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  The 26-year-old Korean singer Jung Joon-young, who finished in the top 3 of the talent show “Superstar K4,” has posted “wonderful photos” of the Philippines on his blog. Jung Joon-young in Batangas and at Bonifacio Global City (Photos courtesy of Jung Joon-young’s blog)

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin The continuing popularity of Hallyu, or Korean Wave as evidenced in the proliferation of Korean dramas and K-pop music across the globe have led to South Korea being among most favored destinations of 2014.

Philippine Airlines is flying to the Big Apple,  New York City , on  March 15, 2015 , marking the carrier's much-awaited network expansion to the  US  east coast. In announcing the  New York  service, PAL Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Dr. Lucio C. Tan said, "This auspicious start of regular flights to  New York  will coincide with PAL's 74th founding anniversary." The four-times-a-week service –  Manila - Vancouver - New York  – will operate at Terminal 1 of New York’s  JFK  International   Airport . PAL will have full traffic rights between  Vancouver  and  New York .

​ BAE MINJU, a Korean businessman in the Philippines, died when his car was being stolen by armed men last July 27, 2014. His wife was kidnapped but later released unharmed, and the family driver was arrested for possible involvement in the crime. This is the ninth documented crime-related death of a Korean national in the Philippines since January of this year. In March, 21-year old college student LEE JI WON was abducted and murdered by suspects that include the taxi driver. It was a brutal and senseless crime that rattled the Korean community in the Philippines.

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.

Euromonitor International is pleased to release the Top City Destinations Ranking, covering 100 of the world’s leading cities in terms of international tourist arrivals. Continued economic growth helped these cities collectively experience a gain of 6.6% in 2012, outpacing the 4.2% growth of overall international arrivals.  Within the top 10, six cities are located in Asia, demonstrating the importance of the region to international travel. Overall, 32 of the top 100 city destinations are in Asia Pacific, 12 more than in second-placed Western Europe. 

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines recently introduced new and attractive fares aimed at providing the best of both worlds to its increasingly discerning and diverse customer base. Photo: Paineairport.com/PAL Facebook page

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)

The cold winds and freezing temperatures of winter have passed and spring is drawing near. In Korea, spring temperatures range from 5? to 20?, and the return of warm weather brings wild flowers to bloom all over the country. As the weather improves, so do people's spirits, and springtime festivals are held throughout the country. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the good weather by participating in Korea's flower, food, and culture festivals. 

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will operate 365 fountains installed in parks and streets across the city from April or May to September. In order to save energy, the City Government has decided to reduce the operating period of the fountains by two months compared with previous years. 

From my travels to different countries,  I always get mementos including fridge magnets. Here are the fridge magnets on my cork board in my house in the Philippines  showing the cities and countries that I've visited including South Korea. [caption id="attachment_173" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="My fridge magnets showing the Gyeongbokgung Palace and N Seoul Tower in South Korea and other places that I've visited. (Photo by sangchusan)"] [/caption] A warm congratulations to Korea.net for the opening of its blog! Cheers!

If you ever get the chance to go to South Korea, one of the most fascinating places to visit is the Cheongwadae or Blue House, the official office and residence of the president of South Korea. [caption id="attachment_103" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="(Photo from http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1698377)"] [/caption]

It's still winter in South Korea and one of the most popular activities is to ski. M y friend and her companions at Starhill Resort There are many ski resorts in South Korea and all of them also offer lessons for beginner. One of them is the StarHill Resort in Namyanggju in Gyeonggi. According to the Korea Tourism Organization: The Star Hill Resort (formerly "Mt.Cheonmasan Ski Resort") is located deep in the beautiful and mysterious Cheonmasan Mountains. Amazingly it is only 32km away from Seoul, so access to this picturesque and well-equipped leisure resort is extremely easy. As well as great skiing, visitors can enjoy a ‘experience’ programs at the tourist attractions located near the Cheonmasan Mountains. There are many other ski resorts in South Korea. For more information on this, go to Korea Tourism Organization's website .

I was so excited when I got the chance to go to Seoul, South Korea to watch the Asia Song Festival and at the same time,  visit my friend.