Korea Now: Seoul Events, K-pop & Local Guide | NowHitz · 16

Three generations of brassware

Napcheong opened at its current location on 21 October 1986. It is headed by Lee Hyung-man, the second son of master Lee Bong-ju. Lee Bong-ju was recognized as a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 77, Yugijang, in 1983 and became an honorary holder in 2013. His eldest son, Lee Hyung-geun, became a holder in 2015.

A 2025 Maeil Shinmun article reported that Lee Bong-ju, at 99, was still working at the family workshop in Mungyeong, joined by his grandson Lee Ji-ho as a trainee. The shop is named after Napcheong in Jeongju, North Pyeongan Province, where bangjja brassware began; the website says people who moved south around the Korean War kept the craft alive.

How bangjja ware is made

Bangjja ware starts as an ingot of 78% copper and 22% tin, which is heated and shaped by hammering. The shop’s pieces come from Napcheong Yugi, the family’s production workshop.

Napcheong Yugi set up a factory in Guro-dong, Seoul, in 1957 and a second in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, in 2001. According to the website, about 50 craftspeople now make bangjja ware in Mungyeong and Anyang, and the workshop exports abroad.

What the shop sells

Napcheong divides its brassware into tableware, musical instruments, ritual vessels, wedding gifts, and household goods and art pieces, from dinner bowls to vessels for ancestral rites and brass instruments. The website does not list prices.

Getting there and hours

The address is 5 Insadong 10-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. According to the shop’s directions, leave Anguk Station (Line 3) by exit 6 and follow Insadong-gil towards Jongno for about 50 m; the shop is behind Sudo Pharmacy on the left. The Seoul Tourism Organization gives the distance from exit 6 as 370 m.

The Seoul Tourism Organization lists the shop as open daily from 10:30 to 18:30, Korea Standard Time. Hours can be confirmed by phone at 02-736-5492.

For international visitors

The website is available in Korean, English and Chinese. There is a separate English-language phone line (+1-778-294-6109), and enquiries can also go to webmaster@napcheong.com.

English assistance in the shop, foreign card payment, tax refunds and overseas shipping are not confirmed in any official listing. Brassware is heavy, so several sets add significant luggage weight.

Dates and prices

Shows start at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 13; 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 14; and 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 15. All seats are reserved at KRW 154,000. Admission is for ages seven and above; preschool children cannot enter. All times are Korean Standard Time (KST, UTC+9).

General sale Oct 19, 8 p.m.

The general sale opens at 8 p.m. on Monday, October 19. Each person may buy up to two tickets per show, including any bought in the fanclub presale. Villains third-generation verification and presale closed on October 6 and 7 respectively.

Booking from abroad

The official Korean ticket page links to the international NOL World listing, which requires identity verification before booking and states that Korean passports cannot be used for that global verification. Booking details must match the attendee’s ID.

Regular tickets are mobile-only, with no paper delivery or box-office pickup. Joining the queue on several devices at once with one account closes the existing queue.

Payment and fees

NOL World’s FAQ says ticket payments can be made with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and UnionPay cards issued outside Korea. This show does not accept bank transfers. Booking fees vary by product, and the final total appears at checkout.

Support for registering or verifying an overseas phone number has not been confirmed. Questions go through My Account → Customer Support on NOL World.

Wheelchair booking by phone

Wheelchair-space general booking runs from 10 a.m. on October 19 to 5:59 p.m. on November 6, by phone only through the NOL Customer Center at 1544-1555, open 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

The spaces are for wheelchair users only. Tickets are issued on the show day after staff check a disability registration or welfare card and physical ID matching the purchaser’s name. Whether disability documents issued abroad are accepted is unconfirmed.

Getting to the venue

The venue is at 127 Gonghangmunhwa-ro, Yeongjong-gu, Incheon. The resort runs complimentary shuttles, including Incheon Airport routes, on a first-come basis with timetables subject to change. At Incheon Airport Terminal 1, the official timetable lists resort shuttle stops 2C and 14C.

The organizer separately announced concert shuttle reservations through the Queens Smile app. Show-day departures, fares and seat availability have not been verified, and the resort’s regular shuttle does not guarantee a ride back after the performance.

Eulwangri Beach

The resort lists Eulwangri Beach among nearby attractions. Its address is 16-15 Yongyuseo-ro 302beon-gil, Yeongjong-gu, and the district says it is open at all times year-round with free entry. Transfer time to the venue and concert admission times need to be planned separately.

