Korea Observer

By JONATHAN HICAP Seoul, South Korea – The first broadcasting theme park in South Korea is now open and it will let you interact with your favorite K-pop stars, actors and actresses in a virtual setting.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin The popularity of Korean dramas has turned the locations where they are shot as tourist attractions. One such place is the cafe where the hit Korean drama “1st Shop of Coffee Prince” was filmed. “1st Shop of Coffee Prince,” which aired in Korea from July to August 2007, starred actress Yoon Eun-hye and actor Gong Yoo.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin Marvel Studios has announced that key elements in the superhero sequel “Avengers: Age of Ultron” will be filmed in Seoul, South Korea. It said the filming of the “Avengers” sequel will create jobs for local extras, crews and vendors that is expected to benefit the Korean film industry. ‘Avengers’ poster (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios)

When the South Korean government relaxes its visa rules starting September 1, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Manila Office expects more Filipino tourists to Korea. Nam Dae Mun Market in Seoul (Photo by Jonathan Hicap)

Seoul City will be operating a late-night (midnight~5:00 AM) bus service starting April 19. Initially, the service will be operated for three months on a trial basis.  Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Government 

Seoul has announced the winners of its Facebook contest  Seoul Campaign (Seoul, My ______). "The winners of the Seoul trip, LG Tapbooks, LifeGrams were selected by the sum of Shares and Likes. The winners of the Photobooks were selected at random," according to Seoul's Facebook page.  It added, " If you find your name on the list below, please send a message with your full name, phone number, and address to HiSeoul Facebook.  Winners can be cancelled if you don't send your personal information for prize delivery and shipping  by March 27th."

Last March 13, I received an email from the Seoul Metropolitan Government informing me that I have been chosen as one of the Exemplary Global Seoul Mates of 2012.

Where would you go to find a pair of the latest Nike running shoes, a sequined purse for under 20 dollars, and a spiral potato all in one street? There is only one place in Seoul.  Seoul has already received ten million tourists this year, which compares markedly with 9.8 million visitors for all of last year. Hallyu and increased global recognition have made Korea an increasingly appealing destination for more and more tourists around the world.  Myeongdong (Photos by Jonathan Hicap)

Here is a big surprise ONLY for our Indonesia fans of Seoul!!!  Seoul is going to give away 30 tickets for the MBLAQ concert in Indonesia.

Experience the Chuseok holiday in Seoul this year! Just make a video of you and your friend cooking up a Korean dish and upload it onto our YouTube channel. You may be one of the five lucky teams to be selected to win a 'Delicious Seoul Story' trip to Seoul that includes airfare, hotel accommodation, a gourmet food tour, and classes with master Korean chefs! Entry Period Submissions must be entered between  12:00 Korean Standard Time (KST) on July 2, 2012 and 17:00 Korean Standard Time (KST) on August 10, 2012. Eligibility Only non-Korean citizens residing outside of South Korea can enter. Winners Announcement Winners will be contacted individually via e-mail and will also be announced on the website ( http://welcome.visitseoul.net)   on August 17, 2012 Korean Standard Time.  * The dates for the "Delicious SEOUL story" trip are set for September 17, 2012 - September 21, 2012 and cannot be changed.  If a winning team is unavailable for...

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will be giving away signed copies of Xiah Junsu's "Tarantallegra" album.  Joining the contest is easy.  Xiah Junsu's "Tarantallegra" album (Photo courtesy of Seoul, Korea Facebook page)

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Some 10 Filipinos in South Korea have qualified as regional finalists in the DZMM World Caravan Global Pinoy Singing Idol contest. According to Fe Kim, a Filipino married to a Korean and president of the Filipino Korean Spouses Association, 21 Filipinos in Korea joined the elimination round last month held at the conference hall of the Philippine Embassy in Itaewon, Seoul. The 10 regional finalists of the Global Pinoy Singing Idol contest at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul (Photos courtesy of Jack Rusl )

Filipino Workers Face Sacrifices In Korea, New Land Of Opportunity By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin  MANILA, Philippines --- To many Filipinos, South Korea beckons as the new land of opportunity. And the key to the gate of that land is the Employment Permit System (EPS). The EPS is the South Korean government’s program that allows small-and-medium Korean enterprises to hire foreign workers.

(KBS World) Smoking in Gangnam Daero, an area with the heaviest foot traffic in Seoul, has been banned starting on June 1st. Public places like parks have often been designated as no-smoking zones, but this is the first time that a ban on smoking has been placed on the entire length of a street.

Seoul Grand Park is holding its festival of festivals, the Rose Festival, from Friday May 25 to Sunday July 1, 2012 at its Theme Garden, which is located right beside the Seoul Zoo. Korea’s largest rose festival kicks off at the same time the park begins to open until 10PM every night.

For me, Seoul is VIBRANT.  It is a city that is rapidly changing with technological advancement. This modernization is complemented with the preservation of Seoul's rich cultural and historical heritage and warmth from the people of Seoul. (Jonathan Hicap)  You can also view this photo at   http://twitter. com /Jonah_writer/status/207126504507838467/photo/1/large

By JONATHAN HICAP Traveling to another country  for the first time is always worrisome. You don't know the people, coupled with having a hard time to get around. But it was different when I went to Seoul--South Korea's capital and a modern and  bustling city that is home to about 10 million people. Seoul is a fascinating city:  Itaewon (top) and Myeongdong (bottom). Photos by Jonathan Hicap

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has released its latest "Infinitely Yours, Seoul" series, this time featuring Korean boy band MBLAQ. 

Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold a Free Speech Corner every Saturday from 12:00 to 16:00. Using the ‘Let me talk!’ stage in Cheonggye Plaza, Seoul citizens or foreigners visiting Seoul will be able to speak publicly about events , their impressions of Seoul, or any other topic. (Photo courtesy of http://english.seoul.go.kr)

By JONATHAN M. HICAP Hollywood star Jessica Alba said she wants to do a movie in  South Korea  and is looking forward to meeting famed Korean director Park Chan-wook. Jessica Alba tweeted this picture while they were in Seoul