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Korea Herald
21-06-2025
- Korea Herald
Cold noodles just the thing to beat summer heat
When the temperature rises, chill out in style with a bowl of mulnaengmyeon, paired with dumplings and mung bean pancakes South Korea's summer is brutal. It can be just as hot and humid as any Southeast Asian country and we cope with the hot weather in many different ways. Some drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, keep their homes cool by minimizing heat sources and turning on the air conditioner all day, limit physical activities to cooler parts of the day and bring portable electric fans with them outside to beat the heat. Another popular way to beat the heat is a bowl of ice-cold mulnaengmyeong. There is like mulnaengmyeon,or cold noodles served in a chilled broth made from beef, dongchimi (radish water kimchi) and, in true Pyongyang style, pheasant, when it comes to delivering bone-chilling cold in a dish. And with the temperatures climbing, now is the perfect time to slurp on the icy, cannot-miss classic. By the way, mulnaengmyeon was traditionally a winter-time treat eaten with the warmth of floor-heating enveloping you. Remember, there was no way of making ice in the summer way back then. It is thought to have originated in Pyongyang during the Goryeo period, and an 1849 book refers to naengmyeon as a dish eaten in the 11th month of the lunar calendar. Yeonnam Chinchin Nestled between boutique shops and trendy coffee shops in Seoul's hip Yeonnam-dong is Yeonnam Chinchin. Ironically, the restaurant is also known for gomtang, or beef bone soup, and seolleongtang, or ox bone soup. But apart from the two, Yeonnam Chinchin's cold noodles are a must-try. The restaurant's signature summertime dish is a marriage of buckwheat noodles and beef broth served with garnishings of hard-boiled egg, a slice of boiled beef, cucumber slices and a thin chile thread placed on top and a few pine nuts floating in the broth that add a subtle flavor, as well as a decorative touch. Priced at 9,900 won ($7.23), the Pyongyang-style mulnaengmyeon, from North Korea's capital, features noodles that are less chewy than usual and a mild broth. Try adding a dash or two of vinegar and mustard to the broth for a tangy, refreshing boost of flavor. The North Korean-style dumplings with very chewy skin are filled with chicken, pork and beef pair well with the light texture of naengmyeon noodles. The contrasting richness allows the seasoned meat filling in the dumplings to shine while the noodles and the broth help cleanse the palate between bites. Two pieces of mandu are priced at 3,500 won. Yeonnam Chinchin is open every day from 11 a.m. to 8. p.m. except Mondays. Breaktime is between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The last order is taken at 8:10 p.m. Eulmildae Pyongyang Naengmyeon If you think you have had one good bowl of naengmyeon, you've had them all, think again. This place serves up authentic North Korean-style naengmyeon with a flavor all its own. Named after one of the four fortresses located on Moranbong in Pyongyang, Eulmildae Pyongyang Naengmyeon is another North Korean-style cold noodles restaurant in Yeomni-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It is a popular place, so expect to wait in a long line — it is the kind of taste people happily line up for. The restaurant's signature dishes are mulnaengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon, or spicy buckwheat noodles, both priced at 16,000 won. The mulnaengmyeon is very simple and light in texture. Here, the buckwheat noodles are very chewy, providing a refreshing and cooling experience. You can also get bindaetteok, or mung bean pancakes, for 13,000 won. Other items on the menu are suyuk, or boiled pork, priced at 45,000 for a small plate and 85,000 won for a large plate; Korea's pungent delicacy known as hongeo offered at 70,000 won and beef brisket soup with rice priced at 14,000 won. The lines grow longer with each summer, so do not miss out on the opportunity to dine at Eulmildae Pyongyang Naengmyeon. The restaurant is open every day from 11:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. Yujin Restaurant Located at the heart of Jongno-gu in central Seoul, Yujin Restaurant is an eatery specializing in cold noodles that commands a loyal following. Made with buckwheat flour and starch, the noodles are served in a broth made by slowly simmering beef and bones. It is topped with a hard-boiled egg, a slice of boiled beef, cucumber slices and radish. The noodles taste raw, even bitter, since the focus is on the natural taste of the buckwheat, which can feel unfamiliar. Mulnaengmyeon is priced at 11,000 won. Pair it with mung bean pancake, priced at 10,000 won, and you will have a filling meal with a satisfying contrast in flavors. Yujin Restaurant is open every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Breaktime is between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The last order is taken at 8:10 p.m.
