Starting February 16, 2019 the base fare for taxis in Seoul increased from 3,000 won to 3,800 won, while the late-night premium fare that runs from midnight to 04:00 increased from 3,600 won to 4,600 won. Large and deluxe taxis also increased their base fare from 3,600 won to 4,600 won.

International Taxis that can be found at Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport have also increased their flat fares. Selected flat fee only applies to International Taxis going from Incheon International Airport to different parts of Seoul. Flat fee is divided into 5 sections of Seoul and is based on the medium-sized taxis.

The fare from Incheon International Airport to each zones are as followed:

A zone (Gimpo International Airport, Gangseo area) 65,000 won. 

B zone (Eunpyeong, Seodaemun, Mapo, Yeongdeungpo, Yangcheon, and Guro area) 70,000 won. 

C zone (Jongno, Jung-gu, Yongsan, Dongjak, Gwanak, and Geumcheon area) 80,000 won. 

D zone (Gangbuk, Seoungbuk, Dongdaemun, Seoungdong, Gangnam, and Seocho area) 85,000 won. E zone (Dobong, Nowon, Jungnang, Gwangjin, Gangdong, and Songpa area) 90,000 won.

For more information on fares for each zones and taxi types, please visit the official International Taxi website.

For the taxis that have not changed to the new fares, the fare conversion table is available in the taxi. If the meter machine shows the base fare before the increase, the taxi driver will explain the correct fare based on the new fare conversion table.

credit: KTO Singapore

In celebration to Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) 10th anniversary, #LikeMAMA campaign has been launched today (23 October 2018) dedicated for all MAMA lovers to participate in dream and enthusiasm of MAMA. The first week of the campaign welcomes the global boyband, BTS who breaks worldwide records and continuously re-writing their own history.

 As the start of #LikeMAMA campaign, two video clips featured BTS's SUGA and V were published on 2018 MAMA official website. During the individual interview, SUGA and V shared their stories on how they successfully overcome their challenges and reached beyond goals at the same. SUGA and V further shared their future goals and also the new challenges they are facing. 

SUGA said, "It was scarier than happy to overcome a tough challenge with the achievements beyond the set of goals. It made me work harder with a sense of duty at Billboard Hot 100, The Grammys and more" 

V, however said, "My biggest challenge and mission is to show new, different and exciting performances at every stage for our songs."

Followed by SUGA and V, #LikeMAMA campaign will continue to share RM and Jung Kook's interviews on 24th October, lastly, Jin, J-hope and Jimin's interviews on 25th October.

MAMA will continue to review interviews of other artists who have contributed to MAMA and music industry. From the interviews, the artists will share their own definitions and feelings for “Challenge”, “Passion”, and “Dream”, which are the themes of 2018 MAMA. V recalled in the interview, “I still remember the thrills and excitement on my first stage at MAMA.” Through their exclusive interviews, fans will be able to find out special meaning and diverse stories behind MAMA.

In addition, MAMA offers an opportunity for fans to witness 2018 MAMA live. Among fans who share their own challenge, passion or dream in writing on social media platforms with hashtag #LikeMAMA until 30th November 2018, the one with the most votes will win 2018 MAMA ticket package (ticket and related expenses included). For more details of #LikeMAMA campaign, please visit 2018 MAMA official website(www.2018mama.com).

2018 MAMA will progress as “MAMA WEEK” starting off at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Korea as “2018 MAMA PREMIERE in KOREA” on Monday, 10th Decemeber. Then, it will move on to Saitama Super Arena in Japan as “2018 MAMA FANS' CHOICE in JAPAN” on 12th December. Lastly, it will be happening at AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong as “2018 MAMA in HONG KONG” on 14th December. Fans can start voting for each category via the official website of “2018 MAMA”. Online voting will officially start from 6pm on Thursday, 1st November 2018 (KST) until 12 midnight on Sunday, 9th December 2018 (KST).

