Browsing the archives for the Korean culture category
As one of the few architectural structures left standing from the Silla Dynasty, Bunhwangsa (분황사) Temple is one of the “must see” historical sites in Gyeongju. Built in 634 C.E. by order of the legendary Queen Seondeok (선덕여왕), Bunhwangsa is most famous for its three-tiered pagoda. Originally built as seven or nine tiers, the pagoda [...]
It’s been a while, or should I say long while, since I last posted. My apologies. I’ve been swamped with writing papers for my Masters degree, so I haven’t had much time for blogging I’m afraid. Still, this is something worth positing about, so I’m hoping to get the word out in time. My friend [...]
To be honest the Korean urban lifestyle doesn’t really do much for me. Sure, I sometimes miss the art and culture, the night clubs and the convenience. But after living in London, Berlin and Barcelona, there’s really not anything new that I get out of big cities in Korea. All it takes is a walk [...]
The official start of fall is less than a week away, meaning it’s time again for some of the best weather in Korea and its accompanying frenzy of festivals. Here in Gyeongju we can look forward to a few old favorites plus some changes and special events. First off, both vegetarians and Buddhist culture aficionados [...]
It’s been a while since I’ve done any “Top 10″ and since I’ve been busy with final exams and grades, I don’t have any proper articles ready to go this week. Instead, I figured I’d post on the 10 best YouTube videos I could find about Gyeongju. Believe me, it was a lot harder than [...]
This is probably a bit random, but it’s been ages since I’ve posted any videos here. On the evening of the opening and closing Saturday of the Andong Mask Dance Festival, Hahoe Folk Village hosts a traditional firework performance. They string ropes from the village, across the river, to the top of the cliff. The [...]
If you’ve read any of my restaurant reviews on here on the blog, you’ve probably noticed I don’t bother ratings restaurants with crap like forks, stars, or hearts. I’m a busy guy. I figure if a restaurant’s blasé or bad (and Gyeongju ‘s got its share of those) then it’s not worth writing about. Also, [...]
Although it’s not quite enough to call a trend, a couple vegetarian restaurants have sprung up around Bomun Resort (보문단지) in the last few years which, for a country that generally considers eating meat equal with common sense, is a pretty big deal. Perhaps the frequent media scares over livestock-borne diseases, like mad cow, foot [...]
In case you missed it the last few dozen times I’ve said it, let me just say again: Buddha’s Birthday is my favorite holiday in Korea. On Buddha’s Birthday, or “Seokgatanshinil” (석가탄신일) as it’s called in Korean, the Buddhist faithful hang lanterns bearing prayers and wishes all around the temples, which serve free vegetarian Bibimbap [...]
Somehow I always forget about the annual Gyeongju Shilla Ceramics Festival. It’s not that I hate Korean pottery or anything. (In fact, I’m a proud owner of several Korean tea sets). Rather, the fine folks over at Gyeongju’s City Hall always double book the Ceramics Festival along side other big events (which actually isn’t as [...]
