If you are in Korea now and you don't have any plans for this weekend,  you may want to drop by at the Itaewon Global Village Festival this October 17 to 18, 2015 at Itaewaon Special Tourism Zone (Address: Itaewondae-ro to, Bogwang-ro, Youngsan-gu, Seoul. You can experience cultures from around the glove in this free for all two-day festival.

This year, large-scale events such as an international cutural parade and traditional costume fashion shows are prepared to bring together a diverse range of cultures in an engaging and entertaining format. These colorful shows will be a feast for your eyes and the variety of traditional foods from 26 countries, including Korea, India, Italy and China will surely delight your taste buds!

For more detail about the festival visit their facebook page at www.facebook.com/ItaewonFest.

Source: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/

Bingsu, a classic Korean dessert, has been around since the Joseon era and was originally only served in the summer. However, as the summer grew longer and food culture changed, an increasing number of establishments are now selling bingsu year round. Originally, bingsu was just broken up ice topped with red azuki beans. This variety of bingsu is the most representative of Korean bingsu even today, but for young people who like to try new and unique desserts, this may not be enough. Read on for the Korea Tourism Organization’s top nine unique dessert treats in Seoul.

• Danggojip, offering various dango flavors

Danggojip is the only place in Korea that specializes in Japanese dango (also called danja), a type of rice cake made of glutinous rice flour that has been steamed and shaped into round balls, and then served on a skewer. These chewy desserts are often made without a filling, although peanut powder can be sprinkled on top according to one's preference.

The café's most popular item is the cherry blossom bingsu, which is a milk bingsu topped with cherry blossoms, red azuki beans, strawberries, and a pink sauce. The dish is a pleasure to both see and taste. Try their popular bingsu, and if you are still not full, add on one of their dozen varieties of dangos. Some of the café's clientele include artists from the Hongdae area and celebrity actor Cha Seungwon.

Address:(Hongdae branch): 5, Eoulmadang-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul

• Sobok, healthy and delicious treats

An establishment that emphasizes natural flavors, Sobok first opened in the Hongik University area in early 2014. They offer fresh and nutty ice cream prepared daily every morning, mixing brown rice and various grains with milk.

In general, bingsu is made with shaved ice topped with various ingredients. In contrast, the bingsu at Sobok is made with grain ice cream topped with small amounts of sweet pumpkin, dried persimmon, rice cakes, grain syrup, and other natural ingredients. Each bowl of bingsu is garnished with a small chrysanthemum flower. The paper bowl the bingsu is served in is also environmentally friendly, as it is made of corn powder.

Address: 58, Eoulmadang-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul

Website: www.sobokorea.com

• Imi, where fresh cream and oranges meet

Imi is located in Seogyo-dong, a quiet neighborhood near Hongik University. This café is run by two brothers, one a barista and the other a baker. Imi serves a one-of-a-kind fresh cream orange bingsu. It is served in a large coffee mug and topped with so much fresh cream, you might mistake it for coffee at first glance. Take a spoonful of it, and you will instantly feel rejuvenated by the refreshing orange taste. Also popular, especially among the young female clientele, is the French-style cake made of oranges and cheese.

Address: 7, Donggyo-ru 25-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul

• Ice Cream Bunggeoppang, a delicious street snack

Bungeoppang, fish-shaped bread filled with red bean paste, is a common winter-time snack in Korea. At A-boong, this treat takes on a new spin during the summer. There are three flavors of ice cream bungeoppang, which became instantly popular online thanks to its pretty and unique shape. The big-size bungeoppang features red azuki beans, fresh cream or sweet potato sauce, and comes topped with ice cream and a skewer of chocolate-covered fruit.

Address: Ehwa University Branch: 10 Ewhayeodae 2-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

• Penguin Macaron, where lines form in an instant

Penguin Macaroon was the first ice cream shop to offer macaroon ice cream sandwiches in Korea. All the macaroons and ice cream sold at Penguin Macaroon are made the same day. In addition, there is a limited quantitiy of sandwiches sold each day, making these treats a hot commodity. Due to their limited numbers, a long line of people begins to form in front of the store as the store’s opening hour approaches, all hoping to get this sweet and fun morsel.

There are five flavors of ice cream: green tea, fresh cream cheese, strawberry, banana, and chocolate. When you order ice cream, it will be served between the macaroons that go best with it (the colors of the macaroons change every day). Some say that macaroons are too sweet, but eat it with ice cream and you will quickly agree that the two are a perfect match.

