Travel/Culture List

Modo Island was once called Ttiseom because of the Ttipul grasses on the island. Ttipul is type of grass native to Korea. It was also called Ttiseom because there were many houses with thatched roofs made with dried Ttipul on the island. The name Modo means Ttiseom in Chinese characters. Every year when the sea parts to reveal a path betwen Modo Island and Jindo Island, the Yeongdeungje ritual is held to wish for a good catch and blessings. It is also a local tradition for people from Jindo and Modo to meet on the sea path to catch clams, seaweed, and octopus. At the starting point of the path, there is statue of Grandma Ppong whom the legend of the Jindo sea-parting phenomenon was based on. * Size: 0.21 ㎢ * Length of the coastline: 2.5 km

Designated as Daegu’s Cultural Property No. 29 on May 12, 1995, this shrine was built in the mid-Joseon period, during King Yeongjo's rule. The shrine holds 12 Jeongnyeo (monumental gates) awarded to the members of the Gwak Clan, built from the time of King Seonjo in 1598 to the time of King Yeongjo. It is an important and unique shrine because the Gwak Clan attained their 12 Jeongnyeo all in one village, which is quite uncommon. During the Joseon Dynasty, Jeongnyeo were awarded to honor loyal retainers, devoted sons, and exemplary husbands and wife.

Seopori Beach, designated as a national tourism area, is surrounded by a luxurious forest of 100-year-old pine trees. The moderately sloped, white sand beach extends 3 kilometers in length and 300 meters in x_width. The beach and the pine tree forest provide a great recreational area for the 100,000 annual visitors. Leisure facilities include a vast sports field, seaside playground, tennis court, restaurants, karaoke, bicycle rentals, and more. Visitors can enjoy fishing from the rocks on the seashore, swimming in the clean sea, and strolling through the pine forest to appreciate the scenic surroundings.

The Gangchon Resort (강촌유원지) is a small village nestled along the Bukan River in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do. The river is on one side of the village, while Bongwhasan Mountain and Samaksan Mountain are on the opposite side, creating a beautiful scenery from all directions.Gangchon Station is conveniently located near the entrance to the recreational area. Many young couples enjoy taking the romantic train rides to this cozy little village. Therefore, this spot has became a popular place for college students to go to on weekend trips.The village area has campgrounds, a youth hostel and other lodging facilities, bicycle paths, bungee jump facilities and many other recreational areas.In addition, the area is especially famous for mountain biking. There are many places to rent bicycles; for those are not accustomed to mountain biking, motorized bicycles are also available. The most popular bicycle course is the well-made route to Gugok Waterfall. Bicycles can be left in the parking lot located near the entrance to the waterfalls. From the entrance, it is just a short hike up to the waterfall. As there will be many people using this popular bike route, follow the crowds and do not worry about getting lost. The 67 meter high waterfall is a natural wonder. People flock to this spot in the summer to escape the heat and in the winter to see the ice sheets gracefully frozen in time.

'Solmeo' gets its name from a small cluster of pine trees. The first Korean priest, Saint Kim Dae-gun Andrea was born here on August 21, 1821 and continued to live until he was seven to escape from persecution by following his grandfather to Handeok-dong, Yongin (Golmaemashil). Furthermore, it is where four generations of ancestors such as his great-grandfather Kim Jin-hu (martyred in 1814), great uncle Kim Han-hyun (1816), father Kim Jae-jun (1839), and priest Kim Dae-gun himself (martyred in 1846) lived.He was chosen as a theological student in Golmaemashil and studied in Macao. In 1846, he was ordained as priest by Bishop Ferréol in Shanghai, Kim Ga Hang Cathedral. After his return to Korea, he worked in Yongin until September 1846 when he was tried, executed and died a martyr when he was only 26. Pope Johannes Paulus II appointed him a saint during his visit to Korea in May 1984. In Solmoe, Priest Kim Dae-gun’s statue and a memorial stands underneath the pine trees and his remains are placed inside the nearby cathedral.

Deungjan (등잔, Korean lamps) that used to light up the nights in Korea, and have all but disappeared into the ‘back streets’ of history, have now been gathered together in one place – the Korean Deung-Jan Museum (한국등잔박물관) – where their enchanting flames are once again illuminating Korea. Based on materials that were collected for roughly 40 years by the now octogenarian Dr. Kim Dong-hwi, the Korean Deung-Jan Museum was established in September 1997 as a theme museum of Gyeonggi Province in Neungwon-ri, Mohyeon-myeon, Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province. The museum was built to mimic the image of the fortress walls in Hwaseong, Suwon, and as a result the building bears a resemblance to a lighthouse. The first and second floors of the building, which has one underground floor and three floors above ground, are exhibition halls. The basement floor is a rest area for seminars and a wide range of performances. There is also an outdoor exhibition space that measures around 2,644 m2 and includes native rocks, various types of trees, and a pond.

Spanning only 1㎞ in length, Yonghwa Beach, located 24㎞ from downtown Samcheok-si City, offers a serene atmosphere. Its half-moon shaped coastline, together with the strangely shaped rocks on both sides, creates a beautiful scenery, while its shallow water and low waves offer a perfect swimming location for families with children. Moreover, there is a stream that runs parallel to the beach, and a dense pine forest behind it.

Guri City worked to improve the water quality of Jangja Lake (장자호수) in order to form the Jangja Lake Park (장자호수공원) and in the process an ecological zone was created. A 3.6 km tree-lined walkway runs through the park, and is frequented by people enjoying an outing or getting some light exercise. Concerts, exhibitions, and other events are held on the outdoor stage on weekends and the park is widely used as a place to relax by local residents. * Size - Area 107,385m², average water depth 2.2m (0.2m~4.7m), and walkway 4.6km

The Jaun Seowon Confucian Academy is home to the tablets of Yulgok Yi I, a great scholar of the Joseon Dynasty. Yulgok was born in his mother’s childhood home in Gangneung in 1536, the 31st year of King Jungjong’s reign. The site is home to the Memorial Hall (free admission) where artifacts related to Yulgok and his mother Sinsaimdang are on exhibit. The tomb of Yulgok Yi I is located to the west of the Memorial Hall and sits above the tomb of Sinsaimdang with the tombs of other relatives. It is unique that the tomb of Yi I is above that of his mother. The site is home to the memorial hall building as well as the family tombs, tombstones, Sammun and Munseongmun gates, Yulgok Education and Training Center, a lawn plaza, pond, mineral spring, and a room where memorial services are held. In early October every year, the Yulgok Culture Festival, a major festival of Paju, is held beginning with the ritual service offered in memory of Yulgok.

The Mungyeong Spa is an enormous hot springs complex that first opened in March 2001 and is able to accommodate up to 2,500 visitors at one time.The Mungyeong Spa offers two types of hot springs water. The yellow earth-colored hot springs water comes from 900 meters underground and is effective in treating skin irritations and heart disease. The other hot springs water comes from 750 meters below the ground and is beneficial to healing wounds and respiratory organs.Due to Mungyeong Spa’s two different hot springs waters, you can have several different healing experiences all in one place.