Travel/Culture List

Located in Sudo-ri (Munsu-myeon, Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do), Museom Village is a charming Hanok Village surrounded by water. Flowing down from Mt. Sobaek and Mt. Taebaek, Naeseongcheon Stream and Yeongjucheon Stream converge and loop around Museom Village, surrounding the village on three sides with water. The island-like village is not only a center of traditional Korean culture, but also has a gorgeous natural landscape complete with a wide sandy beach riverside and a lush forest inland.Known for Haeudang and Manjukje (two of the most historical hanok houses in the area) the village is also home to other outstanding traditional houses such as the Kim Gyu-jin House and the Kim Wi-jin House. Manjukje is located at the heart of the village and is popular among international visitors, as it is the oldest traditional house in the hanok village. Manjukje was built in 1666 (7th year of King Heonjong's reign) by Bak Su (the father of the Bannam Bak Family).Nearby Manjukje is Manun House, built in the early 19th century and named after Kim Hwi-geol (penname, “Manun”). The house later became the home of the wife of the famous poet Jo Ji-hun, author of “Byeolli,” a poem expressing the beauty of Museom Village.Other notable houses include the Kim Jin-wi House (a house belonging to aristocrats), the Kim Jeong-gyu House (a house without the traditional outer fencing), and the Bak Jae-yeon House, where the writings of Bak Gyu-su (a scholar belonging to the Silhakpa school of thought during the late Joseon Period) still remain today.Another famous attraction in the village is the Single Log Bridge, which was the village’s only connection to the outside world for over 350 years before the construction of Sudo Bridge in 1979. It is a tiny bridge in terms of x_width (30cm), but it stretches for over 150m. It is said that the bridge was rebuilt annually after being destroyed each rainy season. With the construction of Sudo Bridge, the Single Log Bridge was no longer needed, but was rebuilt some time later in its original form. To celebrate the bridge’s impressive history, each year the Oenamu Dari Festival (literally, “Single Log Bridge Festival”) is held in October.

Gurim Village features a natural village, famous for its huge size and is home to various historical tales, persons and natural cultural tourism resources, making the village attractive to tourists.

Oseam (오세암), is an annex of the larger Baekdamsa Temple (백담사), it is a small Buddhist temple built in 644 under the reign of Queen Seondeok of the Shilla Dynasty. It is the home of the famous legend that provided inspiration for the production of Oseam the movie, and the animated film. It is a popular meditation venue for Buddhist monks and famous poets, including Siseup Kim and Yongun Han, who are said to have stayed here. It lies against the backdrop of Gwaneumbong Peak and is surrounded by the many scenic tourist attractions of Mt Seorak.

The 19km-long Bugak Skyway runs along the northeast ridge of Bugaksan Mountain. Opened in September 1968, the road quickly became known as one of Korea’s most scenic driving routes. The road offers lovely views of Bukhansan Mountain’s Bibong Peak and Munsubong Peak on one side and Namsan Mountain on the other side. Trees line the roadside and different flowers bloom per season. The skyway leads to an octagonal pavilion at the top called Palgakjeong, where visitors can get a panoramic view of the city, take photos, and have a meal or coffee while enjoying the scenery. There’s also a parking lot that can accommodate up to 130 cars. http://bukak-palgakjeong.tistory.com

The name “Clayarch” is a compound word of clay and “arch”, which is an abbreviation of “architecture”. It embodies the basic spirit of the museum, which is to pursue development in the field of architectural ceramics through working with science, art, education, and industry. Clayarch Gimhae Museum aims to play a leading role in the development of architectural ceramics, which are now spreading across the globe. It intends to do so by rediscovering the relationship between ceramics and architecture – a matter that has been relatively ignored – as a new direction for ceramic art. This reflects the pluralism of this time, which seeks to pursue something creative and new and to overcome the limitations of specific fields through working with different genres. The museum seeks to actively lead this artistic attempt, and make aesthetic and scientific achievements in this field with theoretical backing gained through academic activities, lectures, and research.  

