3rd World DJ Festival

One of the biggest electronic music festivals in Asia will take place at Nanji-Jigu campground on the Han River in Seoul May 9-10, 2009 as once again dance mania comes to Seoul.

The highly anticipated “3rd Seoul World DJ Festival” is often referred to as the biggest musical event on Seoul’s party calendar with this year’s theme being “to dance the night away.”

Last year saw around 90,000 partygoers in attendance and organizers expect an even larger turn out this time round. At this year’s weekend long event expect to see a number of stages playing various forms of dance music ranging from house to dance, techno to drum and bass as well as a rock set that guarantees to have you roaring in appreciation.

1st KAFA Film Debut Program, May 8 to 10, Downtown Seoul

KAFA (Korean Academy of Short Films)

English-subtitled shorts will be shown at Mirospace (next to the Seoul Museum of History) from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th.

Hi Seoul Spring 2009

The Hi Seoul Festival will open with a parade that travels by the Cheongye Stream Plaza and City Hall Plaza on May 2 at 7 p.m. This is a must-see for those who have not yet experienced traditional Korean performances. The parade is also advertised as an interactive one, with the goal of trying to get spectators to join the parade, as opposed to simply watching from the sidelines.

The festival is always great for offering a succession of high-profile performers. Every night of the festival from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. some of Korea’s biggest performers can be seen for free, right in front of City Hall.

Icheon Ceramic Festival

Ever wonder what it would be like to be a ceramist?

In a tent near the edge of the Icheon Ceramic Festival, you can try your hand at a potter’s wheel. Guided by a professional ceramist, make your own ceramic jar and then paint it yourself.

It’s probably one of the most popular events at this year’s World Ceramic Biennale Korea, which continues through most of May. Even on the opening day of the festival in the pouring rain, a line stretched outside the tent. Children as young as 5, and adults as old as 60, took advantage of the unique opportunity.

A taste of Korean wine

The best time to taste Korean wine is February. Baekseju, brewed with rice harvested in late fall and fermented at a low temperature matures at the end of January or early February. The name “baekseju,” meaning 100-day wine, comes from the 100 days it takes for the liquor to become clear. The wine is ready in time for Korea’s biggest holiday, Lunar New Year’s Day. Holiday get-togethers often involve some drinking, and the taste of homemade wine is often a highlight. The introduction of a liquor tax in the early 20th century forbade homebrewing, and accordingly homemade wine disappeared for a while. However, wine brewed at home is becoming more popular.

Live performances bring Seoul to life

In Seoul, the festive season brings a wealth of concerts and performances. You are in the right place if you want to start the Year of the Ox with a good cultural event, be it traditional Korean music or an art exhibition.

Slowly savoring Seoul

Bukchon Hanok Village and Seongbuk-dong are ideal places to see the gentler pace of Seoul.

Bukchon Hanok Village is located between two royal palaces, Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, and has well-preserved “hanok,” Korean-style houses.

Seongbuk-dong is a neighborhood in the northern part of Seoul, just inside the city walls. Seongbuk-dong literally means a village north (buk) of the castle (seong). The village has many peach and cherry trees in valleys with crystal clear water. It is always busy with people enjoying the blossoms in spring and the country feel in summer.

A trip to Seongbuk-dong begins at Hanseongdae Station on subway line 4. A walk around Seongbuk-dong would normally be recommended in spring, not winter, as the biting wind blows through the valleys. Nevertheless, it is a cozy neighborhood with much nostalgia for renowned patriotic figures.

Spring tour of Seoul in a day

Hi, my name is Sam Hamington.

I am a comedian from Australia who loves exciting Korea. I came to Seoul to study Korean as an exchange student only to fall in love with the ever-changing atmosphere in Seoul and decided not to leave.

Let me introduce fun and exciting date locations in Seoul you can visit within a day. Following my route, I hope you will catch the spring in the air and enjoy my day out in Seoul with a Korean friend of mine.

Taekwondo

In Gyeonghui Palace on a fine spring day, some 10 students in brilliant white taekwondo uniforms display taekwondo techniques. They wear black belts and badges on their left arm depicting Taegukgi, the Korean flag. The taekwondo performance is titled “Tough Beauty,” and they demonstrate various movements in bare feet as well as “gyeokpa” (breaking wooden blocks).

Walk into Korean spring via Hongneung Forest

Located in Cheongnyangni, northeast of Seoul, Hongneung Arboretum acts as the lungs of the city, providing fresh oxygen for its 10 million citizens. The arboretum is only open on Sundays, when an afternoon there makes for an ideal family outing.

“Neung” in the word Hongneung means the tomb of a king or a queen, and “Hongneung” is where Queen Myeongseong, the queen of King Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty is buried. Emperor Gojong (1852-1919) was the 26th monarch and the father of King Sunjong (1874-1926), the last ruler of the Joseon Dynasty. King Gojong struggled to protect Joseon from external pressures from countries such as Japan and Russia.

Queen Myeongseong was also a queen of misfortune. She was murdered by Japanese assassin who infiltrated Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1895. It is Hongneung where Queen Myeongseong was buried. Twenty-two years later in 1919 when King Gojong passed away, the tomb of Queen Myeongseong was moved to Geumgok, Gyeonggi Province, to be buried with the king. All that remains is the name Hongneung, where the arboretum gets its name.