Travel/Culture List

Samrye Culture & Arts Village is an art village also referred to as "Samsamyeyemimi." Once used as a granary and an official residence during the Japanese administration, it has now become a village of art. The village consists of Design Museum, Visual Media Art Gallery, Kim Sang-rym Carpentry Shop (Wood Works), and Book Museum and offers a variety of programs during exhibition events and art festivals.

Nagan Folk Recreation Forest is situated in Nakan-myeon, Suncheon, conveniently accessed by trains (two railway lines, Jeolla Line and Gyeongjeon Line) and two highways (Namhae Highway and Honam Highway). Just two kilometers from the historic Nagan Fortress Folk Village, Nagan Folk Recreation Forest boasts exquisite surroundings. Some famous attractions near the forest are Songgwangsa Temple, Seonamsa Temple, Juamho Lake, and Sangsaho Lake, offering opportunities to appreciate ancient temples and the glow of the setting sun over the lakes. Perhaps more famous nearby attractions, though, are the breathtaking rows of reeds at Suncheon Bay and Nagan Fortress Folk Village, the home of cultural festivals and events.Lying on a local highway between Suncheon and Naksan, this forest is surrounded by mountains and a river with a homely garden atmosphere. The two beautiful mountains, Geumjeonsan (667.9m) and Obongsan (591m) snuggly envelop Nagan Folk Recreation Forest. On rainy days, visitors can enjoy spectacular falls of water at Virgin Falls (Cheonyeo Pokpo in Korean) within the forest.Every year, Nagan Fortress Folk Village hosts Nakan Folk Culture Festival (a main festival held in Suncheon from end of April to early May) and Namdo Food Festival (October) while Yeosu, another nearby city, holds Azalea Festival and Turtle Ship Festival (from April to May) and Boseong, Boseong Green Tea Festival and Illimsan Royal Azalea Festival (May). 

Okjeongho Lake Gujeolcho Theme Park is situated on a nearby hill of Manggyeongdae (망경대) in Maejuk-ri, Sannae-myeon, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do. In autumn, the surrounding forest is filled with white Gujeolcho (Siberian chrysanthemum).There are a lot of facilities for visitors such as walking paths, a multi functional field, an exhibition hall for naturally growing wild flowers, a resting area, a square, an acupressure road, an agricultural marketplace, a pension, parking lot, and so on.

Visitors can have a chance to make mosi (ramie fabric) firsthand at the village. Walking around the village at dusk, visitors will realize why the village is called Dalgogae (moon hill): the village was built on a flat plain and when the moon rises slowly, the place is illuminated by the moonlight. While basking in the moonlight, people will hear the sound of a flock of wild ducks flying together. In this ordinary-looking village, the long-standing tradition of Hansan mosi (ramie fabric) is passed down and preserved in the hands of the village women. Hansan mosi is also called 'semosi' (fine ramie) because of the time-consuming and labor-intensive process involved. The village offers a variety of mosi-themed experience programs for visitors. Village artisans with valuable mosi-related experience assist the participants. Programs include ramie plant harvesting and ramie fabric weaving. Visitors can also try some highly nutritious ramie rice cakes and tea. Mosi's history can be traced back as far as the period of the Three Kingdoms. It is said that during the Baekje Dynasty, an old man found the ramie plant at the foot of Geonjisan Mountain after a mountain god appreared in his dream. The natural fabric, mosi, is so thin and delicate that it is compared to the wings of a dragonfly. In the Goryeo Dynasty, the king presented the China's king with Hansan mosi. In the Joseon Dynasty, mosi was was offered to the kings. One can see the difference between mosi and regular fabric by trying on mosi clothes made by the artisans. Experience programs at the village also include natural dyeing, making mosi jegi (object used to play jegichagi) and mosi mobile phone accessories. Food made from mosi plants include mosi buchimgae (Korean pancake) and mosi bread. Another fun activity at the village is hangwa (traditional sweets & cookies) making. Hangwa-making, much like producing mosi, is a labor-intensive process. In making hangwa, grains harvested at the village are used. The grains are fried for a short time, carefully mixed with honey, and then flattened. After it cools down and hardens, it is then cut into small pieces. The taste of freshly-made hangwa adds to the joy of the experience, making it the best activity of the program.

The Cheongsong Yasong Art Gallery was established by Cheongsong-gun County and opened on April 29, 2005 in Sinchon-ri, Jinbo-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. The art gallery exhibits 350 Korean paintings and pottery works of Yasong Lee Won-jwa, who is a traditional Korean painter native to Cheongsong. Also on display are around 50 works of noted painters and sculptors from in and out of Korea, and over 10,000 art books, all of which have been donated to the gallery. The two-story building was formerly Sinchon Primary School, which was remodeled into an art gallery after its closure. The gallery facilities include exhibition halls, an art library, and an art education center for holding permanent and special exhibitions and educational programs.

Cheongwansa Temple is situated in the middle of Cheongwansan Mountain in Jangheung (Jeollanam-do). Although the exact origin of the temple is not known, it was believed to have been built by Monk Tongyeong during the Silla Kingdom (57 BC - 935 AD). It was once known as Hwaeomsa Temple and was home to over 1,000 monks in its 89 buildings. After a period of closure, the temple was rebuilt in 1963 and renamed Cheongwansa Temple. Beneath the temple’s humble exterior is an impressive collection of cultural properties including Cheongwansa Three-Story Pagoda (Treasure No.795), Cheongwansa Seokdeung (stone lantern), Five-Story Pagoda, and Jangheung Tapsansaji Seokdeung (stone lantern). In addition, Cheongwansan Mountain is known for beautiful camellias in spring and gorgeous silver grass in fall as well as an array of fascinating rock formations. Visitors can also enjoy the views of Dadohae (an archipelago) from the top of the mountain.  

Cheongpyeonghoban Maeuntang Village is located on the shores of Cheongpyeong Lake, designated a national attraction in 1943. The restaurants gathered here serve maeuntang (spicy fish stew), haemul tang (spicy seafood stew), sanchae jeongsik (set menu with seasoned wild vegetables) and many other traditional foods.

Tamjingang River, 56km long in total, is one of the major three rivers (Yeongsangang, Seomjingang and Tamjingang) of Jeollanam-do Province area that crosses through the center of Jangheung-eup, passing Busan-myeon. It was formerly known as Yeyanggang River, but then later named Tamjingang after residents of Tamrado Island (now Jejudo Island) sailed down the river for the first time. At each river bend is a time-honored pavilion for taking a quality rest and enjoying the gentle breeze from the river. There are a dozen in total. The scenic beauty of the crystal clear water of the river stands complements the lush forest rocky areas of the mountains nearby.

Pungdong Anygol (formerly known as ‘Aehyeongol’ and ‘Aeingol’) is a ‘food street,’ where many restaurants are located close to one another. Anygol originally started near Baekma Station (Gyeongui Subway Line), where eccentric cafés playing folk music were once popular dating spots among young people in the 1970’s and 80’s. When Anygol near Baekma Station disappeared in the early 1990’s, cafés and restaurants started sprouting around Pung-dong, Goyang-si, which is known for its art and cultural spaces as well as beautiful lakes. Today, there are over 80 restaurants and cafés that host folk music performances as late as 3 a.m. on Pungdong Anygol.