Lotte Buyeo Resort is now open in Buyeo (Chungcheongnam-do), the center of the Baekje Dynasty (18 BC – 660 AD). It is a giant resort that combines history, culture, and recreation. The curvilinear façade of the resort is reminiscent of the spirit of the dynasty, boasting both classical as well as modern architectural beauty by using traditional architectural techniques. Opened first, the Condominium is a luxury hotel with 322 rooms over 11 floors (B1F-10F). Rooms are divided into the Luxury Room for special guests, the Deluxe Room for international and individual tourists, the Family Room for family visitors, and the Suite Room. Amenities include pools (offering artificial waves), the Aqua Garden (spa facilities), four ballrooms, seminar rooms (with state-of-the-art equipment), restaurants, and a Kids’ Club. The façade of the condominium is decorated with louver designs with twelve traditional Korean colors. The Condominium is a main lodging facility for visitors to the Great Baekje World Festival. In addition to the Condominium, the resort plans to build Premium Outlets, environment-friendly Golf Village, Baekje Theme Garden, Seonhwa Lake, Children’s World, Palm Park, Baekje Art Street, and Baekje Historic Restoration Village as part of establishing the Baekje Cultural Complex. Indeed, it offers everything from historical and cultural experiences to shopping and recreation for visitors.  

Of the 4 Great Gates (Sukjeongmun, Namdaemun, Dongdaemun, and Seodaemun), established by the Emperor of 1396, Sukjeongmun is called the north gate.Located to the north of Seoul, this gate, with Gyeongbokgung Palace in the center and Changaemun (Jahamun) to the right, make up the wings of the north gate. Due to the possible danger of the area being damaged from all the pedestrians, the Emperor of 1413 planted pine trees and prohibited passing this area. Henceforth, Sukjeongmun became a scenic walkway until the North Korean Communist infiltration of 1968, which prohibited the passing of all civilians.The reopening of Sukjeongmun in April of 2006 has led to the opening of Bukak Mountain in April of 2007 and is in the process of dividing it into 3 courses. Bukak Mountain has been kept well-preserved due to a long period of restriction in this area, and if you climb the mountain, you will be able to see all of Seoul in one breath. 

The most beloved breed of dog in Korea is the Jindo Dog (진도개), named after the island from which they are said to originate. The breed has been designated a national treasure, and great efforts are made to keep the bloodline pure. For example, any non-Jindo dog that comes to Jindo Island must be sterile. Jindos were originally hunting dogs, raised to take down small to large sized prey. They are known for their extreme loyalty and keen homing sense. Traditionally Koreans hunted without guns, instead taking with them a pack of Jindos. After making a kill, one dog promptly returns to the master while the others stand guard over the prey. The Jindo dog is registered with the Federation Cynologique Internationale and the British Kennel Club.

Naejangsa Temple is located in the midst of the beautiful Mt. Naejangsan National Park. The temple is said to have been built by the Buddhist monk Yeongeunjosa in the year 636 of the Baekje Dynasty. Once a large temple with over fifty buildings, Naejangsa was completely destroyed throughout the course of Jeongyujaeran (second Japanese invasion in 1597) and the Korean War (1950-1953). The present temple is largely the result of reconstruction efforts completed in the 1970s. One of the most prized treasures at the temple is the Ijo-dongjong Bell, considered a major cultural asset.Naejangsan Temple is a representative temple of Jeollabuk-do Province along with Geumsansa Temple on Moaksan Mountain. Surrounded on all sides by towering peaks, Naejangsa Temple boasts a picturesque landscape that is particularly striking in the fall when the mountains turn crimson with autumn leaves. Nearby attractions include Baegyangsa Temple, Bangjangsan Mountain, Jangseongho Lake, and Damyangho Lake.

Goryeogung Palace Site on Ganghwado Island is the site of the royal palace where the people of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) resisted the Mongolian invasion for 39 years. In June 1232, King Gojong moved his capital to Ganghwa on account of its natural and strategic advantages. The construction of the government office and the royal palace in Ganghwa was completed in 1234. Ganghwado Island holds historical significance as the place where metal type was developed and where the Palman Daejanggyeong (the Tripitaka Koreana printing woodblocks) were made during the Goryeo dynasty. Upon the conclusion of the peace treaty with Mongolian forces in May 1270, the capital was moved back to Gaeseong (present-day Gaeseong in North Korea), and the royal palace in Ganghwa was subsequently destroyed.In the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), Haenggung (the king’s temporary palace) was constructed on the same site as the Goreyo palace. During the Byeongjahoran (Chinese invasion of Korea) in 1637, the palace was conquered by the force of Ching dynasty of China. Afterward, Ganghwa Yusubu (Ganghwa governor’s office) buildings were built on the palace site. Nowadays, the only structures that remain are the Dongheon main office (built in 1638) and Ibangcheong administration office (built in 1654). The palace and its subsidiary buildings were restored in 1977.

