This is the house where Empress Myeongseong (Joseon Period) was born, and lived until she was eight years old. She would grow up to be the wife of the dynasty’s 26th ruler, King Gojong. The birthplace and the adjoining Memorial Hall are open to the public.Empress Myeongseong was a brilliant diplomat who pursued openness and reform to maintain the sovereignty of the nation. Unfortunately, her tumultuous life came to an end in the early morning hours of October 8, 1895 when she was murdered by the Japanese army.During Japanese colonial rule, the empress was wrongfully accused of being a jealous and overly ambitious person. Studies of various archives have since revealed what a great person she really was. Recently, numerous television productions and musicals have also corrected those misunderstandings. Renovated in 1995, her birthplace includes three buildings with servants’ quarters, master’s quarters, and a separate house. A commemorative monument now stands at the site of the room where the empress studied as a child. The Memorial Hall in front of the house contains various archives and artifacts related to Empress Myeongseong’s life. There is also a 161-seat theatre.

Taepyeong Salt Farm, located in Jeungdo Island of Jeollanm-do, is the largest sun-dried salt producer in Korea. Recently, a wooden trail has been installed around the farm. Visitors can walk on the trail to learn about salt production, see the 'salt plants' that grow in the mud flat, and participate in various hands-on experience activities. Taepyeong Salt Farm, registered as a Modern Cultural Heritage in 1997, and Sinan mudflat have been designated as Biosphere Reserves by the UNESCO.

Situated in Donghae (Gangwon-do), Mukho Port (opened in 1941) and used to be the most prolific trading port on the east coast, but with the steady change in the economy, it has become a center of fishing.A large wholesale seafood market at the port offers a wide array of seafood from squid to mackerel, as well as mackerel pike, crabs, and sea squirts. From early in the morning on weekends, merchants across the country gather at the market to purchase fresh seafood. Mukho Port, in particular, is renowned for squid along with Jumunjin Port. The port, which is the largest squid market on the east coast is busy every day with boats stuffed to the brim with squid.The port is surrounded by the Mukho Lighthouse and Mukho Lighthouse Park. There are three ways to get to the park: a suspension bridge (which appeared in the popular Korean drama Shining Inheritance), a road, and Lighthouse Pathway. Lighthouse Pathway is decorated with artistic murals (with verses) and colorful signs.Donghae Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office has made strong efforts to transform Mukho Port into a pleasant park for both tourists and residents by establishing broad squares, promenades, and leisure facilities; by 2012, the port will be the home of the largest coastal guard base after completing a port extension. 

Daecheongdo Island is home to some of the best beaches in Korea. Also, there are some good hiking courses on the island that offer great views above the golden beaches and rocky shores. A smaller and less populated island compared to the neighboring Baengnyeongdo Island, Daecheongdo is a perfect pastoral getaway. Island History Daecheongdo Island was said to be first inhabited during the Neolithic Age (9500-4500 BC), but the earliest known history periods begin during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 AD), when the island was used as a place of exile. The first known case of an exile was recorded sometime during the reign of Chinese Emperor Togon-temur (1320-d.1370) from the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. It was said that he was exiled on Daecheongdo for meddling in a plot arranged by his stepmother. He supposedly arrived on the island with 100 relatives, and built a palace here. The next known record relates to the island's abundance in medicinal herbs including mulberry mistletoe (Loranthi Ramulus), which was used to cure the illness of Queen Munjeong (d.1565), the wife of King Jungjong (d.1544). There is no record of island inhabitation until 1793, when King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), authorized the inhabitation and cultivation of the island. During the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945), there were as many as 10,000 people living on the island due to its popularity as a major port. Today, there are about 1,500 people who sustain a living from tourism and fisheries.

Urban regeneration centered along Sanbokdo-ro road, this road was designated to be the province of renaissance. An archive center where stories of local residents in Sanbokdo-ro road can be found, and a new planned exhibition is held every two months. Personal collection, as well as the history of locals living in this district are well preserved, and such variety of cultural contents is served as a warehouse of resources for the future. * Opening Date: March 6, 2013

