Lee Hyo-seok Culture Village is the setting of the beautiful Korean story “When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom,” and also home to the author, Lee Hyo-seok (pen name Gasan). Registered as National Culture Village No. 1 in 1990 by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the village is the setting of the annual Hyoseok Cultural Festival in autumn. The village is made up of the birthplace of Lee Hyo-seok, a watermill house, thatch-roofed housing, Gasan Park, Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall, and restaurants serving food made with buckwheat. The birthplace of Lee Hyo-seok was originally a thatched-roof house, typical of the housing in Gangwon-do. However, it has been rebuilt into an ‘L’-shaped house with two large trees growing in the front yard. Lee was born on February 23, 1907, one of five children to parents Lee Si-hoo and Kang Hong-kyung. Lee Hyo-seok’s wife, Lee Kyung-won was an aspiring artist. The couple had two sons and two daughters, but the second son passed away in 1940, just two years before his father, Lee Hyo-seok.

Guam Park is located in the area around Heogabawi Rock, a natural rock cave beneath Tapsan Mountain. It is said that Heo Seon-mun, the forefather of the Yangcheon Heo clan, was born here. The park was built to commemorate Heo Jun who is widely known as a saintly physician. Guam is his penname. It is said that after retirement, Heo Jun came to Heogabawi Rock to compile the famous medical book Dongui Bogam.A part of the Hangang River here was turned into a lake due to the construction of the Olympic Expressway and high-rise apartments surrounding the park. There is a statue of Heo Jun treating a patient and in the lake, there is a purple-colored rock with holes called Gwangju Rock. Before the construction of the Yanghwadaegyo Bridge, this area used to be where visitors would take a ferry (Gongam Ferry) to cross the other side.Heogabawi Rock, which is wide enough to accommodate about 20 men, is said to be where people took refuge there during wars, including the Imjin Waeran War, Byeongja Horan War, and the Korean War. Gwangju Rock and Heogabawi Rock is the site of Jechapaeui (the rock where rituals were offered to the God of the Earth and the God of Crops during the Hanseong Baekje period). This was also the first historical name given to this area.

Opened in 2015, Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Village reproduces the old scene of a whale-catching fishing village through areas like Whale Plaza, Jangsaengpo Old Village, Prehistoric Whale Experience Garden, an aquatic botanical garden and other themed area as well as a sculpture park. Main facilities include Jangsaengpo Old Village, nostalgia area and educational site showing a scene of life from the 1960-1970’s, Whale Sculpture Park, displaying real-sized whale sculptures for a unique experience, Whale Story Trail, storytelling photo zone related to whales, and Prehistoric Whale Experience Garden, outdoor educational place for Bangudae Petroglyphs and whale-catching murals.

Nakseongdae Park was built as a tribute to General Kang Gam-chan (948-1031) of the Goryeo Dynasty. In 1973, the city of Seoul reorganized the birthplace of General Kang, resulting in changes to the park. Located inside the park are Anguksa Shrine, the general’s birthplace, and a three-story stone pagoda, which was made during the Goryeo Dynasty. The 4.48 meter-high pagoda is made of granite, and is called “Kang Gam-chan Tap (pagoda)” or “Kang Gam-chan Nakseongdae Tap”.*AnguksaAnguksa is a shrine built in 1974 emulating the wooden architecture style of the Goryeo era. The shrine has high ceilings and houses the portrait of General Kang Gam-chan. The shrine is located on the road leading to the back gate of Seoul National University and has become a popular place in the area.*Nakseongdae YujiNakseongdae Yuji is the birthplace of General Kang Gam-chan and the original location of the three-story pagoda. During the maintenance of Nakseongdae area in 1973, the pagoda was moved into the vicinity of Anguksa Shrine, and a two-meter tall monument was erected in its original location to mark the historical significance of the site.

