Discover the Scenic Wonders of Incheon: Wolmi Observatory and Beyond Wolmi Observatory: Your Window to Incheon's Beauty If you're planning a trip to Incheon, South Korea, the Wolmi Observatory should be at the top of your list. Located on the summit of Wolmisan Mountain, this observatory offers panoramic views of Incheon Port, the Incheon Bridge, the coastal passenger ship terminal, and the surrounding islands. Reaching the top of Wolmisan Mountain is an adventure in itself. You can choose to hike for about 30 minutes or take the convenient Seal Car shuttle, which takes roughly 15 minutes. At the summit, the circular stairs of the Wolmi Observatory lead you to a platform with breathtaking views. Below, you can see the blue waves of the West Sea and the bustling Incheon Port, while a glance upward reveals the cityscape of Incheon and the historic Freedom Park. The observatory is particularly famous for its stunning sunsets and vibrant night views. The 23-meter high, three-story glass structure creates a magical atmosphere, making it a popular spot for couples and photographers. The Moonlight Maru Cafe, located within the observatory, provides a perfect spot to relax with a cup of coffee while enjoying the panoramic scenery. Nearby, you can explore Wolmisan Peak Plaza and Yepo Plaza, which offer additional scenic spots and activities. Must-See Attractions Around Wolmi Observatory Moonlight Music Fountain Located on Wolmi Culture Street, the Moonlight Music Fountain is a delightful evening attraction. Although it is not very large, the synchronized water and light show set to music is a visual feast. Operating from May 1st to October 31st, with regular maintenance on Mondays, the fountain's evening shows are particularly enchanting with their colorful lights and patterns. Wolmi Theme Park Wolmi Theme Park is a popular destination for families and couples, offering a variety of amusement rides. This park provides numerous attractions that cater to all ages, ensuring a fun-filled day for everyone. Wolmi Sea Train The Wolmi Sea Train is a monorail that loops around Wolmido Island, covering a distance of 6.1 kilometers in about 42 minutes. This elevated train ride offers excellent views of the island, Incheon Inner Harbor, the West Sea, and the distant Incheon Bridge. Wolmi Cruise For sea lovers, the Wolmi Cruise is a fantastic way to experience the beauty of the West Sea. The cruise provides views of Incheon Port, Yeongjong Bridge, and stunning sunsets. Passengers can even feed seagulls from the deck, adding a unique interactive element to the experience. Culinary Delights Wolmido is renowned for its seafood restaurants, with over 50 establishments offering fresh seafood dishes. A must-try is "Kalguksu," a handmade noodle soup. Additionally, numerous cafes provide the perfect spot to enjoy coffee while taking in the sea breeze, making it an ideal place to relax. Wolmido Island is a hidden gem in Korea, offering beautiful scenery, delicious food, and exciting activities. It's the perfect destination for a day trip, allowing you to explore and enjoy without straying far from the city. When visiting Incheon, be sure to experience the charm and attractions of Wolmido Island.

Reflected by the outstanding performance of Korean archers at recent Olympic games, Koreans have an esteemed reputation for their skills in archery and craftsmanship. But this undoubted skill has historical precedent, as bows were an important weapon of war throughout Korean history. The Bucheon Bow Museum (부천 활박물관) was established to show visitors the spirit of the Korean archery, and demonstrate its ancestral traditions of bowyer craftsmanship. The museum houses traditional bows (gukgung, 국궁), which are considered, prized cultural pieces, and have been made by a Bucheon family, which has fostered a lineage of bowyers across five generations for over than 160 years. In addition, the museum exhibits various pieces and articles such as gukgung, arrows, and other military technologies.  

Maengbang Beach is the ideal place for families because of its shallow waters (about 1-1.5m) and various facilities nearby. Visitors can enjoy strolling along the 4-kilometer stretch of beach or in the dense forest nearby. Many events are held during the summer season, including a race along the beach, trout and flounder catching contests, and a clam catching contest. The popular Korean movie, One Fine Spring Day was filmed here.

Buljonggeori Road, where a huge bronze Buddhist temple bell sculpture is located, is lined with 23,000 blocks engraved with the names of foreigners. The colorful blocks on the ground consist not only of diverse names of international tourists, but also include the names of renowned Korean celebrities such as Jeon Ji-hyeon, f(x)’s Krystal Jung, 4Minute, Kara and other popular Korean stars.

