A once in a lifetime opportunity to learn the secrets to preparing royal Korean court food is currently being offered through Korea’s National Palace Museum. Inside the walls of the Gyeongbokgung Palace garden, this unique cooking class offers hands-on preparation of traditional dishes, a privilege allowed only to the highest ranked servants called “suragan choigo sanggung.” This three-month intensive program held each Friday, and lasting for an hour and a half, offers participants a step-by-step introduction into the culinary world of Joseon royalty (1392-1910). This traditional Korean culinary course covers twelve different types of royal court dishes that were offered up to the king. Renowned for using the freshest and the most valuable ingredients from all over the country, the menu will delight modern palettes as well. Spots should be reserved online prior to the beginning of the first class. This course is taught in Korean, however non-Korean speakers are welcome to request the help of a guide made available by the palace museum upon reservation. The enrollment fee covers ingredients ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 won per dish, due monthly. Expect the total to amount to 50,000 to 60,000 won. Prepared by chefs of the highest caliber, the mistress presiding over the royal kitchen or “choigo sanggung,” used only the most rare and valuable ingredients from across Korea. Each recipe was kept secret, made available only to the top chef of the royal kitchen or “suragan.” An expert in court food instructs the Royal Court Food Cooking Experience at the National Palace Museum of Korea, presenting over 50 different dishes once enjoyed by the kings of Joseon.

Gyujanggak was founded in 1776 during the reign of King Jeongjo, the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, at which time it was located on the palace grounds of Changdeokgung. It functioned as the royal library, which housed writings by the previous kings, their relics and books from home and abroad.Today Seoul National University maintains the items of Gyujanggak in a Korean traditional house, Hanok, which is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities necessary for preservation of cultural heritages. Moreover, Gyujanggak Library of Seoul National University collects or publishes books from a variety of sectors such as politics, economy and society.Gyujanggak now houses more than 280,000 items including 7 national treasures, 8 treasures, 180,000-plus old books, about 50,000 documents and 18,000 Chaekpan (printing blocks). Among them, Joseon Wangjo Sillok (the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Treasure No. 151), Seungjeongwon Ilgi (the Diaries of the Royal Secretariat, National Treasure No. 303) and Uigwe (the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty) have been designated as UNESCO World Cultural Heritages. The exhibition hall in Gyujanggak is open to the public.

Paik Nam-june explained: ‘Marcel Duchamp achieved everything in every field except for video art. He created a large entrance and an extremely small exit. The small exit is video art. When we take the exit, we are out of the scope of influence of Marcel Duchamp.’ The NJP Art Center is a creative space, wherein it is possible to practice the ‘mediation of endless potential unfolded outside the exit of Duchamp’. As a space of ‘introspective anarchy of infinite light and life’, the NJP Art Center aims to become a venue for the ‘escape from enlightenment’, going beyond enlightenment. Paik Nam-june, who was well versed in aesthetics and music, rather than the figurative arts, discovered a new ‘exit’ by combining electronic music and happenings. He didn’t regard video and television, with their great disseminative power, or communication networks, as a means for communicating messages, but as an explosion of time, instead creating a space for mandala-based televisuals, and for participation by the public where ‘consilience’ among heterogeneous fields can take place.Inheriting the spiritual legacies of Paik Nam-june, the NJP Art Center will expand the possibilities of creating new media for information and communication in the information age, and create a new space for cultural participation from aesthetic, ethical, and political perspectives. The center aims at expanding effective, creative consumption by encouraging reflections on the aspects of human existence that are still involuntary and lack freedom. The center aspires to become a space for cultural mediation that expands the space of freedom’s activities throughout the globe.

Pinocchio Museum was established with a motivation of Pinocchio created by Carlo Collodi, an Italian author about 130 years ago. The fairy tale, the Pinocchio, is a famous children’s classic story, giving children of the world an awareness to the dangers of lying. The Pinocchio Museum consists of exhibition hall where visitors can experience a wooden doll, Pinocchio, in person, and it houses 1,300 Pinocchio-related pieces as well as exhibition hall such as Pinocchio Story, Pinocchio doll museum, Pinocchio experience hall and photo zone. Nearby attraction includes Asia Publication Information Center, Nabynara Museum, and Youlhwadang Publishers, and other cultural facilities alongside with a beautiful walking path.

