean Olympic Committee President Park Yong-sung, and Theresa Rah, a spokeswoman of the bid committee.
Link:http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/05/18/2011051801059.html

Parliamentary speakers gather in Seoul for G20 speakers’ forum

Parliamentary speakers from more than 20 countries will gather in Seoul for the G-20 Speakers' Consultation from May 18 to 20.

Following the successful hosting of the G20 Seoul Summit last year, Korea will host the event at the National Assembly in Yeouido. The first forum was held in Ottawa, Canada, last year.

A total of 26 speakers from 25 countries, including five non-G20 member countries and a representative from the International Parliamentary Union, will participate in this year’s gathering. Among the attendees are Representative Eni F. H. Faleomavaega of American Samoa and Sir John Stanley, Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.

The participants will discuss measures to achieve worldwide co-prosperity under the theme of "Safe World, Better Future." They will also share opinions on the meeting agendas, which include strategies for inter-parliamentary collaboration for world peace and anti-terrorism, strategies for developing economies based on the development experiences of advanced countries and post-financial crisis international coordination towards shared growth and the role of parliaments.

For more information about the meeting, please visit the homepage of the G-20 Speakers' Consultation (http://seoulspeakers.assembly.go.kr) (Korean, English).

Korean pavilion built in Paraguay

Three traditional Korean gardens were built recently in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay. This is the first time that a South American country has opened such a garden, according to an announcement by the Korea Forest Service on May 17.

The new gardens include a pine tree forest and pavilion at the Presidential residence and Nu Guazu Park to symbolize the friendship and cooperation between Korea and Paraguay.

To mark the opening, a ceremony was held on May 16 and was attended by Paraguayan President Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez, Korean ambassador to Paraguay Park Dong-won and Korean residents of the area.
Link:http://www.korea.net/news.do?mode=detail&guid=55185

A Famous Hand Puppet Show Held at Gapyeong Petite France

‘Guignol,’ a French traditional hand puppet show named after the show’s main character himself, is scheduled to run from May 1st to June 30th at the French cultural village, Petite France , in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do. The puppet show runs in two different episodes: Le Voleur Vole, in which Guignol retrieves his friend’s money stolen by a thief, and La Racine d’Amerique, in which a magic root sets Guignol free from his wife’s harassment. Meanwhile, concerts involving the traditional music box and musical instruments of the Middle Ages, French movies and other European cultural performances are currently featured at Petite France.

More info

< Guignol >
☞ Puppet Show Period & Location
May 1–June 30 / Petite France outdoor amphitheater (Petite event hall, in case of rain)
☞ Puppet Show Schedule
* Le Voleur Vole: 11:30, 15:30 (Tuesdays-Sundays) / 19:00 (Saturdays)
* La Racine d’Amerique: 13:30 (Tuesdays-Sundays) / 17:00 (Saturdays-Sundays)

< Petite France >
☞ Operating Hours
* Regular Hours: 09:00-18:00 (Closed on Mondays)
* Extended Hours (May-August): 09:00-20:00 (Fridays) / 09:00-21:00 (Saturdays)
☞ Admission Fees (Show tickets included)
* Adults (ages 19 and over): 8,000 won
* Youths (ages 13-18): 6,000 won
* Children (ages 3-13) & Seniors (ages 65 and over): 5,000 won
* Infants (ages 2 and under): Free
☞ Inquiries: +82-31-584-8200 (Korean)
☞ 1330 tt call center: +82-31-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)