Address: Main Branch: 258-15, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Website: www.penguinmacaron.com

• Gaongil, a trip to classic taste

Gaongill is a café similar to Ogada or Tea Oreum. It is a franchise café that sells traditional Korean snacks and beverages. Their traditional bingsu, the most popular menu item, is generously topped with red azuki beans, rice cakes, jujubes, chestnuts, and mung beans. Unique treats on their menu include Sujeonggwa bingsu, royal honey bingsu, and pea bingsu. The pea bingsu features peas boiled in sugar and is quite popular as it is low in calories.

Address: Doosan Tower Branch: 153, Daehang-ro, Jongno, Seoul

• Sammat Hootteok, a cozy and charming snack place

Sammat Hootteok is a snack place run by a young brother-sister duo. By opening this establishment, the pair bet everything on their hotteok, a variety of Korean fritters. Sammat, or three tastes, refers to the three varieties of hotteok filling they serve: red azuki beans, cheese, and seed.

Eventually, the owners developed an ice cream version. The ice hotteok features cold ice cream stuffed inside a hotteok that has just been deep-fried in oil. The taste is beyond description and amazingly good, earning this snack the chance to appear on many TV shows. Also highly recommended is Sammat Hootteok’s tteok-bokki, an all-time favorite Korean snack food, and the Italy hotteok that is full of cheese.

Address: 5, Wangsimni-ro 21-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul

Website: blog.naver.com/sammat1

• Tasting Room, serving elegant ice cream

Tasting Room is a restaurant run by a married couple, one is an architect and one is a lighting designer. The restaurant sells popcorn salt ice cream, which is vanilla ice cream covered in popcorn and served on a chilled dish sprinkled with salt. Dip the ice cream in some salt to enhance its sweetness, but be sure you don’t use too much salt or it will ruin the ice cream’s flavor. This combination of popcorn and ice cream has become more common on the Korean street food scene and you will also find similar ice creams at movie theaters.

Address: COEX Mall Branch: Asem Tower, 524, Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Website: www.tastingroom.co.kr

• Bardot Bars, delicious and decadent ice cream bars

Bardot Bars is a decadent ice cream brand from California. With the motto "We sell Love on a stick," the store's main product is decadent ice cream bars. The shop interior is designed as if selling luxury goods and the packaging is also unique and lavish. The ice cream is coated with Belgium chocolate, while the inside comes in ten or so flavors, including walnut, cheese, and green tea.

The flagship store in Cheongdam-dong is run side by side with Klatch Coffee, a specialty coffee shop from the U.S. Bardot Bars was also featured several times in Korean dramas and Yoon Eun-hye, EXO, and 4minute also filmed here.

Address: 8, Dosan-daero 57-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Source: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/

Changwon in Gyeongsangnam-do, known as a beloved hideout for artists, is a romantic travel destination throbbing with artistic sensibility. The city is filled with a variety of attractions, including alleys adorned with beautiful flowers and trees, a charming mural village, heartwarming traditional markets, and more. Recently, the street of Changdong has been drawing an ever-increasing number of visitors with the installation of "Sangsang-gil." Literally meaning "Imaginary Road," it is a newly built tourist zone with the names of Korean celebrities and international tourists engraved on its sidewalk. Head off on a trip to Changwon this fall to explore this gorgeous city of artistic delights!

SANGSANG-GIL (IMAGINARY ROAD) (BULJONGGEORI-RO)

Sangsang-gil road, the only street of its kind in the world, is filled with names of the general public. This street was made possibly by a special campaign launched by the Korea Tourism Organization. Millions of international applicants entered, among which 23,000 lucky winners were selected to have their names engraved on the road.

Although scheduled for completion in October 2015, there was recently a grand opening ceremony. The road is expected to perform as a special attraction for visitors coming to the area. In particular, the winners of the campaign will be delighted to find their names just below their feet. Taking pictures as a keepsake of this special experience will add more fun in exploring Korea's southern region.

Address: 28, Buljonggeori-ro, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

CHANGDONG ART VILLAGE

Changdong Art Village was created by redeveloping Changdong Street, a declining yet once thriving downtown of the old Masan city (now consolidated into Changwon City). As ateliers, cafes, and galleries took over the vacant stores, the empty town has been transformed into a street of art, characterized by its distinctly romantic ambience.

