Stone Guardians of The Royal Tombs
 

The Joseon royal tombs located in Gyeonggi-do and Seoul, include the tombs of royal family members throughout the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). These tombs were listed as UNESCO World Heritage items in 2009. 
 
The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty feature one or more semi spherical mounds protected with curb stones set around the base and elaborately carved stone railings and stone animals such as a lamb and a tiger, in particular, both of which represent meekness and ferocity. In the front area is a rectangular stone table that was used to offer sacrifices to the spirits of the royalty buried there.
 
One of the most distinguishing features of the imperial tombs is that the stone statues, which stand on both sides of the table as tall octagonal stone pillars, which can be seen in the distance. They are usually placed around the tomb, standing on either side of the pathway leading to the chimjeon, the building where the memorial ceremony is held. Statues of a civil servant and a military officer on guard stand closest to the building, and they are followed by those of a giraffe, an elephant, a haetae, a mythical creature, a camel, and a horse. The term ‘seoksu’ simply means ‘stone animal statue’ in Korean. Stone animal statues refer to those that are usually placed in front of a tomb or palace or inside of a tomb, but stones piled up around a tomb or stone images carved on the base part of stone pagodas are also considered stone animal statues.
 
In addition, stone lanterns are in front of the stone animals. One or more pairs of stone guardians (civil and military officials) stand on both sides of each stone lantern, with their horses being behind them. The mound is further protected by a low wall standing at the back and on both sides. They are believed not only to protect the monarchs but also guide and serve them in the afterlife.
 
These tombs and the stone guardians represent both the Joseon people’s belief in the afterlife and Confucian values, such as filial piety, patriotism, and manners. They also show off the art, science, beliefs, and mindset of society at that time, which have all changed as we have moved into the present. They still stand as glorious monuments of their era reminding us of the prosperous times of the Joseon Era.

KPOP songs can comfort us in an overwhelming manner. They have a special way of crafting words that resonates with what you are feeling. It can remind you that it is totally okay to feel what you are feeling, and you’ll get through it.
If you are low or need a pause in your everyday life, put on your headphones and listen as these songs embrace you.

The Korean dramas

Written by: Janvi Singh
 

The Korean cinema, the history of which spans 101 years, has been recognized for its cinematic quality at international film festivals, and is currently being introduced widely around the world. Since 1961, when The Coachman became the first Korean film to win the Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, South Korean films have stood out at the most prestigious film festivals in the world, known as the Big Three: Berlin (Germany), Cannes (France), and Venice (Italy).
 
Films such as Old Boy, Oasis, Burning, and On the Beach at Night Alone won leading awards in major categories. Famous Korean film directors such as Bong Joon-ho, Im Kwon-taek, Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook, Hong Sang-soo, and Kim Jee-woon are attracting attention in the global film industry. 
 
In 2019, Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean director to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his latest film Parasite, which also won four leading awards at the Academy Awards in 2020. This has triggered more global interest in Korean films. 
 
As Parasite took home the most awards at the Oscars 2020, winning four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Directing, International Feature Film, and Writing, world media began earnestly reporting about Korean films. For example, the British newspaper, Guardian, recommended the film The Handmaiden, and Rotten Tomatoes, an American review-aggregation website for film and television, spotlighted Poetry. 
 
Furthermore, South Korea also holds various international film festivals to enhance the status of its films, which serve as a driving force for the further development of the Asian film industry. For instance, the Busan International Film Festival, the largest film festival in South Korea, the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, and the Jeonju International Film Festival attract attention from filmmakers around the world each year with a variety of concepts and programs. 
 
In addition, South Korean films are gaining great popularity through OTT platforms. Specifically, #Alive, a South Korean zombie film released in June 2020, is an example of successful Korean films introduced abroad through OTT media services. It topped the global movie charts in 35 countries two days after its release on Netflix. 

Everyone loves sauce but in Korea there is one sauce that goes on everything.  It's tangy, its spicy , its sweet. For Korea, this secret sauce has long been " Gochujang ".
 
Gochujang is a food product that is absolutely necessary to Koreans. They cannot do without it. From kimchi to bibimbap to Korean BBQ, gochujang  is a favorite among chefs everywhere, and is poised to become as big as Sriracha.
 
In Korea no one makes it better than the people and Seo Youngsoon of the small town of Suchang village. It gets it's taste from fermented soy bean bricks, and Suchang village has a naturally humid climate that is perfect for fermenting the beans. She's been stirring up the stuff for the past 40 years, using traditional techniques passed down from generation

Source: Korea Tourism Organization india

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