A foundation-run craft shop

Craft Garden is run by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. It sells a selection of everyday objects drawing on traditional and contemporary materials and techniques, inside a gallery building that also holds exhibition rooms and a craft-and-design library. Work by many makers can be compared in one place.

Only Here 1 · Start with how you will use it

The selection runs from tableware to everyday and fashion accessories. Each object is labelled with its material and maker.

Only Here 2 · Online price examples under ₩20,000

Online prices checked on October 14, 2026 were ₩12,000 for a pair of Yang Kyung-chul wooden chopsticks and ₩15,000 for Haneulnue’s flower-and-butterfly cotton handkerchief. In-store prices and stock may differ.

The chopsticks are 240 mm long and made from solid wood in South Korea. The product instructions recommend wiping off moisture, drying them thoroughly after use and keeping them out of the dishwasher.

Only Here 3 · Exhibitions upstairs

KCDF Gallery has craft exhibition rooms on floors 2 and 3 and a craft-and-design library on basement level 1, so shop objects and exhibited craft can be seen in one building. Gallery policy generally provides free admission, with exceptions; dates and conditions vary by exhibition.

Best Time · A Tuesday–Sunday afternoon

Craft Garden opens Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–19:00 KST, and closes Mondays, January 1, Lunar New Year’s Day and Chuseok day. The editors suggest 14:00–17:00 for combining the shop with an exhibition.

The facilities page lists standard exhibition hours of 10:00–18:00, with closure days that can vary by exhibition.

How Long · 60–90 minutes, then Ssamzigil

The editors suggest 60–90 minutes for the shop and an exhibition. Ssamzigil, at 44 Insadong-gil, houses small craft shops; its official hours are 10:30–20:30, with closures on Lunar New Year’s Day and Chuseok day.

Getting There · From Anguk Station exit 6

The shop is on the first floor of KCDF Gallery, 8 Insadong 11-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, about 380 m from exit 6 of Anguk Station on Line 3, according to Visit Seoul. The gallery has no dedicated parking; KCDF directs drivers to Jongno-gu public car parks.

Shop enquiries: +82-2-733-9041. An English facilities guide is available online, but on-site foreign-language service, foreign-card acceptance, tax refunds and international shipping are unverified.

The temple grounds

Gilsangsa is a Jogye Order Buddhist temple. Roofs, stone walls and trees frame each other differently as the path turns, and the textures of wood and stone in the shade reward a slow look.

The editors suggest a daylight visit with 45–60 minutes for the grounds, plus extra time for tea or food.

From Daewongak to temple

The temple stands on the former site of a restaurant called Daewongak. Land and buildings donated by Kim Yeong-han became a temple, which opened as Gilsangsa in 1997. Its purpose changed within the surviving buildings and landscape, and it remains an active place of Buddhist practice and worship.

Suyeonsanbang

Suyeonsanbang, at 8 Seongbuk-ro 26-gil, is novelist Yi Tae-jun’s former home, now run as a traditional teahouse serving Korean teas such as omija. Same-day opening can be checked on 02-764-1736.

Bakery and art space

Napoleon Bakery, at 7 Seongbuk-ro near Hansung University Station, opened in 1968 and has a bakery downstairs and a cafe upstairs. The Seoul Tourism Organization lists daily hours of 09:00–20:30, with a Chuseok closure.

Seongbuk Art Space, at 23 Seongbuk-ro, opens Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–18:00, closes Mondays and charges no admission. Current exhibitions are posted in the venue’s notices.

Getting there

Gilsangsa is at 68 Seonjam-ro 5-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Official tourism directions describe taking the Seongbuk 02 village bus from exit 6 of Hansung University Station on Line 4 to the Gilsangsa stop, avoiding the uphill walk.

Napoleon Bakery is 40 m from exit 5 of the same station, and Seongbuk Art Space a five-minute walk from exit 5.

Hours and etiquette

The Korea Tourism Organization lists Gilsangsa’s hours as 09:00–18:00, year-round. Enquiries: 02-3672-5945. All times are KST.

Indoor spaces and practice programs have their own conditions, separate from a general visit to the grounds. Visitors should ask before taking close photographs of worship or meditation spaces. Foreign-language programs, booking with overseas phone numbers and foreign-card acceptance at nearby shops are unverified.

