Family out for cultural tour in New Year

Diverse cultural events for the whole family are being held during the New Year season across the city of Seoul. Here are some of them.

The Kwanghwamun Gallery, the first-ever space for complex exhibitions in a subway station, is a cultural space where paintings, establishments, performances and others can be displayed.

To commemorate its opening, the gallery in the Kwanghwamun Subway Station is holding an exhibition titled "Seoul's Topic Is Pyongyang" through the end of January. Admission is free. For further information, call +82 2 723-5360.

Being held on the first floor of the annex hall of the 63 Building in Yoido is "Exhibition of Relics of Chinese emperors."

The emperors' seats and golden crowns give a good indication of the dignified appearance of Chinese emperors who ruled the big country. Six Chinese experts will show their "supernatural" techniques at the exhibition site. They are said to be able to diagnose diseases of persons simply by hearing their names or seeing their pictures.

The exhibition also features a demonstration of traditional Chinese drama. The admission fee is 8,000 won for adults, 6,000 won for middle and high school students and 5,000 won for children. For further information, call +82 2 789-5663.

The art gallery of the Seoul Arts Center is holding the "Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization," showing the origins of the mankind and cultural roots through exploration of ancient civilization.

Some 720 items, including remains from the Old Stone Age, city state Babylonia and Assyria, are displayed. The admission fee is 5,000 won for adults and 3,000 won for students. For further information, call +82 2 580-1514.