Organized and presented by CJ ENM, Asia’s biggest music awards MAMA has been started off in 1999 as “Mnet Music Video Awards” for more than 10 years supported by the Korean music industry. It has been developed and transformed to MAMA in 2009 and this year has come to its 10th awards ceremony. Being held in Macau in 2010 was a benchmark of MAMA’s first overseas achievement, since then it has been held in Singapore and Hong Kong. It was an astonishing attainment for the first ever MAMA to be held in three regions last year in Vietnam, Japan and Hong Kong. Not only has MAMA become a significant year-end music awards ceremony, it has developed into an extravagant international music event. It has also simultaneously created an international communication/crossover network for music exchange which made MAMA gained recognition in Asia’s music industry and its communication network.

TVXQ! returned after 2 years and 11 months and wowed thousands of Cassiopeia from all over the world with the full-scale concert 'TVXQ! Concert -CIRCLE- #welcome" held at Seoul Jamsil Sports Complex on 5~6 May 2018.

TVXQ! kick-started the musical theme concert with the latest tracks of their 8th full album "New Chapter #1: The Chance of Love" - starting from the energetic yet groovy track 'Bounce' followed by the title tracks The Chance of Love', 'Love Line' and ended the opening performances with 'Broken' and the piano-driven pop ballad track 'Sun & Rain'.

What surprised us was during 'B.U.T (BE-AU-TY) and 'Somebody to Love' performances. Instead of performing the released Japenese version, the duo performed both tracks in Korean dedicated specially for the Korean audiences. Seems like Cassiopeia was transported back to the olden memories just like stepping into a time machine.  

TVXQ! together with 16 dancers showcased their fancy dance moves which added the stimulating visuals. A total of 26 tracks were performed and TVXQ! successfully wrapped the 3 hours concert with the sentimental ballad track 'You're My Melody'. Thumbs to the KPOP legend and hope the duo will have a world tour soon. 

Asides, TVXQ! will be heading to Japan for "LIVE Tour ~Begin Again~ Special Edition" on 8~10 June in Nissan Stadium. It's expected to attract 100thousands fans to the venue! 역시 아시아 톱클래스! (the Asia-Top Class)

photo source: SM Ent, Universal Music Malaysia

The Gyeonggang High Speed Line connecting Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon province has been scheduled to open in mid-December this year! The opening of the Gyeonggang High Speed line makes travelling between Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon province more convenient and faster than ever before.

Construction commenced in July 2012, the Gyeonggang Line is now close to its completion after upgrading the existing tracks into high-speed tracks and constructing 120.3km-long new tracks in the Wonjoo-Gangneung section. In October, KORAIL had verified all of the facilities involved. The new line will officially open in the upcoming December when the commercial test operation is completed at the end of November.

Once open, the Gyeonggang Line will reduce the travelling time between Seoul station and Gangneung station with an average of 1hr 54min. Thanks to the new line, Olympic athletes and fans heading to PyeongChang next February will be able to make a fast and comfortable KTX travel to the station near Olympic venues.

In order to provide a fast and comfortable KTX service for sports fans heading to PyeongChang for the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, KORAIL is planning to operate 51 daily operations during the Olympics period. 

Source, Photo by KTO Singapore

Annyeonghaseyo! Do you wish to set foot on the filming sites where your favourite OPPA (오빠) or ONNI (언니) has been to when watching all the K-dramas? Here are some of the most popular filming locations in Seoul that you can re-enact your own Korean drama scene!

1. A Tale of Tower Romance

Cheon Song Yi and Do Min Joon's love-locking scene at N Seoul Tower

N Seoul Tower, known for its futuristic decoration of artistic media art displays through the use of stunning display panels, making it a romantic spot for a hot date. Thanks to “My Love from the Star”, tourists, especially couples, began flocking the roof terrace with their locks to imitate the romantic gesture signifying the unbreakable bond of the heart. At the highest point of the tower, visitors can enjoy the fairy-tale like panoramic view, especially when sun is about to set.