Cheongpyeong Recreational Forest (청평자연휴양림) boasts a pristine natural landscape that overlooks Cheongpyeongho Lake in Bukhangang River. The forest is a great getaway from the monotony of urban life where visitors can immerse themselves in the beauty of nature. The forest changes color every season, offering breathtaking views of Cheongpyeongho Lake through colonies of pine trees and oak trees in the spring and summer, colorful foliage in autumn, and a white snow-covered landscape in the winter. Sounds of flowing water and birds singing add to the joy of the great outdoors. The forest offers 5 buildings for general accommodation and 2 ‘Mayflower’ buildings for friends and couples. There is also an observatory, picnic site, swimming pool, forest cafe, garden, and auditorium. Located in the vicinity of Seoul, the forest is easily accessible as a weekend getaway. It is recommended for family gatherings and group workshops.

Daejeonghyanggyo is a Confucian school during Joseon Dynasty. Although the exact date of construction is uncertain, it is estimated that the building was built at around the same time as Daejeonghyeon in 1416. The school was originally located inside Bukseong. It moved outside Dongmun and then moved again to the site of Seoseong. It was moved to Dansan Oreum where it remains to this day. At present, Daejeonghyanggyo Confucian School consists of Daeseongjeon, Myeongryundang, Dongjae, Seojae Shinsammun, Daeseongmun, Dongmalmun and Dongjeongmun. Daeseongjeon was remodeled in 1669, 1688, and 1752. Myeongryundang was rebuilt in 1772. After several instances of remodeling and rebuilding, Daeseongjeon was remodeled again in 1993. The Confucian school was designated as Jeju Tangible Cultural Asset No. 4 in August 1971.

Gyemyeongsan Recreational Forest (계명산자연휴양림) of Chungju is located east of Chungju Lake and is surrounded by beautiful scenery. In addition, Gyemyeongsan Recreational Forest’s nearby roads are good for driving and the area is very popular among tourists and even Koreans. Within this recreational forest, there are pine trees, and various animals and plants. In addition to a host of therapeutic benefits, a walk through these woods is memorably tranquil. The list of recreational facilities includes mountain passes, sporting facilities, a community kitchen, and campfires. As for lodging facilities there are Forest Cabins and family hotels available. Reservations can be made directly through the Homepage. (Korean)

Deokpo Beach is a white sandy beach in the city of Geoje in Gyeongsangnam-do. The 450m-long and 40m-wide beach offers fine sand, clear waters, a gentle slope and old sea pine trees along the coast. The sound of the waves hitting the small pebbles, give a romantic atmosphere, especially at night. Nearby attractions include the Okpo Great Victory Commemorative Park, which was built in 1996 to commemorate the victory of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and the Okpo Shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering with a giant shipyard crane.

Danyang Jeokseong Fortress is a fortress made of stone from Seongjaesan Mountain in Danyang. About 900 square meters of the surrounding area was mostly destroyed, but in the northeast section, the inner wall of the part that was heaped across the wall still remains. The castle was built surrounding the mountain's southern slope and around the summit. It was designated as Historical Site No. 265 in August 1979. Also, the circumference of the fortress is 923 meters, but most of the fortress walls have collapsed. A 3-meter section of wall remains at the end of the northeast part. Three gates were found in the southwest, east, and southeast areas. Inside of the fortress is the Jeokseongbi stone stele. Jeokseong Fortress is also called Jeoksanseong, as the place was an outpost for the Silla army's invasion of the north, where they stole Goguryeo army’s compound. * Historical symbol of Jeokseongsanseong Fortress Jeokseongbi Stone Stele was found in 1978 inside of the fortress. This artifact relates the power struggle between the Silla and Goguryeo. Besides the stone stele, the fortress also houses relics from the Three Kingdoms Period, such as earthenware and tiles from the Goryeo period. Also, the method employed to construct the structure resulted in its sturdiness, and thus the fortress has important value for studying fortification.