Daegu Concert House, previously Daegu Citizen’s Hall, is newly opened after undergoing renovations from April 2011 to August 2013 to reconstruct eaves and columns of the large concert halls and to build a performance support hall perfect for international concerts. The hall is equipped with sound facilities matching international standards. Grand Hall has 1,284 seats, Chamber Hall (small concert hall) has 248 seats, and the parking lot can accommodate a total of 387 cars throughout 215 spaces in the basement level parking lot and 72 spaces in the parking tower. In addition, the concert hall houses an exhibition hall, practice room, and community facilities. In particular, the Grand Hall offers vivid, visible, and acoustic effect by shortening the distance between the performers and audience so that it fits the international standard for concert halls with the best sound facilities.

One of the oldest standing architectures on Jeju Island, Gwandeokjeong Pavilion was built by Pastor Sin Suk-Cheong in the thirtieth year of King Sejong's reign (1448) as a training ground. For its historic contribution to strengthening the mind and soul of soldiers ("Gwandeok" literally means an exercise of mind and virtue), Gwangdeokjeong was designated as National Treasure No. 322 in 1963. Today, the pavilion serves as a model of excellence in soldier training.

The Sockcho Lighthouse Observatory provides fantastic views of the nearby Seoraksan Mountains, East Sea and Sokcho area. The most breathtaking views are the ocean vistas.The white lighthouse has a romantic atmosphere to it. Inside the lighthouse, binoculars are available to view distant points of interest. This area is also famous for its sunrises. 

Located in Gyoha-eup (Paju, Gyeonggi-do), Paju Book City is a giant cultural complex, belonging to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. It is home to 250 publishers with over 10,000 workers. It covers the entire process of publishing from planning to printing and distribution.Asia Publication Culture & Information Center houses book cafes, used bookstores, galleries, and restaurants, hosting diverse exhibitions and forums; Tan Tan Story House, run by Yeowon Media specializing in illustrated storybooks for children, is a cultural center for children with a performance hall, a gallery, and a book café. Other notable attractions include Yeolhwadang, Chameleon (BIR Publishing’s book outlet), Darakwon Book Café, and Moongongsa Book Café. The first floor of Paju Book City is full of book stores and cafes.Visitors need to be aware that some stores are closed on weekends and during holidays and only open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Aside from bookstores and cafes, Paju Book City also boasts many attractions. For instance, its chic building meshes perfectly with the beautiful surroundings; in the corner of Asia Publication Culture & Information Center is an elegant Hanok (traditional Korean house) that boasts both traditional beauty and modern touches. 

Samdasoo is volcanic bedrock water produced and bottled by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation. Jeju-do Island records the highest level of rainfall in Korea and 46% of the total rainfall permeates underground to form the vast groundwater resources. Samdasoo factory is located in Gyorae Village, where the precipitation is so high that it is impossible to farm on this part of island. The village is also the only site on Jeju-do Island with authorization to draw mineral water. The factory tour program begins with the screening of an 8 minute-long promotional video. At the Jeju Water Promotional Hall, visitors can learn more about the nation’s leading water brand, such as the history and birth of Jeju water, the geologic characteristics of the island, and the formation of volcanic bedrock water.

Located in Nogobong Valley in Taehwasan Mountain in Gwangju-gun, Gyeonggi-do Province, Konjiam Resort is only an hour away by car from the Gangnam area in Seoul. The year-round resort boasts the largest ski slopes of Gyeonggi-do Province, a condominium with 476 rooms, the nation’s first residential spa, and a variety of other facilities.Some of the most unique features of the resort are the ecological stream running through the resort and the cave wine cellar where about 90,000 bottles of wine are stored. Another visitor favorite is the Konjiam Arboretum, which has 3,700 species of plants and about 20 themed gardens.