Located in the heart of Seoul, Changgyeonggung Palace was first built by the 4th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, King Sejong (r.1418-1450), for his retiring father, King Taejong. It often served as residential quarters for queens and concubines. During the reign of King Seongjong (r.1469-1494), the palace was renovated and renamed to Changgyeonggung Palace. It later became a park with a zoo and a botanical garden during Japanese colonial rule. The palace was then relocated in 1983 and regained its old grace after years of restoration. Past the entrance of Changgyeonggung Palace, the Honghwa Gate, you will find Okcheongyo Bridge. All palaces of the Joseon Dynasty have ponds with an arch bridge over them, just like Okcheongyo Bridge. Cross Okcheongyo Bridge, pass the Myeongjeongmun Gate, and you will find Myeonjeongjeon. This is the office of the king, and Myeongjeongjeon is the oldest of the Joseon Dynasty palaces. The houses face southwards, but Myeongjeongjeon faces east. Because the ancestral shrine of the royal family is located to the south, the gate couldn't face the south, as is required by Confucian custom. There are stones with the status of the officials carved on the yard. Behind Myeongjeongjeon on the upper left side is Sungmundang. This building utilizes the slope of the mountain. If you look at Myeongjeongjeon and Munjeongjeon, the combination of the high and low roofs offers a beautiful view. Tongmyeongjeon was built for the queen. It is the biggest building in Changgyeonggung Palace, and you can recognize the delicate details of its structure in various parts of the building. Walk up the stones past Tongmyeongjeon and there you will find Jagyeongjeon. On the southeast direction of the Jagyeongjeon is the Punggidae. This Punggidae is a measuring instrument. It is a long pole with a cloth hung at the end used to check the speed and direction of the wind. If you head north there is a large pond called Chundangji. Half of the pond was originally a rice field that the king took care of. But during the Japanese occupation, the rice field was changed to a pond with little ships floating on it. And the botanic garden built above the pond still remains today.  

Mokdong Stadium, located in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu, was opened on November 4, 1989 to accommodate an increasing number of people who want to work out in Seoul. It houses a soccer field, baseball field, figure skating rink, as well as a traditional game field at the Jungang plaza. Also, it has an indoor shooting range and fitness club. The main stadium is comprised of a soccer field and an athletic sports stadium, spanning over an area of 16,233㎡ and is able to accommodate up to 16,000 people. The ice rink covers an area of 6,018㎡ and can accommodate up to 7,000 people. Not only are there the usual on-ice activities such as ice hockey and figure skating, ice ballet performance is also held in the stadium. The stadium is used for a diverse range of sports, as well as, a daily work out place for nearby residents.

Opened on April 30, 2012, Seoul Baekje Museum (interchangeably called Hanseong Baekje Museum) was established by the Seoul Government in order to preserve the artifacts related to Seoul's 2,000-year-old history and to shed light on Seoul's cultural identity. The museum is located inside Olympic Park, overlooking Monchontoseong Fortress.

Founded in 1986, Samgwangsa Temple is the second Cheontae (천태종), located in Choeup-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan. The temple nestled in the hillside of the Baekyang mountain so all Busan area is viewed at one glance with the bright morning sunshine. It opens 24 hours for praying and continues its practice Buddhism religiously everyday.

The International Seon Center, operated by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, is a global templestay center where both local residents and foreign visitors alike can experience Korea’s Buddhist cultural practices. The seven-story building with three basement floors is equipped with various facilities including the Seon (Zen) practice hall, templestay hall, Great Dharma hall, and education and culture halls. The temple offers opportunities to experience traditional Korean Buddhist culture through such programs as Ganwha Seon (meditation classes), Templestay, Seon Culture Class, and temple food lectures. The regular Sunday ceremony provides a dharma talk both in Korean and English.

