October 2025
Architecture
The Korean phrase 현대 건축 (hyundae geonchuk) used on the cover refers to contemporary architecture. The featured building is Mercure Ambassador Seoul Hongdae located in Mapo-gu District, Seoul. It was designed by Kim Chanjoong, head of THE_SYSTEM LAB. The photo was taken by Kim Yong-kwan.
Korean architecture has evolved beyond function into a field of creativity and experimentation. Architects reinterpret tradition through contemporary forms and aesthetics. Their works transform urban landscapes and distinctly establish Korean architecture’s global presence.
한국 건축은 단순히 기능과 실용을 충족하는 단계에 머무르지 않고, 창의와 실험의 영역으로 빠르게 확장해왔다. 도전적인 건축가들은 과감하게 전통을 현대적 언어로 재해석하며, 공간에 새로운 미학과 가치를 불어넣고 있다. 이들의 시도는 건축을 넘어 도시와 일상의 풍경을 바꾸어 놓으며 한국의 이름을 세계에 뚜렷하게 각인시키고 있다.
Since the 1910s, Korean architecture has shifted from traditional layouts to modern urban forms, sparking concerns over lost traditions and aspirations for global recognition. Those who grappled with these issues have become today’s leading architects, blending tradition and modernity to forge a distinct identity for Korean architecture and earning worldwide acclaim.
This fall, visitors to Seoul can explore the city and its architecture through a festival that looks beyond practical function to how buildings shape human experience. Ordinary places across the city reveal hidden stories, inviting everyone to see their surroundings—and themselves—anew.
Gyeongju
The world’s spotlight is on the host city of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting this October. Gyeongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province was the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom, which ruled the Korean Peninsula for nearly a millennium. Why are 6,000 participants from 21 member economies, including government heads, top officials and the world’s leading entrepreneurs, gathering in this city?
Let’s take a three-and-a-half-hour high-speed train ride from Seoul to Gyeongju and explore.
Korean noodle, meat and fish dishes enjoy enormous popularity. But the country’s history and culture as we know it would be unrecognizable without rice. Even today, many Koreans eat steamed rice at every meal. It’s time to discover the secrets behind the popularity of Korean rice.
Injeolmi
