On December 29, 1967 Jirisan Mountain (지리산) was designated Korea’s top national park. Jirisan is the largest mountain national park in the nation. You can get a full view of the Seomjingang River (섬진강), which runs alongside the mountain and into the Namhae Sea. If you’re lucky you can also spot some various plants and animals, including the Asiatic Black Bear, making Jirisan Mountain an even more interesting and inviting place to visit. As Jirisan Mountain changes with the different seasons, hikers can enjoy various aspects of the mountain’s terrain. However, there can be heavy rain and snow in the summer and winter, so some areas will be closed off in case of drastic changes in the weather and temperature. In the spring and fall, you can explore the mountain relatively freely. However, access may be limited to some areas for fear of forest fires in the dry season. If you want to hike up Jirisan Mountain it is recommended that you visit the homepage of the Korea National Park Service or contact the Jirisan Mountain Management Office before planning your trip.

Sebyeonggwan Hall, located in Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, was established in 1605 by the 6 generation commander-in-chief Lee Kyung-jun and is well known as one of the widest buildings of the Joseon Dynasty Period along with Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jinnamgwan Hall in Yoesu-si.Sebyoenggwan Hall is placed at the foot of Yeohwangsan Mountain and overlooks Tongyeong. Right next to the hall, are the remains of the naval base Tongjeyeong, which includes Unjudang (also named as Jeseungdang, a military education center for the Joseon Navy) among others.Sebyeonggwan Hall symbolizes the ending of the war, the washing away and cleaning up of the weapons of war.

Jeongeupsa Park (located in Sigi 3-dong in downtown Jeongeup-si) was built in honor of ‘Jeongeupsa’ a famous Baekje Gayo (a type of poem from the Baekje Dynasty). Jeongeupsa is the only poem of the five Baekje Gayos (Jeongeupsa, Mudeungsangok, Bangdeungsangok, Seonunsangok, and Jirisangok) recorded in Hangeul that remains in existence today.The park, built on the location where the epic poem took place, boasts a 2.5-meter high granite statue of the heroine of Jeongeupsa. Nearby the statue are a shrine and a 2-meter wide monument commemorating the poem. Located in the vicinity are the Jeongeupsa Art Center, the Korean Classical Music Center, the city library, and an outdoor stage.

The Children’s Gallery, located in Seoul’s ‘Northern-Seoul Dream Forest,’ was originally an art museum that underwent renovation in 2009 and converted into a gallery for kids to learn and enjoy.Located inside the park’s natural surroundings, children can experience the outdoors while nurturing their imagination and developing an appreciation for the arts. The two-story building has a unique design and an interior with floral accents, cartoon characters, and nature-inspired staircases to intrigue the minds of young guests. The second floor terrace holds a variety of unique, interactive exhibitions for children to learn beyond the classroom. A recent ‘rainfall’ theme had children wear raincoats and umbrellas underneath a man-made drizzle as part of the enjoyment. The museum also has a lounge, nursing room and other accommodations for family visitors. In addition, the facility was built with Eco-friendly materials throughout and the health and safety of youngsters in mind. In partnership with the Dream Forest Art Center, the gallery provides other cultural activities and events including music concerts and childrens’ plays.  

The Tea Culture Center located at the foot of Jirisan Mountain in Hadong Gyeongsangnam-do Province aims to promote the tea culture of the area, the first tea producer in the nation, while advertising the quality and superiority of Hadong green tea. The center is located adjacent to the tea farming area and Ssanggyesa Temple, one of the most famous tourist attractions in Korea.In the Tea Culture Center, there is a tea culture museum where you may learn about the history and culture associated with Korean tea. At the Tea Promotional and Experience Center visitors can enjoy such hands-on programs like making tea in a traditional hand-made way and learning the traditional tea etiquette of the region, a pottery class where you can make your own pottery in a traditional way, and a tea market where you can purchase a variety of high-quality tea produced in the region. Every year, the center holds the Hadong Wild Tea & Culture Festival, an official local celebration designated by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Constructed in 1973, Soyangdam is the largest rock filled dam in Asia. As the waterway is used to bridge together cities, Soyangho Lake which is the largest artificial lake in Korea is called ‘the sea inside the land.’Soyangho Lake has the largest fishing farm, and is called the fresh-water fish museum because more than 50 kinds of fresh-water fish such as cyprinus carpio nudu, trout, carp, eel, and smelt live here. The valleys around the lake is especially famous for smelt fishing in the winter, and nearby are Cheongpyeongsa Temple built in the Goryeo Dynasty and Mt. Obongsan. There are the Yanggu Prehistoric Museum, the 4th tunnel, Eulji Observatory, Pallang Waterfall, Hugok Mineral Spring, Cheonmi Valley, Wolmyeong valley, Suipcheon and Yang-gu Pallang Folk Center on the Yanggu area. The upper area of Soyangho Lake is the Injegun area and includes Gyeongnojeong. There is a ferry terminal and other facilities at the top of the dam.

