When it was built in 1909, the Grand Conservatory in Changgyeong Palace was the largest of its kind in Asia. After years of restoration, the conservatory has been opened to the public just last month. Is it a symbol of colonialists and capitalites tainting the royal legacy of the Joseon dynasty? Or is its accessibility and entertainment value a sign of democratically changing times?
The Palace’s Painful Past
Youngjoo is an artist and videographer based in South Korea.
Newest Videos
Editor’s Picks

Pleasures of Seoul
The Covid crisis continues, and free travel seems a distant prospect. As we wait for the restrictions to lift, here we reminisce about Seoul and the pleasures it offers.

The K-beauty Nation Begins to Question Its Obsession With Beauty
In a country known for its obsession with appearance and thriving makeup culture, dubbed "K-beauty," some women are starting to say the strict standards of beauty are a form of "corset" imposed by patriarchy, to be removed and discarded.

North Korea Reporting: Riddled With Errors, Even in Neighboring South Korea
North Korea is a hard country to report on for journalists from any country. But even in South Korea, right next to the North, the problem of misreporting is dire, for reasons that go beyond lack of sources.