Do you still remember the scene where Gu Jun Pyo waited for Geum Jan Di at the iconic 480m tall Namsan Seoul Tower?! >3

On the way down from Namsan Mountain, Korean drama fans can recreate the scene shot from “Boys over Flowers” where Gu Jun-pyo, played by heartthrob Lee Min-ho, waited patiently in front of the N Seoul Tower for his lover.

2. A Scenic Waterway by the River 

Full of laughter when watching Kong Ah Jung and Hyun Ki Joon's scene at the Han River

Spanning across almost 500km through the city, the Han River has been the perfect background scene for several contemporary Korean dramas such as “Lie to Me” where actors Yoon Eun-hye and Kang Ji-hwan are seen cruising along the river in adorable duck boats.

The funny scene where Shim Chung thought the firework was a gun and trying her best to protect Joon Jae from getting hurt

Just like Heo Joon-jae (Lee Min-ho) and Shim Chung (Jun Ji-hyun) in popular drama “The Legend of the Blue Sea”, you can also enjoy the spectacular Seoul International Fireworks Festival, held every October in the Hangang Park, by the Han River. If that is not enough reasons to visit, lookout for the Banpo Bridge for the light and water shows. Installed along 570m on both sides of Banpodaegyo Bridge, some 200 lights illuminate the fountain as it sends out dancing, rainbow-colored jets of water in the air in musical harmony.

3. A Beautiful Reflection of History
Gwanghwamun, the largest gate of Gyeongbukgung Palace in Seoul has been featured in dramas of various genres from action to fantasy. One of them being, the exciting scene from “Iris” when Hyun-jun (Lee Byung-hun), Sun-hwa (Kim So-yeon), and Seung-hee (Kim Tae-hee) tried to stop the North Korean terrorist from setting off a nuclear bomb.

The sweet scene when Choi Hee Jin finally meets Kim Boong Do when he returns from the Chosun era

When at night, the gate is illuminated with lights, making it more impressive and stunning. This was also a background for one of the romantic scenes in the TV series “Queen In-hyun's Man”. Koreans see Gwanghwamun as an icon of Seoul. The King Sejong bronze statue in the Gwanghwamun square is the main attraction where it portrays the life and achievements of the great man himself during the Joseon Dynasty.

4. A Village with New Life of Art 
Park-ha (Han Ji-min) walks through Ihwa Mural Village in one of the episodes of Rooftop Prince with Yong Tae-yong (Park Yoo-chun) following her at a distance. At one point, she sits down at a beautifully painted staircase. This famous spot in Ihwa Mural Village, initially a residential village, has morphed into a popular spot for photoshoots and filming, gaining popularity among the locals and tourists. Every space and corner of the street is beautifully painted with creative artworks by local artists and university students. Expect to be immersed in the remarkable spaces with mural hunting at the small village on the slopes of Naksan Park.

If you decided to visit Seoul to see the drama's shoot sites. These locations definitely worth a visit. Who knows? You may even bump into your favourite K-drama star! But here are a few tips to keep the energy alive throughout the day. When traveling, have a reliable rated IP68 dust and water resistant smartphone, with amazing front and rear cameras of 16MP and f1.9 lens like the Samsung Galaxy A Series (2017) to capture all those scenic views when exploring the trails of TV and movie sets in Seoul. Also, don’t forget souvenirs and memorabilia from your favourite K-drama! 

Your chance to wander through these charming sets with three of your friends may just be around the corner with the #A2017LiveUnplanned Instagram Contest. 

To participate, simply purchase a Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) or A5 (2017), post either a photo or video of your most YOLO moment on Instagram, and insert a creative caption with the hashtags #A2017LiveUnplanned and #myGalaxyA2017, and tag @samsungmobilemy to be in the running. The most creative submissions will be chosen and winners get to indulge in an unforgettable trip with flight and accommodation sponsored by Samsung! 

Contest deadline: 6th April 2017

Upload your winning YOLO moments now and start living life unplanned! For more information on the contest, please visit www.samsung.com/my/a2017liveunplanned.