Free musical stage at 5:30 PM

Jamwon Hangang Park’s Multi-Purpose Sports Field, also called the rugby field, hosts Hangang festival programs on Saturday and Sunday, October 17–18. ON Stage: When Stars Rise Above Hangang River runs 17:30–19:00 both days, free and without advance reservation. Musical-theater students from Dankook University perform with Seo Beom-seok on October 17 and Lisa on October 18.

The wider autumn festival continues at other parks until October 25. All times are Korean Standard Time (KST).

Daily Workout at Hangang

The workout program offers Rhythm Training at 10:00–11:00, Pound Fit at 12:00–13:00 and Sliding Board at 14:00–15:00, involving steps across floor markings, rhythmic drumstick movements and sliding on a board. Each activity costs KRW 5,000 per person; the fee is not a day pass.

Rhythm Training and Pound Fit admit ages six and up, Sliding Board ages 12 and up, and participants aged 12 or younger need a guardian. Check-in opens one hour before each session, and tickets are non-transferable. There are no changing rooms or lockers.

Hangang One Meal

Hangang One Meal runs 16:00–17:30. Participants watch a demonstration by cooking creator Recipe-Reading Woman (레읽녀), choose ingredients with provided coins from 16:20 and eat from 17:00. Preparation is flame-free, with basic utensils, a sink, a microwave and a hot-water dispenser; only ingredients supplied on site may be used.

The fee is KRW 5,000 per person. There is no minimum age, but children aged 12 or younger need a guardian.

Applications close Oct 14, 5 PM

Advance applications for the workouts and cooking close on October 14 at 17:00 and may fill earlier. The official routes are Urban Sports and Seoul Public Service Reservation. On October 13, the public reservation page showed “Open,” but remaining places for individual sessions were not verified.

Walk-ins are limited to no-shows and unsold places. The organizer plans to post remaining numbers in an Urban Sports popup on October 15 at 17:00 and to take first-come registrations at the information desk from one hour before each session. On-site payment is by bank transfer only.

Payment, refunds and language

Seoul’s public booking system requires first-time users to create an integrated account and complete mobile-phone identity verification. Applications are cancelled automatically if payment by bank transfer is not made within 24 hours. Overseas phone numbers and foreign cards are unverified. English and Japanese festival information is available, but interpretation in the sessions is not guaranteed.

Participants who cancel before October 14 at 17:00 receive a full refund; later cancellations are non-refundable. Organizer cancellations are fully refunded. Weather or site conditions may change activities and performances. The office is on 070-4705-8860, weekdays 10:00–17:00, excluding 12:30–13:30 and public holidays.

Getting there and access

The address is 2395 Olympic-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Official directions give a 20-minute walk from Exit 2 of Apgujeong Station on Line 3, or 23 minutes from Exit 8 of Sinsa Station. Hangang Bus Apgujeong Pier A bus stop (23451) is a two-minute walk away. Parking is not subsidized, and public transport is recommended.

An October 13 access notice shows a route using the elevator and ramp at Apgujeong Exit 2 and the Sinsa underpass. Another route uses the elevator at Sinsa Exit 8, then bus 240 or 441 from the Sinsa Station Exit 6 stop (23109) for two stops. The office can advise on activity adaptations and accessible toilets. The photograph is an archival view of Jamwon Hangang Park from December 2024.

A park built from a waterworks

Seonyudo housed a water-treatment plant from 1978 to 2000. Seoul kept traces of the facilities and opened the ecological park in April 2002. The Green Pillar Garden keeps the columns of a clear-water tank whose roof was removed; the Water Purification Garden reuses a chemical sedimentation basin.

The editors suggest 60–90 minutes in daylight, when the old structures are easiest to see, with cafe time extra.

Green Pillar Garden and Seonyugyo

Starting at the Green Pillar Garden or the Water Purification Garden shows the repeated columns and former tanks in sequence. Seonyugyo, the pedestrian bridge to the south, opens views of the Han River beyond the island. Flowering and the operation of water features are not guaranteed.

Hanok cafe near the station

Cafe Picniq’s Seonyudo Hanok branch, at 2-1 Yangpyeong-ro 22-gil, first floor, near Seonyudo Station on Line 9, opened in a renovated hanok in 2018. The Seoul Tourism Organization lists daily hours of 10:00–21:00 and a location 26 m from exit 3. Phone: 0507-1314-5784.

River cafe and cat shop

Cafe Jinjungsung Hangang Coffee House, at 313 Seonyu-ro on the west side of the south end of Yanghwa Bridge, serves coffee and milk tea. Listed hours are 10:00–21:00 daily; phone 02-2633-9507.