The Uijeongbu Arts Center (의정부 예술의전당) is a multipurpose cultural space that maintains a large theater, a small theater, an international conference hall, and an exhibition hall. The large theater is a spacious performance hall that can support 300 on-stage performers and accommodate an audience of 1,057 persons. The theater has a multifunctional, three-dimensional, moving stage and state-of-the-art stage-lighting and sound facilities, making it a suitable venue for all genres, including orchestras, plays, dance performances, operas, and musicals. Despite its size, the small theater’s lighting and sound facilities match those of the large theater, and the facility can easily support a wide array of lively performances, including plays, chamber music, recitals, choral concerts, and other types of concerts, as well as experimental works. The exhibition hall is comprised of a large, round exhibition hall and two general exhibition halls, and its facilities are able to support any type of exhibition, irrespective of the field or size, such as drawings, calligraphy, sculptures, crafts, or photography. At the international conference hall, various symposiums, workshops, and academic seminars can be easily held, maintaining 109 seats for conference attendees, 68 seats for audience members, simultaneous interpretation facilities for up to five languages, and an audio-video control room. 

Located at the foot of Namsan Mountain in Gyeongju, Seochulji Pond dates back to the Three Kingdoms Period. There are two, three-storied stone pagodas in the heart of Namsan Village and a small, elegant pond to the east. The pond is famous thanks to a Korean legend, written below: In the 10th year of King Soji (488) of Silla, a crow and a mouse approached the king as he was on his way to Namsan Mountain. The mouse told the King to “follow after the crow” for an easy journey. So, the King and his servant (who was traveling with him) followed the crow, but became distracted and lost their way. As they were wandering about a pond (now known as Seochulji), an old man appeared from the waters’ depths and presented an envelope to the King. Based on the message in the envelope, the King instructed his servant to fire an arrow at the Geomungo (Korean musical instrument) case nearby. The shot killed the queen and a monk who had been hiding there, both of whom had been hatching a plot against the King. The name of the pond, “Seochulji” (literally meaning “writing from the pond”) originates from this legend. It is said that a man named Imjeok built a building by the pond in the 5th year of King Hyeonjong (1664) to enjoy the scenery. The simple, yet elegant building still remains at the northwest of the pond.

Hello Kitty Island is a special exhibition hall, themed around Hello Kitty, beloved by many people all over the world. Visitors can enjoy the many various exhibits, comprised of a gift shop, Kitty History Hall, Art Education Hall, Music Education Hall, Art Gallery, World Gallery Hall, Trip around the World Gallery Hall, Constellation Education Hall, Planned Gallery, Hello Kitty Café, 3D Theater, Outdoor Modeling Gallery, and more. At Hello Kitty Café, hot coffee is served along with sweet deserts.

Located at the foot of Mt. Hamwol, Gulgulsa is the only temple cave in Korea. The temple was built out of solid rock during the 6th century by Saint Gwang Yoo and some accompanying monks, and was designed according to the architectural structure of India.On the top of the temple stands a sculpture of the Maya Tathagata Buddha and surrounding the sculpture are twelve rock caves used as a prayer sanctuary. Seven of the twelve rock cave sanctuaries are still standing today. Golgulsa’s main attractions are the sculpture of the Maya Tathagata Buddha and the Gwaneum Cave.The Buddha sculpture displays the characteristics of the Shilla Buddha, and is 4 meters high. The Buddha has his hair in a topknot, has a calm smile, narrow eyes, small lips, and a long narrow nose. To protect the sculpture of any damage from the wind or rain, a glass ceiling has been installed in the Gwaneum Cave, which is the largest sanctuary of the seven still existing caves.The main Buddha of this cave is the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, and the cave walls are dedicated to the 108 meditations of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. The Gwaneum Cave has a wall with tiles in front of it, which makes it look like an ordinary sanctuary. But once inside, the entire interior from ceiling to walls is carved all from stone. Golgulsa is unlike any other temple. The road to the temple offers an exciting thrill similar to that of rock climbing. Safety ropes and railings surround Golgulsa. A risky climb up a long set of stairs finally leads up to the caves, including Gwaneum Cave, Jijang Cave, and Yaksa Cave.The Maya Tathagata Buddha can only be seen after climbing the rock walls and holding on tightly to the safety ropes, but only past the cave-like rock that juts out.

Donghae Station began operating as a regular station on August 1, 1940 under the name name of Bukpyeong Station. The station acts as an entrance to Donghae-si.

A memorial park for the world-renowned composer Isang Yun was created in Docheon-dong, Tongyeong-si where the great composer was born. The Isang Yun Memorial Park consists of several sections including an exhibition hall displaying the composer’s legacy; a multi-purpose lounge, serving coffee and selling souvenirs; a Memorial Hall, where all kinds of performances and seminars take place; and Gyeongsa Square, an outdoor event venue.