Korea Herald
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Heritage Week to kick off Friday
The annual Heritage Week will kick off Friday, hosting programs engaging the public to raise awareness of Korean heritage. At over 400 locations from Seoul to Jeju Island, municipalities will showcase their cultural items or practices of exclusive historic significance, according to the Korea Heritage Service, the agency that has been organizing the free event since last year. 'It's an immersive experience open to people as young as grade schoolers,' a KHS official said. At 'Building Your Own Terrarium' program taking place in Seoul, participants will learn how to make a terrarium, a small glass enclosure for holding plants, at the hanok house and atelier of 19th-century landscape painter Yi Sang-beom. In Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, the 'Hyanggyo and Nature' program will introduce visitors to the history of state-run Confucian schools, or hyanggyo, whose establishment dates back to the Goryeo era (918–1392). The "exceptionally rich biodiversity' around hyanggyo premises will also be touched upon, according to the KHS. 'Nongak for Family' is a family-friendly program, where participants will be led to an open field to perform 'nongak,' traditional farmers' music, that served as both a rite and entertainment. 'Remembering Sunduksa' program on Jeju Island will look at how the Buddhist temple Sunduksa influenced life on the island in an immersive exhibition that will highlight heritage artifacts held at the temple. The Heritage Week runs through June 22. Some programs require reservation at
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dear Hongrang, Mr. Queen & more: 7 best Sageuk dramas currently streaming on Netflix
Sageuk dramas are Korean historical series set in past eras like the Goryeo or Joseon dynasties, often blending fiction or fantasy. From Dear Hongrang to Mr. Sunshine, here are 7 of the best sageuk dramas now streaming on Netflix.
Korea Herald
02-05-2025
- General
- Korea Herald
For first time, SeMoCA holds Buddhist-themed embroidery exhibition
Visitors will have rare opportunity to see robes worn by revered monks who played key roles in Korea's history In celebration of Buddha's Birthday, the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) is presenting South Korea's first and largest Buddhist-themed embroidery exhibition, showcasing traditional works and treasured artifacts rarely available for public viewing. Buddha's Birthday, celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, falls on May 5 this year. Titled 'Weaving Devotion – Sacred Stitches Leading to Nirvana,' the exhibition offers a rare look at traditional embroidered 'Kasaya,' Buddhist monastic robes, including one that has not been on public display in 47 years since its last appearance at a special exhibition at the National Museum of Korea in 1978. Originally a simple garment symbolizing a practitioner's commitment to the path of enlightenment, the Kasaya was adapted across East Asia to suit local climates and cultural norms. In Korea, it evolved into a ritual robe worn over the monastic inner garment, often conferred upon highly esteemed monks who contributed to national peace, social order and unity during times of crisis, according to the SeMoCA. "By looking at the exhibition, visitors will have a deeper understanding of the people's desires, hopes and dreams from that time. They could also compare them to the dreams we have today and see the differences and similarities," Kim Soo-jung, director of SeMoCA, said during a press tour on Wednesday. Among the highlights is a restored Kasaya robe donated by the late Heo Dong-hwa, former president of the Korean Museum Association, restored in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center. The exhibition features some 55 pieces, including embroidered Kasaya robes and portraits of esteemed monks dating from the Goryeo era (918–1392) to the modern era. Many of the artifacts have been carefully preserved at major temples nationwide. Of particular note are ceremonial robes once worn by Seosan Daesa and Samyeong Daesa, two revered monks who played critical roles during the Japanese invasions of Korea in the late 16th century. The robes were conferred by King Seonjo of the Joseon era in recognition of the monks' leadership in organizing monastic militias to reclaim the capital. Running alongside the main exhibition is 'Light Awakens the Heart,' a special display in the museum's lobby commemorating the fifth anniversary of Yondeunghoe — the Lotus Lantern Festival -- being inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 'Weaving Devotion – Sacred Stitches Leading to Nirvana' runs through July 27 at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art. Admission is free. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, except Mondays.
Korea Herald
25-04-2025
- Korea Herald
Going ‘home': Contested Buddha statue to return to Japan
A 14th-century Buddhist statue will travel from here to Japan on May 10 after Korea's Supreme Court ruled it should be returned to the Japanese temple it was smuggled from, according to Japanese media outlets. The handover will take place when the head monk from Japan's Kannonnji temple in Tsushima, Nagasaki prefecture, visits Buseoksa in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The Korean temple, believed to be the real owner of the Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, maintains the relic was looted during the late Goryeo period (918-1392). In 2023, the Korean Supreme Court ruled that Kannonji was the owner regardless of the statue's origins, as it had 'peacefully and openly' held the item for at least 20 years before it was smuggled out of Japan in October 2012. Since December that year, Buseoksa has been in possession of the relic after local police caught the smugglers. Initially decrying the court decision, Buseoksa this year agreed to transfer the relic following a 100-day ceremony through Buddha's Birthday on May 5 that included public viewing of the object.