BEXCO (92,761m²) is a large international exhibition/convention center with eight floors (1BF-7F). It offers spacious exhibition halls as large as three football fields combined, multi-purpose halls, and outdoor exhibition halls. Equipped with advanced equipment, the convention center is ideal for holding international exhibitions, meetings, concerts, or sporting events.Events in BEXCO include Group Drawings for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan, 2003 ICCA Annual Conference, 2004 ITU Asia, and 2005 APEC Summit. In addition to outstanding facilities, BEXCO offers comprehensive service packages linking business, marketing, and tourism.

Located in the Seogwipo area of Jeju Island, Soesokkak Estuary (쇠소깍) was originally called ‘Soedun’, which means a lying down ox, and it was only later that it became more widely known as ‘Soesokkak’. This is the mouth of the Hyodoncheon stream. As the fresh water meets the ocean, it broadens into wide slow flowing river. ‘Soe; means an ox, ‘so’ means a ‘pool of water’ and ‘Kkak means ‘the end’. Soesokkak Estuary is lined with cliffs of curious lava formations, which are overhung with pine trees. Here the water takes on the deep blue of the ocean, and the scenery is very picturesque. Soesokkak is also well-known for its small, flat wooden boats called “Teu” that have been used for hundreds of years to ferry people across the estuary. The boat is pulled across the estuary by a long rope that is strung between the two banks. Taking a leisurely ride on a Teu across the clear water of the estuary is a great way to enjoy the area’s magnificent scenery.Soesokkak Estuary is located in Hahyo-dong on the Southern side of Hallasan Mountain. The area is also well-known for its tangerines, and visitors are drawn to the area by the fresh scent of the fruit. Popular destinations close to the Soesokkak Estuary include the famous Jusang Jeolli Cliffs and Jungmun Resort, as well as Cheonjeyeon Falls – all of which can be taken in on the same day.

Opened on April 1, 1981, Arko Arts Theater’s mission statement is to “boost performance art, obtain performance space to promote its popularity among the public, and support stages to pure art organizations facing financial difficulties."Over the last 24 years, it has made immense contributions to the development of Korean performance art. By the end of 2004, the theater offered 20,581 performances and attracted over 4 million visitors.As the center of performance art, the theater also began to attract a slew of small theaters and has played a pivotal role in promoting performance art and populating Dongsung-dong with artist. Currently, Daehakro (College Street) is home to over 58 theaters that offer colorful performances every day, making it the focal point of performance art in Korea.Large performance hall, children's playroom, small performance hall, practice room pianos, visual equipment (TV and VTR recording), audio equipment (recording, music/effects editing), stages (revolving state, elevated state, and orchestra pit), lobbies (first and second floor of large performance hall and small performance hall) 

Located a mere 3km from downtown Busan, Songdo Beach is a popular escape for the area’s city dwellers each summer. Opened in 1913 as Korea’s first official beach, the beach was named “Songdo” (meaning “Pine Island”) in reference to its bordering groves of pine trees. The beach began to gain popularity in the 1960s for its graceful coastlines, but was damaged by frequent hurricanes and subsequent sand loss. Starting in 2000, the beach underwent a comprehensive 5-year reconstruction and reopened with restored and expanded coastlines and the addition of several fountains. Songdo Beach is particularly beloved for its romantic summer night view and as host of the popular Busan Sea Festival and spirited Hyeonin Singing Festival. Nearby attractions include Busan’s famed Jagalchi Seafood Market and Amnam Park.

Background Information: The Chungdong Church, having being completed in 1898, is Korea’s first Protestant church. The church was 115 pyeongs when it was first built, but as they added some extra buildings to each wing in 1926, it now stands at 175 pyeongs.The Church has been declared the 256th greatest achievement, displaying a North American style Gothic architecture. Inside the church grounds stands a bust of the founder, Minister Appenzeller, and a 50th year commemoration memorial. In 1889, the church appeared in a monthly publication magazine called ‘Church’ as having Korea’s first summer Bible studies and also one of the leading churches who does missionary work. Chungdong Church is located in the center of the beautiful Chungdong Street, and is especially beautiful in autumn, when the leaves fall from the trees that line the street. Chungdong Theater, Deoksugung Palace, and Seoul Museum of Art are also in the vicinity, making it a great place for tourism.