In Yangpyeong-dong, Seonyudo Cat sells cat-themed goods at unit 104, building 104, 1 Yangpyeong-ro 22ra-gil. It is closed on Mondays.

Getting there and parking

The park is at 343 Seonyu-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Yeongdeungpo-gu’s official guide gives a 20-minute walk from exit 4 of Seonyudo Station on Line 9; actual time depends on the route and pace.

General vehicles must use Yanghwa Hangang Park parking lot 3. Parking on the island is limited to vehicles displaying a disability permit and carrying the eligible passenger. Park enquiries: 02-2631-9367.

Opening hours

Park admission is free, and the Seoul Tourism Organization lists the grounds as open daily from 06:00 to 24:00. Seonyudo Story Pavilion keeps separate hours of 09:00–18:00, or 09:00–17:00 in winter, and closes on Mondays; the Monday closure applies only to the pavilion.

The Seoul Parks website offers an English PDF map, but English-speaking staff and booking support are a separate matter. Foreign-card acceptance and foreign-language ordering at nearby shops are unverified. All hours are KST.

A 7.9 cm comb

The object is accession Gungjung 267 in the National Palace Museum of Korea. Its catalog records a width of 7.9 cm, a height of 4.6 cm, and materials of wood and ox horn. The closely spaced bamboo teeth smoothed the hair, and flower-painted horn decorates the central spine. The form is traditional, but the museum dates this example to the 20th century.

Teeth set one by one

According to the museum, broad bamboo pieces are fixed to the front and back of the centre, with fine teeth set closely along both sides, a different structure from a comb cut from a solid block.

The Academy of Korean Studies distinguishes the dense bamboo teeth of a chambit from the wider spacing of an eollebit, or coarse comb, and describes roughly 35 operations from cutting bamboo to completion. The even gaps between the teeth show the precision involved.

Flowers under horn

Hwagak decoration combines finely worked ox horn with painting. Describing a different Korean comb in its collection, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art explains that the painted face of a thin, translucent horn sheet is attached to wood, so the flowers are viewed through the horn.

On Gungjung 267, red flowers, dark outlines and a yellowish ground fill the central band among the fine teeth.

Two faces

The museum’s two photographs show the two faces of the same comb. One has a central red flower with leaves extending to the right; the other shows a different arrangement along the band. The dark frame and fine teeth are common to both. Together they show the division between the decorated spine and the working teeth.

These are collection photographs; their dates and the comb’s current display status are not given in the public record.

A Damyang maker today

Chambit are still made and sold. Jukhyang Chambit in Damyang, South Jeolla Province, lists eojungso as a traditional chambit, alongside saekdong and ojuk combs. The workshop’s products and Gungjung 267 are separate objects; the photographs show the museum piece and do not represent goods sold by the workshop or a shared lineage.

Korea’s electronics industry

KES 2026 runs October 13–16 in COEX Halls A and B. Established in 1969, the show brings together Samsung, LG, smaller companies and startups. Alongside appliances and phones are robotics, digital health, mobility, XR and electronic components.

Highlights

Samsung is showing ingredient recognition in refrigerators, automatic settings on washer-dryers and hands-on Galaxy foldables. LG says it is presenting a connected modular home and vehicle-style living space, data-center cooling and robot actuators. Exhibit details are based on the companies’ announcements.

Demos and buying conditions

Exhibitors can say whether a feature works offline, requires a subscription or is supported in a given country and language. Seeing a demonstration is separate from the conditions of an actual purchase.

Opening hours

As of the evening of October 13, three visiting days remain. Hours are 10:00–17:00 on October 14–15 and 10:00–16:00 on October 16. Admission closes 30 minutes earlier, at 16:30 and 15:30 respectively. All times are Korea Standard Time (KST).

Admission and registration

The organizer advertised October 12 at 23:59 as the deadline for free pre-registration. On-site registration costs ₩20,000. Preregistrants and invitation holders follow the free-entry procedure, exchanging their QR code for a badge at the desk.

An English visitor guide and FAQ are available, but overseas-phone, foreign-card and on-site interpretation support are unverified. Contact Team KES at +82-2-6388-6065 or kes@gokea.org.

Getting to COEX

Halls A and B are at 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Connected passages lead from exits 5–6 of Samseong Station on Line 2 and exit 7 of Bongeunsa Station on Line 9 into COEX Mall, where signs point to the halls.