A great number of unique murals and popular photo spots hide behind every corner, offering a joyful experience of exploring the alleys. The Changdong Art Village Art Center, easily spottable during one's tour of the village, displays an array of artworks by international artists, and also provides tourist information. The center is open from 11:00 to 18:00, and is closed every Monday and on the day of Chuseok.

Address: 24, Odongseo 6-gil, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

CHANGWON GAROSU-GIL

A quiet neighborhood of Yongji-dong is the new up-and-coming hot spot for Changwon residents to meet and gather, thanks to its metasequoia tree road. Dubbed as the "Garosu-gil of Changwon" (after the famous Sinsadong Garosu-gil in Seoul), the area is dotted with cozy coffee shops, galleries, and art shops that draw a constant stream of visitors, especially young people. The metasequoia-lined road and the revamped buildings give off an exotic vibe, for which it is an ideal place to take a leisurely stroll with take-out coffee in hand or enjoy tea-time on one of the cafe terraces. On weekends, a flea market is held here, adding to the fun of exploring the area.

Address: 24, Odongseo 6-gil, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

GAGOPA KKOBURANG-GIL MURAL VILLAGE

Gagopa Kkoburang-gil Mural Village can be reached by walking through the alleys leading down from Changwon City Museum. It is a small village, the walls of which are decorated with mural paintings illustrating the old landscape of Changwon, such as its sea and port, as well as other diverse themes like animals, flowers, pop art, and more.

Some of the meaningful places in the village, including its 100-year-old well and the senior citizen center have been turned into photo zones for visitors to capture the colorful murals. Climb up the stairs flanked by these mural drawings to get a magnificent birds-eye view of Masan Port. The village is a must-visit destination in Changwon, but it is also a residential area for locals, so visitors are advised to look around quietly.

Address: 15-8, Seonghoseo 7-gil, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

CHANGWON CITY MUSEUM (MOONSHIN ART MUSEUM)

Changwon City Museum is an art museum dedicated to the internationally recognized artist Moon Shin (1923–1995), who spent a good part of his life in France. Moon is most well-known for his 25 meter-high stainless steel artwork on display at Olympic Park in Seoul.

The art museum was completed after 14 years of construction under the guidance of the artist himself, who also designed the building. It is comprised of three exhibition halls housing around 290 works, including this artist-slash-founder's own sculptures and oil paintings that each display a great deal of artistry. In addition, the museum is situated on the hill overlooking Masan Bay, so visitors to the museum can also take in the great scenery.

Address: 147, Moonshin-gil, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

THE HOUSE OF CHANGWON

The House of Changwon is the place to go if you want to experience Korean traditional culture. This hanok (traditional Korean house) complex was set up on a wide stretch of land around 200 years ago to preseve the time-honored houses and traditional culture. The complex consits of 14 buildings, which include a guesthouse, a main building, and an octagonal pavilion called palgakjeong.

On display inside the buildings are farming tools that were once used by Koreans, and beeswax figures reenacting scenes from the Joseon dynasty, thereby offering visitors a chance to travel back in time. Popular among photographers for its well-kept garden and architectural beauty, the House of Changwon offers use free of charge for couples holding a traditional wedding here.

Address: 59, Sarim-ro 16beon-gil, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

BURIM MARKET

Connected to the alley of Changdong Art Village, Burim Market is Changwon's major traditional market in addition to being a famous wedding market. The market sells a diverse assorment of goods, such as clothes, fruits, and vegetables, but it is especially popular among customers who come to rent or purhcase tailored hanbok(traditional Korean dress) at affordable prices. In fact, you can often spot couples here searching for hanbok to wear to their upcoming wedding ceremonies.

The market is also widely-known for its tasty Myeongmul tteok-bokki (spicy rice cakes), which is served on a plant stand and makes for a budget-priced, hearty meal.

Address: 352, 3•15-daero, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

MASAN FISH MARKET

Masan Fish Market is the largest of its kind in Korea with over 250 years of history. The market houses more than 1,200 stores selling fresh seafood caught in the waters surrounding Masan, Tongyeong, and Geoje. It is divided into several sections, each specializing in different items, such as salted seafood and dried fish. The most popular section is the one lined with hoetjip (raw fish restaurants), which is always bustling with people who come to taste fresh raw fish. This arcade-style market provides clean facilities and rest areas for visitors' convenience.

In addition, Lotte Department Store is located right next to the market, which makes the area an ideal shopping destination. The annual Masan Fish Market Festival, held in the fall, draws a large number of visitors each year as it offers much to eat and enjoy.

Address: 7, Bogyori-ro, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

Source: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/