Jukdo was once an island across from Woljeon-ri in Nampo-myeon, but after an embankment was constructed to reclaim land around Nampo, Jukdo became connected to the mainland. This unpopulated fishing island is also called Daeseom (Bamboo Island) for its dense groves of bamboo trees. The waters in front of the island are clean and full of fish, drawing a large number of visitors for sea fishing.The 3.7 kilometer-long Nampo embankment has become a new attraction in Boryeong. The embankment road is a nice driving course along the sea and fields. It is also a great walking road and in the middle of the embankment stands an octagonal pavilion where visitors can rest amidst the tranquil scenery. Up on the embankment, one can get a great view of the open sea and the expansive Nampo field. There are many accommodation facilities and restaurants near Daecheon Beach. There are also some nice restaurants in the direction of Muchangpo at Woljeon-ri. Nearby tourist attractions include the Choi Chi-won relics and Yongdu Beach.

Daegu-si Dalseong-gun’s Biseulsan Recreational Forest (비슬산자연휴양림), famous for its beautiful natural scene, is located at the base of Biseulsan Mountain. The valley is replete with many notable rock formations, beautiful cliff walls and pure streams. It is also possible to see pink azaleas, which are especially beautiful during springtime. In addition, during winter there are ice caves, ice towers, snow sleds, icicle hills, and ice gardens for visitors. Within the natural recreation forest, there is a water playground and a promenade. For accommodation, there are the Forest Cabin and camping area. Reservation can be made via online.

Situated on the outskirts of a mountain behind Cheondong-ri (Danyang), Cheondong Cave is a limestone cave of 470m in length. Created 450 million years ago, the cave is known to have beautiful limestone rocks often called “flower trays.” The cave is decorated with a breathtaking array of stalactites, stalagmites, columns and soda straws as if they were part of a lush forest. Abundant animal deposits render the cave a huge specimen gallery.Although it is a relatively small, separate cave, Cheondong boasts plethora of splendid natural features. Along with Gosu Cave (designated as Natural Monument No. 256) in Gosu-ri, Danyang, Cheondong Cave is considered one of the most beautiful limestone caves in Korea. 

Daehanuiwon (Daehan Medical Center) is an antique two-story brick building within the grounds of Seoul National University Hospital. It was established under the direct administration of the Uijeongbu (State Council), combining the Gwangjewon (under the Home Ministry), Gyeongseong Medical School and the Korean Red Cross Hospital (under the Royal Household). Built in the Madubong Hill area, this location where Hamchunwon, the outer garden of Changgyeonggung Palace, once stood in 1484 (15th year of King Seongjong), was also once the site of Gyeongmogung Palace, where King Jeongjo enshrined the mortuary tablet of his birth father Crown Prince Sado Seja in 1776 (the year King Jeongjo ascended to the throne). These places that held importance for the royal family were destroyed as the Japanese built Gyeongseong Empire University in its place. In 1907, with the announcement of the plan to establish Daehan Medical Center, construction began on the main building, seven wards and affiliated buildings. Construction was completed in November 1908. The Daehan Medical Center opened in Gwangjewon, but upon Japanese colonization in 1910, its name was changed to the Japanese Viceroyalty Hospital. In 1926, it was included as a part of Gyeongseongjeguk University to become a university hospital. Since the liberation of Korea in 1945, it has been a hospital affiliated with Seoul National University.