On the paved narrow streets of Seongsu-dong, red-brick shoe factories built during Korea’s mid-century manufacturing boom now stand beside sweeping, glass-fronted flagships and repurposed industrial storehouses. Once a gritty hub for leather workers and cobblers, the neighborhood has earned a reputation as the "Brooklyn of Seoul" — a playground for architectural experimentation where old-world industrial heritage meets ultra-modern design. Now, local authorities are opening the doors to this urban metamorphosis, inviting residents to walk through the neighborhood's living architectural archive alongside professional designers. Seongdong District said it will host its 10th annual "Gagahoho" Architecture Academy from Oct. 26-31 in partnership with the Seongdong Architects Association. The weeklong initiative culminates on Oct. 31 with an architect-led walking tour through Seongsu-dong’s most famous structures, offering 20 local residents an insider’s look at the precinct's spatial evolution. Led by four professional architects, the tour will set off from the local Footwear Theme Pa

K-pop boy band ENHYPEN met World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Seoul to review the results of its global blood donation campaign, the group’s agency said Friday. According to Belift Lab, a label under HYBE Music Group, the band’s six members met Tedros on Thursday at HYBE’s headquarters in Yongsan District, central Seoul. The members are Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-ki. Officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Korean Red Cross Blood Services also attended. Tedros noted that many patients who need transfusions cannot get safe blood in time. He also praised the members for donating blood themselves. “Blood is the most precious gift anyone can give to another person — the gift of life. I’m proud of all the members of ENHYPEN for working with WHO and committing to encourage blood donation and save lives,” he said. “The last campaign was a great success, reaching millions of people. ENHYPEN and Engene have real power to influence the world. I’m your fan, too,” Tedros added. Engene is the name of the grou

Korea held its first official ceremony for Hansik Day, a newly designated national commemorative day for Korean cuisine, in Seoul on Friday. At the event, officials outlined plans to turn the country’s food into a global cultural and industrial asset. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-hosted the ceremony at the National Museum of Korea, a day before Hansik Day on Saturday. “Hansik” is the Korean word for Korean food. Marked on Oct. 24, the date combines the number 10, which the government says stands for completion and harmony, with the 24 solar terms. These are the traditional seasonal markers that have long guided farming in Korea. About 300 people attended the ceremony. They included diplomats from 15 countries, food industry officials, academics and certified food masters, who are artisans the government recognizes for preserving traditional food-making techniques. Vice Agriculture Minister Kim Jong-gu presented four policy directions. The first is preserving fermented foods such as kimchi and jang, Korea’s soybean-bas

Foreign tourists in Busan can get up to 30,000 won ($23) off a meal of "hanwoo," Korea’s native beef, at four local restaurants through a pilot program that runs through Nov. 6, the city government said Friday. The Hanwoo Gourmet Tour, which began Friday, is jointly run by the Busan Metropolitan Government and the Hanwoo Board, a body that promotes consumption of the domestic beef breed. It is open to foreign nationals visiting or staying in the southeastern port city. The participating restaurants were all selected for Taste of Busan 2026, the city’s annual guide to notable local eateries. They are Yukhwamok and Sogonggan in Haeundae District, Gwangalli Eonyang Bulgogi Busanjip in Suyeong District and Gombo Sikdang in Sasang District. Their signature dishes range from charcoal-grilled rib eye and premium hanwoo steak to bulgogi, thinly sliced marinated beef. Gombo Sikdang has specialized in hanwoo for about 50 years. To join, visitors take a photo of their hanwoo dish at a participating restaurant and post it on their personal Instagram account. They then register their visit and t

Seoul’s Yongsan District is running a mobile stamp tour that links its official YouTube content with visits to eight local landmarks, starting Friday and continuing through Nov. 22. The Yongsan Pick Stamp Tour is designed to let people experience in person the attractions they have seen on screen, according to the district office. It is open to anyone visiting the district. The eight sites are Yongsan Children’s Garden, the National Museum of Korea, the War Memorial of Korea, Ichon Hangang Park, Yongnidan-gil, Haebangchon, a former U.S. military officers’ housing complex in Yongsan Park and a cafe street in Hannam-dong. Yongnidan-gil is a trendy restaurant and cafe alley, while Haebangchon is a hillside neighborhood below Mount Nam known for its eateries. Participants can scan a QR code on promotional materials to access the district’s real-time smart map service and sign up as members. When they visit a site, their location is verified by GPS, and they receive a mobile stamp. Photo verification is accepted where GPS does not work. During the stamp process, a video about that lo

A street festival featuring food and music from around the world will be held on Apgujeong Rodeo Street in Seoul’s Gangnam District, Sunday, according to the district office. The 2026 Apgujeong Rodeo Festa will run from 2 to 8 p.m. along the street’s main strip, a fashion, shopping and dining hub in one of the capital’s most affluent neighborhoods. The annual festival is hosted by the Apgujeong-dong community service center — the neighborhood-level branch of the district office — and organized by the Apgujeong Rodeo Development Committee, a local merchants’ group. It is billed as the neighborhood’s signature event, bringing together merchants, residents and visitors from Korea and abroad. This year’s edition takes world cuisine as its theme and turns the entire street into a stage. It opens with a performance by a team of foreign K-pop cover dancers, who recreate the choreography of K-pop songs. Other programs include a street "noraebang," or Korean-style karaoke, where residents can sing live, as well as relay DJ performances and a DJ set by Hyebin, a member of girl gro