Standard car parking at COEX is ₩1,500 per 15 minutes, with a ₩60,000 daily rate. No KES-specific parking discount has been confirmed.

A district of schools and churches

Visit Seoul presents Jeongdong, where a school, churches, former legations and Deoksugung Palace stand close together, as a walk through Korea’s encounter with modern institutions. Landmarks include the brick facade of the Appenzeller Noble Memorial Museum, housed in Paichai School’s east building, and the windows and tower of Chungdong First Methodist Church.

The main 2026 festival runs Friday, October 30, 18:00–22:00, and Saturday, October 31, 14:00–22:00. All times are Korean Standard Time (KST). The photographs show the buildings in 2010, not this year’s lighting or installations.

Guided walks in English and Japanese

The official A Walk Around Jeongdong route links the Appenzeller Noble Memorial Museum, Seoul Museum of Art, Chungdong First Methodist Church, Ewha Museum and Jungmyeongjeon. Tours last about 60 minutes for 10–15 people. English and Japanese sessions are listed for October 30 at 19:00 and October 31 at 16:00.

General departures leave on the hour and half hour within Friday’s 18:00–20:30 and Saturday’s 14:00–20:30 windows, but foreign-language guides are available only at the listed times. The organizer lists both advance applications and on-site registration at the guides’ headquarters in Paichai Children’s Park (배재어린이공원). Remaining on-site places have not been confirmed.

Applications close Oct 16, 18:00

Advance applications run from October 7 at 09:00 to October 16 at 18:00. Anyone may apply with one companion; 30% of places go first to Jung-gu residents. Selected applicants will be announced on the website and contacted individually on October 19. Applicants may miss out if demand exceeds capacity, and unsuccessful applicants are not notified.

English information and an application form are available, but acceptance of overseas mobile numbers has not been verified. Submitting a form does not guarantee a place.

Venue hours and last entry

Venue admission deadlines differ from the festival’s closing time. The official guide lists the Appenzeller Noble Memorial Museum and Chungdong church’s history memorial hall as open until 22:00, with last entry at 21:30. Ewha Museum closes at 21:00, with last entry at 20:30.

Deoksugung is listed as closing at 21:00, with last entry at 20:00 and admission of KRW 1,000. Concessions and separate exhibition tickets follow each venue’s rules; there is no single free admission across all venues.

Saturday tightrope and taekkyeon

On October 31, the National Jeongdong Theater’s outdoor courtyard hosts a special Jeong-o-ui Hanmadang performance from 16:10 to 17:00, featuring Namsadang tightrope walking and taekkyeon. The theater lists free, unreserved viewing with no age restriction.

The show overlaps with the 16:00 English and Japanese walks. It is cancelled in rain, and schedules can change. The theater notes that some sessions may be filmed, including the audience, for documentation and promotion.

Transport and etiquette

Official directions list City Hall Station on Lines 1 and 2, Euljiro 1-ga on Line 2 and Gwanghwamun on Line 5. Roads from Daehanmun to the Jeongdong fountain and Yewon School will be closed on event days, and there is no festival parking. Guided walks gather at the guides’ headquarters in Paichai Children’s Park.

Chungdong First Methodist Church, a stop on the route, is at 46 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul. Each venue’s photography and worship-space rules apply. Official information on languages for other programs, overseas-card payment and accessibility details is limited.

The four apps

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on October 13 that issuance and use in the four banks’ apps would begin the next day. The participating apps are i-ONE Bank, Shinhan SOL Bank, Woori WON Banking and Hana 1Q.

How to get one

According to the ministry, holders of an IC identity card tap it against a compatible phone; those without one must visit a designated issuing authority. Identity checks in the app are also required. Samsung-device users who have previously been issued a mobile ID can import it through the verification process called 안심인증.

Supported IDs and devices

The announcement covers the launch only and does not list which credentials each app supports. It has not been confirmed that all four apps issue resident registration cards, driving licences and foreign residence cards. Hana’s terms note that some functions may be unavailable depending on the device and operating-system version.

Foreign residents

The national mobile residence card (외국인등록증) is available to registered foreign residents aged 14 or over with a smartphone in their own name, including holders of permanent-resident and domestic-residence-reporting cards. It does not replace a passport for short-term tourists. Support for the card in the four newly participating bank apps has not been separately confirmed.

