Travel/Culture List

Situated on Sabulsan Mountain, the temple is a beautiful building, rich in history. The name of the mountain on which the temple was built was originally called Gongdeoksan, but was later known as Sabulsan. The name, Sabulsan, (meaning “Four Buddhas”) comes from the legend of the Silla Period in which a large stone shrouded with red silk and etched with four faces of Buddha mysteriously descended upon the mountain. Upon hearing the news of this miraculous event, the king at the time (King Jinpyeong) immediately visited the spot and had the temple built next to the sacred stone. The temple was partially destroyed by fire in the summer of 1922, but was restored in 1927 thanks to the efforts of Monks Uiun, Chwiwol, and Deoksan. In January 1958, the temple once again suffered fire damage, leaving only a few buildings (Geukrakjeon, Myeongbujeon, and Sansingak) untouched. Monks Daehyu, Seolwol, and Jeongam helped to restore the temple and the temple has remained well-preserved ever since.

Located at the top of Mt. Dorisan in Yeomi-ri of Sangjodo Island, Dorisan Observatory is the highlight of the area, and offers panoramic views of Dadohae and its many islands including Gwanmae, Byeongpung, Nabae, Daema and Soma Islands. The eco-friendly structure provides panoramic views of nearby islands that locals like to say, “appear scattered over the sea like a flock of birds over water.” Visitors can enjoy majestic sunrise and sunset views, and on days with clear visibility, can see Bogildo Island in Haenam and even as far as Hallasan Mountain and Chujado Island in Jeju. Another of Jodo’s attractions is the nature lover spots on Hajodo Island. Jodo is comprised of the Sangjodo and Hajodo Islands connected by a bridge. The entire area is filled with pine trees and has plenty of beach access. The nearby Dondaebong Peak (230m) and the Hajodo Lighthouse offer comparable views and scenic landscapes for visitors in the area to enjoy.  

Yuldong Park is a large urban neighborhood park located in the new section of Bundang in the city of Seongnam. Since its opening in September 1999, the park has become a favorite weekend hangout, frequented by residents of Seongnam and Seoul. This well-equipped park has a 45-meter bungee jumping site, a large fountain and a 33-acre reservoir encircled by a 2.5km promenade/bike path. Other facilities include a 13 meter-high artificial rock climbing wall, badminton center, children’s playground, foot acupressure path, grass plaza, year-round flower garden, field of reeds and theater. The park is also a popular date course for couples at nighttime as there are many quiet cafes located near the reservoir.

Seongmoam, a temple of the Jogye Order, is located on Yuangsan Mountain in Mangyeong-myeon, Gimje-si. The temple is the final resting place of the mother of Jinmuk Daesa, a great Buddhist monk from the Jeonbuk region. Jinmuk believed that a person’s love and respect for Buddha is not that much different from the love and respect one has for his or her parents. As an expression of this philosophy, Jinmuk had his mother’s remains enshrined at the temple after she died at Mujasoncheonnyeonhyanghwajiji. A neat little line of stone lamps leads visitors up from the parking lot to the temple grounds, revealing the well-attended grave of Jinmuk Daesa’s mother to the left. The temple is very unique in that it is the only one to house a caretaker’s office (Gosiraejoen Hall) that is responsible for maintaining the grave site. It is said that prayers made to Seongmo (the holy mother) while visiting the temple will come true. Throughout the entire year, throngs of people journey to the temple to pay their respects and earnestly ask the holy mother to grant them their deepest desires.

Simni (10-ri) Cherry Blossom Road in Hwagae is famous for its beautiful views in spring. It is believed that if a young couple walks down this road holding hands, they will be together for one hundred years. For this reason, the road is sometimes referred to as the “wedding road.”

The Donggosa Temple, located on Seungamsan Mountain in Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju-si, is a Buddhist temple of the Taego Order. The hike up to the Donggosa Temple is a refreshing climb on Seungamsan Mountain, and the temple provides a stunning panoramic view of downtown Jeonju. The temple buildings were constructed one after another along the mountain ridge, and stand in a row on either side of Daeungjeon (the main hall). The Donggosa Temple is modest and tastefully decorated with portraits of deceased great Buddhist monks and wooden Buddhist murals. The hiking trail to the right of the Donggosa Temple leads to the Chimyeongjasan Martyrs Ground, which is the graveyard of persecuted Catholics from the late Joseon Dynasty.

The primary source of Geumgang River is a spring called ‘Ddeunbong’ in Subun-ri, Jangsu-gun, Jeollabuk-do, which flows to the north. At Changnam, it changes direction and enters Bangu-ri, Buri-myeon, Geumsan-gun. From here, the river flows through steep mountains. At Sutong-ri, the precipitous cliffs of a mountain named ‘Jeokbyeok’ tower proudly above, and where the river runs under these steep cliffs it is called the ‘Jeokbyeokgang River’ (적벽강).‘Jeokbyeok’ literally means ‘red walls’ in Korean. The Geumgang River under Jeokbyeok is as calm as a peaceful lake with long sandy shores. This riverbank is alive with beautiful flowers in spring, green pine trees in summer, and in fall, the green gives way to an autumnal tint, until lovely snowscapes blanket the area in winter. A fisherman in his boat in the middle of the river makes the landscape more picturesque. In summer, the Jeokbyeokgang River’s banks can become quite crowded with visitors.

Wansanchilbong Peak is located on the southern outskirts of downtown Jeonju. There is a pavilion located at the top where people can look out over the surrounding area. The entire mountain, designated as Wansan Park, is protected by Jeonju city hall. It is a popular retreat for locals, especially in spring when the trees that line the walking paths are in full bloom.