Yongdusan Jagalchi Special Tourist Zone covers the area around Gwangbok-dong in Busan, which includes Yongdusan Park and the well-known traditional markets such as Jagalchi Market, Gukje Market and Bupyeong Market, which are filled with life and energy. Gwangbok-dong area is always crowded with young tourists as well as young locals enjoying the vibrant shopping street and affordable street food. At Yongdusan Park, visitors can enjoy a panoramic sight of Busan, and the night view from the park should not be missed. There is an escalator to take visitors up to Yongdusan Park. Jagalchi Market and Gukje Market retain some traces of what Busan used to be like in the 1970s and 1980s, and that is why these markets are popular among the middle-aged as well as young people. There are a lot of marine products and food to eat. In particular, Gomjangeo (inshore hagfish) street in Jagalchi Market is well known, along with the restaurants that serve the grilled fish at affordable prices. The Busan International Film Festival and the Busan Jagalchi Festival take place in the autumn. There are dozens of secondhand bookstores in Bosu-dong Book Alley where people can freely purchase, sell, read or browse secondhand books. Apart from Jagalchi Market and Film Street, the area around Nampo-dong, together with Haeundae Special Tourist Zone, is famous for holding the Busan International Film Festival. On the Food Street, which spans from Film Street to Gukje Market via Arirang Street, are street vendors selling food such as ssiat hotteok (seed-stuffed Korean-style pancake), bibim dangmyeon (spicy sweet potato noodles) and patbingsu (shaved ice with sweetened red beans). There are also restaurants serving jokbal (steamed pig trotters,) dwaejigalbi (grilled spareribs) and gopchang (grilled beef or pork intestine). It is the perfect place for visitors to enjoy unique Korean food. Current State of Yongdusan and Jagalchi Special Tourist Zone 1) Districts Covered: Areas around Gwangbuk, Nampo and Bupyeong-dong, parts of Donggwang, Daecheong, Bosu and Jungang-dong, Jung-gu, Busan 2) Area: 1,079,836㎡ * Tourist Attractions Yongdusan Park, Sumireu Park, Jagalchi Market, Gukje Market, Bupyeong Market, Bosu-dong Book Alley, etc.

Da Vinci Museum, located in Seogwipo-si on Jeju Island is the only museum that has the Da Vinci License in Korea. The museum offers visitors a chance to experience a wide variety of activities and hands-on programs. When you think of Leonardo Da Vinci, a few things that come to mind are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. However, one of the greatest masterpieces in his life is the Codex, a collection of his writings. Over 7,000 pages of the Codex, A.K.A. a notebook of secrets, survives today, and the museum displays over 200 works created and inspired based on the writings in the Codex. The museum houses information about the life and times of Leonardo Davinci, a superb scientist, anatomist, and inventor.

This resort boasts fine views of magnificent Hallasan Mountain with its clean and ice-cold water. These waters, deep valleys, waterfalls and the thick evergreen forest create beautiful scenery. If you walk 20min from the "Donnaeko Recreational Area," at the entrance you can see the Wonang Pokpo Waterfall (5m high) and a small pond. The walkway that follows the valley is just the place for a relaxing forest experience.Both sides of the "Donnaeko Recreational Area" are covered with dense green forest, and the forest is crowded with cymbidium orchids (Orchids that grow in the evergreen forest on the south part of Jejudo Island, 70~900m above sea level, unique orchids to the island that blossom from December to January). Winter strawberries also grow here.The peak season of this beautiful valley is Baekjung Day (Lunar Calendar: June 15th). On Baekjung Day in Jeju-do, there is a tradition of eating chicken and being splashed with water. This is because there is a saying that you can recover from neuralgia after showering under the cascading water. So many people gather and celebrate on Baekjung Day. The name 'Donnaekko' came about because there are many boars here. But since the 1920's, no boars have been seen.

Andong Hanji (안동한지), located at the entrance to Hahoe Village, an area preserving Korean tradition and customs, has done its best to manufacture traditional Korean paper. Andong Korean paper is made of Korean paper mulberry and clean water. Andong Hanji is very proud that it maintains exceptional quality, and the highest production capacity for Korean traditional paper. Approximately 60 different papers including drawing paper made of mulberry pulp, Korean paper for calligraphy, general drawing paper, window paper, Jungji (paper), Unyongji (paper), Piji (paper) for wallpaper, Misarasi unyongji (paper), Multiple-layered Korean Paper, floor paper, book paper, embossed paper for premium interiors, No. 100 and No. 120 for professional painters, and colored Korean paper used to make Korean paper crafts, and wrapping paper are made here.

Located on the coast of Yonghae-dong in Mokpo, Gatbawi is a natural sandstone and tafoni formation near the mouth of the Yeongsangang River, where freshwater runs into the sea. Gatbawi is named after its shape, which is said to look like a man wearing a traditional Korean hat called a “gat” (“bawi” meaning “rock”). The rock is actually made of two individual formations: one measuring 8m high and one 6m high. Valued not only for its aesthetics, Gatbawi Rock is of high geological value as a “natural sculpture” that was formed as a result of years of weathering. The rock formation was officially recognized as Natural Monument No. 500 on April 27, 2009.