Yudalsan Mountain (유달산), at only 228m, is located in Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do. Despite its short x_height, the mountain boasts a panoramic view of the entire city of Mokpo and the sea. At the summit of the mountain visitors can find Nojeokbong Peak (노적봉) where a statue of Admiral Yi Sunsin stands – this is the landmark where admiral Yi is said to have fooled and scared away the Japanese troops by stacking straw thatches over the rocks making their small army seem like a much larger one. There is also a pavilion, the April 19th Memorial Tower, a monument with lyrics to the song ‘Mokpo’s Tears’, a Buddhist temple, a sculpture park exhibiting some 100 pieces of sculpture, an orchid park and the Dalseong Park with many things to see. These features make the mountain a must-see destination for those visiting the Mokpo region.  

Opened in 1980, Sehwa Beach may not be a big beach, but has beautiful clear cobalt blue waters. The beach stretches for approximately 200 meters with a distance of approximately 30-40 meters from the shore. Its location nearby Sehwa-eup provides visitors with convenient access of accommodations and other facilities. Nearby attractions include Crinum Lily Habitat, Byeolbangjin Fortress, and Seokdawon Park. Length 1km, x_width 30-40m, slope 5 degrees, average depth 1-2m.

As “Ara” means “ocean” in Korean, Aranabi conveys an image of butterflies flying over the ocean. Aranabi Zipline offers a zipline consisting of a pulley suspended on a cable that is 12m in x_height. It is the only zipline in Korea that overlooks the beautiful ocean.Popular as ecological tourism in diverse countries from the United States to Australia and European countries, ziplines can be enjoyed year-round by people of various ages. Visitors can be assured of their safety as the company has already applied for two patents related to safety, passed safety tests required by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, and offers a comprehensive liability insurance package.Sodol Port—where Aranabi Zipline is located—is surrounded by a variety of attractions: Adeulbawi Park, Natural Hamjibak Sashimi Center, and Jumunjin Beach. Port Sodol is also within five minutes from Jumunjin Port. Sodol Village and nearby Hyanghori Village and Boksakkot Village offers fun fishing experiences, such as riding on a transparent canoe and catching fish with fish traps or bare hands. 

At Jirisan Spa Land is home to a large open-air hot spring facility that uses 100 percent natural germanium mineral waters containing no chemical additives. The natural germanium mineral water in the spa prevents various kinds of adult illnesses, speed up metabolism and improve your body’s immune system. The water also helps blood circulation digestion and stabilizes your body temperature that surely makes you feel good after taking a bath. A bath themed with 12 of Chinese zodiac signs, a Japanese cypress bath, a Shangri-La bade pool and a waterfall bath are located in open-air spa area. Apart from the huge spa area, Jirisan Spa Land also has a hotel equipped with 60 high-end modern bedrooms and subsidiary facilities. Each guest room has natural germanium mineral water.

The mountain in the center of Ulleungdo Island is Seonginbong Peak. It is 983.6m high and other peaks of over 900m stretch out to its right and left. As the steep Seonginbong Mountain Range ends at the coastal precipice, the whole island seems like a single huge mountain. The foot of Seonginbong Peak is covered with thick primeval forests designated as Natural Monument No. 189, and the rare plants found only in Ulleungdo Island make this place of unique scenic beauty. The Nari Basin, the north of the mountain, is a caldera formed by volcanic activities and the only flat ground on Ulleungdo Island. 

Seokguram, located on Tohamsan Mountain, is the representative stone temple of Korea. The official name of Seokguram, National Treasure No. 24, is Seokguram Seokgul. Designated as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995, it is an artificial stone temple made of granite. The construction was started by Kim Dae-Seong (700-774) in 751 during the reign of King Gyeong-Deok (742-765) of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC - AD 935) and it was finished twenty-four years later in 774, during the reign of King Hye-Gong (765-780).Seokguram is known to have been built with Bulguksa Temple. According to the history book Samgukyusa of the Goryeo Dynasty (the country that unified the Korean peninsula at the end of the Silla Kingdom, 918-1392), Kim Dae-Seong had Bulguksa Temple built for his parents in his current life, and Seokguram Grotto for the parents of his former life.Inside the round-shaped main hall are the Bonjon Statue, Bodhi-sattva and his disciples. The Bonjon figure wearing a generous smile is seated on the stage engraved with a lotus flower design. The rounded ceiling looks like a half-moon or a bow and has a lotus flower decorated cover on it. As the sunrise from this spot is quite beautiful, many people climb the mountain at daybreak.