Travel/Culture List

Chuam Chotdaebawi Rock (추암 촛대바위) in Donghae-si, Gangwon-do Province is one of Korea’s most famous tourist attractions. The beautifully formed rock towers high into the sky and resembles a candlestick, from which it gets its name. "Chotdae” is Korean for “candle,” while “bawi” means “rock”; quite literally “candle rock.”The beautiful sight of Chotdaebawi Rock surrounded by 10 or so smaller rocks is sure to take your breath away. The surrounding rocks are named after their shapes; "Geobukbawi"(turtle), "Bububawi"(couple), and "Hyeongjebawi"(brothers).Chotdaebawi Rock is a popular place for visitors to come and enjoy the magnificent beauty of the sun slowly peeking its way over the edge of the rock face. The beauty of the rock at sunrise is so picturesque that it is even used as a backdrop for the Aegukga (the Korean national anthem) when it is aired on KBS (Korean Broadcasting System).Other nearby attractions include Chuam Beach and Haeamjeong (a type of pavilion dating back to the Joseon Dynasty).* The Legend of Chotdaebawi RockOnce upon a time, there was a man who lived in Chuam who had a concubine. His wife was jealous of the second wife and the conflict between the two women continually escalated. One day, god became enraged over their continual quarreling and threw lighting down from heaven, striking both women dead. The newly-made widower missed his wives so much that he remained frozen in his loneliness and eventually turned into a rock, which is now Chotdaebawi Rock that we see today. 

Opened on September 29, 2000, the Daegu Kolon Open Air Music Hall is Korea’s largest single music hall. Due to its convenient location in picturesque Duryu Park, the music hall is a popular venue for performing arts and cultural events. Its expansive open-air grassy plaza has a capacity of 27,000 people.The music hall is available for rent and can accommodate any type of performance: concerts, plays, musicals, opera, and more.

Woljeongsa Temple, located on Odaesan Mountain in Jinbu-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, offers temple stay programs for experiencing Buddhist culture. Activities include walking through the fir tree forest, touring the temple, trekking by Odaecheon Stream, and visiting the Buddhist hermitage on Odaesan Mountain.

Abraham Park Kenneth Vine Collection Museum, founded by Abraham Park in 1998, has a collection of 2,000 Christian items that Kenneth Vine unearthed and collected over the years. Displays of approximately 700 remains of Ancient Egypt and Rome can be found in three exhibit areas. The first exhibit area is titled The Works of God and has approximately 300 pieces. The second exhibition area has approximately 350 pieces and is titled, 'The Fall of Man'. The third exhibit is titled 'The Way to Recover God’s Image' and houses holy scriptures from Israel along with approximately 100 other items.

Wooyang Art Museum, located in the Bomun Tourist Complex, is a private gallery of modern art established in 1991. The collections of major modern and contemporary artists are on display. The museum targets famous modern art collections and retrospective exhibitions of artists in the middle of their careers. Nearly 450 pieces of European and American sculptures, paintings, and photographs from the 1960s, along with leading collections of Korean modernist art from the 1970s, are displayed in Wooyang Art Museum. In particular, modern Eastern European art and decorative art collections, a rarity in Korea, are on display here. The place has also beeb showcasing modern and contemporary art from a historical perspective through a large-scale international exhibition, and plans to hold a special exhibition for renowned domestic and foreign artists in the middle of their careers who have suggested art trends ahead of their time. Furthermore, various lecture and exhibitions have been held to meet the diverse needs of local citizens, making Wooyang Art Museum a major cultural center in the community.

Gyeonghwa Station is a small railway station in Gyeonghwa-dong, Jinhae-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do. The station is neighbored by Seongjusa Station to the north and Jinhae Station to the south. Railway services in and out of Gyeonghwa Station have been discontinued as of February 2015. The train used to stop at the station during the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, but now it only makes stops at Masan, Changwon and Jinhae stations.In April, rows of cherry trees bloom along the 800 meter-long railway extending from the station all the way to Sehwa Girls’ High School. Along with Anmingogae Road and Yeojwacheon Bridge, Gyeonghwa Station is one of the top three spots in Jinhae for taking photos of the cherry blossoms. The area is often featured in Korean movies and dramas such as the film “Boy Goes to Heaven” (2005) and the drama “Spring Waltz” (2006). 

At the summit of Mt. Paldalsan is Hyowon’s Bell, a bell that was created to honor the filial devotion of King Jeongjo towards his father, Sado Seja the royal prince. The bell is always rung three times- the first ring is in gratitude for the love of one’s parents, the second to hope for happiness in one’s family, and the third to prayer for self improvement.

Teseum Safari is a teddy bear museum located in the Aewol-eup region of Jeju Island. It is one of the first museums in the world to exhibit all sorts of teddy bears and stitched dolls including ones shaped like wildlife animals, marine animals, flowers, birds, and more. The museum is spread over two large floors and features teddy bears arranged in adorable poses. Highlights of the museum include teddy bears shaped liked tigers, elephants, sharks, dolphins and even teddy bears based on characters from Greek mythology. Visitors can take photos with the teddy bears and famous tourist attractions such as ‘Psyche World’ are located nearby.  

Housed in the Culinary School of Korea History and Culture in Gyeongju, the Laseonjae restaurant serves unique culinary delights that recreate the cuisine served in the royal courts of the Silla Kingdom. The school has a well-established reputation as a culinary institution that excels in preserving the taste and cooking styles of the past. Laseonjae was opened with the goal of promoting Isageum, the Silla-style course meal that the school developed after many years of research.The Isageum table consists of various dishes served in the royal court of Silla: the dishes are made of 9 rare, medicinal ingredients called gujinmi. The interior of Raseonjae is decorated mostly in gold, the color that defines the Silla Kingdom. Note the columns with lotus leaf patterns and other characteristics unique to banquet halls from the Silla royal court. The restaurant staff further portrays the splendor of the era by wearing traditional Shilla dress, seemingly transporting diners back in time while they enjoy an elegant and delicious meal experience.* Silla Isageum- Appetizer: good for the stomach and kidney- Main dish: good for the lung and liver- Dessert: good for the heart