Use and loss reports

The government user guide describes short-lived QR codes and screenshot protection; the ID must be presented through the app’s verification process, not a saved image.

The official Mobile ID website accepts loss reports around the clock and locks the credential once reported. Each bank app sets out its own reporting route and handling.

Food from 27 localities

According to the official introduction, the festival features displays from 27 cities, counties and districts, food stalls, cooking competitions and hands-on activities, showing how ingredients and methods differ even between neighbouring places.

The official schedule groups parts of “Flavors of Namdo” under geographical themes such as forests and mountain ranges, and the islands and southwestern coast.

Temple cuisine and chefs

The special dining program features Ahn Yu-seong and French MCF chefs on October 23, followed by Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan’s temple cuisine and chef Cheon Sang-hyeon on October 24. Temple cuisine refers to the food culture of Buddhist monasteries.

The official description gives Muan-onion jjajang, noodles in black-bean sauce, and Yeongam-fig tangsuyuk, a sweet-and-sour dish, as examples for Cheon’s program. These are announced menu examples, and the actual selection may change.

Classes by culinary masters

The current schedule includes cooking classes by Namdo culinary masters including Kim Bong-hwa and Im Hwa-ja. Jeonnam’s 2016 appointment announcement identifies Kim as a master of fermented foods in Jangseong and Im as a master of traditional rice cakes in Hampyeong.

The festival’s profiles list each cook’s region and career. Their specialties are background information, not the confirmed menus for this year’s classes.

Naju gomtang

The archival photograph shows gomtang, rice and meat in a clear broth, in Naju in 2015. It represents the host city’s food culture, not a dish or portion served at this year’s festival.

Paid sessions and enquiries

The official Ticketlink notice lists ten paid sessions across October 23–25 at KRW 10,000 each, open to all ages. The price is not a general festival admission fee. Content and times for the special dining show, masters’ table and “Flavors of Namdo” sessions are on the official booking page.

The venue is Yeongsangang Garden, 757-1 Yeongsan-dong, Naju. Festival enquiries: +82-70-7703-1238; the ticket notice lists +82-10-7286-4700. Booking with an overseas phone number, foreign-card payment and on-site English or Japanese assistance have not been verified.

Four themes

The event page groups destinations under ICONIC SEOUL, NIGHT SEOUL, TRENDY SEOUL and TASTE SEOUL. They include Gyeongbokgung, Banpo Hangang Park and Lotte World Tower; Namsan Seoul Tower, Naksan Park and DDP; Seongsu’s Yeonmujang-gil, The Hyundai Seoul and Hannam-dong; and Ikseon-dong Hanok Street, Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town and Gwangjang Market.

Gyeongbokgung and Sindang-dong

Founded in 1395, Gyeongbokgung was the main palace of the Joseon dynasty. The archival photograph of Geunjeongjeon shows one of the destinations featured in the event, not the airport venue.

Visit Seoul presents Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town as a place to try jeukseok tteokbokki, rice cakes cooked at the table in a shared pot with sauce and other ingredients.

Comment online, verify at the airport

Online entry does not require an airport visit. Participants browse the English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese or Traditional Chinese page and comment during the event period with their preferred destination and a reason. The English and Japanese rules allow one entry per person; additional comments do not count as extra entries.

At HiKR Station in Incheon Airport, foreign visitors who show proof of participation receive a coin for an on-site prize draw. Prizes include travel multi-adapters and toothbrush sterilizers, determined by the draw. The official announcement does not give remaining quantities.

Online prize terms

The English page offers US$10 Amazon e-gift cards to ten winners, and the Japanese page JPY 1,500 Amazon gift cards to ten winners, usable only on Amazon.co.jp. Winners on both pages are scheduled to be announced on November 6, KST, on the Visit Seoul event page.

Winners must provide the requested information by the deadline. Prizes cannot be transferred or exchanged for cash and may be replaced with items of equal value depending on availability. The online lottery is separate from the airport draw.

HiKR Station

HiKR Station is on the west side of B1 in the Terminal 1 Transportation Center at Incheon Airport. It opens 10:00–19:00 KST, with admission ending 20 minutes before closing, and general admission is free. The airport event runs on 19 days, excluding the regular closure on October 28.

The address is 271 Gonghang-ro, Yeongjong-gu, Incheon, inside the Transportation Center connected to Incheon Airport Terminal 1 Station on the airport railroad. Facility enquiries: +82-2-729-9499 or hikrstation@knto.or.kr.