Cheongju National Museum collects and preserves national cultural treasures. The first thing to do when you enter the museum is to obtain various pamphlets at the information desk, from which you can get a lot of information on the museum. The Sangseol Exhibit is the most important place in the Cheongju National Museum. Here you will mainly see displays of artifacts discovered in and around the Chungcheongbuk-do area. In the first division of the exhibit, the Seonsa Room, you can see treasures from the Guseok Period, Sinseok Period, and Cheongdong Period. In the second division, the Samhan-Samguk Room, various artifacts from the houses and tombs of the Samhan and Samguk Periods are displayed. In the Unified Silla-Goryeo (918~1392) Room are displayed the clay pottery, metallic pottery, and gold artifacts used in daily life or related to Buddhism from the Silla and Goryeo Periods. In the fourth Joseon-Go Print Room, you can see the treasures discovered in Chungcheongbuk-do area from the Joseon Period (1392~1910), such as Buncheongsagi and Baekja ceramics. The most carefully decorated room in the Sangseol exhibit is the Children’s Exhibit. It was built to let children experience and learn the culture of Korea’s past. It is also a very helpful place for foreigners who do not know the folk culture of Korea. You can experience first-hand various traditional Korean sounds, such as Dadeumi sound. You can also see a traditional Korean wedding and funeral with all their associated customs in small miniature models. The funeral service shows “sangyeo”, which is not generally known to foreigners. Sangyeo was a device used to carry dead people to their graves. All the miniature models are very detailed and very charming. Besides these, you can try wooden mask printing and the Takbon, as well as tools used by people in the past in the Learning Room. You can try creating clay pottery here as well. 

Onyang Folk Museum (온양민속박물관) in Ansan, Chungcheongnam-do preserves and displays the traditional Korean folk culture.The museum is divided into indoor and outdoor halls. Traditional houses and traditional household goods are displayed in the outdoor hall. In the indoor hall, visitors can see and learn about the lifestyle and culture from Korea’s past in the 1st Exhibition Hall, economic activities such as farming and fishing in the 2nd Exhibition Hall, and traditional craft and play in the 3rd Exhibition Hall.Experience a traditional Korean wedding at the Living Culture Hall. 

The UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea honors UN soldiers from 16 countries that were killed in battle during the Korean War from 1950-1953. This serene park spreads across a grassy plain area of 135,000 m2. Some of the sites and memorials include: Memorial Service Hall, Memorabilia Hall, 2 Turkish Monuments, Greek Monument, Australian Monument, British Common Wealth Monument and 2 ponds. The Memorial Service Hall and the Memorabilia Hall were constructed in 1964 and 1968 respectively. The citizens of Busan dedicated the Main Gate in 1966. There are many annual events held here, some of the key events include: April’s Tributary Ceremony of the Veterans of the Korean War, May’s American Memorial Day, June’s Korean Memorial Day, and October’s UN Ceremony Day.

Lafesta is Korea’s largest open street shopping mall, full of fun events year-round. Resembling Santa Monica Pier in California or Shinjuku Street in Tokyo, Lafesta is tailored to maximize pedestrian shopping experiences. Consisting of six buildings, Lafesta is a unique place full of shopping and entertainment. Its main facilities include Fashion Outlet, accessory shops, food courts, restaurants, theme cafes, a game center, a book store, and a movie theater.Near Lake Park, Lafesta has become a wildly popular place in Ilsan among Korean and international tourists by offering exquisite shops, fun entertainment, and colorful events. It is also surrounded by shopping malls (e.g. Lotte Department Store and Homever), Ilsan Dong-gu Office, banking and finance institutions, MBC, and China Town. 

Cheonggyesan Mountain surrounds Seoul Grand Park, SeoulLand and National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon. The mountain boarders the area of Yangjae-dong, Seoul and Gwacheon-si, Seongnam-si, and Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do. The mountain is nestled at the foot of Gwanaksan Mountain, south of downtown Gwacheon. Dense forests, neat valleys, parks, and temples are available in the mountain, making it a suitable climbing course for families. Also, varied walking courses are set up. The top of the mountain, Manggyeongdae, is not open to public access as a government facility is situated on the peak. Guksabong Peak (alt. 538m) and another peak (alt. 545m) are connected through a mountain path.It is said that a faithful person, Joyun in the late Goryeo period entered Cheonggyesan Mountain from Songdo after the demolition of Goryeo by Yi Seong-gye who was the first King of the Joseon Dynasty. Also, it was referred to as “Cheongryongsan” because the area is regarded as the place where a blue dragon (Cheongryong; 청룡) ascended to heaven. Based on the principles of geomancy, Gwaksan Mountain and Cheonggyesan Mountain are called “Baekho” (White Tiger) and “Cheongryong,” respectively.